10 Jan

CR IP TI ON BS SU

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

9 dead as Mideast hit by hail, snow, rain

Armstrong to address doping scandal on Oprah

7 NO: 15684

16

Court keeps opposition Al-Youm TV off the air

40 PAGES

150 FILS

www.kuwaittimes.net

SAFAR 28, 1434 AH

Assembly passes development plan, forms probe into Shell

Max 17º Min 07º High Tide 11:33 & 21:52 Low Tide 04:53 & 16:20

By B Izzak conspiracy theories

The land of the free

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

I

love when people do what they preach. And I find it strange when people say something and actually do the opposite at an 180-degree angle.

Where am I heading with this? Yesterday Victoria Nuland, the spokesperson of the US State Department, urged Kuwait to respect freedom of speech. She was quoted as saying: “We call on the government of Kuwait to adhere to its tradition of respect for freedom of assembly, association, and expression”.

Actually, our freedom is protected by the constitution in Kuwait. According to the constitution, you are not allowed to insult the entity of His Highness the Amir. That is not related to freedom of speech or writing. As for the verdicts that you refer to, they came about as a result of a trial by the independent judiciary in Kuwait. Kuwait has enjoyed freedom of expression for many years. This freedom has made Kuwait a standout in the Arab world, especially in the Gulf. The exception of course is Lebanon, which entertains more freedom.

Excuse me Ms Nuland, could you enlighten me about freedom of expression and speech in your country? For instance, if you go back a couple of years, how long did it take for Al-Jazeera to step on American soil? Could you also enlighten me about how you managed to silence the Occupy Wall Street protestors? I think the pictures and the treatment by the police before everyone went silent were pretty obvious and self-explanatory.

Please, please, please tell us when are you going to allow the Guantanamo detainees to be trialed in a court of law in your country? I think they have waited for over 12 years now. Do not tell me that you don’t have a court that can do the litigations - be it a military or civil court. Please, do it! It is high time. In all fairness, if these detainees were treated on the same basis of any American citizen and applying the constitution of the country, they could sue you regardless if they are guilty or not. What about the law you adopted on terrorism? Many people were pulled in the middle of the night from their homes without proper explanation and court orders. Is that the freedom you mean?

Please, Mr Obama! I beg of you. This is your second term in office. Give yourself two minutes over the issue of the Guantanamo detainees. As far as I remember, you promised to close down the facility before entering the White House. The United States has been known for its fair rules and human rights.

You are the land of the free. Please, keep that up!

Saudis behead maid, defying calls for stay RIYADH: Saudi Arabia beheaded a Sri Lankan maid yesterday after she was convicted of murdering her employer’s baby, drawing sharp condemnation from Colombo which had repeatedly urged a stay of execution. Human rights groups too expressed condemnation, noting that Rizana Nafeek had been just 17 at the time of the offence and that Saudi Arabia was just three countries in the world to impose the death penalty for crimes committed as a minor. Nafeek was found guilty of smothering the infant to death after an argument with the child’s mother, her employer, the Saudi interior ministry said in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency. She was beheaded in the Dawadmi province near the capital Riyadh.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse condemned the execution while lawmakers observed a minute’s silence during yesterday’s sessions as parliament was told the execution went ahead even as Colombo tried to send a delegation to Saudi Arabia to plead for mercy.

“President Rajapakse and the government deplore the Continued on Page 13

MANAMA: Humam Tareq Faraj (right) of Iraq is fouled by Fahed Al-Ibrahim of Kuwait during their 21st Gulf Cup football match yesterday. Iraq won 1-0. — AFP (See Page 20)

Historic old Jeddah awaits restoration

PAGE

KUWAIT: The lower Administrative Court yesterday rejected a petition by private local television channel AlYoum against its closure by the information ministry, which means the pro-opposition station will remain closed for now. In a surprising decision on Dec 20, the Information Ministry ordered Al-Youm shut and withdrew its license on the grounds of administrative violations. The station has been off the air since then.

The station said it will appeal against the court verdict in the coming few days to the appeals court, describing the information ministry’s decision as politically-motivated. The ministry had explained that the station had failed to meet a deadline set by the ministry to appoint a fulltime Kuwaiti manager after being given a two-month ultimatum. The station said the ministry’s actions were deliberate and the original manager was Kuwaiti and was working fulltime but was rejected by the ministry. A replacement was proposed to the ministry and although he fulfilled all the conditions, the ministry continued to make additional demands until the deadline expired.

The opposition late yesterday gathered at the diwaniya of former speaker Ahmad AlSaadoun to discuss the situation in the country.

In a related developAhmad Al-Saadoun ment, former opposition MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei was freed without bail by the public prosecution after he was questioned for taking part in an “illegal” demonstration on Oct 21. The National Assembly meanwhile yesterday approved the annual plan for 2011/2012 of the four-year development plan by a small margin after MPs strongly criticized the slow-paced implementation of the plan. The plan should have been approved more than a year ago but due to political instability and the dissolution of the previous two assemblies, it was never discussed.

MP Ali Al-Omair said that nothing was achieved of the plan although 23 mega projects were listed to be implemented. He said the plan called for reducing the Continued on Page 2

Electronic fork nags you on eating

PAGE

UAE militants had links to Qaeda Women linked to detainees quizzed

Syria rebels free Iranians in swap DAMASCUS: The first major prisoner swap in Syria’s conflict took place yesterday with rebels freeing 48 Iranians in exchange for more than 2,000 regime detainees in a drawn-out deal with Damascus reportedly brokered by Turkey, Qatar and Iran. The unprecedented exchange came to light ahead of trilateral talks in Geneva on Friday between Lakhdar Brahimi, the joint UN-Arab League envoy tasked with

trying to quell Syria’s 21 months of violence, and US and Russian officials.

But the developments offered no immediate respite from the killing.

Yesterday, four children from the same family were among as many as 10 civilians killed in a pre-dawn air strike near the central city of Homs, the Britishbased Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Continued on Page 13

DAMASCUS: Iranian men who had been held hostage by Syrian rebels since early August cry as they arrive at a hotel after being freed in a prisoner swap yesterday. — AFP

DUBAI: A suspected Islamist militant cell detained in the United Arab Emirates had links to Al-Qaeda, including its prominent Yemen-based wing, Dubai’s police chief said in an interview published yesterday. Dahi Khalfan also said the Sunni Muslim Brotherhood and Shiite Iran were among the main security threats to Gulf Arab states because they wanted to export revolution to the region. The United Arab Emirates, a major oil producer that has supported Western counter-terrorism efforts in the region, announced the arrest of the UAE cell on Dec 26 in a joint operation with Saudi Arabia.

“They are adherents of Al-Qaeda and its misguided doctrine,” Khalfan told the Saudiowned Asharq Al Awsat newspaper. “Some of the (cell) members are affiliated with AlQaeda in Yemen,” he said, referring to AlQaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). The group had planned bomb attacks on targets in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other states in the region, rather than setting out to assassinate individuals, Khalfan added. The Dubai police chief said he was concerned that AQAP members were making their way to the Gulf, but said Saudi anti-terrorism efforts had reduced AL-Qaeda’s threat to the region.

A Yemeni official said AQAP had individual sponsors in the Gulf, adding that UAE authorities had not officially contacted Sanaa about possible links between the UAE cell and Al-Qaeda. “We know that Al-Qaeda gets financial support from some individuals in the region and that members of Al-Qaeda come from some neighbouring countries to fight alongside the group in Yemen,” said the official, who asked not to be named.

Khalfan said Al-Qaeda was not the UAE’s only security threat, citing dangers from Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood, swept to power in Egypt after the fall of Hosni Mubarak in 2011. He said the menace from Iran and the Brotherhood - which have significant ideological differences - was similar. “They both want to export the revolution,” he said.

“What the Muslim Brothers are aiming for at the moment is to shred and denigrate the reputation of the Gulf rulers.”

In July, Khalfan warned of an international plot to overthrow Gulf Arab governments, saying the region needed to be prepared to counter any threat from Muslim Brotherhood sympathisers as well as from Syria and Iran. The UAE has escaped the upheaval that has shaken the Arab world but moved swiftly to stem any sign of political dissent by detaining more than 60 local Islamists last year over alleged threats to state security and links to a foreign group.

Public prosecutors are investigating women members of a “secret organisation” a reference to a group UAE authorities say has been formed by Islamists affiliated to the Muslim Brotherhood, the state news agency WAM reported yesterday. UAE attorney general Salem Kobaish did not specify the number of women being interrogated nor whether they could face detention for their links to the group, which he accused of “creating and managing a network aimed at seizing power in the country”. UAE authorities are ensuring the women are “treated according to principles of Islamic sharia (law),” the attorney general said. However, “justice and equality between people before the law does not distinguish between the sexes,” he added. — Agencies

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

LOCAL

Al-Khorafi slams US over Twitter jail remarks Intervention in internal affairs

By A Saleh KUWAIT: Former National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi criticized the United States government for condemning the sentencing of two Twitter users found guilty of offending the status of HH the Amir while another lawmaker went so far as to describe the US State Department’s remarks as “intervention in [Kuwait’s] internal affairs.”

The US State Department spokeswoman, Victoria Nuland, had reiterated her administration’s criticism of the jail sentence awarded to the activists for remarks expressed on the social networking site. She had called on the Kuwaiti government to “adhere to its tradition of respect for freedom of assembly, association, and expression.”

“I am pained and aggrieved by the US State Department spokeswoman’s remarks in which she attacked the legal and constitutional procedures carried out in Kuwait,” Al-Khorafi said in a statement made available to the press yesterday. He juxtaposed the “legal and constitutional procedures” carried out in Kuwait and “the violations committed by the United States of the law and the constitution when it came to the rights of the prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay prison.”

Al-Khorafi also criticized the US of adopting “double standards” in its foreign policy approach. “Similar contradictor y stances were the reason behind the US losing its credibility in the Middle East,” he said, adding that “those who claim friendship with Kuwait are urged to evaluate their

statements when talking about the procedures that Kuwait follows as per its constitution, laws and facts of the case.”

Moreover, Al-Khorafi was also critical in his statement about the role of

istration.” “If there is anyone to blame, it would be the American Ambassador to Kuwait who was assigned by the US Department of State to convey the facts but it seems he is not doing his job (properly),” the former speaker of

she was asked about the US State Department’s position on the twoyear jail term handed to citizen Rashid Al-Enizy in Kuwait.

“The statements of the US State Department spokeswoman amount

KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah received at Bayan Palace yesterday chairman and members of the Kuwait Blind Society. Voicing full confidence in Kuwaitis with special needs in defying challenges and obstacles facing them in a bid to contribute in the homeland’s prosperity on all levels, HH the Premier also praised the active social and patriotic role played by the Society. He also reiterated the Government’s keenness to support and encourage all those of special needs, noting that all state institutions are in service of this segment of society. the US Ambassador to Kuwait, Mr. Matthew Tueller, suggesting that he “failed to play his due role in conveying the correct position to his admin-

parliament said.

Meanwhile, MP Safa’a Al-Hashim also reacted strongly to Nuland’s remarks at a press conference where

to a blatant interference in Kuwait’s internal affairs that affects our national security,” Al-Hashim said yesterday, adding that questioning regulations

formulated to prevent any undermining of the status of the Amir “is totally unacceptable.” “ When America’s national security was harmed, it paid absolutely no regard to human rights.

What happened at the Guantanamo Bay prison was evidence enough,” she further indicated.

Al-Tabtabaei freed on bail Former MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei was released on bail yesterday after he faced investigations at the Public Prosecution regarding charges about his participation in an unlicensed demonstration three months ago.

Al-Tabtabaei was charged with disobeying the orders of the police who had asked him to leave an unlicensed demonstration held in Kuwait City, which became the first of the rallies to be held under the title ‘Karamat Watan’ (dignity of a nation).

Meanwhile, the Criminal Court upheld the Public Prosecution’s decision to suspend investigations in cases filed against special task forces who forcibly dispersed a gathering outside former MP Jamaan Al-Harbash’s dewaniya in November 2011. The move came after yesterday’s rejection of the grievances presented by former MPs Al-Harbash, Al-Tabtabaei and Falah Al-Sawagh.

In the meantime, the Administrative Court rejected yesterday a case filed by the opposition-oriented Al-Youm T V, in which it has sought overruling of the Ministry of Information’s decision to suspend its license. The court found that the ministry “followed the law” in taking the decision “after the channel violated

the law” since it did not finalize the licensing procedures.

Wardrobe malfunction A journalist was reportedly banned from entering the National Assembly building after taking a photo of MP Safa’a Al-Hashem deemed inappropriate by the first-time lawmaker. “There is a journalist who took a picture of me which he later uploaded on social networks, and I would like to say that all of us here at Kuwait’s National Assembly are patriotic citizens,” AlHashim said during yesterday’s parliament session referring to a picture which reportedly shows her wearing what seemed like a short skirt.

Speaker Ali Al-Rashid, to whom the remarks were directed, responded by assuring Al-Hashim that the journalist in question was being “stripped off of his ID and banned from entering the National Assembly.”

GCC Railway World Bank Consultant at the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Dr. Ramiz AlAssar, announced that the total cost of a railway project connecting the six member states was estimated at $16 billion, indicating that the feasibility study was likely to be completed during the first quarter of 2014.

Dr. Al-Assar further indicated in exclusive statements to Al-Eqtisadiya newspaper of Saudi Arabia that the cost of constructing the railway that would connect Bahrain with the mainland would be around $4.5 million, while the remaining lines were expected to cost $11.5 billion.

Minister’s airport visit exposes security breach KUWAIT: The authorities at the Kuwait International Airport are set to face disciplinary measures following a recent visit by the Interior Minister during which he personally saw security breaches at the vital facility.

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah reportedly arrived at a late night hour recently on an unscheduled visit and was able to pass through the arrival gate and reached right up to the aircraft’s door without being asked for his credentials.

Al-Hmoud, who is also the state’s First Deputy Prime Minister, reportedly sent a warning later to Undersecretary Assistant for Border Security Affairs, Major General Anwar Al-Yassine,

demanding accountability for those responsible for the “security breach that could help fugitives escape Kuwait easily,” according to sources privy to the developments.

Meanwhile, Maj Gen Al-Yassine followed up the security situation with meetings with the airport’s security command to identify the officials responsible for the security breach witnessed by the minister, said the sources who spoke to Al-Rai on the condition of anonymity.

In other news, a local newspaper reported yesterday that three top ministry officials were “feeling upset” after minister Al-Hmoud failed to sign official papers to extend their term which is set

to expire by the end of February.

Undersecretary Assistant for Traffic Affairs, Major General Mustafa Al-Za’abi, Undersecretary Assistant for Correctional Facilities Affairs, Major General Khalil Al-Shamali, and Director of Al-Ahmadi Security Department, Brigadier General Abdullatif Al-Wuhaib would automatically retire if the minister did not extend their terms before the deadline. Sources who agreed to provide this information to Al-Qabas newspaper on the condition of anonymity indicated that Maj Gen AlZa’abi was “especially feeling upset” given his role in leading the field operations for security forces handling public demonstrations in recent months.

Zakat House holds forum for charity work KUWAIT: Acting Zakat House Director Abdul Rahman Al-Hussaini said that ever since its establishment in 1982, it has helped 250,000 families and spent KD 580,795,000 for orphans, mosques’ buildings, schools, universities, orphans’ houses and professional institutes in a number of Islamic and Arab countries.

Zakat House has brought up about 70,000 orphans during its three decades of existence and has emerged as a leading organization in charity work. It has won several local and international prizes for its philanthropic ventures.

Al-Hussaini was speaking at the sixth Kuwaiti forum for charity work, organized by Zakat House in cooperation with Deewan Al-Khair. Ahmad AlOumiad Abdul Rahman Al-Tarkait, was honored in the presence of a number of representatives of charity organizations and government organizations connected to charity work, besides the board of directors of Deewan Al-Khair.

Al-Hussaini said any reference to Zakat house reminds us of the pioneering work of men like late Ahmad Bezie Al-Yaseen, member of the first board of Zakat House in 1982, and Ahmad Al-Jasser, the first Chairman of Zakat house in his capacity as Awqaf minister at the time, Ahmad Al-Falah, Yusuf Al-Hajji and Tareq Al-Essa, who initiated and carried forward the charity work. He also thanked the donors, the partners in charity work.

The supervisor of the forum, Abdul Rahman Al-Muttawaa, said the social reform society must focus on the use of internet for charity work, because more than 73 percent of Kuwait’s population, that is about two million people are now internet user, and 60 percent of the donations came through promotions on the internet.

On his part, relations coordinator Jamal Al-Nami emphasized on making full use of promotion through the internet and encouraging the youth.

Court keeps opposition Al-Youm TV off the...

Continued from Page 1 number of expatriate workers in the country but in reality, the number increased by a further 58,000 to make the number of expatriates in the country at 2.6 million. “We have not seen any results of the development plan ... Kuwait has simply

become an oil well from which we take to pay wages,” Omair said.

New MP Khalil Abdullah said the plan aimed at tackling the imbalance in the demographic structure but the situation became even worse. “Now, we have more than two expatriates for each Kuwaiti and we must have a maximum of one

expatriate against each Kuwaiti. This would mean reducing the number of expatriates by 1.4 million,” he said.

The Assembly also agreed to form a five-MP committee to probe allegations of irregularities over an $800 million contract between international oil firm Shell and Kuwait Oil Co.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

LOCAL Using phone while driving ‘major cause of accidents’

By Nawara Fattahova

KUWAIT: The parliament session in progress yesterday. —- Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Lawmakers endorse 70 agreements in one day KUWAIT: In a frenzy of endorsing en masse agreements with GCC states, regional, and international countries, the National Assembly put its seal of approval to no less than 70 agreements yesterday.

The agreements covered a wide variety of interests ranging from agriculture, finance, legalities, maritime, technology, double taxation to rights of the handicapped, military cooperation, customs duties, and patents rights.

The Assembly, however, opted to leave

open a number of security agreements on its agenda for later decision making, pending reports on them by the parliamentary committee on foreign relations in two weeks’ time.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly deliberated on the draft bill on the state’s 2011/2012 working plan and gave it green light, yesterday, with 26 ayes, 22 nays, and two abstentions with 50 MPs present for the vote.

During the discussion, the MPs stressed

the working plan needs to be comprehensive and realistic with clear visions and that goals listed must be presented with timetable for execution and in a format that allows for tangible assessment.

There was also stress the private sector be given a bigger role in the development plan and that the projects and investments create alternative sources of revenue on the long-run and contribute to solving the problems facing citizens.

The MPs also demanded the govern-

ment starts “as of right now” preparing the 2015-2020 development plan, with Minister of State for Planning and Development Affairs Rola Dashti showing agreement and intention to work accordingly.

Dashti said the government had, in deed, started drafting the plan, and added it “would be presenting the biannual reports on achievement and progress of the plan covering the last three years in a week’s time.” — KUNA

KUWAIT: With the advent of many applications on phones, particularly smart phones, a number of people have either met with accidents or faced life threatening situations while trying to multi-task during driving or at the work place. Using the phone apps does not go very well with walking or performing other tasks and results in lack of concentration. At times, a moment’s lapse could be dangerous for a person’s health. Luisa, a 35-year-old woman, escaped being hurt when she was crossing the street while being busy on the phone. “I was crossing the street while chatting on WhatsApp, and a car almost hit me. At another time, I slipped from an escalator in a shopping mall while reading on Twitter. I could have been injured. I am more cautious now because I know it is hard to recover from broken bones. I avoid using the mobile while walking unless it is very necessary. I also once saw other woman tripping and falling in a mall for the same reason,” she told the Kuwait Times.

If someone was to be actually hurt at a work place, insurance companies may compensate it depending on their policy. “Our insurance company provides life and health insurance for employees. We cover injuries that take place at the office or outside during working hours. So if such an injury were to happen to an employee while he or she is on the phone, the medical insurance will cover it depending on the doctor’s report. The case could vary depending on the insurance police and the company,” Fatma Al-Sharah, who works at the Health and Medical Insurance Department at the Takaful International Insurance, said.

“Our company has recently added a clause about occupational hazards and injuries at work place to the insurance policy we provide to the employees. But so far we have not received any claims for such cases,” added Al-Sharah.

Drivers using mobile phones even when they are behind the steering wheel was the reason behind many accidents.

Some drivers were lucky as the accidents were not fatal. “I was driving the car and my kids were seated in the back and I was texting a message on my mobile. At one particular moment, I was not paying enough attention and I thought the cars moved, so I moved my foot from the brake pedal and ended up hitting a vehicle in front of me. My kids screamed at me and I stopped immediately. When I got out of the car, I apologized to the other driver and realized that it was very small crash and there were no damages. I was lucky but since then, I have stopped this dangerous habit,” said 40-years-old David.

Noora, who is 30-year- old, also habitually uses her phone while driving. “Twice I was about to end up in an accident as I was chatting on the BBM while driving. Now I have become smarter and am more careful,” she pointed out.

Mahmood was a victim of a reckless truck driver who was on the phone. “He hit my car strongly and I was injured. Also, my car was damaged. Fortunately, my injuries were not very serious and I recovered soon. I think such drivers should be punished as this kind of behavior was very dangerous for other road users,” he stated.

Govt doubles private sector allowance Lucrative job opportunities

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: Hamad, 30, worked in the private sector but because he was not promoted at the time of annual assessments, he opted to work for the government. “There are less work hours and more holidays. Besides, there is a sense of security.” Today, seven months later and a few months after the government doubled the allowance given to the private sector employees, Hamad minces no words to say that he made a wrong choice.

The government has almost doubled the incentive meant for Kuwaitis working with private companies. The increase came in line with the program introduced in 2009 by the Manpower and Government Restructuring Program (MGRP) to encourage more Kuwaiti citizens to work in the private sector.

Such a giveaway, for some, is merely a shortterm solution and does not bring in long-term benefits.

For example, under the new system, the private sector allowance for an unmarried bachelor’s degree holder or one with high academic qualifications was increased from KD410 to KD790 monthly. In case of a married man, the government increased the financial subsidy from KD848 to KD1,248. On the other hand, a high-school graduate working in the private sector would receive KD 557 per month compared to the previous amount of KD367.

According to experts, such a change in the system does more harm than good to the country in the long term.

According to Kuwaitbased economist, Dr Hajjaj Bukhodoor, the system is proving to be very unhealthy for the entire economy.

Speaking to the Kuwait Times, Dr Bukhodoor said he preferred a long-term solution rather than a temporary one.

“As I have mentioned previously on the topic of government financial assistance to the Kuwaitis working in the private sector, I was against it because the government is not really helping the Kuwaiti people.”

Making his argument, he said, “More than 50 percent of Kuwait’s revenue goes towards the salaries of Kuwaitis working in the public sector alone.”

Because of that program,

he added, we are compensating the Kuwaitis for nothing. “About 95 percent of Kuwaitis are employed in the public sector which is not healthy and surely not good for the economy,” he observed.

Even some Kuwaitis, who are about to become eligible for employment, disagree with the changes in the system. Abdullah, a student of Kuwait University said, “If the government wants to help the Kuwaitis improve their lives, then financial aid argument is well-accepted, but if they are doing it to fund the Kuwaitis’ luxurious lifestyle which is something that is currently happening, then I am against it. I would prefer to receive financial aid to set up a business. I want our money to be invested in the infrastructure which

will benefit not just us (Kuwaitis) but the rest of the world.”

Bukhodoor suggested that for a balanced distribution of workforce, the government should introduce rewards based on achievements and results, not just based on job descriptions.

“We want public sector salaries to be inline with the private sector salaries. Any move to compensate or cover some of the cost/salaries of Kuwaitis should cover only those who are well-disciplined. Everyone cannot be a beneficiary. We want to reward those who are working hard in their fields. I think the government should instead look at this structure rather than rewarding someone for doing nothing. It is a waste of funds and

very unhealthy for the economy,” he reiterated.

Bukhodoor also cited the lack of training workshops to develop local manpower. “The sad thing about Kuwait is that for the last 25 years, we spent very little for the development and training programs for our people.

And because of that, private sector employers are not very keen or encouraging Kuwaitis to join them. This is apart from the fact that salaries of Kuwaitis are higher too,” he opined.

According to Bukhodoor, the Kuwaitis believed that apart from higher income, working in the public sector has more job security. “Now to balance the system, Kuwaitis must be a competitive workforce too,” he said. He recalled that quite some time

back, he had recommended a reduction in the salary of the public sector employees. The move was not aimed at reducing the amount technically, but to link the compensation to achievements and results. “Again, I am not suggesting that their salaries be lowered but at least take into considerations the merit of their work,” he said.

He said salaries should be based on achievements and not on job description.” If that were to happen, Kuwaitis will be more encouraged to work hard and properly. This can help the country in the long term. Private sector employees are compensated based on their achievements and results. We have to change the work culture and attitude in Kuwait,” he concluded.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

LOCAL In my view

In my view

An year of many dangers

Did you find your doctor?

By Amir Taheri

T

he start of each new year is always an excuse for predicting the way things might turn out. In many cultures the figure 13 is associated with misfortune. However, 2013 is not necessarily doomed to confirm that prejudice.

Since a journalist is not a fortune-teller, and certainly not an historian either, he should steer away from both predictions and narratives of the past. My purpose in this column, therefore, is not to predict the future through any imagined crystal ball. Nevertheless, looking at what is actually happening here and now it may be possible to discover certain trends that might help shape the new year’s events.

By Labeed Abdal

local@kuwaittimes.net

F

irst formal hospital in Kuwait was opened 1909 by the American mission and has been providing services to the people here during peace and even

war.

Later, the Amiri Hospital which was originally built in 1941 also came up, then came the Sabah Hospital in 1962, followed in the 80s with few more like Farwaniya and Adan Hospitals.

It is clear that no serious healthcare infrastructure has been developed in the public sector for almost five decades now. The existing hospital’s buildings are hardly able to cope with the growing population.

Although, we know that the Ministry of Public Health has a huge budget meant for the public health sector, yet situation is so poor that it makes one wonder about the quality of healthcare being offered to the citizens.

For sure, there are also many questions about doctors, their level of training, ability to diagnose the patients, the course of treatment, etc. A wrong treatment can lead to more complications and even disability or death.

In a rich country like Kuwait, there should be immediate action to build more modern hospitals which are well equipped and have well-trained doctors, nursing staff and all supporting administrative teams.

It is true that there are many private hospitals abroad but more hospitals are required in Kuwait because that is the only way all citizens and expats would be able to access basic quality health care as a matter of right, and without any fear of gross negligence.

kuwait digest

Al-Hmoud’s challenges

By Dr Terki Al-Azmi

T

he First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah, faces multiple challenges with a rise in the stabbing incidents and many lawmakers launching a frontal attack against him by using the deteriorating security environment as an opportunity to run him down.

Minister Ahmad Al-Hmoud is someone I respect at a

I find it difficult to even look at bikers performing their dangerous stunts in front of us. We do not know why there are no patrol vehicles in residential areas where teenagers often zip around in their parents’ cars till late in the night. I want to remind the Minister about the state of security control a few decades ago when we used to see mounted police in neighborhoods and security officers in the markets. professional level and also personally, though I also disagree with him on a number of issues. I remember an incident when following a column I wrote about an incident in which patrol vehicles went in pursuit of a teenage driver in Sabahiya neighborhoods, I received a phone call from the Interior Ministry at the instructions of the minister who had ordered a follow up in the case.

Now after an incident in which the son of a senior state official was stabbed by a Ministry of Interior’s officer who was off duty, I feel obliged to address the minister to underline the importance of enforcing the law against anyone involved in criminal activity. Therefore, I would like to make a number of suggestions to the minister, as follows: * The Minister of Interior needs to sack every senior official whose performance is found below par, and make efficiency and discipline as the benchmarks when replacing them. * The Interior Ministry is required to set up teams of detectives who should be working undercover in streets and neighborhoods in order to detect any improper behavior. * The Interior Ministry needs to pay extra attention to bikers responsible for many accidents on the highways and specifically along the Gulf Road. * The Interior Ministry is advised to set up special teams in markets and shopping malls where shoppers become an easy target for reckless youth.

I believe in the Interior Minister, and I do believe that his ministry needs to reinvent itself, that more needs to be done to ensure security, and that all senior officials must be committed to enforce the law to stem the deterioration in security.

I find it difficult to even look at bikers performing their dangerous stunts in front of us. We do not know why there are no patrol vehicles in residential areas where teenagers often zip around in their parents’ cars till late in the night. I want to remind the Minister about the state of security control a few decades ago when we used to see mounted police in neighborhoods and security officers in the markets. Back then, we would think twice before leaving the house too late in the night.

Ironically, that is an hour that has become teenagers’ favorite time to hang out in the streets.

I felt compelled to mention this because it seems that many parents are not doing their duty in keeping a watch on their children. — Al-Rai

With the US embarking on a strategic retreat under President Barack Obama that system is likely to come under growing pressure, in some cases even breaking down. Obama regards American leadership as a form of arrogance to which he is opposed. kuwait digest

People do not need your laws

By Thaar Al Rashidi

A

s per certain suggestions being made by our MPs, it will no more be possible to criticize the National Assembly Council or its members or their statements in any way. They plan to come up with a draft law to criminalize any offense to the authority of the legislature. That means any kind of criticism of the Council, or its members, or even of any proposed law, would not be possible. Since this has still not become a law, and is still to be discussed or approved, let me say this: To hell with such suggestions.

The National Assembly Council is the voice of the people. There cannot be a Council to muzzle the people’s voice, unless we want to make Kuwait an exception. I appeal to the members of the December 2012 Council to have some fear of the Allah and spare us.

In the first place, we neither accepted you nor your council. As for you, instead of extending your hand towards the public, you are choosing to shake hands with the authority.

The strange thing is that you shake hands with the authority and extend a hand of cooperation to the government, irrespective of whether the cause is good or bad. This makes me wonder why you nominated yourself for elections in the first place to become a representative of the public. We see you today being more

loyal to the government than even the ministers. In fact, as God is our witness, we see ministers as much better than you in their dealings with us, the people.

For example, I see Sheikh Mohamad Al-Abdullah representing the public far better than you, and I see Sheikh Ahmed Al-Hmoud, defending freedom more than you. So much so that I even see Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak as taking care of people’s needs more than you do. My dear MPs, what you are doing will not extend the life of your council by even one second, and will make you heroes for law, which once approved, will end all freedoms. So have some fear of Allah, and step back from the proposed draft to please the authority. Believe me that the authority does not need you or your laws. Similarly, the people also do not need you or your laws. No one will remember you tomorrow.

Neither the authority nor the public will care one bit about you. All you will be remembered for is for having lost a major political opportunity. You will be found trying to score a goal but the referee’s whistle will sound before you reach anywhere near the goal post.

Note: A well known saying goes thus: “Instead of damning the darkness, light a candle.” Today, this saying should be read like this: “Instead of damning the darkness, start a fire in the legislature.” — Al-Anbaa

kuwait digest

kuwait digest

No reason to hope

Aspirations for a better future

By Aziza Al-Mufarej

T

hey declare with a smile that they are hopeful about tomorrow and that we in Kuwait will have a future better than we have today. They say their revolution will be finally victorious and they will achieve their goal, and that the authorities and the government will be left surprised. So far, their goals envisage no more than putting the ruling family aside, and declaring Kuwait as a constitutional emirate. In this scheme of things, its sheikhs will be sovereign but will not be the rulers. There will be a popular government headed by a premier and ministers chosen from among the people. The people will be the source of all authority.

They make such statements with great confidence and without any fear. They claim that the coming period will witness an organized popular movement to uproot the government and what they term an illegitimate assembly, saying it only represents a quarter of the people while they have the backing of the rest of the three-fourth. They threaten to escalate matters and say that they will counter any hard handed action of the government. They talk as if Kuwait is Baghdad and they are the army of Genghis Khan.

You hear whatever they say, read whatever they write and see whatever they do. At times, you become so confused, while at other moments, you feel like laughing at what they think. Or you feel like crying because you have suffered enough because of them.

People who are painting this rosy picture of Kuwait’s future belong to several groups, each one of them capable of embarrassing you and making you feel ashamed.

The first of these groups are the employees who do not believe in the value of work and would prefer to receive their salaries while asleep. They are lazy, stay at home during the day but are seen in the front rows at the gatherings and demonstrations in the evening. When they ask the government to fight corruption, one wonders how can those who are corrupt themselves, make demands for a better Kuwait?

Another group that promises us the moon comprises lawyers who do not believe in the rule of law themselves and prefer to short circuit the system. They do not want to go through the system of police stations and courts to claim their rights. What is worse is that those who betrayed science and religion believe they are right and all others are wrong. How can such ignorant people make Kuwait a better place?

Yet another group that will make Kuwait a better place comprises those who put the tribe ahead of the state. They still live under the authority of the tribe’s leader who is considered wiser than others. Irrespective of what he does or says, he must be respected and his word must be carried out. The fourth group that wants to improve the lot of Kuwait comprises the students who are always eager to join the demonstrations, attack security men, throw Molotov bottles at them, use sling shots to injure them and damage their vehicles. These students are not interested in attending classes and studying. They are no different than those who pass exams by cheating, and simply buy post graduate degrees. If these are the people on whom we are being asked to pin our hopes for a better Kuwait, then I wonder if we really have a realistic reason to hope. — Al-Watan

By Hamad Nayef Al-Enezi

I

s this an act of absolute generosity on the part of some MPs who are advocating writing off citizens’ loans, increasing the children’s allowance, hiking the cap on housing loan and giving Kuwaiti housewives a monthly salary or is the government behind these moves to improve the current parliament’s image and presenting it as a pro-people one? Do our MPs feel that their parliament would not last long, as is being claimed by some parties, and that realization is prompting them to propose some populist measures which they can present as their achievements, knowing fully well that these bills cannot be passed before the next elections?

However, in either case, it is either naivety on the part of the government and the parliament or an abject failure to understand the driving forces behind the recent public activities of the youth and their dissatisfaction with the system.

Despite the fact that there was a public demand for financial bounties, these were not the main motive for the unrest. Regardless of whether one agrees or not with the way they expressed their opposition, they were motivated by calls for reform, development, improving public services, diversifying national income resources and fighting corruption. Our demands are far removed from financial ones and we are not just a herd of sheep searching for some fodder. We are a free people full of aspirations for a better future for our country and our children and, more importantly, we are concerned about preserving, building and developing our country. We wonder if the government and our MPs ever understand the message that people are trying to send them, or will they remain blind to what should have been so obvious.

And for how long? — Al-Jarida

Despite the fact that there was a public demand for financial bounties, these were not the main motive for the unrest. Regardless of whether one agrees or not with the way they expressed their opposition, they were motivated by calls for reform, development, improving public services, diversifying national income resources and fighting corruption.

The first trend worth noting is the gradual breakdown in world order. Though incomplete, that order had taken shape in the wake of the Cold War with a series of regional balances of power, often implicitly guaranteed by the weight of the American “superpower”. We could see the system working in Latin America, parts of Africa, the Middle East, the Gulf region and the Pacific.

With the US embarking on a strategic retreat under President Barack Obama that system is likely to come under growing pressure, in some cases even breaking down. Obama regards American leadership as a form of arrogance to which he is opposed. His policy of “leading from behind” is the first step towards “leaving by the back door.” Over the next four years, dramatic cuts in the US defense budget could make it hard for any future president to project power effectively.

The American retreat is likely to create vacuums that opportunistic powers will try to fill. In Latin America, three emerging power blocs are setting to compete over influence in the region. The moderate left bloc, led by Brazil, is opting for a cautious distancing of the sub-continent from the giant in the north. A more radical left bloc, led by Venezuela and backed by Russia and Iran, is seeking an effective exclusion of the United States. As Hugo Chavez has said had the US not been located in the American continent it would not have had any place in the new version of the Organisation of American States. A third bloc, including Mexico and Colombia, is still banking on a future return of the US as a major player on the international scene.

In the Middle East, most players are already writing the US out. Israel is pushing ahead with its settlement programme in the West Bank, disregarding Washington’s advice not to do so.

The Palestinian Authority has already ignored American injunctions and secured observer-state status in the United Nations. Hamas is putting final touches to its silent coup against Fatah, with the clear aim of propelling Khalid Mishal into the chair occupied by Mahmoud Abbas.

The two-state idea, launched by President George W Bush in 2003, may witness its burial under Obama in 2013. Having noted Washington’s confusion during the Arab Spring, the countries concerned are shaping their different trajectories with little regard for American views. Nowhere is the American confusion more dramatically manifested as in Syria. Over six months ago, President Obama made a solemn call for toppling Bashar Al-Assad. He is still trying to figure out what he might do about that.

In the Gulf region, Obama is preparing the ground for surrendering to the mullahs of Tehran. Ironically, this could come at a time that the Khomeinist regime, at its most vulnerable phase, desperately needs a foreign policy success to save itself. A deal between Obama and the mullahs would show that a US unwilling to defend its own interest could not be expected to risk defending the interests of erstwhile allies. The Gulf countries would have to re-think defense doctrines that, since the 1940s, have been based on the assumption of American support. A Khomeinist regime armed with nuclear weapons could trigger an atomic arms race in the region.

The vacuum being created by Obama is also felt in the Far East where China and Japan are beating the drums of war. Under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan might well launch a major military build-up that could include a constitutional amendment to allow the development of nuclear weapons as well. Abe could use such a build up to kick-start an economic upturn, ending more than two decades of flat-lining in Japan.

China for its part is speeding up the building of a blue-water navy to bully neighbours such as Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan and Japan with which it is in irredentist dispute over resource-rich islands and atolls.

Meanwhile, Russia is busy exploiting the Obama retreat to project power in Central Asia, the Caucasus and Eastern Europe while consolidating its alliance with the mullahs in Tehran.

For its part, Iran will speed up its attempts to control the political agenda in Iraq while trying to prevent the fall of the Al-Assad regime in Syria and the destruction of Hezbollah in Lebanon.

In Afghanistan, Iran is allying itself with Russia, India, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to oppose Pakistan’s plans to bring the Taliban back as a major player in Kabul.

American absence will also be felt in Europe where, threatened by economic meltdown, the European Union is incapable of halting the recessionary trend of the global economy.

In Africa, large chunks of the Sahel appear to be heading for a Somalia-like status while war is brewing among countries surrounding the Great Lakes. Only lack of resources ensures the African continent against the possibility of major wars in 2013.

An American global retreat is not necessarily good news for those interested in international peace and stability.

A couple of weeks ago, a German friend, with a long history of European-style anti-Americanism, something very fashionable in leftist circles throughout the Cold War, had this to say: Having shouted “Yankee! Go Home” all my life, now I feel I have to shout: “ Yankee! Come Back!” Well, he may have a point.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

LOCAL

Kuwait establishes diplomatic ties with St Vincent, Grenadines Desire to further cooperation UNITED NATIONS: The State of Kuwait, St Vincent and the Grenadines set up diplomatic relations Tuesday evening out of a mutual desire to further cooperation and benefit the two peoples and nations in all fields. The related joint statement was signed by Permanent Representative of the State of Kuwait to the United Nations Mansour Ayyad Al-Otaibi and counterpart Ambassador Camillo Gonsalves.

and cooperation.”

Noting that both countries are members of the Non-Aligned Movement, the Group of 77, and the Forum of Small States, the ambassador added, “we cooperate on many topics at the UN, as we share many interests.

“We cooperate on nominations for posts at the UN, as well as on guaranteeing representation for small states in key international organizations so that our voice is heard and our interests

discolsed that representatives of the fund would be visiting Carribbean nations soon.

For his part, Ambassador Camillo Gonsalves said that both Kuwait and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have had a “fairly long relationship,” but we had not signed diplomatic relations documents until today.

He acknowledged, however, that the Kuwait Fund has been “very generous” to his country and that the Kuwaiti Government

UNITED NATIONS: Kuwait’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Mansour Ayyad Al-Otaibi and his counterpart Ambassador Camillo Gonsalves signing the agreement.—KUNA

In remarks to official Kuwaiti media, Al-Otaibi said, “It is Kuwait’s policy to establish relations with other nations committed to the UN Charter and principles ... There had been exchange of visits and support between the two countries even prior to setting up diplomatic relations.”

The ambassador noted a visit by the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and also recalled that there were several projects supported by Kuwait in the friendly country. “Setting up diplomatic relations better frames this exchange and gives more empetus to coordination

are seriously considered.”

The diplomat expressed hope to see establishment of relations with other Carribbean and Pacific nations within a few weeks. He noted relations had already been established with some countries in the region, namely Tuvalu, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Vanuatu.

The ambassador said he hopes to see more investment projects with these nations, noting there are only a few infrastructure projects in some of these countries, including St. Vincent and the Grenadines, at present which are supported by Kuwait Fund. He

has assisted not only Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, but also the Caribbean region as a whole over the years with various infrastructural and developmental projects.

He said today’s ceremony “formalizes our relationship that has been building for some years, and we hope that it is the foundation for further growth in the relationship between the two countries and the wider Caribbean region.”

Kuwait, he added, has “increasingly become a more active and assertive player in diplomacy, as it has emerged following the Iraqi invasion.

“It has been looking (out) for other small states, and we find that Kuwait and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Caribbean region in general, have a lot of interest that we share as small developing nations, and a lot of common interest at the UN.” He said his country has “some sympathy” for claims that Kuwait has according to relevant Security Council resolutions that need to be resolved by Iraq, and “we hope that we can bring our voice to bear in support of some of those issues.”

Kuwait, he added, has certainly more experience in developmental work, and “we hope that perspective will help them in assisting us with our own developmental work”.

He stressed that his country wants a dialogue with Kuwait on issues that are “very important to our region, like Climate Change.”

The fact that Kuwait is an oil exporter, he argued, “does not make it the bad guy in the Climate Change debate,” expressing hope “we can partner with Kuwait for finding modern solutions, and forge a way forward with countries like Kuwait to help us grapple with this issue.”

He expressed hope his government will open an embassy “certainly, in the region and will address (our) concerns,” adding that he did not know exactly where it will be, given the fact that Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has diplomatic relations with some Gulf states, mainly the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is in the Eastern Caribbean, at the southern end of the Windward Islands chain. It is an archipelago of islands, St. Vincent being the largest, with the smaller Grenadines comprising a number of small islets.

The country covers approximately 384km, and has a total population of 111, 380. The capital Kingstown has a population of 25,000. The country gained independence from Britain in 1979, instituted a Parliamentary Democracy on the Westminster model, and has remained a part of the Commonwealth. — KUNA

Indian Doctors Forum wins Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award KUWAIT: The India government’s prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, conferred on Indians or Indian organizations working abroad, was awarded to the Indian Doctors Forum, (IDF) Kuwait. The award was conferred on the organization by the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, at a gala ceremony held in Kochi, Kerala, to mark the climax of the 11th annual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention.

The Founder President and Chairman of IDF Dr Nampoor y received the Award on behalf of the Forum.

IDF, an umbrella forum for Indian Doctors working in Kuwait, is the only association in Kuwait to receive this prestigious award since its inception.

IDF is recognized for its dedication to community welfare activities in Kuwait, including the conducting of

numerous blood donation camps, organizing medical camps and workshops in schools, and increasing awareness among children on the ill effects of smoking, benefits of immunization and for conducting first aid camps.

IDF in association with various Indian associations has held several free medical camps for the Indian community in Kuwait.

Kuwaiti electrical companies compete with int’l companies DOHA: Kuwaiti electrical companies are competing with well-known companies in winning contractual investment tenders in Qatar due to their high-quality products and services, affirmed a leading executive in the power sector.

The Kuwaiti electrical industry will compete with other companies that operate in the same sector to make contracts in Qatar, said Ali Al-Hoqal, representative of the Kuwaiti Gulf Cable and Electrical Industries Company, in a statement on sidelines of the General Conference of Arab Union of Electricity and Exhibition, which started in the Qatari capital two days ago.

The Kuwaiti electrical industry makes products that match quality of those put out by internationally-renowned companies, said Al-Hoqal.

Qatar is a promising market due to construction of many installations, namely sports facilities that are being built and renovated in preparation for hosting the Olympic games in 2022.

“Some of the latest products we have been marketing are the late ignition cables,” he said, explaining that in case of fires, smoke would not emanate from these cables for half an hour, thus giving enough time for occupants of a building to flee safely. These cables are in demand from hospitals, oil sector and libraries, Al-Hoqal said.

Cables produced by the Kuwaiti company,

he added, are specially designed to withstand high heat. He also indicated that the company puts out a variety of other cables and devices for diverse usage with high and unique specifications. Meanwhile, the assistant director general of the Kuwaiti Al-Ahlia Boards Company, Saleh Maarafi, indicated the GCC states’ efforts to enhance cooperation in various fields, namely industries.

Shedding some light on the Kuwaiti company’s accomplishments, he indicated that it has recently worked out deals with Qatar, worth more than KD 20 million. The company, which was founded in 1982, operates 11 plants and employs some 2,500 people. It exports 80 percent of its products to Bahrain and 20 percent to Oman. — KUNA

‘Aisha Al-Marta night’ well received

by Qurain Festival audiences KUWAIT: As part of the 19th Al-Qurain Cultural Festival, audiences were enthusiastic over “Aisha Al-Marta night” organized yesterday by the National Council for Culture, Arts, and Letters (NCCAL) and the concert conducted by Maestro Mohammad Baqir was well received.

The songs from the Marta repertoire were per formed by Kuwaiti singer Fattoomah, along with Hanan from Bahrain and Amal Al-Anbari from Morocco. The three were given tokens of appreciation for performing at the concert, which took place at Al-Dasmah Theatre, by NCCAL Secretary General Ali Al-Youhah.

All three singers performed a song in love of Kuwait at the end of the concert, written by Nashi Al-Harbi and composed by Ghannam Al-Daigan, to the great delight of the audience which demanded a repeat.

On the sidelines of the concert, NCCAL also organized an exhibition of photos on the artist’s life and work, made available for this purpose by her daughter.

Aisha Al-Marta was born in 1934 and lost sight aged seven. She had lived under the care of her uncle after her father’s death in her early childhood. She joined the prominent folklore “Ouda Al-Mhanna” group aged 14, but only secretly to avoid problems with her family. She later worked with Radio Kuwait in 1970 and sang several patriotic songs and some folkloric songs from the gulf region.

Upon her death in 1978, then crown prince Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah announced a day of mourning and flags were lowered at all state buildings, and all schools and state bodies were closed. —KUNA

PRATAP

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

LOCAL

Youth in police net after stealing ex-minister’s car Man dead in hit-and-run KUWAIT: A thief who was rather quick in stealing a car belonging to a former minister met his match in the Kuwait City’s patrol officers who apprehended him within thirty minutes of receiving a complaint about the theft. The driver of the car had left it with its ignition on for a few fleeting moments outside a shop in Salhiya, a window of time which was enough for the thief to jump into the car and drive away. The driver promptly called his employer who, in turn, called the police. Patrol officers assigned to comb the area spotted the vehicle thirty minutes after the theft was reported. The suspect, a Kuwaiti in his twenties, was intercepted at a roadblock and arrested.

Road accident An Indian man died and an Egyptian was seriously injured in a hit and run accident along the Fahahaheel Highway recently.

Paramedics who arrived shortly after the accident pronounced the 24year-old Indian dead on the scene.

The Egyptian, aged, 27, was rushed to the Mubarak Hospital where he was admitted to its intensive care unit in a critical condition. A case was filed at the Da’iya police station for investigations.

Search for conmen Five scamsters managed to swindle around $1 million from people through rather innovative posturing.

A Kuwaiti man reported that he was cheated by an Asian man whom he paid KD300,000 to ostensibly clinch a logistics deal with the American army. The detectives have so far identified four other Asian accomplices who committed similar scams, totally at least $1 million. Furthermore, investigations revealed that a woman identified as the ‘gang’s leader’ left Kuwait a few of days ago, travelling VIP class.

Reported suicide A cleaning worker committed suicide by jumping from a high rise building in Jleeb Al-Shuyiukh. The Asian man’s roommates found him lying in a pool of blood in the building’s courtyard and called the police who reached along with paramedics. They said the man was facing serious financial issues.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the man sustained fatal injuries after falling from considerable height. The circumstances as well as the testimonies of the roommates pointed to suicide. An autopsy report was still pending and further

investigations will take place.

Meanwhile, a Kuwaiti man who tried to commit suicide by consuming an overdose of sedative pills was hospitalized in a critical condition.

The man fell sick at his Sulaibikhat home and had to be rushed in an ambulance to the Al-Sabah Hospital where he was diagnosed with complications arising out of an overdose of prescription medicines.

Investigations revealed that the man was suffering from a mental illness and was under treatment from the Psychiatric Hospital. He would now be summoned to the Sulaibikhat police station after being discharged from the hospital to face attempted suicide charges.

Drugs in jail Investigations are on at the Central Jail to find which inmate actually owned the drugs that were found during an unscheduled search. Jail security personnel had embarked on a surprise check at 10:00 pm on Tuesday night when they found an amount of drugs concealed inside Ward 9 of the Central Jail. Inmates who were locked up inside the ward are now being interrogated to determine the source of the contraband.

Police save addict A drug addict who had consumed an overdose of drugs was rescued by the police who happened to chance upon him as he lay dying in a vehicle and rushed him to a hospital. Patrol officers were on a mission in Al-Roudha on Monday afternoon when they approached a vehicle parked in a haphazard fashion and found a person inside in a critical condition.

They immediately rushed him to the Amiri Hospital after realizing he had overdosed on drugs. His condition later stabilized after receiving treatment for circulatory collapse.

Police are waiting for the man to be discharged from the hospital and will then arrest him.

Search for dog thieves In a peculiar theft case, a Sulaibiya resident approached the local police recently to report that thieves stole three dogs from his house. The Kuwaiti man explained to the officers that the suspects most likely scaled their way into the house thanks to an open window and then ran away with the three Alaskan Malamutes that he owned.

Investigations are ongoing.

KUWAIT: Boubyan Bank received a reward presented by the National Union of Kuwait Students - Kuwait Branch, in commemoration for their sponsorship to the NUKS annual conference which took place last November. The bank explained in a recent statement that the decision to sponsor the event came as part of their strategy to provide support for Kuwaiti young men and women, which also includes a training and employment program for fresh graduates launched in 2010.

Kuwaiti, Japanese officials discuss cooperation KUWAIT: Visiting member of the House of Councilors in the Japanese parliament Teruhiko Mashiko and first deputy to chairman of Kuwait’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Khalid Al-Saqer discussed yesterday bilateral relations between Kuwait and Japan and means of boosting them.

Al-Saqer noted that Kuwait was about to launch a massive development plan involving mega infrastructure projects ranging from building new hospitals, schools, highways to expanding the current airport and bringing to life the much-awaited metro project. He hoped that Japanese expertise

and know-how would take part in these projects. Mashiko said his country valued the long relationship with Kuwait and appreciated its help during the difficult time when the tsunami struck Japan.

He said his country was currently on the rebound from that calamity, though there were still many challenges to be dealt with, among them has been repairing the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant, which is nearly operational at this stage. He vowed more cooperation with Kuwait on economic and scientific levels. — KUNA

Historic old Jeddah awaits life-saving restoration

Praise for municipality

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: Sheikh Dr Sabah Jaber Al-Ali, General Director of Kuwait Ports Authority, hailed the Kuwait municipality and other government organizations for their cooperation in cleaning the Shamlan Harbor. He said the municipality

was always in the forefront in such national activities. He was speaking during a field visit to the harbor, where he inspected the cleaning operations and lifting of 11 sunken boats. He hailed the efforts of the volunteers from port authorities, coast guards and diving team who continued their work in cleaning the harbor.

The head of the emergency department, Bader Dashti, said that warning stickers would be pasted on the boats lifted from the harbor and if the owners failed to take away the boats within the legally granted period, these will be confiscated and necessary legal action will be taken.

KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti diving team lifted eight boats and trapped fishing nets that weigh 15 tons at Shamlan Harbor near Souq Sharq. Head of the Kuwaiti diving team Waleed Al-Fadhel said that the operation started early in the morning and lasted until noon with the participation of Kuwait Municipality and Souq Sharq administration, fishermen union and the removal committee.

Drug trader in police custody

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A special mission patrol, while on duty on Amman Street following an accident, stopped the driver of an American car. Police report that as officers spoke to the driver, a bedoon, he appeared to be under the influence of drugs and confused. Further, police observed the driver attempted to hide drugs and, after searching his car, found 32 portions of drugs, including two pieces of hashish, as well as wrapped items believed to be hashish. Drug paraphernalia used for consuming drugs was also found. The driver was detained and sent to concerned authorities.

KUWAIT: The assistant undersecretary for border affairs, Lt Gen Anwar Abdul Razzaq Al-Yaseen met undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, General Ghazi Al-Omar, at the latter’s office yesterday and presented to him a copy of his book, titled “Security inspection procedure at the airports and the related laws.” Al-Omar thanked Al-Yaseen for the book and said it addressed an important subject and will be a worthwhile addition to the literature on security.

Principal insulted According to officials, a principal of an intermediate school has reported a student’s father, a Kuwaiti man, for insulting him by saying his management of the school was a failure.

Road accidents Two Indian expats and a Kuwaiti man were injured in a car accident

opposite Amghara scrapyard and were taken to the Al-Jahra Hospital.

The 28-year-old Kuwaiti man was injured in the neck and stomach while an Indian expat of the same age seemed hurt in the chest. The second Indian expat, aged 26, suffered a head injury besides some other injuries.

A 17-year-old Kuwaiti man was left with broken teeth and a head injury when he met with a car accident at King Fahad Road, after the Ahmadi gas station. He was taken to the Al-Adan Hospital.

A car accident at Al-Jahra opposite Saleel Al-Jahra left a 35-yearold Kuwaiti woman with a fractured right elbow. A 30-year-old bedoon woman suffered facial injuries in the same accident. Both were taken to the Al-Jahra Hospital.

Five Kuwaiti men were seriously injured in a road accident at King Fahad Road after Umm Al-Haiman towards Kuwait City. All the injured were rushed to the Al-Adan Hospital in six ambulances. A total of 12 technicians reached the site.

JEDDAH: In the heart of Saudi Arabia’s sprawling Red Sea port city of Jeddah, centuries-old buildings tilt and buckle above the historic district’s narrow alleys, withering away in the absence of decisive action to protect them.

The seventh-century historic district, with its mud and coral town houses adorned with ornate wooden balconies, holds the only remnants of the traditional architecture of the Hijaz, as the western Arabian Peninsula is known.

But while Jeddah is building the world’s tallest tower as part of a modernisation drive, efforts to preserve its oldest area are faltering.

“Every time I walk and see these houses it hurts,” said Abir AbuSulayman, who lives in the modern part of Jeddah but lobbies for the restoration of the old city. “I wasn’t born here or ever lived in the area but I can feel how important it is and I feel proud that we have real history.” Restoration efforts have been left largely in private hands because Saudi authorities cannot by law intervene to renovate the privately owned homes in the district. Locals say the government has not shown enough interest in resolving the problem, or in breaking a logjam in financing the improvement of the area’s public infrastructure.

As a result, a quarter of the houses in the district’s square kilometre have collapsed, burnt down or been demolished in the past decade because home-owners cannot afford costly renovations and have little interest or incentive to do so.

Houses where the wealthiest Jeddah merchants once lived are now cheap dwellings for poor foreign labourers, beggars and illegal immigrants. Of the historic district’s estimated 40,000 inhabitants, fewer than 5 percent are Saudis, the district’s mayor Malak Baissa estimated.

Webs of intertwined cables cascade down the houses’ dilapidated facades while satellite dishes hang from their cracked walls and rusty air conditioners protrude from their rotting wooden balconies. A previous effort to list the historic area as a UNESCO world heritage site, which officials say would jumpstart restoration work, failed in part because there was no realistic master plan.

The government plans to resubmit its application to UNESCO this month, and this time has included proposals to encourage home-owners to restore their properties under expert guidance with loans and other financial incentives, as is the practice in some other countries with huge restoration projects.

“We are very optimistic that once it is registered everybody will come forward and be enthusiastic about (the restoration),” said Abdulgader Amir, the municipality’s vice mayor for strategic planning.

Jeddah’s humid climate rots the houses’ wood and erodes their w alls, meaning they require constant maintenance.

