27th Nov

CR IP TI ON BS SU

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

Penny Lane: Guantanamo’s other secret CIA facility

Scotland unveils blueprint for independence

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NO: 15999

150 FILS

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www.kuwaittimes.net

MUHARRAM 23, 1435 AH

China to send ‘jade rabbit’ to Moon

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Ajax end Barcelona run to stay in contention

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Health minister survives in day (and night) of grilling MPs file no-confidence motion against Dashti, quiz PM

Max 24º Min 14º High Tide 05:16 & 19:16 Low Tide 00:05 & 12:05

conspiracy theories

City of angels

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

I

find the punishment imposed on Kuwait University professor Dr Haifa Al-Kandari a bit harsh. Haifa was punished for an interview she gave to an Arabic daily in which she stated that there is a lot of sexual harassment against women in Kuwait University, where she teaches as a sociology expert. Also, according to the survey she conducted among students of the university, she said she found that there are a number of homosexuals among both men and women, who in Kuwaiti dialect are referred to as junus (men) and boyat (girls).

Her findings caused a storm in Kuwait - in the public domain and of course in the university. This led to her suspension by the highest authority of education - the minister of education. On the other hand, according to media reports, some action has been taken in the university by replacing the doors of professors’ offices with glass doors. If Kandari’s findings were inaccurate, why then within two or three days the doors at the university are going to be changed?

Suppose her findings are right. This is something that happens in any country. We do not live in a society of angels. Nobody lives in a city of angels. So why the hypocrisy? This, by the way, is an Arab habit. Why can’t we accept criticism? Why do we act like an ostrich? I am sure everyone knows what ostriches do. It buries its head in the sand and thrusts its private parts out. Are you serious that there are no irregularities in our society? There have been irregularities in our society for thousands of years. Previously, however, there was no media to expose it and debate it.

Why the panic in parliament and the harsh statements? The most recent statement came from Dr Maasouma Al-Mubarak who said that Kandari was supposed to address the issue without media hype.

I find this to be a negative statement by the honorable lady whom I respect a lot, by the way. Why nobody came out in defence of Kandari?

I challenge Kuwait University to do a survey amongst youth on Kuwait’s streets. They will come with more shocking results compared to Kandari’s.

We do not live in utopia. We are humans like the rest of the globe. People are different, men and women.

Their beliefs are different, their behaviours are different. We have the good, the bad and the ugly. We have saints and on the other hand we have evil. Just take a stroll on Gulf Road and you will see all sorts of people - girls and boys who stray from society’s norms. You can tell it by the way they dress, the way they behave and the way they flirt with each other.

Their behavior is not according to sharia laws. You do not need Kandari to do a survey on them.

So don’t give me this crap that these things do not exist in Kuwait. They do just like in any other country. Stop with the hypocrisy. The ministry of education should start looking for solutions to guide the youngsters.

KU instructor suspended over remarks KUWAIT: Kuwait University sociology instructor Dr Haifa Al-Kandari was suspended for making remarks considered offensive to both students and teaching staff, Minister of Education Nayef Al-Hajraf announced on Monday. Kandari said in statements published by Al-Rai Sunday that several female students complained about being subjected to harassment at the hands of male students and teachers.

She also spoke about homosexuality being a ‘phenomenon present in campus’.

The university issued a statement the same day and announced that ‘disciplinary measures’ will be taken against the instructor. “It is our responsibility to protect the academic structure and safeguard students as well as members of the teaching and Continued on Page 15

KUWAIT: (Clockwise from above) Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Sabah, Minister of Planning and State Minister for Assembly Affairs Rola Dashti and State Minister for Cabinet Affairs and Health Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah are seen during a session at the National Assembly yesterday; MPs Riyadh Al-Adasani and Safa Al-Hashem speak during the session. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

By B Izzak KUWAIT: In a historic day that may set a new record, Health Minister Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Sabah comfortably survived a no-confidence motion yesterday as 10 MPs filed another no-confidence motion against Planning Minister Rola Dashti after a grilling over the state’s development plan. MP Riyadh Al-Adasani later grilled State Minister for Housing and Municipality Salem Al-Othaina over the

housing crisis in the country but a second grilling against him for removing Shiite tents was postponed until Dec 24. The grilling ended late at night without filing a no-confidence motion, which means that the minister will not face any further challenge.

The two grillings against Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak AlSabah, filed separately by MPs Adasani and Safa Al-Hashem were combined together and their debate began just

before midnight. During the grilling, Adasani charged that the prime minister has not made any achievements since he was appointed premier two years ago. He said that Kuwait enjoys huge financial assets but without any major achievement coupled with a rise in corruption.

Adasani questioned where the KD 15.5 billion earmarked for development has gone. He also said that under the premier, two assemblies have been dissolved without anyone held accountable. Hashem

said the country is before a crossroads and the solution is in the hands of Sheikh Jaber because he is the prime minister, adding that rife corruption has facilitated influential people to lay their hands on public funds. By the time the paper went to press, the prime minister had not responded. Hashem was also expected to grill Dashti over the appointment of an Iraqi national in her office, preferring him over citizens.

Continued on Page 15

OFWs typhoon lifeline Maid from Kuwait rushes back

KUWAIT: Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) aerobatic team, The Red Arrows, perform during a show yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

TACLOBAN, Philippines: The Philippines’ giant band of overseas workers, already regarded as national heroes for toiling in foreign lands, are coming to the rescue again as they dig deep to send more cash back to their typhoonhit homeland. With relief workers overwhelmed by the magnitude of this month’s disaster and unable to provide adequate support to the millions of survivors living in flattened towns, Filipinos abroad are proving a crucial, direct lifeline. In the ruined city of Tacloban, farmer Teudolfo Barmisa queued up at a money transfer outlet on Tuesday and withdrew the equivalent of $600 sent by his daughter who works as a maid in Hong Kong. “The money will go to buying food first, then other supplies to help us rebuild our home, like plywood and cement,” Barmisa told AFP. Barmisa was among hundreds of peo-

TANAUAN, Philippines: Filipina worker in Kuwait Lourdes Distrajo gestures in Leyte province. — AFP ple withdrawing cash from financial outlets in Tacloban, many of which had just re-opened more than a fortnight after Super Typhoon killed at least 5,240 people and destroyed or damaged one million homes.

Continued on Page 15

in the

news

KAC denies deal to buy, lease aircraft KUWAIT: Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC) yesterday categorically denied reports that it had signed agreements with other carriers to purchase or lease airplanes. KAC’s negotiations to modernize its fleet “are directly with Airbus which was selected by the KAC board,” the national carrier said in a statement.

There are no legal or financial penalties against KAC over the modernization of its fleet, it affirmed. Indian carrier Jet Airways denied in a statement yesterday that a deal to sell KAC five Airbus aircraft was revoked.

Kuwait calls on Iran to free Kuwaiti man KUWAIT: Kuwait has called on the Iranian authorities to free its detained national Adel Al-Huwal as soon as possible. This came during a meeting yesterday between Kuwait’s Foreign Ministr y Undersecretary Khaled Al-Jarallah and the Iranian Embassy’s Charge d’Affaires Hassan Zarinkar. A Foreign Ministry statement said that the two sides also discussed issues on the agenda of the proposed meeting of the joint Kuwaiti-Iranian committee scheduled for early December.

KISR detects seismic waves, but no quake KUWAIT: The national seismic network at Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) said yesterday some of its network stations detected seismic waves at 10:06 am, but no activity that classifies as an earthquake. The network’s press release indicated the investigation into the observation showed that the readings were caused by rock ruptures. It further explained that a seismic wave is a wave of energy that travels through the Earth’s layers, and could be the result of an earthquake, explosion or a volcano that imparts low-frequency acoustic energy.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

LOCAL

Sirens to be tested today KUWAIT: M inistr y of I nterior assistant undersecretar y for operations Maj Gen Abdullah Yousif Al-Muhanna announced that the Civil Defense Directorate (CDD) would carry out an experimental test of all sirens installed across Kuwait’s six governorates at 10 am this morning, Wednesday, Nov 27, 2013. Muhanna stressed that the aim of the tests is be to ensure the sirens wo r k p ro p e r l y a n d d o a l l t h e n e e d e d repairs and maintenance operations in addition to getting both citizens and expatriates accustomed to the three different tones and the preparations to be done in case they are sounded.

Muhanna said that on hearing the first intermittent tone, which indicates the nearness of menace, people should keep calm, not panic, switch off all gas and electricity sources, secure all flammable substances, refrain from using lifts, get down to ground floors, get to shelters if possible and follow CDD regulations on official media.

On hearing the second wavy tone, which indicates actual occurrence of menace or disaster, people should switch off lights in rooms overlooking the front of the house, then switch off all lights after everybody has gone to ground floors or shelters, get away from doors and windows, use hand-

held flashlights, follow official media and remain in place until hearing the third continuous tone, which indicates end of the crisis, after which people should check on family members and each other in shelters, avoid approaching affected areas or picking up any strange objects, even if they look familiar because they might be boobytrapped objects like pens, lighters, colorful canisters, etc.

Muhanna also urged people not to believe in rumors or spread them. Muhanna reiterated that the CDD was currently conducting a field study in new residential areas to install new sirens in them.

NUKS conference kicks-off SAN DIEGO: The National Union of Kuwaiti Students (NUKS), USA Chapter kicked-off its 30th Annual Conference here yesterday, with the support and contribution from one of Kuwait’s largest retail distributors, Ali Abdulwahab Al-Mutawa Commercial Co. (AAW).

This is contribution by AAW, who has actively supported NUKS, is one of its many contributions to education. The conference, which will last for five days is under the patronage of the Prime Minister, HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and hosts a wide-range of guests that include HH Sheikh Salem Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah, Kuwait’s Ambassador in Washington and HH Sheikha Al-Zain Al-Sabah, UnderSecretary of State for Youth Affairs.

AAW Chairman and Managing Director, Faisal Al-Mutawa said: “Our youth and students play a vital role in the development and advancement of our country, especially those that are studying abroad in the US.

The skills they learn, adopt and experience add incremental value to the development process in Kuwait.

“AAW has continuously supported NUKS in its efforts in creating the largest network and Kuwaiti gathering outside of the country. We are honored to support these great Kuwaiti-led conferences across the world.”

With a commitment to community work, AAW supports sports, health and educational initiatives across Kuwait and the region including other student-driven programs like cross-country Pin2 business plan challenge for highschool students, job shadowing day, and entrepreneurship Masterclass.

The NUKS-USA is a subset of NUKS headquartered in Kuwait, and helps unify Kuwaiti students living abroad across all states in the US. NUKS-USA provides students with lifestyle and academic support during their time studying in the US by creating a constructive academic

KUWAIT: Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) aerobatic team, The Red Arrows, perform during a show in Kuwait City yesterday.

—Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

‘No chance for rains early next week’

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: According to Adel Al-Saadoun, an astronomer at Al-Fintas Observatory, there won’t be rains on Saturday and Sunday as another meteorologist predicted yesterday.

“According to weather predictions for the coming days, we should not expect rain at the beginning of next week. There will be clouds on Thursday but rain is not expected,” he told Kuwait Times.

In case it rains, Kuwait is ready and nothing serious is expected to happen. “Kuwait dealt with the previous rains in very good way and after an hour, streets were normal. In fact anywhere in the world, streets get paralyzed for a certain period in emergencies such as heavy rain. But people here like to exaggerate. They are against the government, so if anything bad

happens, they blame the government and grill the minister in charge. Kuwait was the best in the Gulf region to deal with the rains unlike Saudi Arabia and other countries that suffered more damages and loss of lives,” he added.

Regarding the earthquakes that took place earlier this week on the Iran-Iraq border, Saadoun believed it was not very strong so it won’t have strong aftershocks. “ The slight tremor felt by people in Kuwait was not an aftershock - it was the earthquake itself. An aftershock should happen at the same location of the earthquake, and can happen a week, month or even a year later. In general, Kuwait is not in danger of earthquakes as we are not located on a fault line. But earthquakes can’t be predicted,” he explained.

On any danger to the nuclear reactor in Bushehr in Iran, he said that this was a new

reactor built to resist earthquakes up to 7 or 8 degrees on the Richter scale. “It’s not the same as the Japanese reactor in Fukushima that was mostly destroyed by water due to a tsunami.

Fortunately in Kuwait and the Gulf, tsunamis are unlikely due to shallow waters and small spaces,” stressed Saadoun.

In case the reactor is damaged, radiation can spread in two ways - through air and water.

“Through air it’s difficult to reach Kuwait as the wind usually is either northwest, so it will return to Iran, or it’s southwest and will go to Iraq. It can only reach us with easterly winds which is rare. If the water is polluted with radioactive material, then it’ll be dangerous as we depend here on desalinating seawater. Currents move the water to the head of the Gulf and bring it back to Kuwait, so this can’t be prevented,” he concluded.

KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait offered bronze sponsorship to the 2013 Kuwait Projects Conference that was organized by MEED. Acting Executive President Elham Yasri said in a statement yesterday that the decision to sponsor the event reflects the CBK’s ambitions to take part in economic conferences which aim to improve infrastructures in Kuwait, and offer financial solutions for projects financing.

EQUATE hosts insurance companies KUWAIT: EQUATE Petrochemical Company hosted a number of local and international insurance and reinsurance companies.

During a tour hosted by EQUATE at Greater EQUATE petrochemical installations in Shuaiba Industrial Area, EQUATE President & CEO Mohammad Husain said, “Insurance and reinsurance companies are partners in the company’s achievements within a true framework of ‘Partners in Success’ at several levels.”

Husain noted, “Such partnership has contributed in one the largest ever insurance deals for Kuwait’s industrial private sector with the participation of

major local and international insurance bodies.” Husain explained “In addition to owning to a number of units producing ethylene, polyethylene and ethylene glycol, EQUATE is also the single operator of Greater EQUATE, which includes Kuwait Paraxylene Production Company (KPPC), The Kuwait Styrene Company (TKSC) and The Kuwait Olefins Company (TKOC) under one fully integrated operational umbrella at Kuwait’s Shuaiba Industrial Area.”

In addition, the event included a presentation and tour of Greater EQUATE, which were attended by members of EQUATE senior management,

leaders and employees, as well as delegates representing the insurance companies. Established in 1995, EQUATE is an international joint venture between Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC), The Dow Chemical Company (Dow), Boubyan Petrochemical Company (BPC) and Qurain Petrochemical Industries Company (QPIC). Commencing production in 1997, EQUATE is the single operator of a fully integrated world-scale manufacturing facility producing over 5 million tons annually of high-quality petrochemical products which are marketed throughout the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe.

Asian drug trader arrested

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: Operations at the narcotics department arrested an Asian with 1.5 kg of opium following tips that he sold drugs.

Policemen who raided his residence found nearly 50 gm of opium, and when questioned, he said that he was hiding a large quantity in an open sandy area. When he took them there, 1.5 kg of the drug was found along with a precision scale. He was sent along with the drugs to concerned authorities.

Officer injured The security information department said that a narcotics officer was shot in the foot while storming a flat to arrest a

Jordanian in possession of drugs. Another person then entered the flat and fired several rounds, with one hitting the foot of the officer, who was taken to hospital in stable condition, while the shooter escaped. The Jordanian is being questioned to find out more details. 60 gm of meth was found during the raid.

Ahmadi campaign Ahmadi governorate security directorate launched a campaign against law violating individuals resulting in the arrest of eight wanted persons and 26 without IDs or expired iqamas. Fifteen cars were impounded, 25 traffic tickets were issued and 73 local made liquor bottles were confiscated.

Doctors hold ‘silent protest’ KUWAIT: Nearly a hundred doctors and medical staff members demonstrated outside the Amiri Hospital on Monday in a ‘silent protest’ against a decision made by the health committee in the parliament which upheld the Minister of Health’s order to transfer Dr Kefaya Malak to the Infectious Diseases Hospital.

This was the second protest since the transfer order was made; which doctors insist was a ‘punishment’ for her instructions to move the ailing father of an MP out of the intensive

care unit in order to make room for another patient. The gatherers also indicated that more protests could be held until Dr Malak ’s transfer order is reversed. “This was a silent gathering because the issue has already became clear”, Dr Saad AlZanki said as a spokesman for the protesting doctors. “Silence is the best way to express what cannot be described by words”. Health Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah AlSabah had reiterated earlier that Dr Malak’s transfer “meets the general

interest ” and denied once again “falling under pressure from any parliament member ”. He fur ther rebuffed accusations that the ministry ‘made a deal’ with a health committee member by awarding a tender to a company owned by his brother in exchange of covering documents that convict the minister in the case.

“The issue is left up to the investigations committee headed by former health minister Abdulwahab AlFawzan and consist of people from outside the ministry”, Al-Sabah said.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

LOCAL

Iran nuclear deal to help Gulf to be more stable Oil prices not to be affected

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: The more stability in the Gulf, the better for Kuwait and other Gulf countries, says a local economist. Speaking to Kuwait Times, Dr Hajjaj Abu Khudoor said the nuclear deal six world powers recently signed with Iran could be a win-win solution, although it won’t affect the supply and demand and the price of oil in the world market will not fall.

“But the deal helps Gulf to be more stable stability means peace. It means lower oil insurance and more investors will come forward to invest in Kuwait and the rest of Gulf countries.

But oil prices will not be affected,” he stressed.

Iran and six world powers reached a historic deal on Sunday that freezes key parts of Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for temporary relief on some economic sanctions. The agreement requires Iran to halt or scale back parts of its nuclear infrastructure, the first such pause in more than a decade. The deal, intended as a first step toward a more comprehen-

sive nuclear pact to be completed in six months, freezes or reverses progress at all of Iran’s major nuclear facilities, according to Western officials familiar with the details. It halts the installation of new centrifuges used to enrich uranium and caps the amount and type of enriched uranium that Iran is allowed to produce.

Iran also agreed to halt work on key components of a heavy-water reactor that could someday provide Iran with a source of plutonium. In addition, Iran accepted a dramatic increase in oversight, including daily monitoring by international nuclear inspectors, the officials said. In return, Iran will receive modest relief of trade sanctions and access to some of its frozen currency accounts overseas, concessions said to be valued at less than $7 billion over the six-month term of the deal. The sanctions would be reinstated if Iran violates the agreement’s terms.

“Theoretically with the lifting of sanctions, Iran would be able to supply oil to the world

so more oil will be in the market - the more oil in the market, the more prices are expected to go down. This is one side of it, but the price of oil is not just being affected by supply and demand - it is affected by geopolitics,” Bu Khudoor argued. “The reality on the ground is that sanctions were imposed on Iran, but Iran is smuggling oil through Russia, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan through illegal means and even using sea routes to smuggle their oil out of Iran since there is no mechanism to monitor the sanction. So the export of oil from Iran during the sanction continued and the deal will not do anything because the oil has been there all this time,” he pointed out. “So, there would be no economic impact at all. The nuclear deal will not add to the supply of oil in the world market. In fact, the world is just legitimizing Iran’s oil exports, giving them a chance to openly sell their oil,” he explained.

Abu-Khudoor said the United States has nothing to gain from the nuclear deal in any way, but he believed writing off debts could

be one of the reason why they entered the deal. “If oil prices go down, the demand from China would be more - China has great advantage manpower wise. They have the cheapest manpower while the US will have to cut its exports, meaning China’s growth will be faster, maybe 13-14 percent annually. The deal is not in the interest of America even if oil prices go down, simply because the US has a deficit of more than $300 billion with China. The US is importing more products from China whereas US is exporting less. So the turn of events will be in the interest of China,” he predicted. “The US deficit stands at $16 trillion dollars nowadays. Their policy is to reduce this deficit - all is just about politics,” he added. Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have come out in favor of Iran’s agreement with world powers saying they hoped it would help to preserve stability and security in the region. Iraq, Syria and the Palestinian Authority welcomed the deal, saying it could pile more pressure on Israel.

Dr Hajjaj Abu Khudoor

Pneumococcal vaccination for children

Student delegation tours Zain headquarters KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommunications company in Kuwait, yesterday announced that it has welcomed an official student delegation from Al Asmaa High School for girls to its corporate headquarters in Shuwaikh. The visit is in line with the company’s continuous interaction with many educational institutions, with a view to students taking an interest in the successful development of the telecom sector in Kuwait.

It was the utmost pleasure for Zain to host the student delegation, which was impressed by Zain’s professional yet friendly working environment. The students toured many of the company’s departments and learnt about Zain’s eco-

nomic, social, and technical aspects, as well as about ways in which the company looks to distinguish itself in the local market. A number of company executives participated in a series of discussions with the students, covering topics that included looking at the main trends in the telecom sector; the importance of technology in our modern lives; and how companies operate in the Middle East and in Kuwait particularly. The interaction between executives and students was interactive as students were eager to share their points of view and ask questions.

Waleed Al-Khashti, Zain’s Corporate Communications and Relations Manager said: “We were more than happy to

welcome the Al-Asmaa High School student delegation and share our experiences with the young students. They were eager to learn about how companies operate internally, be they local or international institutions, and we shared and discussed many topics related to the telecom sector with them”.

Zain’s active corporate social responsibility strategy primarily focuses on the wellbeing of the entire nation, most notably the youth and educational sectors. For this reason, the company has maintained its support of numerous initiatives that add to the investment in student and educational initiatives in Kuwait.

KUWAIT: Phase two of Pneumococcal vaccine campaign for kindergarten students is due to be launched in December, School Health Department Director Dr Ebtisam Al-Howaidi announced yesterday.

Al-Howaidi said in a press conference that around 44,000 students from government schools and 37,000 others from private ones will benefit from this campaign, bringing the total number of students to 82,000.

The campaign was approved by the higher national committee chaired by Health Ministry Undersecretary for Public Health Qais Al-Duwari as a precautionary step to combating all diseases. The vaccination campaign will be carried out by a medical staff from the School Health Department and Precautionary Health Department distributed at schools in all of the country’s governorates.

On her part, assistant chief at the Health Ministry’s disease control unit Dr. Najla Al-Ayyadi cautioned against children who suffer from high fever and allergies from taking this vaccine to prevent the appearance of any side effects.

However, she noted that more than one million vaccination injections of (PCV 13 and PCV 7) were given to children since 2006 without any side effects. She added that the new Pneumococcal vaccine, a replacement of the old one, has been given to nearly 250,000 children.

The new vaccine is manufactured by the same company of the old one. It is currently used in the US and Canada and it is approved by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Medicines Agency and World Health Organization. It is also used in all of the GCC countries.—KUNA

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

LOCAL kuwait digest

kuwait digest

An unjustifiable decision

The property exhibition

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

By Dr Wael Al-Hasawi

I

I

Al-Anbaa

think there is a hidden message to be sent to the public behind the unjustifiable decision to hold on to Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, or avoid at least giving him another portfolio in the Cabinet instead of the health ministry. One can only wonder what is the reason behind the stubborn position in Sheikh Mohammad’s case while there was more leniency shown in the case of former prime minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah.

The former premier did not show arrogance — perhaps the only mistake he made was extra efforts to appease others including the opposition. Sheikh Mohammad Al-Sabah was supposed to submit his resignation the moment he committed the grave error of interfering in what is not his business, and his uncalled for decision to submit to demands of a lawmaker who criticized a technical decision that neither he nor anyone in the government know anything about.

If I had a relative in the intensive care unit and the doctor told me that he is going to be transferred to the regular ward, I would be happy with the news because it must mean that the patient’s condition must have became better.

Instead, Dr Kefaya Abdulmalek was given a slap in the face by the MP through the minister’s decision to transfer her to another hospital. The minister, and the MP before him, believe that they know better than the physician who could have decided that keeping the patient inside the intensive care unit was affecting him psychologically.