Local laws stipulate that this be done with mud and coral limestone drawn from the Red Sea, using costly traditional building techniques.

“The house will deteriorate if there is no one to take care of it. Like an old garment, if you don’t patch it up it will disintegrate,” said Younis al-Jazar, among the few Saudi citizens who still live in the area, where he was born and raised.

Costs of restoration vary depending on the size and extent of damage to a house, but can range from 50,000 riyals ($13,000) to over 3 million. Jazar said regular maintenance on his family home

costs at least 6,000 riyals a year.

The local property market further discourages restoration efforts: new buildings in the area can command rents of 50,000 riyals a year compared with 2,400 for old houses.

“They (owners) know they are sitting on a very valuable land in the city center.

They want to get rid of the old houses to build new structures,” Amir said.

Of 600 old houses counted a decade ago only 450 remain.

Although the central government has instructed the city to spend $53 million to help restore the public parts of the district, the money must come from the city’s own coffers, Amir said.

This is something that Jeddah, where creaking infrastructure contributed to deadly floods in 2010 and 2011, and which is completely overhauling its transport networks, cannot now afford.

“We can barely cover costs, so it’s like giving something but it is not real... But we will keep asking for it,” he said.

The government has bought and restored some properties in the area, including a 13th-century mosque and the house where Saudi founder Abdul Aziz al Saud lived when in Jeddah, but officials say it would be too expensive to purchase more buildings so they are now planning to provide state loans.

Adhering to an austere version of Sunni Islam which prohibits the veneration of objects, Saudi Arabia has until recently neglected and even destroyed many of its historic sites such as homes and tombs of iconic Islamic figures in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.

It has now listed two sites, the Nabatean rock-dwellings of Madain Saleh and the ruling al-Saud family’s historical capital of Diriyah, with UNESCO and is working hard to protect its heritage there.

“Here in the kingdom there was a lack of awareness and appreciation for heritage and we have, in ignorance, destroyed many sites including Old Riyadh ... but thank goodness we have passed that stage,” said Ali al-Ghabban, the Vice-President of Antiquities and Museums at the Supreme Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, a government department.

Some Jeddah citizens and other people from Hijaz, which includes Makkah, Madinah and the old port town of Yanbu, accuse the government of playing regional favourites, stirring old resentments dating to the al-Saud’s conquest of Hijaz in 1923. They point to the investment of at least $133 million in preser ving Diriyah and compare it unfavourably with the continuing neglect of cultural sites in their cities.

Amir defended the central government’s priorities, however. “Anything historical that has to do with the government and its establishment is naturally important ... that does not mean that Jeddah is neglected. But it was just a lot easier to deal with Diriyah considering no one lives there, it is much smaller than Jeddah and the government owns the whole area,” he said. As the authorities consider how to proceed with restoration of the historic district, Jeddah residents like AbuSulayman continue to lobby for swifter action and monitor the development in the area as best as they can.

“We don’t have the power to make decisions but we are here,” she said. “We need help ... (and) we are willing to do more.” —Reuters

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

57 hurt as ferry hits NYC dock

US defense contractor pays Iraq ex-prisoners $5m Page 8

Page 9

KABATYEH: Palestinians cross a road flooded and swept away by heavy rains in the northern West Bank village of Kabatyeh, yesterday. A Palestinian official says the fiercest storm to hit the area in a decade has claimed the lives of two West Bank women who drowned after their car was caught in a flash flood unleashed by torrential rains. — AP

9 dead as Mideast battered by snow, rain Misery at Syrian refugee camps RAMALLAH: Abnormal storms which for four days have blasted the Middle East with rain, snow and hail have left at least nine people dead and brought misery to Syrian refugees huddled in camps.

In the latest incidents, officials reported that two women were found dead in the West Bank on Wednesday after their car was swept away in floods, while a 30-year-old man froze to death in Taalabaya, in Lebanon’s Bekaa province, after he fell asleep drunk in his car.

Snow carpeted Syria’s war-torn cities but sparked no let-up in the fighting, instead heaping fresh misery on a civilian population already enduring a chronic shortage of heating fuel and daily power cuts.

With snow falling in the West Bank city of Ramallah, wintry weather was also forecast for Amman and Jerusalem, and the polar air mass

moving down from Russia sent temperatures plummeting as far south as Cairo.

Torrential rain since Sunday in a region unaccustomed to such deluges has sparked widespread flooding that has led to school closures, transport chaos and helicopter evacuations from homes and cars.

Met offices warned that the below-normal temperatures threatened to turn the accumulated water to black ice and in Jordan police warned against all but essential travel as traffic accidents multiplied.

In Syria, state television broadcast regular live reports from the snow-covered streets of the capital, while activists in the battleground city of Homs posted images of a mosque in a rebel-held neighbourhood cloaked in white.

There was no respite for civilians from the 21-month conflict, however. Four children

from the same family were among as many as 10 civilians killed in a pre-dawn air strike in a village just outside Homs, a watchdog reported. Conditions were little better for Syrian refugees in neighbouring Lebanon, where flooding and wintry conditions prompted the UN refugee agency to begin moving those living under canvas.

“With this very harsh weather, shelters have been threatened and now that snow is hitting the Bekaa people are really in need of assistance,” UNHCR external relations officer Cecile Fradot told AFP. “Today we are relocating families whose shelters have been flooded in the north,” she said.

“The situation is going to get worse, this is just the beginning of the winter.” The two women found dead near the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem-one from the ancient

Samaritan community-had been posted as missing since Tuesday night. A third passenger, believed to have been the taxi driver, was retrieved alive but was reportedly in serious condition.

The women’s deaths, as well as that of the man who froze to death in Lebanon, has raised to nine the fatality toll reportedly linked to the weather since Sunday. An Israeli army spokeswoman said that on Tuesday, soldiers helped evacuate a bus carrying 30 Palestinian children, as well as an ambulance stuck in floodwaters in the Jenin area of the northern West Bank.

On the Israeli side, army helicopters were used to rescue people from roofs and the tops of cars, and some 300 families from Bat Hefer, north of Tel Aviv, were evacuated from their homes after the nearby Shekhem river burst

These undated photographs shows former FBI agent Robert Levinson who vanished in Iran nearly six years ago. In his manacled hands, Levinson holds a white sign with block lettering with various messages. — AFP

US sees Iran behind hostage photos WASHINGTON: Two years after a hostage video and photographs of retired FBI agent Robert Levinson raised the possibility that the missing American was being held by terrorists, US officials now see the government of Iran behind the images, intelligence officials told AP. Levinson, a private investigator, disappeared in 2007 on the Iranian island of Kish. The Iranian government has repeatedly denied knowing anything about his disappearance, and the disturbing video and photos that Levinson’s family received in late 2010 and early 2011 seemed to give credence to the idea.

The extraordinary photos - showing Levinson’s hair wild and gray, his beard long and unkempt - are being seen for the first time publicly after the family provided copies to the AP. The video has been previously released. In response to Iran’s repeated denials, and amid secret conversations with Iran’s government, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement in March 2011 that Levinson was being held somewhere in South Asia. The implication was that Levinson might be in the hands of terrorist group or criminal organization somewhere in Pakistan or Afghanistan.

The statement was a goodwill gesture to Iran, one that the US hoped would prod Tehran to help bring him home. But nothing happened.

Two years later, with the investigation stalled, the consensus now among some US officials involved in the case is that despite years of denials, Iran’s intelligence service was almost certainly behind the 54-second video and five photographs of Levinson that were emailed anonymously to his family. The tradecraft used to send those items was too good, indicating profession-

al spies were behind them, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to talk publicly. While everything dealing with Iran is murky, their conclusion is based on the US government’s best intelligence analysis.

The photos, for example, portray Levinson in an orange jumpsuit like those worn by detainees at the US prison at Guantanamo Bay. The family received them via email in April 2011. In each photo, he held a sign bearing a different message. “I am here in Guantanamo,” one said. “Do you know where it is?” Another read: “This is the result of 30 years serving for USA.” Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has personally and repeatedly criticized the US over its detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. US operatives in Afghanistan managed to trace the cellphone used to send the photographs, officials said. But the owner had nothing to do with the photos, and the trail went cold. It was that way, too, with the hostage video the family received. It was sent from a cyber cafe in Pakistan in Nov 2010. The video depicted a haggard Levinson, who said he was being held by a “group.” In the background, Pashtun wedding music can be heard. The Pashtun people live primarily in Pakistan and Afghanistan, just across Iran’s eastern border.

Yet the sender left no clues to his identity and never used that email address again. Whoever was behind the photos and video was no amateur, US authorities concluded. They made no mistakes, leading investigators to conclude it had to be a professional intelligence service like Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security. Levinson’s wife, Christine, provided the photos to AP

because she felt her husband’s disappearance was not getting the attention it deserves from the government. “There isn’t any pressure on Iran to resolve this,” she said. “It’s been much too long.”

Though US diplomats and the FBI have tried behind the scenes to find Levinson, of Coral Springs, Florida and bring him home, both presidents George W Bush and Barack Obama have said little about his case and have applied little public pressure on Iran for more information about Levinson’s whereabouts. Christine Levinson has watched more public pressure result in Iran’s release of a trio of hikers, a journalist named Roxana Saberi and a team of British sailors captured by the Iranian Navy. Everyone has come home except her husband.

Washington’s quiet diplomacy, meanwhile, has yielded scant results beyond the Iranian president’s promise to help find Levinson. “We assumed there would be some kind of follow-up and we didn’t get any,” Christine Levinson said.

“After those pictures came, we received nothing.”

In one meeting between the two countries, the Iranians told the US that they were looking for Levinson and were conducting raids in Baluchistan, a mountainous region that includes parts of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan, US officials said. But the US ultimately concluded that the Iranians made up the story. There were no raids, and officials determined that the episode was a ruse by Iranian counterintelligence to learn how US intelligence agencies work. In a statement late Tuesday, Alireza Miryusefi, a spokesman for Iran’s UN Mission, said the Iranian government has been assisting the Levinson family to find the ex-FBI agent. — AP

its banks. In Jordan, the government declared Wednesday a public holiday due to the icy weather.

Police said many main roads were closed, advising people “not go out unless necessary,” as the hazardous driving conditions caused more than 700 traffic accidents in the space of 48 hours.

In Lebanon, schools remained shut nationwide for a second straight day, as a metereologist at Beirut airport reported 5.5 centimetres (more than two inches) of rain in 24 hours. In the mountains above the capital, 10 centimetres (nearly four inches) of snow fell as low as 400 metres (1,300 feet). In Egypt, the search went on for 10 fishermen posted missing off the coast, while the port of Alexandria remained closed for a fourth straight day, state media reported. — AFP

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

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

Turkey seizes plane en route to Iran ‘It is most probably carrying gold’

BAGHDAD: Volunteers search people who want to join a the demonstration in Ramadi, 70 miles (115 kilometers) west of Baghdad, yesterday. Iraqi authorities have closed the country’s only border crossing with Jordan over security concerns, cutting a key route through a part of the country that has seen anti-government protests. — AP

Iraq shuts border with Jordan, citing security BAGHDAD: Iraqi authorities citing security concerns closed the country’s only border crossing with Jordan yesterday, cutting a key route through a part of the country where anti-government protests have been raging.

Residents of Anbar province, center of the demonstrations, responded angrily. A provincial official said the region plans to file a lawsuit against the central government over the closure, which many residents believe is meant as pressure to end their protests.

“The closure ... serves only one purpose, and that is to damage the image of the protesters and depict them as troublemakers who want to make the lives of Iraqis more difficult,” one of the protest organizers, Saeed Humaim, told The Associated Press. “We will stand firm on our demands, and we will not be shaken by this irresponsible act.”

Many Sunnis in Iraq complain of discrimination by the Shiite-dominated government.

The mass protests in Anbar - and increasingly elsewhere in the country - are the largest and most sustained demonstration of Sunni discontent since the US-led invasion. Sectarian tensions have boiled over into bloody attacks, nowadays mostly by Sunni extremists against Shiite residents and pilgrims, threatening the country’s stability.

The prime minister’s spokesman, Ali alMoussawi, did not specify the nature of the security fears that he said prompted the move. He denied that the closure was intend-

ed to pressure protesters, saying officials were responding to intelligence information.

The highway from Baghdad to the Jordanian border runs through Anbar, the vast Sunni-dominated province. The heavily traveled road, which extends about 570 kilometers (350 miles) from the border to Baghdad, is one of Iraq’s most vital routes for travelers and trade.

An Associated Press journalist crossing the border around midnight reported a chaotic scene ahead of the closure. Border police were seen yelling at car and semi-truck drivers to hurry across, and many were let into Iraq without customary inspections.

Dhari Arkan, the deputy governor of Anbar, said the provincial council plans to sue the government over the closure, which he said was imposed without local officials’ knowledge.

A Jordanian border official said Iraq sealed the frontier unilaterally from the Iraqi side in the morning, without giving a clear explanation. He said the Jordanians were told it was “a temporary measure due to unspecified domestic reasons.”

The official declined to be identified, saying he was not allowed to make statements to reporters. Anbar has been the center of more than two weeks of demonstrations along the highway by Sunni residents angry over perceived second class treatment by the Shiite-dominated government.—AP

TEHRAN: Iranian girls, Reyhaneh, second right, plays music as her sister Zahra, sings, in central Tehran, Iran, yesterday. Iran’s central bank says the annual inflation rate hit 27.4 percent at the end of 2012, one of the highest rates ever quoted by Iranian authorities. The soaring rate is attributed to Western sanctions over Iran’s suspect nuclear program and government mismanagement.— AP

ANKARA: Turkey has been holding for several days a cargo plane en route from the United Arab Emirates to Iran after its crew refused to document its load, a customs ministry official said yesterday. “The plane owned by a Turkish company had to make an emergency landing at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen airport due to technical reasons,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

“The company has to document its cargo at our customs, for security purposes otherwise we’ll do what’s necessary,” he added, without elaborating. The official said that Turkish authorities would have the right to check the plane’s cargo if the company refused to reveal the items on board. “It is most probably carrying gold,” he speculated. An official from the Iranian embassy in Ankara said that they had not been informed by the Turkish foreign ministry of the grounding.

The incident comes amid indirect gold trade

between Turkey and Iran, which is importing the Turkish gold in exchange for natural gas in an attempt to get round Western sanctions. Turkey and Iran are reportedly trading gold via the United Arab Emirates to bypass the United States-led sanctions against Tehran. Turkey could have faced recession if it was not for the boom in exports, particularly in gold sales to Iran, Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan said in December. “Turkey ships 60 percent of its gold to Iran and (the) rest to the United Arab Emirates and other countries. But we are not Iran’s only market,” the minister added.

Turkey sold $6.5 billion worth of gold to Iran and another $4.2 billion worth to the United Arab Emirates in the first 11 months of 2012.

Ankara is under severe pressure from its Western allies to reduce imports of natural gas from Iran owing to Tehran’s disputed nuclear program. On November 30, the US Senate unanimously

approved new economic sanctions aimed at further crippling Iran’s energy, shipping and port sectors a year after the Congress passed tough restrictions against Tehran. The latest US proposal is expected to sail through the US House of Representatives and be signed into law by President Barack Obama.

Iran’s economy is struggling to cope with tightening sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union over the past two years. An EU measure which took effect in July halted European purchases of Iranian crude oil, and has since caused Tehran’s oil exports to Asian customers to decline by between 10-30 percent. Iran is Turkey’s second-biggest natural gas supplier after Russia. Turkey says it is bound only by UN sanctions against Iran, and Turkish officials insist that Turkey will keep buying natural gas from Iran which supplies up to 20 percent of the gas it consumes.—AFP

US defense contractor pays Iraq ex-prisoners $5 million WASHINGTON: A defense contractor whose subsidiary was accused in a lawsuit of conspiring to torture detainees at the infamous Abu Ghraib prison has paid $5.28 million to former prisoners held there and at other US-run detention sites in Iraq during the war. The settlement on behalf of 71 former inmates marks the first successful effort by lawyers for former inmates at Abu Ghraib and other detention centers to collect money from a US defense contractor in lawsuits alleging torture.

Another contractor, CACI, is expected to go to trial over similar allegations this summer.

Defense contractor Engility Holdings Inc of Chantilly, Va, disclosed the payment in a document it filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission two months ago. The defendant in the lawsuit, L-3 Services Inc, now an Engility subsidiary, provided translators to the US military in Iraq. In 2006, L-3 Services had more than 6,000 translators in Iraq under a $450 million-a-year contract, an L-3 executive told an investors conference at the time. On Tuesday, Baher Azmy, a lawyer for the ex-detainees, said that each of the Iraqis received a portion of the settlement.

Azmy declined to say how the money was distributed among them. He said there was an agreement to keep details of the settlement confidential. “Private military contractors played a serious but often underreported role in the worst abuses at Abu Ghraib,” said Azmy, legal director at the Center for Constitutional Rights. “We are pleased that this settlement provides some accountability for one of those contractors and offers some measure of justice for the victims.”

Jennifer Bar ton, a spokeswoman for L-3 Communications, the former parent company of L-3 Services, said the company does not comment on legal matters.

Eric Ruff, Engility’s director of corporate communications, said the company does not comment on matters involving litigation. The exdetainees filed the lawsuit in federal court in Greenbelt, Md, in 2008. It covers torture allegations from 2003 to 2007. L-3 Services “permitted scores of its employees to participate in torturing and abusing prisoners over an extended period of time throughout Iraq,” the lawsuit stated. The

BAGHDAD: Women police officers attend the celebrations of an Iraqi police unit in Baghdad to mark the 91st anniversary of the founding of the country’s police. —AFP company “willfully failed to report L-3 employees’ repeated assaults and other criminal conduct by its employees to the United States or Iraq authorities.” One inmate alleged he was subjected to mock executions by having a gun aimed at his head and the trigger pulled. Another inmate said he was slammed into a wall until he became unconscious. A third was allegedly stripped naked and threatened with rape while his hands and legs were chained and a hood placed on his head.

Another said he was forced to consume so much water that he began to vomit blood. Several of the inmates said they were raped and many of the inmates said they were beaten and kept naked for extended periods of time. Four years ago in its defense against the lawsuit, L-3 Services said lawyers for the Iraqis alleged no facts to support the conspiracy accusation. Sixty-eight of the Iraqis “do not even attempt to allege the identity of their alleged abuser,” and two others provide only “vague assertions,” the company said at the time.

A military investigation in 2004 identified 44 alleged incidents of detainee abuse at Abu Ghraib. No employee from L-3 Ser vices was charged with a crime in investigations by the US Justice Department. Nor did the US military stop the company from working for the government.

Fifty-two of the 71 Iraqis alleged that they were imprisoned at Abu Ghraib and at other detention facilities. The other 19 Iraqis allege they were detained at detention facilities other than Abu Ghraib. The Abu Ghraib prison scandal erupted during President George W Bush’s 2004 re-election campaign when graphic photographs taken by soldiers at the scene were leaked to the news media. They showed naked inmates piled on top of each other in a prison cell block, inmates handcuffed to their cell bars and hooded and wired for electric shock, among other disturbing scenes. In the ensuing international uproar, Bush said the practices that had taken place at Abu Ghraib in late 2003 were “abhorrent.”— AP

Aleppo misery eats at Syrian rebel support ALEPPO: At a crowded market stall in Syria, a middle -aged couple, well dressed, shuffle over to press a folded note, furtively, into the hand of a foreign reporter. It is the kind of silent cry for help against a reign of fear that has been familiar to journalists visiting Syria over the past two years. Only this is not the Damascus of President Bashar Al-Assad but rebel-held Aleppo; the note laments misrule under the revolution and hopes Assad can defeat its “terrorism”.

“We used to live in peace and security until this malicious revolution reached us and the Free Syrian Army started taking bread by force,” the unidentified couple wrote. “ We ask God to help the regime fight the Free Syrian Army and terrorism - we are with the sovereignty of President Bashar Al-Assad forever.”

While they might not be all they seemed - agents of Assad’s beleaguered security apparatus want to blacken the rebels’ name - their sentiments are far from rare in Aleppo, Syria’s biggest city and once vibrant hub of trade and industry, whose diverse urban communities now face hardship and chaos at the hands of motley bands of fighters recruited from surrounding rural areas.

As government forces fight on in parts of Aleppo, in large areas that have been under rebel control for six months or more complaints are getting louder about indiscipline among the fighters, looting and a general lack of security and necessities like running water, bread and electricity in districts that have been pounded by tanks and hit by Assad’s air force. Recognizing that mistrust, rebel units have set up command and policing structures they see forming a basis of institutions which might one day run the whole country and which, meanwhile, they hope can show Arab and Western supporters that they have the organization to handle aid in the form of money and weapons.

For those who fear the worst for Syria now that the revolt has unleashed long

suppressed ethnic and sectarian rivalries, however, evidence in Aleppo that these new institutions have had little practical impact on often rival rebel groups is ominous. And all the while relations grow testier between the rebels and Aleppines, for whom many fighters harbor some disdain after the urbanites’ failed to rise up on their own against Assad.

Rebel commanders interviewed in and around Aleppo in the past two weeks acknowledged problems within the FSA - an army in name only, made up of brigades competing for recognition and resources. But they laid much of the blame on “bad apples” and opportunists and said steps are being taken to put things right. “There has been a lot of corruption in the Free Syrian Army’s battalions - stealing, oppressing the people because there are parasites that have entered the Free Syrian Army,” said Abu Ahmed, an engineer who heads a 35man unit of the Tawheed Brigade, reckoned to be the largest in Aleppo province.

Abu Ahmed, who comes from a small town on the Turkish border and like many in Syria would be identified only by the familiar form of his name, estimated that most people in Aleppo, a city of over two million, were lukewarm at best to a 21-month-old uprising that is dominated by the Sunni Muslim rural poor. “They don’t have a revolutionary mindset,” he said, putting support for Assad at 70 percent among an urban population that includes many ethnic Kurds, Christians and members of Assad’s Alawite minority. But he also acknowledged that looting and other abuses had cost the incoming rebels much initial goodwill.

“The Free Syrian Army has lost its popular support,” said Abu Ahmed, who said the Tawheed Brigade was now diversifying from fighting to talking on civic roles, including efforts to restore electricity supplies and deal with bread

shortages. His own wife was setting up a school after months without classes.

Hunger and insecurity are key themes wherever Aleppines gather this winter.

Outside a busy bakery in one rebel-held neighborhood men complained of having to stand in line for hours in the hope of bread, and of feeling the need to arm themselves for their own protection on the streets of the city. Schools are being stripped of desks and chairs for firewood.

Lieutenant Mohammed Tlas, like many FSA officers, defected from Assad’s army. He now commands the 500 men of the Suqoor Al-Shahbaa Brigade and put civilian complaints down to “bad seeds” who can label themselves as FSA fighters without any vetting. “There are some brigades that loot from the people, and they are fundamentally bad seeds,” he said, chain-smoking in a green army sweater as he sat at his desk in a spartan office. “Anyone can carry a rifle and do whatever he wants.”

But concern about fighting other anti-Assad units holds Abu Golan back from trying to contain abuses, for now: “Are we going to be fighting Bashar and them?” Tlas asked of untrustworthy new fighters. “There’s a lot of that in Aleppo ...

We cannot reject them. It’s not the time for that. Those are the bad seeds.” Many rebel commanders have a low opinion of their fellows.

Abu Marwan, a uniformed young air force pilot leading a long siege of a government air base, described another rebel leader as running his brigade as a personal fiefdom, ignoring any semblance of military hierarchy by promoting his favorites. “It was like the regime all over again, wanting only their own family or sect to rule,” he told Reuters as a walkie-talkie cackled nearby. “After the regime falls, we still have a long battle just to clean up the revolutionaries.

“There are a lot of parasites.”

Some rebels in Aleppo have formed what they call a military police force to

try to stop abuses. Headed by another defector, Brigadier-General Zaki Ali Louli, it is funded by the Tawheed and Mohamed Sultan Fateh brigades, Louli said, and aims to coordinate with others.

He declined to say how many men he had. “We’re in the final stage of the revolution and the tyrant Assad regime is fading,” he said in a sprawling police building where rebels in army fatigues worked in offices.

“We have set up institutions that in the future will become the administration,” he added of his hopes for a postAssad role for his unit.

“In each regiment, there’s a police officer whose responsibility is to observe the revolutionaries and tell us about all their observations within that regiment,” he said, as he stamped paperwork. They pay particularly close attention to those who join up “on the pretence that they are fighters”. Sometimes, Louli said, “through observing them it becomes obvious to us that they are anomalous”.

On the alert for agents of Assad, the rebels’ military police is quick to remove those it does not trust, and also vets new defectors from the army.

A sister institution deals with complaints from Aleppo civilians, said Louli, adding that he was in talks to spread that organizational model nationwide.

Such hopes for national structures reflect similar moves in the overall command of the opposition movement.

After a National Coalition was formed abroad in November with Arab and Western backing, an Islamist-dominated military command was set up last month to oversee operations against Assad’s forces inside Syria.

Accounts differ on how effective the new structure is but rebel leaders say there is a clearer chain of command than before, and rebel groups are more aware of who is in charge of which sectors within Aleppo and the surrounding countryside. Lieutenant Tlas, whose Suqoor, or Falcons, brigade has been in

the thick of fighting in the city, says the rebel forces now have a combined operations room and hold weekly meetings for all brigades, as well as daily gatherings of frontline commanders.

“Basically a ministry of defense has been created. A force for Syria,” he said.

“But this force needs weapons and money.” That is a common refrain among those fighting Assad, and reflects frustration at hesitation among Western powers in particular to aid rebel groups whose wider goals are unclear. The United States has branded one rebel force a “terrorist” organization, accusing it of links to Al- Qaeda. Most Islamist fighters - including Tlas, who sits beside a black flag bearing a religious slogan have declared loyalty to the Westernbacked National Coalition.

But allies in the West remain suspicious. While there are arms coming in from abroad, most rebels complain of a lack of weapons and a chronic shortage of ammunition, which has hampered their advance on several fronts. Tlas said he been told that only a few thousand bullets had reached rebel forces in Aleppo province in one month and sources of revenue were drying up. In desperation, some leaders have sought out wealthy Gulf Arabs to fund their revolt.

One Kuwaiti businessman met Tlas: “He came on a tour, we showed him the different fronts, immersed him in the atmosphere of a war zone and even let him fire a rifle,” he said. “He left here really happy. I thought ... he would solve everything. “And we never heard back from him. Maybe he got scared of the rifle. That was about a month and a half ago.” As the war grinds on, and despite efforts by some commanders to create a semblance of order, some Aleppines are growing impatient with the Free Syrian Army: “We don’t care about the regime,” said 48-year-old Abu Majid, who worked in one of Aleppo’s many textile factories.

“We need peace and security.” — Reuters

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

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

World’s first subway marks 150 years in operation LONDON: The world’s first subway system marked its 150th anniversary yesterday, with reports showing conditions way back then were much as they are today: Busy, congested and stressful for passengers.

“The constant cry, as the trains arrived, of ‘no room,’ appeared to have a very depressing effect upon those assembled,” The Guardian newspaper reported on the public opening of London’s Metropolitan Line on Jan. 10, 1863. The first stretch of rail had opened the day before, on Jan. 9.

The line - the first part of what is now an extensive London transport network that has shaped the British capital and its suburbs - ran 120 trains each way during the day, carrying up to 40,000 excited passengers. Extra steam locomotives and cars were called in to handle the crowds.

Architectural historian David Lawrence said the rapid expansion of the subway network - better known in London as the Tube - had a major impact on the city’s design. The Tube helped lure people away from the inner city into new areas where new housing was being built near the stations.

The houses were built in a village style mocked by some historians as already dated. “They were selling an England which had already passed by that time,” said

Lawrence, a principal lecturer at Kingston University.

In 1919, the Metropolitan company became directly involved in developing what came to be called “Metro-land” on surplus land. One of the company’s promotional posters displayed drab rows of inner city terrace houses and urged people to, “Leave this and move to Edgware.”

However, they were also selling the dual benefit of a quiet, unpolluted suburban life paired with rapid access to the cultural and economic benefits of the metropolis, Lawrence said. The pioneering Metropolitan Line sparked a new wave of underground development which today has grown into a 249-mile (402-kilometer) system carrying 1.2 billion passenger journeys each year.

Although Londoners love to complain about its sometimes sketchy performance, the Tube and its related rail lines can be a remarkable efficient way to move vast numbers of people in and out of the city, with roughly 3.5 million journeys completed each day. It provided nearly flawless transport during the recent London Olympics despite fears that it would buckle under the extra strain.

Charles Pearson, a lawyer who saw the line as a tool of social reform which would

enable the poor to live in healthier surroundings on the perimeter of the city, began promoting the line in the 1850s.

Pearson made a crucial contribution by persuading the Corporation of the City of London - the governing body of the financial district - to invest in the line. Like many an innovation, the proposal to build a three-mile (4.8 kilometer) underground rail line from Paddington Station in central London to Farringdon on the edge of the financial district in the east aroused great skepticism and criticism when it was first proposed.

An editorial in The Times of London at the time found the concept repulsive: “A subterranean railway under London was awfully suggestive of dank, noisome tunnels buried many fathoms deep beyond the reach of light or life; passages inhabited by rats, soaked with sewer drippings, and poisoned by the escape of gas mains,” the newspaper declared.

“It seemed an insult to common sense to suppose that people who could travel as cheaply on the outside of a Paddington bus would prefer, as a merely quicker medium, to be driven amid palpable darkness through the foul subsoil of London.”

London’s Daily News took a more macabre view: “For the first time in the history of

the world men can ride in pleasant carriages, and with considerable comfort, lower down than gas pipes and water pipes,” the newspaper said, adding, “lower down than graveyards.” For the anniver-

sary celebrations, Transport for London will run old-style steam powered trains underground - but only on Sunday, so as not to disrupt its crucial people-moving function during the working week. — AP

BUENOS AIRES: A man take pictures of the historic wagons of La Brugeoise of the subway Line A which is expected to be close soon following a decision by city mayor Mauricio Macri to replace the fleet with Chinese-made wagons, in Buenos Aires, on December 29, 2012. — AFP

57 injured as Ferry hits NYC dock Over 340 passengers were on board NEW YORK: A high-speed ferry loaded with hundreds of commuters from New Jersey crashed into a dock in lower Manhattan yesterday during the morning rush hour, injuring around 57 people, at least two critically. Passengers aboard the Seastreak Wall Street said scores of people who had been standing, waiting to disembark, were hurled to the deck by the impact. “We were

pulling into the dock. The boat hit the dock. We just tumbled on top of each other. I got thrown into everybody else. ... People were hysterical, crying,” said Ellen Foran, 57, of Neptune City, NJ. The accident, which ripped open part the boat’s hull like an aluminum can, happened at 8:45 am at a pier near the South Street Seaport, at Manhattan’s southern tip. Firefighters

NEW YORK: Injured passengers of the Seastreak Wall Street ferry are aided, yesterday. The ferry from Atlantic Highlands, N.J., banged into the mooring as it arrived at South Street in lower Manhattan during morning rush hour, injuring 57 people. — AP

were still carrying people away on flatboard stretchers an hour after the crash.

More than 340 passengers and five crew members were aboard the ferry, which had arrived from Atlantic Highlands, a part of the Jersey Shore still struggling to recover from Superstorm Sandy. Passenger Frank McLaughlin, 46, whose home was filled with 5 feet of water in the storm, said he was thrown forward and wrenched his knee in the impact. He said some other passengers were bloodied when they banged into walls and toppled to the floor.

Dee Wertz, who was on shore waiting for the ferry, saw the impact. She said that just moments before it hit, she had been having a conversation with a ferry employee about how the boat’s captains had been complaining lately about its maneuverability. “He was telling me that none of these guys like this boat,” she said. “It was coming in a little wobbly. It hit the right side of the boat on the dock hard, like a bomb.”

After the impact, the boat was able to dock normally. Wertz said passengers raced off once the ramp was down. “I think people just wanted to get the heck off the boat as soon as they could,” she said. People answering the phone at Seastreak’s offices in New Jersey referred questions to a lawyer, who did not immediately return phone messages. Ferry accidents happen every few years in New York.

In 2003, 11 people were killed when a Staten Island Ferry crashed into a pier on Staten Island after its pilot passed out at the wheel. Three people were badly hurt and about 40 injured when the same ferry hit the same pier in 2010, because of a mechanical problem. — AP

Supreme Court meets after Chavez inauguration delay Chavez still too sick to return for swearing-in CARACAS: Venezuela’s Supreme Court met yesterday amid calls for it to decide whether it was legal for the government to postpone ailing President Hugo Chavez’s inauguration to a new term.

Venezuelan state television said the panel of seven magistrates that decides constitutional matters was meeting, with an announcement expected later.

After days of suspense, the government confirmed Tuesday that Chavez, recovering in Cuba from cancer surgery, was still too sick to return for his scheduled swearing in today and would take the oath of office at a later date before the Supreme Court.

Leaders of the leftist government insist that, under the circumstances, the president’s current term can be extended beyond the January 10 inauguration date until he is well enough to be sworn

in to another six-year term.

“If anyone has doubts, then go to the Supreme Court, go ahead to the Supreme Court, explain what your doubts are,” Diosdado Cabello, the National Assembly speaker, said in a stormy debate after the delay was announced.

“We don’t have any doubts about what we have to do and what is (stated) here in the constitution,” he said. With a show of hands, the Chavez-controlled assembly approved the open-ended absence of the president, who has dominated the country personally and politically since coming to power in 1999.

“President Chavez, this honorable assembly grants you all the time that you need to attend to your illness and return to Venezuela when the unexpected cause (of your absence) has disap-

CARACAS: Members of Venezuela’s National Assembly attend a session Venezuela, Tuesday. President Hugo Chavez won’t be able to attend his scheduled swearing-in this week, Venezuela’s government announced, confirming suspicions that the leader’s illness will keep him in a Cuban hospital past the key date. — AP

peared,” said Cabello. “Take care president, God bless you, we love you here in Venezuela,” he said. The Supreme Court, which is controlled by pro-Chavez magistrates, called a news conference yesterday amid opposition demands for it to rule on the constitutionality of the government’s decision.

On Tuesday, it rejected as inadmissible on technical grounds a challenge brought against Cabello’s role, as the crisis deepened in this OPEC member which sits atop the world’s largest proven oil reserves. “I do not know what the judges of the Supreme Court are waiting for. Right now in Venezuela, without any doubt whatsoever, a constitutional conflict has arisen,” opposition leader and former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles said.

Information Minister Ernesto Villegas said late Monday that Chavez’s medical condition was unchanged since the latest complication from surgery was reported four days ago. Chavez, who has not been seen in public for nearly a month, the longest stretch of his 14 years in power, is suffering from a severe pulmonary infection that has resulted in a “respiratory insufficiency,” officials have said. The announcement confirming that Chavez, 58, is too sick to be sworn in on the January 10 inauguration day came in a letter to the National Assembly from Vice President Nicolas Maduro. “According to the recommendation of the medical team... the process of post-operative recovery must extend beyond January 10 of the current year, reason for which he he will not be able to appear on that date before the National Assembly,” said the letter. The letter went on to say that, in keeping with article 231 of the constitution, Chavez would take the oath before the Supreme Court a later day. — AFP

US vice-prez to meet with gun-safety, victims groups WASHINGTON: Seeking to spur fresh action on gun legislation, Vice President Joe Biden is meeting at the White House with victims groups and gun-safety organizations.

Yesterday’s meeting is to be part of a series of gatherings Biden is conducting this week at the White House, aimed at building consensus around proposals to curb gun violence following the horrific elementary school shooting in Newtown, Conn. The vice president will meet today with the National Rifle Association and other gun-owner groups.

Meetings with representatives from the video-game and entertainment industries are also planned.

President Barack Obama wants Biden to report back to him with policy proposals by the end of the month. Obama has vowed to move swiftly on the recommendations, a package expected to include both legislative proposals and executive action. “He is mindful of the need to act,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said Tuesday.

But as the shock and sorrow over the Newtown, Conn., shooting fade, the tough fight facing the White House and gun-control backers is growing clearer. Gun-rights advo-

cates, including the powerful NRA, are digging in against tighter gun restrictions, conservative groups are launching pro-gun initiatives, and the Senate’s top Republican has warned it could be spring before Congress begins considering any gun legislation.

“The biggest problem we have at the moment is spending and debt,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said Sunday. “That’s going to dominate the Congress between now and the end of March. None of these issues will have the kind of priority as spending and debt over the next two or three months.”

The killing of 6- and 7-year-olds at Newtown’s Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14 appeared to stir a deep reaction from the White House and Capitol Hill. Obama pushed gun control to the top of his domestic agenda for the first time and pledged to put the full weight of his presidency behind the issue. And some Republican and conservative lawmakers with strong gun-rights records also took the extraordinary step of calling for a discussion on new measures. — Reuters

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

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

Rwanda opposes use of drones by UN in eastern Rwanda UNITED NATIONS: Rwanda opposed the use of surveillance drones in eastern Congo as proposed by the United Nations until there is a full assessment of their use, saying it did not want Africa to become a laboratory for foreign intelligence devices.

Envoys said UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous told the Security Council during a closed-door session that the UNmission in the Democratic Republic of Congo plans to deploy three unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones, in the country’s conflict-torn eastern provinces.

The United Nations has wanted surveillance drones for eastern Congo since 2008. Alan Doss, the former head of the UN peacekeeping force there at the

time asked the Security Council for helicopters, drones and other items to improve real-time intelligence gathering. The request was never met, but the idea generated new interest last year after M23 rebels began taking over large swathes of eastern Congo. Rwanda, which has denied allegations by UN experts that it has been supporting M23, made clear it considered Ladsous’ call for deploying drones premature.

“It is not wise to use a device on which we don’t have enough information,” Olivier Nduhungirehe, Rwanda’s deputy UN ambassador, told Reuters.

“Africa shall not become a laboratory for intelligence devices from overseas.”

The spokesman for the French UN mission, Brieuc Pont, said in a statement

on France’s Twitter feed: “MONUSCO needs additional, modern assets, including drones, to be better informed and more reactive.” Council diplomats said the United States, Britain and other council members were also supportive of the idea of using drones in eastern Congo.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is expected to submit a report to the Security Council in the coming weeks recommending ways of improving the UN force in Congo, known as MONUSCO. The UN force in Congo suffered a severe blow to its image in November after it failed to intervene when well-equipped M23 rebels seized control of the eastern Congolese city of Goma. The rebels withdrew after 11 days. Congolese troops,

aided by UN peacekeepers, have been battling M23 - who UN experts and Congolese officials say are backed by both Rwanda and Uganda - for nearly a year in the mineral-rich east of the country. Diplomats said the Rwandan delegation informed the Security Council behind closed doors on Tuesday that MONUSCO would be a “belligerent” if it deployed drones in eastern Congo now.

Nduhungirehe explained this position, saying it was vital to know before deploying drones what the implications would be for individual countries’ sovereignty. He said Rwanda had no problem with helicopters, night-vision equipment or other high-tech gadgetry for the UN peacekeeping force.

Other diplomats, including some

from Europe, have also expressed reservations. They said there were unanswered questions about who would receive the information from the drones and how widely it would be disseminated. They expressed discomfort at the idea of the United Nations becoming an active gatherer of intelligence.

Russia and China are among the nations on the council that have concerns about the deployment of drones in eastern Congo, diplomats told Reuters.

Western diplomats from countries that support the deployment of drones say Rwanda’s opposition is the first manifestation of the difficulties they expect to face over Congo while Rwanda is on the Security Council for the next two years.—Reuters

British flag raised in Belfast for first time since riots Rioters attack police for sixth night running

GIGLIO: The Costa Concordia cruise ship lays aground near the port yesterday on the Italian island of Giglio. A year on from the Costa Concordia tragedy in which 32 people lost their lives, the giant cruise ship still lies keeled over on an Italian island and its captain Francesco Schettino has become a global figure of mockery. — AFP

Slovenia PM offers to resign over corruption LJUBLJANA: Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa said he would offered resign as party leader yesterday after the country’s anti-corruption watchdog reported irregularities in his assets and bank accounts.

“I will offer my resignation from the SDS (Slovenian Democratic Party) leadership to the party’s council,” Jansa told state television. “If my arguments do not satisfy them, that will also mean my resignation as prime minister.”

Jansa, who enjoys strong support within his centre-right party, nevertheless noted that “if they are satisfied with my explanation, I will not resign.” The SDS’s managing council was to meet late yesterday to discuss the anti-corruption watchdog’s new report, Jansa said. The prime minister also said he will ask for a confidence vote within the party at the meeting.

On Tuesday, the Slovenian watchdog said it had found irregularities in the assets and bank accounts of Jansa and Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Jankovic, as part of a larger probe. Jansa apparently failed to account for 210,000 euros ($274,000) between 2004 and 2012, while in the case of Jankovic the sum topped 2.4 million euros.

“We found multiple violations of the legal duty of a public office holder to report his assets as regards to dealings in cash, ownership of real estate (and) ownership of movables,” watchdog head Goran Klemencic said of the enquiry into Jansa.

The prime minister said however that

the report “manipulated” some facts and that he had responded to every question posed to him by the anti-corruption commission. He admitted only to having “been late in declaring some assets.”

The anti-corruption watchdog decided to probe all parliamentary party leaders after the 2011 elections, with irregularities emerging only in the cases of Jansa and Jankovic, who heads the country’s other major party, the centre-left opposition group Positive Slovenija.

Parliamentary speaker Gregor Virant, leader of the junior coalition partner Civil List, urged the two men on Tuesday to step down. “The commission’s findings are very serious and the only adequate thing would be that both resign from their public functions,” Virant told journalists.

But Slovenian media saw this as unlikely yesterday. “Zoran Jankovic will stay on as Ljubljana’s mayor and Janez Jansa as head of the government. Both will remain head of their parties,” the daily Primorske Novice predicted.

The Vecer newspaper however warned this could be “the beginning of a political crisis,” if Virant’s Civil List abandons the ruling coalition, leaving Jansa’s SDS without a majority in parliament. The daily Dnevnik said Tuesday’s anti-corruption report had opened the “first cracks in the ivory tower of politics.” Both Jansa and Jankovic were expected to hold press conferences at 1:00pm (1200GMT). — AFP

BELFAST: The British flag was hoisted over Belfast’s City Hall yesterday for the first time since the decision not to fly it permanently sparked riots in Northern Ireland. On a sixth consecutive night of violence in the British province, protesters pelted police in the capital Belfast with petrol bombs, fireworks, bottles and stones.

Loyalist protesters last night attacked Northern Ireland police with petrol bombs, fireworks, bottles and stones during the sixth consecutive night of disorder in the capital Belfast. Police were able to maintain order in the city’s combustible eastern neighbourhoods without resorting to plastic bullets or water cannon, which were both used to quell Monday’s unrest, and no injuries were reported.

Pro-British protesters have taken to the streets of Belfast almost ever y night since December 3, when the city council announced that it would no longer fly the British flag all year round at the City Hall. The decision sparked riots at the start of December which gave way to largely peaceful protests, but the violence has flared again since the start of the new year.

Britain’s Northern Ireland minister Theresa Villiers said the province was being “held to ransom” by the protesters and called for an end to their demonstrations, including peaceful rallies that have blocked traffic for weeks.

“It’s not acceptable that those who say they are defending a Union flag are actually doing it by hurling bricks and petrol bombs at police. It’s disgraceful, frankly,” she told BBC radio. She added that the protests were doing “huge damage to Northern Ireland’s image abroad”. The flag ruling has raised tensions in the British province between loyalists-who want to maintain the links to Britain and are mostly Protestant-and largely Catholic republicans who want a united Ireland. It will now only be

BELFAST: Britain’s Union flag flies from the Belfast City Hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland, yesterday. — AFP “There’s a feeling of alienationhoisted for a maximum of 18 days a see the flag’s removal as an attack year, including on the birthdays of on their British identity and a com- they feel disconnected from the British royals-the first of which fell promise too far with republicans, political system,” he told BBC yesterday as Prince William’s wife who are mostly Catholic and favour radio.”It has erupted in this anger and regrettably the anger has led a united Ireland.

Catherine turned 31.

British Prime Minister David to violence.” Some 3,000 people The flag’s reappearance above the elegant central Belfast building Cameron said on Wednesday that were killed in the three decades of raised fears of more violence as Northern Ireland needed to break sectarian bombings and shootings protesters vowed to continue their down “barriers of segregation that from the late 1960s known as “The campaign until it is replaced per- have been in place for many, many Troubles”.

Northern Ireland’s top policemanently. The flag ruling sparked years”. “We need to build a shared riots and arson attacks at the start future in Northern Ireland,” he said man Matt Baggott has accused the of December which gave way to as he faced his weekly session of paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force, which murdered more than 500 largely peaceful protests, but the questions in parliament.

“I think that is part of the chal- people during the conflict, of violence has flared again since the lenge to take away some of the ten- orchestrating some of the recent start of the new year.

Tensions are running high in the sions that we’ve seen in recent violence.

The 1998 Good Friday peace province, which endured three days.” John Kyle, a member of the decades of sectarian violence until pro-British Progressive Unionist agreement brought an end to most peace accords in 1998 led to a pow- Party on the city council, said the of the unrest in the province, but er-sharing government between protests expressed the wider anger sporadic bomb threats and murProtestants and Catholics. The pro- of Protestants who feel they have ders carried out by dissident republicans continue. — AFP testers, who are mainly Protestant, lost out in the peace process.

Police fire rubber bullets at S Africa farm strikers LONDON: In this video grab (from left to right) Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne are pictured during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons yesterday. —AP

Pirates free 3 Italian sailors ROME: Pirates have freed three Italian sailors they abducted from a ship off Nigeria last month, the foreign ministry said in a statement yesterday. “Our three sailors are free and will soon return to Italy,” Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi said in a statement, while the ministry said the Italians would be flown back into the country later yesterday.

The armed pirates abducted the sailors after attacking the MV Asso Ventuno some 40 nautical miles off Nigeria’s Bayelsa state on December 23. They were named as Emiliano Astarita, Salvatore Mastellone and Giuseppe D’Alessio from the Campania region in southern Italy. “ We’re well, they treated us well,” Astarita told his father Franco by telephone on his release, ANSA news agency said.

Terzi said the ministry was “very relieved” because “the conditions in which they were abducted on December 23 were very worrying.”

“An armed group boarded the ship and kidnapped them and took them ashore.

The critical security situation in the area they were taken caused us particular concern,” he told Tg5 television.

The ministry gave no details of a fourth sailor abducted with them, though Italian media said that he was Ukrainian and had been freed along with the Italians. Terzi

thanked the Nigeria authorities who he said had collaborated closely with the Italian foreign office to free the sailors.

Such kidnappings occur regularly off Nigeria’s oil-producing Niger Delta region, with hostages typically released after payment of a ransom. “It is the Italian government’s policy not to pay ransoms but to negotiate,” Terzi told Radio Rai. “The success is due to procedures we have honed over the course of the last few years, but especially over the past 13 months” in which “we have brought home in absolute safety over 30 compatriots” who had been kidnapped around the world, he said.

Kidnappings occur both onshore and offshore in the Niger Delta. A 2009 amnesty deal led to a sharp drop in unrest in the region, but criminality remains widespread, particularly along the country’s oil-producing southern coast. According to the International Maritime Bureau’s piracy reporting centre in Kuala Lumpur, there were 51 attacks off Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea in 2012, making it one of the most dangerous areas for seafarers after Somalia.

Nigeria is Africa’s largest oil producer and the continent’s most populous nation with some 160 million people. The Niger Delta region remains deeply impoverished despite its oil reserves, with corruption rampant.—AFP

DE DOORNS: South African police fired rubber bullets to disperse hundreds of striking farm workers in the grape-growing Western Cape yesterday, the first clashes of a year that looked set to be dominated by fractious labour relations.

On the main highway through the region 100 km (60 miles) east of Cape Town, strikers set up barricades of burning tyres and pelted passing vehicles with stones, according to a Reuters reporter.

Scores of riot police backed by at least one armoured vehicle responded with volleys of rubber bullets to keep the protesters from the roadside.

Africa’s largest economy saw waves of labour unrest last year that began in the platinum mining industry and swept through the trucking and agriculture sectors. The unrest, including the police killing of 34 miners at Lonmin’s Marikana platinum mine in August, tarnished South Africa’s reputation among overseas investors and led to downgrades of its sovereign debt.

With the gold and coal mines - which employ more than 250,000 people - due to open two-yearly industry-wide wage talks in the next few months, analysts expect labour relations to cast a shadow over the economy, which is expected to eke out growth of 3 percent this year.

The government says South Africa needs annual growth of 7 percent to bring down unemployment of around 25 percent. “There is no doubt that, when determining the agenda for this year, labour relations should be written in bold,” Business Day, South’s Africa’s leading business daily, said in an editorial.

The farm workers strike in the Western Cape, home to South Africa’s multi-billion-dollar wine industry, follows a similar walkout in December in which warehouses were set on fire and at least two workers died in clashes

with police. The farm workers, many of them black seasonal hires employed to pick and pack fruit on farms that are mainly owned by the white minority, want their minimum daily wage of 69 rand ($8) more than doubled to 150 rand.

“We are struggling. It is very difficult to survive on 69 rand a day. School is starting and we don’t have money for school clothes,” said Lena Lottering, 35, a mother of three. “There is no food on the table and my children often go to bed hungry.” Another worker, Aubrey Louw, 47, told Reuters he had worked on the farms since the 1970s when he received 45

rand a day. “Now we get 65 rand. What is that?

We want 150 rand. Farmers would rather employ security guards and buy new cars than pay us,” he said. When talks to avert the strike broke down this week, union leaders blamed the intransigence of the white farmers, highlighting the racial and wealth divisions that continue to rankle 18 years after the end of apartheid.

“We have been met with naked racism and white arrogance,” said union leader Nosey Pieterse, general secretary of the Bawsi Agricultural Workers Union of South Africa. — Reuters

CAPE TOWN: A car belonging to South African newspaper group, Independent Newspapers, burns after being set alight during clashes between striking farm workers and anti-riot police forces yesterday in de Doorns. — AFP

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

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

Pakistani women turn to once-taboo divorce to escape abuse ISLAMABAD: Pakistani women are slowly turning to divorce to escape abusive and loveless marriages, once taboo and still a dangerous option in this strict Muslim nation even as more women become empowered by rising employment and awareness of their rights.

But the number of women with the courage to seek divorce remains small in the face of Pakistan’s powerful religious right and growing Islamic conservatism, and in a male-dominated nation where few champion women’s rights. Women are often killed while pursuing divorces, with some shot on the way home from court or in front of their lawyers. In the capital Islamabad, home to 1.7 million people, 557 couples divorced in 2011, up from 208 in 2002, the Islamabad Arbitration Council said. The Pakistani government does not track a national divorce rate.

“If you are earning, the only thing you need from the guy is love and affection.

If the guy is not even providing that, then you leave him,” said 26-year-old divorcee Rabia, a reporter who left a loveless arranged marriage to a cheating husband. Despite their small numbers, Rabia and other women like her are seen

as a rising threat from Pakistan’s conservative forces. “The women have been given so-called freedom and liberty, which causes danger to themselves,” Taleban spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan told Reuters. There were at least 1,636 “honour killings” last year, said Pakistani rights group The Aurat Foundation. The mere perception that a woman has behaved in a way that “dishonours” her family is sufficient to trigger an attack.

Pashtun singer Ghazala Javed became a statistic in June. A famous beauty, she married after fleeing Taleban threats.

Then she discovered her new husband already had a wife. When she asked for a divorce, she and her father were shot dead.

While women divorcing their husbands is widespread in the West, growing markedly in the 20th century in many developed nations, it is a relatively new phenomenon in Pakistan.

And while a divorce case in the Muslim family courts must be resolved within six months, civil divorce cases can drag on for years, making it even harder for tens of thousands of women from religious minorities to get a divorce.

In the commercial hub Karachi,

lawyer Zeeshan Sharif said he receives several divorce enquiries a week but virtually none a decade ago. Women seeking a divorce usually come from the upper and middle classes, he said.

Lawyers’ fees are at least $300, a year’s wage for many of Pakistan’s 180 million citizens. For poor housewives, hiring a lawyer is impossible.

Most Pakistanis think the higher divorce rate is linked to women’s growing financial independence, a 2010 poll

by The Gilani Foundation/Gallup Pakistan found. The number of women with jobs grew from 5.69 million to 12.11 million over the past decade, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics said.

“Women are also making money now and they think if they have empowerment, they do not need to sacrifice as much,” said Musfira Jamal, a senior member of the religious party Jamaat-eIslami. “God does not like divorce ... (but) God has not given any right to any man to beat his wife or torture his family.”

In 2012, clerics and a religious party demanded a review of a bill to outlaw domestic violence, saying it risked undermining “family values”. Western culture, not abuse, is why women seek divorces,

said Taleban spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan. Yet domestic violence was one of the most common reasons for divorce, said lawyer Aliya Malik. Around 90 percent of Pakistani women experienced domestic violence at least once, a 2011 Thomson Reuters Foundation poll found.

If deciding to ask for a divorce is painful, getting it granted is agonizing. Muslim women in the subcontinent didn’t get the legal right to ask for a divorce until the mid-1930s. Even then, a bride had to opt in by checking a box on their marriage certificate. A law passed in 1961 finally let women seek divorce through civil courts if they could show their spouses were at fault, but cases can take years. Human rights lawyer Hina Jilani says fear remains one of the strongest barriers. One of Jilani’s clients seeking a divorce was shot dead in front of her by the young woman’s mother.

The public stigma, risk of violence and trauma of shepherding a case through Pakistan’s tangled justice system is so overwhelming most women never try. Sadia Jabbar, a bubbly, dimpled 29-year-old TV executive, struggled with feelings of guilt and failure after she left her cheating husband. “It was a real-

ly bad feeling, as if I had failed in the biggest decision of my life,” she said. The stigma of divorce also means women find it hard to remarry, and many feel it’s easier to stay in an unhappy marriage than be alone. The difficulties multiply when children are involved.

Court-ordered child support payments to divorced mothers in Pakistan are rare and enforcement even rarer.

Fatima, a 31-year-old mother of two living in the eastern city of Lahore, endured seven years of severe beatings before divorcing her husband.

“He used to slap me, push me, pull my hair. After I had injured my backbone very badly, he slapped me while I was pregnant,” she said. Reuters is withholding her real name for her protection.

She got her divorce but her ex-husband refused to pay child support.

Unable to get a decent job, she remarried him so he would pay their children’s school fees. Now she sleeps behind a locked door. “He will not give maintenance if I am not living in the house,” she said. “I don’t want to leave (my children) alone here. They are at a very tender age.

If I could have supported them, I would have left long ago.” — Reuters

India lashes Pakistan after deadly Kashmir encounter New Delhi summons Pakistan envoy

DHAKA: Bangladeshi girls hold placards as they stand to form a human chain to protest against the recent gang rape of a young woman on a moving bus in New Delhi suspects. — AP

Indian rape accused to plead not guilty NEW DELHI: Three of the men accused of raping and murdering an Indian student in a case that has provoked widespread anger with the government and police will plead not guilty, their lawyer said yesterday, citing lapses in the police investigation.

The 23-year-old physiotherapy student died two weeks after being beaten and gang-raped on a moving bus in New Delhi, then thrown bleeding onto the street. Protests followed, along with a fierce public debate over the failure of authorities to stem violence against women.

Five men are facing various charges including murder, rape and abduction. A sixth suspect is being investigated separately to determine if he is below the age of 18, as he says he is.

Lawyer Manohar Lal Sharma, who is representing the bus driver, who is the main accused, his brother and another man, said he was keen for the case to go to trial so that the evidence police had presented could be tested in court.

“We will plead not guilty. We want this to go to trial,” Sharma told Reuters. “We are only hearing what the police are saying. This is manipulated evidence. It’s all on the basis of hearsay and presumption.”

It is not known if the other two of the five accused men have a lawyer. Charges against the sixth member of the group have not been brought while police complete an inquiry to confirm his age. If he is found to be below 18 he will be tried in a juvenile court and if convicted will go to a correctional home, not a prison, to serve a maximum term of three years.

Sharma said the police had rushed through the investigation against the five men even when they were not ready with the key detail of the age of the sixth member of the group, who lured the woman and a male friend into the bus and, according to leaked accounts, was the most brutal in the attack.

“When you have not even established the age of this person, how can you go to court bringing the charges against the others, and say your investigations are complete,” Sharma said. “We all know how police investigations are carried out in India.”

For days after their arrest, soon after the assault on the woman and a male companion, none of the men had a lawyer. Most members of the judiciary refused to represent them because of the outrage over the attack. Police conducted extensive interrogations of the men in the absence of any lawyer and they say they have recorded confessions. Legal experts had said a lack of representation for the suspects could give grounds for appeal if they were found guilty.

Convictions in similar cases have often been overturned years later.

Sharma and another lawyer, V. K. Anand, offered to defend the five men when they appeared in a New Delhi court for the first time on Monday. The case has shone a light on a widespread problem of violence against women but also the failure of the criminal justice system to bring the guilty to justice in a country where official statistics show a rape is reported every 20 minutes. The trial will be conducted in a special fast-track process, set up after the attack, but some legal experts have warned that previous attempts to fast-track justice in India had, in some cases, led to imperfect convictions that were later challenged.

On Wednesday, the court where pre-trial hearings are taking place rejected an appeal against a court decision to try the men in camera. Namita Aggarwal, the presiding magistrate, said on Monday that the trial would be held behind closed doors because of the sensitivity of the case.

One of the suspects, Akshay Thakur, was due to appear in court on Wednesday when police are likely to seek his remand in custody. Police say they could bring a supplementary charge-sheet if the sixth member of the group is found to be an adult. The woman lived for two weeks after the attack but died on Dec. 29 in a Singapore hospital where she had been taken for treatment. — Reuters

JAMMU: India slammed Pakistan yesterday over a rare firefight in the disputed territory of Kashmir in which two Indian soldiers were killed, but the spat between the nucleararmed rivals appeared unlikely to escalate into a full-blown diplomatic crisis.

India summoned Pakistan’s envoy in New Delhi to lodge a protest over Tuesday’s clash, and accused Pakistani troops of “barbaric and inhuman” behaviour. It said Pakistani soldiers crossed the heavily militarised Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir and fired at one of its army patrols.

The body of one of the soldiers was found mutilated in a forested area on the side controlled by India, Rajesh K. Kalia, spokesman for the Indian army’s Northern Command, said. However, he denied Indian media reports that one of the bodies had been decapitated and the throat of another had been slit.

“Two Indian soldiers were killed in the attack and their bodies subjected to barbaric and inhuman mutilation,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement after Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India had been called in.

Although India’s defence minister described the incident as “highly provocative”, its foreign minister sought to cool tensions, saying that exhaustive efforts to improve relations could be squandered if the situation was not contained.

“I think it is important in the long term that what has happened should not be escalated,” Salman Khurshid told a news conference. “We cannot and must not allow the escalation of any unwholesome event like this.” “We have to be careful that forces ... attempting to derail all the good work that’s been done towards normalisation (of relations) should not be successful,” the foreign minister added, without elaborating on who such forces might be. India and Pakistan

have fought three wars since their independence in 1947, two of them over the Himalayan region, and both are now nuclear powers. Firing and small skirmishes are common along the 740-km (460-mile) LoC despite a ceasefire and slowly improving bilateral ties. The Indian army says eight of its soldiers were killed in 2012, in 75 incidents.

However, incursions by troops from either side are rare, and one Indian media report said that Tuesday’s incident - about 600 metres from the de facto border - marked the “first major ingress” since the ceasefire was agreed in 2003.

Indian army officials said cross-border firing broke out hours after the clash but, on Wednesday, the LoC was quiet.

Pakistan has denied India’s allegations, with an army spokesman describing them as “propaganda” aimed at diverting attention away from an Indian incursion two days earlier in which one Pakistani soldier was killed.

India denies that its troops crossed over the line during last weekend’s incident. A Pakistani foreign ministry official dismissed the latest flare-up. “These small issues have been going on for years - I don’t think it will have much overall effect on the (peace) talks going on,” said the official, who asked not to be named.

Mushahid Hussain, a Pakistani senator and member of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, said that the Indian government - dogged by corruption scandals and facing a tough election as early as this year - was returning to “the warlike language of the past” for domestic political reasons.

“Pakistan has its hands full with a fullblown insurgency inside its borders. It doesn’t suit Pakistani interests at all to raise the temperature along the LoC,” Hussain said.

There was little coverage of the skirmish in Pakistani media, but a succession of com-

mentators voiced fury on Indian TV news channels and the main opposition party urged the government to expose Pakistan’s actions to the international community.

“Pakistan can be named and shamed for this brutal attack,” Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley told reporters.

India considers the entire Kashmir region

Kashmiri people. Some commentators drew parallels between Tuesday’s clash and a conflict in 1999 when Pakistan-backed Islamist infiltrators occupied the Kargil heights in the north of Indian Kashmir.

India lost hundreds of troops before reoccupying the mountains after bitter fighting that almost triggered a fourth war. Away

NEW DELHI: Pakistan High Commissioner to India, Salman Bashir (C) arrives at the Indian External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi yesterday. India summoned Pakistan’s envoy in New Delhi yesterday to protest at the killing of two soldiers and the reported beheading of one of them in a border attack that has raised tensions in South Asia. — AFP of snow-capped mountains and fertile valleys an integral part of its territory. Pakistan contests that and demands implementation of a 1948 U.N. Security Council resolution for a plebiscite to determine the wishes of the

from the border, however, ties had appeared to be improving. Pakistan’s cricket team completed a two-week tour of India on Sunday, the first time it had visited in five years. — Reuters

US may leave no troops in Afghanistan beyond 2014 WASHINGTON: The Obama administration says it might leave no troops in Afghanistan after December 2014, an option that defies the Pentagon’s view that thousands of troops may be needed to contain Al-Qaeda and to strengthen Afghan forces. “ We wouldn’t rule out any option,” including zero troops, Ben Rhodes, a White House deputy national security adviser, said Tuesday. “The US does not have an inherent objective of ‘X’ number of troops in Afghanistan,” Rhodes said. “We have an objective of making sure there is no safe haven for Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and making sure that the Afghan government has a security force that is sufficient to ensure the stability of the Afghan government.” The US now has 66,000 troops in Afghanistan, down from a peak of about

100,000 as recently as 2010. The US and its NATO allies agreed in November 2010 that they would withdraw all their combat troops by the end of 2014, but they have yet to decide what future missions will be necessary and how many troops they would require.

Those issues are central to talks this week as Afghan President Hamid Karzai meets with President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.

At stake is the risk of Afghanistan’s collapse and a return to the chaos of the 1990s that enabled the taleban to seize power and provide a haven for Osama bin Laden’s AlQaeda network. Fewer than 100 Al-Qaeda fighters are believed to remain in Afghanistan, although a larger number are just across the border in Pakistani sanctuaries. Panetta has said he foresees a need for a

CHICAGO: In this May 20, 2012, file photo, President Barack Obama, right, shakes hands with with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, left, during their meeting at the NATO Summit in Chicago. The Obama administration gave the first explicit signal Tuesday, that it might leave no troops in Afghanistan after December 2014, an option that defies the Pentagon’s view that thousands of troops may be needed to keep a lid on al-Qaeda and to strengthen Afghan forces. — AP

US counterterrorism force in Afghanistan beyond 2014, plus a contingent to train Afghan forces. He is believed to favor an option that would keep about 9,000 troops in the country.

Administration officials in recent days have said they are considering a range of options for a residual US troop presence of as few as 3,000 and as many as 15,000, with the number linked to a specific set of military-related missions like hunting down terrorists. Asked in a conference call with reporters whether zero was now an option, Rhodes said, “That would be an option we would consider.”

His statement could be interpreted as part of an administration negotiating strategy. On Friday Karzai is scheduled to meet Obama at the White House to discuss ways of framing an enduring partnership beyond 2014. The two are at odds on numerous issues, including a US demand that any American troops who would remain in Afghanistan after the combat mission ends be granted immunity from prosecution under Afghan law. Karzai has resisted, while emphasizing his need for large-scale US support to maintain an effective security force after 2014.

In announcing last month in Kabul that he had accepted Obama’s invitation to visit this week, Karzai made plain his objectives.

“Give us a good army, a good air force and a capability to project Afghan interests in the region,” Karzai said, and he would gladly reciprocate by easing the path to legal immunity for US troops.

Karzai is scheduled to meet Thursday with Panetta at the Pentagon and with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at the State Department.

Without explicitly mentioning immunity for US troops, Obama’s top White House military adviser on Afghanistan, Doug Lute, told reporters Tuesday that the Afghans will have to give the U.S. certain “authorities” if it wants US troops to remain.

“As we know from our Iraq experience, if there are no authorities granted by the sovereign state, then there’s not room for a fol-

low-on US military mission,” Lute said. He was referring to 2011 negotiations with Iraq that ended with no agreement to grant legal immunity to US troops who would have stayed to help train Iraqi forces.

As a result, no US troops remain in Iraq.

David Barno, a retired Army three-star general and former commander of US forces in Afghanistan, wrote earlier this week that vigorous debate has been under way inside the administration on a “minimalist approach” for post-2014 Afghanistan.

In an opinion piece for ForeignPolicy.com on Monday, Barno said the “zero option” was less than optimal but “not necessarily an untenable one.” Without what he called the stabilizing influence of US troops, Barno cautioned that Afghanistan could “slip back into chaos.”

Barno said the Afghan-Pakistan border area where numbers of Islamic extremists are in hiding could become the scene of a prolonged “intelligence war” after 2014, with the US and its Afghan and Pakistan partners sharing intelligence.

“Given its vital importance, this undertaking will endure - regardless of the size of the residual US military presence,” he wrote.

Rhodes said Obama is focused on two main outcomes in Afghanistan: ensuring that the country does not revert to being the alQaeda haven it was prior to Sept. 11, 2001, and getting the government to the point where it can defend itself.

“That’s what guides us, and that’s what causes us to look for different potential troop numbers or not having potential troops in the country,” Rhodes said. He predicted that Obama and Karzai would come to no concrete conclusions on international military missions in Afghanistan beyond 2014, and he said it likely would be months before Obama decides how many US troops - if any - he wants to keep there.

Rhodes said Obama remains committed to further reducing the US military presence this year, although the pace of that withdrawal will not be decided for a few months. — AP

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

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

Vietnam jails 13 for subversion under ‘draconian’ charges BANGKOK: Thirteen political activists were found guilty of anti-state crimes in Vietnam yesterday and sentenced to prison, a ruling condemned by rights activists who saw it as part of a crackdown on dissidents in the communist country.

Relatives of the defendants and several Catholic blogs said the 13, including bloggers and members of a Catholic church, were sentenced to terms ranging from three to 13 years. Another accused received a suspended sentence.

Court officials declined to provide details of the verdict, which was read out after a two-day hearing during which large numbers of police were deployed around the courthouse. The court in Vinh, 300 km (190 miles) south of Hanoi, found them guilty of “carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the people’s

administration”, a charge under Article 79 of the penal code that can carry the death penalty.

“Article 79 is a very draconian charge,” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “There is nothing to indicate the defendants intended to overthrow the government.” “This trial is in the middle of a deepening crackdown that’s been gradually picking up speed in the past year, year and a half.

They ’re mowing down the ranks of activists in Vietnam,” he said.

In a statement, the US embassy in Hanoi said it was “deeply troubled” by reports of the convictions.”The government’s treatment of these individuals appears to be inconsistent with Vietnam’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as the provisions

of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights relating to freedom of expression and due process,” it said, calling for all prisoners of conscience to be freed.

The 14 defendants were arrested between August and December 2011 and held for more than a year before standing trial. Rights groups say they are peaceful protesters and advocates of workers rights and democracy, plus supporters of other imprisoned activists.

Government officials were not available for comment.

Eleven of the defendants were identified in an official indictment as members of Viet Tan, an outlawed pro-democracy group based in the United States. The activities deemed subversive included attending a digital security workshop in Thailand. “People in Vietnam have the right to participate in the political affairs

of the country. They have the basic right of belonging to any political organisation they choose,” Duy Hoang, a spokesman for Viet Tan, told Reuters.

“No one is accused of doing anything that is actually a ‘wrong’ activity. They are being persecuted,” he said. Hoang declined to say whether any of the defendants were members of the party.

Dang Ngoc Minh and her daughter Nguyen Dang Minh Man were accused of painting the slogan “HS.TS.VN” on a school. According to the defendants, that meant “Hoang Sa, Truong Sa, Viet Nam”- or “the Paracel and Spratly Islands belong to Vietnam”.

Those islands are also claimed by China in a territorial dispute that flared up anew in 2012. The Vietnamese government agrees with the slogan, that the islands belong to Vietnam.

“Vietnamese authorities haven’t been able to say why this is bad,” Robertson said of the slogan. “Part of the reason the government cracked down on protests related to policies on China is that it fears such protests will get out of control and morph into something else.”

A crackdown could have international trade repercussions. “There’s opposition in the US to extending economic benefits to a country engaged in activity so antithetical to its values,” said Allen Weiner, a senior lecturer in international law at Stanford Law School.

“The government of Vietnam is conducting a legal process which is completely non-transparent.

The cour ts are being used as an instrument of state repression rather than honestly adjudicating guilt or innocence,” he said. — Reuters

Philippines devotees in spectacular parade Filipinos pray for health, blessings

YANGON: Project leader David Cundall (2nd R) speaks at a press conference on a planned expedition to search for buried British Spitfire planes in Myanmar. — AFP

Myanmar Spitfire hunt leads to water-filled crate YANGON: An excavation team searching for a stash of legendary World War II-era British fighter aircraft in northern Myanmar said Wednesday it had found a wooden crate believed to contain one of the planes, but it was full of water.

It was not immediately clear how much damage the water may have caused, and searchers could not definitively say what was inside the crate. But British aviation enthusiast David J. Cundall, who is driving the hunt for the rare Spitfire planes, called the results “very encouraging.”

“It will take some time to pump the water out ... but I do expect all aircraft to be in very good condition,” Cundall told reporters in Myanmar’s main city, Yangon. The singleseater Spitfire, which helped Britain beat back waves of German bombers during the war more than six decades ago, remains the most famous British combat aircraft.

Britain built a total of about 20,000 Spitfires, although the dawn of the jet age meant the propeller-driven planes quickly became obsolete. As many as 140 Spitfires three to four times the number of airworthy

models known to exist are believed to have been buried in nearpristine condition in Myanmar by American engineers as the war drew to a close. The wooden crate located in northern Myanmar was found near Myitkyina in Kachin state during a dig that began last month. It is one of several digs planned nationwide, including another near the airport in Yangon.

Cundall said the search team in Kachin state inserted a camera inside the crate and found it was full of water. It was unclear what was inside the crate, he said, but the water will be pumped out during an operation that could take weeks, he said.

The go-ahead for excavation came in October when Myanmar’s government signed an agreement with Cundall and his local partner. Under the deal, Myanmar’s government will get one plane for display at a museum, as well as half of the remaining total. DJC, a private company headed by Cundall, will get 30 percent of the total and the Myanmar partner company Shwe Taung Paw, headed by Htoo Htoo Zaw, will get 20 percent. — AP

MANILA: Millions of Catholic devotees swept through the Philippine capital yesterday in a spectacular show of passion for a centuries-old statue of Jesus Christ that many believe holds miraculous powers. In the nation’s biggest annual religious gathering, barefoot men and women crammed into Manila’s streets hoping to touch the life-sized, black icon as it was paraded through the city’s historic area.

For what she said was the 40th year in a row, grandmother Carmelita Maralit waited for the “Black Nazarene” to pass her by, holding a lit candle under the intense tropical sun. “I have highblood pressure and I believe it (honouring the statue) helps ease my pains,” said Maralit, 64, who travelled in from an outlying suburb, as others jostled around her.

Nine million pilgrims joined the procession as the icon went on its 10-hour journey through the streets and back to its home at Quiapo church, according to Superintendent Ronaldo Estilles, Manila’s deputy police chief.

The frenzied rush of people trying to touch the icon looked like giant waves tossing about the slowly moving carriage on which the statue rests. At one point, a wave of people swept across an old bridge that the police had earlier temporarily blocked with physical barriers due to fears it could collapse.

However, the bridge withstood the pounding and the procession ended without serious incident. And although most of the devotees wore no shoes as a sign of penance, police said just 164 people were treated for minor injuries and ailments. Most of the nearly 100 million Filipinos are Catholic, a legacy of Spanish colonial rule that collapsed at the end of the 19th Century.

The statue was brought to Manila by Augustinian priests from Mexico in 1607, and its dark colour is believed to have been caused by it being slightly burnt in a fire aboard the Spanish galleon on which it was being transported. On

N Korea urged to halt on nuke test PYONGYANG: Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said yesterday that his delegation is pressing North Korea to put a moratorium on missile launches and nuclear tests and to allow more cell phones and an open Internet for its citizens.

Richardson told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview in Pyongyang that the group is also asking for fair and humane treatment for an American citizen detained in North Korea. Also on the trip is Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt.

“The citizens of the DPRK (North Korea) will be better off with more cell phones and an active Internet. Those are the three messages we’ve given to a variety of foreign policy officials, scientists” and government officials, Richardson said. Most North Koreans have never logged onto the Internet, and the country’s authoritarian government strictly limits access to the World Wide Web. Richardson has said the delegation is on a private, humanitarian trip.

Schmidt, who is the highest-profile U.S. business executive to visit North Korea since leader Kim Jong Un took power a year ago, has not spoken publicly about the reasons behind the journey to North Korea.

The visit comes just weeks after

North Korea launched a long-range rocket to send a satellite into space.

Washington has condemned the launch as a banned test of missile technology. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Monday “the trip is ill-advised,” and another State spokesman reacted to Richardson’s latest remarks by referring to Nuland’s statement again.

Spokesman Peter Velasco also said from Washington that he also did not believe Richardson’s delegation had been in contact with U.S. officials since they arrived in Pyongyang. Schmidt, who oversaw Google’s expansion into a global Internet giant, speaks frequently about the importance of providing people around the world with Internet access and technology.

Google now has offices in more than 40 countries, including all three of North Korea’s neighbors: Russia, South Korea and China, another country criticized for systematic Internet censorship. He and Google Ideas think tank director Jared Cohen, who is also on the trip, have collaborated on a book about the Internet’s role in shaping society. Using science and technology to build North Korea’s beleaguered economy was the highlight of a New Year’s Day speech by leader Kim Jong Un. Still, the reality is that experts

PYONGYANG: This picture, taken by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency yesterday shows former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson (2nd L) and US Internet giant Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt (C) visiting Kim Il Sung University’s computer center in Pyongyang. — AFP

see North Korea as one of the least connected countries in the world.

On Tuesday, students at North Korea’s elite Kim Il Sung University showed Schmidt how they use Google to look for information online.

Surfing the Internet that way is the privilege of only a very few in North Korea. Officials say students at the university have had Internet access since April 2010.

While university students at Kim Chaek University of Science and Technology and the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology also have carefully monitored Internet access - and are under strict instructions to access only educational materials - most North Koreans have never surfed the Web. Computers at Pyongyang’s main library at the Grand People’s Study house are linked to a domestic Intranet service that allows people to read state-run media online and access a trove of reading materials culled by North Korean officials. North Koreans with computers at home can also sign up for the Intranet service.

But access to the World Wide Web is extremely rare and often is limited to those with clearance to get on the Internet.

The US delegation’s visit takes place as the US pushes to punish North Korea for launching a long-range rocket in December. Pyongyang celebrates the launch as a peaceful bid to send a satellite into space. The US and other critics, however, condemn it as a covert test of long-range missile technology, and are urging the UN Security Council to take action against North Korea. Some conservatives in the United States have had harsh criticism of the Schmidt-Richardson trip.

Schmidt and Richardson “have joined the long list of Americans and others used by the Kim family dictatorship for political advantage,” John Bolton, who served as US ambassador to the United Nations during the George W. Bush administration, wrote in the New York Daily News.

“North Korea has repeatedly welcomed prominent Americans to help elevate its stature. It is seeking direct negotiations with Washington, for in the distorted vision of the nation’s leadership, this might lead to full diplomatic recognition and ‘equal’ status in the world community.” — AP

Wednesday, Larry Torralba, 34, carried four white handkerchiefs as he and dozens of neighbours waited for the statue to pass them, intending to jump above the throng onto the icon’s carriage

of devotion, not all Filipinos think the same way.

One of the country’s most prominent independent filmmakers, Jim Libiran, described the procession as “a pagan sacred orgy for a

MANILA: Thousands of Catholic devotees jostle for positions as they climb over one another to try to kiss the cross (centre L) draped on the statue of Black Nazarene during the annual procession in honor of the centuries-old icon of Jesus Christ in Manila yesterday. Masses of Catholic devotees swept through the Philippine capital on January 9 in a spectacular outpouring of passion for a centuries-old icon of Jesus Christ that many believe can perform miracles. — AFP and touch it. “I’m not asking for miracles, only that (God) keep me away from trouble and help me find work,” said the sometime Manila carpenter, currently out of a job. But while many hail the statue for its supposed special powers and the Catholic Church celebrates the outpouring

Christian idol” that was no different from the hysteria of pop fans. “To the non-religious, this is like being with Justin Bieber... (or Michael Jackson, or John Lennon) without their bodyguards,” he said in posts on his Facebook and Twitter sites. — AFP

Aquino rejects gun ban calls MANILA: Philippine President Benigno Aquino insisted yesterday that civilians had the right to carry guns for self-defence, after a series of deadly shootings prompted calls for a total firearms ban. “‘Total gun ban’ would be a nice headline, but a knee-jerk reaction. It’s not in my nature to humour people.

We should look for means to really solve the issue,” Aquino told reporters.

Some politicians, media groups and influential Catholic church leaders have led calls for stricter gun laws, or an outright ban on civilians owning them, after a series of shootings starting on New Year’s Eve left 23 people dead.

Two children died from bullet wounds amid gunfire from revellers who were welcoming in the New Year by firing weapons, a traditional form of celebration in the Philippines. A few days later a drugs-crazed gunman shot dead seven people during

a 30-minute rampage in a slum neighbourhood on the outskirts of Manila, before police killed him.

Security forces shot another 13 people dead on Sunday in a case that has embarrassed the government and highlighted major corruption problems in the police and military. Police initially said those killed were gang members but later admitted three of the dead were fellow policemen and another two were soldiers. Aquino launched an investigation on Tuesday into the killings amid allegations they were part of a turf war over illegal gambling involving corrupt security forces.

The violence has highlighted concerns in the Philippines over the ease with which people can acquire weapons.

There were 1.2 million registered guns in civilian hands last year, plus another 600,000 unlicensed firearms

in circulation, according to police data. Aquino said Wednesday the solution to ending the gun violence was to get rid of the unlicensed weapons while allowing law-abiding people to carry a weapon in selfdefence.

“I lead by example by conforming to the law.... and both my church and the law recognise my right to selfdefence,” said Aquino, who is a wellknown sports shooting enthusiast.

Aquino cited as reasons for owning a gun his own experience in 1987 when he was shot and wounded in an ambush by renegade troops mounting a coup against his late mother Corazon Aquino, who was then president.

He also insisted his government was already doing a lot to address gun violence, particularly by trying to take weapons away from so-called private armies that are run by local politicians around the country. — AFP

HK lawmakers move to impeach leader HONG KONG: Lawmakers were making a symbolic attempt yesterday to impeach Hong Kong’s Beijing-backed leader, the latest sign of the widening gulf between the semiautonomous southern Chinese city and its political masters in Beijing.

Pro-democracy members of Hong Kong’s legislature were planning to introduce a motion to charge the city’s leader, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, with serious breaches of law that could lead to his impeachment. They allege Leung misled them about illegal renovations to his mansion.

It’s the first such attempt to impeach a Hong Kong leader since the former British colony came back under China’s control in 1997. Leung survived a no-confidence vote in December. The motion was unlikely to pass because the 27 legislators are outnumbered by pro-Beijing representatives in the 70-seat Legislative Council. But it was an attempt to “show the deep mistrust against the chief executive,” who is suffering from a credibility crisis, said Ma Ngok, a political scientist at Chinese University of Hong Kong. Leung, whose approval rating has fallen to around 50 percent, still has the support of China’s communist leaders. Leung has become a lightning rod for growing public discontent since taking office in July. Anger over a wide range of issues stems from the city’s fraught relationship with mainland China. On New Year’s Day, tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets to call for Leung to step down and to press for full democracy. Beijing has pledged that Hong Kong residents can elect their leader by 2017 at the earliest though no roadmap has been laid out.

Leung took office in July after being handpicked for the city’s top job by an elite group of mostly pro-Beijing

HONG KONG: Demonstrators shout slogans in support of Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying during a protest in Hong Kong yesterday. — AFP tycoons. He won the job after taking advantage of a scandal involving a huge, unauthorized basement in his rival’s home. But shortly before taking office, illegal additions were also discovered at Leung’s home in the exclusive Victoria Peak neighborhood.

Leung has apologized and removed the structures, which included a trellis and a gate. He said some of them were put in before he bought the house.

Even if the motion was approved, Leung is still unlikely to be impeached because an investigation committee headed by the secretary of justice would have to be formed and any findings approved by a two-thirds majority in the legislature. — AP

NEWS Saudis behead maid...

Continued from Page 1 execution of Rizana Nafeek despite all efforts at the highest level of the government and the outcry of the people locally and internationally,” the ministry said. Rajapakse had made another appeal for the maid’s life last week.

Human Rights Watch said that Nafeek, who was only 17 when the child died in 2005, had retracted “a confession that she said was made under duress, and says that the baby died in a choking accident while drinking from a bottle”. “In executing Rizana Nafeek, Saudi authorities demonstrated callous disregard for basic humanity as well as Saudi Arabia’s international legal obligations,” the New York-based watchdog’s senior women’s rights researcher, Nisha Varia, said. HRW “opposes the death penalty in all circumstances because of its inherent cruelty and finality,” the watchdog said. “Given the possibility of mistakes in any criminal justice system, innocent people may be executed.”

This is the second execution of the year in Saudi Arabia after a Syrian was beheaded on Tuesday for drug trafficking. Last year, the ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom beheaded 76 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. HRW put the number at 69. Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking are all punishable by death under its strict version of sharia, or Islamic law. — AFP

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

Syria rebels free Iranians in swap Continued from Page 1 The prisoner swap involved 48 Iranian men abducted by rebels in Damascus in early August and 2,130 prisoners of Syrian and other nationalities held in various cities by regime forces loyal to President Bashar Al-Assad, according to several sources. The Turkish charity the Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) said the exchange was “the result of months of civil diplomacy carried out by our organisation.”

A spokesman for the rebel Free Syrian Army, Ahmed Al-Khatib, confirmed the deal, telling AFP in Beirut by telephone it was worked out through Turkish and Qatari mediation with Iran lobbying ally Assad. Iranian television hailed the freeing of the 48 Iranian “pilgrims”, maintaining Tehran’s description of them as inno-

cent visitors to Syria snatched as they visited a Shiite shrine on the outskirts of Damascus. But the rebels who had held the Iranians described some of them as Revolutionary Guards members in Syria on a “reconnaissance” mission in support of Assad’s forces.

On Aug 5, the group posted a video showing the Iranian men, aged in their 20s and 30s, along with military identification cards taken from them. Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi admitted on Aug 8 there were Revolutionary Guards in the group, but claimed they were “retired” and denying suspicions they were on active military service in Syria. Iran has insisted it provides only economic and humanitarian aid to Syria’s regime, which it sees as part of a regional “resistance” to Israel. But the United States and Western allies believe Iran is

also providing weapons, snooping technology and military personnel skilled in hunting down and suppressing opposition members.

Separate to the abduction, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards acknowledged on Sept 16 that members of its Quds Force, an elite external operations unit, were sent to Syria. Guards commander General Mohammad Ali Jafari said the Quds deployment was there only to “counsel” Syrian forces fighting insurgents, not for combat. The potential for the Syrian conflict to draw in other countries and paramilitary groups in the region is one of the principal worries of world powers.

Today, Russia, which has protected Assad from international action in the UN Security Council, is to hold a second round of consultations on the spiralling

crisis with the United States, Moscow said yesterday. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told the Interfax news agency the meeting would comprise himself, US Undersecretary of State William Burns and Brahimi and would take place in Geneva.

Meanwhile, thousands of Syrian refugees in Syria’s neighbours Jordan and Lebanon were suffered extreme cold and flooding caused by heavy rain. In the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, which hosts some 62,000 Syrians, downpours in recent days have destroyed hundreds of tents, further stoking anger among the displaced over poor conditions. Inside Syria, at least 83 people were killed on Tuesday, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of activists, doctors and lawyers for its reporting. — AFP

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

ANALYSIS

THE LEADING INDEPENDENT DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULF ESTABLISHED 1961

Founder and Publisher

YOUSUF S. AL-ALYAN Editor-in-Chief

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

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

Issues

Hagel and Kerry on last mission for Vietnam gen

By Stephen Collinson

A

merica’s Vietnam War generation has one, unlikely, final run at power, after President Barack Obama turned to his elders Chuck Hagel and John Kerry to run second-term national security policy. The societal poison stirred by Vietnam embittered almost every US election between 1968 and 2004, but now seems finally drained. But the foreign policy consensus in the aftermath - steering clear of costly entanglements abroad may be primed for a comeback - as America disengages from foreign wars and defense budgets brace for a fiscal sting.

Hagel, Obama’s pick for defense secretary and Kerry, his secretary of state nominee, were both wounded in Southeast Asia, and both, back home, evolved into skeptics of US adventurism overseas. Later, both also saw worldviews, forged under enemy fire, clash with the new US militarism of the post-Sept 11 world, and until Obama came calling, were marooned in political backwaters. Democratic Senator Kerry, 69, had lost a White House bid and was cruising toward retirement.

Republican ex-senator Hagel, 66, was reviled in his party for Iraq war apostasy.

“These will be the final veterans of Vietnam with responsibility and in power,” said Julian Zelizer, a Princeton University historian. “Both in some ways reflect some of the lessons of Vietnam and see the world through that prism.” Sean Kay, professor of international relations at Ohio Wesleyan University, said both men could change the US reflex to use the military as the “lead spear” of foreign policy. “There is (now) a strategic rationale for a worldview that shows a powerful and confident America, but also one that is guided by restraint in terms of how and when it uses its military power.”

With Hagel facing a tough Senate confirmation, over past remarks on Iran, gays and Israel, some political analysts wonder why he was chosen at all. But though a staunch conservative, Hagel has long shared a strategic meeting of the minds with liberal Obama, the anti-Iraq war candidate who raged against “dumb” wars on the way to winning the 2008 election. While naval lieutenant Kerry returned from Vietnam to become an anti-war talisman, asking how many more men needed to die for a “mistake”, infantryman Hagel took longer to sour on a war that killed 58,000 Americans. But he told C-SPAN television in 2005 that Vietnam showed: it’s easy to get into war, it’s not easy to get out.”

Obama struck a similar note on Monday. “(Hagel) understands that sending young Americans to fight and bleed in the dirt and mud, that’s something we only do when it’s absolutely necessary.” Hagel, like Kerry, voted in 2002 to authorize president George W. Bush to invade Iraq. But by 2005, he warned the war was being lost. He later bemoaned the US troop surge as the biggest blunder since Vietnam and in 2007 was against putting more American lives into a “grinder”. His stance on the surge, which many Republicans view as enabling a dignified US exit from Iraq, may partly explain antipathy to Hagel in his own party, in which he was never personally popular.

While Hagel and Kerry, like Obama, back a foreign policy based on alliances, diplomacy and international institutions, their selection is not a hint the president has suddenly sworn off the military. Obama, while ending land wars, has shown a penchant for lethal force - in Libya, in the raid to kill Osama bin Laden, in the troop surge in Afghanistan, and in escalating drone attacks on terror suspects in Pakistan and elsewhere. The president has said “yes, to pulling back in the sense of a military footprint and yes to accepting a diminished role for the US which is somewhat less of a hegemonic one,” said prominent US foreign policy author James Mann. “But he has also conveyed the idea that the use of force occasionally is strongly in America’s interest.”

But with Hagel and Kerry, Obama was hardly stocking his cabinet with hawks, as he contemplates whether to risk a third US war in the Muslim world and strike at Iran’s nuclear program, if diplomacy fails. Hagel has blasted Iran war talk as “dangerous”, outraging conservatives who fear he could undermine US threats of force. “It’s a signal you’re sending to Iran at the worst possible time,” Senate Republican hawk Lindsey Graham said Sunday on CNN. Still, conservative claims that Hagel is out of the “mainstream” ring hollow, given that polls show most Americans oppose war in Iran. And the fight over his nomination may reflect a joust between realists like Hagel and the president, and still vocal neo-conservatives. “In some ways this is not a fight against Obama, but a much broader fight within the Republican Party over the direction of foreign policy,” said Mann. —AFP

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

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

Egypt preacher calls for Islamist vice police

By Yasmine Saleh and Shaimaa Fayed

M

any Egyptian viewers were horrified when preacher Hisham El-Ashry recently popped up on primetime television to say women must cover up for their own protection and advocated the introduction of religious police. That an obscure preacher could get publicity for such views was seen as another example of the confused political scene in Egypt since the revolt that toppled Hosni Mubarak gave birth to a cacophony of feuding voices. “I was once asked: If I came to power, would I let Christian women remain unveiled? And I said: If they want to get raped on the streets, then they can,” Ashry told Nahar TV last week.

Introducing a Saudi-style antivice police force to enforce Islamic law was “not a bad thing”, he said, and added: “In order for Egypt to become fully Islamic, alcohol must be banned and all women must be covered.” Few take Ashry, who admits he flew to the United States dreaming of a Western lifestyle and romance but instead found truth in preaching, seriously. But his views have stirred emotions. With the economic downturn and rising food prices putting pressure on the government, moderate Muslims, Christians and others worry their

new-found political freedom is at risk of being exploited by hardline Islamists bent on imposing their values on a society that has been traditionally moderate.

Watching a recent television interview in which Ashry expounded his ideas on women and sharia law, members of one family jumped to their feet in outrage.

“Look at this crazy man! Where do you think we live! In a jungle? Or are all men like you, animals, unable to control their instincts?” Mona Ahmed, 65, shouted at the television screen in her living room. “If I see him annoying any unveiled woman on the street I would punch him in the face. Wake up, man, this is Egypt, not Saudi Arabia,” she yelled as her children tried to console her. Ahmed, like many women in Egypt, has chosen on her own to cover her hair with the Islamic headscarf.

Egypt’s top Islamic institutions, such as Al-Azhar, the highest authority in Sunni Islam, and Dar al Ifta, the central authority for issuing religious rulings, have long said religious practices should not be imposed on people. Egypt’s Grand Mufti, the country’s most senior Islamic legal official, has dismissed the self-styled preacher’s views.

“This sort of idiotic thinking is one that seeks to further destabilise what is already a tense situation,”

Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa said in a statement to Reuters. “Egypt’s religious scholars have long guided the people to act in ways that conform to their religious commitments, but have never thought this required any type of invasive policing.”

The Muslim Brotherhood of President Mohamed Morsi, who was brought to power in an election last year, has also distanced itself, if somewhat cryptically. “The case of promotion of virtue and prevention of vice is within the jurisdiction of the authorities and not individuals or groups,” said Brotherhood spokesman Mahmoud Ghozlan. “It is not anyone’s right to intervene.”

Morsi has pledged not to impose Islamic codes of behaviour and to protect adherents of all religions equally. But he has also enacted a new constitution that has more Islamic references than its predecessor and that critics say fails to protect freedoms and the rights of Christians and other minorities.

Activists say although Morsi’s camp is not keen on religious austerity, stronger condemnation is required at this sensitive time. “As long as such actions are not seriously condemned by the officials in public speeches, it leaves room for radicals to freely act and impose things on people,” said human rights activist Gamal Eid. The image

of Egypt’s bearded leadership flanked by their fully veiled wives sends a powerful psychological message that may belie their official words, they say. “Islamist officials need to take a clearer stand on their views about rights and freedoms and act strictly if those rights and freedoms were threatened.“ Ashry left Egypt for New York in the 1990s, when the country was still firmly under Mubarak’s rule, in search of a better life. “I went there with a dream to get a blonde girl and a big car,” he said in one of his televised interviews. “(But) I was advised on the plane to cherish my religion and not get taken by the USA or risk being spoiled and losing my faith.” His religious convictions grew stronger over the next 15 years in the United States, he said. “I had, thanks to God, guided many Christians to Islam. I can’t tell how many as I stopped counting when their number exceeded 100,” he said. It was when he was working at a men’s clothing factory in New York that he became convinced that Egypt needed a Saudi-style anti-vice force. “(My goal was) to make all Egyptians love it,” he said. A few find him inspiring. “He advocates what I believe is right,” said Ahmed Mahmoud, 18, in Cairo. “It is about time to enforce God’s law in order to be rescued from all the corruption we live in.” Ashry is just one

conservative influence among many. In the six months since Morsi came to power, preachers and vigilante groups have been flexing their muscles on the streets. In July, a young man holding hands with his fiancÈ was stabbed to death in Suez, and in October, a face-veiled teacher cut the hair of two 12-yearold girls who were not wearing scarves. Just last month, an Islamist group in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula threatened to launch a campaign against cigarette smoking and drug use in the lawless desert region.

Radical Salafi figures called for Muslims not to greet Christians at Christmas, celebrated by Egypt’s Copts on Jan 7. Christians make up about 10 percent of Egypt’s 84 million population, which is majority Sunni-Muslim. “Such comments scare us to death of course,” said Christian activist Peter El-Naggar.

“But we don’t think such people are right or will have any strong grassroots support. Egypt has always been home to moderate and tolerant Islam. By God’s will it will remain so.” Those who rely on the tourism industry in Cairo and at the luxury beaches of the Red Sea are defiant and anxious at the same time. “Only we can control ourselves,” said taxi driver Waleed Mahmoud, 36. “No human being can force another to pray or beat them to pray. It doesn’t work.” —Reuters

Italy’s real battle is Monti vs Berlusconi

By Barry Moody and Paolo Biondi

I

taly’s election campaign is shaping up as a bitter contest not between right and left but between Silvio Berlusconi and outgoing Prime Minister Mario Monti to win the balance of power after the February poll. The final lines were drawn on Monday when Berlusconi sacrificed his own candidacy for prime minister as the price for winning a crucial new alliance with his estranged allies in the devolutionist Northern League. This alliance is aimed at blocking control of parliament by the centreleft, which opinion polls show as virtually certain to win the Feb 24-25 elections.

But if Berlusconi succeeds, Italy is likely to face renewed instability and legislative paralysis which could make it once again the biggest concern in the euro zone. Italy narrowly avoided a Greek-style meltdown in Nov 2011 when Berlusconi, weakened by a sex scandal, was forced out as prime minister and replaced by Monti. If Berlusconi gains the balance of power he could frustrate centre-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani in fulfilling his promise to stick to Monti’s austerity and pro-European policies, which have brought Italy relative stability in the past year.

The billionaire media owner’s biggest problem in implementing his strategy is Monti, whose centrist alliance has the same aim as Berlusconi: winning enough seats in the Senate to give it influence way beyond its likely share of the poll.

While the centre-left is almost certain to win the lower house, the real battleground will be in the much less certain Senate

contest. The battle for this prize explains why Berlusconi and Monti have made almost daily personal attacks on each other in a blitz of television interviews that have drawn accusations they are making unfair use of the airwaves.

Bersani has remained largely above the fray, cultivating his colourless but reassuring image of calm dependability while Monti and Berlusconi try to hurt each other. However the launching of Monti’s centrist front, the sealing of Berlusconi’s broader centre-right alliance and the emergence of a smaller leftist group are all bad news for Bersani because they could dilute his share of the vote.

A new Ipsos poll published in the financial daily Il Sole 24 Ore on Tuesday showed the Senate vote too close to call in three big regions which could be decisive in the February vote. “In Lombardy, Campania and Sicily the outcome of the vote is absolutely unpredictable,” said Roberto D’Alimonte, one of Italy’s foremost experts on voting trends. Italy’s much maligned electoral law awards Senate seat bonuses to the coalition that wins in each individual region. Bersani would therefore only have to lose in populous Lombardy and Veneto to forgo a majority in the upper house, even if he won all of Italy’s remaining regions, said D’Alimonte.

In another paradox caused by the law, he said Monti should hope Berlusconi robs Bersani of enough Senate votes in key regions to hand the former European Commissioner the bal-

ance of power as a buttress for the future centre-left government. Despite largely refusing to join the mudslinging, Bersani is clearly worried about the way things have panned out since Monti announced in December that he would join forces with other centrist forces in the election.

In a television interview on Monday, Bersani said Monti’s candidacy was “not good news for Italy”. However, he saw Berlusconi as his real enemy and Monti only as a “competitor”, adding that he was open to a post-election alliance with the centrists. This idea has been espoused for months by moderates in Bersani’s Democratic Party, including his deputy Enrico Letta. They argue this would reassure European partners that the left will not throw away Monti’s achievements, while still trying to stimulate economic growth and reducing the burden on pensioners and workers who have suffered most from the deficitcutting policies of the past year.

Although Monti sharply reduced the pressure on Italy and brought down the government’s borrowing costs to more affordable levels, the recession has worsened.

Data on Tuesday showed youth unemployment had risen to an all time high above 37 percent in November. D’Alimonte said that if Bersani failed to win the battleground regions in the Senate vote, he could face a situation similar to or worse than former centre-left Prime Minister Romano Prodi in 2006.

In a situation which is a recurring nightmare for Italy’s left, Prodi’s government collapsed and was replaced by

Berlusconi within two years because it lacked a viable Senate majority. That election was fought under the same electoral law as this time. An alliance between Bersani and Monti after the election would probably produce a stable government that could last and consolidate progress in implementing economic reform.

But there is one big problem. Monti insists he would enter a government only if he were prime minister, and Bersani has ruled this out.

“The idea that the one who wins less votes should be in charge is an old theory unknown in the rest of western Europe,” he said in his television interview.

Analysts say that if an agreement between Monti and Bersani was impossible, then the euro zone’s third largest economy would be likely to face a short-lived centre-left government and a period of political turmoil dangerous for the whole region. A Tecne opinion poll on Tuesday showed the centre-left comfortably ahead at nearly 40 percent, with Berlusconi’s centre-right on 24.6 and Monti’s centrists on just over 15 percent.

However the numbers that count will be in regional votes for the Senate and voter intentions are not known in all of those.

The poll in Il Sole 24 Ore, however, showed a surge in the region of Campania - which returns the second largest number of senators after Lombardy - of a new leftist grouping led by anti-mafia magistrate Antonio Ingroia. This group was polling at more than 11 percent and could gift a regional victory to Berlusconi rather than Bersani if the trends do not change. —Reuters

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

S P ORT S Clark, Twelvetrees in England squad

Worldwide life bans given to 41 South Korean players

LONDON: Northampton flanker Calum Clark, who recently returned from a 32-week ban for breaking an opponent’s arm, and Gloucester centre Billy Twelvetrees were included in England’s 33-man Elite Player Squad (EPS) yesterday. The uncapped duo were the stand-out names in the squad revealed by coach Stuart Lancaster as he continues his preparation for the Six Nations championship which begins next month.

Clark, 23, a former captain of the England under-20 team, seemed on course for his senior debut last year until his ban for breaking the elbow of Leicester’s Rob Hawkins in the LV Cup final. Initially 64 weeks, the ban was cut after his guilty plea and he returned to action in November. Twelvetrees, 24, has looked good in his first season at Gloucester after moving from Leicester and his partnership with flyhalf Freddie Burns gives England a creative option too often lacking in recent seasons. Lock Joe Launchbury, England’s player of the series in November when he made his debut, hooker Tom Youngs, prop Mako Vunipola and Burns were also officially added to the list having featured in November. As their appearances show, inclusion in the EPS squad is not a necessity for selection and Lancaster has a great deal of flexibility when it comes to moving people in and out. David Strettle returns in place of Charlie Sharples as Lancaster seeks to nail down a regular left winger, while James Haskell is also back in, taking the place of Phil Dowson, who made his debut a year ago in Lancaster’s first game in temporary charge. —Reuters

BERNE: Forty-one players from South Korea’s K-League have had their lifetime bans extended worldwide following a match-fixing scandal, although 21 of them have been offered a reprieve, FIFA said yesterday.

The 41 had already been banned for life by the Korea Football Association following the scandal which erupted in 2011 and involved matches played the previous year. The scandal led the South Korean government to threaten to wind up the K-League if action was not taken. Ten other players involved in match-fixing were given worldwide bans by FIFA in June while in March, South Korea’s volleyball association banned 11 players for life in a bid to curb corruption in domestic sport. FIFA said that a reprieve had been offered to 21 players who turned themselves in during the voluntary reporting period and expressed “grave regret” about their involvement in match-fixing.

The players would have to undergo a probation period of between two and five years, including periods of community service ranging from 200 to 500 hours. “The probation is voluntary, which means that the respective player has to inform the K-League that he wishes to return to football,” said FIFA. “At this point, the player then has to commit himself to one of a variety of community services related to football. “These services include the provision of coaching classes for local football clubs for youth and adult players, involvement in and support of football for those with disabilities, and the support of ongoing and future domestic anti-match-fixing activities. —Reuters

Quaresma to join Al Ahli DUBAI: Portuguese winger Ricardo Quaresma has ended his turbulent spell at Turkish side Besiktas after agreeing to join Dubai’s Al Ahli on an 18-month contract, local media reported yesterday.

The 29-year-old former Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea forward replaced Cameroon midfielder Achille Emana as one of the four foreign players at the club, the National newspaper said. “It is a sign of our ambition,” club chief executive Ahmed Khalifa was quoted as saying by the newspaper ahead of the player’s official unveiling later yesterday. “It’s very rare to find a player of his quality at this time of year and the negotiations were therefore kept very secret. There were a lot of eyes on Ricardo, a lot of people looking to gain his services, but in the end we were able to sign him.

“OK, Ahli is not Liverpool, Barcelona or Manchester United, but in this region, we hold that reputation. Ricardo understands this and is looking to be a success here,” the official added. Besiktas terminated Quaresma’s three-year contract six months early in December, ending a troubled stay at the club in which he clashed with then manager Carlos Carvalhal during a Europa League clash last March.

The Portuguese international will make his Al Ahli debut against league champions Al Ain on Jan. 21. “He’s played for Inter Milan, Barcelona, Chelsea and was successful in Porto, too.

So a player with this experience won’t find any problems settling in the UAE,” Khalifa said. —Reuters

Pacers beat Heat

BERKELEY: Stanford’s Amber Orrange (right) drives the ball against California’s Talia Caldwell in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game. —AP

Stanford women defeat California BERKELEY: Chiney Ogwumike scored 26 points and Amber Orrange added 15 to help No. 5 Stanford pull away from seventh-ranked California for its 81st straight win against a conference opponent, 62-53 over the Golden Bears on Tuesday night.

After having their 82-game home winning streak snapped late last month against Connecticut, Ogwumike made sure the Cardinal (14-1, 3-0 Pac-12) wouldn’t see another long run of dominance come to an end.

Ogwumike provided the bulk of the scoring and helped hold the Bears (12-2, 2-1) to 30 percent shooting at the other end to win for the 10th straight time in this rivalry. Stanford’s last loss to Cal - or any conference team - came nearly four years ago, on Jan. 18, 2009, on this court to the Bears. Layshia Clarendon scored 17 points to lead the Bears, whose only losses this season are to Stanford and at No. 4 Duke. Cal hasn’t beaten a top five team since a win over No. 2 Rutgers on Nov. 22, 2008.

This is the first of two straight meetings between the Bay Area rivals who figure to be competing for the conference title. The return game is Sunday at Stanford and then the teams couldn’t meet again until March in the Pac-12 tournament in Seattle.

The game was tight as could be for most of the night with the lead never getting bigger than four points for either team for a span of more than 22 minutes

starting midway through the first half.

The Bears overcame their poor shooting with relentless rebounding, using 21 offensive boards to score 22 secondchance points. But that wasn’t enough to pull away because of another spectacular night from Ogwumike, who scored on jumpers, drives and putbacks to get the Cardinal close. Stanford finally started to pull away with six straight points just past the midway point of the second half with Joslyn Tinkle getting out in transition for an easy layup that gave the Cardinal a 5246 lead with 6 minutes left.

Ogwumike then came up with the biggest play of the night after a held ball gave the Cardinal the ball at halfcourt with 2 seconds on the shot clock. Tinkle threw up the inbound pass near the basket and Ogwumike converted the layup as the shot-clock expired. She drew a foul on the play but missed the free throw, keeping the lead at eight points.

That was too much for Cal to overcome and the Bears lost for the 23rd time in the past 26 home games against Stanford. Cal had the edge early and used an 8-2 run midway through the first half to take a sixpoint lead that was the biggest of the night for either team until the final 5 minutes. But Ogwumike kept the Cardinal close with 14 points in the first half. Cal took a 31-29 lead at the break after Brittany Boyd stole the ball from Orrange just past halfcourt and converted a layup just before the buzzer. —AP

NHL owners, players move closer to votes NEW YORK: All that is left of the NHL lockout are a pair of votes by owners and players. If both sides approve the tentative deal reached over the weekend - as expected - training camps will be open by Sunday.

The league’s board of governors will meet on Wednesday in New York, and the 30 club owners will vote on the agreement that was reached in the early morning hours of Sunday after a 16-hour negotiating session. If a majority approves, the NHL will move one step closer toward the official end of the lockout that began Sept. 16.

The league and the players’ association were still working on one more key piece of business on Tuesday night that must be settled before hockey is truly back. “We are trying to finalize a summary document, and we are very close on that,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Associated Press in an email. “That will be turned into a (memorandum of understanding) with more detailed language that won’t be signed until this coming weekend.” The union was waiting for that initial document before it scheduled a vote for its more than 700 members. A majority of players also must approve the deal before the lockout can end.

If there are no snags, ratification could be finished by Saturday and training camps could open Sunday. A 48-game regular season would then be expected to begin on Jan. 19. “(We) don’t need a signed document to complete ratification process,” Daly wrote, “but we do need a signed agreement to open camps. The goal is to get that done by Saturday so that we can open camps on Sunday.”

The NHL has yet to release a new schedule. The regular season was supposed to begin on Oct. 11. The deal was reached Sunday, the 113th day of the

lockout, and seemingly saved a season that was delayed for three months and cut nearly in half. It took a marathon final bargaining session in a New York hotel for the agreement to finally be completed at about 5 a.m. local time.

The lockout led to the cancellation of at least 480 games, depending on the length of the upcoming season. That brings the total of lost regular-season games to a minimum of 2,178 during three lockouts under Commissioner Gary Bettman.

The damage is significant. Perhaps $1 billion in revenue could be lost this season, given about 40 percent of the regular-season schedule won’t be played.

Players also will lose a large part of their salaries, not to mention time from their careers.

Hockey’s first labor dispute was an 11day strike in 1992 that led to the postponement of 30 games. Bettman became the commissioner in February 1993. He presided over a 103-day lockout in 199495 that ended with a deal on Jan. 11, then a 301-day lockout in 2004-05 that made the NHL the only major North American professional sports league to lose an entire season. The NHL obtained a salary cap in the agreement that followed that dispute and now wanted more gains.

The NHL’s revenue of $3.3 billion last season lagged well behind the NFL ($9 billion), Major League Baseball ($7.5 billion) and the NBA ($5 billion), and the deal will lower the hockey players’ percentage from 57 to 50 - owners originally had proposed 46 percent.

This was the third lockout among the major U.S. sports in a period of just more than a year. A four-month NFL lockout ended in July 2011 with the loss of only one exhibition game, and an NBA lockout caused each team’s schedule to be cut from 82 games to 66 last season. —AP

INDIANAPOLIS: Paul George had 29 points and 11 rebounds, and the Indiana Pacers held Miami to a season-low point total in an 87-77 win over the Heat on Tuesday night.

George made four 3-pointers to get the best of his matchup with LeBron James. David West added 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Lance Stephenson chipped in with 13 points for the Pacers (21-14), who have won 11 of their last 13 games.

Dwyane Wade scored 30 points and James had 22 points and 10 rebounds for Miami (2310), which still has the best record in the Eastern Conference. It was the first time the teams had met since Miami beat the Pacers in six games in the conference semifinals last year.

Miami entered the game leading the NBA in field goal percentage, while Indiana led the league in field goal percentage defense. The matchup resulted in the Heat scoring only 35 points in the second half, their lowest-scoring half of the season.

Bucks 108, Suns 99 In Milwaukee, Brandon Jennings scored 29 points and Milwaukee gave Jim Boylan a win in his first game as coach with a victory over Phoenix. The Bucks parted ways with coach Scott Skiles on Monday in what was called a mutual decision, and the Bucks tapped Skiles’ top assistant Boylan as a replacement. This is the second time Boylan has succeeded Skiles midseason. He took over the Bulls when Skiles was fired on Christmas Eve in 2007.

The Suns were a perfect opponent, playing poorly in the last few weeks with nine losses in the last 10 games overall to go with a ninegame losing streak on the road. Goran Dragic scored 21 points and Jared Dudley added 18 for Phoenix.

Rockets 125, Lakers 112 In Houston, James Harden scored 31 points and Chandler Parsons added 20 to help Houston win its fifth straight with a victory over short-handed Los Angeles. Houston trailed by as many as 14 in the first half, but used a pair of runs in the third quarter to go on top and build a big lead.

Metta World Peace had a season-high 24 points for the Lakers, who were playing without their top three big men: Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol and Jordan Hill - all out with injuries. Kobe Bryant added 20 for the Lakers and Steve Nash had 16 as they tied a season high with their fourth straight loss. The Rockets have rallied from double-digit deficits for their last three wins.

Nets 109, 76ers 89 In Philadelphia, Reggie Evans had a careerhigh 23 rebounds, Deron Williams scored 22 points and Brooklyn improved to 6-1 under interim coach P.J. Carlesimo with a win over Philadelphia.

Evans outrebounded the undersized Sixers 23-22 through three quarters. Andray Blatche scored 20 points for the Nets, hours after he was questioned by Philadelphia police as part

MINNEAPOLIS: Minnesota Timberwolves’ Luke Ridnour (13) defends against Atlanta Hawks’ Kyle Korver (26) during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game. —AP of a sexual assault investigation at an upscale hotel. Blatche was not charged.

He wrote about the incident on Twitter, saying, “Im ok and I didn’t do anything jus was n the area when it happened,” Blatche tweeted. He later took down the tweet. Jrue Holiday scored 19 points and Spencer Hawes had 14 for the Sixers.

Timberwolves 108, Hawks 103 In Minneapolis, Nikola Pekovic had 25 points and a career-high 18 rebounds, and Andrei Kirilenko added 21 points to lead

Minnesota over Atlanta. Derrick Williams scored 17 points and Alexey Shved had 15 for the Timberwolves, who were missing coach Rick Adelman due to personal reasons. Terry Porter filled in and led the Wolves to their first victory over Atlanta since 2006, snapping an 11-game skid in the series.

Josh Smith had 21 points and 13 rebounds, and Al Horford had 19 points and 11 boards for the Hawks, who have lost three straight and four of their last five. They lost for the first time this year when Smith and Horford each get a double-double. —AP

NBA results/standings Brooklyn 109, Philadelphia 89; Indiana 87, Miami 77; Milwaukee 108, Phoenix 99; Houston 125, LA Lakers 112; Minnesota 108, Atlanta 103.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT NY Knicks 23 11 .676 Brooklyn 20 15 .571 Boston 17 17 .500 Philadelphia 15 21 .417 Toronto 12 22 .353

Indiana Chicago Milwaukee Detroit Cleveland

Central Division 21 14 .600 19 13 .594 17 16 .515 13 23 .361 8 28 .222

Southeast Division Miami 23 10 .697 Atlanta 20 13 .606 Orlando 12 22 .353 Charlotte 9 24 .273 Washington 5 28 .152

GB 3.5 6 9 11

0.5 3 8.5 13.5

3 11.5 14 18

Western Conference Northwest Division Oklahoma City 26 8 .765 Portland 19 15 .559 Denver 20 16 .556 Minnesota 16 15 .516 Utah 18 18 .500

7 7 8.5 9

LA Clippers Golden State LA Lakers Sacramento Phoenix

Pacific Division 27 8 .771 22 11 .667 15 19 .441 13 22 .371 12 24 .333

4 11.5 14 15.5

San Antonio Memphis Houston Dallas New Orleans

Southwest Division 27 10 .730 22 10 .688 21 14 .600 13 22 .371 9 25 .265

2.5 5 13 16.5

No suspense for Bonds, Clemens in HOF vote NEW YORK: Barry Bonds can go for a bike ride.