If Dr Abdulmalek’s transfer was made under normal circumstances, no one would have noticed. If it did not come after a parliament member’s complaint, it would have been considered a routine reshuffle. But the premeditation and revenge are clear in this case. You have to be completely biased - like members of the parliament’s health committee - or unusually ignorant to believe that the decision was a regular, routine procedure.

I was under the impression that the government reached a point in which they faced trouble passing their goals, and that they needed to ‘buy’ loyalties in order to achieve their ambitions or general objectives such as granting equal rights to female citizens. But it appears that things have become pretty simple with the presence of the current parliament. — Al-Qabas

kuwait digest

Misplaced grilling

By Dr Mohammad Al-Moqatei

I

read the grilling request which was submitted by MPs Abdullah Al-Tamimi and Faisal Al-Duwaisan against the Minister of State for Municipality Affairs over the removal of Ashura tents, and it is not possible for me to speak about this grilling separately from the two items in the National Assembly’s internal rules - 122 which addresses the parliamentary question and 134 on the grilling.

Both items say that a grilling motion should not contain words that compromise the dignity of individuals or departments, or harm the country’s higher interests. By combing both items , it becomes clear to me that for the grilling to elude to something like that, is a reason to drop it from the assembly’s agenda.

I wrote in my book “Parliamentary grilling of ministers in Kuwait” in 2002 the issue of the speaker’s right to strike out grillings that contradict the constitution as an exercise of his authority as mentioned in item 30 of the internal rules also (Page 108) in my personal estimation, the submission of a grilling that built on

sectarian considerations, regardless of its justifications, contradicts the constitution on one hand and the above mentioned items in the internal rules of the National Assembly on the other.

The speaker should have waited before including the grilling on the agenda because it includes phrases that directly stir some sectarian issues by the way they are written and presented in the grilling. In fact the direct jumping to the grilling for a subject full of mistakes by a purely administrative department requires patience before its submission, until investigation committees are formed, either by the government or the Assembly to find out the truth, and keep grillings from being a tool for pressures that carry religious or sectarian tones, and this is what I fear the said grilling is.

So, I hope the two MPs realize this truth and withdraw their grilling motion, or the speaker and his office should take stands that prevent precedents that may stir strife and deepen the societal division on religious or sectarian bases. — Al-Qabas

decided to take a tour of the property exhibition after I passed by it the other day on my way to the book fair. I came out with the general impression that the fair, much like other property shows held in Kuwait throughout the year, focus on properties outside the country with few offers on a selected number of apartments offered locally for sale.

It is not hard to realize that the crazy property prices in Kuwait are the reason why property fairs lack offers to sell houses and villas in the country. I saw a newspaper ad a few days ago for a 485 sq m house in Faiha, and the owner asked for KD 650,000. I learned the other day that the house was sold for KD 700,000! Prices continue to increase rapidly with the lack of a ceiling that limits their increase.

I personally am skeptical of government officials’ statements about a ‘near solution’ to the housing crisis, because the matter is simply out of their hands.

Restrictions that the Central Bank announced recently could help control the prices a little, but will not be able to curb the rapid growth in prices with around 110,000 housing applications pending at the Public Authority for Housing Welfare, whereas the government can build only a thousand housing units a year (according to the ‘Naater Bait’ [waiting for a house] campaign).

A local daily quoted a government official on Monday who indicated that apartments are being mulled as an alternative solution to meet the surging demand for government houses. Such a step would instantly increase property prices the same way it happened with the Sawaber Compound experience.

Going from one pavilion to another at the property exhibition, I saw very interesting offers for properties located in very beautiful natural places in touristic countries. What caught my attention the most though was that those properties are offered for relatively cheap prices compared to Kuwait. Many Kuwaitis facing this situation might think that while they need a house in Kuwait that costs half a million dinars, it might be better to buy a cheaper house or apartment in a touristic country.

Kuwaitis are the biggest property buyers in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan, Bosnia, Egypt and other countries. The reason behind this could be the fact that Kuwaitis are unable to buy houses back home, rather than assuming that they prefer to own properties outside. A simple solution would see the government allow investment companies to establish infrastructure and houses in open areas, then sell them to citizens for reasonable prices similar to what happens all over the world. The government can deduct the house’s price from the subsidization value. This is more effective than waiting for the Public Authority for Housing Welfare to end the crisis which they haven’t been able to stop from escalating during the past years. — Al-Rai

In my view

Strategic Afro-Arab partnership

By Dr Alhagi Manta Drammeh

T

he Afro-Arab Summit in Kuwait which took place on Nov 19 and 20 is indeed historic and strategic. As a keen observer of current affairs, I followed the summit with great anticipation and enthusiasm. It is historic because none of its kind ever happened. The summits of Cairo and Sirte in Libya in 1977 and 2010 respectively were different in many respects. The first Arab-African summit was held in March 1977 in Cairo with the participation of 61 Arab and African countries and was broadly about making a partnership between the oil-rich Arab countries and poor but resource-rich Africa. The second summit in Sirte, Libya in Oct 2010 was very ambitious and the Sirte Declaration hinged on three main issues, namely - partnership strategy, a joint fund for disaster responses and support for peace efforts in Sudan.

Observers agree largely that the Third Afro-Arab Summit is a success because of its big potential to galvanise economic growth and development that the peoples of the two regions can benefit immensely from.

Indeed, Kuwait is under the able leadership of HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

Kuwait for many decades has been involved in Africa in terms of poverty alleviation and the thousands of scholarships it has offered to Africans to study in Kuwait at different levels.

However, the recent summit that concluded in Kuwait on Nov 20 is unique and distinct in terms of its focus primarily on economic devolvement in its different facets detached from acrimonious political wrangling. The theme of the summit this time is Partners in Development and Investment, implying that the thrust of the summit is to explore possible avenues for development and investment on the basis of strategic partnership between Africa and the Arab world. Some journalists and analyst have been sceptical due to some political reasons and ignorance of the deep cultural and historical links between Africa and the Arab World.

The simple fact is that the Arab states in Africa represent 70 percent of the Arab world and 20 percent of Africa. This is a historical and demographic reality that cannot be

denied regardless of different political points of view. In fact the history between Africa and the Arab world goes as far back as before the advent of Islam. However, the advent of Islam strengthened this relationship that has led to intermarriage between Africans and Arabs. The examples are many from Mauritania to Tanzania through North and East Africa.

It cannot be denied that there are challenges.

Nonetheless, we should examine how these challenges can be surmounted by developing legal frameworks that will protect investors, employers and employees. Some have alluded to poverty, health problems and illiteracy. The above three problems are man-made and they are not inevitable.

I would argue that the benefits outweigh the challenges if the following actions are taken: 1. Investment in human capital through the development of necessary infrastructure in terms of transport networks 2. Investing in education and research institutions 3. Investment in agriculture and animal farming in order to have food security 4. Capacity building of the civil society that will serve as protectors of human rights and as pressure group on the executive 5. Development of the judiciary and its empowerment for the promotion of human rights and good governance 6. Investment in empowering the youth and youth projects as they are the future Observers agree largely that the Third Afro-Arab Summit is a success because of its big potential to galvanise economic growth and development that the peoples of the two regions can benefit immensely from. Indeed, Kuwait is under the able leadership His Highness Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Kuwait for many decades has been involved in Africa in terms of poverty alleviation and the thousands of scholarships it has offered to Africans to study in Kuwait at different levels. I have a personal experience of relatives who went and studied in Kuwait under the scholarships scheme that Kuwait has developed for African countries. The story of the iconic personality of the late sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sumait must be immortalized.

The late sheikh went far and wide of Africa to offer humanitarian aid to the poor and the underprivileged.

I am sure, with the political will, the Kuwait Summit will make a big difference in the efforts of the African and Arab leaders to be food secure and to create sustainable development for their peoples. Lastly but not the least, I avail myself of this opportunity to salute the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah for the organization of such a magnificent summit that brought together over 70 heads of state and government and their entourages to Kuwait. I hope this opportunity in this globalised world will be exploited to the utmost and for the benefit of the peoples of the two regions. It should be seen as a win-win thing and there will be no losers.

NOTE: Dr Alhagi Manta Drammeh is Assistant Professor of the Study of Islam and Muslims at Al-Maktoum College, Dundee, Scotland

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

LOCAL

Kuwait in full support of Palestine-Israel talks NEW YORK: Kuwait is lending its full support to, and is keen on the success of, the ongoing regional and international efforts to bring the Palestinians and the Israelis to the table to come out with agreements on final status issues including borders, settlements, water resources, Al-Quds, refugees and security.

The stance was expressed before the UN’s 68th General Assembly yesterday by the country’s Permanent Representative to the UN Mansour Ayyad Al-Otaibi. The envoy also noted that discussion of this topic coincided with the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, marked annually on Nov 29, as well as the passing of almost a year since the UN General Assembly issued a historical resolution to recognize Palestine as a non-member with observer status.

Al-Otaibi expressed appreciation of the UN’s Secretary General and different bodies’ support of the Palestinian cause,

expressed dissatisfaction with continued Israeli violations, abuses, and obstinacy, and urged the international community to take more action to remedy the inhumane situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) rather than just make statements.

The ambassador also urged pressure on Israel to force it to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon and also to implement the UN resolution calling for its withdrawal from the occupied Syrian Goulan Heights.

The State of Kuwait and its people would continue to lend all moral, political, and financial support needed till the end of the Israeli occupation of Arab territories and establishment of the State of Palestine with Al-Quds as its capital, within the guidelines of international law and resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, and recognition of the state as the 194th member of the UN, the ambassador reiterated. — KUNA

Iraq-Kuwait commitment will help close humanitarian files Terrorist groups exploiting divisions NEW YORK: UN Special Envoy for Iraq Nickolay Mladenov on Monday said further Iraq-Kuwait commitment and the improvement of the security situation in Iraq will bring about closure of the missing Kuwaiti persons and property files “as quickly as possible. “It has been too long, already.

The outstanding issues on the missing persons and property need to be closed as quickly as possible. It is very encouraging that both the Iraqi and Kuwaiti authorities are committed to work together,” Mladenov said following a Security Council meeting on the situation in Iraq, including its relation with neighbouring Kuwait.

Asked how quickly, Mladenov said “I cannot commit to how much time that would take, because it is a very complicated process to follow through, but with the commitment that is on both sides in Baghdad and in Kuwait, we have every chance of succeeding.

“We hope to find better ways through which to get to the people who really have the information as where the remains of these people are and the property, including the archives, so that they can be returned to Kuwait,” he said.

In answer to another question, he said “obviously” the security situation in Iraq impacts the progress of closing the files “because it makes it somewhat more difficult. But, what I think has the biggest positive impact is the cooperation between the two Governments, especially now that flights have resumed and consulates are reopening, creating a much better environment.”

On the security situation in Iraq and its link to the ongoing conflict in Syria, Mladenov explained that the terrorist groups “are exploiting the divisions that exist within the Iraqi society.”

Iraqi Ambassador Mohammad Al-Hakim also

said: “We have an obligation and we are trying very hard to fulfil those obligations, whether they are the missing people or property.

“Closing those files has to have the satisfaction of the Kuwaiti side and our side. We would like to close it as fast as we can, but whatever it takes, we will do,” he insisted.

On the Iraqi missing people, he commended Kuwait, which with US help, helped the repatriation of the remains of 15 Iraqi soldiers who were buried in Kuwait.

On the link between terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq, he said once the Jihadits fighting in Syria are defeated, they will go back to wherever they came from and leave Iraq alone.

He explained that his Government is working hard for reconciliation in Iraq, stating that the Foreign Ministry hired 50 percent of those who served the previous regime. — KUNA

Warba Bank opens branch at the Avenues KUWAIT: Jassar Al-Jassar, Warba Bank’s deputy chairman and managing director inaugurated Warba’s 6th branch at the Avenues. Present were Warba’s leading officials, businessmen, social and public personnel.

Speaking on the occasion, Al-Jassar noted that the opening is considered a qualitative step towards increasing Warba’s local presence to 6th branches covering Al Salmiya, Hawally, Qibla, Sharq, Farwaniya and now the prestigious Grand Avenues to our customers, not to mention providing them with varied, excellent, up to date and easy accessible banking services.

Al-Jassar highlighted that Warba is witnessing a geographical expansion in accordance to the strategy approved by the board of directors aiming to activate eight branches around the state of Kuwait, and that Warba bank dedicates a clear action plan based on strengthening its presence in different areas of Kuwait, adding that the new branches will be in the areas of Jahra and Fahaheel.

Warba’s 6th branch at The Avenues comes as another contribution to the client servicing sector, in accordance to Warba’s directions of presenting its best banking services to its clients and introducing them to its variant modern banking services.

Al-Jassar elaborated that Warba’s strategy at present, focuses on building new branches in residential areas and forming the organizational structure. Warba’s six branches now are providing complete banking services to cover Hawally, Qibla, Salmiya, Sharq, Farwaniya and The Avenues with two more upcoming branches in Jahra and Fahaheel that will be operational by the end of this year.

Al-Jassar reiterated that “Warba” is committed to support national labor through ensuring rewarding job opportunities and offering important contributions to improve employees skills, since Warba strongly believes in investing

KUWAIT: Al-Jassar with Warba executives in its human resources, where Kuwaiti employees increased exceeding 60% and 75% ranking officials.

Warba bank is making intensive efforts to communicate with its customers through the Bank’s social networking “online”, to complete the strategy and marketing approach and communicate with clients and with the target population of them in the local market, pointing out that the bank’s site is keen to provide quick services to reflect the

Al-Jassar, Al-Humoud and Al-Busairi corporate identity of “ Warba “ and a confirmation of our commitment to serve our customers at the best possible ways.

Al-Jassar stressed that the bank is seeking to consolidate its position as a leader establishment in providing the best banking services and address all sectors of society, pointing out that the bank recently hosted 60 students from the Australian College at Warba’s Call Center aiming

to support the academic side of the students through watching a real working environment and identify them in the banking sector.

Al Jassar concluded that thanks to God and the efforts of all employees of the bank at the level of leadership and staff, customer deposits increased to up to KD235 million, compared to KD78 million as of Dec 31, 2012 an increase of 201 percent.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

LOCAL

Five Asian women in custody for sex trade ‘Spoilt’ addict arrested KUWAIT: Ahmadi police arrested five women in Mangaf on charges of prostitution. Officers had headed to an apartment in the area with a warrant based on information that the flat was used for illegal activities. The Nepalese women admitted following arrest that they were engaged in prostitution after identity checks revealed that they were reported missing by their employers. They were referred to the authorities for further action.

Salmiya police station where the detective was questioning a Kuwaiti man on battery charges. The man’s brother, who is a police officer, soon entered the room uninvited and started verbally assaulting the detective before he was put under control. Officers discovered that their colleague was in an inebriated state as he was placed inside the cell with his brother pending legal procedures.

Drug addict Sabah Al-Salem police arrested a drug addict in the area based on a report made by his mother. The woman had approached local police and said that she ‘lost control’ over her son who she said has stolen her jewelry, cash and even her car to feed his drug addiction.

She also admitted that the young man went astray as a result of being ‘spoiled’ when he was raised. The addict was taken to the authorities for further action.

Bus accident Five people were injured after a bus carrying them was involved in an accident on Abdali Road Sunday afternoon. Paramedics and police arrived at the scene shortly after the accident was reported and helped the men (four Egyptian and one Bangladeshi) to the hospital. One of the Egyptian men was admitted in the intensive care unit with a serious head injury. Preliminary investigations indicate that an exploded tyre caused the bus to lose balance and overturn.

Drunk officer A policeman faces charges after he verbally assaulted a detective under the influence of alcohol. The incident took place inside the

Harassers held Andalus police arrested two young men who physically assaulted a man inside a mall when he confronted them for harassing his

wife. The two were first captured by mall security who broke up their fight with the man, before police arrived and placed them under arrest. They were taken to Andalus police station to face charges.

Camp theft Investigations are ongoing in a camp theft reported in Jahra which was the third to target the same camp in less than a month. The camp owner, a policeman, made an emergency call after discovering that thieves stole electric appliances and generators worth KD 300. The man said that his camp was subjected to two other thefts in the past 30 days before the third one was reported. Crime scene investigators were sent to lift fingerprints.

Company charged A transportation company owner is suing another company he accused of failing to pay fees for renting 40 dump trucks. In statements to Mutlaa police station officers, the Gulf nationals said that the company failed to pay fees for delay in returning the trucks as per the contract signed between the two. A case was filed.

LuLu Exchange lends helping hand to Philippines disaster victims KUWAIT: Lulu Exchange Company, the leading remittance company in Kuwait, has come forward to extend aid to Central Philippines, which was battered by super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). The company mobilized financial and material aid to be sent over to survivors of the natural disaster.

LuLu Exchange Company in conjunction with LuLu Exchange Group has donated supplies, including canned food and fresh water, medicine and warm clothes to the affected, through BDO Foundation, the Philippines based NGO. Adeeb Ahamed, CEO of LuLu Exchange Company, symbolically handed over the first consignment of relief goods to a representative of Banco de Oro on Tuesday.

“My heart goes out to those family members who were left by their loved ones.

Recognizing the seriousness of the catastrophe, LuLu Exchange Group is providing financial, food and material assistance to those

affected by the typhoon. First weeks after the disaster is the most critical when it comes to providing supplies and ground support.

Humanitarian support is a key layer of our organizational foundation and we urge all those who can help to donate to the relief fund,” Ahamed said.

“In addition, we make a difference by providing many customers the opportunity to send funds to the Philippines that can be then used to help those impacted by the unfortunate natural disaster. The outpouring of support for the Philippines by LuLu colleagues throughout our operations is truly heartwarming and makes me proud to be a LuLuite,” Ahamed added.

The staffs of the remittance and foreign exchange major have been organizing fund raising activities and received generous voluntary donations to help support the ongoing relief efforts in the Philippines. The entire

amount collected through the donation would go to charities and rescue operations in Philippines.

LuLu Exchange Company has often been able to respond swiftly to disasters anywhere in Asia, providing physical and mental relief as well as material aid. The company had earlier initiated similar CSR and charity drives to rehabilitate the victims natural calamities such as the 2013 North Indian floods and Philippines floods of 2012. LuLu Exchange Company has associated with Western Union Worldwide Remittance Services’ decision to waive off the sending fees to Philippines starting from Nov 15 to 30.

BDO Foundation itself has sent relief aid to a total of 35,000 families in various devastated areas and has targeted to reach as many as 60,000 families. The foundation has also charted a rehabilitation program for the survivors in its second phase.

Beat Diabetes walkathon garners massive support KUWAIT: Landmark Group, the region’s leading retail and hospitality conglomerate, witnessed a positive response for ‘Beat Diabetes’ Walkathon from its supporters, sponsors and residents of Kuwait as thousands turned up to show their support and care towards the cause. A good stretch of the Gulf road was dressed in blue and boomed with walkers who arrived to support the cause and spread awareness on Nov 16.

The event marks the culmination of a year long timeline of diabetes awareness drivers and activities held by Landmark Group. The Kuwait edition of the walkathon was held in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Dasman Diabetes Institute, marked a successful completion of its fourth consecutive walkathon.

Dignitaries like Indian Ambassador Satish Mehta, US Ambassador Matthew H. Tueller, Director-General of Dasman Diabetes Institute Dr. Kazem Behbehani and Faisal Al-Dousari from Ministry of health joined the supporters in the 3.2 km walk.

Saibal Basu, Chief Operating Officer, Landmark Group, said: “Now in its fourth edition, the walkathon has touched the lives of millions of people across seven nations. The support offered by participants year after year is overwhelming, we thank every person who joined us at the walk to spread the message and support the campaign.”

“We are thankful to all those who participated and special thanks to “Co- Sponsor” : Al Ahli United Bank , “Bikers Association” : Phenocian Riders, Kuwait Riders & Dragon Riders, “Support Sponsors”: Mais Al Ghanim, Al Ghanim / Xerox, Abraaj, Safwan

Trading, Fitness First ,Tanzifco, “Media Sponsors” : Al Rai , Al Qabas, Al Seyassah , Al Anba, Arab Times , Kuwait Times, Al Jarida, Al Nahar, Al Kuwaitiah, Al Yaqza, Ahlan Student Talk,The Talk, Al Hadaf, Bazaar, Mondanite, Sarab, Layalena, Samra, Watch Styles, Raw, Business Islamica, Lifestyle, Wave Line, Channels Media, Digital Media, O Media and the other entities that extended their support to the Beat Diabetes initiative” further concluded Saibal.

Since its launch of the Beat Diabetes campaign in the UAE in 2009, the initiative has grown in reach and participation. It currently has a presence across seven countries, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and India.

Diabetes is growing at an alarming rate and currently affects over millions worldwide.

Landmark Group adopted the ‘Beat Diabetes’ initiative with a focused view to spread awareness on the causes, effects and dangers of the condition. Launched in 2009, the initiative today encompasses seven countries - UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, KSA and India.

As part of the initiative Landmark Group conducts year round activities and these cumulate with the Beat Diabetes Walk organized in November - World Diabetes Month. Last year the Group organized a series of walkathons in seven countries, which drew the participation of over 45,000 people, and a huge drive to provide free blood glucose tests. The Group has also partnered with several organizations, including the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), and local institutions in every country, to spread awareness about diabetes.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

Turks worry as their sons battle in Syria

Middle East turmoil fuels Sunni-Shiite rift Page 8

Page 9

VATICAN: Pope Francis leads a mass at the Vatican.— AFP

Pope condemns ‘idolatry of money’ Pontiff attacks unfettered capitalism as ‘new tyranny’ VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis called for renewal of the Roman Catholic Church and attacked unfettered capitalism as “a new tyranny”, urging global leaders to fight poverty and growing inequality in the first major work he has authored alone as pontiff. The 84-page document, known as an apostolic exhortation, amounted to an official platform for his papacy, building on views he has aired in sermons and remarks since he became the first nonEuropean pontiff in 1,300 years in March.

In it, Francis went further than previous comments criticizing the global economic system, attacking the “idolatry of money” and beseeching politicians to guarantee all citizens “dignified work, education and healthcare”. He also called on rich people to share their wealth. “Just as the commandment ‘Thou shalt not kill’ sets a clear limit in order to safeguard

the value of human life, today we also have to say ‘thou shalt not’ to an economy of exclusion and inequality. Such an economy kills,” Francis wrote in the document issued yesterday.

“How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses 2 points?”

The pope said renewal of the Church could not be put off and said the Vatican and its entrenched hierarchy “also need to hear the call to pastoral conversion”. “I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security,” he wrote. In July, Francis finished an encyclical begun by Pope Benedict but he made clear that it was largely the work of his predecessor,

who resigned in February.

Called “Evangelii Gaudium” (The Joy of the Gospel), the exhortation is presented in Francis’ simple and warm preaching style, distinct from the more academic writings of former popes, and stresses the Church’s central mission of preaching “the beauty of the saving love of God made manifest in Jesus Christ”. In it, he reiterated earlier statements that the Church cannot ordain women or accept abortion. The male-only priesthood, he said, “is not a question open to discussion” but women must have more influence in Church leadership.

POVERTY A meditation on how to revitalize a Church suffering from encroaching secularization in Western countries, the exhortation echoed the missionary zeal more often heard from the

evangelical Protestants who have won over many disaffected Catholics in the pope’s native Latin America. In it, economic inequality features as one of the issues Francis is most concerned about, and the 76-year-old pontiff calls for an overhaul of the financial system and warns that unequal distribution of wealth inevitably leads to violence. “As long as the problems of the poor are not radically resolved by rejecting the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation and by attacking the structural causes of inequality, no solution will be found for the world’s problems or, for that matter, to any problems,” he wrote. Denying this was simple populism, he called for action “beyond a simple welfare mentality” and added: “I beg the Lord to grant us more politicians who are genuinely disturbed by the state of society, the people, the lives of the poor.”

Since his election, Francis has set an example for austerity in the Church, living in a Vatican guest house rather than the ornate Apostolic Palace, travelling in a Ford Focus, and last month suspending a bishop who spent millions of euros on his luxurious residence.

He chose to be called “Francis” after the medieval Italian saint of the same name famed for choosing a life of poverty. Stressing cooperation among religions, Francis quoted the late Pope John Paul II’s idea that the papacy might be reshaped to promote closer ties with other Christian churches and noted lessons Rome could learn from the Orthodox such as “synodality” or decentralized leadership. He praised cooperation with Jews and Muslims and urged Islamic countries to guarantee their Christian minorities the same religious freedom as Muslims enjoy in the West — Reuters

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

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

Syria peace talks set for Jan 22 in Geneva First face-to-face meeting between warring sides

YAMOUNEH: A Syrian worker dumps chopped cannabis into a container in the village of Yamouneh, in the eastern Lebanese Bekaa Valley. —AFP

Lebanon cannabis trade thrives in shadow of war BEKAA: Lebanese marijuana grower Abu Sami is practically rubbing his hands together with glee: the Syrian conflict has paralyzed authorities at home and left the nearby border virtually uncontrolled. “This year, the harvest was abundant, and the authorities have left us alone because they are otherwise occupied,” he said in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa region.

In the past, the Lebanese army would descend annually to destroy some of the illicit crop, but this year the harvest has gone untouched. The area shares a long, porous border with Syria and is a stronghold of the Shiite Lebanese movement Hezbollah, which is fighting alongside the Syrian regime against a 32-month-old uprising.

After the harvest in Abu Sami’s bucolic village, at the foot of an arid mountain, marijuana is brought to buildings where it is dried and processed into hashish. All along the winding roads of the Shiite hamlet, men and women work on the crop behind half-closed curtains, and defend the industry as their only source of employment. During Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war, Lebanese hashish, which is known for its quality, fed a flourishing industry that generated hundreds of millions of dollars a year in income.

Hashish is a cannabis product derived from the resin of the plant, and produced in large quantities in the Bekaa. Under pressure from the United States, Lebanon has launched eradication campaigns, and in past years, the army bulldozed thousands of hectares of cannabis. Farmers have often taken up arms to defend their crop-growers fired a rocket at an eradication team in 2012 — and call for the legalization of what they say is part of their ancestral culture.

But this year, there’s been no sign of the

army. “The state is immersed in problems related to Syria and doesn’t want to open a new front. Otherwise they would have come down hard on us,” says Afif, a villager.

Government officials admit as much. “There was no destruction of growing this year... The Syrian crisis played a major role in that,” Joseph Skaff, chief of Lebanon’s office for countering drugs, money laundering and terrorism said. For Abu Sami, Afif and others working in the industry, Lebanon’s instability and the war raging in Syria are blessings in disguise.

In a bid to stem the flow of fighters and weapons from Lebanon, Syria has replaced its border guards with army troops who are too busy fighting to patrol. And routes back and forth across the border to Syria have increased as refugees and rebels chart new paths.”Nowadays, anything goes because it’s chaos on the Syrian side,” says Abu Sami.

“Where there is war, drugs follow,” he adds, contemplating a mound of sifted golden brown cannabis grains on the floor of a shed.

A few meters away, the leftover stems are burnt to remove any trace of the activity. The farmers say local and foreign demand for their crop is up more than 50 percent in the last year, with “the majority of the merchandise being sold in Syria,” which has become a crossroads for drugs destined for Europe and elsewhere.

According to Abu Ali, a local resident, traffickers from Syria buy 30 to 100 kilograms to take on to neighboring countries. “From Turkey, they sell to European traffickers, and from Iraq and Jordan, they sell it to the Gulf countries,” he says. “Even though it’s risky, 40 grams that would sell for $20 in Lebanon will be sold for $100 in Syria and for $500 when it arrives in Turkey. —AFP

GENEVA: An international peace conference for Syria will begin on Jan 22, the first direct talks between President Bashar Al-Assad’s government and rebels seeking to overthrow him, the United Nations said. Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, said the goal was to agree on a mutually acceptable transitional administration as well as the other elements of an outline peace plan drafted by the Western powers and Russia at Geneva in June last year.

“It is a huge opportunity for peace that shouldn’t be wasted,” Lakhdar Brahimi, Ban’s special envoy for Syria, told a news conference in the Swiss city, where the long delayed face-to-face talks should take place in eight weeks. Syrians and diplomats have few illusions about how hard it will be to end a civil war that has killed over 100,000 people since 2011, driven over a third of the population from their homes and divided the country among rival and often religiously driven factions with an array of competing foreign sponsors.

But a day after Assad’s regional ally Iran cut a deal on its nuclear program with the United States and other world powers to ease fears of a wider war in the Middle East, UN officials spoke of a chance to start staunching the bloodshed. It remained unclear whether Iran would attend - nor is it clear who will represent the divided Syrian opposition - although US officials raised doubts about Tehran’s participation. “There are many challenges ahead and no one should underestimate the difficulties,” said a spokesman for US President Barack Obama as he welcomed a date for the talks.

“The United States has long made clear that there is no military solution to the violence in Syria,” he added. Russia, a vital supplier to Syria, which has shielded Assad from Western demands for UN sanctions and from rebel demands that he step down before negotiations can start, again blamed the opposition for holding up the peace confer-

ence. “It could have been held much earlier if the opposition had felt responsibility for its country and had not put forward preconditions when we met in September, October, November,” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted as saying by state-run Russian news agency RIA. ‘EYES WIDE OPEN’ US Secretary of State John Kerry, fresh from a weekend working with Lavrov on the Iran nuclear deal at Geneva, said in a statement, “We are well aware that the obstacles on the road to a political solution are many, and we will enter the Geneva conference on Syria with our eyes wide open.” After so much blood has been spilled since demonstrations for democracy began during the Arab Spring, many on either side of Syria’s divide see only outright victory guaranteeing their own survival. But neither side has delivered a knockout blow, giving mediators a chance to argue for compromise.

The deep engagement of neighboring powers in the conflict, notably Shiite Iran behind Assad and Sunni Saudi Arabia behind the rebels, has also complicated efforts to defuse it. Kerry and Brahimi said the presence of Iranian officials at the Syria conference - something Moscow supports and Washington has so far opposed - was yet to be decided. But US officials said Washington’s position remained that Iran should not attend because it has not signed on to the “Geneva 1” framework.

One of its core elements is that a future Syrian government must be formed by “mutual consent” of the authorities and the opposition, a stance the United States says means Assad cannot stay in power.

“We will continue to work in concert with the UN and our partners on remaining issues, including which countries will be invited to attend and what the agenda will be,” Kerry said. For Western governments, Iran’s reluctance to endorse last year’s inter-

national accord on Syria has been a bar to its attendance at talks widely referred to as “Geneva 2”. Ban described the aim of the new summit as the “full implementation of the Geneva communique of 30 June, 2012”.

A spokeswoman for the British Foreign Office said, “Until Iran publicly endorses the Geneva communique, and therefore makes clear that it supports the purpose of the Geneva 2 conference, it is hard to see how it can play a constructive role in finding a political solution to the conflict.” But one senior European Union diplomat said that after Sunday’s deal with Tehran, “I cannot imagine Washington continuing to object to an Iranian presence.”

Brahimi urged the warring parties to try to start taking the heat out of the conflict, for example by freeing prisoners. But asked whether he aimed for a ceasefire for the start of the talks, he said, “Being realistic, a lot of the things that need to happen will happen after the conference starts, not before.” He said he hoped both Syrian sides would name delegations before the end of the year. Assad, battling to extend a ruling dynasty established by his late father four decades ago, is expected to dispatch trusted aides to speak for him.

For the opposition, the task is complicated by disputes among rebels fighting on the ground, including hardline Islamists, and exile politicians backed by Western powers. On Sunday, Brahimi met leaders of the Syrian National Coalition, the umbrella body that has been disowned by many rebel commanders. The UN envoy said on Monday that the SNC would play an important role in forming the delegation. “But,” he added, “I have always said that the delegation has to be credible and as representative as possible. “This conference is really for the Syrians to come to Geneva to talk to one another and hopefully start a credible, workable, effective peace process for their country.”—Reuters

As violence surges, Iraq executes 11 ‘terrorists’ BAGHDAD: Iraq announced yesterday the execution of 11 more convicted “terrorists” amid surging violence that has fuelled fears the country is slipping back into all-out sectarian war just months before elections. The latest executions bring to 162 the number of those put to death so far this year and as violence this month killed more than 500 people while authorities grapple with the worst bloodshed since 2008.

Officials have voiced concern over a resurgent Al-Qaeda emboldened by the civil war in neighboring Syria and have appealed for help from Washington in combating militancy, with France and Turkey also offering assistance. “Eleven terror-

ists, all Iraqi men, were executed on Sunday, November 24,” a justice ministry official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “They were executed after being convicted by the courts of carrying out terrorist attacks.”

A post later uploaded to the ministry’s Facebook page, confirmed as authentic by the official, listed the men by their initials along with the crimes they were convicted of having carried out.

At least 162 people have been executed so far this year, according to an AFP tally based on reports from the ministry and officials, compared to 129 for all of 2012.

Diplomats have voiced worry that the pace of

executions in Iraq may increase ahead of elections due to be held on April 30, arguing that officials will be keen to show they are tough on security.

Executions in Iraq, usually carried out by hanging, have increased this year despite persistent international calls for a moratorium. The United Nations, European Union and human rights groups have condemned the high rate of executions, with UN human rights chief Navi Pillay saying earlier this year that Iraq’s criminal justice system was “not functioning adequately”.

But Iraqi Justice Minister Hassan Al-Shammari has insisted that the executions are carried out only after an exhaustive legal process. —AFP

Syria jihadists execute soldiers, collaborators BEIRUT: An Al-Qaeda-affiliated group in Syria has announced the execution of two soldiers and three “collaborators” with President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime near Damascus, according to a statement published on jihadist sites.

The Al-Nusra Front also published a photograph showing the bodies of five men, their hands tied and their mouths bound with handkerchiefs. Bloodstains can be seen on the ground next to the bodies. “Al-Nusra Front has arrested several people collaborating with the regime in Damascus province. They are known to have assassinated fighters and other Muslims, and to have provided information to enable the regime to bombard them,” the Front said in a statement. “God’s will has been carried out against several collaborators of the Nusayri regime,” it added, using a derogatory term to refer to Alawites. Syria’s anti-regime jihadists have an extremist, sectarian interpretation of Sunni Islam, and brand nonSunnis-including Alawites such as Assad-as apostates. The two soldiers among the group that was executed in the Eastern Ghouta area east of Damascus included a member of Syria’s elite Republican Guard, the statement said. The statement emerged amid a major rebel offensive aimed at breaking a year-long army siege on the Eastern Ghouta area.

DAMASCUS: Photo shows bodies lying on the ground after men were executed by members of the Jihadist group in the eastern Ghouta suburb of Damascus. — AFP Scores of fighters have been killed on both sides in the escalation. Rebels have taken over several small villages since Saturday, reversing a trend of army advances against oppositionheld areas. Meanwhile a monitoring group said Wednesday that another jihadist group, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, had executed the head of an anti-Assad rebel battalion, accusing him of “apostasy”.

ISIL executed “a rebel battalion leader, accusing him of insulting God

and of apostasy,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The battalion has been locked in combat against ISIL, which has pressed hard to crush other rebel groups in areas across eastern and northern Syria. ISIL executed the rebel leader after holding him for three days, the Observatory said. Syrian activists have repeatedly denounced abuses committed by jihadists, who have taken advantage of Syria’s war to establish a presence in the country. — AFP

Middle East turmoil fuels Sunni-Shiite rift BAGHDAD: Relations between Sunni and Shiite Muslims in the Middle East could plunge to new lows as the violence in Syria worsens and sectarian rhetoric looms in upcoming Iraqi elections, experts say. Fears of worsening ties came as Shiites commemorated an anniversary of the symbolic split between them and Islam’s other main branch, and in the aftermath of a twin suicide bombing last week at the Iranian embassy in Beirut which was claimed by an Al-Qaeda-affiliated group and killed 25 people. Bombings and shootings also continue to plague Iraq.

“The state of play is awful and it’s getting worse,” said Fanar Haddad, a research fellow at the National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute and author of “Sectarianism in Iraq”. “You’ve got the cumulative effect of 10 years of Iraq, and at the tail end of that, you’ve got Syria.... I shudder to think where all this is heading. It seems

to be heading towards an even wider divide between Sunnis and Shiites. “In the next few months and years, I think the worst is yet to come.” The vast majority of the world’s Muslims are Sunni. But Shiites comprise a significant minority, forming the majority population in Iran, Iraq, and Bahrain with large communities elsewhere.

Although the two branches of Islam grew apart over time, their modern differences are arguably most clearly on display during the Ashura and Arbaeen commemorations, which are currently ongoing. The ceremonies mark the anniversary of the death of Imam Hussein, a venerated figure in Shiite Islam, at the hands of the armies of the Caliph Yazid. The recent sectarian strife is often seen as having been triggered by the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, which unseated Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein and left in his place Shiite-led rule. But analysts also point to other

turning points, including the 2005 assassination of Lebanon’s former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and, most recently, the war in Syria. Sunni militants in Iraq now regularly target Shiites, whom they regard as apostates, as well as the Shiite-led authorities, while in Syria, rebel groups are dominated by Sunnis opposed to the rule of President Bashar Al-Assad, whose Alawite sect is an offshoot of Shiite Islam. “Definitely, the Sunni-Shiite divide has been widening since 2005,” said Sahar Al-Atrache, a Lebanon analyst for the International Crisis Group, referring to the Hariri killing. Among many Shiites, she said, there is “a kind of fear, legitimate or not”, of the rise of Sunni-dominated political Islam in the region, especially on the back of the 2011 Arab Spring protests.

“This contributed to how (Lebanese Shiite movement) Hezbollah, as well as Iraq and Iran, took a sectarian position on Syria.” —AFP

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

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

Undeterred by perils, migrants flee hardship in Eritrea Activists warn of tough life for migrants in Europe MAI-AINI REFUGEE CAMP: Ten years ago, Eritrean migrant Habtu hunkered down on the vomit-stained deck of a creaking trawler on the Mediterranean Sea, making the final stage of his perilous bid to reach Europe. It is a trip thousands of Eritreans attempt each year, fleeing one of Africa’s poorest and most isolated nations, a place where army conscription with pitiful pay can last years.

Many die on the trek. Probably all of the more than 360 migrants who drowned in a shipwreck near Italy’s coast in October were Eritrean, though many are still unidentified. So the computer science graduate felt fortunate when his journey across a quarter of Africa via the scorching Sahara brought him to Malta - even if he had hoped to reach Italy, a former colonial power in the Horn of Africa.

But his luck ran out when his asylum request was rejected and he was sent home. Now 32, Habtu remains undeterred and wants to make the treacherous trip again, rejoining the flow of often well-educated Africans dreaming of a new life in Europe. “Your only choice is to fight, and one way to fight is to make such journeys,” Habtu told Reuters in Mai-Aini, one of six refugee camps in Ethiopia housing 79,000 Eritreans. “You can’t continue this way.”

Officials say about 40 or 50 Eritreans cross into Ethiopia a day, using camps as

way stations on their longer journey north. Camp officials asked that only first names of refugees be used to protect families back in Eritrea, where rights groups say freedoms are trampled on by the state. Asmara denies this. Yet, even if Habtu makes it on his second attempt, he may still face disappointment in Europe. Activists there say those who survive the dangerous trek often end up in badly paid and illegal work, scraping by as house helps or hawking on streets.

For some, it can be worse than back home.

“Europe is a mirage,” said Kossi Komla-Ebri, 59, a doctor who immigrated to Italy from Togo in the 1970s and who now works with the Afro-Italian community. “People are drawn to Europe with a positive image in their heads. It’s a fatal attraction. They don’t realise they will be eating scraps under the table,” he said. But Habtu’s case highlights the difficulty in stopping the illegal migrants, even when they have first hand experience of the dangers.

Others have also not been deterred, even as news of the October shipwreck off Italy’s Lampedusa island filters back.

IN TRANSIT Many Eritreans who spoke to Reuters in Mai-Aini said quietly they still planned to make the journey to Europe from the camp, which lies perched amid craggy hills about 1,200 km north of the

Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. “We need to do everything possible to stop this risky adventure,” said Moses Okello, who is the representative for the UN refugee agency UNHCR in Ethiopia, which manages the camps with their rows of cement block huts.

“However, no amount of positive intervention in the camps can stop those refugees who come with the intention to use Ethiopia as a transit point,” he said. Many like Habtu have fled from compulsory military service, a requirement for everyone aged 18 to 50.

It can run indefinitely. Habtu described a life of virtual servitude in the army, saying he earned a meagre $20 a month.

Most Eritreans live in poverty. The country’s annual gross national income per capita in 2012 was $450, far below the $1,345 figure for sub-Saharan Africa, World Bank figures show. Eritrea’s fiercely self-reliant government has turned down aid from the United States, saying such handouts will breed dependency in the nation of 6.1 million people, one of the least developed in the world with an economy based on agriculture.

Abdulkadir spent 10 years in Eritrea’s military, including serving in trenches on the frontline of a 1998-2000 war with Ethiopia. He said he was not paid enough to feed himself so he started an illegal trade in food to make ends meet.

He was caught and locked up in a

makeshift cell - a metal shipping container in the searing heat of Eritrea’s Red Sea coast. Released after a year, he fled the country and reached Egypt. He was shot when trying to cross to neighboring Israel.

“We suffered a lot,” Abdulkadir said, rolling up his trousers to show a wound that means he now walks with a cane.

“We were also regularly beaten by the traffickers and the women among us were raped,” he said, describing treatment at the hands of Sinai Bedouins who had initially promised to help him and others across. He was then shot at the border and later sent back to Ethiopia where he had been registered as a refugee. The route through Egypt to Israel was until a few years ago a common one for Eritrean migrants, but rising insecurity in Egypt’s Sinai which borders the Jewish state and a new Israeli fence with more patrols mean many now head westwards to Libya.

ESCAPING From there, traffickers offer berths that can cost more than $1,000 each on barely seaworthy vessels to Europe.

Most migrants aim for Italy, though tiny Malta is where many also end up. Of more than 32,000 migrants to reach southern Italy by boat this year, about a third are Eritrean, the United Nations says. The final sea journey can be the most dangerous stage as the

Lampedusa sinking highlighted last month. Habtu was on his boat for 34 hours being buffeted by waves before making it to Malta.

Eritreans blame their government for the tragedies. “It is well known that the only person responsible for the shipwreck is the Eritrean dictator,” said Magda, 20, a political science student in Rome and daughter of two Eritrean immigrants. “If there weren’t a dictatorship in Eritrea, 16-year-olds would not be escaping,” she said during a protest in Italy. Eritrea dismisses charges of rights abuses. It says it has indefinite military service due to the festering border dispute with Ethiopia. It says conscripts also do development work.

After the La mpedu s a s ink ing, Eritrea said the United States encouraged human traffickers to undermine the country. “The prime responsibility for the gross loss of human life, as verified by concrete evidences, squarely rests on the US Administration,” Eritrea’s Information Ministr y said.

Wa s hing ton, which ha s accepted 5 , 5 4 7 E r i t re a n re f u g e e s f ro m t h e Ethiopian camps since 2009, rejects the charge. “I think that’s nonsense,” Anne Richards, US Assistant Secretary for Popu lation, Refu g ees and Migration, told Reuters at the MaiAini. “This problem that prompts them to leave is completely the doing of the Eritrean government.” —Reuters

Turks worry as their sons battle in Syria Battle-hardened fighters could return to stage attacks

WEST BANK: An elderly Palestinian woman prepares food outside her house made of stone with a cardboard ceiling in the southern West Bank village of Khirbet Zanuta. —AFP

Palestinian village facing demolition awaits its fate ZANUTA: Faris Samamri and his family of 20 scrape a living grazing sheep from a tin hut on a West Bank hillside but at a hearing that opens today the Israeli Supreme Court may order it destroyed. It is the climax of a six-year legal battle for Samamri and the other 26 Palestinian families who call the village of Zanuta in the far south of the occupied West Bank home.

With the support of human rights groups, they have been battling demolition orders issued by the Israeli government for virtually the entire village in 2007, on the grounds that it was built without construction permits-almost impossible to obtain-and on an archaeological site. Before Israel occupied the West Bank in the Six-Day War of 1967, the villagers lived in caves but several of the caves collapsed in the 1980s and they moved to makeshift dwellings out in the open, the dwellings that Israel wants to raze.

Samamri ensures that the few visitors who make the off-road drive to the village from a non-descript junction south of Hebron are plied with tea and coffee, served in small china cups by his children. He says he will attend today’s opening of the court hearing in Jerusalem which will decide the village’s fate, but is fatalistic about what it will spell for him, his two wives and 18 children. “If they rule against us and then come and knock down our houses, we’ll just have to stay here, with or without shelter,” he said.

WHERE ELSE CAN WE GO? Zanuta has no electricity, mains water or sewerage. Residents burn most of their waste, get electricity from generators they use sparingly because of high fuel costs, and pay over the odds for trucked-in water which they store in cisterns that are also slated for demolition. “The winter here is difficult, and we struggle to stay warm. We have no municipality to look after us,” Samamri said.

Human Rights Watch says that as an occupier, Israel is required by international humanitari-

an law “to ensure that the residents of Zanuta have enough food, water (and) shelter.” And forced displacement of civilian populations in occupied territory amounts to a “prosecutable war crime,” the New York-based watchdog said.

The Association of Civil Rights for Israel, which has petitioned the Supreme Court, says Zanuta’s case stands out among the hundreds of demolitions planned by Israel across the occupied West Bank. “What makes Zanuta different from most other West Bank cases is that it’s the entire village that is being threatened,” ACRI’s Marc Grey said. ACRI’s action has seen the courts temporarily freeze the demolitions since 2007, partly because the authorities have no plan for Zanuta’s residents following any demolition. But rightwing lobby group Regavim, whose stated aim is to “protect Israel’s lands and national properties,” revived the case last year. Israel must now present a plan at today’s hearing for the relocation of the families who face eviction.

Samamri says that without waiting for the court’s decision on the future of their homes, the Israeli army has already taken swift action against any effort that villagers have made to improve their lot, bulldozing two toilet blocks they had built and blocking off the dirt road they used for their tractors. The Civil Administration, which is responsible for coordinating the army’s activities in the West Bank, says Zanuta’s structures were built without permits, although such permits are rarely issued in Area C-the 60 percent of the West Bank which is under full Israeli security and administrative control. And, in a Catch-22 scenario typical of Israel’s administration of the territory, it would be impossible to obtain building permits for Zanuta anyway, ACRI says. For building permits to be issued, the structures must comply with Israeli planning rules for any given area of the West Bank. And for the area where Zanuta is located, no such planning rules exist. Israel also argues that Zanuta should be cleared because it stands on top of an archaeological site. —AFP

Crisis-hit Greece sets up first ‘drug consumption’ centre ATHENS: Greece has set up its first “drug consumption” room to contain a surge of infectious diseases among drug addicts in the crisis-hit country, Greece’s Organization Against Drugs, OKANA, said. Following similar projects in Western Europe, Canada and Australia, the centre lets users inject drugs they bring themselves, under medical supervision, and has been visited by more than 200 addicts since it was set up in October.

“Demand is increasing day after day and we believe that very soon we may need more facilities in other parts of the city,” said Sakis Papaconstantinou, the head of OKANA which runs the centre. Greece has slashed health spending as part of austerity measures prescribed by international lenders in exchange for funds that have helped it stay afloat. Many of its estimated 25,000 drug users are homeless and have no access to healthcare services in a country where unemployment has soared to over 27 percent, affecting mainly young people, in a six-year recession.