Roger Clemens might want to head to the gym for one of those famous workouts that used to make him pitch like he was 22 when he was 42.

If the polls are right - there was no need for either to wait by the phone yesterday when baseball writers weigh in with their first verdict on what is arguably the greatest class of Hall of Fame candidates since Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth were among the inaugural inductees 77 years ago.

Bonds and Clemens won’t get in, and no one else may either. In a fitting twist, the player who is most likely the leading candidate to make it is known almost as much for getting hit by pitches as hitting them himself.

Actually, Craig Biggio had 3,060 hits to go with the 285 times he got hit, and being a member of the 3,000-hit club usually guarantees a spot in Cooperstown. But in any other time the greatest home run hitter ever and only pitcher to win seven Cy Young awards would be absolute locks, too. This, however, is as much a referendum on the Steroids Era as it is on the numbers that are so sacrosanct in baseball. This is about what people suspect

players did while they were off the field, not what they accomplished while on it.

And this may be the last chance anyone has of somehow trying to make it right. No, denying Bonds a spot in the Hall of Fame won’t wipe away the bloated numbers that will almost surely scar the record books for generations to come. But it does put a giant asterisk that Bud Selig and the rest of baseball refuse to attach next to the 73 home runs he hit in one season, or the 762 he slugged through his career. And while Clemens will keep his Cy Young awards, keeping him out of Cooperstown at least sends a message that maybe next time we won’t be so easily hoodwinked again.

It shouldn’t be the job of baseball writers to make the final statement about the Steroids Era; indeed some of the voters I know are quite uncomfortable with trying to sort out who did what and when. They’re not the steroid police, as they often point out, and don’t know any better than the guy next to them in the locker room who did what and when.

But Selig and his minions failed time and time again to confront the epidemic that swept through the game the last few decades. They

used the power surge - four of the top 10 alltime home run hitters are either admitted steroid users or associated with them - to bring fans back to the ballparks who were disillusioned with baseball after a bitter strike wiped out the playoffs and the World Series in 1994.

They sat back and watched the cash registers heat up, knowing all along that much of it was built on a giant fraud. And they certainly didn’t follow criteria that is spelled out for Hall of Fame voters, who are pledged to look at not only a player’s numbers but the “integrity, sportsmanship, character and contributions to the team(s)” on which he played.

Under those guidelines, Bonds and Clemens don’t qualify. Neither does Sammy Sosa, who thankfully will receive only a handful of votes in his first year of eligibility.

Unlike Sosa and Mark McGwire - who at least admitted he used steroids - the odds are that Bonds and Clemens will one day be enshrined in the hall. As the years go by and the stigma of the steroid era fades, they’ll gain support among voters and probably make the 75 percent threshold required for admittance.—AP

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

S P ORT S

Saban shoots down talk of move to NFL MIAMI: University of Alabama head coach Nick Saban, showered with acclaim after a fourth national title, said on Tuesday he has no desire to return to the National Football League and that the college game is where he belongs. Saban’s Crimson Tide won their second successive national title on Monday and third in four years with a 42-14 hammering of Notre Dame. The win confirms the 61-year-old as the most successful active coach in college football-he captured his maiden title with Louisiana State University in the 2003 season.

Then came an unhappy two seasons with the NFL’s Miami Dolphins that end-

ed in 2006, but despite his well documented disappointment there has remained speculation that Saban could be tempted back into the pro game.

With five NFL teams currently having vacancies for a head coach that speculation, not surprisingly, re-emerged following Alabama’s second consecutive championship.

“How many times do you think I’ve been asked to put it to rest? And I’ve put it to rest, and you continue to ask it.

So I’m going to say it today, that you know, I think somewhere along the line you’ve got to choose,” he said.

“You learn a lot from the experiences of what you’ve done in the past,” added

Saban, before reflecting on the two seasons he spent in Miami after being tempted out of the college game by then Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga.

“I came to the Miami Dolphins, what eight years ago for the best owner, the best person that I’ve ever had the opportunity to work for? And in the two years that I was here, had a very, very difficult time thinking that I could impact the organization in the way that I wanted to or the way that I was able to in college,” he said before highlighting some of the reasons he prefers working with student athletes.

“It was very difficult for me, because there’s a lot of parity in the NFL, there’s

a lot of rules in the NFL. People say you can draft the players that you want to draft; you can draft a player that’s there when you pick. It might not be the player you need, it might not be the player you want. “You’ve got salary cap issues. We had them here (in Miami) You’ve got to have a quarterback. We had a chance to get one here; sort of messed it up,” he said, referring to the missed opportunity to sign Drew Brees, later a Super Bowl winner with New Orleans.

Saban enjoys a huge amount of personal control over the entire football program at Alabama and clearly did not enjoy the more devolved power struc-

ture in the NFL. “I didn’t feel like I could impact the team the same way that I can as a college coach in terms of affecting people’s lives personally, helping them develop careers by graduating from school, off the field, by helping develop them as football players, and there’s a lot of self gratification in all that, all right,” said Saban.

“I kind of learned through that (Dolphins) experience that maybe this (college) is where I belong, and I’m really happy and at peace with all that. So no matter how many times I say that, y’all don’t believe it, so I don’t even know why I keep talking about it.” —Reuters

Missy swims first meet of year for high school AURORA: It’s hard to determine which meant more to Missy Franklin: Meeting singer Justin Bieber backstage at a recent concert or swimming in her first high school meet of the season.

Mention both and her eyes grow wide. But only one made her nervous - and no, it wasn’t visiting with the teen sensation after his performance in Denver on Monday.

excited to get in the pool every single time.

“It was so awesome to come back to my first high school dual meet in what feels like forever. It was great.” This should come as no surprise: Franklin easily qualified for state in all four events she entered.

To think, she almost skipped her senior year of swimming. After such a dominating performance in London, the 17-year-old weighed

swimming against high school competitors isn’t all that fair after she beat the best the world had to offer. Only, this isn’t about competition for Franklin as much as camaraderie. She just wanted to be part of the team.

In the end, Franklin elected to participate and kicked off her season in fine fashion. No one came close to catching her as she eclipsed the state times in the 200-

Missy Franklin The Olympic gold medalist was an emotional wreck before her Regis Jesuit High School team took on rival Highlands Ranch in a dual meet on Tuesday. She’s not sure why that was, either.

Franklin swam in front of a worldwide audience at the London Olympics over the summer and took home four gold medals along with a bronze. But swimming with her high school teammates before roughly 250 fans, well, she was shaking in anticipation.

“All my teammates were like, ‘What is wrong with you?’” Franklin said. “I was so nervous and I love that. It shows me that the excitement of the sport is still there, no matter where you go. It can be here or the Olympics, but I still get so

whether to join her teammates after criticism arose over whether her presence took away from other swimmers.

Judging by the reaction she received after the meet, she had little to worry about. Franklin was mobbed by rival swimmers hoping to get a photo next to her. She enthusiastically posed for each one.

“This is really cool because she’s been an idol for me,” said freshman Sydney Merritt, who swims for Highlands Ranch. “Ever since she won the Olympics, I wanted to see her swim.” Yeah, but was her presence a distraction?

“A distraction?” Merritt said. “No way. It’s really cool.” Still, there are some who believe that Franklin

yard individual medley and 500 free. She also swam the opening legs of the 200 and 400 free relays.

Not only that, but she made everyone in the pool swim a little faster as they tried to keep up with her. Or so it seemed to Highlands Ranch coach Erica Peharda.

“They were working as hard as they could,” Peharda said. “Missy’s such a great role model. She’s very positive. The girls were excited. I don’t think they felt like she’s taking anything away from them. It’s really cool that she’s swimming for high school.” Still, the initial criticism stung Franklin a little bit.

“That was all I wanted to do - I want to make the sport better, definitely not take away from it at all,” said Franklin, who will attend

California next year. “That’s what made the decision so hard was the comments. I mean, that’s not their fault at all, that’s them being honest and giving their opinion. I totally understand that. They are concerned that I can take attention away. It’s totally true. I feel so guilty whenever that happens.

“Hopefully, the pros outweigh the cons here, which I hope they’ve been doing.” Franklin had a blast, too, hanging out with her teammates.

“We find 100 different ways to goof off,” she said. And support each other. When she wasn’t competing, Franklin was encouraging her teammates down the lane.

“She’s so good for our athletes, our swimmers,” Regis Jesuit coach Nick Frasersmith said. “It really brings the level of swimming up in Colorado. It’s what Missy is and what swimming is about, working for your teammates and enjoying it.”

Franklin was exhausted after the meet as the day finally caught up to her. That’s what happens when someone stays out late to hang out with Bieber, who treated her to quite a show. He even taught her how to ride a Segway scooter.

“Then he offered to show us the stage!” said Franklin, who went to the concert with a friend. Franklin was quite a popular attraction at Pepsi Center herself. Fans were climbing over seats to get her autograph, even over former Colorado Avalanche great Joe Sakic.

“I thought it was so funny, that out of the entire Pepsi Center, Joe Sakic and I end up in the exact same row,” Franklin said. “What are the odds of that? I thought it was great.”

She got home from the concert around midnight and had to be up for swim practice four hours later.

On top of that, it was the school’s first day back after winter break. “I was (yawning) all through school,” said Franklin, who will swim in another dual meet next Tuesday.

“But I gave 110 percent (at the meet).”

“The second I made the decision, I felt 100 times better - to work out with my friends and be able to spend time with them. You get so close with the swim team.

I’m so happy I did this.” —AP

Armstrong to break his silence in Oprah interview

This combination image made of file photos shows Lance Armstrong on Oct 7, 2012 and Oprah Winfrey on March 9, 2012. —AFP

NEW YORK: Lance Armstrong will break his silence about his lifetime ban from cycling and the doping charges made against him in a televised interview with Oprah Winfrey next week, the television presenter announced on Tuesday.

The interview, to be broadcast on the Oprah Winfrey Network on Jan. 17, will be the first the American cyclist has conducted since receiving his ban and being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles.

“Armstrong will address the alleged doping scandal, years of accusations of cheating, and charges of lying about the use of performanceenhancing drugs throughout his storied cycling career,” the network said in a statement. On Saturday, the New York Times reported that Armstrong, 41, had told associates and anti-doping officials he was considering an admission of using banned drugs. The Times said Armstrong hoped to persuade anti-doping officials to allow him to resume competition in athletic events that adhere to the World Anti-Doping Code, under which the Texan is currently subject to a lifetime ban.

However, Armstrong’s lawyer Tim Herman later told USA Today that there had been no talks with anti-doping bodies about any admission.

Armstrong has always vehemently denied charges of doping and has never been proven to have tested positive.

An Oct. 10 report from the U.S. anti-doping body USADA cited Armstrong’s involvement in what it characterized as the “most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen,” involving anabolic steroids, human growth hormone, blood transfusions and other doping.

Less than two weeks later, Armstrong’s seven Tour de France victories were nullified and he was banned from cycling for life after the International Cycling Union ratified the USADA’s sanctions against him.

In November, Armstrong, a survivor of testicular cancer, stepped down as a board member of Livestrong, the cancer-support charity he founded in 1997. —Reuters

MONTPELLIER: French player Daniel Narcisse who was named best player in 2012 by the International handball federation takes part in a training session at the Arena sports hall ahead of the friendly match between France and Argentina. —AFP

AC officials drop plans for New York regatta SAN FRANCISCO: America’s Cup officials have dropped plans for a warmup regatta on the Hudson River in New York in the spring so teams and organizers can focus on sailing’s marquee race this summer on San Francisco Bay. That decision leaves one final America’s Cup World Series regatta in 45-foot, wingsailed catamarans, in Naples, Italy, April 16-21.

A regatta planned for Venice, Italy, was scrapped due to a contractual dispute that’s headed for court later this month.

A New York regatta would have run from May 28-June 2. It was never publicly announced, but a spot on the racing schedule was held open for those dates. An ACWS regatta on the Hudson River would have been the first America’s Cup sailing off New York in 93 years.

America’s Cup Event Authority CEO Stephen Barclay said Tuesday that besides financial hurdles, a New York regatta would have been too close to the July 4 start of the Louis Vuitton Cup for foreign challengers. The Louis Vuitton Cup winner will face defending champion Oracle Team USA in the 34th America’s Cup beginning Sept. 7.

The Louis Vuitton Cup and the America’s Cup match will be sailed in 72-foot catamarans, which are proving to be difficult to handle. Oracle capsized its first 72-foot boat on San Francisco Bay on Oct. 16, destroying its 131-foot wing sail and damaging the hulls. A new wing sail arrived in Oakland on Tuesday on a container ship from New Zealand, and Oracle is expected to be sailing again by early next month.

In another setback, Oracle was recently found guilty of spying on Italy’s Luna Rossa Challenge while it trained in New Zealand.

Besides a small fine, Oracle was docked the final five days of the second testing period in late April.

With the focus shifting to the 72-foot cats, Barclay said some syndicates were considering not sending their top crews to any remaining ACWS regattas, and teams that have entered two boats in past regattas planned to enter only one.

He said there was “a huge amount” of interest from sponsors for a New York regatta, but that it would have been difficult financially to pull off. Without giving exact figures,

Barclay said the ACWS regattas each cost several million dollars, and that a New York race would have cost more than earlier events.

“New York was always going to be expensive,” Barclay said by phone from New Zealand. “We didn’t go into that thinking New York was going to pay us a whole lot of money. They are not in position to pay us a lot of money and we didn’t ask them to. We felt that maybe this was not the best time to be spending the money. “The last thing we want to do is compromise our plans for a summer of sailing in San Francisco,” Barclay said. After the schooner America beat a fleet of British ships around the Isle of Wight to claim the silver trophy in 1851, the New York Yacht Club successfully defended the America’s Cup off New York 13 times between 1870 and 1920. The regatta was moved to Newport, Rhode Island, in 1930, and the NYYC successfully defended the Cup 11 more times before Dennis Conner lost it to Australia in 1983. Conner won it back in 1987 and the next three defenses were held in San Diego. It’s since been held in Auckland, New Zealand, and Valencia, Spain.

Oracle won the oldest trophy in international sports with a two-race sweep of Alinghi of Switzerland off Valencia in February 2010. While there will be fewer ACWS stops than originally planned, Barclay said they served their purpose. “Has the America’s Cup World Series delivered what it was intended to deliver? I think the answer is yes in every count,” Barclay said.

Three sailors who won gold medals at the London Olympics are sailing in the America’s Cup. Britain’s Ben Ainslie has his own team in the ACWS and will then sail with Oracle. Nathan Outteridge of Australia is with Artemis Racing of Sweden and countryman Tom Slingsby is with Oracle. Britain’s Iain Percy, who sails for Artemis, won a silver medal in the London Games after previously winning two gold medals.

Artemis, Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa Challenge are the only teams expected to make the starting line of the Louis Vuitton Cup. Team Korea paid the entry fee, but Barclay said he hasn’t been able to confirm if it’s started building a 72foot cat. —AP

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

S P ORT S

Johnson wins in Hawaii

Branden Grace

Grace faces stiff competition JOHANNESBURG: Rising South African star and winner of five European Tour events Branden Grace faces stiff competition when he defends the Volvo Golf Champions title as the 2013 European Tour tees off today.

There are seven Major winners in the elite 36-strong field, including South Africans Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Louis Oosthuizen, Irishmen Darren Clarke and Padraig Harrington, Scot Paul Lawrie and Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal.

Italians Matteo Manassero and Francesco Molinari, Swedes Peter Hanson and Henrik Stenson and Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts add to the international flavour for the tournament at Durban Country Club.

The sponsors have also added spice to the championship, won by Grace after a play-off against Els and Goosen at Fancourt last year, by offering a truck and an excavator as well as the traditional car for holes in one.

Another competitor is Paul Casey of England, who preceded Grace as winner of a tournament open only to winners during the previous European Tour season or winners of more than 10 career titles on the circuit. Seemingly ageless Miguel Angel Jimenez from Spain was also scheduled to

take part, but a close-season broken leg after a skiing accident in his homeland put paid to the plans of the pony-tailed crowd favorite. Late entrant Harrington says he cannot imagine a better venue to start the year than a course rated among the top 100 in the world by Golf Magazine and host of 17 South African Open tournaments.

“I am looking forward to getting out on the course and competing. This is an ideal tournament to start my year off where there is a limited field to test myself against,” said the three-Major champion.

“There will be no cut and beautiful weather is almost guaranteed-it is a great event and I am really looking forward to competing in South Africa,” added Harrington. Another golfer relishing the chance to tee off is twice US Open champion Goosen, who is well down the road to recovery after a back operation last August.

“Everything is going really well with my rehabilitation and I am back out on the course and enjoying playing golf with my family and friends,” said the South African popularly known as ‘Goose’. Stenson returns to a country where he enjoyed pre-Christmas success, winning the South African Open near Johannesburg by three strokes from local George Coetzee. —AFP

Preview

Rare home win on the cards for South Africa PORT ELIZABETH: South Africa will be looking to secure just their second home test series win in over four years when they take on New Zealand in the second Test at St. George’s Park tomorrow.

The Proteas have risen to the top of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) test team rankings thanks to their wonderful away form which has seen them win back-to-back series in Australia and England and remain unbeaten on their travels since 2006.

However, South Africa have won just one test series at home since their 2-0 victor y over Bangladesh in November 2008, a 2-1 victory over Sri Lanka in early 2012.

The Proteas will be confident of winning the second and final test against New Zealand after demolishing the Black Caps by an innings and 27 runs inside three days in the first test in Cape Town.

The visitors were shot out for just 45 runs on the first morning of the test, a period of play that New Zealand coach Mike Hesson described as a “horror session”. They will not face their first-innings tormentor Vernon Philander after the seamer was ruled out of the match with a hamstring strain and they showed some fight in their second innings with 275, so South Africa are expecting a battle.

“New Zealand put up a bit of a fight in the second innings and that’s the nature of the Kiwis. For what they might have lacked in the player pool, they make up for with determination and guts,” said left-arm spinner Robin Peterson. “ The conditions at St. George’s probably mean the game will go the distance instead of what happened at

Newlands. I’m expecting the Kiwis to be a bit more at home here than anywhere else in the country,” added Peterson. The pitch in Port Elizabeth is expected to be a low and slow track making it more like the pitches the New Zealanders are used to at home.

Philander, who has taken an incredible 74 wickets in just 13 test matches, will be replaced by inexperienced fast bowler Rory Kleinveldt though batsman New Zealander Kane Williamson does not expect the hosts’s attack to be any weaker.

“They have a lot of depth and that is probably why they are the best team (in the world). They can call on blokes who will do the job. We are looking at all their bowlers equally in getting ready for this next match,” said Williamson.

“They are all different bowlers and they complement each other well.

Philander is probably one of the best bowlers in the world at the moment (but his absence) is certainly not a release in any way because there is Morkel and Steyn there that are also some of the best bowlers in the world as well.”

Pacemen Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel are ranked first and eighth respectively in the world Test bowling standings. Williamson added that the Black Caps would be far better prepared for the challenge of playing South Africa after their comprehensive defeat in the first test.

“The last test was certainly a learning curve, especially for the blokes who hadn’t played against the South Africans, the best team in the world.

That has certainly gone into our training to hold us in better stead for the next game.” —Reuters

KAPALUA: The power of Dustin Johnson is undeniable, especially the way his ball pierced through the wind at Kapalua. His touch with the short game doesn’t get much attention, even though two such shots were pivotal to his win in the Tournament of Champions. His lack of fear is becoming his trademark.

Johnson believes there are no limits to what he can achieve in golf, as long as he keeps mistakes to a minimum and makes better decisions.

And even that doesn’t always stop him.

With a pair of wild tee shots mixed in with a chip-in for eagle, Johnson won the PGA Tour’s season opener on Tuesday by closing with a 5under 68 for a four-shot victory over Steve Stricker, extending his streak of winning every season in the six years since he left college.

Don’t be fooled by the score or the margin.

This was a lot closer than it needed to be. “It was nowhere near ho-hum,” Johnson said. He made sure of that by staying aggressive even when he had a five-shot lead with 11 holes to play in the final round Tuesday.

Johnson took a big swing with the driver on the par-5 ninth and the ball vanished into high grass, costing him two shots. He still managed only a bogey, however, because he walked back to the tee with the same club and hammered that one down the left side, far enough that he could reach the green in two.

On the 13th hole, coming off a birdie to rebuild his lead to three shots, Johnson blasted driver to the left into bushes and tall grass, leading to another double bogey. That cut the lead to one shot, and when Johnson reached the 14th tee, he didn’t hesitate. Out came the driver.

“I was like, ‘Dude, what are you doing?’ He took out driver on a couple holes and he let me back in the game,” Stricker said. “We’re walking up 15 and I was like, ‘Why don’t you take iron out, make me have to make birdies instead of you hitting it in the trees and opening it up for me?’ And he’s like, ‘Yeah, yeah, I know.’

“But he’s got a lot of talent,” Stricker said. “It looks like very little fear in him, because he’ll hit one a little crooked but he’ll pull out that driver again and try it again. And he pulled it off, especially at 14. That was the deciding shot and chip for the tournament.” That it was.

Stricker was safely in the fairway on the 14th, which plays dead into the wind with bunkers down the right side and big trouble even farther to the right, the kind of grass where golf balls are never found. The prudent shot would be a 3-iron to leave a short pitch to the green. Johnson smashed his tee shot, a tight draw, that rolled up to the green and fell back. No problem. He chipped in for eagle, Stricker smiled and slapped hands with him, and Johnson was on his way.

Johnson hit another delicate pitch-and-run up a dangerous slope on the 15th to match Stricker’s birdie and stay three ahead. It was only fitting that this weird, windy week ended with such a wild ride.

The tournament was supposed to end

Monday. That’s when it started after gusts topping 40 mph forced officials to scrap the first round on Friday and Sunday, with no golf played on Saturday. The tournament was reduced to 54 holes. Once it started, it ended about 29 hours later.

Johnson also added a peculiar footnote to his record. He now has won the last three PGA Tour events reduced to 54 holes because of weather rain at Pebble Beach in 2009, a hurricane at The Barclays in 2011 and gusts that topped 40 mph in Hawaii from a freak weather pattern that led to a bizarre season opener.

“I’ve got a long way to go but I will be ready for the Champions Tour,” Johnson said, referring to 54-hole event on the 50-and-old circuit. It was only appropriate that a tournament delayed by a powerful wind was won by a guy who overpowered the Plantation Course at Kapalua.

“It definitely got close out there today,”

his decision-making remains open to criticism.

Instead of hitting an iron off the 13th tee - it’s tough to get it close to the pin even with a short iron - he went with driver and invited all sorts of trouble. Remember, this is the guy who lost a three-shot lead in the final round of the US Open at Pebble Beach by rushing through wild shots in a round of 82. He lost a shot at another major by not realizing he was in a bunker on the last hole at Whistling Straits.

“I’ve done it enough times that it doesn’t really bother me anymore,” Johnson said. “I’ve been in this situation enough now and I’ve made enough double bogeys in my life. You know, it’s just another hole, and you’ve got a lot more holes to go where you can make it up. Fortunately, today I made a double and then the next hole I made eagle. That definitely was the turning point of the day, because walking off 13, I was like, ‘Oh, no, here it goes again.’ “But I came right back, focused

KAPALUA: Dustin Johnson poses for photographers with the trophy after winning the Tournament of Champions PGA Tour golf tournament. —AP Johnson said. “Sometimes I hit a couple of bad drives, but I was always able to bounce back and do what I needed to do to stay out front.”

He never felt truly in command until the final two holes, which are downhill. Paulina Gretzky, the daughter of hockey great Wayne Gretzky, was spotted with Johnson all week and watched from the gallery as he finished without drama at 16under 203.

Johnson won for the sixth straight season since leaving college at Coastal Carolina, the longest streak since Tiger Woods won in 14 straight years. Only Phil Mickelson (nine) has a longer active streak of most consecutive years with a PGA Tour win.

Johnson has all the tools for greatness, though

and hit two great shots.”

Stricker put up a good fight on one good leg.

He has been feeling a shooting pain down his left side on every shot and limped his way around the hilliest course on the tour for 54 holes in two days.

He closed with a 69. “I knew it was going to be tough, but I gave it a run for a little while,” Stricker said. Brandt Snedeker went 5 under during a fourhole stretch on the front nine to get within one shot of the lead until he closed out the front nine with three straight bogeys. Snedeker had a 69 and finished alone in third, six shots behind. He moved to No. 8 in the world ranking, second only to Woods among Americans. Masters champion Bubba Watson (71) and former PGA champion Keegan Bradley (70) were another shot back.—AP

Alonso and Red Bull kick off the F1 mind games LONDON: Formula One’s pre-season mind games kicked off on Tuesday with Fernando Alonso having a dig at Red Bull after one of Sebastian Vettel’s main mentors accused the Ferrari driver of playing politics last year.

Helmut Marko, a close advisor to Red Bull’s billionaire owner Dietrich Mateschitz, contrasted triple world champion Vettel’s attitude to Alonso’s in an interview with the company’s in-house Red Bulletin magazine.

The Austrian said the 25-year-old German, who beat Alonso to the title last year, was a phenomenon who “shuts himself off from the rest of the world, so that he can still call on reserves that other drivers might not have”.

Alonso, by contrast, was “busy with politics and funny comments”. “I believe we saw the stress he (Alonso) was under towards the end of the season. Saying things like, ‘I’m competing against (Lewis) Hamilton, not Vettel,’ and ‘I’m up against (Red Bull designer Adrian) Newey’,” added Marko. “These psychological skirmishes - we said: ‘Just ignore him.”

Alonso had a 42-point advantage

over Vettel at the mid-season break last year but ended up losing out to the Red Bull driver by three points.

As the battle heated up, so too

the season by team principals for the way he took the fight to Red Bull in a less competitive Ferrari, made light of Marko’s comments and turned

Fernando Alonso in action in this file photo did the psychological warfare and even as he celebrated the title Vettel spoke out about what he saw as ‘dirty tricks’ and attempts to unsettle him and the team.

Alonso, who was voted driver of

them back on his rivals instead.

“I enjoy reading that redbull still think we will be the strongest rival for next year! And this even before start testing!! Flattered..;),” declared the Spaniard on his Twitter feed. The

first pre-season test of 2013 starts in Spain on Feb 5 with the opening race in Australia on March 17.

In other comments, Marko portrayed Vettel’s Australian team mate Mark Webber as a driver who could win races but struggled to handle the pressure when in with a real chance of the championship.

“It seems to me that Webber has on average two races per year where he is unbeatable, but he can’t maintain this form throughout the year,” he said. “As soon as his prospects start to look good in the world championship, he has a little trouble with the pressure that this creates. In comparison with Seb’s rising form, it seems to me that Mark’s form somehow flattens out.

“Then, if some technical mishap occurs...he falls relatively easily into a downward spiral.” Webber had the greater chance of taking the title in 2010 when he and Alonso were the top two going into the final race, but Vettel seized the crown instead for the first of three championships in a row. That, Marko suggested, had been a psychological blow by the younger man that had gnawed at Webber’s confidence. —Reuters

Kuwait ready for Gulf Ladies Shooting tourney

By Abdellatif Sharaa KUWAIT: The late Sheikh Fahad AlSalem Al-Sabah Gulf Ladies Shooting Tournament begins today, at Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic Shooting Complex, as delegations from participating countries arrived. The tournament which continues until Saturday will include Olympic skeet, trap, 10m air pistol and rifle.

United Arab Emirates shooter Afra Al-Badi said these tournaments give the shooters the incentive to participate officially and helps officials to determine the shooter’s level and work on developing them from there on. She said UAE’s shooters were able to win Arab and Gulf Championship as well as international championships, adding that there should be more training camps as officials are exerting much efforts to improve the sport. She said that obstacles must be removed so that regular training can be possible.

Al-Badi said that they began practicing air weapons shooting five years ago, while the shotgun began around three years back and despite the short period, the participation of the shooters left very good impressions.

Afra Al-Badi thanked Kuwait Shooting Sport Cub officials for the good organization and hospitality, adding the club is known for its

ability to organize such events with great success, and she wished shooters and officials all the best.

Meanwhile, head of air weapons referees committee Bader AlTannak said the club will use the help of Kuwaiti referees who hold international refereeing certificates, according to the new system which was recently introduced by the international shooting sport feder-

Head of air weapons referees Bader Al-Tanak

Head of shotgun referress Hamad Al-Ruwaisan

ation. He said “our referees are ready for the late Sheikh Fahad AlSalem Gulf Ladies Tournament, and the entire crew is made of experienced Kuwaitis.”

He said KSSC Chairman of the Board Sheikh Salman Sabah AlSalem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah and board members are keen on attracting Kuwaiti talent and provide all that is necessary so that national personnel can present all they have for the service of the country.

Meanwhile head of the shotgun referees committee Hamad AlRuwaisan said “we are proud that officiating during the tournament will be done by Kuwaitis, who are internationally licensed, and get called to officiate in various international events. He said that workshops were held to familiarize the referees with the new ISSF rules that came into effect by the start of the year. Al-Ruwaisan lauded the support of officials for sports in general and shooting in particular.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

S P ORT S

Radwanska, Cibulkova, Li, Kerber into Sydney semis SYDNEY: Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska clinched a seventh straight victory to reach the semifinals of the Sydney International yesterday, as she builds towards next week’s Australian Open. The

Radwanska, coming off a victory in Auckland last week where she beat Yanina Wickmayer in the final, will now face 2011 winner Li Na of China. Li took two hours and 19 minutes to down teenage

ty good challenge,” Li said. “She has a big serve. It’s very good that I could have the match before the Australian Open to see how strong I am on the court.”

In the bottom half of the

SYDNEY: Germany’s Angelique Kerber returns a shot to Russia’s Svetlana Zuznetsova at the Sydney International tennis tournament. —AP world number four and tournament top seed overcame Italian world number 16 Roberta Vinci, 64, 7-5 in just over an hour and a half to move into the last four.

American qualifier Madison Keys, 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 in a night match.

“I was happy I could stay at the same level from the beginning of the match to the end, it was a pret-

women’s draw, Slovakian world number 15 Dominika Cibulkova upset French Open finalist and tournament third seed Sara Errani of Italy, 6-2, 6-1. Cibulkova, who

eliminated 2011 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in the opening round, will face German second seed Angelique Kerber in the other semi.

Kerber overcame former US and French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 7-5 in the last night match. While the men’s tournament has been strewn with injury withdrawals ahead of next week’s year-opening Grand Slam, Radwanska said she was relishing her run of matches leading into the Australian Open.

“So far I feel good, and I’m very happy that I can play good matches, already seven in a row,” she said.

“I think this year it’s the first time I’ve played two tournaments before a Slam. I never did that before.

“So far it’s good, so I’m happy with my performance. I’m going to keep going.” Runner-up to Serena Williams at Wimbledon last year, Radwanska found it tough going in the wind against Vinci, whose backhand slice troubled the top seed.

“Today it felt like it was freezing compared to yesterday,” she said. “I think it was perfect weather to play, around 25 degrees (Celsius), but for sure the wind was tough. I think I played quite good in the wind.”

While the mercury topped 42 degrees Celsius (107.6 F) in Sydney on Tuesday, it was forecast to peak at just 25 degrees yesterday.

Cibulkova was on top of her game, converting five of her six break points and winning 75 percent of her first serves against Errani. —AFP

Ferrer, Kohlschreiber scrape into quarters AUCKLAND: Top seeds David Ferrer and Philipp Kohlschreiber both survived scares to reach the quarter-finals of the ATP men’s tournament in Auckland yesterday.

Defending champion and number one seed Ferrer suffered a mid-match slump as he came under pressure from Lu Yen-Hsun of Taiwan in the warm-up event for next week’s Australian Open, eventually grinding out a 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 victory.

“The court was very fast and sometimes I couldn’t defend, but anyway, I won the match,” a relieved Ferrer said. Chasing a record-equalling fourth Auckland title, the Spanish world number five made a perfect start by breaking Lu in the second game, aided by three double faults from his opponent.

The dogged Lu broke back seven games later, only for Ferrer immediately to regain his advantage and take the first set 6-4.

But the Spaniard’s serve misfired in the second and Lu, ranked 60 in the world, helped himself to a double break, claiming the set 6-2 to force a decider. Ferrer regrouped and won the set 6-3 to set up a quarter-final on Thursday with Slovak Lukas Lacko, who defeated eighth seed Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil 6-3, 7-5.

Kohlschreiber, the second seed, was also unconvincing and committed 52 unforced errors and four double faults in a rusty 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 6-3 win over Colombian Alejandro Falla.

The German managed an early break and appeared to be cruising as he raced to a 5-2 lead in the first set before Falla broke back to force a tie-break, which the German comfortably won 7-4.

But Falla, a quarter-finalist here last year, continued to press Kohlschreiber in the second, breaking the world number 19’s serve in the 10th game to claim the set 6-4.

Kohlschreiber finally took control to win the third set 6-3, with the German opening up a double break over Falla as his ground shots finally found their range.

“It was very tough, Alejandro played very good points and it was very difficult for me to hang in there,” he said. “In the end, I was very happy with my performance.” Kohlschreiber, the 2008 Auckland champion, will face Belgian veteran Xavier Malisse in the quarters.

There were no form problems for former world number seven Gael Monfils, who never looked threatened as he disposed of Australian qualifier Greg Jones 6-4, 6-2.

The Frenchman, whose ranking plummeted to 77 while he was sidelined with a knee injury, was back to his acrobatic best, showing no sign of discomfort as he threw himself around the court.

“Obviously I was moving great, so I’m happy and pleased with my performance,” he said. A wild card entry in Auckland, Monfils lines up against Tommy Haas in the last eight after the German third seed downed Igor Sijsling 6-3, 6-4. Fourth seed Sam Querrey defeated Belgium’s Olivier Rochus 7-5, 6-3 to set up a quarter-final with Jesse Levine of Canada. —AFP

SYDNEY: Fabio Fognini of Italy plays a shot in his match against Spain’s Marcel Granollers at the Sydney International Tennis tournament. —AP

Top seeds Isner, Simon out SYDNEY: Big guns John Isner and Gilles Simon tumbled out of the Sydney International yesterday as Jarkko Nieminen stayed on course to defend his title.

Towering number one seed Isner crashed out 6-4, 6-4 to fellow American Ryan Harrison in the second round and raised doubts about whether he will play in next week’s Australian Open with a bruised right knee.

French second seed Simon bowed out of the tournament without hitting a ball, succumbing to a recurring neck injury and giving an opportunity to lucky loser Ivo Klec to face Nieminen.

Finland’s Nieminen polished off the Slovakian world ranked 416th player 6-3, 61 in just 46 minutes to set up a Thursday quarter-final showdown with in-form Australian Bernard Tomic.

Big-serving Isner, who withdrew from last week’s mixed teams Hopman Cup in Perth with the injured knee, said he had a decision to make about playing in the yearopening Grand Slam in Melbourne.

“It’s better. Definitely better than I thought, but it’s not 100 percent,” Isner said.

“I don’t know. I’ve got a decision to make shortly. “It needs rest. That’s what I’ve done.

That’s the only thing I’ve done ever since I felt it last week. “I will need to take time off somewhere. That’s a given. It’s not just going to heal. I can’t play all the way through and have it heal.” Simon also has injury concerns ahead of the Australian Open but is more confident than Isner of playing in Melbourne.

“I made a bad move yesterday playing in the doubles during the tie-break and it’s not the first time it’s happened to me,” said Simon, who won this event two years ago.

“I have time if I don’t have any complica-

tions. It’s really difficult for three or four days so it should be right although it’s not the best preparation for the Open.”

Nieminen will face a tough test against Tomic, who knocked out German fifth seed Florian Mayer, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2.

“Tomic has started the year really well. I think he hasn’t lost a match,” Nieminen said.

“It wasn’t a tour event, but he beat (Novak) Djokovic and other good players at the Hopman Cup and he played well yesterday.

I think he has improved a lot physically.”

Tomic gained revenge over German nemesis Mayer, who crushed him in straight sets in Australia’s Davis Cup World Group playoff loss in Hamburg last September.

“After the match Florian said, ‘you’re serving unbelievable, nothing I could do’,” Tomic noted. “It’s good to hear that from all the players I’m playing. There is talk now that I’m serving really good and my groundstrokes are really good too.

“I’m moving really well. There is nothing much more I can ask myself at this stage.”

Frenchman Julien Benneteau, who lost to Nieminen in last year’s final, strolled into the quarters against Harrison after his sixth seeded opponent Radek Stepanek quit with a strained upper back after playing just four points.

Italian third seed Andreas Seppi ended Australian wild card John Millman’s run with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 win and will next play Spanish eighth seed Marcel Granollers, a straight sets winner over Italian Fabio Fognini.

South African world number 36 Kevin Anderson remained unbeaten after three meetings with Spaniard Feliciano Lopez, winning 6-3, 6-4 and will now face Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin, who knocked out Spanish fourth seed Fernando Verdasco in straight sets. —AFP

Horn joy of six for Golding

MELBOURNE: Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic hits a backhand return to Ivan Dodig of Croatia at the Kooyong Classic tennis tournament. -AFP

Hewitt tames Raonic MELBOURNE: Australian veteran Lleyton Hewitt tamed big-serving Milos Raonic yesterday, surviving 20 aces from the Canadian to post an opening 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7-4) win at the Kooyong Classic in Melbourne.

Hewitt, bidding to recapture the title he lifted in 2011, reeled off six consecutive points in the third set tie-break after world number 15 Raonic seized a 3-0 lead.

The 31-year-old former world number one sealed victory on his second opportunity after Raonic had saved a match point with an ace. Hewitt will be playing in a record 17th straight Australian Open when the first major of the season starts on Monday.

And the former Wimbledon and US Open champion, who has slipped to 82nd in the world rankings, is happy to be competing pain-free after several years of foot and toe problems. “I feel mentally fresh and just excited to be playing without pain,” said Hewitt. “The last few years have been frustrating, trying to play with injuries.

“I’m amazed at how many Opens I’ve played, but I don’t focus on the record it only makes me think how old I am. But when I

retire I’ll be pretty proud of it.” Hewitt said he had enjoyed some luck during the tie-break.

“I just had to guess on his serve and I had some luck in the breaker. He has one of the biggest serves in the game and I had to be hanging there and wait for my opportunities. “When I was down in the tie-breaker I was able to play some good points,” he added.

Argentine Juan Martin del Potro beat Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu, a late substitute for injured Argentine Juan Monaco, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3). “It was a tight match to start the year, I tried to play the best I could.

The weather was sometimes horrible to play in with the wind and the sun,” said del Potro.

“But this is a very good chance to prepare for the Australian Open.” Del Potro will next play 2006 Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis, a 6-1, 1-0 winner after Janko Tipsarevic quit with a wrist injury.

The Serb said he won the Chennai title last weekend with the aid of pain-killers.

Tomas Berdych beat Ivan Dodig of Croatia, who replaced injured Kei Nishikori of Japan, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. —AFP

RUHPOLDING: Germany’s Miriam Goessner crashes during the women’s 4x6 kilometers relay race at the Biathlon World Cup competition. —AP

PARIS: Britain’s Mike Golding yesterday set a record by completing a sixth navigation of Cape Horn as he left the Pacific and headed out into the Atlantic.

While Golding celebrated his milestone Swiss skipper Bernard Stamm was calling time on his race after being forced to take on fuel resulting in instant disqualification with the rules forbidding any outside assistance.

Stamm’s boat Cheminees Poujoulet, placed eighth, has been without power since hitting an unidentified object last Sunday. His defection leaves 12 boats from the original 20 that set off from the French port of Les Sables d’Olonne two months ago.

Stamm was disqualified last week after receiving uncalled for assistance after his generator packed up but was later allowed to race on following a successful appeal to the race jury.

Golding meanwhile, currently standing sixth in the Vendee Globe, has now completed three west to east and east to west crossings of the Cape either solo or on a team.

“The first time we had the most wind - 55-60 knots - but it was from the east.

“I think I was the only person to get a Challenge yacht making over 21 knots. The second time was on my own and it was relatively benign. I was on a long starboard reaching tack.

“But the third time was fully crewed and as we got down towards Diego Ramirez island there was an incredible feeding frenzy with birds attacking fish, fish being chased by seals and dolphins and killer whales circling. “It was the full food chain in action in front of us. Of course the crew all thought it was always like this! I had never seen it before, or since!

“On my first Vendee Globe it was relatively quiet and I got up close again. What is amazing is that you go around the corner into Le Maire Strait and it is all quiet and flat water and you suddenly smell land, the heather and the lavender and it is quite the sweetest smell after you have not been close to land for so long. “The sea state changes so quickly and you are in the Atlantic. But then you pass out towards the Falklands and you can be getting hammered again”. The west to east crossing is the tougher challenge owing to the need to battle the prevailing winds. —AFP

Emerging Buds and FAIPS win U-15 School tournament KUWAIT: FAIPS (DPS) cricket team playing like a well oiled machine chalked out their first victory over Gladiators, Abu Halifa by a margin of 9 wickets in the ongoing Kuwait Cricket’s U-15 school cricket tournament played at GC ground in Jleeb.

Gladiators openers Nikhilesh and Pawan batted well to post 64 runs opening partnership and the duo combined well to keep the scoreboard moving.

Vishal, the left arm medium pacer of FAIPS broke the partnership as he first bowled Nikhilesh for 23 and then had Pawan in front of the wicket for 30 runs. Thereafter, a couple of run outs resulted in Gladiators slump to 86 for 5 and Pritvi who blasted a quick fire 18 runs enabled Gladiators to post 116 runs for 6 wickets in 20 overs.

Vishal took 2 for 18 and Sameer bagged one wicket.

Stylish left handed opener Mahadevan and Anuragh opened for FAIPS and exhibited some excellent stroke play and recorded a century partnership of 114 runs for the first wicket. Mahadevan excelled in his drives and punched with precise timing to score 38 runs while Anuragh scored a polished 58 runs and played copy book shots which fetched him the “Player of the Match” award.

In an evenly contested match, Emerging Buds, riding on a magnificent 73 runs by opener Adhithya prevailed

over RCC by a margin of 29 runs.

Batting first, Emerging Buds scored a mammoth 159 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in 20 overs and largely owed the score to a scintillating knock of 73 runs by opener Adhithya who paced his innings perfectly by taking quick singles and dispatching loose deliveries to the fence like a seasoned campaigner. Ilham, the other opener played a sheet anchor role and timed his shots well to score 26 runs. A late onslaught by Dennis who scored 14 runs enabled Emerging Buds to post a challenging score. Justin Merwin Lewis and Alex bowled well for RCC claiming 2 wickets each while Adnan took one wicket.

The young RCC lads did not give up the chase as Vineeth and Justin Merwin responded equally well to notch up an excellent opening partnership of 75 runs.

Vineeth (5 fours) cut and pulled with awesome power to score valuable 40 runs while Justin cracked a useful 22 runs.

Anyway, Emerging Bud bowler Alam who bowled beautifully well captured 3 wickets to turn the tables in their favor.

Alex who batted in the middle order scored fast with 19 runs but RCC could manage only 130 runs in 20 overs.

Adhithya of Emerging Buds was declared “Player of the match “for his batting skills.

19

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

SPORTS

Liga-dominated FIFPro World XI raises eyebrows LONDON: With Spanish clubs having supplied all 11 members of the FIFPro World XI for 2012, La Liga’s claim to be considered the world’s best league appears stronger than ever.

Barcelona and Real Madrid may have missed out in last season’s Champions League, losing to Chelsea and Bayern Munich respectively, but they still supplied 10 of the players voted into FIFA’s all-star team by over 55,000 professional footballers around the world.

Atletico Madrid’s Colombian striker Radamel Falcao completed the line-up, meaning that for the first time in the eight-year history of the selection, all 11 players were drawn from teams playing in the same country.

In recent years, coinciding with

Spain’s dominance of both club and international football, the make-up of the FIFPro World XI has crystallised around a small coterie of players.

Serial Ballon d’Or-winner Lionel Messi has been a mainstay of the side since 2007, Iker Casillas and Xavi since 2008, and Andres Iniesta and Cristiano Ronaldo have been included in the team for the past four years.

In fact, so enduring is the appeal of the players at Spain’s top two clubs that there were only two changes to the 11 voted into the FIFPro World XI in 2011.

Manchester United pair Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic were the men to make way, for Falcao and Madrid’s Brazilian left-back Marcelo, as the English Premier League had its grip on

the team prised away finger by finger.

England has at least mustered representation in recent years, which is more than can be said for the German Bundesliga and France’s Ligue 1, while the leading lights from Italy’s Serie A have been ignored since 2010.

Amid criticism that the FIFPro selection amounts to nothing more than a glorified popularity contest, dissenting voices have emerged.

Germany captain Lothar Matthaus, present at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Zurich, claims “people were shaking their heads” when the line-up was announced, while Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole jokingly tweeted: “#iwantspanishpassport.”

Given the Spanish national team’s

stellar achievements in 2012 and the enduring brilliance of Messi and Ronaldo, it is difficult to quibble with much of the team, but there is room for conjecture.

Xabi Alonso won the league with Madrid and scored twice against France in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals, but his performances in Poland and Ukraine were eclipsed by those of Italy’s Andrea Pirlo. The elegant Juventus midfielder narrowly missed out to Iniesta in the voting for the player of the tournament and UEFA technical director Andy Roxburgh described his displays as “magnificent”.

His Italy and Juve team-mates Gianluigi Buffon and Giorgio Chiellini also enjoyed excellent years, including success in Serie A, although both were

members of the back line pierced four times by Spain in the Euro 2012 final.

In attack, Manchester United striker Robin van Persie, Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea’s Champions League hero Didier Drogba all presented strong cases for inclusion as well, albeit not with a Spanish accent.

FIFPro World XI 2012: Iker Casillas (ESP/Real Madrid); Dani Alves (BRA/Barcelona), Gerard Pique (ESP/Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (ESP/Real Madrid), Marcelo (BRA/Real Madrid); Xabi Alonso (ESP/Real Madrid), Xavi (ESP/Barcelona), Andres Iniesta (ESP/Barcelona); Lionel Messi (ARG/Barcelona), Radamel Falcao (COL/Atletico Madrid), Cristiano Ronaldo (POR/Real Madrid) —AFP

Warm-up wins elusive for champions Zambia

BAMAKO: Players of Mali’s national football team take part in a training session at the Mobido Keita stadium. Mali prepares to compete in the Africa Cup of Nations set to take place in South Africa from January 19 to February 10.—AFP

Lightweights Mali pack a powerful punch JOHANNESBURG: Mali have a habit of punching above their weight at the Africa Cup of Nations and there is no reason to doubt they could do so again at the 2013 tournament.

The Eagles have been runners-up once, third once and fourth three times in seven appearances-a record many more-established football countries would gladly settle for.

A draw that placed the Malians in Group B with former champions Ghana and the Democratic Republic of Congo and Niger gives the landlocked west African state a good chance of making the quarter-finals.

Mali and Ghana clashed twice at the 2012 Cup of Nations in Gabon/Equatorial Guinea with the Eagles losing a group game 2-0 and winning by the same score in the third-place play-off.

The Malian squad this year appears even stronger with the return of veteran midfielders Mahamadou Diarra from English Premier League outfit Fulham and Mohamed Lamine Sissoko from French Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain.

Sissoko has not worn the national shirt since a first round departure from the 2010 tournament and injury ruled Diarra out of the last edition of the African football showcase.

Mali are particularly strong in the middle of the park with former Barcelona impact player Seydou Keita-now part of a growing band of Africans playing in China-skippering the team.

Keita was another star who became

disillusioned with the national set-up, but was persuaded to return and excelled at the last tournament with his skilful footwork.

Samba Diakate from English Premier League basement club QPR is another contender for a midfield place having changed his mind after threatening to remain in London and help his team fight relegation.

Former France star Alain Giresse coached Mali last year, but a contract disageement led to his departure and compatriot Patrice Carteron took over, guiding the team to a couple of easy wins over Botswana in 2013 qualifiers.

The ex-Sunderland defender is wary of his group rivals, saying they all have good coaches and any two of the four Port Elizabeth-based teams could reach the knock-out phase.

“Consistency is the key to success for Mali,” he told reporters in Bamako, with the squad opting to prepare at home, unlike most of the 16 challengers, before flying to South Africa.

“A problem in the past has been that the team play well in one match and badly in the next. I have emphasised to the squad that they must play well in each game if they are going to win trophies.”

Mali have won once and lost once in previous tournaments against Ghana and DR Congo while their January 20 opening-round clash with Niger will be the first between the countries at the competition.—AFP

Hungarian FA to appeal FIFA ruling on racism BUDAPEST: The Hungarian Football Association will appeal FIFA’s decision to ban fans from attending the country’s World Cup qualifying game against Romania in March because of a racist incident last year.

The punishment followed anti-Semitic chanting by fans in a friendly at home against Israel in August, for which the Hungarian FA (MLSZ) expressed regret, but it was unhappy with the ruling to play the 2014 World Cup Group D qualifier behind closed doors.

“That the Hungarian national team must serve its punishment at a vital game in the most prestigious international tournament for an incident at a friendly game seems overly harsh and unfair even before receiving the precise reasoning,” the MLSZ said. “Therefore MLSZ will file its appeal after it receives the ruling in order for a more just decision in proportion to what happened (in August).”

The MLSZ added it wrote a letter after the August friendly to the Israeli ambassador in Hungary and the Israeli Football Association and FIFA to apologise, in which it “condemned the actions of a minority of fans at the game.”

“Considering the extremists behavior experienced at the game, FIFA’s actions against such incidents is understandable,” the MLSZ added in the statement released on Tuesday, having cancelled a previously scheduled interview with Reuters. “MLSZ - like FIFA and UEFA - is

still determined to expel from the stadiums hateful acts and fan behaviour that do not adhere to the spirit of fair play. “It is committed to making sure extremist voices that do not adhere to civilised norms disappear from Hungarian football fields as soon as possible.” On top of the anti-Semitic chanting last August, Hungarian fans also waved Iranian flags at the Israeli team, who were warned of a “severe threat” to their safety.

Hungary and Romania, who meet on March 22, are locked on nine points from four games, three behind group leaders Netherlands and six ahead of any challengers for second spot.

Given the importance of the game there were contrasting reactions in Budapest and Bucharest. Hungary’s national sports daily ran a full front-page image yesterday saying “Locked out!” and called the decision “shocking” while fan pages on social media sites exploded with condemnations of FIFA and its leaders, often repeating anti-Semitic slurs.

Romania’s sports press was jubilant over the ban on spectators, believing it will help their team in its efforts to qualify for their first World Cup since 1998.

Hungary have not made it since 1986.

In an article headlined “We’ve escaped from the inferno of Budapest”, Prosport quoted former player and coach Emerich Jenei as saying: “It’s a huge advantage. I know the Hungarian public well and know what I’m talking about.”—Reuters

JOHANNESBURG: African champions Zambia are heading toward the 2013 Cup of Nations with a streak of four winless matches after a 0-0 midweek draw with Morocco at the Rand Stadium in a tournament warm-up.

Despite dominating possession Chipolopolo (The Copper Bullets) wasted several scoring chances and when Mukuka Mulenga unleashed a powerful shot eight minutes from time, goalkeeper Nadir Lamyaghri deflected it on to the woodwork and the ball was cleared.

In the 72nd minute Joseph Musonda’s kick from the left went just wide, bringing the small but vocal group of supporters to their feet in disappointed excitement.

Though short of a win, the result came as a relief to Franceborn Zambia coach Herve Renard, who has come under media fire after friendly losses in Saudi Arabia and Tanzania last month and to Angola in Johannesburg last Saturday.

“Doing the preparations, we can see the players are not 100 percent yet,” he told a postmatch media conference. “It’s normal,” he said of what he called a training match. “It’s my fourth Africa Cup. We’ll do our best.

We’re not Ivory Coast, we’re not Ghana.

“Why do you think we come to the Africa Cup? To drop out in the first round? “There are 13 days till our first game. We are better than three days ago and we will be better in three days,” he added.

Zambia, who upset Ivory Coast in the 2012 final, also did poorly in pre-tournament friendlies last year. They face Norway in Ndola and Namibia in Nelspruit before the Africa Cup kicks off on January 19 in Johannesburg.

Morocco coach Rachid Taoussi

JOHANNESBURG: Morocco’s Belhan Da (right) vies with Zambia’s Hichani Himonde during the friendly football match against Zambia. —AFP was happy for the practice against the continental champions. “For Morocco, playing against the African champions was psychologically very important,” he said. “It gives players confidence.”

His expectations of the tournament were modest, but ambitious against their recent track record. “Morocco didn’t qualify in 2010. In 2012 we fell out in the first round. This time we’d like to reach the quarter-

finals,” he told AFP. Zambia are in Group C with Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and Nigeria while Morocco face hosts South Africa, Angola and the Cape Verde Islands in Group A of a 22-day championship.—AFP

Outsiders Niger must cure ‘travel sickness’ JOHANNESBURG: Poor travellers Niger will seek a first Africa Cup of Nations victory when they face the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana and Mali in Indian Ocean city Port Elizabeth.

The first appearance of the Menas (Gazelles) at the tournament last year brought no joy as they lost to co-hosts Gabon, Tunisia and Morocco while managing only one goal.

Much of the drama provided by the Nigeriens came off the field with Harouna Doula, voted African Coach of the Year a month before the tournament, surviving one match before giving way to Rolland Courbis.

The experienced French coach quit before a 2013 qualifier against Guinea and Germanyborn Gernot Rohr took over having guided Gabon to the last eight at the 2012 Cup of Nations.

A former Bayern Munich defender, 59-yearold Rohr has to try and replicate in South Africa the form displayed by Niger when they play before capacity crowds at the sauna-like General Seyni Kountche Stadium.

The beginning of the end of the reign of Egypt as the dominant force in African football came in Niamey, a capital city where the temperature often soars above 40 degrees celsius (104 degrees fahrenheit).

Egypt arrived in Niger licking their wounds after being held at home by Sierra Leone in a 2012 qualifer as they sought a record-stretching fourth consecutive Cup of Nations title. It was classic David-versus-Goliath stuff and the minnows emerged victorious thanks to a goal from Moussa Maazou, the closest Niger have to an African superstar.

After unsuccessful spells with French, Russian and Belgian clubs, Maazou has joined former CAF Champions League winners Etoile Sahel and the Tunisians must hope he can bring his predatory international instincts to Sousse.

Maazou has netted many times for his country, but it was late second-half goals from

Mohammed Chikoto and Issoufou Garba that earned a 2-0 home victory against Guinea and a ticket to the 2013 Africa Cup. Niger had lost the away leg, the latest in a series of reverses on the road, and the absence of 40,000 passionate Nigerien supporters and searing heat in Port Elizabeth casts doubts on the ability of the team to survive.

Rohr remains upbeat, however, and even one victory at the 45,000-seat Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium would probably turn him into an instant national hero in a country that ranks among the poorest in the world.

“We wish to create a surprise even though we must face three of the best national teams in Africa,” he told reporters in Niamey. “We do not have any superstars but I believe we can handle the pressure.”