The number of HIV-infected drug users rose sharply at the height of the crisis in 20112012, according to OKANA, as needle-sharing led to higher exposure to infections - such as HIV and Hepatitis B and C. The drug consumption room is also aimed at reducing fatal overdoses. Since 1986, more than 90 drug consumption rooms have been set up in Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Luxembourg, Norway, Canada and Australia.

Representatives from the Council of Europe’s drug policy network, meeting in Athens this week with drug policy experts from the Greek government and other European countries, called for immediate political action to mitigate the impact of drug abuse in austerity-hit countries. “Let’s not sacrifice drug treatment at the altar of austerity,” said Panos Kakaviatos, spokesman of the Council of Europe, an inter-governmental body which plans to issue a call to all governments to provide resources for drug treatment.— Reuters

SANLIURFA: Abu Huseyin says he has sent dozens of people from this ancient city in southeastern Turkey to join jihadist groups in northern Syria and vows to continue helping them fulfill what he says is their duty to God. Several hundred Turks are estimated to be among thousands of foreigners swelling the ranks of Islamist rebels fighting President Bashar Al-Assad’s forces, generating what some politicians say is a risk that, radicalized and battle-hardened, they could one day return to stage attacks on Turkish soil. “We send those who are in the path of God for jihad,” said Abu Huseyin, a tradesman identified by several locals as a man who helps recruit fighters for Syria from this mixed Turkish, Arab and Kurdish city 50 km from the Syrian frontier.

“Nobody tells these people to go and fight.

Most of them meet up in groups of three or five people and make their own decisions to go,” he said by telephone, declining to meet in person for fear of jeopardizing his activities. Turkey has been an outspoken supporter of rebels fighting against Syria’s Bashar Al-Assad and has assisted them by keeping its border open. But Turkish opposition politicians have become increasingly alarmed as hardline Islamist groups such as Al-Qaeda-linked Jabhat Al-Nusra and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) have risen to prominence among the rebels and taken control of territory in northern Syria near the frontier.

The presence of foreign fighters from around

the Muslim world, including Turks, adds to the risk that the conflict will spill beyond Syria, they say, accusing the government of doing too little to fight the threat. “This is our biggest fear,” Mehmet Seker, a member of parliament from the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in the southeastern city of Gaziantep, told Reuters. “They received training there. Their thoughts have crystallized. These people could quite easily carry out attacks in Turkey.” Seker is one of several deputies who have called for parliament to launch an investigation into Turkish fighters being recruited for Syria.

The danger of violence hitting neighboring countries was illustrated last week when suicide bombers targeted Iran’s embassy in Lebanon, killing 25 people. An anti-Assad Sunni Muslim militant group claimed responsibility. In Turkey, a bomb attack in May killed 53 people in the border town of Reyhanli, although the authorities say suspects being tried over the attack are linked to Assad, not the Islamist rebels. Turkish officials strongly reject any suggestion that their opposition to Assad amounts to support for his Al-Qaeda foes.

“The expression ‘love of Al-Qaeda’ was used regarding me personally. No Turkish state minister cultivates special sympathy for Al-Qaeda or any terrorist group,” a furious Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told a parliamentary commission last week. Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan denied this

Blueprint spells out case for independent Scotland GLASGOW: An independent Scotland would keep the British pound, the queen and remain in the European Union but have its own defense force and collect its own taxes, First Minister Alex Salmond said yesterday. In a 670page blueprint aimed at convincing Scots they should vote on Sept 18 next year to end a 306-year union with England, Salmond said there would be no need to increase taxes if Scotland broke away.

With separatists lagging in opinion polls, his Scottish National Party is hoping the blueprint will win over the many sceptics, answering questions his Scottish National Party (SNP) has been accused of dodging. “We know we have the people, the skills, and resources to make Scotland a more successful country,” said Salmond, head of a devolved government in Scotland, which for now is still part of the United Kingdom.

He said Scottish taxes would not be spent on nuclear programs and that the United Kingdom’s nuclear missiles would be removed from Scotland for good. “Independence will put the people of Scotland in charge of our own destiny” he added. Nicola Sturgeon, the deputy first minister, has described the document as “the most comprehensive and detailed blueprint ever drawn up for a prospective independent country”.

Scotland’s bid for independence is being watched closely internationally, particularly in Catalonia where 80 percent of people favor a vote for independence from Spain. “If it’s feasible in the UK, it should be feasible in Spain,” said Albert Royo, secretary general of Diplocat, the Public Diplomacy Council of Catalonia, a public-private body charged with building support for Catalan’s independence vote.

With 10 months to the Scottish vote, many of the 5 million Scots are still undecided. The latest poll, published in the Sunday Times this week, suggested the gap had narrowed with 47 percent opposed to quitting the UK, 38 percent in favor and 15 percent undecided. Britain’s three main UK-wide political parties have argued against independence, saying Scotland would be worse off economically on its own and unable to defend itself or project power on the global stage as well as it can as part of the UK. At stake are British oil reserves in the North Sea while debates over how Britain would split its national debt and the issue of the nuclear weapons are already fraught. Prounionists have been helped in recent weeks by two reports from financial institutions. One warned Scotland would need to raise taxes and cut spending as North Sea oil revenues decline and its population ages and the second said independence would complicate cross-border pensions.

But Alistair Carmichael, the new Scotland secretary in the UK government, is aware of the power of wavering voters who gave the SNP a surprise landslide victory in Scotland two years ago.—Reuters

month that Turkey was harboring Al-Qaeda-linked fighters and said it was fighting against them.

Turkish security forces have tightened controls along the 900 km border, seizing a truck loaded with 1,200 rocket warheads and other weapons in the southern city of Adana this month.

Still, Turks are being recruited to join foreign fighters from around North Africa and the Middle East to fight against Assad, often with Islamist groups that openly support Al-Qaeda. Pictures on Turkish jihadist websites commemorate Turks who have died fighting in Syria, while videos on You Tube show armed men speaking in Turkish, apparently from inside Syria, calling on their compatriots to join the jihad. Among those who have been inspired to fight by such images were 20-year-old twins who disappeared from their home in Adiyaman, 150 km from the Syrian border, several months ago when they were due to register at university. Their father, Mehmet, blames Islamists in the town for recruiting them.

“They took my children by force. They brainwashed them. Even if I die I will try and bring them here and watch over them so no harm comes to them,” said the retired civil servant, who crossed into Syria in a desperate search for his sons two months ago, tracking them down to a building in Aleppo. “They refused to show my sons to me and kept them upstairs. When I argued with them they pointed their guns and were going to shoot me so I had to leave,” he said, vowing to return.—Reuters

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

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

Piles of Midwest ‘petcoke’ raising residents’ ire CHICAGO: The images are startling. Billowing black clouds darken the daytime sky as wind-driven grit pelts homes and cars and forces bewildered residents to take cover. The onslaught, captured in photos and video footage from Detroit and Chicago this year, was caused by the same thing: brisk winds sweeping across huge black piles of petroleum coke, or “petcoke,” a powdery byproduct of oil refining that’s been accumulating along Midwest shipping channels and sparking a new wave of health and environmental concerns.

The piles are evidence of a sharp increase in North American oil production - particularly crude extracted from oil sands in Canada - that has been trapped in the Midwest because of limited pipeline capacity to carry it to the Gulf and West coasts, leading to unprecedented amounts of oil refining and petcoke production here. In Midwestern neighborhoods near refineries, the growing black mountains have brought outcries from residents and new efforts by lawmakers to control or banish the blowing dust.

“We could barely open the windows this summer because the black dust was so bad,” said Susanna Gomez, 37, a mother and grandmother who lives on Chicago’s far southeast side, across a set of railroad tracks from a shipping terminal that stockpiles petcoke until it can be loaded on to ships for export. She said she worries about one of her sons, who’s asthmatic, but doesn’t have the money to move.

Alan Beemsterboer, whose family owns another nearby site that long has handled slag, asphalt and coal, and now, increasingly, petcoke, said he doesn’t understand the controversy. “This has been an industrial area forever - a coke plant used to be there, a steel mill used to be there,” Beemsterboer said. “Coal and petcoke are just dirty words now. “ Petcoke has been part of the American industrial landscape since the 1930s, when refineries began installing equipment to “cook” residue left over from making gasoline and

News

in brief

Saudi beheads Pakistani RIYADH: Saudi authorities beheaded yesterday a Pakistani man convicted of smuggling drugs to the ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom, the interior ministry said. The man was found guilty of attempting to smuggle an undisclosed amount of heroin that he had swallowed, the ministry said in a statement carried by SPA state news agency. His beheading in the eastern city of Dammam brings to 72 the number of executions carried out in Saudi Arabia this year, according to an AFP count.

In 2012, the kingdom carried out 76 executions, according to a tally based on official figures.

Human Rights Watch put the number at 69. Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking are all punishable by death under the oilrich Gulf state’s strict version of sharia, or Islamic law.

Rights abuses in Turkey ISTANBUL: The Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner has blasted Turkish authorities for widespread human rights abuses, in a stark review of the anti-government protests in Turkey earlier this year. The report by Nils Muiznieks published yesterday also says that many allegations of abuse by Turkish police are not being investigated. Muiznieks says: “The Commissioner considers that impunity of law-enforcement officials committing human rights violations is an entrenched problem in Turkey.” The report comes at a sensitive time, just weeks after the European Union resumed membership talks with Turkey that had been stalled. Thousands of demonstrators were injured and five were killed during nationwide protests in May and June that were sparked when police cracked down on protesters objecting to the razing of a city park in Istanbul.

Uruguay domestic violence MONTEVIDEO: A new case of domestic abuse was reported every 21 minutes in Uruguay since January, authorities said Monday, highlighting the extent of violence against women in the tiny Latin American country. And “domestic violence is one of the crimes that is reported less often,” Javier Donnangelo, an interior ministry official, said on this International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. An average of 68 reports were made daily, Donnangelo said, a five percent rise over last year. And so far this year, 27 women have been killed in domestic assaults.

Violence against women by husbands and boyfriends is widespread across Latin America including in this small, mostly rural South American nation of just 3.3 million people, sandwiched between Argentina and Brazil. Most experts consider the problem worse in Andean nations. It is only in the past two decades that more and more women have begun reporting the crimes.

Man attacked by tiger SYDNEY: An animal handler was rushed to hospital yesterday after being attacked by a tiger at Australia Zoo, the Queensland institution made famous by the late “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin.

The senior tiger handler was in a serious but stable condition after being bitten on the neck and shoulder when the animal, which he had raised since it was a cub, became overexcited during play, officials said. “He is stable and recovering in hospital. Our support is with him and his family,” Australia Zoo said on its twitter account. Australia Zoo director Wes Mennon said co-workers witnessed the attack and helped drag the man, who had worked with big cats for nine years, to safety.

“At the time of the incident, our emergency response team were on the scene immediately.

They acted professionally and calmly. My hat goes off to them,” he said in a statement. Officials said the man, who has not been named, suffered two large puncture wounds and was conscious when he was flown to a Brisbane hospital. RACQ Careflight doctor Andrew Haggerty said the injuries could have been worse.

diesel into a solid fuel that could be burned in power plants and cement kilns.

But the sheer volume of petcoke that appeared suddenly in Detroit and Chicago this year - almost all of it in open-air piles - was unprecedented, and caught residents and public officials off guard. With the amount of Canadian oil entering the US increasing almost daily, refineries like Marathon in Detroit, BP in Whiting, Ind, and Phillips 66 in Roxana, Ill, have expanded to handle the glut. Even more oil could be on the way if the controversial Keystone XL pipeline is approved, though by then additional domestic pipelines could direct some to refineries in other regions, experts say.

Refineries usually sell the petcoke to other companies, which store it until it can be loaded onto Great Lakes ships for export to places like China. Burning it emits high levels of soot and greenhouse gases, so its use in the US is limited. In Detroit, petcoke began appearing along the Detroit River in the spring, several months after the Marathon Petroleum Corp. refinery completed a $2.2 billion expansion. But an outcry by residents, who shot video footage of the blowing grit, prompted city officials to order the removal of the piles.

In Chicago, residents became alarmed when the black piles began growing about six months ago, said Tom Shepherd, a member of a neighborhood group.

The last straw was when the petcoke went airborne on Aug. 30 and blew into their yards, churches and a Little League field. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has ordered the city Health Department to adopt regulations for petcoke, while aldermen introduced competing ordinances to regulate or ban it outright. The city and Illinois Attorney Gen. Lisa Madigan have filed suit against Beemsterboer over the petcoke on his sites.

“You have a byproduct ... that is economically and environmentally degrading a community and the health for our children, and there’s nothing on the books that allows Chicago to protect its own citizens,”

CHICAGO: Susanna Gomez, 37 (second from right) puts a sock on the foot of her 5-year-old daughter Mariah Burgos as she talks about living near the Calumet River and industrial sites on Chicago’s southeast side where petroleum coke, or petcoke, is stored. — AP Emanuel said during a news conference. Although petcoke is not classified as hazardous, it contains heavy metals and inhaling the fine particles can cause respiratory problems. Shepherd said residents worry because “there’s already lot of asthma, cancer and other illnesses around here.”

Chicago’s southeast side is an area where heavy industry and working-class residents have coexisted for generations - one neighborhood is even called Slag Valley. Immigrants came to work in the steel mills along Lake Michigan and many families stayed after the mills began closing. They now dream of a renewal, including a city plan for a huge park at a former steel mill site, but worry that petcoke will “overtake the entire area and

we’ll have nothing but black mountains for miles and miles along the river,” Shepherd said.

The stage is set for more. Petcoke production at the BP refinery is expected to triple next year, from 700,000 tons a year to 2.2 million tons, after a $4.2 billion upgrade scheduled for completion next month, spokesman Scott Dean said. The company that handles BP’s petcoke storage, KCBX, said it’s spending more than $10 million on upgrades, including improved “dust-suppression capabilities.” But Emanuel spokesman Bill McCaffrey said the mayor is considering requiring that piles be completely or partially enclosed.

Some states, such as California, have such requirements. — AP

Canadian ruling party barely holds safe seat Expenses scandal hits Conservatives’ support OTTAWA: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s ruling Conservatives only narrowly held onto what had been viewed as a safe seat in a district election on Monday after a scandal over Senate expenses hit his party’s support. The Conservatives’ slim margin of victory also underlined the resurgence of the Liberal Party under Justin Trudeau, the 41year-old son of the flamboyant late Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, who took over the party leadership in April.

The Conservatives’ near-defeat in the rural western Canadian province of Manitoba in the special election for the House of Commons will prompt soul-searching in the party, which has held the seat for 56 of the last 60 years, mostly by huge margins.

Harper has been tarnished by a scandal over housing and other expenses claimed by Conservative senators and by an apparent subsequent attempt to cover it up. The Liberals suffered their worst-ever showing in the last general election in 2011, when they took only fourth place in the Manitoba riding of Brandon-Souris. But under Trudeau, it has catapulted into first place in national polls and came within one percentage point of taking Brandon-Souris on Monday night.

It was one of four districts contested in special elections on Monday, with the Liberals holding on to two they had been defending and the Conservatives keeping two they had held.

In Toronto, Trudeau had handpicked a former Thomson Reuters senior editor, Chrystia Freeland, who was parachuted in to contest a seat vacated by former Liberal interim leader Bob Rae. She beat fellow journalist Linda McQuaig of the leftleaning New Democrats.

BRIBERY Police said last week they believed Harper’s former chief of staff, Nigel Wright, was guilty of bribery in corruptly giving C$90,000 ($86,000) of his own funds to a senator to help him pay his expense money back to the government. Wright says he believes he acted lawfully within the scope of his duties.

Harper said no one told him of Wright’s payment and he would have vetoed it if he had been told ahead of time.

Trudeau, a former high school teacher and snowboard instructor, has had his share of troubles, but he has managed to maintain some buzz and in Monday’s races eclipsed the official opposition New Democrats on his left.

With echoes of US President Barack Obama’s campaigns, he has used a slogan of hope and proclaimed his devotion to the middle class despite his wealth and upper-class upbringing. He took over the left-leaning Liberal Party, which favors more action on tackling climate change, after it took just 34 of 308 seats in the House of Commons in the 2011 election. The Conservatives, who favor lower taxes and a tough stance on crime, have attacked Trudeau for not having decided on an economic platform, for promoting the legalization of marijuana and for saying he admired China’s political system the most of any country outside Canada.

Harper took the unusual step of sending a letter to each voter in Brandon-Souris to point out the dangers of going for Trudeau and many cabinet ministers campaigned in the district. It was a mixed result for the New Democrats, who had swept into the position of Official Opposition in 2011 in a vote of enthusiasm for the positive spirit of then-leader Jack Layton, who died shortly after the election. They had no breakthroughs on Monday night, and while they increased their percentage in Toronto, they performed much worse in Brandon-Souris, Manitoba. — Reuters

Tensions mount in Benghazi

KABUL: An Afghan Army soldier picks up his weapon at a training facility on the outskirts of Kabul yesterday. — AP

Tension grips Honduras over disputed election TEGUCIGALPA: Political tension gripped Honduras yesterday as the conservative candidate insisted he won the presidential vote, while the leftist opposition rejected the result and threatened to take to the streets. The clash between Juan Orlando Hernandez, of the ruling right-wing National Party, and left-wing candidate Xiomara Castro brought new uncertainty to a country reeling from gang violence, poverty and the wounds of a 2009 coup.

With 62 percent of the vote counted, Hernandez led a field of eight candidates with 34.2 percent followed by Castro with 28.9 percent, according to the supreme electoral tribunal. The electoral authorities have yet to announce a winner. But Hernandez and Castro both declared victory after polls closed late Sunday. Castro’s husband, deposed former president Manuel Zelaya, told reporters that her camp “does not accept” the result after claiming that the election was stolen, with “seri-

ous inconsistencies” in one-in-five polling stations. Hundreds of Castro supporters protested in front of the tribunal amid a heavy police and military deployment across the nation. But Hernandez said the result was “not negotiable with anybody” and he named a transition team to succeed President Porfirio Lobo, urging Castro to join him in a “great national pact” against violence and poverty.

The governments of Colombia, Guatemala, Panama and Costa Rica congratulated Hernandez. Nicaragua’s leftist President Daniel Ortega also recognized Hernandez as the winner. In Washington, US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki congratulated Honduras for a peaceful election and said international observers reported that the vote was “generally transparent.” Psaki urged Hondurans to wait for the completion of the vote count and “to resolve election disputes peacefully through established legal processes.”—AFP

BENGHAZI: Local officials called for civil disobedience including strikes for three days from yesterday in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi after deadly clashes between radical Islamist fighters and the army. The call issued by Benghazi’s city council came as defense ministry officials, according to a source, were in talks with jihadist group Ansar Al-Sharia to provide its fighters a safe passage out of the city on condition they leave their weapons behind.

For several hours on Monday the army clashed with the jihadists after one of its patrols was attacked near the headquarters of Ansar Al-Sharia, a group blamed for the killing of the US ambassador in 2012. The health ministry said seven people were killed in the fighting and around 50 wounded, revising an earlier toll of eight dead. The fighting subsided in the afternoon and later the army deployed across Benghazi, taking control of key roads, an AFP correspondent reported.

Benghazi was the cradle of the 2011 uprising during which NATO-backed rebels toppled and then killed longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi. Since the end of the uprising, Libya has been hit by waves of deadly violence much of it blamed on heavily armed ex-rebels who have banded into militias each with its own ideology and allegiance. The government has been struggling to integrate the former rebels into a regular army and police. A statement from the city council called on residents to engage in “civil disobedience” through strikes and mourning for Benghazi’s dead for three days. The city council also urged Benghazi lawmakers who are members of the General National Council (GNC), Libya’s top political body, to return home from Tripoli to help address the causes of the bloodletting. Libyan authorities and tribal elders have been struggling to find a solution agreeable to all sides to end the violence that has rocked Benghazi for months. Defense Minister Abdallah Al-Teni announced that his ministry was in touch with Ansar Al-Sharia to find a peaceful solution to

the latest eruption, a GNC source said.

JIHADISTS SEEK ‘SAFE CORRIDOR’ Ansar Al-Sharia is requesting a “safe corridor” for its fighters to exit Benghazi, the source said, but military chiefs demand that they leave behind heavy weapons. Tribal chiefs and Benghazi leaders were also involved in trying to mediate an end to the violence, GNC spokesman Omar Hmeidane said. And late Monday Prime Minister Ali Zeidan, fresh from talks with US and British officials in London on the violence wracking his country, flew into Benghazi briefly where he met security officials.

Last week the US military said it hopes to train 5,000 to 8,000 Libyan army troops, responding to a request by Zeidan. On Sunday Zeidan met in London with US Secretary of State John Kerry and his British counterpart William Hague and after the talks the US top diplomat vowed to help stabilize Libya.

The Benghazi violence comes as the authorities take steps to evacuate militias from Tripoli, on the back of popular discontent in the capital against armed groups. On November 15, 46 people were killed and more than 500 wounded in Tripoli after militiamen opened fire on peaceful demonstrators calling for them to leave the city. Those demonstrations took place also following calls by the city council on residents to rebel against the militias, and there is fear of similar violence hitting Benghazi.

Ansar Al-Sharia advocates the implementation of sharia Islamic law and has systematically refused to recognize the authority of the central government or its security services. The group controls areas of Benghazi as well as Sirte and Derna, also in eastern Libya, and has been blamed for waves of bloody attacks against foreign missions, judges and security personnel. The most daring attack in September 2012 targeted the US consulate in Benghazi, killing ambassador Chris Steven and three other Americans. Ansar Al-Sharia denies any involvement. — AFP

Australia summons China ambassador SYDNEY: Australia summoned China’s ambassador to express concern over its imposition of an “Air Defense Identification Zone” over the East China Sea, the foreign minister said yesterday, decrying the move as unhelpful in a region beset by tension. “The timing and the manner of China’s announcement are unhelpful in light of current regional tensions, and will not contribute to regional stability,” Julie Bishop said in a statement. “The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade yesterday called in China’s ambassador to convey the Australian Government’s concerns and to seek an explanation of China’s intentions.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said the

ambassador “fully expounded upon China’s considerations and aims in setting up the East China Sea Air Defense Inspection Zone, and expounded upon our position and viewpoints”. “(I) hope Australia can correctly understand (our motives), and work together to protect flight safety in the relevant zone. We also hope that Australia can actively work towards regional peace and stability,” he told a daily news briefing in Beijing.

Aviation officials on Monday said Asian airlines would inform China of their flight plans before entering airspace over waters disputed with Japan, effectively acknowledging Beijing’s authority over the newly declared zone. China pub-

lished coordinates for the zone on the weekend. The area, about two-thirds the size of Britain, covers most of the East China Sea and the skies over a group of uninhabited islands at the centre of a bitter row between Beijing and Tokyo.

China says that the zone will not affect what it calls normal operations of international flights and has rejected criticism of it from both Washington and Tokyo. The official People’s Liberation Army Daily said there was no cause for alarm. “In the ADIZ, generally there will only be a requirement for flying objects to report their nationality, position and flight plan, in order to ascertain position, and make identification and control easier,” it wrote in a commentary. —Reuters

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

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

Nuclear waste burial debate produces odd alliances KINCARDINE: Ordinarily, a proposal to bury radioactive waste in a scenic area that relies on tourism would inspire “not in my backyard” protests from local residents - and relief in places that were spared. But conventional wisdom has been turned on its head in the Canadian province of Ontario, where a publicly owned power company wants to entomb waste from its nuclear plants 2,230 feet below the surface and less than a mile from Lake Huron.

Some of the strongest suppor t comes from Kincardine and other communities near the would be disposal site at the Bruce Power complex, the world’s largest nuclear power station, which produces one-fourth of all electricity generated in Canada’s most heavily populated province. Nuclear is a way of life here, and many residents have jobs connected to the industry. Meanwhile, the loudest objections are coming from elsewhere in Canada and the US - particularly Michigan, which shares the Lake Huron shoreline with Ontario.

Critics are aghast at the idea. They don’t buy assurances that the waste would rest far beneath the lake’s greatest depths and be encased in rock formations that have been stable for 450 million years. “Neither the US nor Canada can afford the risk of polluting the Great Lakes with toxic nuclear waste,” US Reps Dan Kildee, Sander Levin, John Dingell and Gary Peters of Michigan said in a letter to a panel that is expected to make a recommendation next spring to Canada’s federal government, which has the final say.

Michigan’s two US senators, Democrats Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, have asked the State

Department to intervene. Business and environmental groups in Michigan and Ohio submitted letters. An online petition sponsored by a Canadian opposition group has collected nearly 42,000 signatures. The decision on the $1 billion Canadian project could influence the broader debate over bur ying nuclear waste deep underground, said Per Peterson, a nuclear engineering professor at the University of California at Berkeley, who served on a national commission that studied the waste issue in the United States.

The US government’s plan for building a repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada has been halted by stiff opposition. “Demonstrating that this facility can be approved and operated safely is important because it can improve confidence that future high-level waste facilities also can be operated safely,” Peterson said. The Canadian “deep geologic repository” would be the only deep-underground storage facility in North America, aside from a military installation in New Mexico. Other US radioactive waste landfills are shallow usually 100 feet deep or less.

The most highly radioactive waste generated at nuclear plants is spent fuel, which wouldn’t go into the Canadian chamber. Instead, the site would house “low-level” waste such as ashes from incinerated mop heads, paper towels and floor sweepings. It also would hold “intermediate waste” discarded parts from the reactor core.

The project would be operated by Ontario Power Generation (OPG), a publicly owned company that manages waste generated by its nuclear reactors and others owned by Bruce Power, a pri-

vate operator.

Officials insist it’s the safest way to deal with radioactive material that has been stored aboveground since the late 1960s and needs a permanent resting place. “We’ve had many scientists and engineers studying this for many years,” OPG spokesman Neal Kelly said.

“They’ve concluded that it will not harm the environment or the public.” Most of the waste would decay within 300 years, but the company acknowledges the intermediate waste would stay radioactive for more than 100,000 years.

That’s too long for Eugene Bourgeois, who has a wool yarn business near Bruce Power. “We have only recently discovered radioactivity,” he said. “It’s arrogant to think we’re smart enough to know what it will do to life on this planet over such a long time.” Larry Kraemer, mayor of Kincardine, says most of his constituents don’t share those fears.

The risk of radioactive pollution is “so low as to be almost unimaginable,” he said. “The people here draw their drinking water from the lake. We’re certainly not going to take any chances with it.”

Kincardine is among several small communities hugging the shoreline in southern Ontario’s Bruce County, which has miles of sandy beaches popular with tourists - particularly from Toronto, about three hours southwest. The downtowns are lined with shops, restaurants, parks, museums and woodsy footpaths.

The area’s first nuclear plant was built in the 1960s in countryside north of Kincardine. The sprawling Bruce Power site now has eight reactors and employs about 4,000 people. Kraemer says about half the jobs in his town of 12,000 are

ONTARIO: Photo shows Lake Huron just beyond a fence enclosing a section of the Bruce Power nuclear complex near Kincardine in the Canadian province of Ontario. —AP connected to the industry. “We don’t have the knee-jerk reaction when someone says ‘nuclear’ that other people do,” said Joanne Robbins, general manager of the chamber of commerce in nearby Saugeen Shores. “We grew up with it.”

Beverly Fernandez, leader of the group that started the online petition, lives in Saugeen Shores but admits she’s focusing on rally opposition outside the area because the industry is so popular in Bruce County - which she dryly labels “the nuclear oasis.” Company specialists say the waste would be placed in impermeable chambers drilled into sturdy limestone 2,230 feet below the surface, topped with a shale layer more than 600

feet thick.

The lake’s maximum depth in the vicinity of the nuclear site is about 590 feet. But Charles Rhodes, an engineer and physicist, contended seeping groundwater would fill the chamber in as little as a year, become contaminated and eventually reach the lake through tiny cracks in the rock. “It’s only a question of how long, and how toxic it will be when it gets there,” he said in an interview. Kraemer, the Kincardine mayor, said naysayers should be grateful his town is willing to shoulder a burden few others would accept. “Opposition without responsibility is just a little too easy,” he said.— AP

Japan lower house passes ‘secrecy bill’ Stiff penalties for leaking information

BANGKOK: Thai opposition protesters wave national flags during a rally at the Interior Ministry in Bangkok yesterday. —AFP

Thai political crisis BANGKOK: Here are some key facts about Thailand’s political crisis, which escalated this week with protesters occupying key ministries in a bid to topple Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s government.

WHAT ARE PROTESTS ABOUT? Thailand has been rocked by years of often-violent demonstrations by rival protest movements. The current anti-government demonstrations, led by senior opposition figures, are seeking an end to the “Thaksin system”-the legacy of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra who was ousted in a coup in 2006 and lives in self-imposed exile. The rallies were triggered by a controversial amnesty bill introduced by the ruling party which could have allowed Thaksin to return to Thailand without going to jail for a graft conviction that he contends was politically motivated. The legislation was rejected by the upper house but the emboldened opposition Democrats and their street protest allies have increased their demands and are now calling for the government to be toppled.The protesters accuse the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra Thaksin’s sister-of corruption, an accusation also levelled against the opposition when it was in power.

WHO ARE THE PROTEST GROUPS? The rival movements are the “Red Shirts”, loyal to Thaksin, and their arch rivals the royalist “Yellow Shirts” who were once a major political force but are no longer active. Yellow rallies have helped to eject Thaksin or his allies from power three times, while support from the Reds swept Yingluck to power in 2011 in the wake of a deadly military crackdown on their proThaksin street protests.

The opposition protesters currently on the streets are a mixture of former Yellow Shirts, Democrat supporters, royalists, stu-

dents, urban middle class and other Thaksin opponents. Tens of thousands of Red Shirts have staged a rival protest in support of the government, accusing the opposition demonstrators of seeking to overthrow a democratically elected administration.

WHAT ARE POSSIBLE SCENARIOS? The government appears reluctant to use force to break up the protests. A military crackdown on the Red Shirt rallies by the previous government in 2010 left more than 90 civilians dead and nearly 1,900 wounded. Yingluck’s best hope is for the protests to end peacefully, possibly ahead of the revered king’s birthday on December 5. She could call a snap election, which many analysts believe her party would still win, albeit probably with a reduced majority in parliament. But she cannot dissolve parliament until after the end of a no-confidence debate on Thursday that she is expected to easily survive. The Red Shirts could also decide to step up their pro-government protests, raising the risk of clashes between rival political factions.

COULD ARMY, COURTS INTERVENE? The possibility of military intervention constantly looms over Thailand, which has seen 18 actual or attempted coups since 1932, most recently in 2006 when royalist generals toppled Thaksin. But the army has so far shown no sign that it is preparing to get involved. The judiciary also has a record of intervening in politics, dissolving parties and banning their executives, and some observers believe corruption allegations against the ruling party could form the basis for another “judicial coup”. Revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej intervened during several political crises in the 1970s and 1990s but the 85-year-old monarch has been in ill-health for several years and rarely speaks in public.—AFP

Malaysia summons Singapore ambassador over spying report KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s foreign ministry summoned the ambassador from neighboring Singapore yesterday over a media report that the city-state helped with US-Australian surveillance in the region. Foreign Minister Anifah Aman had already summoned the heads of the US and Australian missions earlier in November in protest at reports that a vast US-led surveillance network included a listening post in America’s Malaysian embassy. Malaysia is “extremely concerned” about the report on Singapore, Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said yesterday. “If those allegations are eventually proven, it is certainly a serious matter that the government of Malaysia strongly rejects and abhors,” he said. The foreign ministry said

Singapore’s high commissioner (ambassador) Ong Keng Yong met Othman Hashim, the ministry’s secretary-general.

The spying allegation has generated anger among Malaysians as Singapore is a close trading partner and fellow member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi appeared to try to cool the row by saying that Kuala Lumpur was prepared to share intelligence with Singapore. “In principle, no other country should be trying to obtain the secrets of another nation,” he was quoted as saying by the Star newspaper. “But we are ready to share the information if the intelligence concerns these countries, so they should respect us as a neighboring country,” he added.—AFP

TOKYO: Japan yesterday moved closer towards a law that would expand the definition of state secrets and raise penalties for leaks, a provision critics say will block access to information on sensitive areas, including the nuclear industry.

Parliament’s lower house approved the state secrets act after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party agreed last week to revisions with small, conservative opposition parties.

Opponents of the legislation say the changes were cosmetic and failed to address basic concerns on civil liberties and the public’s right to know. The bill now goes before parliament’s upper house, where it is likely to pass without difficulty. The LDP and its junior partner have a solid majority in both chambers so winning some opposition backing was seen mainly as a way to ease public concerns about the bill.

According to opinion polls, more voters oppose the bill than back it. Nearly 63 percent of respondents to a Kyodo news agency survey last weekend expressed concerned about its provisions. Hundreds of protesters demonstrated against the legislation near parliament yesterday. “Clearly, there will be a chilling effect on access to a wide range of information,” said Meiji University law professor Lawrence Repeta. “It is clearly aimed at news media to block reporting

in a way that may be critical of the government on a wide range of sensitive issues,” added Repeta. He, like others, noted the likely dampening impact on whistleblowers.

Under the law, public servants or others cleared for access to state secrets could be jailed up to 10 years for leaks. Journalists and others in the private sector convicted of encouraging such leaks could get up to five years if they use “grossly inappropriate” means to solicit the information. Top officials in all ministries will be able to designate special state secrets in four categories - defense, diplomacy, counter-terrorism and counter-espionage - that can be kept secret for up to 60 years and in some cases longer.

Included among those secrets could be information on the vulnerability of nuclear power plants - of keen interest to many Japanese after the March 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster which forced some 160,000 from their homes.

“Information on the vulnerability of nuclear power plants could be classified as special secrets, along with plans on how to guard the plants,” said Yutaka Saito, a lawyer and a member of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations’ task force on the bill.

“If so, anyone who has blown the whistle from the inside to warn of the danger of nuclear power plants will be punished.” Abe’s govern-

ment says the law is vital to his plan to create a US-style National Security Council to coordinate security and foreign policies and persuade foreign countries such as Tokyo’s close ally, the United States, to share information.

Media, publishers, lawyers and even actors and entertainers have denounced the law, which for some has conjured up memories of Japan’s harsh state secrecy regime before and during World War Two. Thousands gathered in a Tokyo park to protest against the legislation last week.

Critics said concerns about possible abuses of the law remained despite the revisions agreed on with opposition parties. The lack of an independent review process was particularly troubling, they said.

Yesterday, Abe told a parliamentary panel that the government would take steps to set up some form of third party review body, though details were lacking. “I don’t see any movement on the central issue. The most central issue is the power of government agencies to designate information as secret,” Repeta said. “This law is a revolutionary change to expand that power to cover all ministries and agencies,” he said. “It doesn’t ask if the information released caused damage to Japan or whether it should be released because there is a strong public interest.”—Reuters

India marks 26/11 fifth anniversary Victims recount the three days of carnage MUMBAI: India yesterday marked the fifth anniversary of militant attacks on Mumbai with memorial services and prayers as victims recounted the three days of carnage that left 166 people dead.

Government ministers and relatives of victims laid wreaths at a memorial in south Mumbai dedicated to police and security forces killed trying to stop the Islamist gunmen during 60 hours of bloodshed in 2008. Ten militants arrived by sea on the evening of November 26 and carried out a massacre at luxury hotels, a railway station, cafe and Jewish centre as terrified civilians tried to escape the bloody assault.

Live television footage was beamed around the world as commandos battled the gunmen, before authorities finally regained full control of the city three days later. About 300 people were injured. Devika Rotawan was 10 years old when she was shot in the leg as the militants raided Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminal firing indiscriminately at people. “My life was peaceful before the attacks... it is not the same now. Though my leg has recovered, it still pains when I run or walk for a long time,” Rotawan, who turns 15 next month said.

“The memories of the attacks as still fresh... each time I go to the CST station, I get the shivers,” said Rotawan, who wants to join the police force after finishing school.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and top police officers laid floral tributes at the memorial along Mumbai’s Marine Drive-just a short distance from the spot where the sole surviving gun-

man was captured. “At that time we did not know of the gravity of the situation,” said assistant police inspector Bhaskar Kadam, who won a medal for his role in battling the militants.

Kadam killed one of the militants and was part of the police team that captured the surviving gunman Mohammed Ajmal Kasab as he tried to flee in a stolen car-an encounter that left his colleague dead. Kasab was hanged last November after a lengthy trial for his role in the attacks. Both New Delhi and Washington blame the attacks on the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba. India has pressed Pakistan to bring the

alleged masterminds of the attacks to justice. Pakistan charged seven men in 2009 over the attacks and has started a trial there, but says it needs to gather more evidence before proceeding further.

Lawyers for the seven Pakistanis said Monday the case against them “lacks evidence” and claimed the Indians only had themselves to blame for the slow progress.

Yesterday security was strengthened at the places which came under siege, including the landmark Taj Mahal Palace hotel which will hold its own private memorial service. On the eve of the anniversary, the author of an acclaimed new book on the tragedy warned

that India failed to learn the lessons from the assault.

Adrian Levy, whose book “The Siege” highlights striking failures in India’s response to the attacks, said he feared security had barely improved since then. India’s Hindustan Times newspaper also questioned the city’s security and pointed to still “fraught” ties with Pakistan despite efforts to improve relations between the two rival neighbors. State police chief Sanjeev Dayal however rejected the concerns, saying “we are better prepared to take on such attacks in the future”. “On this day, we are re-dedicating ourselves to serving the nation and society.”— AFP

MUMBAI: Widows and kin of slain servicemen gather at the memorial for police and uniformed personnel who lost their lives in the 2008 terror attacks during the fifth anniversary of the incident in Mumbai yesterday. — AFP

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

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Fearful for their jobs, Spaniards take wage cuts

By Katell Abiven earful of joining the one in four workers out of a job, Spanish employees are accepting ever deeper salary cuts as they pay the price of the economy’s growing competitiveness. An 11-day work stoppage this month by Madrid street sweepers, which left the Spanish capital strewn with litter, was a striking example. Employees were protesting a plan to axe 1,100 of the 7,000 street sweeper jobs and to slash the salaries of those remaining by up to 40 percent. The staff, employed by private firms working for the city, won a deal that entails no job losses but less money, with a 45-day unpaid furlough each year.

At Catalan doughnut manufacturer Panrico, the 1,914 workers initially signed a draft agreement for 745 layoffs and an 18-percent salary cut but finally decided this weekend to reject it. The background to both cases is the fear of joining a queue of six million people seeking work in vain. “With 26 percent of workers out of a job, this mass of unemployed people serves as a reserve army, putting downward pressure on salaries,” said Fernando Luengo, economist at Madrid’s Complutense University and a member of the EconoNuestra think tank.

Wielding a “Sword of Damocles”, firms can easily threaten workers to accept worse conditions or be fired, he said, with latest labour market reforms making it cheaper to lay off employees. A few years ago, Spaniards fretted about the fate of unfortunate “thousandaires” - people who earned just Ä1,000 a month, Luengo said. “Now, for many people having a salary of 1,000 euros is almost a luxury,” he added.

Paloma Lopez, employment secretary of major Spanish union CCOO, said some 60 percent of Spanish workers now earned less than Ä1,000 a month. “They have major difficulties because you still have to pay the mortgage despite everything,” Lopez said. “You see it everywhere: in the streets, small businesses that have not shut yet are in trouble,” she added. “Spanish employees have stopped consuming.” According to the National Statistics Institute, average household incomes tumbled by 9.5 percent between 2008 and 2012, and 21.6 percent of the population is at risk of falling below the poverty line. The research arm of Spanish bank La Caixa estimates that Spanish salaries have fallen by 7.1 percent since 2010. The Foundation of Applied Economic Studies, FEDEA, estimates that salaries declined by 12 percent between 2010 and 2012.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s conservative government refers to the process as an “internal devaluation” necessary to regain competitiveness.

Previously, “whenever there was an imbalance it was always fixed by devaluing the peseta,” said Ignacio de la Torre, analyst at financial consultants Arcano. “Since we can no longer devalue the currency, the only way to rebalance the economy is to devalue salaries,” he added. From the purely economic point of view, it is a recipe that seems to work. “Spain has become ultra competitive in terms of salaries,” the consultant said, with workers earning one-third less than the eurozone average.

In September, Spanish exports leapt by 8.3 percent, eight times more than the eurozone average.

In the automobile industry, factories are bustling and releasing new models, often thanks to agreements struck with unions to keep salaries in check.

Patrick Artus, of the French investment bank Natixis, said the “salary cost advantage” could help Spain become a key production centre for mid-range industrial products in Europe, making it “the China of Europe”. The International Monetary Fund has encouraged Spain to go further, suggesting a 10percent cut in salaries over two years would boost gross domestic product by five percent. But socially, “it is bad news”, said Carlos Obeso, director of labour market studies at the ESADE business school. For proof, Obeso said, “you don’t need to be an economist, just go out into the street.” — AFP

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Karzai seeks to exploit ticking clock

By Sardar Ahmad resident Hamid Karzai’s shifting stance during security talks with the US has infuriated Washington and mystified many Afghans, but analysts say his tactics are driven by a belief that he is in a position of strength. Negotiations on a security pact allowing some US troops to stay in Afghanistan after 2014 have seen the Afghan president at his most unpredictable - adding new demands, reneging on promises and taunting his supposed allies. Karzai’s leadership of Afghanistan since the fall of the Taleban regime in 2001 has been marked by attempts to demonstrate his credentials as an independent nationalist despite his reliance on US aid and military power.

Now, in the final months of his presidency, he appears to have gambled that the US will never enact its threatened “zero option” of a complete troop pull-out - presenting him with a unique chance to burnish his patriotic image. “The negotiations provide Karzai with the opportunity to play hard, given the timing and the desperation of the Americans to get this agreement signed as soon as possible,” Daud Muradian, an analyst and former Afghan foreign official, said.

“The bilateral security agreement (BSA) will be the first major agreement to allow a superpower to have military bases here - one of the red lines of Afghan nationalism. “Karzai doesn’t want to be judged before history as someone who just put his signature on an agreement that sold Afghan soil to foreigners. This is a big deal for Afghanistan.”

The high-stakes game over the future US presence in Afghanistan, where Taleban Islamists remain determined to regain power, intensified a notch on Monday when Washington repeated that a full military pullout was on the

P

table. In a late-night meeting requested by Karzai, US national security advisor Susan Rice accused Karzai of introducing new conditions for the BSA, which he said last week he wanted to be signed only after April’s presidential election.

“Deferring the signature of the agreement until after next year’s elections is not viable,” a White House statement said after Monday’s talks, adding that international aid vital to Afghanistan was at risk due to the delays.

A similar deal with Iraq collapsed in 2011 leading to a complete US troop pullout and the country is now in the grip of worsening sectarian violence. But Karzai’s officials have repeatedly said they do not believe Washington will walk away again. “President Karzai believes that in recent months he has gained a rare advantage - a powerful tool with which to bargain with the Americans,” said Waheed Wafa, the director of the Afghanistan Center at Kabul University. “He saw he could try to impose his demands. His conditions are for Afghanistan but also include concerns about his own future and security and that of his family. Karzai wants to make great use of this opportunity.”

The Afghan president, facing the threat of lame-duck status after serving the maximum two terms in power, last week refused to sign the BSA promptly despite the “loya jirga” assembly that he convened voting for him to do so. But Ahmad Idrees Rahmani, director of Kabul research company Air Consulting, predicted that the loya jirga’s overwhelming vote for the BSA meant that Karzai would eventually put his signature to a deal. “He hoped the jirga to come up with more demands for him to negotiate further with the Americans. That did not happen,” Rahmani said. “He has been trying to be tough to gain concessions, but now I think he will sign it in the end.” — AFP

Iran deal bears Obama’s stamp

By Matt Spetalnick hen push came to shove in the closing hours of marathon negotiations in Geneva on Iran’s nuclear program, it was President Barack Obama, back at the White House, who approved the final language on the US side before the historic deal was clinched. It was perhaps only fitting that Obama had the last say. His push for a thaw with Tehran, a longtime US foe, dates back to before his presidency, and no other foreign policy issue bears his personal stamp more since he took office in early 2009. Behind the risky diplomatic opening is a desire for a big legacy-shaping achievement and a deep aversion to getting America entangled in another Middle East conflict - motives that override misgivings to the Iran deal expressed by close allies Israel and Saudi Arabia.

That may explain why Obama, even as he left the troubleshooting to Secretary of State John Kerry and gave him much of the credit for securing the diplomatic coup, has taken “ownership” of the Iran issue like no other. His engagement - both in private and in public and according to aides, at a level of minute detail - is in contrast to a more aloof approach as Egypt came under military rule and Syria descended into civil war. “It’s the top item on his foreign agenda for the rest of his term,” a source close to the White House’s thinking said of the Iran issue. “He doesn’t want to leave anything to chance.”

The stakes are enormous for Obama. If the talks break down and Iran dashes to build an atomic bomb before the West can stop it, he could go into the history books as the president whose naivete allowed the Islamic Republic to go nuclear. The breakthrough with Iran is also worrying the many pro-Israel members of Congress, including heavyweights in his own Democratic Party like Senator Charles Schumer. Last weekend’s Iran pact - a preliminary agreement on modest sanctions relief in exchange for temporary curbs on Iran’s nuclear activities - was no case of accidental diplomacy.

Obama promised to seek direct engagement with Iran and other US enemies during the 2008 presidential campaign, drawing accusations from Republicans that he was promoting appeasement. He then used his first inaugural address in 2009 to offer to extend a hand if the Iranian leadership would “unclench their fist.” After being snubbed, he galvanized international support for crippling sanctions that ultimately forced Tehran into the latest negotiations.

Obama instructed his aides to arrange the historic telephone conversation he had with Iran’s relatively moderate new president, Hassan Rouhani, in September, and authorized secret bilateral talks that laid the groundwork for the more formal Geneva rounds between Iran and world powers, US officials say. On Saturday, Kerry spoke by phone to Obama from Geneva to discuss the outstanding issues in the final tense stages of negotiations, a senior State Department official said. “This went all the way up to (Obama) personally approving the final language,” the official said.

While it may not be unusual for Obama to cast his trained legal eye on government-to-government agreements, his close attention to the wording of the deal-in-the-making

W

underscored the sensitivity of the breakthrough document and his determination to get it right. Once the deal was signed in Switzerland, Obama stepped in front of the cameras at the White House in a rare late-night appearance and hailed it as “an important first step toward a comprehensive solution that addresses our concerns”. It was a chance to tout a foreign policy accomplishment at a time when Obama is struggling with a flawed healthcare rollout and low approval ratings at home.

Obama’s words on Saturday night were also infused with an appeal for patience, reflecting the hope that he can escape any decision on going to war with Iran by doing everything possible diplomatically to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon. “I have a profound responsibility to try to resolve our differences peacefully, rather than rush toward conflict,” Obama said. Shaping Obama’s thinking are the shadows of long, costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. His own aversion to new military interventions - underscored by his last-minute refusal to attack Syria in September - is matched by war-weariness that most polls show has permeated the American public.