Much could hinge on diminutive goalkeeper

Daouda Kassaly, who plays for South African Premiership newcomers Chippa United, and has been in outstanding form for club and country.—AFP

Matches on TV (Local Timings)

Spain Copa del Ray Barcelona v Cordoba Aljazeera Sport +2 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD

23:30

VILAMOURA: Nigeria’s midfielder John Mikel Obi (second right) takes part in a training session in Vilamoura on the eve of the friendly football match Nigeria vs Cape Verde, in preparation for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.—AFP

Johnson wins In Hawaii

17

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

Radwanska, Cibulkova, Li, Kerber into Sydney semis

18

Liga-dominated FIFPro World XI raises eyebrows

Page 19

BRADFORD: Aston Villa’s Fabian Delph (centre) fights for the ball against Bradford City’s Gary Jones during their English League Cup semifinal soccer match at Valley Parade Stadium.—AP

Bradford stun Villa in League Cup LONDON: Fourth tier Bradford City continued their heroics with a 3-1 home victory over Premier League Aston Villa in the Capital One (League) Cup semi-final first leg on Tuesday as the prospect of a shock Wembley final moved ever closer. Bradford, who had already disposed of top flight Wigan Athletic and Arsenal, took the lead when Nahki Wells scored from close range in the first half before Rory McArdle doubled the advantage after the break.

Villa squandered several good chances with substitute Darren Bent guilty of arguably the worst miss, heading over an open goal in the second half before Andreas Weimann pulled a goal back late on for the visitors.

It proved to be a brief ray of light on a grim evening for Premier League strugglers Villa however, as Carl McHugh added gloss to the scoreline with two minutes remaining.

“You are playing against a class team, you need to be on your game,” Bradford goalkeeper Matt Duke told Sky after a superb individual display. “We’ve got an even bigger challenge ahead of us now.” The second leg at Villa Park takes place on Jan. 22. Chelsea host Swansea City in the first leg of their semi-final late yesterday.

Teams from the bottom tier of English professional football playing in cup finals is almost unheard of but buoyant Bradford will fancy their chances such is youthful Villa’s poor form at the moment.

Villa manager Paul Lambert made four changes to the team which beat Ipswich in the FA Cup on Saturday with Christian Benteke, Weimann and Gabriel Agbonlahor spearheading the visitors’ attack. They began the brighter and should have taken the lead after 10 minutes when Benteke found himself unmarked in the penalty area but could only direct his header wide from four metres.

Villa had shipped 17 goals in their last four league games and their leaky defence was exposed again after 19 minutes when a deflected shot from Zavon Hines fell kindly for Wells who calmly sidefooted the ball into the back of the net. The goal acted as a confidence boost to the hosts, eighth in League Two (fourth tier), who got the upper hand in midfield and created a series of half chances as Villa looked short on ideas.

The visitors’ best chance arrived just before the break when Charles N’Zogbia beat his man on the right flank

and pulled it back for Agbonlahor who rifled in a shot from close range that Bradford keeper Duke did well to beat away. The Premier League side looked brighter after the break and Duke was called into action early on, producing a series of good saves to deny first N’Zogbia then Benteke and Agbonlahor.

Striker Bent was a second-half substitute for Agbonlahor and within minutes of coming on, he wasted the visitors’ best chance when he headed over from five metres after Duke parried a shot from N’Zogbia.

Cash-strapped Bradford, last in the top flight in 2001, looked to have taken a decisive advantage when McArdle powered home a header from a Gary Jones cross but Villa kept a toe-hold in the tie when Austrian Weimann beat Duke to the ball and poked home. Their celebrations were short-lived as McHugh rose powerfully in the area to head home Bradford’s third. “Set pieces are a vital part of the game and you’ve got to defend them and we certainly didn’t do that,” under pressure Lambert said. “We know what we have got to do, we’ve got to play a lot better than that.” —Reuters

Valencia, Malaga through to King’s Cup quarter-finals MADRID: Valencia eased past La Liga rivals Osasuna into the quarter-finals of the King’s Cup on Tuesday, while Malaga flirted with danger against third-tier Eibar before a flurry of late goals put them safely into the last eight.

Valencia will play 2011 winners Real Madrid or Celta Vigo for a place in the semi-finals, with Celta holding a 2-1 advantage from last month’s last 16, first leg ahead of their visit to the Bernabeu on Wednesday.

Malaga are facing a probable last-eight clash with holders Barcelona, who host Cordoba on Thursday having won their first leg 2-0 at the second-division Andalusian club.

Valencia went into their second leg against Pamplona-based Osasuna with a 2-0 lead and were cruising at a half-empty Mestalla when Tino Costa smashed in a free kick to open the scoring in the 34th minute. However, Joseba Llorente pulled a goal back with a powerful low drive three

minutes later and both sides squandered a number of chances before substitute Roberto Soldado struck with the last kick of the game for a 2-1 victory that sent Valencia through 4-1 on aggregate.

In the earlier kickoff at Malaga’s Rosaleda stadium, Argentine midfielder Diego Buonanotte saved the Andalusian club from potential humiliation when he scored twice and created another in a 4-1 comeback win against lowly Eibar.

Lying second in their regional section

of the Segunda B division and never having played in the top flight, Eibar knocked out 2012 finalists Athletic Bilbao in the previous round and held Malaga to a 1-1 draw at their tiny Ipurua stadium in the Basque Country in the first leg. They took a surprise lead in the 12th minute of the return game when Ruben Arroyo was quickest to the rebound from a long-range Mikel Arruabarrena effort and goalkeeper Carlos Kameni could only deflect his weak shot into the net.—Reuters

Iraq defeat Kuwait to reach Gulf Cup semis MANAMA: Iraq reached the Gulf Cup semifinals by beating Kuwait 1-0 yesterday, and Saudi Arabia kept alive its hopes of advancing with a 20 win over Yemen. Iraq won through an own goal by Kuwait goalkeeper Nawaf AlKhaldy in the 29th minute.

Iraq leads Group B with 6 points, leaving the Kuwaitis and Saudi Arabia to play for the final spot Saturday.

Saudi Arabia, which surprisingly lost its opener to Iraq, went ahead when Yasser Al-Qahtani headed in Nasser Al-Shamrani’s free kick in the 32nd minute. The lead was doubled when Yahya AlShehri’s shot in the 86th was parried by the keeper into the path of Fahd Al-Uwallad, who tapped the ball into the net. Bahrain is the tournament host despite enduring months of anti-government protests.—AP

MANAMA: Mesaed Al-Enezi of Kuwait (right) vies for the ball against Younous Mahmood of Iraq during their 21st Gulf Cup football match.—AFP

Business

Dealers brave pressures to continue Iran trade Page 25 Qatar throws Egypt $2.5 billion lifeline Page 23

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

Shares buoyed by Alcoa earnings as dollar gains Page 24 Page 23

Exhausted Egyptians count cost of turmoil

BOSTON: A Japan Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner jet aircraft is surrounded by emergency vehicles while parked at a terminal E gate at Logan International Airport in Boston. — AP

Dreamliner incidents spark safety concerns Latest in series of setbacks; 2nd mishap in 2 days NEW YORK: Boeing Co’s 787 Dreamliner jet on Tuesday suffered its second mishap in two days, with the same airline and at the same US airport - the latest in a series of setbacks that have heightened safety concerns over the new aircraft. A fuel leak forced a 787 operated by Japan Airlines to cancel takeoff at Boston’s Logan International Airport, a day after an electrical fire on another 787 after a JAL flight to Boston from Tokyo.

Asian customers rallied behind the US planemaker, saying the incidents were glitches that can happen on new planes and confirming they had no plans to scale back or cancel orders for the aircraft, which has a list price of $207 million.

Japan is by far the biggest customer for the Dreamliner to date, with JAL and All Nippon Airways (ANA) operating a total of 24 of the 49 new planes delivered to end-December. The aircraft entered commercial service in November 2011, more than three years behind schedule after a series of production delays. Boeing has sold 848 of the planes.

JAL spokesman Kazunori Kidosaki said the carrier, which operates seven Dreamliners, had no plans to change orders it has placed for another 38 aircraft. ANA, which has 17 Dreamliners flying its colors, said it was sticking with its orders for another 49 of the planes, spokesman Etsuya Uchiyama said. State-owned Air India, which on Monday took delivery of the sixth of the 27 Dreamliners it has ordered, said precautionary measures were already in place and its planes were flying smoothly.

“It’s a new plane and some minor glitches do happen. It’s not a cause of concern,” said spokesman G.Prasada Rao. Air China, which sees the 787 as a way to expand its international routes, and Hainan Airlines also said they were

keeping their orders for 15 and 10 of the planes respectively. China Southern Airlines , which has 10 787s on order and should be the first Chinese airline to fly the plane, was not immediately available to comment.

“New airplanes more or less will need adjustments and currently we have no plans to swap or cancel orders,” said an executive at Hainan Airlines, who was not authorized to talk to the media and did not want to be named. Delivery of the aircraft to Chinese carriers has been held up as the local aviation regulator has yet to approve the plane. Hainan Airlines expects to take delivery of its first 787 around the mid-year - some 10 months late. Other carriers already flying the Dreamliner are Ethiopian Airlines, Qatar Airways, LAN Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines and United Airlines, according to Boeing data.

40 GALLON SPILL The fuel leak on Tuesday was noticed at about 12:25 pm, after the plane had left the gate in preparation for take-off to Tokyo. About 40 gallons spilled, and the jet was towed back to the gate, where passengers disembarked, said Richard Walsh, a spokesman for state transportation authority Massport. The plane departed about four hours behind schedule and was due to arrive at the Japanese capital’s Narita airport in the evening. No passengers or crew were injured in either incident, though firefighters were called out on both occasions.

Boeing shares fell nearly 2.7 percent on Tuesday, following a 2 percent drop on Monday - wiping around $2.8 billion off its market value, or more than a dozen Dreamliners at list price.

While many Wall Street analysts rate Boeing stock a ‘buy’ or ‘outperform’ - the manufacturer has delivered jets faster than the market predict-

ed - some noted the potential for the combination of a fire and a fuel leak to affect public perception of Boeing and the new aircraft. People working at OG Travel and Eurex, travel agents in Tokyo, said they had not seen any impact on reservations on flights using the 787 aircraft.

“I’ve not heard of any cancellations following these incidents,” Eurex staffer Yasuhiro Hirashiki told Reuters.

Carter Leake, an analyst at BB&T Capital Markets in Virginia, downgraded Boeing shares, noting that fires are potentially lethal and electrical issues are tough to solve, though he and others stopped short of calling it a game changer for the Seattle-based manufacturer. “We’re getting to a tipping point where they go from needing to rectify problems to doing major damage control to the image of the company and the plane,” said Richard Aboulafia, a defense and aerospace analyst with Teal Group, a consulting firm based in Fairfax, Virginia. “While they delivered a large and unexpected number of 787s last year, it’s possible that they should have instead focused on identifying glitches and flaws, rather than pushing ahead with volume production,” he said.

BATTERY FIRE Monday’s fire occurred on a 787 plane that had just arrived from Tokyo and whose 183 passengers and crew had departed. The National Transportation Safety Board said on Tuesday a battery in the auxiliary power unit aboard the plane jet had suffered “severe fire damage” and that surrounding damage was limited to components and structures within about 20 inches.

It said the power unit was operating when the fire was discovered.

Shares in GS Yuasa Corp, the Japanese firm

that makes the Dreamliner batteries, fell around 5 percent in Tokyo yesterday after dropping 4 percent a day earlier. Boeing said it was cooperating with the investigations, but it would be premature to go into detail as the fire probe was ongoing. “However, nothing we’ve seen in this case indicates a relationship to any previous 787 power system events, which involved power panel faults elsewhere in the aft electrical equipment bay,” the company said, referring to the area where the fire occurred.

The Wall Street Journal, citing a source, reported that United Airlines found improperly installed wiring in 787 electrical components associated with the auxiliary power unit, the same electrical system that caused Monday’s fire. United spokeswoman Christen David said the carrier inspected its 787s after the Boston fire, but she declined to discuss the findings, or to confirm the Journal report. The fuel leak comes after the Federal Aviation Administration last month ordered all 787s to be inspected after leaks were found on two aircraft, stemming, it said, from incorrectly assembled fuel line couplings that could result in loss of power or an engine fire.

Mechanical problems are not uncommon when new planes enter service and they often disrupt airline schedules, experts said. “I think we’re dealing here with a situation where this aircraft is over-scrutinized for a number of reasons, including the birth difficulties,” said Michel Merluzeau, managing partner at G2 Solutions, a boutique defense and aerospace consulting firm in Seattle. “Don’t get me wrong. A battery fire is a very, very serious event. Especially a lithiumion battery,” he added. “And we don’t know what the problem is. But the 787s is still a very safe aircraft to fly.” — Reuters

Dubai economy bets on superjumbo travel boom World’s first terminal purpose-built for A380 DUBAI: With the opening of a huge new airport terminal in Dubai this week, the wealthy emirate’s economic future became more closely intertwined with the world’s biggest passenger jet. Emirates, Dubai’s state-owned flagship airline, began flying from the world’s first airport terminal that was purpose-built to handle Airbus A380 superjumbos. The 528,000 square meter terminal cost over $3 billion to build and has 20 gates with double-decker bridges to move passengers on and off the twin-deck A380s.

It is a large, and some say risky, bet on the future of a single plane. But because of its size, the A380 has emerged as an important part of Dubai’s plans to keep its economy growing by developing its tourism and retail businesses.

“Emirates’ strategy is for Dubai to become an aviation hub between Europe and Asia-Pacific,” said Zafar Khan, aerospace and defense analyst at investment bank Societe Generale in Britain.

“With planes like the Airbus A380, airlines can shift large volumes of traffic. Of course, the trick is to fill up these planes.”

STRATEGY Emirates, one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing airlines, has been a key customer for the A380 since the plane began flying commercially in 2007. It is the largest single buyer of the superjumbo and now operates 31 of the planes, with a further 59 ordered and yet to be delivered. Emirates accounted for over a third of the 257 A380s sold by European plane maker Airbus at the end of last November. Emirates president Tim Clark said last September that the airline was willing in principle to order another 40 A380s, but Dubai’s airport currently lacked room for them. While Airbus needs Dubai, however, Dubai needs the A380. That is because the emirate’s economic plans depend on moving

rapidly rising numbers of tourists, businessmen and shoppers through its airports. Dubai, which lacks the oil resources of its Gulf neighbors, has recovered from the corporate debt crisis and real estate crash which it suffered in 2009-2010 by becoming a magnet for travel and investment from the Middle East, India and Europe.

The emirate’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, made clear this strategy would continue when he announced plans in November to build a tourism and retail complex

that would include the world’s largest shopping mall, hosting 80 million visitors a year, and 100 new hotels.

Key to those plans, Sheikh Mohammed said, is boosting annual airport passenger traffic through Dubai above 90 million in the next six years. Traffic was about 55 million last year. “Our development initiatives concerning infrastructure in all sectors should be aligned with this growth rate and we have the determination to reach our objectives and be the first in the region

DUBAI: Emirates Airlines shows an Emirates Airbus A380 before its departure from Dubai airport. Dubai’s Emirates Airlines began operations from a $3 billion new concourse dedicated to Airbus’ A380 superjumbos at the Gulf city-state’s rapidlyexpanding airport. — AFP

to achieve them,” Sheikh Mohammed said.

Capable of carrying over 500 passengers, compared to around 450 in most versions of the Boeing 747, Emirates’ superjumbos are ideal for the heavy traffic which Dubai envisages. In full operation, the new terminal will see a flow of about 10,000 passengers per hour, said Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ divisional senior vice president for planning. “This concourse is quite an advantage over other hubs in the world.”

RISKS The high-volume strategy carries risks, however. If air traffic growth through Dubai does not match projections, the emirate could be saddled with billions of dollars worth of airport infrastructure, and a large fleet of planes, which it cannot use at close to capacity. In addition to Dubai International, the emirate aims by the end of this year to open its new Al Maktoum International airport for passenger traffic. That facility, which began cargo operations two years ago, is designed eventually to cater to 160 million passengers.

Passenger traffic through Dubai is now growing at annual rates above 10 percent, fast enough to reach Sheikh Mohammed’s target of 90 million passengers in six years. But growth rates could change if, for example, the global economy slows further because of financial instability or higher oil prices. In the long term, new technologies could pose a threat; Boeing is developing the 777X jet which is expected to cover longer distances without refuelling.

Depending on the plane’s specifications, that could conceivably reduce Dubai’s attraction as a stopping point between Asia and Europe. “The interesting point when it comes to the hub theory of being between two places is that benefit may soon go away. —Reuters

News

in brief

Qatar considering LNG import plant in Turkey DUBAI: Qatar is considering helping to build a liquefied natural gas terminal in Turkey, the Gulf state’s news agency reported late on Tuesday, citing energy minister Mohammed Al-Sada. The world’s largest LNG exporter has spent over a $100 billion constructing huge plants for loading super-cooled gas onto tankers, but it has generally avoided building regasification plants in consuming countries, so far. Al Sada told the Qatar News Agency that a feasibility study was being carried out on the proposed project, but he gave no indication of when it might be completed.

Qatar has also already sold most of its gas so will have to weigh the benefits of building a large import terminal in Turkey which it might not fully utilize against simply selling the fuel to Turkey on long term contracts. Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz on Saturday said he would discuss Qatar’s possible help in building an import terminal on Turkey’s Aegean coast during his visit to the Qatari capital Doha earlier this week.

Turkey is keen to find alternative suppliers of energy it needs to meet its own rapidly rising demand and reinforce its role as an energy supply bridge for south-east Europe. Yildiz said on Saturday that the terminal on the Gulf of Saros, an inlet in European Turkey, could have an annual capacity of 5 to 6 billion cubic meters and help supply Bulgaria and Greece.

Qatar Airways studying a stake in Czech airlines DOHA: Qatar Airways is studying taking a stake in Czech Airlines (CSA), the chief executive of the Qatari company said yesterday. “Yes, we are studying Czech Airlines,” Akbar Al-Baker told reporters at an event in Doha. “There are no talks yet. We are not talking to anyone. We are getting data from the banks and the entities responsible for arranging the privatization, but we have not engaged in talks.” Baker said the airline would only look at a minority stake. He said no advisors had been hired yet for the deal. Baker had said in December that his company was interested in the privatization of CSA, but had not taken a decision on whether to participate in it. The Czech government said in December it was in early stage talks with Qatar Airways and Korean Air over the privatization of the carrier, adding a decision on privatization could be taken as early as April.

Hedge fund firm shakes up its unit LONDON: Man Group is shaking up its GLG unit in a move that will see two senior managers leave, as chief executive-designate Emmanuel Roman looks to reverse the hedge fund firm’s waning fortune. The changes will see Karim Abdel-Motaal and Bart Turtleboom, who headed emerging market hedge funds at GLG, depart at the end of the month. GLG also said yesterday it has hired Kumaran Damodaran from bond giant PIMCO as a portfolio manager, and Brian Pinto, formerly of the World Bank, as senior macro-economist. Both will focus on emerging markets. Chief investment strategist Jamil Baz and Sudi Mariappa, who joined GLG in October from Pimco, will co-head GLG’s overall macro and fixed income business. GLG also said Richard Bateson joins from Man’s AHL unit as a senior quantitative analyst. Last month, Man Group chief executive Peter Clarke said he would make way for Roman, bowing to shareholder anger over the slow progress of the company’s revival plan and a share price which lost a third of its value in 2012 as its flagship AHL fund struggled.

Tough-talking Roman, CEO of GLG, joined Man in 2010 when it bought London-based hedge fund GLG for $1.6 billion.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

BUSINESS

France targets multinational tax-dodgers

MONS: Shoppers crawl under the metal shutter that slowly rolls up during the opening of Cora general store yesterday in Mons, outside Lille, northern France on the first day of the winter sales. —AP

PARIS: The French government has asked for a report that will outline ways to stop multinational companies dodging taxes, a practice that indirectly stifles local companies, culture minister Aurelie Filippetti said. European countries have been stepping up efforts to clamp down on companies, mostly from the United States, which minimize their tax bills by channeling profit through low-tax regimes.

“It is easy for very big globalised companies to set up their headquarters in Luxembourg or Ireland to escape paying company taxes or VAT (sales tax) and, as a result, offer unfair competition to companies that have physical sites and jobs in France,” Filippetti told I Tele television yesterday. The report, expected this month, “will have proposals to fight against this bypassing of tax legislation,” she said.

Her comments came as booksto-music retailer Virgin Megastore

France prepared to file for insolvency on Wednesday, becoming the latest victim of a slump in CD and DVD sales as consumers buy more content online. “Companies (like Virgin Megastore France) are facing a revolution and unfair competition as a result of large firms like Amazon that do not have the same tax rules as companies that are physically based in France,” Filippetti said. Amazon, which would not comment immediately yesterday, received a $252 million demand from French tax authorities at the end of last year for back taxes, interest and penalties in relation to “the allocation of income between foreign jurisdictions”.

The internet retailer, set to open its fourth distribution centre in France employing 2,500 staff later this year, minimizes its tax bill in France and other European countries by channeling sales through Luxembourg which offers tax breaks to foreign companies

based there. Internet group Google is also under audit by the French tax authority about a structure which channels sales through Ireland. Virgin Megastore France’s collapse comes as high street woes intensify in the euro zone’s second-biggest economy, where the jobless rate is at a 13-year high and shoppers are reining in spending.

The firm, which employs 1,000 people in its 26 Virgin-branded stores in France, including the flagship operation on the ChampsElysees in Paris, met staff representatives earlier this week ahead of filing for insolvency. Virgin Megastore France is owned by private equity firm Butler Capital Partners which bought a majority stake in 2007 from French mediato-aerospace group Lagardere, which itself bought the chain from founder Richard Branson in 2001.

“The government will be totally mobilized to help find a future buyer,” Filippetti said. —Reuters

BoE to keep interest rate at a record-low Bank of England sits tight at year’s first meeting LONDON: The Bank of England (BoE) is expected to keep its key interest rate at a record-low 0.50 percent today and decide against pumping out more new cash to stimulate Britain’s weak economy, analysts said. Analysts said the BoE, which will be led by Canadian central bank chief Mark Carney from July, will likely sit tight at its first monetary policy meeting of 2013 amid stubbornly high British inflation and easing global economic strains. “It looks highly likely that the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will kick off 2013 as they ended 2012, in ‘wait and see’ mode,” said Howard Archer, chief UK economist at IHS Global Insight, a research group.

“Any change in interest rates is clearly off the radar, while most MPC members seemingly believe that there is currently not a compelling case for more Quantitative Easing (QE) given recent increased inflation risks,” he added.

Following the 2008 global financial crisis, the BoE slashed its main lending rate to an all-time British low point of 0.50 percent, where it has stood for almost four years. Also since March 2009, the central bank has pumped £375 billion ($602 billion, 460 billion euros) of new cash into the economy under its stimulus program.

Under QE, the Bank of England creates cash that is used to purchase assets such as government and corporate bonds with the aim of increasing lending by retail banks and boost economic activity. “Although the committee’s policy bias is tilted towards sanctioning more asset purchases, we consider any move at this point to be unlikely,” Philip Shaw, economist at Investec financial group, said ahead of Thursday’s meeting. “The downside risks posed by the external environment seem to have diminished as Chinese figures indicate a continued recovery

Ireland to sell $653m of Bank of Ireland debt DUBLIN: Ireland is selling at least 500 million euros ($653 million) of debt in Bank of Ireland to private investors, cutting its exposure to the bailed-out bank amid growing confidence in the country’s economic recovery. Private investors, including some existing stockholders, have agreed to take at least half the 1 billion euros of contingent capital notes, known as CoCos, that the state has held since a sector-wide recapitalization in 2011, the bank said in a statement. The government currently holds 15 percent of Bank of Ireland, the only Irish lender to avoid full state control after the country’s property market crash.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan said in a statement that he was delighted to announce the proposed sale and that it “represents another vote of confidence by international investors in Ireland’s recovery and the government’s banking policies”. A group five North American investors bought a 35 percent stake in the

bank 18 months ago. The announcement comes a day after Ireland sold 2.5 billion euros ($3.3 billion) of debt, raising a quarter of the 10 billion euros it aims to borrow in 2013 ahead of a planned exit from its EU/IMF bailout.

The government said on Wednesday that its successful exit from a large portion of the capital notes in Bank of Ireland, which also returned to bond markets last year to raise 1 billion euros, would represent another step in the normalization of Ireland’s banking sector.

The contingent capital notes, which mature in July 2016 and pay a coupon of 10 percent, convert into equity in the bank if its core tier one capital ratio falls below 8.25 percent. Davy, Deutsche Bank and UBS have been mandated to manage the placement and Ireland’s finance department said the deal follows an approach by investment banks late last year, which indicated that there was sizeable investor interest in the notes. —Reuters

from a soft patch and the US government has steered around the fiscal cliff, albeit perhaps temporarily.”

Archer added that the BoE would maintain the status quo also amid signs that a government scheme to boost lending by commercial banks “may be starting to have an impact.” He noted too that “major downside risks to the economy have been diluted for now at least by the US avoiding going off the fiscal cliff and by the recent easing of euro-zone sovereign debt tensions.” Closer to home, latest official data showed that Britain’s economy grew by 0.9 percent in the third quarter of 2012 - but boosted by one-off factors, including the London 2012 Olympic Games and rebounding activity after an extra public holiday for Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.

Experts believe that the fourth quarter data could show Britain’s economy contracted in the final months of last year, putting it on course for a “triple dip” recession. Britain sank into the first phase of a double dip recession in 2008 as a result of the devastating global financial crisis that sparked a number of vast banking bailouts.

The economy rebounded in late 2009 but struggled to stage a convincing recovery and fell back into a second downturn in late 2011, which lasted for three quarters, as the euro-zone crisis loomed large. Britain is not a member of the single currency bloc.

Activity in Britain has meanwhile been hit hard also by deficit-slashing austerity measures from the nation’s Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government. The government meanwhile in November named Carney as the new Bank of England governor, the first time a foreigner has been chosen to lead the institution undergoing major change. Finance minister George Osborne described the 47-year-old as the “outstanding central banker of his generation.” Carney will take over from Mervyn King, who has led the BoE since 2003 and is due to step down on June 30. —AFP

LONDON: Chief Executive Officer of UBS, Andrea Orcel leaves Portcullis House in London after giving evidence on banking standards to the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards yesterday. The chief executive of UBS’s investment bank told British MPs that bankers had become too arrogant and that the industry has to change. —AP

Relaxing liquidity rules sparks hope for euro lending boost for lost income by charging higher interest on loans to companies. “It was already having an impact on lending and the business model of banks,” said Thomas Rocafull, director of financial services at Sia Partners consulting firm in Paris.

However allowing banks to use some stocks and lower-rated corporate debt in the calculation of the Liquidity Coverage Ratio, as well as relaxed assumptions about how much funds would flow out of banks during a crisis, should provide banks with considerable flexibility to meet the rules. US investment bank Morgan Stanley called the changes “constructive, particularly for EU banks.” It said the changes to the liquidity rule, alongside other measures, “...supports our thesis that the most pernicious phase of deleveraging is behind us...” The bank noted that most banks have already met the original liquidity rules according to data from the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) and that “this could help reduce the drag from low yielding reserves and put some to work.” —AFP

PARIS: The loosening of liquidity rules due to come into effect on banks raises hopes among some analysts to a recovery of lending the euro-zone. The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision announced over the weekend that it would give banks more time to meet global liquidity rules, phasing them into force from 2015. The world’s top banking regulatory body also widened what banks could hold to meet the requirement of having 30 days worth of liquid assets in case of a crisis. The rules are aimed at improving the banking sector’s ability to survive future financial crises, but since they were first proposed in 2010 banks have argued they were too tight and there were concerns they would dampen lending and economic growth.

Originally banks would have had to hold essentially cash, central bank deposits and high-rated government and corporate bonds to meet the so-called Liquidity Coverage Ratio.

Not only would this tie up funds, being forced to hold large amounts of these low-yielding assets would likely prompt banks to make up

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Egyptian pounds US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian dollars Danish Kroner Swedish Kroner Australian dlr Hong Kong dlr Singapore dlr Japanese yen Indian Rs/KD Sri Lanka rupee Pakistan rupee Bangladesh taka UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi Riyal/KD Omani riyals Philippine Peso

.2745000 .4490000 .3660000 .3020000 .2830000 .2940000 .0040000 .0020000 .0764200 .7445340 .3880000 .0720000 .7298840 .0430000 CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2815000 .4517230 .3681180 .3045380 .2851930 .0493440 .0429120 .2956170 .0363150 .2294030 .0032190 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0766720 .7469820 .0000000 .0750870 .7314540 .0000000

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka

ASIAN COUNTRIES 3.235 5.141 2.902 2.235 3.222 231.000 36.499 3.537

.2845000 .4620000 .3770000 .3140000 .2920000 .3020000 .0067500 .0035000 .0771880 .7520170 .4060000 .0770000 .7372190 .0510000 .2836000 .4550930 .3708640 .3068100 .2873210 .0497120 .0432320 .2978230 .0365860 .2311140 .0032430 .0051880 .0022600 .0029240 .0035730 .0772440 .7525540 .4011320 .0756470 .7369100 .0069980

Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal - transfer Irani Riyal - cash

UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

6.931 9.296 0.271 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES 75.470 77.763 735.090 751.690 77.063

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 282.900 Euro 371.590 Sterling Pound 455.190 Canadian dollar 287.500 Turkish lire 159.130 Swiss Franc 306.830 Australian dollar 297.890 US Dollar Buying 281.700

311.000 157.000 81.500

SELL DRAFT 300.37 290.49 311.28 373.71 282.10 457.59 3.30 3.555 5.106 2.222 3.205 2.897

Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dollar terling 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

Selling Rate 282.650 286.870 454.355 370.475 306.160 748.310 76.930 77.585 75.335 398.440 43.553 2.212 5.144 2.900 3.506 6.913 693.345 4.230 9.375 3.975 3.305 92.855

SELL CASH 299.000 289.000 310.000 372.500 283.000 457.800 3.750 3.700 5.450 2.500 3.550 2.990

COUNTRY Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar

SELL CASH 300.100 751.940 3.850 289.700 555.300 46.100 50.500 167.800 47.750 373.700 37.170 5.500 0.032 0.162 0.243

Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria Norwegian krone Omani Riyal Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

3.320 400.680 0.191 96.040 45.700 4.350 240.300 1.831 51.600 734.450 3.030 7.290 78.210 75.490 231.590 35.310 2.693 457.600 44.000 309.200 3.400 9.630 198.263 77.090 283.100 1.360 GOLD

10 Tola 1,769.990

Sterling Pound US Dollar

Bahrain Exchange Company

UAE Exchange Centre WLL COUNTRY Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee

77.300 750.000 46.750 399.650 734.000 78.500 75.750

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 46.200 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 43.552 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.320 Tunisian Dinar 181.170 Jordanian Dinar 399.270 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.899 Syrian Lier 3.075 Morocco Dirham 33.880

GOLD 20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

76.87 751.14 43.74 401.90 734.19 77.90 75.44

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 455.600 282.700

Al Mulla Exchange

SELLDRAFT 298.600 751.940 3.542 288.200

231.600 43.569 372.200 37.020 5.143 0.031

Currency 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) 282.250 372.050 455.300 288.000 3.275 5.152 43.330 2.232 3.545 6.913 2.905 751.700 76.750 75.350

400.650 0.190 96.040 3.230 238.800

734.270 2.904 6.927 77.780 75.490 231.590 35.310 2.243 455.600 307.700 3.400 9.490 76.990 282.700

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

BUSINESS

Exhausted Egyptians count cost of turmoil ZAGAZIG: These days, craftsmen, shopkeepers and other inhabitants of the Egyptian Delta town of Zagazig are often too busy making ends meet to ponder why life seems to be getting harder every day.

But when, exhausted, they finally come home and sit down to their evening meal, conversations inevitably turn to growing hardship and the frightening prospect of cuts in food subsidies as the economy slides further into crisis.

With their patience already stretched after years of upheaval, Egyptians - from the capital Cairo to smaller towns like Zagazig - appear to be nearing the point where discontent could explode into a new wave of unrest. “There is no security. There is nothing,” said Soheir Abdel Moneim, a retired school teacher, as she hurried through an open-air market in Zagazig in search of vegetables she could afford. “The pound is falling. Everything is more expensive. Is there anything that has not become more expensive?” she asked with a shrug, as traders on bicycles loaded with their wares dodged through the chaos of the market. Nearby, a torn poster of President Mohamed Morsi beams from the wall of a crumbling brick house, with the words “Liars! Liars!” scrawled over his face. The mood of growing nervousness is bad news for Morsi, who faces a parliamentary elec-

tion in coming months, and a new round of political feuding that could pitch Egypt back into civil strife. Egypt’s economy, once strong and popular among investors, has been in tatters since the revolt of 2011 that ousted Hosni Mubarak and shook the country to its foundations.

Disagreements over a new national constitution late last year triggered violent protests, dealing another blow to the economy and eroding trust in Morsi’s government. A country where cuts in food subsidies have caused riots in the past now faces the risk of further upheaval as Morsi prepares to impose austerity measures in order to obtain a desperately needed $4.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund. In Zagazig, people worry about the future.

Farouk Sarhan, the 74-year-old manager of a shop selling women’s clothes, said sales were already down by almost 50 percent from just a few weeks ago. “No one is selling or buying. I had more activity last year,” he said, stubbing out a cigarette with a deep sigh in his tiny store lined with mannequins of veiled women. “Customers are not buying as much as before because of the economic situation.” The price of fresh food often goes up in winter but shoppers in the Zagazig market said recent increases had been steep, with tomatoes and cauli-

flower about 50 percent dearer than at the start of the year.

WHAT NEXT? Egypt has been on the ropes since investors and tourists fled after the revolt, when people rose up to demand their freedom and also an end to economic policies they said simply lined the pockets of the rich. On the economic front, the picture remains grim, although Qatar’s decision to lend Egypt another $2 billion has offered some respite. Foreign reserves are dwindling and the pound has been hitting new lows daily. Food and raw materials from abroad have become more expensive, hurting businesses and families in a desert nation which relies on imports to feed itself.

As in other parts of Egypt, people in Zagazig see complex economic trends in terms of the daily hardships they must endure, and it is Morsi’s government and his Muslim Brotherhood allies who get the blame. “Morsi doesn’t feel our grievances,” said Emad, a man in his late 30s who sells traditional Egyptian clothes by the side of a dusty street. He said he had been forced to raise prices to cover rising costs, upsetting his customers. Pointing to one of the black embroidered gowns, Emad said: “We used to sell this for 35 pounds ($5.40). Now it’s 45

pounds. We didn’t raise the prices. Traders did. “Very few people are buying. I used to sell 50 pieces a day, and now I sell 15 or 20.

Today I still haven’t sold anything.”

Reliable opinion polls are unavailable in Egypt and it is hard to gauge how widespread people’s views are. But in Zagazig, most of those interviewed by Reuters echoed Emad’s feelings. Economists worry that continued turmoil could prompt people and businesses to convert their savings into dollars en masse - a risky process known as dollarization which has caused trouble in many emerging market crises before. But in Zagazig, people laughed at the idea, saying only the rich could afford to buy foreign currency. “Dollars?” asked Nabil, a local trader, as others burst into laughter. “Give me some dollars! Of course we don’t have any!”

SUPPORT FOR MORSI But some were prepared to give Morsi a chance. In the nearby village of al-Adwa, where the future president grew up in the family of a local farmer, brick walls and fences were plastered with posters of Morsi. A crowd of farmers standing by the side of a dirt track cutting through the village shook their fists and shouted “Morsi!

Morsi!” when asked about their political views. But even in Adwa, where Morsi

appeared to enjoy rock-solid support, locals said sudden increase in taxes or abrupt cuts to fuel or food subsidies would cost him dearly.

“If that happens that would be the worst thing. What am I going to do as a farmer?” said Said Youssef, his hands black from working the land. “Where are we going to get the money?” Another man, Aly Saber, 65, said fertilizer prices had gone up by 50 Egyptian pounds in the past year alone, making his business less profitable.

“Things are tough here in the rural areas,” he said as others nodded in agreement.

“Everything is becoming more expensive.”

Mohamed Gamal, the 42-year-old owner of a tiny shop selling kitchen appliances, said business was so bad that he would sometimes go for days without a single customer. “I import goods all the time.

Prices have gone up by 10-40 percent since the revolution. It’s gone up even more in recent weeks,” said Gamal, who, like Morsi, grew up in Adwa. He said his neighbors were suspicious about why he had to keep raising his prices. “People just don’t believe me,” he said, hunched over his desk, cigarette smoke swirling above stacks of unsold trays, cups and ironing boards. “ They are not convinced why things are getting more expensive. I buy them, and they stack up.” — Reuters

Investors look beyond Egypt crises, buy stocks Weak currency has economic ‘positives and negatives’

CAIRO: Egyptian Presidency, President Mohammed Morsi (center) meets with his cabinet at the presidential palace in Cairo, Egypt. As Egypt begins the latest round of talks with the International Monetary Fund for a $4.8 billion loan, the government says it will boost international confidence in its economy. — AP

Qatar throws Egypt $2.5 billion lifeline Doha seeks influence in post-Mubarak Egypt CAIRO: Qatar has threw Egypt an economic lifeline, announcing it had lent the country another $2 billion and given it an extra $500 million outright to help control a currency crisis. Political strife has set off a rush to convert Egyptian pounds to dollars over the past several weeks, sending the currency to a record low against the US dollar and draining foreign reserves to a critical level. The government said it expected an International Monetary Fund technical committee to visit Cairo in two to three weeks’ time to resume talks on a crucial $4.8 billion loan to plug balance of payments and budget deficits.

Qatar’s handout appears to be another example of the Gulf state seeking to deepen its influence in a Middle East being reshaped by revolts that have unseated long-serving autocrats. Doha supported the uprising in Libya and remains a major backer of the revolt against Syrian President Bashar AlAssad. The aid is a political and economic bonus for both President Mohamed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, the group that propelled him to power in a June election. It eases the pressure on Morsi to negotiate an IMF agreement that will require him to implement unpopular austerity measures.

That will be a relief for the Brotherhood as it gears up for forthcoming parliamentary polls.

“There was an initial package of $2.5 billion, of which $0.5 billion was a grant and $2 billion a deposit,” Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al-Thani told reporters, referring to the aid it has provided since Egypt’s uprising two years ago. “We discussed transferring one of the deposits into an additional grant so that the grants became $1 billion and the deposits doubled to around $4 billion,” he said of the new aid after meeting Morsi. Hamad added that the new Qatari grants and deposits with Egypt’s central bank had all arrived. “Some of the final details with the deposits are being worked on with the technical people, but the amount is there,” he said.

‘SOLID ALLY’ Abdulkhaleq Abdullah, a political analyst in the United Arab Emirates, said Qatar viewed Egypt as a valuable strategic asset and had invested more in the most populous Arab nation than any other Gulf Arab state since a popular uprising overthrew former President Hosni Mubarak in February 2011.

“Qatar wants a solid regional ally in Egypt,” he said. “Along with Turkey, this allegiance or axis is fundamental to the regional role Qatar is trying to carve for itself.” The Qatari funds should help tide Egypt over until the government can seal the IMF agreement that analysts view as vital to give the government credibility with the markets. The IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia director, Masood Ahmed, left Cairo on Tuesday after meeting Mursi the day before.

“Negotiations with the IMF team will resume from where they stopped,” Morsi’s spokesman, Yasser Ali, said. Asked when the IMF’s technical committee would visit Cairo, he said it was expected in the next two to three weeks. The head of the IMF said the Egyptian government must strongly recom-

mend the $4.8 billion loan agreement to its people as a step towards stabilizing the economy. “The IMF needs to have the commitment of the political authorities that can actually endorse the program, own it, and propose it to the population as theirs,” Christine Lagarde told Reuters during a visit to Ivory Coast.

Egypt struck an initial loan accord with the IMF in November but last month postponed the deal because of political unrest set off by Morsi’s drive to fast-track a new constitution. The unrest led Morsi to suspend increases in the sales tax on a range of goods and services that were deemed necessary to conclude an IMF deal. Analysts said the Qatari funds gave breathing space to Morsi and to the Muslim Brotherhood’s party from which he hails ahead of the election due to begin in the next few months.

“It’s a big break for the Morsi government,” said Shadi Hamid of the Brookings Doha Center. “It does give the Egyptian government more time to negotiate the (IMF) deal and build popular support for it.” Said Hirsh, an economist with Maplethorpe, said it was in no way a replacement to the IMF loan, as it was not conditional on implementing economic reforms sought by investors.

“Further delays to the IMF loan will not bode well for Egypt’s external position. For now, foreign investors are still likely to sit and wait until a deal with the IMF is reached.”

The Egyptian pound weakened to a record low of about 6.48 to the dollar on Tuesday after the central bank offered $60 million in the latest of a series of foreign currency auctions introduced in an attempt to contain the currency crisis. The pound has weakened 4.6 percent on the interbank market and the central bank has spent a total of $420 million in the auctions since the system began on Dec 30. Foreign reserves have fallen by more than $20 billion and the currency has lost more than a tenth of its value and during the turbulent political transition since Mubarak’s fall and the flight of tourists and investors, two Egypt’s main sources of foreign exchange.

TOURISM, INDUSTRY Qatar had already pledged enormous amounts of aid to Morsi’s government since he became president in July, including four loans of $500 million each, with the first arriving in August and the last in December.

In September, Qatar also agreed to invest $8 billion for gas, power and iron and steel plants at the northern entrance to the Suez Canal and $10 billion for a giant tourist resort on the Mediterranean coast.

Sheikh Hamad said on Tuesday that these projects had been delayed, in part by a disagreement between Egyptian and Qatari technicians over systems and laws.

“Today we agreed to appoint an international specialized legal office to put a mechanism in place because these are huge projects and will last for long years and need accurate study.” Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Kandil said progress on the projects had been held up by a lack of political will. “I admit that there has been some slowness,” he said. — Reuters

DUBAI: A currency crisis, political turmoil and an economic policy-making vacuum are not usually favorable conditions for a stock market bull run but one is underway in Egypt nonetheless. The Egyptian market has soared over the last few weeks even though the immediate political and economic outlook for the country has darkened.

Sustained buying by foreign funds has helped to push up stocks. The rally illustrates how many investors in countries hit by the Arab Spring uprisings are looking beyond the current turmoil to a point, perhaps a year or two from now, when politics may be more stable and economies are again growing solidly.

Foreign investors are not ignoring Egypt’s troubles but they think the problems can be managed over time, so they are focusing on the country’s potential, said Sherif Salem, portfolio manager at Abu Dhabi’s Invest AD. “Investors realize more and more with time that the political and economic issues will follow a very volatile trajectory, given the experience we have all been through over the past two years,” he said. “But with the long term in focus, investors are looking beyond the short- and medium terms.”

PERFORMANCE The last several weeks have given investors plenty to worry about. President Mohamed Morsi’s decision to fast-track passage of an Islamist-tinged constitution outraged the opposition and may complicate efforts to reach a crossparty consensus on economic reforms. These reforms are needed to persuade the International Monetary Fund to provide a $4.8 billion loan to Egypt, to arrest a slide in Cairo’s foreign reserves.

An IMF decision on the loan was postponed indefinitely because of the political turmoil. The precarious reserve position prompted Egypt’s central bank to abandon efforts to keep the Egyptian pound steady. It launched a new system of foreign currency auctions that has allowed the pound to depreciate over 4 percent since Dec. 30, to a record low of 6.48 against the dollar.

More depreciation is likely; Capital Economics, a London-based consultancy, thinks 7.5 would be fair value for the pound. A weak currency threatens to trigger capital flight from Egypt, saddle foreign investors with exchange losses and fuel inflation that would worsen the country’s political problems. But such considerations have not hurt the stock market. The main index is up

CAIRO: An Egyptian policeman directs the traffic in front of the Egyptian Central Bank offices in Cairo. — AP about 25 percent from a low hit in late November. It is still 18 percent below its level at the end of 2010, just before the revolution which toppled Hosni Mubarak, but up 64 percent from the post-revolution low of December 2011.

Non-Arab foreign investors, who account for around 15 percent of trading in the market, have been net buyers of stocks on almost every day in the past six weeks, exchange data show. Zin Bekkali, founder and chief executive of Silk Invest, an emerging markets investment manager, said foreign funds were gradually building back normal weightings in Egypt after essentially pulling out during the chaos of 2011. “Now global emerging market funds with small Egypt exposures have generally gone back to neutral on Egypt. But regional-focused funds are still in the process of doing so - this process partly explains why the market has been so strong in the last few weeks, and it could continue for some time,” he said.

VOLATILITY The uproar over the constitution has sparked some violent street protests. But many fund managers can accept a fairly high level of social unrest, as long as it does not seem to doom Egypt’s slow transition to more stable politics. “You have to fight not to get preoccupied by the politics - don’t

fall into that trap. It’s difficult, but you have to accept that volatility is part of the market,” Bekkali said. In one way, Morsi’s aggressive move on the constitution looked positive to some investors: it cleared the way for parliamentary elections in a few months’ time. The elections, however messy, are a key part of the political transition.

Meanwhile, the economics of currency depreciation are not totally negative. Foreign investors seem to be using the lower pound to buy stocks at cheaper prices, while inflation caused by currency weakness may erode the real returns of bank deposits, forcing local investors into stocks over time, Salem said. Shares in exporters such as Ezz Steel, which could sell more abroad with a lower pound, and property developer Palm Hills Developments, which could benefit if a cheap pound encourages wealthy Gulf investors to buy Egyptian real estate, have outperformed the market in the last few weeks. The big danger for stocks is an uncontrolled collapse of the pound which, because Egypt imports much of its food, could push inflation to politically explosive levels. But investors believe a collapse is unlikely, as they think Egypt will eventually obtain the IMF loan while other foreign donors such as Qatar, which this week announced $2.5 billion in aid to Cairo, have a geopolitical interest in supporting Egypt. —Reuters

Bank of Thailand holds rates, cites better growth outlook BANGKOK: Thailand’s central bank left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.75 percent yesterday, as expected, saying the global economy continued to recover while growth this year could be higher than thought and inflation was stable.

The central bank said its seven-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) unanimously agreed to hold the one-day repurchase rate for the second straight meeting after a surprise quarter-point cut in October. All 14 economists polled

by Reuters had expected no change in the policy rate as Southeast Asia’s second-biggest economy is holding up despite global problems..

There is no consensus among economists on the rate outlook for this year, with inflation and credit growth a concern for some but global risks remaining more important for others. The Bank of Thailand (BOT) said growth in the fourth quarter of 2012 would probably turn out higher than expected, leading it to expect higher growth rates in 2012 as a whole and in 2013. “Private consumption and investment continued to be the key growth drivers, supported by consumer and business confidence, favorable household income, full employment as well as accommodative monetary conditions with continued high rates of credit growth,” the central bank’s statement said.

“The export sector showed incipient signs of a broad-based recovery while the service sector and tourism expanded robustly,” it said. Radhika Rao with Forecast in Singapore said: “Accompanying comments give us the sense that the authorities might shift focus to the need to maintain financial stability by way of restraining strong household debt, credit growth and

inflows.” Other economists agreed, although Santitarn Sathirathai at Credit Suisse said: “There’s no need for the BOT to take action on rates, but it may think about prudential measures to handle household debt if needed.”

BANGKOK: A laborer carries a large bag of goods while working at a market in Bangkok.

Thailand’s new daily minimum wage hike to 300 baht ($9.8) went into effect throughout the country on January 1. — AFP

PRICE PRESSURE BUILDING Some economists are worried about inflation because of a jump in minimum wages plus strong credit growth. “There have been tentative signs of a turnaround in external demand. Domestically, the pro-growth policies have already translated into strong private consumption numbers over the last few quarters. Coupled with the hike in minimum wages, price pressures are likely to continue building,” said Eugene Leow of DBS Bank in Singapore. A daily minimum wage of 300 baht ($9.80) was rolled out across the country on Jan 1.

That meant an increase of up to 35 percent depending on the province, after a nationwide jump of 40 percent last April.

The economy has remained resilient despite global problems because strong domestic demand, as Thailand recovered from floods in late 2011, has helped offset weakness in exports.

Growth in the final quarter of 2012 is bound to be very high compared with a year before due to the low base, economists and officials say. Given global uncertainty and generally tame inflation, policymakers across Asia have been keeping monetary policy loose to support their economies.

South Korea left interest rates on hold for a second straight month in December after two cuts.

Indonesia has left its policy rate unchanged since February, saying the rate was consistent with low inflation, although it may need to tighten soon to support its currency. Thailand’s central bank has forecast economic growth of 4.7 percent in 2013 after 5.8 percent for 2012. Due to the floods, growth in 2011 was only 0.1 percent. It has predicted that exports, which are equal to more than 60 percent of GDP each year, will grow 9 percent in 2013 after 4.4 percent in 2012. —Reuters

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

BUSINESS

Shares buoyed by Alcoa earnings as dollar gains European shares lifted by quarterly earnings hopes LONDON: World shares staged a modest recovery from two days of losses yesterday after aluminum giant Alcoa opened the US earnings season with an optimistic outlook for world demand. However, with European and British central banks due to hold policy meetings today, the same day Spain will test demand for its debt and China releases its latest trade data, investors were in a cautious mood. Alcoa, the largest aluminum producer in the United States, rose 1.3 percent in after-hours trade after it reported a fourth-quarter profit in line with Wall Street expectations and revenues that beat forecasts.

The results lifted Asian stock markets and pushed Europe’s FTSE Eurofirst 300 index up around 0.2 percent in early trade, leaving the MSCI world equity index up 0.1 percent. London’s FTSE 100, Paris’s CAC-40 and Frankfurt’s DAX were flat to 0.2 percent higher. US stock futures were up 0.15 percent, suggesting a firmer start on Wall Street. Corporate profits are expected to be higher than the third quarter’s lackluster results, but analysts’ estimates are down sharply from where they were in October.

“Expectations are quite low going into the earnings season as we saw a lot of downward guidance in the past few months.

There is potential for an upside surprise to come through,” said Robert Parkes, equity strategist at HSBC Securities.

SOVEREIGN DEBT TEST In European fixed income markets German Bund prices dipped slightly as

Sources familiar with the BOJ’s thinking told Reuters the central bank was likely to adopt a 2 percent inflation target at the meeting, double its current goal, and issue a statement with the government pledging to pursue bold monetary easing steps. The BOJ will also consider easing monetary policy again this month, probably through a further increase in its 101 trillion yen ($1.2 trillion) asset buying and lending program, the sources said.

The euro held steady against the dollar at $1.3080, with most analysts forecasting the European Central Bank will keep interest rates on hold today, though some believe rates will be cut later this year.

PAMPLONA: Health workers protest against the austerity measures, outside a hospital in Pamplona, northern Spain. — AP investors prepared for the government’s auction of 5 billion euros’ worth of new five-year bonds following successful debt sales in Austria, the Netherlands and Ireland on Tuesday. Investors were also looking ahead to Spanish and Italian bond auctions today for the New Year’s first test of market appetite for peripheral euro-zone debt.

The Spanish auction could also provide clues on the timing of a much anticipated request by Madrid for fresh financial aid

from the ECB. The dollar meanwhile climbed against the yen, moving back towards a 2-1/2 year high hit last week, on expectations of a much bolder monetary easing from the Bank of Japan at its next meeting later this month. The US currency was up 0.7 percent at 87.61 yen, above a near one-week low of 86.82 hit earlier in Tokyo. “No one is going to want to be short yen going into the BOJ meeting,” said Derek Halpenny, European head of FX research at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi.

CHINA DEMAND EYED Brent crude oil slipped around 0.3 percent to below $112 per barrel as the market awaited the latest trade data from China, the world’s biggest energy consumer, due today. “What we’re seeing in the oil markets is the cautious sentiment playing up ahead of some key economic events this week,” said Ker Chung Yang, senior investment analyst at Phillips Futures in Singapore. However, iron ore jumped to its highest since October 2011, stretching a rally that has lifted prices by more than a third since December as China replenished stockpiles and as supply in the spot market remained limited. Iron ore, a raw material used to make steel, has now risen 83 percent since falling to below $87 in September. — Reuters

HSBC’s Ping An deal in danger of collapse HONG KONG: A multi-billion dollar deal in which banking giant HSBC was set to sell its stake in China’s second largest life insurer Ping An to a Thai firm is in danger of collapse, reports said yesterday. Chinese regulators were ready to reject the $9.4 billion bid from Thai conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Group over concerns about funding for the bid, according to Hong Kong’s the South China Morning Post.

State-owned China Development Bank, which had agreed to provide loans to help CP Group buy HSBC’s 15.57 percent stake in Ping An, was reconsidering its decision, the newspaper said. The China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) was therefore worried about where the money would come from and whether the Thai firm would be the real buyer of the stake, the Post reported, citing sources close to the regulator. In Shanghai yesterday, Ping An Insurance closed down 0.86 percent at 45.07 yuan. On Tuesday, it lost 3.73 percent.

In Hong Kong, Ping An gained 0.88 percent to HK$68.75 after falling 4.0 percent the previous day. HSBC lost 0.12 percent to HK$82.65. “This transaction is undergoing the normal approval process. We have no further need to disclose information,” Ping An said in a statement.

HSBC and the China Development Bank both declined to comment, while the CIRC could not be reached. The collapse of the deal would be a big blow to Britain-based HSBC, which has been selling its non-core assets as part of a broad restructuring plan designed to boost profitability.

London and Hong Kong-listed HSBC is also setting aside hundreds of millions of dollars as provision for fines related to possible criminal charges over money-laundering allegations in the United States. — AFP

Crude prices sag LONDON: Brent crude oil stayed below $112 per barrel yesterday, as a slightly more optimistic outlook for the global economy was offset by lingering concerns about Europe and increasing supply from the United States.

Front-month Brent futures shed 11 cents to $111.83 per barrel at 0932 GMT, after adding 54 cents on Tuesday. US crude was trading down 10 cents at $93.05 per barrel. Alcoa, the largest aluminum producer in the United States, said late on Tuesday it was optimistic demand for the metal would continue to grow in 2013, as it posted in-line profit and beat expectations on revenue.

“Some industrial data was better than expected which is positive for potential crude demand, but it’s not building on gains as a lot still needs to be worked out in Europe,” said Sucden Financial research analyst Jack Pollard.

Moves were muted as investors awaited Chinese trade data, more US corporate earnings and the outcome of a European Central Bank policy meeting for insight on prospects for the world’s largest economies.

China, the world’s biggest energy consumer, will release its December trade figures yesterday and fourthquarter economic growth numbers on Jan 18. Reuters polls predicted that the trade numbers may show marginal improvement in the economy, although weak US and European demand may weigh on exports.

Economic growth may have accelerated, ending seven quarters of weaker expansion.

BANK-WATCH The Bank of England and ECB policymakers begin two-day meetings yesterday and investors will be looking for hints that the ECB may lower interest rates in 2013 to pull the regional economy out of recession.

Weighing on prices, the US Energy

Information Administration (EIA) said on Tuesday that the country’s crude oil production will rise by the largest amount on record in 2013, and is set to soar by a quarter over two years.

The rapid increase underscores how improvements in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technology commonly referred to as ‘fracking’ have transformed the energy market in the last five years, allowing producers to tap shale oil from tight rock formations.

Adding to the pressure, the American Petroleum Institute (API) said crude stocks rose 2.4 million barrels last week, beating analysts’ expectations of a 1.5 million barrel increase.

The increase was largely due to a 1.2 million barrel per day jump in crude imports, API said.

US crude futures slid while Brent rose in the previous session when the annual rebalancing of the S&P GSCI commodity index kicked in, prompting index funds to adjust their portfolios.

The rebalancing, announced in early November, will increase the index’s holdings of Brent and reduce holdings of WTI as the output of Brent-related grades wanes and US crude output surges.

The passive index rolls its holdings between the fifth and ninth trading days of the month. — Reuters

LAS VEGAS: A cashier rings up a cash sale at a Sears store, in Las Vegas. US consumers borrowed more in November to buy cars and attend school, but stayed cautious with their credit cards. — AP

Gold loses traction LONDON: Gold was down marginally yesterday, losing early gains as a stronger dollar weighed against background support from firmer equities markets. The broader focus stayed on US budget talks as President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans face further battles in the next two months after brokering a deal in late December to avert devastating tax increases and spending cuts known as the ‘fiscal cliff’.

Expectations for seasonally strong physical demand for the metal in Asian markets was also seen as supportive. Spot gold edged down to $1,657.35 an ounce at 1503 GMT, while US gold futures for December deliver y were down 0.1 percent at $1,659.60. Simon Weeks, head of precious metals sales at Scotia Mocatta, said the market had been near the top of recent price ranges, adding that rallies were being sold into.

“If the $1,668 level breaks (on the upside), then we would look at the 150- and 400-day moving averages (located at $1,676.40 and $1,672.80, respectively),” he said. The dollar rallied to a session high against the yen yesterday as expectations of Bank of Japan monetary easing at a meeting due this month led some investors to sell the Japanese currency. Turning back to the United States, failure to reach a budget agreement could mean a debt default or a downgrade in the US credit rating, both of which could benefit gold if they prompt investors to buy hard assets as a haven from risk.

UBS remained bullish on the outlook for bullion.

“The reality is that there has been no material change in US monetary policy, and the consensus is in fact for the Fed to stay the course in terms of policy execution for now,” UBS analyst Edel Tully said. “Balance sheet expansion is set to continue until economic data warrants a shift in policy.

And at the moment macro data is not strong

enough for the Fed to even consider taking a step back.” European shares climbed towards a new 22month high yesterday after an encouraging start to the fourth-quarter earnings season from US aluminum giant Alcoa buoyed investor sentiment.

CHART RESISTANCE Gold’s rally was capped by strong resistance in the $1,660-$1,665 region from its 200-day moving average and the 50 percent retracement of its move from last year’s low in May to its October high. On the physical markets, gold buying tailed off in major consumer India after a strong start to the week on the back of Monday’s price slide.

Dealers in Mumbai said buyers awaited a further price correction. Trading volume on the Shanghai Gold Exchange’s 99.99 physical gold contract also abated after hitting record levels earlier this week.

Holdings of the world’s largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, New York’s SPDR Gold Trust, eased for a second day and are down 11 tons from the start of the year.

Silver was down 0.5 percent at $30.20 an ounce, while spot platinum was up 0.7 percent at $1,584 an ounce and spot palladium outperformed to rise 1.4 percent at $677.50 an ounce.

Gold’s premium over platinum, a historically unusual phenomenon that has persisted since the first quarter of last year, fell to its lowest since midSeptember yesterday. Technical analysts at Societe Generale said in a note the platinum/gold spot ratio was testing resistance at 0.96. “Should 0.96 be surpassed, an inverted head and shoulders (bullish pattern) would be confirmed and therefore lead the ratio towards the long-term resistance region of 1.00/1.02,” it said. “The 14-day relative strength index is also at resistance.” — Reuters

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

BUSINESS

Dubai dealers brave pressures to continue Iran trade US sanctions cut off FX trade via banks DUBAI: In a drab, neon-lit office deep inside Dubai’s old downtown area of Deira, a middle-aged Iranian barks into one of six telephones on his desk and taps numbers into a calculator. In the space of a few minutes, he juggles multiple conversations with callers wanting to buy, sell and transfer Iranian rials. It’s a tense, unpredictable job, especially given the political turbulence surrounding Iran.

The informal currency dealers of Dubai have emerged as an important link between Iran’s economy and the rest of the world, maintaining flows of money into and out of the country even as foreign governments and Tehran itself act to constrict them. After the United States and Europe tightened financial sanctions against Iran in late 2011, essentially freezing the country out of the international banking system, the Dubai dealers’ business boomed. Since businessmen trading with Iran could no longer transfer their money through normal banking channels, they turned to the dealers. Iranian savers moving their wealth out of the country were another source of business.

“Trading went crazy after those sanctions,” the dealer in the Deira office said in a snatched conversation between endless calls and cups of tea. On one day, he recalled, he handled about 1 billion United Arab Emirates dirhams ($270 million). But last October, as the rial plunged in value, the government in Tehran clamped down on the supply of hard currency. That hit the Dubai dealers hard both by restricting the amount of funds they handled and making it harder to

gauge prices acceptable to both them and their customers. “Now it’s different.

The government is fixing rates.

Everything is grinding to a halt,” said the Deira dealer. He, like other currency dealers, declined to be named because of the political sensitivity of his business.

On some days, the dealer said, he doesn’t trade at all. On others, he handles around 10 to 15 million dirhams worth of businesses - and only with trusted clients.

Nevertheless, Dubai’s currency dealers are keeping their trading ties with Iran alive, providing an important conduit for Iranians to do business with the rest of the world outside channels controlled by their government. “Dubai is the crucial point through which most financial transactions regarding Iran are facilitated,” said Iranian-born economist Mehrdad Emadi of the British-based Betamatrix consultancy. “Informal dealers are the only means of providing currency for ordinary Iranian businessmen to import commodities.”

HAWALA SYSTEM The introduction of financial sanctions, imposed over Tehran’s disputed nuclear program, threatened Dubai’s status as a top centre handling trade and investment for Iran. Most international banks halted business with Iran because of concern their US interests could suffer. In March 2012, the global SWIFT interbank network said it was cutting links with Iran’s main financial institutions.

Dubai’s dealers were quick to fill the

void through hawala, an informal trading system based on trust and personal ties. It was first used in the Gulf and the Indian subcontinent centuries ago, but has successfully been adapted to the modern age. The dealer in Deira co-owns another dealership in Tehran, though the two are not formally linked. The set-up allows him to take in payments in Dubai while paying out in Tehran.

“It’s a small trade,” the dealer said of a 700,000 dirham deal he was concluding on a recent day. The client faxed over details of an Iranian bank account where he wanted rials deposited; the dealer faxed the details to the Tehran office, which made the transfer via Iran’s nationwide electronic system. The hawala trade does not appear to violate any regulations in the UAE. The dealer owns his Dubai currency dealing business, which is licensed by UAE authorities, along with a silent partner, a UAE citizen. His office also feeds small traders across Iran with dirhams, which are welcomed as hard currency by Iranians as the dirham is pegged to the US dollar.

Comprehensive figures for the number of rial dealers in Dubai and the size of their business are not available. But the business is believed to play a major role in sustaining merchandise trade between the UAE and Iran, which has been reduced sharply by the sanctions. Goods exported through the UAE to Iran totaled $3.6 billion in the first half of 2012, down 32 percent from a year earlier, according to Reuters calculations based on data

TEHRAN: An Iranian pharmacist arranges medicine on shelves at a pharmacy in central Tehran, Iran. While medicine and humanitarian supplies are not blocked by the economic embargoes on Iran over its nuclear program, the pressures are clearly evident in nearly every level of Iranian health care. It’s a sign of the domino effect of sanctions on everyday life. — AP from UAE authorities. Iran’s imports from all sources in that period totaled $26 billion, according to official Iranian data.

CRACKDOWN Last September, the Dubai currency trade was threatened not by Western governments but by Iranian authorities.

As the sanctions hurt Iran’s economy, ordinary Iranians scrambled to sell their rials for dollars and gold to protect themselves against a depreciating currency.

This caused the rial to lose a third of its value within 10 days, hitting an all-time low of around 37,500 to the dollar in the free market. Almost all of Iran’s hard currency earnings come from its oil exports, which are run by the government.

Aiming to preserve its foreign exchange reserves, Tehran slashed the amount of hard currency it provided to the free market and began rationing dollar supplies to licensed importers at stateset rates. — Reuters

Peugeot’s sales hit by ‘blast’ of shrinking Europe market French auto giant reports 16.5% plunge

MUMBAI: Passengers travel on a crowded train in Mumbai. India’s railway minister announced yesterday that the government would hike passenger fares this month for the first time in a decade to fund improvements in safety on the overburdened rail system. — AFP

India to hike rail fares for first time in decade NEW DELHI: India announced its first acrossthe-board rise in rail fares for a decade yesterday to fund improvements in safety on the overburdened network. The proposed increase across various tiers of the national rail system come 10 months after an earlier plan to raise fares had to be scrapped following fierce opposition from a then partner in the Congress-led coalition government. Railways Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said he expected annual losses in 2012-13 to climb to 250 billion rupees ($4.5 billion), adding: “This in fact points to the imperative of... a reasonable fare hike immediately.”

“We, after all the deliberations, careful consideration of all the issues, have decided to effect an increase in the fare... with effect from 21st of this month,” Bansal told reporters. He said he would not increase prices again next month when he is due to present the annual railway budget in parliament. The dilapidated railways, still the main form of long-distance

travel in India despite fierce competition from airlines, run thousands of passenger and freight trains and carry millions of people daily. The proposed hike would see the 1,400-km Mumbai to Delhi fare rising by 84 rupees ($1.53), or 21 percent, for bottom-rung sleeper-class customers.

Furious protests by a regional ally of the government over a suggested fare increase last year saw the then railway minister resign and led to a reversal of the policy. In the end, only first-class fares were raised. Bansal said last yearís rollback had forced cuts in ‘necessary programmes that we have to have for the safety, for the cleanliness, for the upgradation of the railway stations”. Indiaís colonial-era train system has a notoriously bad accident record, with a recent official report revealing that almost 15,000 people are killed a year crossing rail tracks - a figure the government described as a ìmassacreî. Derailments, collisions and other accidents are also common. — AFP

Chinese economy to overtake US by 2019 BEIJING: China will overtake the United States economically within six years, an official research institute predicts, and go on to become the world’s most important country in three decades more, state media said yesterday. The findings came from the Nation’s Health Report issued by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Global Times said, without giving details of the criteria used for the prediction. China’s economy would be larger than that of the US by 2019, it cited the document as saying, and China’s “international status” would exceed that of the US by 2049, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic.

“National health” was defined as a country’s “overall conditions... using resource sufficiency and wealth distribution as the major criteria”, the Global Times said, but did not go into specifics.

China ranked as the 11th “healthiest” country out of some 100 nations, it said, just behind Costa Rica, with Sweden in top position.

The official Xinhua news agency said China was given a national health status of “up to standard”, though the US, Japan and Britain were deemed “health deficient”. The report could not immediately be independently obtained from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

China’s stunning economic growth

rates, increases in military spending and overlapping security interests in the Asia-Pacific region with the US have sparked concerns the countries could find themselves increasingly at odds in coming decades as they jockey for global influence. But the Global Times, which has close ties to China’s ruling Communist Party, said the document’s findings were seen by some as overly nationalistic. “The report is indicative of an anti-US sentiment in Chinese society,” Fang Zhouzi, described as a prominent whistleblower on academic fraud, told the paper. “It casts the US as a potential threat and links the goals of China’s national revival to surpassing the US,” he added.

Decades of economic reform and openness to foreign investment have propelled China from a poor, over whelmingly agricultural country to become the world’s second-largest economy behind the US. International analysts widely expect China’s economy, given its high growth rates, to overtake the US in terms of gross domestic product, or total size, some time in the first half of this century, though differ on exact timing and criteria. But they also see the US as likely to remain wealthier on a per capita basis given China’s huge population of 1.3 billion, with that of the US currently at about 315 million.— AFP

PARIS: French auto giant Peugeot, recently rescued by the government, reported yesterday a 16.5percent plunge of sales last year because of problems in southern Europe and Iran and despite strong demand in Russia and China. The group blamed the effects of the debt-crisis in southern Europe for the extent of the sales plunge. But the director for brands in the business, known fully as PSA Peugeot Citroen, said it expected sales to rise this year, excluding the sale of parts for assembly in Iran and despite expected further contraction of the European market.

PSA is struggling to restructure its business with a controversial plant closure in France, the shedding of 8,000 jobs, a strategic alliance with US group General Motors and a drive to expand sales outside Europe. Brand director Frederic Saint-Geours said he expected group sales to rise this year but did not provide figures. He said in a statement that “the group is being hit full blast by the lasting fall of European markets” which he estimated would shrink further by 3.0-5.0 percent this year. GM operates in Europe under the Vauxhall and Opel brands, but Saint-Geours said that there was no project for PSA to buy Opel which is based in Germany.

He also said that PSA did not intend to reduce its holding of 57.4 percent in the manufacturer of car parts Faurecia. PSA is the secondbiggest car manufacturer in Europe after German group Volkswagen which is strongly placed on export markets for high-quality vehicles, but the French group’s sales fell below the three-million level in 2012 to 2.965 million.

By contrast Volkswagen announced in December that by the end of November it had beaten its sales in 2011, with a total of 8.29 million vehicles sold. A report in mid-year by the newly installed French socialist government, in response to the shock announcement of the job cuts by PSA, found that the group had made strategic mistakes over 20 years, notably by missing the bus of globalization,

but accepted that it had no choice but to enact a deep restructuring.

In October, the government guaranteed financial support for the group of 5.0-7.0 billion euros ($6.54-9.15 billion) in the form of support for the subsidiary providing credit to customers and dealerships. Yesterday, the group said that

Russia and in China and sales in Russia surged by 7.4 percent to 78,000 and in China they rose faster than the market, by 9.2 percent to 442,000 vehicles.

But the group suffered setbacks in Latin America, with delays in the extension of a factory at Porto Real in Brazil where it intends to double

statement said: “Southern Europe, where PSA Peugeot Citroen has a particularly large presence, was hit hardest, with the market down 13.3 percent in France, 14.9 percent in Spain and 20.9 percent in Italy.”

“The decision to suspend sales of CKD units in Iran as from February in compliance with inter-

AULNAY-SOUS-BOIS: Photo shows a car park of French car maker PSA Peugeot Citroen’s site in AulnaySous-Bois, outside Paris. — AFP the government had provided details of the support to European Union competition authorities in Brussels. The EU has made clear that it considers the rescue to amount to help for a restructuring of the entire group. PSA gave new insights on January 2 into its problems, saying that sales in its home market France had dropped by 17.5 percent last year.

Sales in Italy, Spain and Portugal fell even harder. The group does 60 percent of its business in France and southern Europe. However, sales held up in Germany and rose in Britain. The group has factories in

production capacity by 2015.

Overall the group is reducing its dependance on Europe, with sales elsewhere rising from 33.0 percent of the total in 2011 to 38.0 percent last year and a target of 50 percent in 2015.

The group said in a statement on sales in 2012 before its forthcoming overall results: “PSA Peugeot Citroen recorded worldwide unit sales of 2,820,000 assembled vehicles, down 8.8 percent.

Together, sales of assembled vehicles and CKD (completely knocked down or kit) units totaled 2,965,000, down 16.5 percent.” The

national regulations, which made it impossible to finance Iran-bound sales due to tighter international sanctions, also impacted Group sales in 2012,” PSA said. The carmaker had sold 457,900 CKD units in Iran in 2011. Peugeot’s decision to suspend business in Iran was to comply with international sanctions against the Islamic republic over its nuclear program.

The firm also came under intense pressure from Washington lobbies to shut down its thriving operations in Iran after General Motors acquired a 7.0-percent shareholding in PSA. — AFP

Argentine currency rules have ripple effect in US DETROIT: Volkswagen AG and BMW are the favorites to add market share in the global auto industry over the next five years, according to a survey of top automotive executives released yesterday. Toyota Motor Corp saw a big rebound in its standing, and while the combination of Hyundai Motor Co and its Kia Motors Corp affiliate still ranked fourth, the number of executives who felt they will gain market share declined, according to the survey conducted by advisory firm KPMG. VW topped the list for the third consecutive year, and the percentage of executives who believe the German automaker will gain market share globally jumped 11 points to 81 percent, according to KPMG. BMW was second at 70 percent, up 7 points from last year’s survey. “VW has been No 1 for the last three years, but to continue and to have an 11-point increase, I was taken aback by it,” said Gary Silberg, national auto industry leader for KPMG. Toyota, which suffered a hit to its image when it recalled nearly 19 mil-

lion cars globally from 2009 through early 2011, showed the biggest gain, KPMG said. It finished third at 68 percent, up from 44 percent last year.

Hyundai and Kia finished at 61 percent, down 2 points from last year and 11 points below its score in 2011, KPMG said. Nissan Motor Co Ltd was fifth at 50 percent, followed by Ford Motor Co and General Motors Co, each at 44 percent. In 2010, only 13 percent of those polled thought GM would increase its market share. Fiat SpA and its Chrysler unit ranked ninth at 37 percent, in between Daimler AG (41 percent) and Honda Motor Co Ltd (34 percent), KPMG said. The brands most often predicted to lose market share included Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd’s Subaru, Mitsubishi, Mazda and Suzuki.

When including newer emerging brands, KPMG said the top 10 would include four Chinese automakers: BAIC Group (No 3), SAIC Motor (No 6), FAW Group (No 7) and Geely (No 8), as well as India’s Tata (No 10).

However, their shares are much smaller, so

gains would not be a surprise. KPMG also found that 64 percent of executives polled said their companies will increase investment in new plants over the next five years, up from 55 percent last year. The executives said their companies intend to bring new plants online despite the fact that more than half say there are overcapacity risks in many mature markets.

One-quarter of those polled said the best way to solve overcapacity issues globally is consolidation and joint ventures, KPMG said.

Seventy-one percent of the executives also believe improving internal combustion engines will offer greater efficiency and lower pollution potential for the next six to 10 years than any electric vehicle technology, KPMG said.

Two-thirds do not expect electric car sales to top 15 percent of global demand before 2025.

KPMG polled 200 senior global auto industry executives in November 2012 for the 14th annual survey. The majority were from outside North America. — Reuters

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

BUSINESS

Rolls-Royce Bespoke Program takes auto luxury to next level KUWAIT: Throughout more than a century of motoring excellence, Rolls-Royce has time and time again reinforced its status as the definition of automotive luxury, combining the brand’s signature waftability and e n gi n e e r i n g s u p re m a c y w i t h p re m i u m design and technology. The Rolls-Royce Bespoke Program takes this to a whole new level as it allows customers to infuse one of the world’s most famous brands with their own personal touches.

Pr id i ng i t se l f i n un d e rs ta n d i n g cu s tomers’ individual tastes, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars provides its clientele with the opportunity to personalize any feature of the car, in order to create their own unique model unmatched anywhere else in the world. It normally takes up to six months for a car to go from sketch to rubber on the road, but anyone who owns one of these magnificent vehicles will agree that the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Program is wor th the wait. Ali Alghanim & Sons, the sole dealer of RollsRoyce Motor Cars in Kuwait provides the

Program to its customers in the country, and can be reached at their showroom in Shuwaikh.

The Bespoke team at Goodwood, home of Rolls-Royce Motor cars, is dedicated to finding new paints, materials and engineering solutions to define the aesthetics of each individual vehicle and meet each client’s demands and ensure they receive a truly unique and exceptional car. The service, which includes anything from the application of unique paint colors, coach lines and tread plates to whole vehicle designs featuring beverage sets, humidors and picnic cabinets, transforms the brand’s superluxury cars into unique hand-crafted masterpieces which are as individual as their owner’s fingerprints.

“The ability to personalize one’s vehicle h a s a l w ays b e e n a t t h e h e a r t o f R o l l s Royce.” explained Geoff Briscoe, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Regional Director Middle East, Africa and Latin America. “It is always our goal to exceed our clients’ highest expecta-

Al Ahli Bank announces Diamond Card winners KUWAIT: Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait held the second draw to pick the final 50 lucky winners who will own the one-of-a-kind special edition Diamond embedded World MasterCard. The draw was held on 7th January at the main branch, under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The diamond embedded ABK Emirates World MasterCard has the distinction of being the first of its type in Kuwait. With a genuine certified diamond on the card and only 100 cards to be issued, the card has positioned itself as the most luxurious credit card in Kuwait.

Stewart Lockie, GM, Retail Banking stated, “In addition to the Diamond Card we also awarded a Bonus 50,000 Skyward Miles to the first name out of the fifty to be drawn, it was awarded to AbdulAzziz Shammo, I extend my congratulations to him and all our winners on being one of the hundred unique owners of the first Diamond embedded credit card in Kuwait.” Lockie added, “This card is not only a status symbol, cardholders can also enjoy the many luxury features and services associated with the ABK Emirates World MasterCard.”

ered to customers.”

Bespoke operations are not limited to design and development of automotive parts, unique paint colors, coach lines and tread plates. Bespoke allows Rolls-Royce customers the luxur y of commissioning

motor cars to suit their personal lifestyles.

Examples are as versatile and unique as picnic sets that are color-matched to a car’s interior, carefully selected luxurious interior materials or the creation of seamless storage for an owner’s favorite belongings.

Brazilian government to relax its fiscal discipline Brazil backs away from economic policy pillars

Stewart Lockie

Burgan Bank announces Yawmi Account winners KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced yesterday the names of the four lucky winners of its Yawmi account draw, each taking home a prize of KD5,000. The lucky winners for the daily draws took home a cash-prize of KD 5000 each, and they are: Rashed Khaleel Ibrahim Rashed; Ahmad Abdulredha Hussain Saleem; Mohammed Mohsen Mohammed Alshamery and Shabbir Hussein Shamun Ali. The newly re-launched Yawmi Account is better, easier and faster than any day before. With its new and enhanced features, the Yawmi Account has become more convenient, easier, and faster for customers to benefit from. Now, customers will be eligible to enter the draw after 48 hours only from opening the account.

Customers are also required to deposit KD 100 or equivalent only to enter the daily draw, and the coupon value to enter the draw stands at KD 10.

The newly designed Yawmi account has

tions and fulfill their innermost desires.

With highly bespoke Phantom and Ghost models, we are able to achieve this. The passion with which our bespoke craftspeople create these beautiful cars is reflected in some truly outstanding examples deliv-

been launched to provide a highly innovative offering along with a higher frequency and incentive of winning for everyone.

Today, the Yawmi account is a well understood product, where its popularity can be seen from the number of increasing account holders.

Burgan Bank encourages everyone to open a Yawmi account and/or increase their deposit to maximize their chances to becoming a daily winner. The more customers deposit, the higher the chances they receive of winning the draw.

Opening a Yawmi account is simple, customers are urged to visit their nearest Burgan Bank branch and receive all the details, or simply call the bank’s Call Center at 1804080 where customer service representatives will be delighted to assist with any questions on the Yawmi account or any of the bank’s products and ser vices.

Customers can also log on to Burgan Bank’s www.burgan.com for further information.

BRASILIA: The Brazilian government is willing to relax its fiscal discipline to prioritize economic growth in 2013, Treasury chief Arno Augustin said, backing away from one of the country’s main economic policy pillars of the last decade. Augustin said Brazil does not need to fully meet its closely watched primary budget surplus target to keep finances in good standing, since the economy has matured.

“What’s new, and has been for several years now, is that the government prioritizes the economy to determine fiscal policy,” Augustin said in a interview late on Tuesday. “In the past, it was difficult to make changes to the primary (surplus) target because there were doubts about the medium-and-long sustainability ” of Brazil’s indebtedness, Augustin said. “Now, that sustainability is assured.” His comments are some of the most explicit by an official to recognize that the Brazilian government is moving away from the strict fiscal management rules credited with ushering in macroeconomic stability after decades of crises.

A more flexible fiscal policy also highlights President Dilma Rousseff’s efforts to remove some of the safeguards that protected the Brazilian economy from disaster over the past decade, but have also restrained growth.

Augustin, whom other officials in Brasilia say has gained considerable influence with Rousseff over the past year, went as far as to say that the government could even drop the primary surplus target in favor of an overall budget balance goal that includes debt payments. However, he stressed that no decision has been made on the matter.

The primary surplus, or revenues minus expenditures excluding debt payments, is a gauge of a country’s ability to repay its obligations, an d is watched by investors. The government missed its 2012 primary surplus goal of 139.8 billion reais ($68.64 billion) by a long shot after a slowdown in tax revenues. Officials tapped into the government’s sovereign wealth fund and brought forward dividend payments from state-run companies to meet an already reduced primary goal.

Some analysts have criticized the government for using what they describe as “creative” accounting methods that undermine the country’s reputation for fiscal prudence.

Many outside auditors, including the International Monetary Fund, do not recognize the accounting methods used by the Brazilian government to meet the target.

For example, in 2010 when Brazil also lowered the goal by excluding some infrastructure investments, the IMF said Brazil’s primary budget surplus was equal to 2.4 percent of GDP and not the 3.1 percent announced by the government.

DEBT BURDEN FALLS Augustin said the government has the legal right to use those accounting tools. To further increase its fiscal maneuvering, the government proposed for the first time in this year’s budget bill an option to exclude some tax deductions from its primary target of 155.9 billion reais. Augustin said record low interest rates will keep pushing down the debt burden and give the government extra room to bolster an economy

that has struggled to grow since mid-2011.

To the envy of a highly indebted United States and euro zone, Brazil has been able to slash its public debt from nearly 60 percent of GDP to a record low of about 35 percent today. “In the past, if we didn’t meet the primary target, the debt-to-GDP (gross domestic product) ratio increased.

Now, if we do a primary surplus a bit below or above the target, the ratio will continue to fall,” Augustin said.

Still, even after easing fiscal rigor to give more stimulus to local businesses the government failed to prop up an economy that likely grew a meager 1 percent last year. To foster growth, Augustin said the government will ensure there is a 20 percent reduction in power rates this year despite a historic drought that will likely increase generation costs. He added that the reduction of energy rates will likely trim more than half a percentage point off annual inflation in 2013.

He said that the economy is picking up speed this year and that the government planned to sell dollar-denominated debt abroad in the first quarter to highlight investors’ confidence in Brazil’s fiscal management. In September, Brazil sold $1.35 billion in 10-year global bonds to yield 2.686 percent, the lowest rate ever, as developed-world investors sought emerging-market obligations that yields more than bonds in their markets. “We will make a good debt sale and those people who have doubts about the fundamentals of our country will see that they remain solid,” Augustin said. —Reuters

Citadel Capital proposes integrated approach for energy problems KUWAIT: At a major regional energy conference, the leading investment company in Africa and the Middle East highlights the need for an integrated approach to the region’s energy problems and showcases its ‘triple combo’ fundraising strategy targeting DFIs, SWFs and Export Credit Agencies Citadel Capital, the leading investment company in Africa and the Middle East with $9.5 billion in investments, participated today in the 4th General Conference of Arab Union of Electricity and Exhibition.

The conference was held to discuss investment opportunities in the regional energy sector. Mohamed Shoeib, Managing Director of Citadel Capital’s Energy Division moderated a panel on the role and benefits of private capital in the power and alternative energy sectors in the region, with some of the topics discussed including the general financing requirements for such projects and the institutions involved in financing them.

“Despite the GCC accounting for around 54% of the world’s conventional oil reserves and around 40% of global

natural gas reserves, the inevitability of our one day reaching a ‘peak oil’ stage is undeniable, making the search for renewable and alternative energy solutions a particularly pressing issue for our generation as we seek an optimal balance between conventional and renewable sources of energy,” said Shoeib.

Citadel Capital has a long-standing interest in alternative and renewable energy, dating to the time of its acquisition of ENTAG and ECARU as the nuclei of Tawazon, its platform for investment in the solid waste management sector.

Tawazon is an important part of the firm’s energy arm owing to its waste-toenergy emphasis, where it produces RDF for use by industry as an alternative feedstock for their own power needs.

According to Shoeib, an integrated approach from a multiplicity of sources along the value chain - upstream, midstream and downstream - stretching from petroleum to electricity to renewables is required in order to come up with a solution that truly tackles the

energy problems that the region faces today.

Continued Shoeib, “However, with regional Governments outside the GCC facing sharp balance sheet constraints preventing them from funding largescale infrastructure projects, and the turbulence in the European markets (a leading source of project finance in the past), as well as concerns over the post-Arab Spring climate, securing funding for such large-scale projects is becoming increasingly difficult. What we need therefore are bold and innovative approaches to fundraising.”

Citadel Capital has pioneered a proven methodology to counter this dearth in funding, by first reducing a project’s financial and political risks prior to marketing it to investors, and then targeting the ‘triple combo’ of still deeppocketed institutions - Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs), and Export Credit Agencies.

“DFIs in the US and Europe have specific mandates to promote growth and

stability in the Arab world, while credit export agencies - particularly in Asia - are keen to fund projects in strategic regions where they are keen to promote the export of goods and services from their respective countries,” said Shoeib.

“Moreover, SWFs - particularly in the GCC - have mandates to invest in the region and a distinct preference for North Africa.”

Most recently, the ‘triple combo’ was deployed June 2012 to great effect, helping Citadel Capital reach financial close on the Egyptian Refining Company (ERC), a US$ 3.7 billion greenfield oil refinery that was kept on track despite the Global Financial Crisis, the European Sovereign Debt Crisis and the Fukushima nuclear meltdown, and represented the largest instance of inward investment in Egypt post-revolution.

“As ERC shows, it is possible, given the current climate, to bypass the traditional sources of project finance in the region large national and European commercial and investment banks - to successfully launch a large-scale energy project such as this one,” said Shoeib. “It is important

to remember, however, that key to securing financing via this method is not just the financial viability of the project, but also its lasting social, environmental and economic impact.”

The Conference was organized by the Arab Union of Electricity (AUE). Founded in 1987 to improve the development, generation, transmission and distribution of electrical energy in the Arab World, the AUE is headquartered in Amman, Jordan, and is formed of 19 member states including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Algeria, Libya and Egypt.

Energy is one of five core industries on which Citadel Capital focuses alongside mining, agriculture and consumer foods, transportation and logistics and cement manufacturing. The firm operates and owns a number of platform companies in the energy sector including energy distribution platform TAQA Arabia, fuel bunkering and storage operation Mashreq, waste management platform Tawazon, and the Egyptian Refining Company (ERC).

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

technology

The challenge of Googling N Korea SEOUL: What is one of the world’s most prominent advocates of Internet freedom doing in a country where unregulated access to information is generally either impossible or criminal? Google chairman Eric Schmidt’s “private” visit to North Korea raises many questions, not least because he embodies what regimes in Pyongyang have spent decades resisting with all the considerable power at their disposal. For the vast majority of North Korea’s 24 million people, the global information revolution may just as well never have happened, especially when it comes to communication with the outside world.

In a country where radios are hardwired to tune exclusively to state-run broadcasts, surfing the Internet is, for most people, an entirely alien concept. So while many observers puzzle over Schmidt’s motives, just as many are asking what lies behind Pyongyang’s courtship of the Google chairman. Schmidt is part of a “private humanitarian mission” led by former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson, which is ostensibly focused on the case of a detained US citizen awaiting trial for alleged crimes against the state. But state media has made North Korea’s spin on the visit very clear.

“Delegation of Google Corp. of US Arrives” was the headline used by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in announcing their arrival Monday. While North Koreans live in probably the most isolated and censored society on the planet and one that comes bottom of any media freedom survey, the country is not a complete IT desert. Cell phones were introduced in 2008 through a joint venture with the Egyptian telecom firm Orascom, a domestic intranet was launched in 2008 and some state bodies have their own websites.

It’s a natural progression for an impoverished country desperate for investment, but in North Korea the economic imperative is always weighed against the potential for social disruption. Thus the estimated one million subscribers to the sole cell phone system provider, Koryolink, can call each other, but not outside the country. The

domestic Intranet is similarly cut off from the rest of the world, allowing its very limited number of users to exchange stateapproved information and little more.

Access to the full-blown Internet is for the super-elite only, meaning a few hundred people or maybe 1,000 at most. For 95 percent of the population, none of the above are available. Nevertheless, analysts like North Korea security expert Scott Bruce believe the expansion of IT access to five percent of the population is an unprecedented and highly significant development.

“North Korea has made a fundamental shift from a state that limits access to information technology to ensure the security of the regime, to one that is willing to use it as a tool, at least among a certain privileged class, to support national development,” Bruce wrote in a recent policy brief for the East-West Centre in Hawaii.

This, Bruce concluded, opened a new policy option for the United States to engage with the North Korean IT sector and encourage its development in “an operation with the potential to transform the state over the long term”. Washington though has been vocally unenthusiastic about the Richardson-Schmidt trip, saying it was illtimed in the wake of Pyongyang’s widely condemned rocket launch last month.

Stephen Haggard, a North Korea expert at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, admitted to being flummoxed

by Schmidt’s visit, especially given Google’s difficult history with China’s censors.

“Google was forced into complex compromises, and faced substantial criticism, for efforts to sustain its China presence in the face of government censorship,” Haggard said. “We don’t fault them for giving Pyongyang a try. But the information giant has more than met its match. “Can you imagine (North Korean leader) Kim JongUn’s response to a Schmidt powerpoint on the liberating power of Google?” he added.

For all the regime’s efforts, the information barrier erected around North Korea has, in recent years, begun to lose some of its prophylactic power. — AFP

Smart TVs get smarter, by just a little bit LAS VEGAS: In the not-so-distant future, couch potatoes will be waving, pointing, swiping and tapping to make their TVs react, kind of like what Tom Cruise did in the 2002 movie “Minority Report.” That’s the vision of TV manufacturers as they show off “smart TVs.” The sets will recognize who’s watching and will try to guess what viewers want to see. They ’ll respond to more natural speech and will connect with your smartphone in a single touch. The idea is to make TV watching easier and more pleasant as viewers are confronted with more and more choices - from the hundreds of live TV channels from the cable or satellite provider to online video services such as Netflix Inc, Hulu and Apple’s iTunes. A traditional remote control that lets you flip through channels one at a time suddenly seems inadequate.

At a speech this week, Samsung President Boo-Keun Yoon said the company was developing “TVs that have the power to create the ultimate lean-back experience.” But don’t worry about “Big Brother ” looking back at you.

Manufacturers such as Samsung Electronics Co will allow motion-capturing cameras to be pointed away. Gesture recognition still has a long ways to go, and in some demonstrations at this week’s International CES show in Las Vegas, voice commands got lost in translation.

At a crowded Samsung booth, one attendant demonstrated how hand gestures were used to play simple kids’ games. Raising her hand brought up an on-screen cursor. Grasping the air was equivalent to clicking on what her digital hand was hovering over. However, when she tried the same gestures on a menu of TV-watching options, the TV didn’t respond well. When she tried to give a kind of sideways wave - like Queen Elizabeth greeting her subjects - the page didn’t swipe to the left as it should have. The technology appeared less responsive compared with the Xbox 360’s Kinect motion-control system, which seems to do a much better job at swiping through menus. Later, in a quiet, enclosed Samsung booth, the TV struggled to comprehend voice commands.

The TV was asked, “find me a movie with Tom Cruise,” and correctly pulled up an online trailer of his latest movie, “Jack Reacher.” The system was then asked to “find me dramas.”

The command “Number 3” was given to choose the third option in the results, but the TV instead started a new search

and offered a range of viewing options for “Sommersby.” There are some safeguards in place so that the TV wouldn’t misinterpret casual conversations or gestures as actual commands. You’d need to press a button before giving a voice command, and you’d need to stand still for a few seconds and raise one hand before an on-screen cursor would appear for gesture commands. Paul Gagnon, a TV analyst with research firm NPD Group, said these technologies are still in their early days. “Most interaction I’ve had with gesture and voice control ... it’s not real great right now,” he said.

“Right now, a lot of people in the industry are just trying to explore the possibilities.”

The TV makers’ new interactive features fared better when they reverted to the traditional remote control format, with some twists. Samsung’s new remote has a touch-enabled track pad that swiped through menus similar to smartphone screens on Android and Apple mobile devices. Panasonic Corp is also including a track pad and a microphone on its new remote - though it faces similar challenges recognizing commands. A voice command for “Breaking Bad” on video brought up Google search results on a Web browser, as opposed to opportunities to watch the show.

LG Electronics Inc.’s newest “Magic Remote” controller was incredibly precise in directing where an on-screen pointer should be. It uses Bluetooth wireless technology along with a gyroscope inside the controller itself. It worked even from a great distance or when facing in the opposite direction.

LG’s voice command worked well in searching for programs on live TV, Web video apps and even the broader Internet. When an attendant pressed the voice input button and spoke into the microphone on the controller asking for “Channel 5,” one of items presented was the Bing search results showing the website of the Channel 5 TV broadcaster in Las Vegas. When asked for “The Dark Knight Rises,” the TV showed that it was available for rental or purchase ondemand through the Vudu online video app and brought up that app on the TV. Another feature demonstrated on an LG TV was a way to mirror what’s on your smartphone or tablet with the TV. Using what’s known as “near-field communications,” an attendant touched his Android phone to a kind of sticky pad that was stuck onto the TV stand. — AP

LAS VEGAS: Jung Jin Bae, of South Korea, tests a motion sensor at the LG booth at the International Consumer Electronics Show. —AP

NEW YORK: File photo shows anell Burley Hofmann, (right), poses with her son Gregory at their home in Sandwich. —AP

NEW YORK: Gregory Hofmann poses with a signed contract at his home .

Mom goes viral with son’s phone code of conduct ‘It is my phone. I bought it. I pay for it. I am loaning it to you’ NEW YORK: Janell Burley Hofmann honored her 13-year-old son’s “maturity and growth” at Christmas with his first iPhone, but it came with strings attached. Eighteen strings, to be exact, in a written code of conduct that placed the mommy blogger at the center of the debate over how parents should handle technology in the hands of their teens, especially younger ones just entering the frenetic world of social networks and smartphones.

Thousands of people, including those bemoaning too much helicopter parenting, commented and shared the funny, heartfelt agreement posted at the holiday by the Cape Cod, Mass., mom of five. The interest crashed her website and led her to appear with her eldest, Gregory, on morning TV. Hofmann’s first order of business: “It is my phone. I bought it. I pay for it. I am loaning it to you. Aren’t I the greatest?” She included caveats that some parenting and tech addiction experts consider crucial in easing new entrants onto Facebook, Instagram and shiny new mobile devices: You must share passwords with a parent, answer their calls, hand over said device early on school nights and a little later on weekends. You must avoid hurtful texts and porn and pay for a replacement if your phone “falls into the toilet, smashes on the ground, or vanishes into thin air.”

Of the latter Hofmann advises her teen, “Mow a lawn, stash some birthday money. It will happen, you should be prepared.” Hofmann said in an interview that she decided on the contract as she pondered the power of the technology she and her husband were about to plop into their son’s world. She was looking for a way to be present in his phone use without being a “creeper,” his word for stalky, spying parents. She wasn’t surprised that her list, which Greg agreed to, resonates with other parents. It also resonates with psychologist David Greenfield, a technology addiction specialist in West Hartford, Conn.

“We have ritualized the gift of the smartphone,” he said, yet many parents don’t have the know-how, stomach, time or interest in actively guiding kids when they first jump into digital

life. For some parents, he said, it’s only when things go horribly wrong that attention is paid.

He knows of parents who have gone so far as to jam all Internet and cell phone signals at home when they couldn’t get their kids to power down. Police in Rocklin, Calif., said two girls, ages 15 and 16, used a prescription sleeping medication recently to spike the milkshakes of one’s parents so they could log onto the Internet after 10 p.m.

Greenfield recommends contracts like Hofmann’s, if parents follow through. Others creep using apps and monitoring software. He thinks that’s fine, too. There’s little data broken down by age on the number of Internet users whose lives are negatively impacted by smartphones, tablets, laptops and other technology, Greenfield said. In the general population, studies range from 1 percent to 10 percent of users whose digital habits interfere with their lives.

Greenfield estimates the reality is somewhere between 2 and 6 percent.

Hofmann was looking for a way to open the conversation with her son. Many other parents are, obviously, concerned as well about what their teens are doing online, but also what is being done to them. In a recent report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 81 percent of parents with online teens said they are concerned about how much information advertisers can learn about their kids’ behavior and 72 percent said they’re concerned about how their children interact online with people they don’t know.

Nearly 70 percent said they’re concerned about how their children manage their reputations online and 57 percent of kids ages 12 and 13 said they’re very concerned about it. The report said parents are being more proactive, not just relying on parental-control tools such as browser filters. An increasing number are joining their kids on social media, but older parents may be approaching their kids’ lives there with the wrong emotional filters.

“We see it as a separation from social behavior. They see it AS social behavior,” Greenfield

said. “I’m not sure we’re going to be able to bridge that difference generationally.” More tech abuse education needs to be done in this country before teens are actively engaged, he said. In parts of Europe and Asia, for instance, kids learn how to handle their digital lives as formal training in third or fourth grade.

“Here they think of it like it’s part of their body, and they treat it that way,” Greenfield said.

Hofmann’s contract is her own attempt at education. “Don’t take a zillion pictures and videos.

There is no need to document everything. Live your experiences. They will be stored in your memory for eternity.”

And she gets downright inspirational toward the bottom: “Leave your phone home sometimes and feel safe and secure in that decision. It is not alive or an extension of you. Learn to live without it. Be bigger and more powerful than FOMO - fear of missing out.” Hofmann also urges her boy to, “Keep your eyes up. See the world happening around you. Stare out a window.

Listen to the birds. Take a walk. Talk to a stranger.

Wonder without googling.”

And her final word: “You will mess up. I will take away your phone. We will sit down and talk about it. We will start over again. You & I, we are always learning. I am on your team. We are in this together.” Aisha Sultan in St Louis studied parenting in the digital age as a Knight Wallace Fellow at the University of Michigan. As parents, she said, “We’ve sort of hit a tipping point. The conversation has shifted from wow, isn’t all this technology cool to wow, how do we control it?

We can’t eliminate it completely.”

But parental frustration is mounting, Sultan said. She cited last year’s case of a father who shot up his daughter’s laptop over a profanityinfused Facebook rant against her parents. He recorded the act and earned more than 23 million YouTube views for his trouble. Before the conversation with our kids begins, Greenfield said, parents have to deal with their own digital obsessions. “Parents have to have limits, too,” he said. “We have to be brutally honest with ourselves on our own use and abuse.” — AP

Gadget Watch: Electronic fork nags you on eating

LAS VEGAS: Consumers view the Audi R18 e-tron quattro hybrid racing car and first hybrid to win the LeMans race in 2012, at the 2013 International CES. —AFP

Driverless car concept gains traction at CES LAS VEGAS: Automakers and technology firms are jumping on the bandwagon of the driverless car, which remains a concept as well as a platform for new technologies to improve safety on the road. At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, Toyota and Audi showed off their ideas for autonomous vehicles, in the wake of the push

by Google on its driverless car. And others may follow suit. Toyota drew considerable attention with its electronically gussied-up Lexus sedan, equipped with a host of sensors and cameras that can detect what is around the vehicle. “It has the ability to drive itself, but we won’t allow it,” said Jim Pisz, corporate manager at Toyota North America.

Pisz said the technology is similar to Google’s with the use of electronics, but that “the Google focus is on software mapping, that’s what they’re really good at. Toyota focuses on safety programs and more integrated programs.” The Japanese automaker maintains that its 2013 Lexus LS, also being shown at the expo, already has “the world’s most advanced pre-collision safety system” but its driverless cars are only being used in closed research centers, unlike Google’s publicized road tours. The growing use of advanced electronics for auto safety, communications and entertainment has prompted a record eight automakers to attend the Las Vegas show, along with dozens of firms working on related products and services.

“Electronics are vital to our cars. Today’s cars are rolling computers,” Audi executive Wolfgang Duerheimer told reporters at CES.

The German automaker’s Ulrich Hofmann told AFP that the new technology “helps the driver in situations where it’s boring to drive, and leaves you to drive when it is fun.”

At the Las Vegas tech confab, Audi showed its concept for a driverless vehicle in a simulator. Hofmann said an autonomous car could be developed within five to eight years but noted that “there are a lot of regulatory and legal issues.” Ford Motor Co researcher Pim van der Jagt said the US auto giant halted its program on driverless cars several years ago.

The concert “seemed so far out, it didn’t make sense having big teams working on it,” he said, but added that “now, with the interest in the Google car, politicians are starting to speak about it” and Ford has resumed its program.

Nevertheless, “a full autonomous car is far out, and may even never exist,” van der Jagt said. Audi engineers say they can envision an on-off switch which could be used in traffic jams on highways, where vehicles could join a sort of motorcade traveling at identical speeds, freeing a driver for a few moments. In September, California Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill clearing the way for self-driving cars to jockey with human-operated vehicles to test the technology on the state’s roads.

The state of Nevada in May issued a license plate giving Google’s self-driving car the green light to travel along public roads there.

The growing talk of autonomous cars has sparked fresh interest in how the tech sectorwhich has been under fire for fueling “distracted driving”-can improve auto safety and the driving experience. — AFP

LAS VEGAS: If you’ve always wanted a fork that spies on your eating habits, you’re in luck: A company has developed a utensil that records when you lift it to the mouth.

The electronic fork is one of the gadgets getting attention this week at the International CES in Las Vegas, an annual showcase of the latest TVs, computers and other consumer-electronic devices.

What it is: The HAPIfork is a fork with a fat handle containing electronics and a battery. It’s made by HapiIabs, which is based in the land of slow, languorous meals France.

How it works: The fork contains a motion sensor, so it can figure out when it’s being lifted to the mouth. If it senses that you’re eating too fast, it warns with you with a vibration and a blinking light. The company believes that using the fork 60 to 75 times during meals lasting from 20 to 30 minutes is ideal. Between meals, you can connect the fork to a computer or phone and upload data on how fast you’re eating, for long-term tracking. The electronics are waterproof, so you can wash the fork in the sink. If you want to put it in the dishwasher, you have to remove the electronics first.

Why you’d want it: Nutritional experts recommend eating slowly because it takes about 20 minutes to start feeling full. If you eat fast, you may eat too much. The fork is also designed to space your forkfuls so that you have time to chew each one properly. It’s like having your mom in a utensil!

What it doesn’t do: The fork has no clue about the nutritional content of your food or how big your forkfuls are. It can’t tell if you’re shoveling lard or stabbing peas individually. Availability: The company is launching a fundraising campaign for the fork in March on the group-fundraising site Kickstarter.com. Participants need to put down $99 for a fork, which is expected to ship around April or May. Those forks will connect to computers through USB cables. Later this year, the company plans to start selling Bluetoothenabled forks to the general public. No price was disclosed for that version. —AP

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

Vitamin D may not relieve arthritis pain It’s still worth trying BOSTON: Taking daily vitamin D doesn’t keep knee pain from getting worse or slow the loss of cartilage for people with osteoarthritis, according to a US study. Previous research suggested that among people with the joint disorder, those with higher levels of vitamin D in their blood tended to have a slower progression of symptoms. But whether that meant taking more in supplement form would also have a protective effect was unclear.

“It looked compelling at that point,” said lead author Timothy McAlindon, from Tufts Medical Center in Boston.

For the new study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, he and his colleagues randomly assigned 156 of their patients

with knee osteoarthritis to take a daily dose of vitamin D or a vitamin-free placebo for two years.

None of the participants knew which type of supplement they were assigned to take. The vitamin D doses started at 2,000 international units (IU) per day and were increased to as high as 8,000 IU daily in some patients. For most adults, the recommended daily allowance of vitamin D is 600 to 800 IU. The vitamin D group started out slightly worse off than their comparisons on measures of knee pain and function, but the vitamin didn’t seem to offer clear relief.

On a 0-to-20 point pain scale, people taking vitamin D saw a 2.3-point decrease during the two years, compared to a 1.5-point decrease among

those taking placebos - a difference that could have been due to chance.

Changes in knee cartilage volume - a measure of the progression of osteoarthritis - and knee function were also similar among the two groups during and after the study period.

Robert Heaney, who has studied vitamin D at Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska, said he wasn’t surprised the study didn’t find a beneficial effect on knee pain across all patients.

“It’s almost certain that vitamin D’s effects are different from person to person,” said Heaney, who wasn’t involved in the new research, to Reuters Health. “It’s very important for some people, but

may not make any difference for others.”

That may have to do with genetics or other factors that doctors aren’t yet able to test for before the prescribe vitamin D, Heaney said, though he noted that it’s still worth trying since it may have other small health benefits.

McAlindon, however, disagreed, saying that while it’s possible the higher levels of vitamin D in the blood could help knee pain, so far the results don’t support that idea. “ Vitamin D broadly is the vitamin of the moment,” McAlindon said. “There are hopes that it will have wide health benefits.” But he noted that this study shows each of those claims needs to be checked out carefully. — Reuters

Thousands of Antarctic reindeer face slaughter Animals pose threat to native plants and penguins OSLO: About 3,000 reindeer on an island near Antarctica are to be slaughtered to stop damage to the environment by the descendants of a tiny herd introduced a century ago for food by Norwegian whale hunters. A 16strong team, mostly Sami reindeer herders, has arrived in South Georgia, a British overseas territory, and is preparing to round up and cull all the reindeer on an island that is home to penguins and seals and has no native grazing animals. “The reindeer have become very destructive,” Reidar Andersen, director of the Norwegian Nature Inspectorate which oversees the team, told Reuters. Reindeer naturally live only in the Arctic or sub-Arctic regions at the other end of the globe.

The animals have trampled native plants, such as tussac grass, caused erosion and pose a threat to South Georgia’s king penguins and local birds such as the pipit and pintail by destroying their nests. The team was working this week to set up fences and a corral for the reindeer, based on Sami traditions, Andersen

said. Most reindeer will be slaughtered with a bolt gunshot to the head. Some in remote areas, or those near penguins where stampeding reindeer could trample birds, will be shot by rifles. The project is likely to last for two southern hemisphere summers.

The reindeer are part of a global problem of invasive species - animals or plants that take over new habitats, like European rabbits in Australia or Asian carp in US rivers. Invasive pests can spread disease and undermine food production. One estimate a decade ago of the global damage caused by invasive species was $1.4 trillion a year, said Geoffrey Howard, global invasive species coordinator for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). “It’s almost impossible to know the cost,” he told Reuters by phone from Nairobi. “How do you work out how much a badger is worth, or the value of an elephant?”

The IUCN groups governments, scientists and environmental organisations.

In South Georgia, reindeer were introduced in the early 20th century by Norwegian

whalers who wanted to use them as food. “I feel sure they will thrive and become prolific in time, if they are left alone, which would most assuredly be an asset to South Georgia,” whaler C A Larsen wrote in 1911 of the introduction of the first 10 reindeer from south Norway. But the plan has backfired. The cull “is the kind of action that’s needed from time to time to correct previous mistakes”, said Arild Skedsmo of the WWF conservation group. He also said Norway should act to get rid of its king crabs, introduced to the country from the Pacific, and sitka spruce trees brought from North America.

Eradicating reindeer is a prelude to a harder battle to rid South Georgia of rats, brought 200 years ago as stowaways on seal hunters’ ships. The French islands of Kerguelen near Antarctica also have big herds of reindeer, originally Swedish. Andersen said the reindeer meat would be transported to the Falkland Islands, which has a population of about 3,000. The hope is it will be sold to locals and to visiting cruise ships. — Reuters

NEW DELHI: An Indian commuter, wrapped in a blanket, waits for transportation as he sits on a footpath on a cold morning in New Delhi yesterday. North India continues to face below average weather conditions with dense fog affecting flights and trains. More than 100 people have died of exposure as northern India deals with historically cold temperatures. — AP

Science gets a grip on finger wrinkles PARIS: Getting pruney fingers from soaking in the bath is an evolutionary advantage, for it helps us get a better grip on objects under water, scientists suggested yesterday. Digit puckering was long thought to be caused by a swelling of the outer layers of skin on the fingertips and toes, but recent research showed it was actually a nervous system response to immersion in water. The purpose, though, was a mystery.

A team from the Institute of Neuroscience at Newcastle University tested the usefulness of wrinkling by human volunteers handling wet objects with creased and uncreased fingers.

Those who had their hands immersed in warm water for 30 minutes were much faster than those with dry digits in a test that entailed picking up glass marbles and lead fishing weights between thumb and index finger and transferring them from one container to another.” We have shown that wrinkled fingers give a better

grip in wet conditions,” research leader Tom Smulders said of the findings.

“It could be working like treads on your car tyres which allow more of the tyre to be in contact with the road and gives you a better grip.” Smulders said the wrinkling was probably an evolutionary adaption, possibly to improve mobility on wet surfaces.”This would explain why it happens to both hands and feet, and might have been an adaptation in some primate ancestor well before humans evolved, who might have walked on all fours,” he said.

It may also have been useful in gathering food from wet vegetation or streams. The study found that wrinkling had no adverse impact on the handling of dry objects, which raises the question why we do not have permanently creased fingers and toes. Finger wrinkling may carry a cost, though, by diminishing fingertip sensitivity, Smulders added. — AFP

New strain of norovirus spreads around the world LONDON: A new strain of the winter vomiting disease norovirus has spread to France, New Zealand and Japan from Australia and is overtaking all others to become the dominant strain in Britain, health officials said yesterday.

The norovirus variant, known as Sydney 2012, was identified in a scientific paper last week and Britain’s Health Protection Agency (HPA) said genetic testing showed it was now causing more cases in England and Wales than other strains.

Sydney 2012 does not carry worse symptoms than others but, like other norovirus strains, it can cause violent and projectile vomiting, diarrhoea and sometimes fevers, headaches and stomach cramps.

Norovirus cases have risen earlier than expected this winter in Britain, across Europe, Japan and other parts of the world.

Although norovirus mostly causes just a few days of sickness, it is responsible for millions of infections every year and is notorious for its ability to evade control.

In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say norovirus causes 21 million illnesses a year, with 70,000 cases requiring hospitalisation and around 800 ending in death. Ian Goodfellow, a scientist who has studied norovirus for 10 years, describes it as “the Ferrari of the virus

world” and “one of the most infectious viruses of man”.

Latest HPA data showed a dip in reported norovirus cases over the Christmas period - something scientists had predicted - but with 4,140 cases so far in England and Wales, infections are still 63 percent higher than at this time last year.

For every laboratory-confirmed case, scientists estimate there are 288 unreported cases, since the vast majority of people affected don’t go to a doctor. This means the number affected so far in Britain is more than 1.2 million.

“The emergence of a new strain does not mean that it causes more serious illness, and managing outbreaks and those with the illness remains the same,” said David Brown, director of the virology reference department at the HPA. “Noroviruses mutate rapidly and new strains are constantly emerging.

At the start of the season it is normal for outbreaks to be caused by a range of different strains. However, as the season progresses, particular strains are more successful and become dominant.”

There is no specific treatment for norovirus infection other than to let the illness take its course and try to stay hydrated by drinking regularly.

Symptoms usually last around two days. — Reuters

DRESDEN, Germany: Two photographers take pictures of a male African bullfrog sitting on a scale at the zoo yesterday. The frog weighs 834 gm. —AFP

Switching out of wood burning stoves saves lives PARIS: Reducing the use of wood-burning stoves in an Australian city led to a sharp fall in deaths from respiratory diseases and heart failure, a study published on Tuesday said.

The paper, published by the British Medical Journal (BMJ), highlights the pollution risks from inefficient biomass burning, used by billions of people for heating and cooking.

University of Tasmania researchers looked at what happened when a local city, Launceston, implemented a scheme to reduce pollution from wood smoke.

It launched a campaign to educate residents about the risks of smoke from wood-burning stoves and offered help to replace these with

electric ones. From 2001 to 2004, the number of households that used wood-burning stoves fell from 66 to 30 percent. Atmospheric pollution from air particulates during winter fell by 40 percent. Deaths among men fell by 11.4 percent, particularly from cardiovascular causes, which saw a decline of 17.9 percent, and from respiratory causes, which retreated by 22.8 percent.

There was no statistically significant fall among women, a question that was not addressed by the study.

The mortality figures derive from a six-and-ahalf year comparison between Launceston with Hobart, the Tasmanian capital, which did not have any air-quality interventions.

Tasmania, Australia’s southern-most state, has a climate that is usually colder and wetter than the rest of the country.

Wood-burning stoves to heat homes became popular in Tasmania during the 1980s and 1990s, eventually causing pollution problems in Launceston, a city of 67,000 people, which is located in a river valley where haze accumulated, according to the study.

The problems of biomass pollution are well known, but there is a big gap in scientific evidence about the effectiveness of smoke-reducing schemes, said the study. Only a few studies have ever been carried out to explore the impact of air-quality interventions.—AFP

Risks of binge drinking often overlooked for women

US top court limits stays of execution for mentally ill

ATLANTA: Binge drinking contributes to the deaths of about 12,000 women and girls annually in the United States and is a problem that gets overlooked despite causing a long list of health risks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said yesterday.

The federal health agency found that one in every eight women and one in five high school girls reports binge drinking, which for females is defined as consuming four or more alcoholic drinks in a short time.

About twice as many men than women binge drink, but the health risks are different for women and the dangers of their behavior draw less attention, CDC Director Thomas Frieden told reporters.

“Binge drinking is an under-recognized women’s health issue,” Frieden said in a conference call on the new report. “Women tend to be smaller and therefore are more susceptible to the harms of alcohol at lower levels of drinking.”

Binge drinking can increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer, heart disease, unintentional pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and auto accidents, he said.