There can be little doubt that Obama - who meets with presidential scholars and is said to be keenly interested in his place in history as America’s first black president - also feels the allure of detente with Iran as a crowning achievement in what has been widely perceived as a less-than-stellar foreign policy record. “Resolving the Iran issue would be a huge boon to his legacy,” said Colin Kahl, a former Pentagon official involved in Iran policymaking who now teaches at Georgetown University. Iran has long been a key part of Obama’s nuclear disarmament agenda - a diplomatic push that helped him win a Nobel Peace Prize so early in his presidency that many questioned whether he deserved it.

There is no guarantee that Obama will be able to sustain the momentum of the Geneva talks as critics at home and abroad accuse the president of giving up too much for too little. Conservative critics say Obama’s distaste for intervention, in particular his shying away from the bombing of Syria over chemical weapons use, has hurt US credibility with Iran, a key ally of Damascus, and across the Middle East. “One has to wonder if a better deal would have been possible ... had Iran believed there was a real military threat and had the United States not seemed to be so very desperate for a deal,” said Elliott Abrams, a foreign policy aide under Obama’s predecessor, George W. Bush.

Foremost among Obama’s motives for a deal with Iran is to keep Washington from facing the prospect of another war in the Muslim world should there be no other way to keep Tehran from getting the bomb. Iran denies it seeks a nuclear weapon. Obama was elected on a platform of opposition to the Iraq war, and many of the foreign policy decisions he has made in nearly five years in office have demonstrated a deep wariness of letting America get militarily involved in foreign crises. “What we’re seeing again with Iran is a kind of ‘Obama doctrine’ - get America out of old wars and don’t get us into risky new ones,” said Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East negotiator now at the Woodrow Wilson International Center. — Reuters

Syria talks face obstacles

By Timothy Witcher he January 22 start of landmark Syria peace talks in Geneva will be difficult to keep as the war worsens and fallout spreads across the Middle East, analysts said. “At long last and for the first time, the Syrian government and opposition will meet at the negotiating table instead of the battlefield,” said UN leader Ban Ki-moon as he announced the date. The conference would be the “best opportunity” to halt the bloodshed, according to US Secretary of State John Kerry, whose country helped broker the meeting with the UN and Russia.

But few observers see any chance of dousing the wildfires turning Syria into an inferno of conflict. The conference guest list is not agreed, the international powers are divided and cannot control the carnage and bitterness between President Bashar Al-Assad and the fractured Syrian opposition runs deep. The UN says it can no longer estimate a death toll which it puts at well over 100,000. More than three million people will have fled to neighboring countries by the end of the year and UN envoy to Iraq, Nickolay Mladenov warned the UN Security Council on Monday of the growing spillover of extremists groups from Syria into Iraq where thousands have been killed this year.

Salman Shaikh, director of the Brookings Doha Centre think tank, said the fact that the United Nations has announced a date is already a positive sign. But he put the chances of the Geneva meeting going ahead at only “50-50” and said it was “hostage to the situation on the ground.” “January 22 is still a long way off,” said Richard Gowan, director of New York University ’s Center for International Cooperation. “The Syrian army has been scoring new victories over the rebels, and could intensify its efforts to strengthen its military position before the talks.”

UN-Arab League peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi will meet with US and Russian officials on December 20 to try to sort invitations to Geneva. Who will represent the rebels? Will the government delegation be empowered to take critical decisions? Should Iran, an Assad backer, and Saudi Arabia, supporter of the opposition, be included? “The answers to these questions will be critical,” commented one UN diplomat following negotiations.

The opposition has to go, according to Shaikh. “It is weak and it needs the legitimacy that has been conferred on it by the international community. And they don’t want to be the ones who are blamed for the failure of the talks by not showing up.” The rebels are “running a huge risk” by going, he added however. “If there are no real achievements and the situation on the ground is the same if not worse ... then of course this group of individuals from the opposition will be facing severe criticism.”

Iran’s presence would be controversial as it has not yet supported a declaration by the major powers from June, 2012 which called for a transitional government in Syria. Ban and western leaders have stressed that the new conference must concentrate on how to carry out that declaration. Gowan at NYU said the UN, United States and Russia want the conference to happen now a date has been set. “But there is still a high chance of the talks derailing once they begin. Or they could result in a very limp compromise if the negotiators are not serious.”

“Is it going to be easy to get to January 22 without any hiccups? Probably not,” said the UN spokesman Martin Nesirky acknowledging the obstacles. The conference will be the start of “a process,” he added, downplaying expectations for immediate results. Ban said both sides in the conflict “can and must begin now to take steps to help the Geneva conference succeed, including toward the cessation of violence, humanitarian access, release of detainees and return of Syrian refugees and internally displaced people to their homes.” The backers of both sides say the next few weeks will be a major test of the international community’s ability to ability to put out the flames in Syria. — AFP

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

In this Nov 21, 2013 photo, people gather around a huge sinkhole in the village of Sanica, Bosnia. Only weeks ago, the spot was a pond full of fish and floating green algae, lined with old willow and plum trees, and a grass field where cattle used to peacefully graze. The vanishing pond was some 20-m in diameter and about 10-m deep. Now, the ‘abyss’ as the villagers named the dry sinkhole, is some 50-m wide and 30-m deep. Scientists say it is not an uncommon occurrence that ponds and small lakes disappear. They say it could be caused by drying underground waters, or changes in soil drainage due to agricultural irrigation. — AP

Penny Lane: Gitmo’s other secret CIA facility WASHINGTON: In the early years after the Sept 11, 2001 attacks against the US, the CIA turned some Guantanamo Bay prisoners into double agents then sent them home to help the US kill terrorists, current and former US officials said. The CIA promised the prisoners freedom, safety for their families and millions of dollars from the agency’s secret accounts. It was a risky gamble. Officials knew there was a chance that some prisoners might quickly spurn their deal and kill Americans.

For the CIA, that was an acceptable risk in a dangerous business. For the American public, which was never told, the program was one of the many secret trade-offs the government made on its behalf. At the same time the government used the risk of terrorism to justify imprisoning people indefinitely, it was releasing dangerous people from prison to work for the Central Intelligence Agency.

The program was carried out in a secret facility built a few hundred yards from the administrative offices of the prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The eight small cottages were hidden behind a ridge covered in thick scrub and cactus.

The program and the handful of men who passed through these cottages had various official CIA code names. But those who were aware of the cluster of cottages knew it best by its sobriquet: Penny Lane. It was a nod to the classic Beatles song and a riff on the CIA’s other secret facility at Guantanamo Bay, a prison known as Strawberry Fields. Nearly a dozen current and former US officials described aspects of the program to The Associated Press. All spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the secret program publicly by name, even though it ended in about 2006.

Some of the men who passed through Penny Lane helped the CIA find and kill many top Al-Qaeda operatives, current and former US officials said. Others stopped providing useful information and the CIA lost touch with them. When prisoners began streaming into Guantanamo Bay in Jan 2002, the CIA recognized it as an unprecedented opportunity to identify sources. That year, 632 detainees

arrived at the detention center. The following year 117 more arrived.

“Of course that would be an objective,” said Emile Nakhleh, a former top CIA analyst who spent time in 2002 assessing detainees but who did not discuss Penny Lane.

“It’s the job of intelligence to recruit sources.” By early 2003, Penny Lane was open for business. Candidates were ushered from the confines of prison to Penny Lane’s relative hominess, officials said. The cottages had private kitchens, showers and televisions. Each had a small patio. Some prisoners asked for and received pornography. One official said the biggest luxury in each cottage was the bed - not a military-issued cot but a real bed with a mattress.

The cottages were designed to feel more like hotel rooms than prison cells, and some CIA officials jokingly referred to them collectively as the Marriott. Current and former officials said dozens of prisoners were evaluated but only a handful, from a variety of countries, were turned into spies who signed agreements to work for the CIA. CIA spokesman Dean Boyd declined to comment. The US government says it has confirmed that about 16 percent of former Guantanamo Bay detainees rejoined the fight against America. Officials suspect but have not confirmed that 12 percent more rejoined.

It’s not clear whether the men from Penny Lane are included in those figures. But because only a small number of people went through the program, it would not likely change the figures significantly either way. None of the officials interviewed by the AP knew of an instance in which any double agent killed Americans. Though the number of double agents recruited through Penny Lane was small, the program was significant enough to draw keen attention from President George W Bush, one former official said. Bush personally interviewed a junior CIA case officer who had just returned home from Afghanistan, where the agency typically met with the agents.

President Barack Obama took an interest the program for a different reason. Shortly after taking office in 2009, he ordered a review of the former detainees working as dou-

Health minister survives in day..

Continued from Page 1 The session began with the expected vote on the noconfidence motion against the health minister who was grilled two weeks ago over alleged mismanagement and negligence of the ministry. Following short speeches by MPs supporting and opposing the minister, 31 MPs voted against the motion, 12 supported it while six other lawmakers abstained. In no-confidence motions, only elected MPs who are not members of the Cabinet are allowed to participate.

Only one elected MP is a member of the current Cabinet.

The voting was preceded with calls by some MPs on the minister to resign the health portfolio and keep his other post as state minister for Cabinet affairs. Sheikh Mohammad has categorically denied any wrongdoing. The minister was given further boost when the Assembly discussed and approved a report by the Assembly’s health panel on a decision by the minister to transfer a Kuwaiti physician from the Amiri Hospital to the Infectious Diseases Hospital after the doctor claimed her transfer was a punishment. The committee however supported the minister amid allegations by a number of MPs that the committee’s probe was biased to clear the minister and did not take the doctor’s testimony into account. The doctor’s colleagues have been staging peaceful protests in solidarity.

In the first grilling of the day, MP Khalil Abdullah Abul accused Dashti of failing to prepare, present and execute the country’s four-year development plan and the government’s annual program. He questioned about the fate of over KD 30 billion earmarked for development between 2010/20112013/2014, saying that most of the projects listed for implementation have not been carried out or way behind schedule. The lawmaker also accused her of failing to provide the Assembly with follow-up reports on the implementation of the development plan, adding that in the new 2014/15217/18 development plan, no specific dates were set for implementing projects in a deliberate act to prevent MPs from holding the government accountable for delaying projects. Dashti however denied the allegations, saying that all financial information about the development plan is pub-

lished on the planning council website, adding that in the first three years of the plan, about KD. 8.8 billion has been spent on development projects. Dashti also charged that the lawmaker breached the constitution for filing the grilling before the Assembly had discussed the government program and new development plan as required by the constitution. She said that under the new plan, the government vows to create as many as 77,500 jobs for citizens, raises power production capacity by 21 percent or around 3,000 MW and also expands the capacity of public hospitals by close to 4,000 beds by the end of the plan in 2014.

Speaking in support of Dashti, MP Saleh Ashour charged that the grilling was politically-motivated and that the minister had refuted all the allegations. Another MP supporting her, Abdullah Al-Tameemi, said that the grilling was unconstitutional and the minister should have rejected the debate.

At the end of the debate 10 MPs - Talal Al-Jallal, Jamal AlOmar, Roudhan Al-Roudhan, Owaida Al-Ruwaiei, Maasouma Al-Mubarak, Mousa Majed, Mohammad Al-Hadiya, Mohammad Al-Huwaila, Sultan Al-Shemmari and Abdullah Al-Turaiji - filed a no-confidence motion against her.

Parliamentary sources however said that at least one more list of 10 MPs and perhaps a third was ready to be submitted but withheld, which means that the required 25 voted needed to unseat Dashti are available. If the minister realises that the number is available, she is highly expected to resign ahead of the vote scheduled to take place on Dec 24.

In the grilling against the housing minister, Adasani charged that the government is aware that the housing crisis in the country is deliberate and manipulated, saying that the government has failed to do much to resolve the crisis.

He said that the government’s policy has aggravated the housing crisis to the extent that the number of Kuwaiti families waiting their turn has reached 107,000 and people wait for around 15 years to get a house. But the minister revealed ambitious plans to bridge the huge gap between demand and supply. He said the ministry will next month offer a project to the private sector to build 21,000 houses. He also said that the grilling should have waited until after the Assembly discussed the housing crisis at a special debate on Dec 12.

ble agents because they were providing information used in Predator drone strikes, one of the officials said.

Infiltrating Al-Qaeda has been one of the CIA’s most sought-after but difficult goals, something that other foreign intelligence services have only occasionally accomplished. Candidates for Penny Lane needed legitimate terrorist connections. To be valuable to the CIA, the men had to be able to reconnect with Al-Qaeda.

From the Bush administration descriptions of Guantanamo Bay prisoners at the time, the CIA would have seemingly had a large pool to draw from. Vice President Dick Cheney called the prisoners “the worst of a very bad lot.” Defense Secretary Donald H Rumsfeld said they were “among the most dangerous, best trained, vicious killers on the face of the Earth”. In reality, many were held on flimsy evidence and were of little use to the CIA. While the agency looked for viable candidates, those with no terrorism ties sat in limbo. It would take years before the majority of detainees were set free, having never been charged. Of the 779 people who were taken to Guantanamo Bay, more than three-fourths have been released, mostly during the Bush administration.

Many others remain at Guantanamo Bay, having been cleared for release by the military but with no hope for freedom in sight. “I do see the irony on the surface of letting some really very bad guys go,” said David Remes, an

American lawyer who has represented about a dozen Yemeni detainees at Guantanamo. But Remes, who was not aware of Penny Lane, said he understands its attraction.

“The men we were sending back as agents were thought to be able to provide value to us,” he said.

Prisoners agreed to cooperate for a variety of reasons, officials said. Some received assurances that the US would resettle their families. Another thought Al-Qaeda had perverted Islam and believed it was his duty as a Muslim to help the CIA destroy it. One detainee agreed to cooperate after the CIA insinuated it would harm his children, a former official said, similar to the threats interrogators had made to admitted Sept 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. All were promised money. Exactly how much each was paid remains unclear. But altogether, the government paid millions of dollars for their services, officials said.

The money came from a secret CIA account, codenamed Pledge, that’s used to pay informants, officials said.

Officials said the program ended in 2006, as the flow of detainees to Guantanamo Bay slowed to a trickle. The last prisoner arrived there in 2008. Penny Lane still stands and can be seen in satellite photos. A dirt road winds its way to a clearing. The special detachment of Marines that once provided security is gone. The complex is surrounded by two fences and hidden among the trees and shrubs of Guantanamo Bay. It has long been abandoned. — AP

OFWs typhoon lifeline Continued from Page 1 Barmisa’s daughter and the other 10 million Filipinos working abroad are commonly referred to at home as “mga bagong bayani”, or “new heroes”, because of their sacrifices in leaving their families to work abroad.

The number overseas is roughly 10 percent of the population - with many of them working as domestic helpers, labourers, sailors or in other low-paid professions - and they often send much of their savings back home to relatives.

They are forced overseas because, despite impressive economic growth rates in recent years, the Philippines remains in large part a desperately poor country, and their remittances has long been an important plank for the nation’s economy. The overseas foreign workforce last year sent home $21.39 billion via bank transfers and other official channels, equivalent to nearly 10 percent of the Philippines’ gross domestic product. Even more money arrives unofficially. And when a major disaster strikes in the Philippines, the amount of cash coming home spikes. Remittances jumped an average of 13-14 percent over the nine months that followed the country’s previous 10 deadliest typhoons, Patrick Ella, a Manila-based economist at the Philippines’ Security Bank, told AFP. A 14-percent increase over three quarters would equate to about $2.3 billion, based on last year’s remittances. “But Typhoon Haiyan was definitely an outlier, so the gains will probably be more than usual because of the extent of the damage and the well-publicised problems in the distribution of relief supplies,” he said.

Haiyan was one of the strongest typhoons ever recorded and generated freak storm surges that swallowed up entire towns. The confirmed number of fatalities has made Haiyan one of the deadliest storms ever in the Philippines, and it could turn out to be the most destructive on record if, as

expected, the death toll continues to rise. Exacerbating the catastrophe is that the worst-hit areas, the eastern islands of Leyte and Samar, are among the poorest in the Philippines, with most of the four million people there enduring near subsistence farming or fishing lifestyles.

Barmisa, the farmer, said his family had managed to buy a vehicle, a small home and little shop on the outskirts of Tacloban using the money sent home by his daughter over the six years she had worked in Hong Kong. All of that was destroyed in the storm surges. “Hopefully, when she returns home we will have a house again,” he said, as he left the money transfer outlet with his daughter’s money.

Some overseas foreign workers have also left their jobs overseas to return home directly with money and emotional support. Among them is Lourdes Distrajo, a 27-year-old single mother of two, who lost a son and 12 members of her extended family in the disaster. She had only recently started working in Kuwait as a maid, and had hoped her $700-a-month salary would pay for her children’s schooling, renovations to her wooden home and sister’s medical bills.

Instead she had to quickly return to help with the family tragedy. “My employer was kind enough to allow me to leave, packing supplies and giving me extra cash and a return ticket,” she said.

Distrajo said all the money she had brought home would be left with the family, barely enough to be able to buy some wood to help rebuild their home and stock up on some supplies. Distrajo has yet to start dealing properly with the grief of losing her four-year-old son. “I didn’t even see his body. He was buried in a mass grave along with many others... I keep asking myself, was it worth it to work abroad? Maybe I could have saved my son,” she said. But she has no choice to soon return to Kuwait, so that she can once again start sending money back home. — AFP

KU instructor suspended over remarks Continued from Page 1 administrative staff from inaccurate information,” Hajraf said in a statement after inaugurating the first international conference on open education. He added Kandari will remain suspended pending questioning over her remarks.

But it seems that Kandari’s statements might have prompted the university administration to take measures to tackle the issues she pointed out. “There are talks within the administration to replace doors of teaching staff offices with glass doors with curtains,” said ‘academic sources’ who spoke to Al-Rai on the condition of anonymity. Kandari had proposed this ‘solution’ in her interview as she spoke about harassments

faced by female students.

The instructor said in a later statement that her comments were based on a survey carried out to identify female students’ opinions on sexual harassment “in order to learn about the importance of similar researches in Kuwait”. She added that she highlighted the homosexuality issue “to spread awareness about negative phenomena” in society.

Head of the parliament’s educational committee Hmoud Al-Hamdan hailed the minister’s decision, and called on Kandari to “bear responsibility for her remarks”. MP Maasouma Al-Mubarak said that while the Kuwait University campus is “prone to be affected” by negative practices in society, “[Kandari] was supposed to address the issue without media hype”.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

S P ORTS

Sunderland joy as Brown red card overturned

Players’ union seeks urgent Qatar talks

Federer can play until he is 60, says Nastase

LONDON: Sunderland defender Wes Brown has had the red card he received away to Stoke City last weekend overturned by an independent regulatory commission, the Football Association announced yesterday.

“With regard to Brown, who was dismissed for serious foul play during Saturday’s game at Stoke City, the claim (for wrongful dismissal) was upheld,” an FA statement said. “As a result, his three-match suspension has been withdrawn with immediate effect.”

Sunderland manager Gus Poyet, who was furious with the original decision to dismiss Brown, in a Premier League game his side went on to lose 2-0, reacted to the FA’s announcement by telling the club’s website: “I would like to express my thanks to the panel for giving the matter their consideration.

“Naturally we are delighted with their decision, which is fair and just,” he added, with Sunderland having confirmed Monday they would lodge an appeal. Brown was shown a straight red card by referee Kevin Friend after making an apparently clean challenge on Charlie Adam in the 36th minute of the game, prompting a heated reaction from Poyet.—AFP

LONDON: A delegation from the international footballers’ union is going to Qatar to challenge authorities over concerns players’ rights are being abused in the 2022 World Cup host nation. FIFPro is demanding action is taken to stop players who are in dispute with Qatari clubs from being prevented from leaving the country.

The “kafala” employment system has been thrust back onto the international agenda by the case of French-Algerian player Zahir Belounis.

He is under contract at Al-Jaish until 2015, but has been denied the chance to leave Qatar because he is suing the club in order to recover unpaid salary. FIFPro said Tuesday that its delegation plans to meet Belounis as it tries to “resolve the deplorable situation” during the fourday visit to Qatar from Thursday. FIFPro is seeking “urgent talks” with Qatar’s football leadership and organizers of the 2022 World Cup to ask for the “kafala” system to stop applying to footballers and to establish an independent players’ association in a bid to ensure their human rights are respected. “The World Footballers’ Association will not sit idly by as the rights of our players are being abused,” FIFPro said. The FIFPro delegation, led by board member Mads Oland, will also include members of the International Trade Union Confederation concerned about the plight of migrant workers in Qatar.—AP

LONDON: Roger Federer should play until he is 60 if he wants to, according to Romanian former world number one Ilie Nastase. The Swiss 17-times grandslam champion has slipped down to sixth in the world rankings and won only one title this year, prompting many to suggest he is a spent force at 32.

Nastase the former bad boy of tennis, believes Federer should not listen to the naysayers, however. “I wish people wouldn’t say that Roger Federer has to retire,” the 67-year-old former French Open and US Open champion was quoted as saying in Romanian media. “I think he should play for as long as he wants. “I don’t agree with those people who say that you should retire when you’re past your absolute best or prime. “No, Federer doesn’t have to prove anything, he can play to 60 if he wants to.”

Federer, who has spent a record 302 weeks as world number one during his illustrious career, is still one of the biggest draws in tennis, according to Nastase, even if he has fallen behind players such as Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic.— Reuters

Kaepernick shines as 49ers beat Redskins to end slump

BEIJING: This file picture taken on July 30, 2013 shows Philippine boxing icon Manny Pacquiao speaking at a pre-fight press conference in Beijing. Pacquiao said yesterday authorities had frozen all his domestic bank accounts over allegations of unpaid taxes from lucrative fights in the United States, leaving him financially paralysed. — AFP

Philippine boxing hero Pacquiao floored in tax fight MANILA: Philippine boxing hero Manny Pacquiao said yesterday authorities had frozen all his domestic bank accounts over allegations of unpaid taxes from lucrative fights in the United States, leaving him financially paralysed.

“This is harassment,” the former eightdivision world champion said in an interview on ABS-CBN television, as he disclosed for the first time a freeze order issued by the Philippines’ Bureau of Internal Revenue in recent months.

The shock announcement came just two days after Pacquiao, 34, resurrected his boxing career with a unanimous points decision over American Brandon Rios in Macau. The victory, which Pacquiao dedicated to the victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan that claimed thousands of lives in the Philippines this month, added to his lustre among millions of ordinary Filipinos.

Pacquiao is now eyeing more lucrative fights in the United States. He is also pursuing a political career in the Philippines, where he is a second-term congressman with ambitions of eventually becoming president.

Pacquiao said the tax office took the action because it believed he had evaded paying 2.2 billion pesos ($50.2 million) in taxes on his fights in the United States in 2008 and 2009 when he was at the peak of his career and earning tens of millions of dollars.

He said he had already paid taxes on those earnings in the United States, which has a treaty with the Philippines that allows citizens of both countries to avoid double taxation.

However, he said the tax bureau had rejected the documents he provided to prove he had already paid the US Internal Revenue Service. “I am not a criminal or a thief. I am not hiding anything. I will face my problems as they come,” Pacquiao said.

“I have already paid my taxes in America. Had I not paid the correct taxes they (US authorities) would have come after me and I would not have been able to travel there.”

The Philippine tax bureau confirmed the local bank accounts of Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee had been frozen. However tax commissioner Kim Henares denied any harassment, saying only two bank accounts containing a total of 1.1 million pesos were frozen.

“Don’t tell me he only has 1.1 million pesos. Where is the rest of (his) money? I

have no idea. It has not been garnished (seized),” she told AFP. Only two domestic banks reported holding Pacquiao’s accounts, Henares said. She said Pacquiao had failed to submit the proper documents proving he paid taxes in the United States. Tax officials gave Pacquiao two years to respond to their assessment but all he submitted was a letter from his US promoter Top Rank saying he had paid his taxes in the United States, according to Henares.