CDC scientists reviewed data collected on the drinking behaviors of approximately 278,000 women aged 18 and older, as well as 7,500 high school girls in 2011. The report estimated that nearly 14 million U.S. women binge drink about three times a month, consuming an average of six drinks during each binge. Half of all high school girls who consume alcohol reported binge drinking, the CDC said.

The excessive use of alcohol is most common among white and Hispanic women, those aged 18-34, high school girls and women with household incomes of more than $75,000, the CDC said.

Underage women and those who are pregnant should not drink at all, the CDC said. Other women are advised not to have more than one alcoholic drink per day. —Reuters

WASHINGTON: The Supreme Court unanimously decided yesterday that mentally ill death row inmates should not receive unlimited suspensions of their post-conviction challenges.

The nation’s highest court decided that such suspensions make sense on a case-by-case basis, but should be left to the discretion of individual judges, and not be automatic.

The court offered its ruling based on arguments from two death penalty cases. One concerned Sean Carter, who has been diagnosed as schizophrenic, and the other Ernest Gonzales, who suffers from psychosis.Their lawyers had invoked their clients’ mental health to get procedures against them frozen until they can become competent to participate in their own defense.

Writing for the court, conservative Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that lawyers were “quite capable” of defending their clients without their help. The ruling overturned decisions by lower courts in Ohio and Arizona, respectively, granting unlimited stays of execution for the two men.

Carter was sentenced to death for the rape and murder of his adoptive grandmother, while Gonzales was sent to death row for stabbing a couple in front of their seven-year-old child during a robbery. In both cases, the states of Ohio and Arizona, supported by the federal government, appealed to Supreme Court to protest against the lack of a time limit on the suspensions, once given.

In its ruling, the court also reversed a 1967 decision in which it had frozen the death sentence of a mentally deficient man without giving a timeframe. The inmate ended up dying in prison. In 2002, in its “Atkins v. Virginia” decision, the Supreme Court forbid the execution of people with intellectual disabilities, because their handicap could increase the risk of an arbitrary execution. —AFP

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

Sleep apnea may shorten your life NEW YORK: If you fall asleep reading this article, cut it out and see your doctor. Doing so may extend your life.

Approximately 50 million Americans of all ages suffer from sleep related problems. One of the more common disorders is obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disease characterized by repetitive collapse of the airway while sleeping, closing off the airway and blocking airflow. Although the majority of people suffering with this problem are middle aged and overweight, anyone of any age may experience this problem. It is estimated that 2-3% of children suffer from OSA. Although not everyone who snores suffers from OSA, most people who have OSA are impressive snorers. The snoring tends to get louder and more extreme until breathing stops completely for a short period. The individual will then usually recommence breathing with a loud start. Often times those who suffer from this disease experience serious social consequences of these obnoxious sleeping characteristics.

OSA occurs when affected individuals reach a deep enough level of sleep that the muscles in the airway relax. Sufferers have a combination of smaller than normal airway passages, abnormal anatomy of the airway, or excessive laxity in the muscles and other soft tissues surrounding the airway. The vibration of air passing through these tissues is what creates the loud snoring characteristic of victims of OSA. When the airway relaxes enough, the opening shuts off completely and the passage of air is blocked. This causes the body to be deprived of oxygen. The body then emerges from the sleep state as a survival mechanism and breathing starts again. This cycle continues throughout the sleep period, creating a state of chronic oxygen deprivation and ineffective sleep.

The first symptoms the OSA sufferer usually notices are the result of sleep deprivation. Many individuals are not aware of the disturbances in their sleep patterns. They are however chronically fatigued and never feel well rested. They often have complaints such as depression, irritability, memory and learning difficulty, lack of concentration, sexual dysfunction and inability to stay awake while driving, reading, watching television, working, etc.

Individuals with OSA are at risk for numerous

related medical complications including but not limited to depression, high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia and heart attack and stroke. OSA also has the potential to exacerbate other systemic illnesses such as diabetes, and affected individuals have even been shown to be at increased risk of death from various types of cancer. Various studies have shown individuals under fifty years of age with OSA to have a life expectancy that is reduced by 8 to 18 years.

Diagnosis of OSA usually starts with an evaluation from the primary care physician. Risk factors coupled with the patient’s history will often give the physician a high degree of suspicion leading toward the diagnosis. The primary care doctor will then typically refer the patient to a sleep center for a comprehensive evaluation. The sleep center is typically associated with a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and med-

ical management of sleep disorders.

The major component of the sleep center evaluation is the sleep study. This study most frequently involves the patient actually sleeping in the center while the patient’s vital signs, brain activity, eye movement, oxygen levels and respiratory activity are monitored. This allows the sleep physician to diagnose the nature and severity of the patient’s sleep disorder. We are fortunate to have a state of the art sleep center right here in the Bitterroot Valley adjacent to Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital, the Marcus Daly Sleep Center.

The first line of management of OSA is to council the patient to reduce risk factors. The most common of these is weight reduction, and the elimination of depressants like alcohol that further suppress respirations during sleep. In situations where these are major contributors,

compliance from the patient can dramatically improve symptoms of the disease.

Medical management of OSA most commonly begins with the use of a breathing assistance device called a CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure device. This device consists of a mask over the patient’s nose that forces air into the patient’s airway during sleep. This is a very effective tool for managing OSA for those patients who can tolerate it.

Unfortunately, many patients are not able or willing to comply with use of the CPAP. For these individuals, surgery becomes the best option.

There are many surgical procedures that have been utilized to help manage OSA, most of which are not reliable in curing the patient’s disease. There are currently two surgical procedures that are understood to be effective and even curative for OSA. These are tracheotomy, and bimaxillary advancement.

Tracheotomy is a procedure that involves completely bypassing the upper airway by making an opening in the trachea just above the sternum in the lower neck. This of course completely eliminates any of the obstruction concerns and is curative for OSA. As one might imagine however, this comes with the serious downside of living the rest of one’s life breathing through a hole in the neck. This procedure is rarely used.

Bimaxillary advancement is a procedure that involves moving the both the upper and lower jaws forward. Doing this also moves all of the soft tissues of the throat forward, thus making the airway much larger. Historically this procedure was also reserved for the most severe cases because it was a lengthy procedure requiring long hospital stays and long recuperation.

Our practice here in Western Montana is proud to be included among a small group of doctors nationally with a wide level of experience in this type of surgery who have developed improved techniques for this procedure. Using a combination of three dimensional computer assisted surgical planning, advanced surgical techniques, sophisticated anesthetic care, and stringent post-surgical care, most patients require only one nights stay after surgery. Most patients are back to work in one week.

If the description above sounds like your sleep experience, it is critical that you seek evaluation and treatment.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

Suad Al-Sabah creative arts awards announced

SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS

W

hat’s more fun than clicking a beautiful picture? Sharing it with others! Let other people see the way you see Kuwait - through your lens. Friday Times will feature snapshots of Kuwait through Instagram feeds. If you want to share your Instagram photos, email us at instagram@kuwaittimes.net

Announcements Dr Suad Al-Sabah

Shirva feast

S

hirva Welfare Association Kuwait (SWAK) will be celebrating their Shirva Parish feast-2013 here in Kuwait. On this occasion there will be a mass offered at 9.15 am on February 8, 2013 at the Holy Family Cathedral. Kuwait and the celebration / gettogether with a of variety entertainment programme will he held from 4:30 pm - 9 pm on the same day at the Indian Community School, Salmiya. SWAK members or their children who would like to participate in the variety entertainment programme and show their talent are requested to contact any of the SWAK committee members listed below to avail the opportunity before January 10, 2013. Likewise if any of members children have excelled in academics or any other extra curricular activities in the past 1 year will be appreciated and hence are requested to inform any of the SWAK committee members listed below before the 10th of January.

Last date for enrollment in the talent show is January 15, 2013.

Rawda Al-Haj

T

he Dar Suad Al-Sabah Publishing House announced the results of the Dr. Suad Al-Sabah Awards for Creative Arts for the year 2011-2012, featuring poems and novels written by Arab authors aged thirty years or less.

Dr Suad Al-Sabah released a statement following the announcement in

Ismail Fahad

which she expressed gratitude for “the improvement seen in the participation and judging levels”, promising further enhancement in the level of competitions “to make sure that the best young authors in the Arab World are rewarded”.

“The competition’s main goal is to encourage young creative minds in the

Dr Ahmad Al-Shalaq Arab World to showcase the product of their intellectual activity so that it can be assessed by teams featuring the most experienced in the field”, she explained.

This year’s judging committees featured an unprecedented number of leading authors in the awards’ 25 year history, including Dr Abdullah Al-Ghathami from

Dr Abdullah Al-Ghathami Saudi Arabia, Ismail Fahad Ismail from Kuwait, Dr Najma Idrees from Kuwait, Dr Mersel Al-Ajmi from Kuwait, poet Rawda Al-Haj from Sudan, in addition to members of the judging committee for the ‘Egypt History’ competition including Dr Ahmad Al-Shalaq, Ismail Zinedine, and Dr Ahmad Al-Basyouni.

Jaber Al-Ali School takes part in ESL oral fluency competition

Arabic courses

A

WARE will begin Winter 1 Arabic language courses with new textbooks and curricula on from December 2, 2012 until January 24, 2013. AWARE Arabic language courses are designed with the expat in mind. The environment is relaxed & courses are designed for those wanting to learn Arabic for travel, cultural understanding, and conducting business or simply to become more involved in the community. For more information or registration, please log-on to our website.

Charity show

O

n the occasion of New Year Hangama 2013, which will be held tomorrow from 6:00 pm to 12:00 am at Carmel School, Khaitan. Rak Dance Academy is conducting dance competition in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Hindi. The winners will be rewarded.

ESL supervisors, Al-Najjar, Samaha, Rizzouqi and the head of the organizing cmt., Ahmed Abdullah.

Al-Najjar with Al-Tarrah

Goan Culinary Club

T

he Goan Culinary Club - Goa encourages you to log on to their website where you can find a video of Odette and Joe Mascarenhas sharing their thoughts on Goan cuisine. These videos were recorded at the launch of the Goan Culinary Club in Goa on March 3, 2012. Thanks to support from all at the Goan Culinary Club, we have made great progress in six months.

Basketball Academy

T

he new Premier Basketball Academy offers coaching and games every Friday and Saturday from 10 am onwards for 6 to 18 year olds, boys and girls. Located in Bayan Block 7, Masjed Al-Aqsa Street by Abdullah Al-Rujaib High School. Free Basketball and Tee Shirts for all participants, with certificates and special awards on completion of each 6 week course. Qualified and experienced British and American Coaches, Everyone Welcome.

ICSK Khaitan wins at Islamic Festival

T

he students of the Indian Community School Kuwait, Khaitan Branch, bagged the InterSchool Trophy at the Inter-School Islamic Festival, 2012 held at Najath Boysí School, Salmiya on Friday 23rd November 2012. Commendably, Mohammed Basit Habib of ICSK Khaitan won the Individual Championship trophy in the Senior category and Ayisha Wafia of ICSK, Khaitan clinched the Juniors Individual Championship trophy.

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

Khalid Soud director, Essam Bader.

By Hassan A. Bari

A

long with a number of Mubarak Al-Kabeer Educational Area’s Secondary schools, Jaber Al-Ali AlSabah Secondary School for boys took part in the oral fluency competition organized by the area’s ESL supervision at Khalid Soud Al-Zaid School yestreday. Participants in the competition held under the auspices of the school director, Essam Bader were warmly received by the school’s English HOD, Ahmed Abdullah, the head of the organizing committee.

A panel of judges comprising of ESL supervisors, Mahmoud Al-Najjar, Mohammed Taha Samaha and Habib Rizzouqi received competitors individually, listened to their presentations and discussed presented topics with participants.

The final results are yet to declared. Speaking to Jaber Al-Ali School representative, student Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Tarrah said that he made a presentation about social media, its evolve development, the number of users and the pros and cons of using various social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube...etc. and focused their impact on social bonds. “Depending on how we use them, they are surely a double-edged sword”, he stressed.

Mohammed Al-Tarrah speaking about Social Media.

Golden jubilee parish day celebration of Kuwait St James Mar Thoma Church

T

he Golden Jubilee Parish Day Celebration of Kuwait St. James Mar Thoma Church was inaugurated by Rt. Rev Dr Thomas Mar Theethos, Mumbai Diocesan Episcopa, on January 4, 2013 at National Evangelical Church of Kuwait (NECK). Rev. A.Y. Varghese, Vicar of Kuwait St. James Mar Thoma Church presided over the function.

During the august gathering, Rt. Rev. Dr. Thomas Mar Theethos Episcopa, released a souvenir to commemorate the 50 years of Kuwait St James Marthomites’ Blessed Service in Kuwait by handing over the first souvenir to the Parish Trustee Abraham K. Cherian, and then to the representatives of each prayer group. The souvenir is given to all parish

members to remember the abundant blessings received during the last 50 years.

Apart from its participation in several Golden Jubilee Projects at Kuwait Centre level, Kuwait St James Church took up another project on its own to support a Mission work under the Mumbai Diocese.

Parish members who have completed 35 years in Kuwait and Students who scored highest marks in Class X and XII board exams were honored during the occasion.

Rev. P.P. Kuruvilla, Mumbai Diocesan Secretary, Rev. C.V. Symon, Rev. Chacko Thomas, Rev. Binju Varghese Kuruvilla, K.P. Koshy, NECK- Secretary, Adv. Kuruvilla Varghese, M.K. Pothen, and Abu Sam addressed the gathering.

W H AT ’ S O N

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

Embassy Information EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Australian Embassy Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department.

All processing of visas and immigration matters in conducted by The Australian Consulate-General in Dubai. Email: info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VFS) immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office); Tel: +971 4 355 1958 (VFS) - +971 4 508 7200 (Visa Office); Fax: +971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). In Kuwait applications can be lodged at the Australian Visa Application Centre 4B 1st Floor, Al-Banwan Building Al-Qibla Area, Ali Al-Salem Street, opposite the Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Working hours and days: 09:30 - 17:30; Sunday - Thursday. Or visit their website www.vfs-au-gcc-com for more information. Kuwait citizens can apply for tourist visas on-line at www.immi.gov.au/e visa/e676.htm. � � � ��� � �

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassyof Canada in Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visa and immigration matters including enquiries is conducted by the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. Individuals who are interested in working, studying, visiting or immigrating to Canada†should contact the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, website: www.UAE.gc.ca†or www.goingtocanada.gc.ca, E-mail: abdbi-imenquiry@international.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakei St, Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is open from 07:30 to 12:30. Consular services for Canadian citizens are provided from 09:00†until 12:00, Sunday through Wednesday. � � � ��� � �

The Computer Department at Al-Rawdha Girls Secondary School hosted the “Rawdha Computer Symposium”, in the presence of School Director Fatima Ali and Assistant Director Imam Al-Mansour, supervisors Majida Al-Dousary, Samar Al-Rahmani and Salwa Al-Buaijan, along with computer teachers from Capital Education Zone Schools. Hanadi Shukri presented an explanation of “teacher kit” program while Ayam Al-Faqeeh explained “Edrow Max” program.

— Photos by Yasser Al Zayyat

EMBASSY OF CYPRUS In its capacity as EU Local Presidency in the State of Kuwait, the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus, on behalf of the Member States of the EU and associated States participating in the Schengen cooperation, would like to announce that as from 2nd October 2012 all Schengen States’ Consulates in Kuwait will use the Visa Information System (VIS). The VIS is a central database for the exchange of data on short-stay (up to three months) visas between Schengen States. The main objectives of the VIS are to facilitate visa application procedures and checks at external border as well as to enhance security. The VIS will contain all the Schengen visa applications lodged by an applicant over five years and the decisions taken by any Schengen State’s consulate. This will allow applicants to establish more easily the lawful use of previous visas and their bona fide status. For the purpose of the VIS, applicants will be required to provide their biometric data (fingerprints and digital photos) when applying for a Schengen visa. It is a simple and discreet procedure that only takes a few minutes. Biometric data, along with the data provided in the Schengen visa application form, will be recorded in the VIS central database. Therefore, as from 2nd October 2012, first-time applicants will have to appear in person when lodging the application, in order to provide their fingerprints. For subsequent applications within 5 years the fingerprints can be copied from the previous application file in the VIS. The Cypriot Presidency would like to assure the people of Kuwait and all its permanent citizens that the Member States and associated States participating in the Schengen cooperation, have taken all necessary technical measures to facilitate the rapid examination and the efficient processing of visa applications and to ensure a quick and discreet procedure for the implementation of the new VIS. � � � ��� � �

EMBASSY OF KENYA The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to inform the Kenyan community residents throughout Kuwait and the general public that the Embassy has acquired new office telephone numbers as follows: 25353982, 25353985 - Consular’s enquiries 25353987 - Fax Our Email address: info@kenyaembkuwait.com. � � � ��� � �

The Egyptian Okka, Ortiga & Karrika singing band recently arrived in Kuwait along with their agent, Ahmed Al-Tahawi, executives directors, Mustafa Milko and Waleed Mansour and the famous DJ, Waleed Al-Hariri, where they are scheduled to hold a concert. The band was warmly received by the Egypt Youth Radio administrators, Ahmed Siddiq and Hamada Tito.

Aware to hold diwaniya on ‘Plagues that change History’

“T

he AWARE Center cordially invites you to its diwnaiya presentation entitled, “Outbreak: Plagues that changed History,” by Bryn Barnard on Tuesday January 15, at 7 pm.

The presentation will focus on how modern society has been shaped by infectious diseases including bubonic plague, smallpox, yellow fever, influenza, cholera, tuberculosis and toxoplasma. Bryn’s talk isn’t so much

about the diseases, though he will describe them, but rather how they changed the way we treat illness, improve sanitation, provide drinking water and invented antibiotics. Like” The Genius of Islam”, this is the subject of one of his books, titled “Outbreak.”

Bryn Barnard is an author and illustrator with twenty five years experience creating images for clients that include NASA, National Geographic

and Scientific American. He has illustrated twenty-five books for children and is the author and illustrator of three books, all published by Random House, New York: Dangerous Planet: Natural Disasters That Changed History, Outbreak: Plagues That Changed History, and The Genius of Islam.

Bryn Barnard has had solo exhibitions of his illustrations in Asia, Europe and the United States. In 2009

the Global Health Odyssey Museum at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia exhibited the art from his book Outbreak. The National Museum of Health and Medicine in Washington, DC showed Outbreak in 2010 and will do so again in the spring of 2013 at their new campus in Annapolis, Maryland. Bryn Barnard teaches art at the American International School of Kuwait.

EMBASSY OF MYANMAR Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar would like to inform the general public that the Embassy has moved its office to new location at Villa 35, Road 203, Block 2, Al-Salaam Area in South Surra. The Embassy wishes to advice Myanmar citizens and travellers to Myanmar to contact Myanmar Embassy at its new location. Tel. 25240736, 25240290, Fax: 25240749, email:myankuwait11@gmai1.com. � � � ��� � �

EMBASSY OF NIGERIA The Nigerian embassy has its new office in Mishref. Block 3, Street 7, House 4. For enquires please call 25379541. Fax25387719. Email- nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com or nigeriankuwait@yahoo.co.uk. � � � ��� � �

EMBASSY OF PERU The Embassy of Peru is located in Sharq, Ahmed Al Jaber Street, Al Arabiya Tower, 6th Floor. Working days / hours: SundayThursday /9 am - 4 pm. Residents in Kuwait interested in getting a visa to travel to Peru and companies attracted to invest in Peru are invited to visit the permanent exposition room located in the Embassy. For more information, please contact: (+965) 22267250/1.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

TV PROGRAMS

00:50 Animal Cops Miami 01:45 Your Worst Animal Nightmares 02:35 Untamed & Uncut 03:25 Wildest Africa 04:15 Wildest Islands 05:05 Biggest And Baddest 05:55 Call Of The Wildman 06:20 Cheetah Kingdom 06:45 Wildlife SOS 08:00 The Really Wild Show 08:25 Breed All About It 09:15 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 10:10 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 11:05 Wildest Africa 12:00 Animal Cops Philadelphia 12:55 Call Of The Wildman 13:20 Wildlife SOS 13:50 Gator Boys 14:45 Animal Precinct 15:40 Wildest Africa 16:35 Cheetah Kingdom 17:00 The Really Wild Show 17:30 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 18:25 Bondi Vet 19:20 Extraordinary Dogs 20:15 Monkey Life 20:40 Bondi Vet 21:10 Call Of The Wildman 21:35 Cheetah Kingdom 22:05 Wildest Africa 23:00 Austin Stevens Adventures

00:00 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 01:20 Come Dine With Me 02:05 Antiques Roadshow 03:00 House Swap 03:45 Saturday Kitchen 2008/09 04:35 House Swap 05:20 Come Dine With Me 06:05 Antiques Roadshow 06:55 House Swap 07:40 Saturday Kitchen 2008/09 08:05 Rick Stein’s Mediterranean Escapes 08:55 10 Years Younger 09:45 Bargain Hunt 10:30 Antiques Roadshow 11:20 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 12:40 Come Dine With Me 13:30 Rick Stein’s Mediterranean Escapes 14:20 Vacation Vacation Vacation 15:10 Bargain Hunt 15:55 Antiques Roadshow 16:45 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 18:05 Britain’s Dream Homes 19:00 Eating In The Sun 20:00 Rhodes Across China 20:45 Come Dine With Me

00:00 Business Edition With Tanya Beckett 00:30 Hardtalk 01:00 BBC World News America 02:00 Newsday 02:30 Asia Business Report 02:45 Sport Today 03:00 Newsday 03:30 Asia Business Report 03:45 Sport Today 04:00 Newsday 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Sport Today 05:00 BBC World News 05:30 Asia Business Report 05:45 Sport Today 06:00 BBC World News 06:30 Asia Business Report 06:45 Sport Today 07:00 BBC World News 07:30 Hardtalk 08:00 BBC World News 08:30 World Business Report 08:45 BBC World News 09:30 World Business Report 09:45 BBC World News 10:30 World Business Report 10:45 BBC World News

11:00 BBC World News 11:30 World Business Report 11:45 BBC World News 12:30 Hardtalk 13:00 BBC World News 13:30 World Business Report 13:45 Sport Today 14:00 BBC World News 14:30 BBC World News 15:00 GMT With George Alagiah 16:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:30 World Business Report 17:45 Sport Today 18:00 BBC World News 18:30 Hardtalk 19:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 20:30 BBC Focus On Africa 21:00 BBC World News 21:30 World Business Report 21:45 Sport Today 22:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi

00:05 00:30 00:55 01:20 01:45 02:10 02:35 03:00 03:25 03:50 04:00 04:30 04:55 05:20 05:45 06:00 06:10 06:35 07:00 07:30 07:55 08:10 08:35 08:50 09:05 09:30 09:55 10:20 10:45 11:10 11:35 12:00 12:25 12:50 13:00 13:15 13:40 13:55 14:20 14:35 14:50 15:20 15:45 16:10 16:35 17:00 17:25 17:50 18:15 18:40 19:05 19:30 19:45 20:00 20:15 20:30 20:55 21:20 21:35 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:15 23:40

Taz-Mania Pink Panther And Pals Moomins Tom & Jerry Kids A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Puppy In My Pocket Wacky Races Looney Tunes Duck Dodgers Dastardly And Muttley Dexter’s Laboratory Wacky Races Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Tom & Jerry The Garfield Show Moomins Looney Tunes Tom & Jerry Tales Dexter’s Laboratory Baby Looney Tunes Jelly Jamm Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Ha Ha Hairies Tom & Jerry Kids A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Puppy In My Pocket Wacky Races Looney Tunes Duck Dodgers Popeye Top Cat The Flintstones Dastardly And Muttley Ha Ha Hairies Gerald McBoing Boing Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Bananas In Pyjamas Moomins Dexter’s Laboratory Johnny Bravo Tom & Jerry Pink Panther And Pals The Garfield Show What’s New Scooby-Doo? Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Tom & Jerry Tales The Looney Tunes Show Taz-Mania Moomins Pink Panther & Pals The Garfield Show Jelly Jamm Ha Ha Hairies Gerald McBoing Boing Baby Looney Tunes Cartoonito Tales Puppy In My Pocket The Garfield Show What’s New Scooby-Doo? Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Tom & Jerry Tales The Looney Tunes Show

00:40 Chowder 01:30 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 02:20 Foster’s Home For...

03:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 04:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 04:25 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 04:50 Adventure Time 05:15 The Powerpuff Girls

05:40 Generator Rex 06:05 Ben 10 06:55 Angelo Rules 07:00 Casper’s Scare School 08:00 Mucha Lucha 08:25 Johnny Test 08:45 Regular Show 09:05 Total Drama Island 09:55 Ben 10: Omniverse 10:20 Young Justice 10:45 Thundercats 11:10 Adventure Time 12:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 12:50 Foster’s Home For...

13:40 Courage The Cowardly Dog 14:30 Powerpuff Girls 15:20 Angelo Rules 16:10 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 16:35 Young Justice 17:00 Ben 10: Omniverse 17:20 Johnny Test 18:00 Level Up 18:25 The Amazing World Of Gumball 18:50 Adventure Time 19:15 Regular Show 19:40 Mucha Lucha 20:05 Total Drama Island 20:55 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 21:20 Young Justice 21:45 Bakugan: Mechtanium Surge 22:10 Grim Adventures Of...

23:00 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 23:25 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 23:50 The Powerpuff Girls

00:15 00:40 01:10 03:55 04:20 04:50 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 07:50 08:45 09:40 10:05 10:30 10:55 11:25 11:50 12:20 12:45 13:40 14:35 15:05 15:30 16:00 16:55 17:50 18:45

Magic Of Science Time Warp Mythbusters Border Security Auction Kings Property Wars How Stuff’s Made How It’s Made Sons Of Guns Mythbusters Explosions Gone Wrong Secret Service Secrets Border Security Auction Kings Property Wars How Stuff’s Made How It’s Made Magic Of Science Time Warp Mythbusters Mythbusters Border Security Auction Kings Property Wars Airplane Repo Gold Divers Mythbusters Sons Of Guns

00:00 00:35 01:25 02:15 03:05 03:55 04:45 05:35 06:00 06:15 07:05 07:55 08:45 09:10 10:00 10:25 11:15 12:05 12:30 12:55 13:45 14:35 15:25 15:45 16:40 17:00 18:25 18:45 18:55

Fish Hooks Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Emperor’s New School Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Emperor’s New School Brandy & Mr Whiskers Doc McStuffins Suite Life On Deck A.N.T. Farm Jessie Jonas Wizards Of Waverly Place Austin And Ally Shake It Up Phineas And Ferb Doc McStuffins Art Attack Jessie A.N.T Farm Wizards Of Waverly Place Shake It Up A.N.T Farm Jessie Avalon High Austin And Ally Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb

THE KINGʼS SPEECH ON OSN MOVIES HD

19:10 19:35 20:00 20:30 20:50 21:15 21:40 22:05 22:55 23:45

A.N.T. Farm Good Luck Charlie Jessie That’s So Raven Cory In The House Kim Possible Hannah Montana Phineas And Ferb Wizards Of Waverly Place Fish Hooks

00:20 Little Einsteins 00:50 Special Agent Oso 01:15 Lazytown 01:40 Jungle Junction 02:10 Handy Manny 02:30 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 02:55 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 03:00 Lazytown 03:25 Special Agent Oso 03:50 Imagination Movers 04:15 Handy Manny 04:40 Special Agent Oso 05:00 Timmy Time 05:10 Lazytown 05:35 Little Einsteins 06:00 Jungle Junction 06:30 Little Einsteins 07:00 Special Agent Oso 07:15 Jungle Junction 07:45 Handy Manny 08:00 Special Agent Oso 08:15 Imagination Movers 08:45 Handy Manny 09:00 The Hive 09:10 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 09:35 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 10:05 Doc McStuffins 10:35 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 11:00 Mouk 11:15 Animated Stories 11:20 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 11:45 Art Attack 12:10 The Adventures Of Disney Fairies 12:35 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 13:00 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 13:10 Doc McStuffins 13:25 Handy Manny 13:40 Jungle Junction 13:55 Timmy Time 14:05 The Hive 14:15 Mouk 14:30 Little Einsteins 14:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 15:20 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 15:45 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 16:00 The Little Mermaid 16:25 Art Attack 16:55 Imagination Movers 17:20 Handy Manny 17:35 The Hive 17:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 18:10 Doc McStuffins 18:40 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 19:10 The Adventures Of Disney Fairies 19:35 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 20:00 Animated Stories 20:05 Timmy Time 20:15 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 20:25 Doc McStuffins 20:40 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 21:10 The Hive 21:20 Timmy Time 21:30 Mouk 21:45 Handy Manny 22:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 22:25 The Hive 22:35 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 23:00 Timmy Time 23:10 Animated Stories 23:15 A Poem Is...

23:20 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 23:30 Jungle Junction 23:45 Handy Manny 23:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

00:00 KSA 07:00 07:25 07:50 08:15 08:40 09:05 09:30 09:55 10:20 11:35 12:00 12:25 12:50 13:20 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:15 16:40 17:05 17:30 18:00 18:25 18:50 19:40 20:05 20:30 20:55 21:20 21:45 22:10 22:35 23:05 23:30

Programmes Start At 7:00am Kickin It Phineas And Ferb Ultimate Spider-Man Pokemon: BW Rival Destinies Slugterra Scaredy Squirrel Almost Naked Animals Pair Of Kings Kickin It Zeke & Luther Lab Rats Kickin It Mr. Young Pair Of Kings Zeke & Luther Kid vs Kat I’m In The Band Ultimate Spider-Man Pokemon: BW Rival Destinies Rekkit Rabbit Pair Of Kings Almost Naked Animals Lab Rats Slugterra Kickin It Scaredy Squirrel Phineas And Ferb Slugterra Mr. Young Zeke & Luther I’m In The Band Rated A For Awesome Rekkit Rabbit Phineas And Ferb Ultimate Spider-Man Kick Buttowski Scaredy Squirrel

00:00 00:55 01:25 02:20 03:15 03:40 04:10 05:05 06:00 07:50 08:20 09:15 09:45 10:15 12:05

Dirty Soap Style Star THS E! Investigates Behind The Scenes Extreme Close-Up E!es E!es 30 Best & Worst Beach Bodies Behind The Scenes E! News Ice Loves Coco Ice Loves Coco THS E! News

13:05 14:05 York 15:00 15:30 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 19:00 20:00

Opening Act Kourtney & Kim Take New Style Star THS Behind The Scenes Married To Jonas A-List Listings E! News E!es Giuliana & Bill

00:15 Have Cake, Will Travel 00:40 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 01:05 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 01:30 Heat Seekers 01:55 Charly’s Cake Angels 02:45 Unique Sweets 03:35 Have Cake, Will Travel 04:20 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 04:50 United Tastes Of America 05:15 Unique Eats 05:40 Chopped 06:30 Iron Chef America 07:10 Unwrapped 08:00 Iron Chef America 08:50 Kid In A Candy Store 09:15 Unwrapped 09:40 United Tastes Of America 10:05 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 10:30 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 10:55 Cooking For Real 11:20 Hungry Girl 11:45 Healthy Appetite With Ellie Krieger 12:10 United Tastes Of America 12:35 Unwrapped 13:00 Iron Chef America 13:50 Tyler’s Ultimate 14:15 Andy Bates American Street Feasts 14:40 Everyday Italian 15:05 Healthy Appetite With Ellie Krieger 15:30 Healthy Appetite With Ellie Krieger 15:55 Hungry Girl 16:20 United Tastes Of America 16:45 Chopped 17:35 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 18:00 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 18:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 19:15 Andy Bates American Street Feasts 19:40 Tyler’s Ultimate 20:05 Guy’s Big Bite 20:30 Chopped 21:20 Iron Chef America 22:10 Unwrapped 22:35 Unwrapped 23:00 Crave 23:50 Unique Eats

00:40 01:30 02:20 03:05 03:55 04:45 05:30 06:20 07:10 08:00 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:05 10:30 11:20 12:10 13:00 13:50 14:15 14:40 15:30 16:20 16:45 17:10 18:00 18:50 19:40 20:05 20:55 21:20 22:10 23:00 23:50

Disappeared Dr G: Medical Examiner The Haunted American Greed I Almost Got Away With It Disappeared Dr G: Medical Examiner The Haunted Undercover Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Undercover Disappeared Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Forensic Detectives On The Case With Paula Zahn Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

Undercover Disappeared Forensic Detectives Mall Cops ‚Äì Mall Of America On The Case With Paula Zahn Stalked: Someone’s Watching Nightmare Next Door Couples Who Kill Great Crimes And Trials Cuff Me If You Can

00:15 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 00:45 Amish: Out of Order 01:40 Meet The Natives: USA 02:35 Bondi Rescue 03:00 Bondi Rescue 03:30 Bondi Rescue 03:55 Bondi Rescue 04:25 Ultimate Traveller 05:20 Nomads 06:15 My Sri Lanka With Peter Kuruvita 06:40 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 07:10 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 07:35 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 08:05 Amish: Out of Order 09:00 Meet The Natives: USA 09:55 Bondi Rescue 10:20 Bondi Rescue 10:50 Bondi Rescue 11:15 Bondi Rescue 11:45 Ultimate Traveller 12:40 Nomads 13:35 Food School 14:00 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 14:30 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 14:55 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 15:25 Amish: Out of Order 16:20 Meet The Natives: USA 17:15 Bondi Rescue 19:05 Ultimate Traveller 20:00 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 20:30 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 21:00 Food School 21:30 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 22:00 Nomads 22:55 My Sri Lanka With Peter Kuruvita 23:20 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 23:50 Street Food Around The World

00:00 01:00 01:55 02:50

Wild Case Files World’s Deadliest The Living Edens My Dog Ate What?

THE DEEP BLUE SEA ON OSN CINEMA 03:45 04:40 05:35 06:00 06:30 07:25 08:20 09:15 10:10 11:05 12:00 13:00 India) 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Planet Carnivore Swamp Men Wild Chronicles Wild Chronicles The Living Edens My Dog Ate What?

Planet Carnivore Ultimate Animal Countdown In The Womb Hunter Hunted Alaskan Killer Shark Wild India (aka Secrets of Wild The Incredible Dr. Pol Planet Carnivore Ultimate Animal Countdown In The Womb Hunter Hunted Monster Fish My Dog Ate What?

Planet Carnivore Ultimate Animal Countdown In The Womb

00:00 01:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00

Warehouse 13 Awake Touch Breaking Bad Good Morning America Covert Affairs Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Smallville Covert Affairs Warehouse 13 Touch Smallville Live Good Morning America The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street Drop Dead Diva Top Gear Special

00:00 Open Graves-18 02:00 The Thaw-PG15 04:00 True Justice: BrotherhoodPG15 06:00 The Scorpion King 3: Battle For Redemption-PG15 08:00 Judge Dredd-PG15 10:00 The Man Inside-PG15 12:00 The Stool Pigeon-PG15 14:00 Judge Dredd-PG15 16:00 The Rocketeer-PG15 18:00 The Stool Pigeon-PG15 20:00 Devil-PG15 22:00 Alien-18

00:00 03:00 07:00 07:30 12:00 12:30 15:00 16:00 16:30 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 23:00

01:00 03:00 05:00 PG15 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:15 14:45 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

00:00 Rag Tale-18 02:15 Paul-PG15 04:00 Despicable Me-FAM 06:00 The Winning Season-PG15 08:00 Scooby-Doo-PG 10:00 The Ladykillers-PG15 12:00 Despicable Me-FAM 14:00 Scooby-Doo! Curse Of The Lake Monster-PG 16:00 The Ladykillers-PG15 18:00 Cars 2-FAM 20:00 The Men Who Stare At Goats 22:00 Tamara Drewe-18

The Deep Blue Sea-PG15 Princess Lillifee-FAM My Girlfriend’s BoyfriendLord Of The Dance-PG Water For Elephants-PG15 Moneyball-PG15 Kings Ransom-PG15 Another Year-PG15 Larry Crowne-PG15 The Vow-PG15 Contraband-18 After Life-18

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 Community 02:00 The Big C 02:30 Weeds 03:00 Two And A Half Men 03:30 Two And A Half Men 04:00 Brothers 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Til Death 06:00 Samantha Who? 06:30 Seinfeld 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Brothers 08:30 New Girl 09:00 Til Death 09:30 Samantha Who? 10:00 Melissa & Joey 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Seinfeld 12:30 Brothers 13:00 Til Death 13:30 Samantha Who? 14:00 The Simpsons 15:00 Melissa & Joey 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 Seinfeld 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 New Girl 18:30 30 Rock 19:00 How I Met Your Mother 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Community 22:30 The Big C 23:00 Weeds 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

Grimm Six Feet Under Emmerdale Coronation Street Emmerdale Coronation Street Parenthood Emmerdale Coronation Street C.S.I. Drop Dead Diva Top Gear Special Bunheads Six Feet Under

01:00 Body Of Evidence-R 03:00 True Grit-PG15 05:00 Daydream Nation-PG15 07:00 Christmas Comes Home To Canaan-PG15 09:00 Senna-PG15 11:15 Sundays At Tiffany’s-PG15 13:15 Hindenburg-PG15 16:30 Tresor-PG15 18:45 The Conspirator-PG15 21:00 An Officer And A Gentleman18 23:15 Krach-18

01:15 03:15 05:00 07:00 09:00 10:45 13:15 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

The King’s Speech-PG15 Battle For Terra-PG Yogi Bear-FAM Honey 2-PG15 Source Code-PG15 War Horse-PG15 33 Postcards-PG15 Ways To Live Forever-PG15 Source Code-PG15 Mr. Popper’s Penguins-PG Contraband-18 Final Destination 5-18

01:15 Mia And The Migoo-PG 02:45 The Ugly Duckling In Tales Of Mystery-FAM 04:15 Rainbow Valley Heroes-FAM 06:00 Hey Arnold! The Movie-PG 08:00 Toyz Goin’ Wild-PG 10:00 Quest For A Heart-FAM 11:30 Mia And The Migoo-PG 13:00 The Adventures Of Don Quixote-FAM 14:30 Gulliver’s Travels-PG 16:00 Space Chimps 2: Zartog Strikes Back-PG 18:00 Quest For A Heart-FAM

20:00 Princess Sydney: The Three Gold Coins-FAM 22:00 Space Chimps 2: Zartog Strikes Back-PG

00:30 01:00 03:00 04:00 06:00 07:00 10:00 11:00 11:30 14:30 15:00 17:00 17:30 22:00

European Tour Weekly Top 14 Trans World Sports Top 14 European Tour Weekly Cricket Twenty20 European Tour Weekly Futbol Mundial Live Cricket Twenty20 ICC Cricket 360 Top 14 Futbol Mundial Live Dubai World Cup Carnival Futbol Mundial

00:00 City Centre Races 01:00 Trans World Sport 02:00 Cricket T20 05:00 PGA European Tour Weekly 05:30 Inside the PGA 06:00 Futbol Mundial 06:30 ICC Cricket 360 07:00 Trans World Sport 08:00 City Centre Races 09:30 Futbol Mundial 10:00 ICC Cricket 360 10:30 This Week in WWE 11:00 PGA Tour Highlights 12:00 Inside the PGA 12:30 PGA European Tour Weekly Review of The Year 13:30 PGA European Tour Weekly 14:00 Live PGA European Tour 18:00 PGA European Tour Weekly 18:30 NFL Gameday 19:00 WWE NXT 20:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter

00:00 World Cup of Pool 01:00 Golfing World 02:00 PDC World Darts Championship 05:00 Trans World Sport 06:00 Spirit of Golf 06:30 Spirit of Golf 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 PGA European Tour Weekly 09:00 World Pool Masters 10:00 World Cup of Pool 11:00 Pro 12 13:00 Golfing World 14:00 Top 14 Highlights 14:30 ICC Cricket 360 15:00 Cricket T20 18:00 World Cup of Pool 19:00 Top 14 Highlights 19:30 Futbol Mundial 20:00 Trans World Sport 21:00 Golfing World 22:00 World Pool Masters 23:00 World Cup of Pool

00:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter The Smashes 01:00 WWE SmackDown 03:00 UFC Unleashed 05:00 NHL 07:00 WWE SmackDown 09:00 V8 Supercars Highlights 10:00 UAE National Race Day Series 11:00 NHL 13:00 WWE Vintage Collection 14:00 WWE Bottom Line 15:00 Prizefighter 18:00 WWE NXT 19:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter The Smashes 20:00 UFC Unleashed 21:00 UAE National Race Day Series 22:00 WWE Vintage Collection

00:50 02:25 06:00 08:00 09:35 11:25 13:10 16:45 18:35 20:20 23:00

The Hunger-18 Gone With The Wind-PG The Last Time I Saw Paris-PG On The Town-FAM Beau Brummell-PG Pennies From Heaven Gone With The Wind-PG Bhowani Junction-PG Hot Millions-FAM Raintree County-PG Poltergeist

Classifieds THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

SITUATION WANTED

ACCOMMODATION Accommodation available with a single lady for couples / ladies, near Canary Restaurant, Abbasiya.

Contact: 24346602/ 99254284. (C 4279) 8-1-2013

MATRIMONIAL

M.A in English Literature having two years job experience, looking for a suitable job in HR & Admin.

Please contact: 66342097.

(C 4270) 6-1-2013 TUITION

FOR SALE Toyota Camry GLX full option model 2011 white metallic color, sunroof, alloy rim, rear sensor, cruise control, CD wooden interior etc. (installation possible) 28,000 km, cash price KD 4,450/-. Contact: 66507741.

(C 4278) 7-1-2013 Ford Mondeo, maroon color, model 2003, very good condition, price KD 800, kilometer 200,124. Phone: 99839184. (C 4276) 3-1-2012

Learn Holy Quran in perfect way, private tuition available for elders and children by Hafiz-E-Quran.

Contact: 66725950.

(C 4262) Tuition available for Web Designing & Professional Graphic Designing. Learn to create your own website just in 3 months. Flexible schedule, join us to build your career as Web Designer. Call 60078629, 22403408.

(C 4264) 25-12-2012

Christian, Marthomite parents settled in South Africa, invite proposals from parents of professionally qualified youngsters aged between 29 and 32 years, well to do and respected Christian family background, for our daughter 28 years, Commerce graduate, working in South Africa.

Contact: Email: madhubina@gmail.com (C 4280) 9-1-2012

SITUATION VACANT Required cook for house, good knowledge of cooking all kinds of food, good salary, good facilities, full time or part time. Phone: 23901053, 66519719.

(C 4273)

GOVERNMENT WEB SITES Kuwait Parliament www.majlesalommah.net

The Public Institution for Social Security www.pifss.gov.kw

Ministry of Interior www.moi.gov.kw

Public Authority of Industry www.pai.gov.kw

Public Authority for Civil Information www.paci.gov.kw

Prisoners of War Committee www.pows.org.kw

Kuwait News Agency www.kuna.net.kw

Ministry of Foreign Affairs www.mofa.gov.kw

Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affair www.islam.gov.kw

Kuwait Municipality www.municipality.gov.kw

Ministry of Energy (Oil) www.moo.gov.kw

Kuwait Electronic Government www.e.gov.kw

Ministry of Energy (Electricity and Water) www.energy.govt.kw

Ministry of Finance www.mof.gov.kw

Public Authority for Housing Welfare www.housing.gov.kw

Ministry of Commerce and Industry www.moci.gov.kw

Ministry of Justice www.moj.gov.kw

Ministry of Education www.moe.edu.kw

Ministry of Communications www.moc.kw

Ministry of Information www.moinfo.gov.kw

Supreme Council for Planning and Development www.scpd.gov.kw

Kuwait Awqaf Public Foundation www.awqaf.org

Prayer timings Fajr:

05:20

Shorook

06:44

Duhr:

11:55

Asr:

14:48

Maghrib:

17:07

Isha:

18:29

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines JAI THY JZR JZR QTR SAI ETH GFA UAE ETD QTR FDB MSR DHX THY JZR JZR BAW KAC KAC KAC FDB IRA IRA KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR FDB ETD IRC IZG GFA BAB JZR MSC MEA MSR UAE SYR KAC FDB KNE KAC KAC SVA QTR KAC JZR KNE KAC

Arrival Flights on Thursday 10/1/2013 Flt Route 574 MUMBAI 772 ISTANBUL 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 148 DOHA 441 LAHORE 620 ADDIS ABABA 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 138 DOHA 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 170 BAHRAIN 770 ISTANBUL 503 LUXOR 529 ASSIUT 157 LONDON 412 MANILA 354 COCHIN 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 605 ISFAHAN 617 AHWAZ 302 MUMBAI 332 TRIVANDRUM 855 DUBAI 121 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 301 ABU DHABI 6588 SHAHRE KORD 4161 MASHAD 213 BAHRAIN 436 BAHRAIN 165 DUBAI 403 ASSIUT 404 BEIRUT 610 CAIRO 871 DUBAI 341 DAMASCUS 382 DELHI 57 DUBAI 472 JEDDAH 546 ALEXANDRIA 672 DUBAI 500 JEDDAH 140 DOHA 788 JEDDAH 257 BEIRUT 470 JEDDAH 284 DHAKA

Time 0:30 0:35 0:45 0:50 1:00 1:30 1:45 1:50 2:35 2:45 3:01 3:05 3:10 5:15 5:30 5:55 6:35 6:40 6:45 7:35 7:40 7:45 7:50 7:55 7:55 8:15 8:40 9:05 9:10 9:15 9:20 9:25 9:35 9:55 10:05 11:20 11:35 11:55 12:45 12:50 12:55 12:55 13:50 14:10 14:15 14:15 14:30 14:45 14:55 15:05 15:10 15:10

QTR OMA JZR JZR KNE KAC UAE ETD RJA GFA SVA JZR QTR UAL ABY KAC JZR RBG KAC BAB FDB MSC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC OMA FDB JAI AXB MSC MSR JZR ABY QTR ALK KAC MEA QTR GFA ETD UAE JZR JAI FDB DHX AIC JZR GFA KAC JZR UAL BBC DLH

134 645 787 535 474 118 857 303 640 215 510 777 144 982 127 542 177 3553 786 438 63 405 176 618 104 674 774 647 61 572 393 401 618 189 129 146 229 562 402 136 221 307 859 135 576 59 372 981 239 217 502 185 981 43 636

DOHA MUSCAT RIYADH CAIRO JEDDAH NEW YORK DUBAI ABU DHABI AMMAN BAHRAIN RIYADH JEDDAH DOHA WASHINGTON DC DULLES SHARJAH CAIRO DUBAI ALEXANDRIA JEDDAH BAHRAIN DUBAI SOHAG GENEVA DOHA LONDON DUBAI RIYADH MUSCAT DUBAI MUMBAI KOZHIKODE ALEXANDRIA ALEXANDRIA DUBAI SHARJAH DOHA COLOMBO AMMAN BEIRUT DOHA BAHRAIN ABU DHABI DUBAI BAHRAIN COCHIN DUBAI BAHRAIN CHENNAI AMMAN BAHRAIN BEIRUT DUBAI BAHRAIN DHAKA FRANKFURT

15:30 15:40 16:10 16:25 16:30 16:35 16:40 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:45 17:50 17:55 17:55 18:05 18:15 18:20 18:30 18:40 18:45 19:00 19:15 19:20 19:35 19:35 19:50 19:55 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:20 20:25 20:30 20:35 20:45 20:55 21:05 21:20 21:25 21:30 21:35 21:40 21:50 21:55 22:00 22:00 22:30 22:45 22:50 22:55 23:05 23:25 23:45 23:55

Airlines AIC AXB UAL DLH JAI KAC KAC SAI ETH THY KAC FDB UAE ETD MSR QTR QTR JZR GFA KAC THY FDB BAW IRA IRA JZR JZR KAC KAC KAC ABY UAE FDB ETD IRC QTR IZG GFA BAB KAC KAC JZR MSC JZR MEA KAC MSR JZR SYR UAE FDB KAC KNE KAC

Departure Flights on Thursday 10/1/2013 Flt Route 976 GOA/CHENNAI 390 MANGALORE 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 637 FRANKFURT 573 MUMBAI 283 DHAKA 283 DHAKA 442 LAHORE 621 ADDIS ABABA 773 ISTANBUL 381 DELHI 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 306 ABU DHABI 613 CAIRO 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 545 ALEXANDRIA 771 ISTANBUL 54 DUBAI 156 LONDON 606 MASHHAD 616 AHWAZ 256 BEIRUT 534 CAIRO 101 LONDON 787 JEDDAH 671 DUBAI 122 SHARJAH 856 DUBAI 56 DUBAI 302 ABU DHABI 6589 SHAHRE 133 DOHA 4162 MASHHAD 214 BAHRAIN 437 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 165 ROME 776 JEDDAH 406 SOHAG 786 RIYADH 405 BEIRUT 785 JEDDAH 611 CAIRO 176 DUBAI 342 DAMASCUS 872 DUBAI 58 DUBAI 673 DUBAI 473 JEDDAH 561 AMMAN

Time 0:05 0:15 1:10 1:20 1:30 2:25 2:25 2:30 2:45 2:55 3:15 3:45 3:50 4:00 4:10 4:50 6:05 6:55 7:00 7:30 7:35 8:25 8:45 8:50 8:55 9:05 9:15 9:20 9:25 9:40 9:45 9:55 10:00 10:05 10:25 10:30 10:35 10:40 10:50 11:30 11:50 12:15 12:35 12:55 12:55 13:00 13:45 13:50 13:55 14:15 14:30 15:05 15:10 15:40

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

KAC SVA JZR KNE QTR KAC OMA KAC JZR KNE ETD JZR QTR UAE RJA GFA JZR SVA ABY JZR QTR RBG JZR UAL FDB BAB MSC FDB KAC KAC OMA JAI KAC AXB ABY MSC MSR KAC DHX ALK ETD MEA QTR GFA KAC FDB JZR UAE JAI DHX KAC QTR JZR GFA KAC KAC

617 505 188 471 141 773 646 501 238 475 304 538 135 858 641 216 184 511 128 266 145 3554 134 982 64 439 404 62 351 331 648 571 343 394 120 402 619 543 171 230 308 403 137 222 301 60 554 860 575 373 205 147 528 218 415 411

DOHA JEDDAH DUBAI JEDDAH DOHA RIYADH MUSCAT BEIRUT AMMAN JEDDAH ABU DHABI CAIRO DOHA DUBAI AMMAN BAHRAIN DUBAI RIYADH SHARJAH BEIRUT DOHA ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DUBAI BAHRAIN ASSIUT DUBAI KOCHI TRIVANDRUM MUSCAT MUMBAI CHENNAI KOZHIKODE SHARJAH ALEXANDRIA ALEXANDRIA CAIRO BAHRAIN COLOMBO ABU DHABI BEIRUT DOHA BAHRAIN MUMBAI DUBAI ALEXANDRIA DUBAI KOCHI BAHRAIN ISLAMABAD DOHA ASSIUT BAHRAIN KUALA LUMPUR BANGKOK

15:45 16:00 16:05 16:10 16:15 16:25 16:40 17:00 17:15 17:30 17:35 17:40 17:45 17:50 17:55 18:15 18:30 18:35 18:40 18:45 18:50 19:00 19:05 19:10 19:25 19:30 20:00 20:40 20:45 20:55 20:55 21:10 21:15 21:15 21:15 21:20 21:25 21:40 21:50 21:55 22:20 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:45 22:50 22:55 23:00 23:00 23:10 23:50 23:50 23:55 23:55

34

s ta rs CROSSWORD 65

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) ARIES You feel a love of order and law—an appreciation for responsibilities and duty.

Problems and obstacles that have previously been confusing, should find easy explanation under your keen examination. Today is as if you have overcome some invisible obstacle and this is making you feel very powerful. You are very motivated to improve all areas of your life. You may be sitting with an elderly person this afternoon and find he or she lights up with interest when asked about some event of the past. They will be pleased that you took the time to listen to what he or she has to say. This interest usually promotes a feeling that a person matters, which is a good thing. This communication may give you ideas for further plans to help with retired individuals.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You will be working on ways to improve your professional skills now. Pay attention to the details—you will be glad you did. Acting on impulse or instinct can lead to false starts—so count to ten before starting anything important. This is a time when you can put your businesslike ideas into words and convey them to others. Authority figures are paying attention to your communication skills. The way you handle yourself when someone needs advice is very important just now. The pursuit of success takes on a high priority. This is a successful day, with the realization that you have accomplished much, at work and in your life progress. There is a dreamy manner about you tonight and the young people in your home will enjoy your stories.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. Angular distance above the horizon (especially of a celestial object).

4. A sponge cake baked in a ring mold.

11. A slow pace of running.

15. The former capital and 2nd largest city of Brazil.

16. Narrow and long and pointed.

17. A member of the Athapaskan people of the Trinity River valley in California.

18. A former agency (from 1946 to 1974) that was responsible for research into atomic energy and its peacetime uses in the United States.

19. Italian poet (1569-1625).

21. Relating to or resembling mucus.

23. Administer an oil or ointment to.

24. One of the proteins into which actomyosin can be split.

27. A man who is a stupid fool.

29. A fibrous amphibole.

34. Essential oil or perfume obtained from flowers.

35. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

37. A constellation in the southern hemisphere near Telescopium and Norma.

38. Being nine more than eighty.

39. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light.

40. The compass point midway between northeast and east.

42. A rounded thickly curled hairdo.

45. Someone who engages in arbitrage (who purchases securities in one market for immediate resale in another in the hope of profiting from the price differential).

46. English theoretical physicist who applied relativity theory to quantum mechanics and predicted the existence of antimatter and the positron (1902-1984).

49. An official prosecutor for a judicial district.

51. Any plant of the genus Erica.

52. (the feminine of raja) A Hindu princess or the wife of a raja.

53. Genus of tropical Asiatic and African plants.

56. Ctenophore having short tentacles.

58. God of death.

59. An independent group of closely related Chadic languages spoken in the area between the Biu-Mandara and East Chadic languages.

62. A constitutional monarchy on the western part of the islands of Samoa in the South Pacific.

66. (plate tectonic theory) A hypothetical continent including all the landmass of the earth prior to the Triassic period when it split into Laurasia and Gondwanaland.

68. American prizefighter who won the world heavyweight championship three times (born in 1942).

69. (Greek mythology) The Muse of epic poetry.

73. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

74. A decree that prohibits something.

75. A graphic character used in ideography.

76. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects.

77. A unit of surface area equal to 100 square meters.

78. Small genus of tropical evergreen trees or shrubs having pods like those of the acacia.

79. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

DOWN 1. The biblical name for ancient Syria.

2. The function or position properly or customarily occupied or served by another.

3. A baroque musical composition (usually for a keyboard instrument) with full chords and rapid elaborate runs in a rhythmically free style.

4. A heavy silk fabric (often woven with silver or gold threads).

5. The French-speaking part of the Canadian Maritime Provinces.

6. A porch along the outside of a building (sometimes partly enclosed).

7. Fleshy and usually brightly colored cover of some seeds that develops from the ovule stalk and partially or entirely envelopes the seed.

8. A Chadic language spoken in northern Nigeria.

9. Goddess of fertility.

10. A colorless odorless gaseous element that give a red glow in a vacuum tube.

11. Any movable possession (especially articles of clothing).

12. A principle or condition that customarily governs behavior.

13. A translucent mineral consisting of hydrated silica of variable color.

14. Any of several weedy vetches grown for forage.

20. Australian shrubs and small trees with evergreen usually spiny leaves and dense clusters of showy flowers.

22. Of a moderate orange-yellow color.

25. (Akkadian) God of wisdom.

26. A Spanish river.

28. A drug (trade names Atarax and Vistaril) used as a tranquilizer to treat anxiety and motion sickness.

30. Witty language used to convey insults or scorn.

31. The capital and largest city of Albania in the center of the country.

32. Any compound containing the group C=NOH. 33. Erect leafless flower stalk growing directly from the ground as in a tulip.

36. Of or relating to or containing barium.

41. Swelling from excessive accumulation of serous fluid in tissue.

43. The front of the head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear.

44. A port city in southwestern Iran.

47. A heavy brittle metallic element of the platinum group.

48. Tuberous or rhizomatous herbaceous perennials.

50. The United Nations agency concerned with civil aviation.

54. A complex inorganic compound that contains ammonia molecules.

55. A nitrogen-containing base found in RNA (but not in DNA) and derived from pyrimidine.

57. United States abolitionist (1786-1865).

60. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables.