“This is a mere scrap of paper. Anyone can write that,” she said. Henares said she could not understand why the wealthy sports hero was bringing up the tax dispute now.

“Maybe he should hire better lawyers and accountants,” she added. The Pacquiaos have asked the Court of Tax Appeals to lift the bank freeze, but it has yet to rule on the couple’s petition, according to court papers released to the media.

President Benigno Aquino’s spokesman Herminio Coloma brushed off suggestions Pacquiao was being singled out for political harassment. “We are a government of laws, not of men,” Coloma told reporters.

The government has been running a campaign against high-profile tax evaders, targeting movie stars as well as businessmen who flaunt their wealth through flashy sports cars. Pacquiao said most of his cash was kept in the Philippine bank accounts. He did not say how much had been garnished.

He said the freeze order had left him without money to pay his staff, and forced him to borrow “not less than one million pesos” to fulfil pledges to help victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan. At his peak Pacquiao was regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, becoming the only man to win world titles in eight weight divisions.

The former street kid who ran away from home to pursue a boxing career became one of the globe’s wealthiest athletes. But his career nosedived after suffering two losses last year, the second in a humiliating knockout to Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez that prompted questions over whether the ageing warrior should retire.

But even last year, Forbes magazine listed him as the 14th highest-paid athlete globally with an estimated $34 million in earnings. — AFP

LOS ANGELES: Colin Kaepernick threw three touchdowns to snap San Francisco’s slump as the 49ers beat Washington 27-6 on Monday to heap more misery on the struggling Redsk ins. Both teams entered the night with a two game losing streak and San Francisco (7-4) found their form to move back into NFC wild- card position three games behind division-leading Seattle (10-1).

“We were better in the passing game tonight,” Kaepernick told reporters after passing for 235 yards. “We made plays tonight. I think we can surpass (last season’s level) if we keep working and getting our receivers healthy.”

Last season’s level included a trip to the Super Bowl, something San Francisco is hoping to duplicate. K aepernick , who has endured an up-and-down season, tossed a 19-yard touchdown to Anquan Boldin in the first quarter to get the visitors on the right track. After Washington moved to within 10-6 at halftime, he struck twice more in the third on scoring throws to Boldin and Vernon Davis. San Francisco has relied heavily on their running game lately but they only needed 31 rushing yards from lead back Frank Gore in the win.

Washington quar terback Robert Griffin passed for only 127 yards and an interception and could not get his team into the end zone. The Redskins signalcaller spent the off-season recovering from a knee surgery and has failed to recapture the success of his magical rookie season.

Making matters worse, he has recently had his leadership called into question and dealt with team issues as the spiraling Redskins have now fallen to 3-8.

“I think we’re all frustrated,” Griffin said. “We’re all tired of losing. (But) we’re not quitters.” The Redskins managed 100 yards rushing, led by Alfred Morris’ 52 yards.

Washington got two field goals from Kai Forbath in the second quarter but in the second half the home team failed to reach the red zone. “We haven’t gotten dominated like that since I’ve been here,” said Redskins fourth-year coach M ike Shanahan, whose team managed just one first down and 30 yards in the second half.

Meanwhile, Tennessee Titans defensive back Michael Griffin was suspended one game without pay by the NFL on Monday for a repeat violation of safety rules prohibiting hits to the head and neck.

Griffin was penalized for unnecessary roughness in the second quarter of Sunday’s 23-19 victory over Oakland for delivering a blow to the head of a defenseless

LANDOVER: Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III is sacked by San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks (55) and tight end Demarcus Dobbs (83) during the second half of an NFL football game in Landover, Md., Monday. The 49ers defeated the Redskins 27-6. — AP receiver, Raiders tight end Mychal Rivera. It was the fourth such violation against Griffin since 2011 and the second this season. Griffin, a 28-year- old safety, will miss Sunday’s game at Indianapolis, when the Titans, one of six clubs level for the last American

Conference playoff spot at 5-6, will face the AFC South division-rival Colts (7-4).

The Titans own a tie-breaker edge at the moment for the final playoff berth but with five games remaining are in a heated fight for one spot with the New York Jets,

M iami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers and defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore R avens. A vic tor y Sunday would pull Tennessee within a game of the Colts for the division lead with four games remaining. — Agencies

NFL results/standings San Francisco 27, Washington 6.

American Football Conference AFC east W L T OTL PF PA New England 8 3 0 1 288 230 NY Jets 5 6 0 0 186 287 Miami 5 6 0 0 229 245 Buffalo 4 7 0 1 236 273 AFC North Cincinnati 7 4 0 2 275 206 Pittsburgh 5 6 0 0 243 256 Baltimore 5 6 0 1 227 215 Cleveland 4 7 0 0 203 265 AFC South Indianapolis 7 4 0 0 263 260 Tennessee 5 6 0 1 250 245 Jacksonville 2 9 0 0 142 324 Houston 2 9 0 1 199 289 AFC West Denver 9 2 0 1 429 289 Kansas City 9 2 0 0 270 179 San Diego 5 6 0 1 269 260 Oakland 4 7 0 0 213 269

PCT .727 .455 .455 .364 .636 .455 .455 .364 .636 .455 .182 .182 .818 .818 .455 .364

National Football Conference NFC East Dallas 6 5 0 0 298 279 Philadelphia 6 5 0 0 276 260 NY Giants 4 7 0 0 213 280 Washington 3 8 0 0 252 338 NFC North Detroit 6 5 0 0 286 277 Chicago 6 5 0 0 303 309 Green Bay 5 5 1 0 284 265 Minnesota 2 8 1 0 266 346 NFC South New Orleans 9 2 0 0 305 196 Carolina 8 3 0 0 258 151 Tampa Bay 3 8 0 1 211 258 Atlanta 2 9 0 0 227 309 NFC West Seattle 10 1 0 0 306 179 Arizona 7 4 0 0 254 223 San Francisco 7 4 0 0 274 184 St. Louis 5 6 0 0 266 255

.545 .545 .364 .273 .545 .545 .500 .227 .818 .727 .273 .182 .909 .636 .636 .455

McIlroy wants to follow in Norman’s footsteps SYDNEY: Rory McIlroy says he admires most things Australian, particularly Russell Crowe and Greg Norman, and would like nothing more than to get his hands on the Australian Open trophy this week.

The Northern Irishman is playing the event at Royal Sydney from Thursday and revealed Australians figure highly in people he reveres, but admitted another Australian icon, Vegemite, was not to his taste.

“Russell Crowe’s always been my favourite Australian actor and my favourite all-time Australian golfer is Greg Norman,” he said yesterday. “I don’t mind the meat pies but just can’t get used to Vegemite, it’s definitely an Australian-born acquired taste,” he said of the thick black spread made from yeast extract.

The former world number one will tee-up this week looking for his first win over 12 months, with locals Adam Scott and Jason Day his main challengers. While the likes of

Norman, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player have won the event in the past, McIlroy is gunning to be only the second European after England’s Lee Westwood to claim victory.

He said Norman was an idol and winning in Australia would be a huge moment for him.

“Being a multiple Major winner and a former world number one, the Great White Shark will forever be remembered in the game,” he said of Norman.

“Aside from his great golfing achievements, Greg is a hugely successful businessman off the course. Not many golfers have successfully made that transition. “I know Greg also has won the Australian Open many times and that is my goal this week.

“So to win the Australian Open would be huge for me. It would stamp my place in the history books of the Australian Open alongside people like Greg, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and so many other great players. “And

following in their footsteps would never be a bad thing.”

It is first time McIlroy has competed in an Australian Open since 2006 when he played as an amateur-averaging 76 over the four rounds to finish in a distant share of 51st place. After some recent good results, including sixth at the BMW Masters in Shanghai and fifth in the European Tour season-ending DP World Tour Championship, he is quietly confident of winning his first tournament of the season.

“I came away from both tournaments a bit disappointed but when you’re getting to push to that level, or that stage, and you’re disappointed walking away with pretty decent finishes, you know that you’re on the right track,” he said.

“I’ve got this week’s Australian Open and then Tiger’s event next week in LA, so it would be great to finish the year with a win.” — AFP

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

S P ORT S

James gets 35, Heat top Suns 107-92 MIAMI: LeBron James scored 35 points on only 14 shots from the field, Dwyane Wade added 21 points and 12 assists and the Miami Heat won their seventh straight game, beating the Phoenix Suns 107-92 on Monday night.

Ray Allen scored 17 points and Chris Andersen added an 11-point, seven-rebound night for the Heat, who have won 10 of 11 since their 1-2 start.It was Wade’s first 12-assist game since March 22, 2010. Channing Frye led a balanced attack with 16 points for the Suns, who have dropped five of their last seven. Goran Dragic scored 14, Marcus Morris had 13, Markieff Morris and Gerald Green each added 12 and PJ Tucker finished with 10 for Phoenix.

EDMONTON: Boyd Gordon #27 of the Edmonton Oilers battles for the puck against Brandon Saad #20 of the Chicago Blackhawks during an NHL game at Rexall Place on Monday in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The Blackhawks defeated the Oilers 5-1. — AFP

Bruins end streak against Penguins with 4-3 OT win BOSTON: Torey Krug scored 34 seconds into overtime as the Boston Bruins beat Pittsburgh 4-3 on Monday to end a sevengame, regular-season losing streak to the Penguins in a matchup of the Eastern Conference’s top two teams.

Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby scored with 0.3 seconds left in regulation to level the scores. Loui Eriksson and Reilly Smith scored first-period goals, and Zdeno Chara made it 3-2 with 5:15 left in regulation for the conference-leading Bruins, who are 8-21 in their last 11 games. Tuukka Rask made 28 saves for Boston, which beat the Penguins for the first time since December 2011.

James Neal scored the first two goals for Pittsburgh, and Marc-Andre Fleury made 20 saves. Florida’s Sean Bergenheim scored his first two goals in 18 months and Tim Thomas made 38 saves to lift the Panthers over the Philadelphia Flyers 3-1.

It was the first time Bergenheim scored since March 20, 2012. He missed last season due to injury and was playing his 10th game this season. Erik Gudbranson also scored for Florida, his first of the season.

Wayne Simmonds scored for the Flyers, and Steve Mason stopped 28 shots.

PANTHERS 3, FLYERS 1 Sean Bergenheim scored his first two goals in 18 months and Tim Thomas made 38 saves to lift Florida over Philadelphia. It was the first time Bergenheim scored since March 20, 2012. He missed last season due to injury and was playing his 10th game this season.

Erik Gudbranson also scored for Florida, his first of the season. Wayne Simmonds scored for the Flyers, and Steve Mason stopped 28 shots. The Panthers have won three of five games and evened the season series against the Flyers at a game apiece.

Philadelphia lost for the first time in four games and the second time in eight. The Flyers failed to get a point for the first time in eight games.

LIGHTNING 5, RANGERS 0 Martin St. Louis had two goals and an assist after being honored before the game as Tampa Bay stopped a four-game losing streak by beating the New York Rangers. St. Louis received a silver stick and other gifts during a ceremony for playing in his 1,000th NHL game last Tuesday at Los Angeles. Ben Bishop had 37 saves for the Lightning. Nikita Kucherov scored of the first shift of his first NHL game, and Teddy Purcell added a pair of goals to complete the Tampa Bay scoring.

The Rangers had their six-game, roadwinning streak snapped. It was one short of matching the team record. New York won seven straight road games in 1935 and 1978.

BLUES 3, WILD 0 Alexander Steen scored twice, and Jaroslav Halak made 22 saves to lead St. Louis over Minnesota. Steen has 19 goals this season, one behind Washington’s Alex Ovechkin for the NHL lead. Vladimir Sobotka also scored for the Blues, who are 9-1-1 in their last 11 and 12-2-1 in the last 15. They have won six straight against Minnesota by a combined 20-7.

The Wild were shut out for the first time this season and lost only their second game in the last eight. Minnesota (15-6-4) is still off to its best start with 34 points in its first 25 games. Halak improved to 13-3-2 with his third successive win. He earned his second shutout of the season and 27th of his NHL career.

JETS 3, DEVILS 1 Ondrej Pavelec made 25 saves in earning his 100th NHL win as Winnipeg ended a four-game losing streak by beating New Jersey. Mark Scheifele and Evander Kane scored in the first two periods as the Jets opened a season-high, six-game road trip by completing a two-game, season-series sweep of the Devils, who lost their second straight game.

Devin Setoguchi scored into an empty net in the final minute. Pavelec was less than 10 minutes from his second shutout of the season when Patrik Elias deflected a shot from the point by Andy Greene past him.

BLUE JACKETS 6, MAPLE LEAFS 0 Cam Atkinson and R.J. Umberger 20 seconds apart in the first period, and Ryan Johansen added two goals as Columbus

routed Toronto. Jack Skille and Ryan Murray added goals 3:15 apart in the second period, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 18 saves for his fifth NHL shutout. The Blue Jackets went 3-2 on their five-game road trip.

Toronto’s James Reimer allowed all six goals on 21 shots two nights after he had a career-high, 49-save performance.

PREDATORS 4, COYOTES 2 Nick Spaling, Mike Fisher and Gabriel Bourque scored first-period goals to lead Nashville over Phoenix. Shea Weber also scored for Nashville, which has won four of five. Mikkel Boedker and Tim Kennedy scored for the Coyotes, who lost their third straight. Spaling scored the game’s first goal at 1:02 of the opening period.

BLACKHAWKS 5, OILERS 1 Andrew Shaw scored a pair of goals, and Patrick Kane scored from a power play to extend his point streak to 11 games in Chicago’s win over Edmonton. Jonathan Toews and Johnny Oduya also scored for the Blackhawks (17-4-4), who have won three straight. Chicago has gone 11-2-1 in its last 14 games. The Blackhawks moved ahead of Anaheim and into first place in the NHL standings with the victory. Justin Schultz had the lone goal for the Oilers (716-2), whose season-high, three-game winning streak was snapped.

Kane’s goal extended his league-best point streak. He has six goals and nine assists during the 11-game span.

KINGS 3, CANUCKS 2, OT Anze Kopitar scored 48 seconds into overtime, finishing off Los Angeles’ comefrom-behind win over Vancouver.

Kopitar took a feed from Slava Voynov and beat goalie Roberto Luongo with a shot into the top corner to send the Canucks to their seventh loss in eight games. Mike Richards tied it with 2:54 left in regulation, and Kyle Clifford also scored for Los Angeles (16-6-3). Ben Scrivens made 37 saves for the Kings, who have earned at least a point in 10 straight games (7-0-3).

Henrik Sedin and Chris Tanev scored for Vancouver (12-9-5), which went 1-2-3 on a season-high, six-game homestand. Luongo made 19 stops for the Canucks, who are 14-3 against Pacific Division rivals this season. — AP

NHL results/standings Boston 4, Pittsburgh 3 (OT); Columbus 6, Toronto 0; Winnipeg 3, New Jersey 1; Tampa Bay 5, NY Rangers 0; Florida 3, Philadelphia 1; St. Louis 3, Minnesota 0; Nashville 4, Phoenix 2; Chicago 5, Edmonton 1; Los Angeles 3, Vancouver 2 (OT).

Western Conference Pacific Division W L OTL GF GA PTS Anaheim 17 6 3 80 65 37 15 3 5 79 52 35 San Jose Los Angeles 16 6 3 67 53 35 Phoenix 14 6 4 80 78 32 Vancouver 12 9 5 67 68 29 Calgary 8 11 4 64 84 20 Edmonton 7 16 2 65 89 16 Central Division Chicago 17 4 4 92 71 38 17 3 3 82 50 37 St. Louis Colorado 17 5 0 69 45 34 Minnesota 15 6 4 64 58 34 Nashville 12 10 2 56 69 26 Winnipeg 11 11 4 69 76 26 Dallas 11 9 2 61 65 24 Eastern Conference Atlantic Division Boston 16 6 2 68 46 34 Tampa Bay 15 8 1 72 61 31 Toronto 14 9 1 66 60 29 Detroit 11 7 7 63 70 29 Montreal 13 9 2 64 51 28 Ottawa 9 11 4 68 77 22 Florida 7 13 5 56 81 19 Buffalo 5 19 1 44 79 11 Metropolitan Division Pittsburgh 15 9 1 72 58 31 Washington 12 10 2 72 68 26 NY Rangers 12 12 0 48 59 24 New Jersey 9 10 5 50 58 23 Carolina 9 10 5 49 67 23 Philadelphia 10 11 2 50 56 22 Columbus 9 12 3 62 71 21 NY Islanders 8 13 3 68 82 19 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L).

SAN ANTONIO 112, NEW ORLEANS 93 Manu Ginobili had 16 points to lead seven players in double figures as the San Antonio Spurs beat the New Orleans Pelicans 112-93 on Monday for their 11th straight victory.

Tony Parker had 14 points and seven assists, Tiago Splitter added 11 points and Tim Duncan had 10 points for San Antonio (13-1). Reserves Marco Belinelli had 14 points, Boris Diaw added 13 points and Patty Mills 12 to keep the Spurs undefeated at home.

Ryan Anderson had 17 points, Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday each added 12 points and Anthony Davis had 10 for New Orleans (6-7). The Pelicans, who have lost six straight in San Antonio, had a three-game winning streak snapped.

TRAIL BLAZERS 102, KNICKS 91 LaMarcus Aldridge had 18 points and 14 rebounds for his seventh double-double this season as the Trail Blazers beat the slumping Knicks for their 11th straight victory.

Nicolas Batum had 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Blazers, who are riding their longest winning streak since they won 13 straight in December 2007. The Knicks were headed the opposite direction with six straight losses. Carmelo Anthony had 34 points and 15 rebounds.

The Blazers (13-2) were without guard Mo Williams, who was serving a one-game suspension without pay for his role in a scuffle during Saturday night’s 113-101 victory at Golden State.

JAZZ 89, BULLS 83 Trey Burke made a key 3-pointer to help the Jazz outlast Chicago in overtime - the Bulls’ first game since learning Derrick Rose would again be lost for the season. Burke, a rookie finally enjoying extensive playing time after spending most of the season recovering from finger surgery, had 14 points and six assists. He also had five turnovers and shot 5 for 17 but was on the court in clutch time directing the Jazz to their second win of the season.

Carlos Boozer had 26 points and 16 rebounds and Luol Deng added 24 points for the Bulls, who were exhausted in their fourth game in five nights and still processing the loss of Rose for the season.

Marvin Williams had 17 points and Gordon Hayward and Richard Jefferson each had 15 as the Jazz scored the first seven points of overtime.

PACERS 98, TIMBERWOLVES 84 George Hill scored a season-high 26 points, and Paul George had 11 of his 26 points during the decisive run, leading the Pacers to a victory over Minnesota. Indiana has won four straight since losing at Chicago, is 13-1 for the first time in franchise history and remained perfect in eight home games this season. The Timberwolves (8-8) shot just 32.6 percent from the field and was held to a season-low point total. Kevin Love finished with 20 points and 17 rebounds.

CELTICS 96, BOBCATS 86 Jordan Crawford had 21 points and reserve Gerald Wallace added a season-high 17 points as the Celtics beat the Bobcats for their second straight victory. Crawford was 5 of 11 from the field and had five assists as the Celtics avenged an 89-83 loss to the Bobcats on Nov. 13. The 31year-old Wallace, who played for the Bobcats from 200411, was 6 of 10 from the field.

Brandon Bass scored 16 points and Phil Pressley had a career-high eight assists for Boston (6-10). Kemba Walker had 28 points to lead the Bobcats (7-8), who failed to get above the .500 mark after 15 games for the first time in franchise history. Gerald Henderson added 20 points.

ROCKETS 93, GRIZZLIES 86 Chandler Parsons scored 17 points and Omri Casspi added 16 as the Rockets overcame a double-digit deficit to beat the Grizzlies. Houston (10-5) trailed for most of the night and its 93 points were a season low, but the Rockets made a 14-2 run early in the fourth quarter, pushing ahead 67-65 on a pair free throws by Casspi with 8:26 remaining.

The Rockets played without All-Star guard James Harden, who missed his second straight game with a sore left foot. They’ve won five of their past six. It was the Grizzlies’ (7-7) first full game since 7-foot-1 center Marc Gasol was lost indefinitely to a sprained MCL in his left knee.

NUGGETS 110, MAVERICKS 96 Ty Lawson had 19 points after a quiet start, Nate Robinson scored 11 straight for Denver in the fourth quarter as the Nuggets beat Dallas for the second time in three days. Robinson finished with 17 points, all but two in the second half, and Lawson had 14 after halftime and finished with a game-high 11 assists as the Nuggets handed Dallas its first home loss in eight games this season.

J.J. Hickson led Denver with 22, and Kenneth Faried added 10 points and 10 rebounds. Monta Ellis led the Mavericks with 22 points, and Dirk Nowitzki passed Brooklyn’s Kevin Garnett on the scoring list and finished with 18.

PISTONS 113, BUCKS 94 Brandon Jennings made four consecutive 3-pointers in the first quarter against his former team as the Pistons overwhelmed Milwaukee with a dazzling first half.

Jennings was traded from Milwaukee to Detroit last offseason after four seasons with the Bucks. He hadn’t been shooting well for the Pistons, but that changed right away Monday, when he led Detroit on a 21-0 run toward the end of the first quarter.

Jennings finished with 15 points and 13 assists.

Brandon Knight, who went from Detroit to Milwaukee in the trade, scored eight points. The Bucks have lost nine straight. Khris Middleton, whom the Bucks also got from the Pistons in that deal, had 14 points. John Henson led Milwaukee with 15. — AP

MIAMI: LeBron James #6 of the Miami Heat shoots a foul shot during a game against the Phoenix Suns at American Airlines Arena on Monday in Miami, Florida. — AFP

NBA results/standings Boston 96, Charlotte 86; Indiana 98, Minnesota 84; Detroit 113, Milwaukee 94; Miami 107, Phoenix 92; Houston 93, Memphis 86; Denver 110, Dallas 96; San Antonio 112, New Orleans 93; Utah 89, Chicago 83 (OT); Portland 102, NY Knicks 91.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT Toronto 6 7 .462 6 9 .400 Philadelphia Boston 6 10 .375 NY Knicks 3 10 .231 Brooklyn 3 10 .231 Central Division Indiana 13 1 .929 6 7 .462 Chicago Detroit 6 8 .429 Cleveland 4 10 .286 Milwaukee 2 11 .154 Southeast Division Miami 11 3 .786 8 6 .571 Atlanta Charlotte 7 8 .467 Washington 5 8 .385 Orlando 4 9 .308

GB 1 1.5 3 3 6.5 7 9 10.5 3 4.5 5.5 6.5

Western Conference Northwest Division Portland 13 2 .867 Oklahoma City 9 3 .750 Denver 7 6 .538 Minnesota 8 8 .500 Utah 2 14 .125 Pacific Division LA Clippers 10 5 .667 Golden State 8 6 .571 LA Lakers 7 7 .500 Phoenix 7 7 .500 Sacramento 4 9 .308 Southwest Division San Antonio 13 1 .929 Houston 10 5 .667 Dallas 9 6 .600 Memphis 7 7 .500 New Orleans 6 7 .462

2.5 5 5.5 11.5 1.5 2.5 2.5 5 3.5 4.5 6 6.5

Trott’s departure puts spotlight on Root, Bell BRISBANE: In an Ashes cricket series already notable for four-letter words, England’s only options to replace Jonathan Trott at No. 3 in its batting order for the second test against Australia seem to be men named Root and Bell.

Trott abruptly quit England’s tour on Monday because of a stress-related illness, leaving a critical vacancy that only the prolific veteran Ian Bell or the coolheaded youngster Joe Root seem qualified to fill. The successful candidate must not only defuse the threat of Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson, a match-winner in the first test at Brisbane, but withstand the verbal heat Australia generated in the Ashes opener and are likely to re-kindle at Adelaide. England coach Andy Flower indicated Tuesday he is ready to try to take some heat out of the second test battle by meeting with his Australia counterpart, Darren Lehmann, in peace talks designed to place limits on future sledging.