61. An indehiscent fruit derived from a single ovary having one or many seeds within a fleshy wall or pericarp.

63. (botany) Of or relating to the axil.

64. A group of countries in special alliance.

65. Port city that is the capital and largest city of Latvia.

67. Offering fun and gaiety.

70. A sweetened beverage of diluted fruit juice.

71. The basic unit of money in Romania.

72. A metal-bearing mineral valuable enough to be mined.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

Ambition, practicality and achievement are admirable, but they are means to an end—not ends in themselves. Enjoy and appreciate the experiences that come your way. Many times you will find that just when you thought you were right where you wanted to be, you see new challenges to budge you into another direction. Others value your decision-making abilities and you will know how to proceed in matters concerning the public. Support and harmony are yours without asking. Any hot spots can be worked through by thinking before you act—patience will expel any arguments. You may want to check out the study of herbs—you have a natural tendency toward the medicinal and aromatic type of plants. The psychic realm is fascinating to you.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) You have a flair for presenting yourself in a positive and well-groomed manner—regardless of the stress you may be feeling at times. This first impression will serve you well in your communications with others. If you are feeling nervous and not quite up to a particular task—practice some of the breathing techniques that the yogi masters teach. If you do not know the techniques, you might consider taking a class or buying a book on the subject. This afternoon you are close to making a discovery that will help you to save your company many problems or financial responsibilities—keep your focus. You will be pleased by the results that your efforts bring forth. Working with your favorite hobby this evening will help you to relax.

Leo (July 23-August 22) You and your co-worker friends may seek answers to some long unanswered questions. Finding the answer to some of your questions will have you wondering where the time went. You meet your obligations automatically and display your flexible way of working your magic. You leave positive impressions with people. Your superiors are very happy with your work and your co-workers appreciate working with you. Your money problems could find some relief today. Dive into some form of art expression this afternoon—you will find this a great stress valve. The more you enjoy your creative side the more you will come to know your spiritual side. This evening is a great time to just sit back and enjoy what you have.

Romance is possible.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Today and tomorrow present opportunities to make extra money. This second job may eventually become your priority job. A conventional economic approach is the best way to start your family’s income plan. You are motivated to use your creative mind today as you hear comments and are caught up in the passion of inventions, technology and creative expression as well. You may feel a sense of urgency in some of the projects that are presented to you. This afternoon you confirm appointments and schedule your time for the next few days. You may find that your job, or the motivation it creates, is more enjoyable than usual.

Conversations with siblings could be confusing this evening. You might enjoy playing word games tonight.

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22) Pension, insurance, health or profit-sharing plans may come to your attention.

You will have an opportunity to join or reject these plans and review these options. Do not ignore this responsibility; times . . . they are changing! Do not be afraid to ask questions. You can expect a little boost and extra support from the people around you. You delight in creating a peaceful home life. This afternoon you may have decided on a picture or colorful area rug to add to some particular area of your home as a conversation piece. You will be teaching young people to practice telling the truth this afternoon. Leave the emotions out of a personal discussion for now—go with the facts. Music seems to be the magical balance for the evening.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) This is one of your better days for money. You are able to find successful ways to increase your income. Stay on the job and do not plan any trips, if possible, until later this month. As you introduce ideas of moneymaking to others, you will benefit as well. This could be through advising others toward their professional goals, investments, real estate, etc. If you are in real estate or if you want to sell your home, or perhaps a car, you will find a nibble becomes a commitment. Balance your social and business affairs so that your energies are not depleted. Neighbors or siblings have a big impact on your goals and make a big impression. If work has not been too exhausting today, this evening could be a wonderful time to interact with friends.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Your workload increases today—your efforts show a successful outcome. You will learn secrets to having success throughout this year and today holds one of the hints. Listen and absorb the happenings around you—you will have some insight of your own. People come to you for ideas, storylines or perhaps approval. It could be that you are involved with some form of editing or teaching. A health problem that has been bothering you for some time may now begin to heal. This evening, family members make it known that you are a very important part of their lives by including you in some activity or asking for your help in certain areas of expertise. Generally, good feelings and a sense of support and harmony makes this a happy time.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) There is much to be said about competition; however, in the place of business it may be better to compete with your own record than that of others. Unless a fair game has been indicated . . . set your own pace. This could be a challenging day—keep the challenges on a level that is manageable. You can set an example for others to follow when you turn difficult situations into solutions that you or others can handle. This may mean you work with the public. A good conversation with those you love is possible this evening.

You may have missed being outside lately but if weather permits, you and your family might bundle up and go on a discovery walk early in the evening. There could be some good surprises right around the block!

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) The workday is full of surprises and demands for quick decisions to be made.

You do well in processing the information you get. Don’t be afraid to ask questions—someone may be holding back information. You may have to do some reassessing and reevaluating with regard to priorities. Be careful not to overdo or overwork today and think about creating an opportunity to exercise. Others value you for your ability to make practical decisions concerning group issues. You could be solving some public relations problems this afternoon. You have a natural sense of what the public wants at this time. Clear decisions affecting others could be made now. You can create a peace of mind this evening and enjoy the company of a loved one as well.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Today marks the advent of a good time as far as career and social life are concerned. A time of dues paying is over; real accomplishment is now possible.

You present your ideas and show off your ability to express them to others. Information gained from one person and transferred to another person can be misconstrued. Refer others to the source of your information. This afternoon you may want to talk budget with a loved one. There will be an acceptable plan for future enjoyment. This could mean the purchase of a home, a vacation or future education for a young person. Consider a vacation where you can trade places with some friends or family that may be living outside of your state. Trading a home is a thought for vacation time.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

Kaizen center

25716707

Rawda

22517733

Adaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Kaifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salem

22549134

Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Qadsiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Gar

22531908

Shaab

22518752

Qibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Qibla

22451082

Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya Jabriya

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Hawally

ST TATE T OF KUW K WAIT A

Te el.: 161

DIRECTORA AT TE GENERAL GENE OF CIVIL AVIA V AT TION METEOROLOGICAL DEP PARTMENT A DA AY Y: Wednesday e

Ext.: 2627 262 - 2630

Issue Time

Viisibility isibil will improve gradually with light to moderate freshening gradually southerly to south westerly wind, with speed of 15 - 40 km/h

BY Y NIGHT:

Clouds will increase gradually with light to moderate southerly changing to north westerly later on wind, with speed of 12 - 35 km/h No Current Warnings arnin a

WA ARNING MIN. REC.

KUW WA AIT CITY

21 °C

15 °C

KUW WA AIT AIRPOR RT

23 °C

11 °C

NUW WA AISEEB

22 °C

12 °C

WAFRA A

23 °C

09 °C

SALMI

24 °C

09 °C

25746401

ABDAL LY

24 °C

09 °C

25316254

JAL ALIY YA AH

23 °C

10 °C

Maidan Hawally

25623444

FA AILAKA

21 °C

14 °C

Bayan

25388462

AHMADI POR RT

20 °C

17 °C

Mishref

25381200

UMM AL-MARADEM

22 °C

19 °C

W Hawally

22630786

WARBA A A - BUBY YAN A

19 °C

15 °C

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

SFC. CHART

09/01/2013 0000 UTC

4 DA AY YS FORECAST Temperatures DA ATE T

WEA AT THER

MAX.

MIN.

Wind Direction

Wind Speed

New Jahra

24575755

Thursday

10/01

partly cloudy + raising dust

18 °C

08 °C

NW

22 - 42 km/h

West Jahra

24772608

Friday

11/01

temperature will decrease

15 °C

03 °C

NW

20 - 45 km/h

South Jahra

24775066

Saturday

12/01

cold + scattered clouds

15 °C

02 °C

NW

20 - 45 km/h

Sunday

13/01

cold

16 °C

04 °C

NW

20 - 40 km/h

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Firdous

PRA RA AY YER TIMES

RECORDED YESTERDA AY AT KUW WAIT A AIRPORT

Fajr

05:20

MAX. Temp.

19 °C

24884079

Sunrise

06:44

MIN. Temp.

12 °C

24892674

Zuhr

11:55

MAX. RH

74 %

Asr

14:48

MIN. RH

33 % N 28 km/h

Omariya

24719048

Sunset

17:07

MAX. Wind

N Khaitan

24710044

Isha

18:29

TOT TAL AL RAIINF FA ALL L IN 24 HR.

Fintas

23900322

All times are local time unless otherwise stated.

00 mm

09/01/13 02:49 UTC

V1.00

T1.06

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist

25665898 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

22618787

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Mousa Khadada Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Kaizen center 25716707

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Dr. Salem soso

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Faiha

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Al-Jahra

25610011

Al-Salmiya

25616368

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

07:00

BY Y DA AY:

MAX. EXP P.

Ardhiya

Al-Shuhada

WWW.MET.GOV V..KW

Expected Weeather for the Next 24 Hours

DA AY

22418714

Fax: 24348714

09/01/2013

ST TAT TION

Al-Madeena

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062

Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677

36

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Romano loves his ‘Parenthood’ role

F

T

A chemistry class for actor Kevin Bacon

hings are getting a little steamy among the stars of Fox’s new thriller, “The Following.” The series, which debuts on Jan 21, features Kevin Bacon as an investigator pursuing a serial killer portrayed by James Purefoy. At a news conference Tuesday, a reporter noted that the actors

ans of “Parenthood” love Ray Romano. The former star of “Everybody Loves Raymond” is appearing on NBC’s “Parenthood” in a multi-episode arc as a photographer involved with Lauren Graham’s character.

He’s hoping the love lasts a little longer. Romano told The Associated Press on Tuesday he shot his last episode for season four and if the show gets a fifth season, he’d consider coming back. “As long as they have a good idea for my character, I’d be happy to do it,” Romano said. Romano told show runner Jason Katims he was a fan of the show and joked that since his series, “Men of a Certain Age” was canceled he was “unemployed and would work cheap.” This season concludes Jan 22. No word on if it’s been renewed.

had good chemistry together. She said her reaction to watching them perform was, quote, “I just want them to kiss.” The two actors barely paused.

Bacon reached over and planted a kiss on Purefoy’s cheek. Purefoy said, “Rule nothing in, rule nothing out.”

J

Rihanna bans Chris from Karrueche

Aniston enjoyed all-star spa treatments

R

ihanna wants Chris Brown to completely end his relationship with Karrueche Tran. The 24-year-old ‘Stay’ singer has reportedly told her 23-year-old onagain/off-again boyfriend that she won’t put up with him continuing to see his model ex-girlfriend behind her back. A source close the Rihanna told HollywoodLife.com: “Rihanna’s trying to lay it down hard and she’s turning the tables on him.” The ‘Turn Up The Music’ singer is said to have agreed and is already trying to do little things like clean Rihanna’s car while she was away recently to let her know he wants to live in domestic bliss with her. The insider said: “He picked up her car, drove it to his house while the homie drove him there and followed him back in his car-just so he could have it detailed and clean for when she gets back. “He went to her crib and turned on lights and set her alarm. Little stuff like that. Ri can hire people for all that, but he wants to do it for her. He in it 100 percent right now. “He knows Ri doesn’t care about all the extras. He knows that it’s that small thing that makes her crazy. That small stuff that she wouldn’t expect.” Chris - who reportedly wants to perform with the ‘Diamonds’ singer at the Grammys next month despite still being on probation for beating her at a pre-party for the awards show in 2009 - is also said to have told Karrueche that he plans to do everything Rihanna wants. The source said: “(Chris) told Karrueche it’s done and he can’t kick it with her anymore. It’s done, no more. He doesn’t want anything to do with her. I mean, he likes her and all, but if he’s trying to be serious with Rihanna, he knows it’s got to be over.

“He basically told her that he’s cool on her right now, that he’s trying to focus on Rihanna and he needs his space.

Chris and KT are always going to have that special connection, but Rihanna’s got him right now and he’s into her. He’s always been into her-it’s just now he’s making her number one.

Ri is number one right now.”

ennifer Aniston enjoyed spa days with Justin Theroux and their famous friends on their recent vacation. The couple - who got engaged in August - welcomed John Krasinski and his wife Emily Blunt and Jimmy Kimmel and his fiancÈe Molly McNearney to Cabo San Lucas to join them on their post-Christmas trip to Mexico and the former ‘Friends’ star revealed they all got along so well, they were happy to indulge in beauty treatments together. Showing off their holiday pictures on Jimmy’s talk show, Jennifer said: “All of you boys were secure enough in your masculinity to join the women on spa day. So the girls had massages, whilst the men were having manicures and pedicures.” Jennifer, 43, went on to tell the audience that Jimmy made a great holiday companion because he is such an “amazing cook”, with him and Justin preparing an “Italian feast” for New Year’s Eve , while all she provided was some “trailer-trashy ham and cream cheese” dish. During her appearance on the show, the ‘Bounty Hunter’ actress smashed up Jimmy’s desk, telling him “out with the old” as it was his first day in an earlier time slot, and gave the host a hair cut - the first she had done in 30 years. Brandishing the scissors, she said: “I’m so nervous, I’m kind of shaking, I hope that’s OK with you.”

McConaughey: It’s a circus with three children

M

atthew McConaughey says having three kids is like a “circus”. The ‘Magic Mike’ star and his wife Camila Alves welcomed their first son, Livingston, into the world in December, and he admits having a newborn and two daughters, Levi, four, and Vida, three, has made life chaotic for the couple. Speaking to Access Hollywood on the red carpet at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards on Monday , he said: “It’s getting to be more of circus that’s for sure! “Another plate at the table. Actually he’s not eating at a plate, he’s on mama because he’s only 10 days old.” The 43year-old actor gushed about his daughters, as well as his new son, when quizzed if the third time was the charm. He added: “The first time and second time were charming too. I promise you.” The usually toned star looked gaunt at the ceremony as he has lost a staggering amount of weight for his role as HIV patient Ron Woodruff in upcoming drama ‘The Dallas Buyers Club’, but is now beginning to put the weight back on after filming ended. He said: “I’ve gained 25 pounds since I ended that role. So I was 135 and I’m 160 today. There wasn’t much to see in the mirror while filming. I didn’t think I looked that much different, but when I look back at pictures I did. I did.”

Mayer wants to create a ‘sanctuary’ for Perry

J

Minaj loves Carey

N

icki Minaj claims Mariah Carey is one of her “favorite artists of all time”. The ‘Va Va Voom’ singer - who went head-to-head with the ‘Hero’ singer during filming for the new series of ‘American Idol’ last October and allegedly threatened to shoot Mariah - insists she has buried the hatchet with her fellow judge and feels privileged to be on a panel with her. She told USMagazine.com on Tuesday: “I say nice things about Mariah all the time. She’s one of my favourite artists of all times.

She’s really shaped a generation of singers. To be on a panel with her, it’s kind of crazy.” The rapper also joked that she and Mariah, 42, were able to get past their feud by watching her sex tape. On hearing what Nicki had to say about her, Mariah conceded that she always knew her former rival was going to be a huge star. She said: “That was obviously a very sweet thing to say. Nicki and I worked together very early on in her career and did a song - it’s called ‘Up Out My Face,’ ironically. I did know, and feel, she was going to go very far.” Earlier this week, Mariah revealed that she felt extremely unsafe after their argument and confirmed she hired extra security after it. She said: “It felt like an unsafe work environment. Anytime anybody’s reeling threats at somebody, you know, it’s not appropriate.” “I’m a professional. I’m not used to that type of environment,” before revealing that she hired extra body guards because she felt it “was the appropriate thing to do.” She added: “Sitting there on the road with two babies, I’m not going to take any chances.”

Mariah is one of the three new judges to join the reality TV show’s judging panel for its new season, which kicks off on January 16. And the singer admitted that she hopes her battle with Nicki will help to boost the show’s ratings. She said: “For all the drama, I hope it helps the show.”

—Agencies

ohn Mayer wants to create a “sanctuary” for himself and Katy Perry. The womanizing rocker - who has previously dated a bevy of famous women including Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz and Jessica Simpson - thinks the ‘Firework’ hitmaker is “the one” for him and he is keen to move in with her as soon as possible. A source told HollywoodLife.com: “John wants to take his relationship with Katy to the next level. “He has suggested to Katy that they get a place of their own. He feels like she’s the one for him and wants to commit himself fully. “John is really into architecture and wants to create a ‘sanctuary’ for himself and Katy.” The couple have been dating for six months and for Christmas, 35-year-old John presented the pop star - who was previously married to Russell Brand - with a custom-designed guitar to show his love for her. A source said last month: “John has put some serious effort into his Christmas gift for Katy. “Since they met he has been trying to prove he isn’t the guy everyone says he is. “This should definitely prove that - every little detail on the guitar shows how much he thinks of her.” The musician had the guitar covered in intricate designs, including 28-year-old Katy’s initials and the date they first met.

The couple - who had a brief split last October before getting back together - are smitten with each other and like to spend every moment they can together. One source said: “They are together virtually every day. “They hang out at John’s place, cooking, watching movies and playing music.

“They take the odd trip away but generally they’re trying to keep it behind closed doors.”

37

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

LIFESTYLE F e a t u r e s

Landmark Group launched ‘Art Olympiad’ competition KUWAIT: Landmark Group Kuwait has announced the launch of“Art Olympiad 2013” for the sixth consecutive year. The competition dedicated to encourage young artists has had an outstanding response so far with a total of 20 schools participating in this year’s edition on 17th January 2013.

This year the competition will take place simultaneously in all 20 participating schools with Landmark Group representatives present at every school to supervise the event.

Themes will be provided to the students of age categories (09-11years) and (12-14years).

All drawings will be collected by the representatives and a total of the best 30 drawings in each category will be shortlisted by a judge’s panel comprising of well renowned Kuwaiti artists Asad Bunashi and Maha Al-Mansoor.

Students will be judged on the basis of Creativity, Workmanship, Overall impression

and Relevance to the theme.

A total 60 drawings will be put up online on the Landmark Group Facebook page for public to vote. The final selection for Winners will be based on 50% votes and 50% judges views. The winners together with all the participating schools will be invited for the prize awarding ceremony which will take place around the third week of Feb 2013.

Saibal Basu, Chief Operating Officer of Landmark Group, Kuwait said,“Art Olympiad” encourages young artists to create a positive impact through art. The first five editions of “Art Olympiad”were a huge success receiving an outstanding response year after year. The positive and enthusiastic feedback we have received from schools and students as well as the growing number of participants are a clear indication of the successful engagement

the Landmark Group has with the community.”Some of the participating schools for this year’s Olympiad are: British School of Kuwait, Canadian Bilingual School, Carmel School, Fahaheel Al-Watanieh Indian Private School Ahmadi, Indian Community School Khaitan, Indian Educational School Jleeb, Indian English Academy School- Don Bosco, Indian Learners Own Academy, Kuwait American School Salmiya, Kuwait National English School, Lycee Francais Du Koweit, Salmiya Indian Model School, The English School Salmiya etc.

It is worth mentioning that Landmark Group conducts various CSR initiatives including the most recent ‘Beat Diabetes’ initiative which was held in November 2012.

American chef’s independent spirit fires Southern cuisine

“F

ire in my Belly” is an apt title for the debut cookbook of US chef and restaurateur Kevin Gillespie, who turned down a scholarship to the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology because a career in science just didn’t feel right.

“I’ve always been incapable of pursuing something that I didn’t have a connection with, not so much cerebral as emotional,” explained Gillespie, whose passions led instead to culinary school and an apprenticeship at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Atlanta. Under chapters such as “Foods You Thought You Hated” and “Junk Food,” the 120 recipes in Gillespie’s book reflect his independent spirit as much as his former restaurant, the Woodfire Grill, and his Southern roots.

Gillespie, who is from Atlanta and was recognized in 2010 by the Gayot guide as one of the top five rising US chefs, spoke to Reuters about “progressive Southern cuisine,” nonelitist fine dining, and why a well-executed deep-fried candy bar can be really delicious.

Q: How did you learn to cook?

A: “Everyone learns from their family. I grew up in a traditional Southern family cooking traditional Southern cuisine.

Simultaneously my maternal grandmother was well traveled and intrigued by food, so she would experiment with different types of cuisine ... Professionally, I worked almost exclusively under Europeans. Today, my food is a perfect blending of all these things.”

Q: You sold your Woodfire Grill restaurant in Atlanta to open a new one, Gun Show, in February in the same city. Why? A: “I had an elitist restaurant. The Woodfire Grill restaurant, which I had for five years, was very formal fine dining.

As I grew as a chef I became more interested in having a restaurant that people in all walks of life can be comfortable in. That’s not to say that we’ll abandon fine dining, but I wanted a more welcoming space. I think cooking has always attempted to bring people together, not separate them.”

Q: How would you describe your cuisine?

A: “My cuisine is reflective of the South, rooted in the South. I tend to prefer the term ‘progressive Southern’ to ‘modern Southern,’ which I think is oxymoronic. I’m not attempting to modernize anything. I’m attempting to move our history forward.”

Q: Why does your book include a chapter called Junk Food?

A: “There is a place in this world for all types of food. I don’t believe that by design one type of cooking is better. I think that by execution one tends to be better. I think that well-conceived and well-executed quote-unquote junk food can be really delicious. But it requires the same thought and passion as your five-star fine dining cuisine.”

Q: Is that what led to re-engineer the deep-fried candy bar?

A: “The deep-fried candy bar is rooted in Scottish tradition. The idea is cool but it’s poorly executed. No one really tried to make it great. They just made it ... Most people outside of chefs wouldn’t spend five minutes trying to make a fried candy bar perfect. It’s just junk food, so who cares? I care.”

Q: What staples do you recommend to the home chef?

A: “People leave salt out of their food all the time, maybe because processed food has salt embedded in it.

When you deal with fresh food you have to come back to seasoning, to salt. Also neutral cooking oil, such as canola or grape seed, (but) not as a substitute for extra virgin olive oil. They have different uses. And good quality apple cider vinegar. For American cooking it’s indispensable.”

Q: Do you have any advice for the home cook?

A: “The only real time in the kitchen is how long things take to cook. It’s not when you’re ready to eat or when your (TV) show is coming on. If you try to find faster ways to do something you will end up with a lesser quality result.”

My Granny’s Pole Beans (serves six) Pole beans 1 pound, strings and tips removed Onion 1 baseball-size, quartered Garlic 1 clove, mashed Smoked fatback 2 ounces, cut into 1inch cubes Salt 1 teaspoon Dried red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon Bay leaf 1 Chicken stock about 4 cups Apple cider vinegar 2 teaspoons Cut the pole beans into 1-inch pieces and put them in a Dutch oven. Add the onion, garlic, fatback, salt, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, and enough chicken stock to generously cover the ingredients. Cover the pot and bring the beans to a boil. Cut the heat down and simmer, covered, until a knife goes straight through a bean with no resistance, about 30 minutes. The beans should be quite tender but not mushy.

Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Taste and add salt if needed. Uncover and let the beans cool to room temperature in their liquid. This is where Granny got it right: She’d start the beans early in the morning, set them aside, and let them finish cooking as they cooled down.

It’s a slow-cooking method that most folks don’t think about today. But the extra time off the heat brings the flavors together like no other method can. Be sure to make this recipe at least two hours in advance so the beans have time to cool in the cooking liquid. Then just skim the fat from the surface and reheat the beans before serving. —Reuters

This file image shows, from left, Neil McCaffrey, Scarlett Strallen and Cassady Leonard in a scene from “Mary Poppins,” in New York. —AP

‘Mary Poppins’ to close on Broadway in the spring

“M

ary Poppins” is closing up its big umbrella on Broadway. An official close to the show’s producers said Monday that the 6-year-old musical will end performances in March at the New Amsterdam Theatre and eventually be replaced by a musical adapted from the film “Aladdin.” The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak before the official announcement. The New York Post first reported the news, citing an anonymous source. A Disney representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“Mary Poppins,” co-produced by Disney and Cameron Mackintosh, is based both on the children’s books by P.L. Travers and the 1964 movie starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. It tells the story of the world’s most practically perfect nanny in Edwardian London. With a big cast, lavish sets and stunts that include Mary flying with her umbrella and Bert the chimney sweep tap dancing upside-down, the show was a hit after opening in 2006, two years after debuting in London.

The show is part of Disney Theatrical Productions’ five

big Broadway hits from seven attempts since 1994 - a profitable list that includes “The Lion King” and the more recent “Newsies.” That’s way above the 3-in-10 average recoupment of most Broadway shows. “Mary Poppins” routinely grosses over $1 million every week despite the presence of touring versions. When it closes, it will have been performed 2,619 times and have been seen by more than 4 million people. It recouped its initial Broadway investment within a year, and has gone on to be among the top 10 grossing shows for the past six years and top five for attendance. It will rank as the 22nd longest-running show in Broadway history.

Its soon-to-be vacant home at the New Amsterdam Theatre will be taken by the musical “Aladdin,” which has melodies by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice - the same team who created the animated film version that starred Robin Williams. The musical, with a book by Chad Beguelin, had its premiere in Seattle in summer 2011. —AP

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

lifestyle M U S I C

&

M O V I E S This undated publicity photo released by Summit Entertainment shows, from left, Judith Shekoni, Tracey Heggins, Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Christian Camargo, Peter Facinelli and Casey LaBow in a scene from the film, ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn ‘Part 2.’ — AP photos

‘Twilight’

finale leads Razzies worst-of list

werewolves and a moody schoolgirl, “Breaking Dawn - Part 2” also had nominations for worst director for Bill Condon, plus worst sequel, screenplay and screen ensemble. It picked up two nominations for worst screen couple - for Stewart and Pattinson and for Lautner and child co-star Mackenzie Foy. Stewart’s worst-actress nomination came for two performances in 2012, her Bella Swan of “Twilight” and the title role in “Snow White and the Huntsman.” Earlier “Twilight” movies have been regular nominees for the Razzies but have not come away with any key worst-of awards. But the finale seems to be the one Razzies voters have been waiting for, the way Oscar voters were waiting for the last “Lord of the Rings” film, the one that finally won the big prize.

“That’s the analogy we’re making, that this is the Razzies’ flipside,” said Razzies founder John Wilson. “This is our equivalent to ‘The Lord of the Rings.’ It’s our members’ last chance to razz ‘Twilight.’” Here’s how Razzies organizers describe the

“Twilight” finale in the nominations announcement: “The ultimate installment of the inexplicably successful series focuses on Shirtless Werewolf Jacob and his creepy relationship with the daughter of Sparkly Vampire Edward and Gloomy Goth Gal Bella. Together, the four face a final showdown that will determine the fate of Romantic-But-Boring Monsters everywhere.”

Sandler - whose “Jack and Jill” made Razzies history last season by winning a record 10 awards, sweeping every category - remains a Razzies favorite this time. “That’s My Boy” ran second with eight Razzie nominations, among them worst actor for Sandler and supporting actor for both Nick Swardson and Vanilla Ice. Tyler Perry was nominated for both worst actor (“Alex Cross” and “Good Deeds”) and actress (“Madea’s Witness Protection,” in which he reprised his cross-dressing title character). Along with Sandler, Pattinson and Perry, worst-actor contenders are Nicolas Cage for “Ghost Rider: Spirit of

France’s Carla Bruni to release new album

C

arla Bruni-Sarkozy, France’s former first lady, will release a new album entitled “Little French Songs” in the spring, the singer-songwriter’s agent said on Tuesday. The record, whose title track pays hommage to France’s great songwriters, is “practically finished”, Bertrand de Labbey told RTL radio. It will be her first album since 2008, when she married France’s then president Nicolas Sarkozy, who lost his bid for re-election last year.

De Labbey said that while the former model lived at the Elysee palace, she “suffered from not being able to do her job”. “But she made a choice. She chose a man she loves and she is happy with him,” he added. The new album by Bruni-Sarkozy, who writes her own lyrics and often also composes the music, will be her fourth. Her last record, “Comme Si De Rien N’Etait” (Simply), came out in July of 2008. Its royalties went to the Fondation de France charity. — AFP

Indian Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan attends a press conference and announcement for the forthcoming 58th Idea Filmfare Awards in Mumbai yesterday. —AFP

‘Water By the Spoonful’ is vivid, human

Review

A

ny conquest, however small, can’t be fully assessed without considering the cost of achieving it, the failures that preceded it and the environment in which it occurred. In Quiara Alegria Hudes’ beautifully resounding drama “Water By the Spoonful,” the playwright examines an array of emotional toils by splashing together droplets of life’s bleak realities, harsh revelations, fragile successes and modest triumphs, all of which conspire like tiny specks of contrasting colors on a canvas. Each drop of color by itself seems mundane. Together they gradually come into focus as a rich, brilliant montage of American urban life that is as dazzling to watch as it is difficult to look away from.

This inspired and abundantly human play, which was the surprise winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for drama, opened Tuesday at off-Broadway’s Second Stage Theatre, making its New York premier after an initial run at Hartford Stage in 2011. It is the latest shining example of Hudes’ uniquely understated yet powerful voice, which came to prominence in her book of the Tony Award-winning musical “In The Heights.” In “Water By The Spoonful,” she spins a loosely interwoven, dual narrative about a young Iraq war veteran’s tumultuous family and an online support group of recovering drug addicts.

Early in the opening act, grieving cousins Yazmin (Zabryna Guevara) and

This theater image released by The Hartman Groups shows Bill Heck, left, and Liza Colon-Zayas during a performance of ‘Water By The Spoonful,’ a play by Quiara Alegria Hudes. —AP

Elliot (Armando Riesco) leaf through brochures for funeral flowers while reminiscing about the strange and wonderful days of their poverty-stricken childhood in their large, closely knit Puerto Rican family. Astonished by the prices in the catalog, they worry openly about making ends meet, though stopping to recall the splendor of a garden once cultivated by their recently

departed aunt - an adored matriarch in their extended family. “It’s odd to order flowers when someone dies,” Yazmin laments. “The flowers are just going to die, too.”

Despite that grim realization and their strapped budget, the cousins decide on the most expensive and exotic floral arrangement for their aunt, knowing they can’t afford it but resolv-

ing to find a way, even if it leads to more hardship and worry. It’s one of many small but glorious acts of defiance that proliferate throughout this piece. Despair is never far from Hudes’ embattled characters, who all struggle in some way with addiction, regret, poverty or loss. They’re a weary and cynical bunch, but stubbornly spirited, somehow summoning the resilience to endure, and at times flourish, no matter the brutal truth of their circumstances or emotional cost. And that cost is often steep.

Under the direction of Davis McCallum, the talented cast, which also includes Liza Colon-Zayas, Frankie R Faison and Sue Jean Kim, creates starkly real portraits of flawed but deeply conscientious people, all searching for an elusive path to some spiritual high ground. This hazardous but relentless growth in a world of full of restrictions is reflected abstractly in Neil Patel’s unusual but effective set - a drab, gray grid streaked with broad swaths of lush plant life that appear as if they sprouted through cracks in a cement sidewalk.

“Water By the Spoonful” is the second in a trilogy of plays. Its precursor “Elliot, A Soldier’s Fugue” - was a Pulitzer finalist in 2007. The third play in the trilogy, “The Happiest Song Plays Last,” is scheduled to make its world premiere in April 2013 in Chicago, leaving us left to wonder what’s next for this uncommonly gifted playwright.— AP

Vengeance” and “Seeking Justice”; and Murphy for “A Thousand Words.” Joining Stewart and Perry in the worstactress lineup are Katherine Heigl for “One for the Money”; Milla Jovovich for “Resident Evil: Retribution”; and Barbra Streisand for “The Guilt Trip.” —AP Worst Picture ‘Battleship’ ‘The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure’ ‘That’s My Boy’ ‘A Thousand Words’ ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2’

Razzie Awards 2013, full list of nominations

T

he “Twilight” finale had better reviews than the franchise’s previous four movies, but you’d never know it from the Razzie nominations singling out Hollywood’s worst of the year. “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2” led the Razzies lineup late Tuesday with 11 nominations, including worst picture, lead-acting slots for Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, and supporting-acting nominations for Taylor Lautner and Ashley Greene.

Other worst-picture nominees are the naval action tale “Battleship,” the family flick “The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure,” Adam Sandler’s raunchy dud “That’s My Boy” and Eddie Murphy’s comedy flop “A Thousand Words.”

A spoof of the Academy Awards, the Razzies announcement came a little more than a day before Thursday’s Oscar nominations. Winners for the 33rd annual Razzies will be announced Feb. 23, the night before the Oscar show. The final installment in the supernatural romance involving vampires,

This undated publicity film image released by Columbia Pictures - Sony shows Tony Orlando, left, and, Adam Sandler, in a scene from ‘That’s My Boy.’

Worst Director Sean Anders, ‘That’s My Boy’ Peter Berg, ‘Battleship’ Bill Condon, ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2’ Tyler Perry, ‘Good Deeds’/’Madea’s Witness Protection’ John Putch, ‘Atlas Shrugged: Part 2’ Worst Actress Katherine Heigl, ‘One for the Money’ Milla Jovovich, ‘Resident Evil: Retribution’ Tyler Perry, ‘Madea’s Witness Protection’ Kristen Stewart, ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2’/ ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ Barbra Streisand, ‘The Guilt Trip’ Worst Actor Nicolas Cage, ‘Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance’/’Seeking Justice’ Eddie Murphy, ‘A Thousand Words’ Robert Pattinson, ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2’ Tyler Perry, ‘Alex Cross’/’Good Deeds’ Adam Sandler, ‘That’s My Boy’ Worst Supporting Actress Jessica Biel: ‘Playing for Keeps’/’Total Recall’ Brooklyn Decker: ‘Battleship’/’What to Expect When You’re Expecting’ Ashley Greene: ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2’ Jennifer Lopez: ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’ Rihanna: ‘Battleship’ Worst Supporting Actor David Hasselhoff, ‘Piranha 3D’ Taylor Lautner, ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2’ Liam Neeson, ‘Battleship’/’Wrath of the Titans’ Nick Swardson, ‘That’s My Boy’ Vanilla Ice, ‘That’s My Boy’ Worst Screen Ensemble ‘Battleship’ ‘The Oogieloves in the Balloon Adventure’ ‘That’s My Boy’ ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2’ ‘Madea’s Witness Protection’ Worst Screenplay ‘Atlas Shrugged: Part 2’ ‘Battleship’ ‘That’s My Boy’ ‘A Thousand Words’ ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2’ Worst Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel ‘Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance’ ‘Piranha 3D’ ‘Red Dawn’ ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2’ ‘Madea’s Witness Protection’ Worst Screen Couple Any two cast members from ‘The Jersey Shore in The Three Stooges’ Mackenzie Foy and Taylor Lautner in ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2’ Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart in ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2’ Tyler Perry and his drag in ‘Madea’s Witness Protection’ Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg, Leighton Meester or Susan Sarandon in ‘That’s My Boy’

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

lifestyle M U S I C

&

M O V I E S

‘Lincoln’ leads BAFTA film nominations with 10

Photo shows French actress Emmanuelle Riva from ‘Amour’, left, with actor Daniel Day Lewis from ‘Lincoln,’ at the New York Film Critics Circle awards dinner in New York. — AP photos

“L

incoln”, the story of US President Abraham Lincoln’s battle to end slavery starring Daniel Day-Lewis in the title role, won 10 BAFTA nominations yesterday, putting it ahead of the pack at Britain’s top film honors. The biopic was shortlisted in categories including best film, actor, supporting actor (Tommy Lee Jones) and supporting actress (Sally Field), but director Steven Spielberg was not nominated. Added to its domination of the Golden Globe contenders going into Sunday night’s awards ceremony, British critics said the film appeared to be in pole position to sweep Oscar nominations which are announced on Thursday.

Actor Daniel Day-Lewis speaking at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards at the Crimson Club in New York.

“Les Miserables”, the movie version of the global hit stage musical, and shipwreck saga “Life of Pi” followed with nine BAFTA nominations each, while the latest installment of James Bond, “Skyfall”, garnered eight. Iranian hostage thriller “Argo” won seven nominations and “Anna Karenina”, an adaptation of the Russian novel, earned six.

Quentin Tarantino’s quirky slavery-era Western “Django Unchained” and “Zero Dark Thirty”, about the hunt for Osama bin Laden, were just behind with five nominations apiece. “Amour”, Austrian director Michael Haneke’s moving portrayal of death, bagged four nominations, an unusually high number for a film in a foreign language.

Risks pay off Eric Fellner of Working Title Films, the company behind Les Miserables and Anna Karenina, said he was pleased that two potentially risky projects had been recognized. Les Miserables, by Oscarwinning director of “The King’s Speech” Tom Hooper, was sung live on set, while Joe Wright’s Anna Karenina, starring Keira Knightley and Jude Law, was set against the backdrop of elaborate stage sets.

“We knew that it was a much-loved musical and there was a large part of the world’s population who were also aware of the book,” Fellner said of Les Miserables after the BAFTA nominations were announced. “But it didn’t stack up as a mainstream movie because over the past decades very few (musicals) have worked. It was a big risk,” he told Reuters, adding that awards recognition could provide a big lift for a picture just hitting theatres now.

Of Anna Karenina, he added: “The minute you do anything different it becomes harder to get it made. But we really believe in our film makers.” Skyfall’s Judi Dench was nominated for best supporting actress as Bond’s spymaster M and Spanish actor Javier Bardem was nominated for best supporting actor as the villain Silva.

There is likely to be disappointment, however, that the movie which has become the most successful in British box office history, with critical acclaim to match, was not included on the most coveted shortlist - best film. That award will be contested by Argo, Lincoln, Life of Pi, Les Miserables and Zero Dark Thirty.

Up for best actor alongside Day-Lewis is Ben Affleck (Argo), Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook), Hugh Jackman (Les Miserables) and Joaquin Phoenix in Scientology tale The Master. The best actress award is between 85-year-old Emmanuelle Riva (Amour), Helen Mirren (Hitchcock), Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook), Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) and Marion Cotillard (Rust and Bone).

As well as Haneke and Affleck, Ang Lee is in the running for best director (Life of Pi) as is Tarantino and Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty). The BAFTAs have a patchy record in predicting which films go on to scoop the biggest movie honors, the Oscars, although last year the main winner in London, “The Artist”, also swept to success at the Academy Awards. The awards ceremony for the BAFTAs, formally called the EE British Academy Film Awards, takes place in London on Feb 10.— Reuters

Main nominees for Britain’s BAFTA film awards

N

ominations for the top British movie awards, the BAFTAs, were announced yesterday, with “Lincoln” leading the field with 10, one ahead of “Les Miserables” and “Life of Pi” Following is a list of nominees for the main categories. The winners of the awards, formally called the EE British Academy Film Awards, will be announced at a ceremony in London on Feb 10.

BEST FILM * Argo; Les Miserables; Life of Pi; Lincoln; Zero Dark Thirty OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM * Anna Karenina; The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel; Les Miserables; Seven Psychopaths; Skyfall FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE * Amour; Headhunters; The Hunt; Rust and Bone; Untouchable DOCUMENTARY * The Imposter; Marley; McCullin; Searching for Sugar Man; West of Memphis ANIMATED FILM * Brave; Frankenweenie; Paranorman DIRECTOR * Amour/Michael Haneke; Argo/Ben Affleck; Django Unchained/Quentin Tarantino; Life of Pi/Ang Lee; Zero Dark Thirty/Kathryn Bigelow ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY * Amour/Michael Haneke; Django Unchained/Quentin Tarantino; The Master/Paul Thomas Anderson; Moonrise Kingdom/Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola; Zero Dark Thirty/Mark Boal LEADING ACTOR * Ben Affleck/Argo; Bradley Cooper/Silver Linings Playbook; Daniel DayLewis/Lincoln; Hugh Jackman/Les Miserables; Joaquin Phoenix/The Master LEADING ACTRESS * Emmanuelle Riva/Amour; Helen Mirren/Hitchcock; Jennifer Lawrence/Silver Linings Playbook; Jessica Chastain/Zero Dark Thirty; Marion Cotillard/Rust and Bone SUPPORTING ACTOR * Alan Arkin/Argo; Christoph Waltz/Django Unchained; Javier Bardem/Skyfall; Philip Seymour Hoffman/The Master; Tommy Lee Jones/Lincoln SUPPORTING ACTRESS * Amy Adams/The Master; Anne Hathaway/Les Miserables; Helen Hunt/The Sessions; Judi Dench/Skyfall; Sally Field/Lincoln.—Reuters

Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan poses with fellow actors Arshad Warsi and Boman Irani at a function for the forthcoming Hindi film ‘Jolly L.L.B.’ directed by Subhash Kapoor in Mumbai yesterday. —AFP

If Daniel Day-Lewis Had Passed, Whoʼd Have Starred in ʻLincolnʼ?

I

f Daniel Day-Lewis had stuck by his decision to pass on the lead role in “Lincoln,” can you imagine who might have played the 16th president? Josh Brolin? Tommy Lee Jones?

Christian Bale? Jim Carrey? Steven Spielberg set off the latest awards season guessing game at the New York Film Critics Circle awards dinner Monday night - at which Day-Lewis received his Best Actor award - where he revealed that actor initially rejected the role in a letter to the film’s director. Spielberg took the stage to present the honor to Day-Lewis and read a letter that the actor had sent him.

Dear Steven It was a real pleasure just to sit and talk with you. I listened very carefully to what you had to say about this compelling history, and I’ve since

read the script and found it - in all the detail of which it descries these monumental events and in the compassionate portraits of all the principle characters both power ful and moving. I can’t account for how at any given moment I feel the need to explore one life as opposed to another. But I do know that I can only do this work if I feel almost as if there’s no choice.

That a subject coincides inexplicably with a very personal need and a ver y specific moment in time. In this case, as fascinated as I was by “Abe,” it was the fascination of a grateful

spectator who longed to see a story told rather than that of a participant.

That ’s how I feel now in spite of myself, and though I can’t be sure this won’t change, I couldn’t dream of encouraging you to keep it open on a mere possibility. I do hope this makes sense Steven. I’m glad you’re making the film. I wish you the strength for it and I send both my very best wishes and my sincere gratitude to you for having considered me.”

Daniel Day Lewis Daniel Spielberg said that the letter from ‘Lincoln,’ at the came after he sent several scripts to New York Film Critics Day-Lewis, before finally settling on Circle awards dinner. one by Tony Kushner, whose work was honored with the Best Screenplay award by the critics group.—Reuters

Affleck, Spielberg, Bigelow among Directors Guild film nominees F

ilmmakers Steven Spielberg, Kathryn Bigelow, Ben Affleck, Tom Hooper and Ang Lee received nominations from the Directors Guild of America (DGA) on Tuesday, ahead of the Oscar nominations this week.

Affleck, 40, landed his first Directors Guild film award nomination for Iran hostage thriller “Argo,” alongside fellow USdirectors Bigelow and Spielberg, Taiwanese director Lee and British filmmaker Hooper.

Bigelow received a nod for her Osama bin Laden-manhunt thriller “Zero Dark Thirty,” Spielberg for his US Civil War-era drama “Lincoln,” Lee for his 3D adaptation of best-selling novel “Life of Pi” and Hooper for his screen adaptation of hit musical “Les Miserables.”“These directors represent the highest standard of filmmaking, and their films are a testament to artistic achievement, innovative storytelling and the passion that filmmakers share with their audiences,” DGA President Taylor Hackford said in a statement.

Notably absent from the list this year was director Quentin Tarantino, whose latest film “Django Unchained,” a spaghetti-western slave retribution tale, has been gaining awards buzz after landing five Golden Globe nods including best director. Filmmaker David O. Russell also didn’t get a DGA nomination, despite his quirky comedy “Silver Linings Playbook” also building awards steam and going into the Golden Globe awards on Sunday with four nominations.

The DGA nominations are often a key indicator of Oscar nominees and winners, as DGA members are often also members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences,

which hosts the Oscars. The Academy Award for best picture also often goes to the winner of the DGA’s best director award. This is the 11th DGA nomination for veteran director Spielberg, 66, who has previously won the award for “Schindler’s List” in 1994, “Saving Private Ryan” in 1999 and who received a DGA lifetime achieve-

Ben Affleck arrives at the 2013 Palm Springs International Film Festival at Palm Springs Convention Center on Saturday. —AP photos won the top directing honors at the Oscars after winning the DGA award. The winner of the DGA feature film category will be revealed at a dinner ceremony hosted by former “Frasier” star Kelsey Grammer on Feb 2 in Los Angeles, three weeks before the Academy Awards. —Reuters Steven Spielberg ment award in 2000. “The privilege of making ‘Lincoln,’ combined with this absolutely tremendous recognition from my peers, is humbling. I thank everyone for including me on this short list of extremely unique and gifted filmmakers,” Spielberg said in a statement. Since 1948, there have been only six occasions where the DGA winner has not gone on to win the Oscar for best director. Spielberg, Bigelow, Hooper and Lee all

File photo shows Director Kathryn Bigelow participates in a ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ photo call in New York.

A Minute With:

‘Glee’ star Colfer’s ‘Lightning’ film debut C

hris Colfer, best known for portraying the openly gay Kurt Hummel on the hit musical television series “Glee,” will make his feature-film acting and writing debut in dark indie comedy “Struck by Lightning” on Friday. Colfer, 22, plays a high-school student who blackmails the popular kids into contributing to his literary magazine. The film also stars comedienne Rebel Wilson and “Modern Family’s” Sarah Hyland.

Colfer sat down with Reuters to talk about the film, and his day job on “Glee,” which is now in its fourth season on US network Fox. Q: You play a high-school student on television.

What made you want to stick to the high-school genre for your debut film?

A: “I really wanted to tell a story of a genre of highschool students that often doesn’t get told - the under-appreciated over-achieving student, like I was in high school.”

Q: Was it hard to get financiers to see you as a credible writer because you are known primarily as an actor?

A: “Anytime an actor associated with something larger than life like ‘Glee,’ I think there is automatic suspicion and doubt that the script would be good. Once people got the script, it wasn’t hard to convince them to read it, but it was difficult getting it made. Had I sold it to a studio, I bet you anything it would have been turned into a movie with me not in it and about a kid losing his virginity or doing drugs. Because

that’s what happens and that’s not what I wanted.”

Q: Why did you choose to make this movie as your debut? Were you not getting other offers?

A: “I have been getting offers but for the most part they were Kurt Hummel 2.0-type roles. Which I don’t mind because I see typecasting differently. My attitude is as long as I’m employed, I really don’t mind. But this character that I wrote just happened not to be a Kurt Hummeltype. I really wanted to play this character and tell his story.”

Q: You shot this while on hiatus from “Glee.” Was that tough?

A: “With ‘Glee,’ every time we go on hiatus, we go on a tour. As soon as we were done with that tour, I had 2 1/2 weeks off before shooting season three. I was the only cast member who decided to do a movie during that time, so the odds were definitely against me. We shot the film in 16 days. We shot digitally, which helped a lot because there wasn’t quite as much lighting to set up or time needed to reload the camera and get film. So that helped. And the locations were all very close to one another.”

Q: This latest season of “Glee” sees a split in storylines as the show follows both a new generation of students at William McKinley High and graduates - like Kurt Hummel - at their new school in New York. What do you think of this change?

A: “I love it. I think we all love it because it means not all of us are working eight days a week, 25

hours a day like we used to. We all get a few days off every week, which is really nice. It’s been fun to leave the choir room and experience what else is out there for Kurt. That’s been great.”

Q: You published a children’s fiction novel, “The Land of Stories,” last year, which topped the New York Times bestseller list, and you have a sequel due out this year. Is writing important to you?

A: “Unless you fit the standard Hollywood template perfectly, to survive in this business you have to generate your own stuff. But for me, it’s more the drive of wanting to tell stories. I’ve always been a storyteller ever since I was a kid.”

Q: Really?

A: “One of my biggest blessings ever was being born knowing exactly what I wanted to do. I have a very long bucket list of films and stories mostly stories - that I want to tell. I love creating characters and I love creating worlds that represent something that’s not so on the nose.”

Q: Because Kurt Hummel is openly gay, do you feel responsibility to represent the gay community in real life?

A: “Everyone automatically associates me with being the poster boy for gay youth. But I feel like Kurt put me in a position to be the poster boy for anyone who is at all uniquely different.

I feel anyone who has that one secretive element that makes them different from the rest is my demographic. And with all the writing I’ve done and with this movie, I feel like I’ve added another straw to my cap in representing all the ambitious kids out there, which is a dream for me.” — Reuters

‘Lincoln’ leads BAFTA film nominations with 10

39

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

US actor Tom Cruise , actress Rosamund Pike and director Christopher McQuarrie stand beside a Chevrolet Chevelle SS, which is the same model used in their latest film, before the Japan Premiere of their latest movie, ‘Jack Reacher’ in Tokyo yesterday. The film will be shown nationwide from February 1. — AFP

Gaza restaurant gives deaf a chance to shine A

t first glance, the Atfaluna restaurant in Gaza City looks like any other-a space for locals to enjoy a simple meal. But there’s a difference: nearly all its staff are deaf. Inside, customers chat to each other and scan the menu, but when it comes to ordering, their requests are taken down by waiters who communicate in sign language, and their meals are all cooked by deaf chefs. It’s a one-of-a-kind concept in Gaza and the brainchild of a local organization called Atfaluna-Arabic for ‘Our Children’-which works to improve the lives of the territory’s deaf. The project has the twin goals of raising awareness about the needs and capabilities of the deaf, while giving the community a way to earn a living in a place where unemployment stands at 45 percent.

Ahmed Dahman, expressing himself shyly through a sign language translator, described how working at the restaurant has changed his life. “It gave me a sense of security regarding my future and self-dependency because job opportunities were virtually non-existent before this,” he said. “We’ve seen a lot of support and cooperation from people,” he told AFP. “A lot of them expressed their interest in learning sign language.” For Dahman and others employed at the restaurant, where sign language letters decorate the walls, Atfaluna is a rare opportunity for work.

Until a few months ago, education opportunities for the deaf in Gaza only ran to ninth grade, with no secondary or university level education available. A new secondary school has just opened, and Atfaluna is working with universities to make courses available for the deaf, but most working-age members of the community find themselves with few marketable skills. “There is a real shortage of jobs for deaf people in Gaza. Of course they are at a big disadvantage because of the educational shortages,” Dalia Abu Amr of the Atfaluna organization told AFP. Diners enter through an elaborate arabesque doorway above which hangs the

restaurant’s name written in white on a black background-in English, Arabic and sign language. Inside, a hostess in a traditionally-embroidered Palestinian gown guides people to their table. Handicrafts made in Atfaluna’s job creation programs are also available for sale. The fare on offer ranges from from Middle Eastern staples like hummus and baba ghanouj to fried fish, chicken or curry dishes. “We came here to see the place,” said Shahd al-Iyla, a 21-yearold student dining with a friend.

“It was nice, we would love to come here to offer moral support, so we will come again.” Abu Amr said 12 of the restaurant’s 14 staff are deaf. The only exceptions are the chef and the accountant, who answers the phone to take reservations and delivery orders. “ The team of 12 deaf workers received culinary and hospitality training,” Abu Amr told AFP. The project hopes “to assimilate the deaf in Gaza into society and provide them with work opportunities.”

Around 1.5 percent of Gazans over the age of five have some form of hearing disability, according to Atfaluna, but the dis-

ability still carries a stigma. “No one welcomes the idea of a deaf person working in Gaza,” said 35-year-old Niveen al-Quqa, as she garnished a dish about to leave the

kitchen. She took art classes and sewing lessons in a bid to find work, but until the restaurant opened, she had had no success.

Now she is one of five women employed at

A Palestinian chef prepares a plate at the kitchen of the first restaurant that employs deaf people in Gaza. —AFP

Palestinian customers await their meal at the first restaurant.

Atfaluna-four in the kitchen and one working as a waitress. “I am looking forward to improving my culinary skills so my colleagues and I can prove ourselves, despite our disability. I am very happy now,” she added with a smile. The restaurant’s chef, 30year-old Hassan Addabus, hovered nearby as his charges worked, giving them pointers on their technique in sign language. “I have been doing this for 10 years and it was always about doing a job I love, but today it means much more than that,” he told AFP. “It has a moral and human significance because of the support it offers to people with disabilities in our society who deserve all of our help.”

Amina Al-Omari, 22, also hard at work in the kitchen, said the job had given her a new sense of self. “Society has no idea about our needs,” she explained. “I felt subject to injustice and oppression because of this, but those feelings started to fade away after I started working here and becoming independent. “We are capable of proving our skills and excellence. We might be deaf, but we have a lot of potential.” —AFP

A Palestinian waiter picks up a tray of food to serve clients.

Getting pushy Parisians to mend their manners

T

he “City of Light” may draw more tourists than most world capitals, but Paris less than sparkles to the legions of visitors shocked to find its residents can be rude, brusque and snobbish. The first glimpse many get of Paris, the Charles de Gaulle international airport was ranked the world’s worst on a CNN blog in 2011, which complained of a warren-like layout, grimy washrooms and above all “dismissive staff”. “Waiting for a connection here is like being in custody,” one traveler complained.

Not only are Parisians contemptuous of travelers to their town, they also behave badly towards each other, so the reputation goes, and the city’s waiters treat patrons like dirt. A Japanese psychiatrist practicing in Paris for three decades has even identified what he calls “a Paris syndrome” among compatriots new to a city synonymous in their minds with elegance and refinement. “They arrive with an image out of sync with reality,” said the doctor, who asked not to be named. “They never expected a ‘welcome’ that is so aggressive and indifferent. They experience fear and symptoms of anxiety.” The latest to join in on-again-off-again attempts by the city to persuade locals to mind their manners, Paris’ public transport authorities, have launched a tongue in cheek poster campaign on the SNCF rail and RATP bus and metro networks, featuring pushy animals.

One shows a hen squawking into a mobile phone in a crowded bus, one a buffalo barging into a commuter train, another a messy warthog leaving snacks and trash on the next seat.

‘Very French problem’ “This is a very French problem,” said SNCF head Guillaume Pepy, who says the issue extends beyond the

capital. He said the SNCF will recruit 100 “mediators” to remind passengers “that no, you do not smoke on trains; no, you do not put your feet up on the seat opposite you, and no, you do not destroy the fittings because they belong to the public.” An old French term, “incivility”, is increasingly heard in public speech as the euphemism for plain old inconsiderate behavior. The

worst, said bus driver Tarik Gouijjane, are passengers on the late-night buses. “Spitting and the finger up sign are common currency,” he said. “People openly drink alcohol, smoke joints and put their feet on the seats.”

“I don’t know if these campaigns will have any effect but they’re definitely responding to a need,” said sociologist Dominique Picard, author of a 2007 book on man-

A file picture shows people passing by a giant mock-up discarded cigarette displayed on the ground at the Gare de Lyon railway station in Paris. — AFP

ners and “savoir vivre”. Paris has not always such an image problem. “When good Americans die, they go to Paris,” famously said Thomas Gold Appleton, a 19thcentury Boston wit. Yet today, “everyone complains that these incivilities are on the rise. And in all social classes,” said sociologist Picard.

French news weekly Marianne blamed Parisians’ perceived boorishness on stress. It said people were under more stress than in other parts of France, faced with longer commutes and working hours in a fastpaced and increasingly overcrowded city which with its suburbs is home to more than 11 million people.

Figures released by the RATP bear this out. A study, it said, showed 97 percent of the dense crowd who use the bus and metro daily had witnessed “incivilities” in the previous month, and a surprising 63 percent admitted having been “incivil” to fellow passengers.

The RATP’s response was a campaign encouraging passengers to “exchange a kind smile while commuting”. Not all are down on Parisians, however. “For years I’ve been denying the French are rude. People simply don’t understand cultural differences,” said American blogger Karen Fawcett on her site Bonjour Paris.

Traditionally in France, the slightest eye contact-be it in a lift, a shop or in public transport-draws a “good day” greeting.

It is likewise a sacrosanct prefix before any enquiry, something about which tourists are not necessary aware. “Parisians tend to be like people who live and work in Manhattan and don’t necessarily make nicenice to strangers,” Fawcett wrote. “It’s their responsibility to learn about French culture and mores, before making grand pronouncements that they’re not well treated as soon as they land on Gallic soil.” —AFP