Australia captain Michael Clarke was fined 20 percent of his match fee from the Brisbane test after stump microphones picked up his warning to England No. 11 batsman James Anderson to “get ready for a ... broken arm.” Australian media have since reported Clarke was responding to an alleged threat from Anderson to punch Australia batsman George Bailey.

England was most incensed by comments made to local media by Australian opening batsman David Warner about Trott’s recent lack of form against fast bowling in which he called the Englishman “very poor and very weak.” Warner subsequently admitted his comments “probably went a little bit too far.”

Flower condemned Warner’s comments as “disrespectful” and “ignorant” but said it would be inaccurate to link the remarks to Trott’s sudden decision to return to England. The England coach said he was eager to prevent the sensitive issue of Trott’s illness becoming a topic of conversation on the pitch in the second test which begins in Adelaide on Dec. 5.

He said he would be prepared to meet with Lehmann to discuss boundaries for future verbal confrontation.

Flower told English reporters on Monday “now you’ve brought it up (talking to Lehmann) I’ll have to think

about it. “I don’t think (Trott’s illness) should be raised on the pitch. We’re there to play cricket,” he said. “A balance has got to be found on the pitch between competitiveness and not overstepping the line.

“We all have a responsibility, both sides and the leaders involved, to find the right balance and the way we play the game on the field. We’re all adults out there.” The lingering fallout from the savage verbal battle in Brisbane can’t disguise the practical problem England faces in replacing Trott from the resources of its current squad. Factions have already formed to press the cases for Root, who is at least a natural opener, and Bell, who offers experience and proven solidity.

Former England captain Michael Atherton backed Root, saying he had shown the ability to “disarm” Johnson’s hostility with an “angelic smile” during his unbeaten 26 in the second innings at Brisbane.

“I thought Root played really well at the dying end of the test at the Gabba; I thought he looked really solid,” Atherton told Sky Television. “He played Mitchell Johnson well, he looked compact, he got a nice stride into the ball.

“He also dealt with all of the verbals.

It was a very intense passage of play and his angelic smile seemed to disarm Mitchell Johnson as well.” Another former England skipper, Nasser Hussain, opted for Bell who was the Man of the Series in the Ashes series in England earlier this year, scoring a century in each of England’s wins.

Bell usually bats at No. 5 and any move risks disrupting the balance of the England order, but Hussain said he seemed best-equipped to cope with the trial of batting at No. 3. That move would likely mean Jonny Bairstow would join the England lineup at No. 6, while Kevin Pietersen would move up to No. 4 and Root to No. 5.

Zimbabwe-born Gary Ballance could also be considered at No. 5 if England prefers a left-hand option. “Bell is a high-class, very experienced player with lots of touch,” Hussain said. “He’s got runs against Australia of late and he is the obvious man to move up to No. 3.

“It would be tough on Root because he would have gone from six to two, from six to three and as a young lad you don’t want to be moving around the order like that.” — AP

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

S P ORT S

Juve on the hunt for win against Copenhagen MILAN: Juventus will be looking to end a run of six Champions League games without a win today when they host FC Copenhagen with qualification from Group B hanging delicately in the balance.

Antonio Conte’s men claimed their fifth Serie A win on the trot on Sunday to move top of the table, but in Europe the Italian champions have so far struggled to make an impact. After four group games, Juve-who also lost their last two games in last season’s competition, to eventual winners Bayern Munich-are still winless and sit bottom of the pile on three points and seven behind leaders Real Madrid.

However Juve are only one point behind secondplaced Galatasaray and Copenhagen, meaning a win on Wednesday could propel them up to second placeif Real, as widely expected, account for Galatasaray in Madrid.

Depending on events in the Spanish capital, that

scenario could leave the Bianconeri on six points with a possible two-point cushion on Galatasaray ahead of a tricky away trip to Istanbul next month.

If Juventus manage only a draw against the Danes, qualification becomes far more complicated, while defeat would end Conte’s hopes of taking his side into the last 16 knockout phase for the second successive season.

Conte was ecstatic after goals from Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez secured a 2-0 away win at Livorno on Sunday and sent the champions top of the league for the first time this season.

But looking ahead to Wednesday, the Juve coach admitted having to rely on favourable results elsewhere is not ideal.

“We’d much prefer to have our destiny in our own hands and not to have to rely on the results of other teams,” Conte said on Sunday. “But we’re still very

motivated to keep going in this competition.”

Juventus escaped with a draw in their group opener in the Danish capital when Fabio Quagliarella cancelled out Nicolai Jorgensen’s 14th minute opener nine minutes after the break.

Since then, the Italian champions have fallen at every hurdle. Quagliarella looked to have secured a late win at home to Galatasaray when his 87th minute strike gave Juve a 2-1 lead, only for Umut Bulut to pounce on slack defending a minute later to secure a shock draw for the Turks.

Defeat to Real in Madrid in their next game was widely expected, however Juve, reduced to 10 men early in the second half when Giorgio Chiellini was sent off, showed plenty of character on their way to a 2-1 reverse. Juve hosted then Spanish giants but were outclassed by the pace of Cristiano Ronaldo, who added to his two-goal tally in Madrid by cancelling

out an Arturo Vidal penalty, and Gareth Bale, who levelled for the Spaniards five minutes after Llorente had put Juve within sight of a precious win.

It has left Juve wondering what might have been.

But on the plus side, Copenhagen’s record in Italy is poor-they have lost on all three previous visits-and the Italians seem to be finding form in timely fashion.

Although Argentinian striker Tevez has not hit the Champions League net since April 7, 2009 — when he scored for Manchester United away to FC Porto-his fledgling partnership with Llorente is bearing fruit.

Llorente, who has scored twice in the group stages so far, smashed a superb volley into the Livorno net on Sunday, when he also set up Tevez for Juve’s second. “It’s starting to get better with Carlos every day,” said Llorente. “Playing more regularly gives me strength and this goal has boosted me even further.” — AFP

Ronaldo doubtful, last 16 in sight for Madrid

MANCHESTER: Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney, left, trains with teammate Ashley Young at Carrington training ground in Manchester, yesterday. Manchester United will play Bayer Leverkusen in Germany in a Champion’s League Group A soccer match today. — AP

United target Bayer win to help focus on league LEVERKUSEN: Rio Ferdinand wants Manchester United to book their place in the Champions League’s knock-out stages by beating Bayer Leverkusen away today so they can focus on the Premier League.

United slipped to a disappointing 2-2 draw at Premier League new-boys Cardiff City on Sunday which left them sixth in the table and seven points adrift of leaders Arsenal.

David Moyes’s side are unbeaten in their last ten matches but the Cardiff draw cost them a top four place in the Premier League. Now Ferdinand wants United to win at Leverkusen’s BayArena to confirm their progression in Europe, so they can return their focus on the Premier League until next year’s knock-out stages.

“We want to finish the job, get it done early so we can get back to the Premier League and have nothing else distracting us,” said Ferdinand.

“They’re a well-equipped team and it’s not going to be easy but we’re more than capable.”

Moyes’s United top Group A with eight points, just one ahead of hosts Leverkusen, and both sides would guarantee their place in the knock-out stages with a win. Should Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk lose at home to Real Sociedad in the section’s other game, United and Leverkusen would progress with a draw.

“We’ve got a really important game coming up on Wednesday and we know we need to get our heads up and make sure that we qualify,” said United midfielder Tom Cleverley. “It’s good we’ve got that game because you want to try and get a rhythm going and bounce back from a

disappointing result.

“Wednesday can’t come quick enough for us.”

Dutch striker Robin van Persie (groin) and Nemanja Vidic (concussion) are both hoping to feature in Leverkusen after missing the Cardiff match. Rafael da Silva (ankle), Shinji Kagawa (bruised foot) and Phil Jones (abductor) are all rated doubtful, while Michael Carrick is definitely out with an Achilles tendon injury.

Since losing 4-2 at Old Trafford in September in their opening match, Leverkusen have picked up seven points from their three games with home victories over Real Sociedad and Shakhtar Donetsk. Bayer’s director of sport Rudi Voeller has described United’s visit as “the game of games” for Leverkusen, who are second in the Bundesliga and the hosts are itching to claim a famous scalp.

They will be without Germany winger Sidney Sam, who tore his thigh after just four minutes of Sami Hyypia-coached Bayer’s 1-0 win at Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga on Saturday. “This is one home game we definitely want to win,” said striker Stefan Kiessling.

“The stadium will be sold out and games like these are fun. “With the fans support, we’ll be looking to win the game, so we are in charge of our own qualification. “We showed them a bit too much respect in the away game, maybe we were a bit scared too, but that won’t be the case this time around.

“We showed in our last home game what we can do (a 4-0 win over Donetsk in October) and we want a similar performance.” — AFP

MADRID: Real Madrid will almost certainly be without Cristiano Ronaldo as they look to mathematically seal their place in the Champions League last 16 at home to Galatasaray yesterday.

The Spanish giants are virtually already in the knockout stage as they would need to lose their remaining two games heavily having beaten Galatasaray and FC Copenhagen 6-1 and 4-0 respectively on matchday one and two.

However, they can also guarantee first place in Group B with just a point against the Turkish champions. Ronaldo is unlikely to be risked as he suffered a minor thigh injury in Madrid’s 5-0 destruction of Almeria on Saturday.

The Portuguese had given the visitors the lead in that game to continue his sensational scoring form of late that has seen him net 32 times for club and country already this season. Despite Ronaldo’s withdrawal just after half-time with the score 1-0, Real shrugged off his departure to fire in four more goals in the final half hour with Gareth Bale among the goalscorers.

That was the Welshman’s fourth goal in five games as he begins to find his feet in the Spanish capital after his reported 91 million euro ($123 million, £76 million) move from Tottenham Hotspur in September.

Bale’s return to form has coincided with Madrid’s best spell under the tutelage of Carlo Ancelotti as they have racked up 20 goals in their last four league games.

However, with Los Blancos still trailing Barcelona by six points in La Liga, many believe their best chance of a major trophy could come in the Champions League.

Madrid have fallen short at the semi-final stage in each of the last three years as they desperately go in search of their 10th European crown and Ancelotti admits becoming the man to end their 14-year wait for the Champions League is a motivating factor.

“The 10th European Cup is not an obsession, but a motivation,” he told The Times. “For the club it’s very important.

The last time Real Madrid played in the final was 2002. For a club like Real Madrid this is not good.”

Twenty-year-old rising star Jese Rodriguez is expected to get his chance in Ronaldo’s absence with Bale possibly moving over to the left rather than on the right side of Madrid’s attack where he has prospered in recent weeks.

Galatasaray, meanwhile, travel to Madrid hoping to take a huge step towards joining Real in the last 16. Roberto Mancini’s men are currently tied with FC Copenhagen in second place on four points, one ahead of Italian champions Juventus.

And the former Manchester City manager is desperate to set up a showdown for second place against his compatriots from Serie A in what is sure to be fiery atmosphere in Istanbul in two weeks time.

“I am confident. I think we need to improve as a team, but I hope we can get a good result in the next game,” he told Uefa.com. “Probably we will play for everything in the last game against Juventus, but in football you never say never.” — AFP

Mitroglou the threat to unbeaten PSG PARIS: After failing to get the job done in their last group game, Paris Saint-Germain will seek the draw required to qualify for the Champions League last 16 when they host a Kostas Mitroglou-inspired Olympiakos today.

PSG come into their penultimate match in Group C three points clear of the Greek champions and six ahead of Benfica in third. They might already have progressed into the knockout stage had they not been held to a 1-1 draw at home by Anderlecht at the beginning of the month, but one more point at the Parc des Princes will mean they are certain to finish in first place.

That should, in theory, mean an easier tie in the last 16 and will also allow coach Laurent Blanc to rest players for the final group game in Lisbon next month as the Ligue 1 title-holders try to maintain challenges on all fronts.

PSG are top of Ligue 1 and unbeaten this season after a 3-0 victory on Saturday at Reims, the scene of their last defeat over 90 minutes way back in early March, 34 games ago.

That set them up nicely for a busy run of fixtures prior to the winter break, and now they are looking forward to a rematch with Olympiakos, whom they beat 4-1 in Piraeus in September.

“It was the best way to prepare for the match against Olympiakos and a good start to a series of nine games before Christmas,” said France midfielder Blaise Matuidi. “It was another step forward for us and we are only focusing on ourselves.

“If we can keep playing with the same commitment and concentration it will be difficult for any team to beat us.” Of their unbeaten sequence, Blanc added: “Some people look at us and hope we’ll trip up, which of course has to happen sooner or later. But we’re making sure that our unbeaten run continues as long as possible. As a coach you have to appreciate periods like this one.”

Olympiakos are potentially dangerous opponents for PSG though. They have recovered from that defeat in the reverse fixture to beat Anderlecht 3-0 in Brussels and then take four points from a possible six against Benfica. As a result, they are favourites to go through with PSG. Under Spanish coach Michel, they have dropped just two points in the Greek Super League this season, conceding a miserly four goals in 12 games. Greece’s richest and most suc-

cessful club have several players who are familiar with PSG having previously been based in France, but the man to look out for is 25-year-old Mitroglou.

The bearded striker’s statistics make for impressive reading. Scorer of three goals in Greece’s recent World Cup play-off tie against Romania, he struck a hat-trick against Anderlecht last month and has 14 goals in 10 domestic league games.

He returns to the squad here to provide the firepower for the visitors in the French capital after being rested for the 4-1 victory at Panthrakikos on Saturday. However, PSG have no

shortage of quality in attack - Zlatan Ibrahimovic has netted 17 times in his last 11 games for club and country and Edinson Cavani will return after being rested at the weekend.

Dimitris Siovas and Jose Holebas also return for the visitors, who have won in France in each of the last two seasons, beating Marseille in November 2011 and Montpellier in October last year, but Michel will know that this PSG side are a different proposition altogether.

Olympiakos need to win to maintain a chance of topping the group but could also qualify today if the result in the night’s other game in Brussels goes in their favour. — AFP

MADRID: Real Madrid’s coach Carlo Ancelotti, center, speaks with some of his players during a training session in Madrid, Spain, yesterday. Real Madrid will play Galatasaray today in a Group B Champions League soccer match. — AP

Rampant City will keep firing, warns Zabaleta MANCHESTER: Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta has warned Viktoria Plzen there will be no let-up from his free-scoring team in today’s Champions League clash at Eastlands.

City have scored 18 goals in their last three home games as Nor wich, CSKA Moscow and, most impressively, Tottenham have all been put to the sword in east Manchester.

Manuel Pellegrini’s side — 6-0 winners against Spurs on Sunday - are already assured of their place in the last 16 of the Champions League and it would be understandable if they took it easy ahead of their next Premier League fixture against Swansea on Sunday.

But, with first place in Group D still a slender possibility if leaders Bayern Munich slip up against CSKA Moscow, City ’s Argentine right-back Zabaleta believes they should keep their foot on the gas against the Czech minnows.

“We know the quality we have in the front players. They can score at any time in the game,” Zabaleta said. “That is why we always talk about how important it is to keep clean sheets. “If we do that we know we are going to score some goals.

“Obviously you don’t expect to win 6-0 against a very strong team like Tottenham.

Sometimes it happens. And on this occasion we deserved it.” While there are still justifiable concerns about City’s ability to reproduce their free-scoring form away from Eastlands, Pellegrini’s team are playing with a stylish swagger on their own turf that is likely to easily overwhelm Plzen.

Netting 26 times in six home league games is reason enough for optimism that City can wrestle the Premier League title back from Manchester United, and also

mount a strong run in the knock-out stages of the Champions League.

Finishing top of the group would help that goal, as it would give City an easier draw in the last 16, but Pellegrini, whose team are three points behind Bayern, conceded he must juggle the desire to go for first place with the knowledge that his players need careful management before the hectic December programme.

“We have a lot of games in December, nine games in the Premier League in 35 days when we have played 11 games in two and a half months,” he said. “These 27 points are very important for us to be near the top of the table.

“We have also to continue in League Cup, so the target is to be near the top of the table and continue in cup. “In the Champions League we achieved our target already but we will see what happens with Bayern in Moscow and we must win here against Plzen.”

Pellegrini is likely to rest several of the architects of Sunday’s Tottenham demolition, with the likes of Sergio Aguero, Jesus Navas and Yaya Toure possibly set for a rest.

The City boss has already confirmed Joe Hart will return in goal on Wednesday after exactly a month on the sidelines. England international Hart was dropped following his crucial blunder at Chelsea which led to Fernando Torres scoring the winning goal in a 2-1 victory for Jose Mourinho’s side on October 27. Costel Pantilimon has performed well in place of Hart, but will return to the bench for the meeting with the Czech side. Plzen have already been eliminated from the race to qualify for the last 16 after losing all four of their group matches, including a 3-0 defeat at home to City in September. — AFP

Ten former NHLers sue league on concussions

PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc speaks to the media during a press conference at Parc des Princes stadium, yesterday. Paris Saint-Germain will face Olympiackos FC in a Champions League match in Paris today. — AP

WASHINGTON: Saying the National Hockey League knew or should have known that repeated head blows can injure the brain, 10 former players filed a federal lawsuit Monday against the league over concussions.

The ex-players seek compensatory and punitive damages from the NHL in the lawsuit, filed in US District court in Washington, claiming negligence by the NHL led players to ignore treatment causing more serious injury. The players included Rick Vaive, who scored 441 goals in 876 games for four clubs between 1978 and 1992. “Hopefully this lawsuit will shine a light on the problem and the players can get the help they deserve,” Vaive said. The lawsuit claims the NHL’s inaction led to diminished interest in helmet safety and rule changes that could have minimized head injuries much sooner as well as having players return from concussions too quickly.

“This action arises from the pathological and debilitating effects of brain injuries caused by concussive and sub-concussive impacts sustained by former NHL players during their professional careers,” the suit reads in part. Such former stars as Eric

Lindros and Paul Kariya had their careers affected by the aftermath of blows to the head. Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby, who scored the gold medal-winning goal for Canada in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and helped the Penguins win a Stanley Cup NHL crown, has been hampered by concussions.

He missed the last 41 games of the 20102011 season after two hard blows to the head during games and sat out the first 20 games of the 2011-2012 campaign, then missed three more months when symptoms returned, finally coming back for good in March of last year.The NHL has cracked down on blows to the head in recent seasons, banning deliberate hits to the head in 2011, although the former players claim it was too little and way too late to help them.

“While the subject matter is very serious, we are completely satisfied with the responsible manner in which the league and the players’ association have managed player safety over time, including with respect to head injuries and concussions,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said.—AFP

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

S P ORT S

Schalke draws 0-0 at Bucharest in Champions League BUCHAREST: Schalke was held to a 0-0 draw at Steaua Bucharest yesterday and now needs to beat Basel in its last Group E match to have a chance of progressing along with Chelsea to the Champions League knockout stages. Basel defeated visiting Chelsea 1-0 in the other group game to move into second spot - one point behind Chelsea and one ahead of Schalke.

“We can actually handle pressure quite well. That’s when we always produce our best performances,” Schalke captain Benedikt Hoewedes said, looking ahead to the game on Dec. 11. With the second and third-place teams meeting, Chelsea qualified for the

knockout stages despite defeat due to its lead in the group.

Bucharest pushed hard for its first win of the competition in a frenetic finale but was unable to improve its miserable record of just one win from 18 European games against German teams. With three points, the Romanian side is assured of finishing bottom of the group. Schalke was missing inspirational attacking midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng due to his troublesome knee problem, while fellow attacker Julian Draxler was kept on the bench due to illness. Dutch striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar was already a long-term absentee. However, the visitors overcame a slow start

to create most of the chances in a first half played in heavy snowfall.

Dennis Aogo had the first shot on target in the 18th minute, though failed to trouble Bucharest goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu from a difficult angle.

Federico Piovaccari might have done better at the other end seconds later, but his attempted chip went over the crossbar.

Schalke ‘keeper Ralf Faehrmann - making his Champions League debut for the injured Timo Hildebrand - did well to punch away Piovaccari’s next effort, a well-struck overhead volley in the 32nd.

Christian Fuchs thought he’d put Schalke ahead, only

for the goal to be ruled out as the ball crossed the end line before Jefferson Farfan crossed.

“We missed too many chances, but we were also lucky a few times,” Hoewedes said. Bucharest improved in the last half-hour, but Andrei Prepelita and Adrian Popa failed to take advantage of a good opportunity. The home team’s penalty appeals were waved away when Faehrmann caught Piovaccari with his fist in a clearance.

Cristian Tanase went close from a free kick, and Bucharest substitute Nicolai Stanciu wasted another good chance by shooting too close to Faehrmann, as did Piovaccari with a header in the last minute. — AP

Dortmund down Napoli to boost knock-out hopes

GLASGOW: AC Milan’s Italian forward Mario Balotelli (L) vies with Celtic’s Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk (R) during the UEFA Champions League group H football match between Celtic and AC Milan at Celtic Park in Glasgow yesterday. — AFP

Milan keep Europe dream alive with Celtic win GLASGOW: AC Milan kept their Champions League hopes alive with a 3-0 thrashing of Celtic that ended a miserable five-game winless run and sent the Scottish side crashing out of Europe. Ajax’s 2-1 win over Barcelona means the Dutch champions and Milan will battle it out for second place while Celtic, who will finish bottom of Group H, head to the Nou Camp on matchday six with nothing but pride to play for.

Milan, who hadn’t won away in Europe in almost a year, got off to the perfect start at Celtic’s Parkhead ground on Tuesday when Kaka found himself with time and space to head home a 12th minute corner.

The Hoops were left to rue a missed opportunity for Virgil van Dijk just after the break when Cristian Zapata increased Milan’s advantage with a 49th minute tap-in.

Van Dijk had a header chopped off for offside minutes later before Mario Balotelli ended Celtic’s hopes when his strike made it 3-0 in the 59th minute as Milan became only the second side to defeat the Hoops at home in the group stages of the Champions League.

The win leaves Milan in second spot on eight points-a point ahead of Ajax - and eases the pressure on coach Massimiliano Allegri, who has come in for criticism following his side’s poor domestic form that saw fans protest outside the San Siro following a 1-1 draw with Genoa at the weekend.

Celtic were without captain Scott Brown and Nir Biton due to suspension for the must-win match while Joe Ledley dropped to the bench.

Winger James Forrest, who earlier on Tuesday was arrested in connection with two alleged public indecencies, started the match.

The 22-year-old had been reported to the procurator fiscal (Scotland’s public prosecutor) over the alleged offences in Prestwick, south-

west of Glasgow, earlier this month.

AC Milan arrived in Glasgow with a lengthy injury list, defender Philippe Mexes and midfielder Sulley Muntari joining Stephan El Shaarawy, Mattia De Sciglio and goalkeeper Marco Amelia in being ruled out.

Celtic were presented with a great early chance when Charlie Mulgrew’s effort fell kindly to Beram Kayal inside the box but the midfielder couldn’t adjust his feet quickly enough and Zapata recovered to make a last-ditch saving tackle. The Hoops were left to rue that miss moments later when Brazil star Kaka slipped marker Van Dijk to easily head home Valter Birsa’s corner from close range.

Celtic were again the recipients of a ball breaking kindly to them in the Milan box but this time Mulgrew sent his weak shot straight at Christian Abbiati.

Balotelli had the ball in the net again just before the break after he chased after a long ball over the top but the flag was already up for offside. The Hoops should have been level in the 47th minute. Mulgrew’s cross found Van Dijk eight yards out but he sent his volley straight at Abbiati when he had the whole goal to aim for.

The Dutch defender’s misery was compounded two minutes later when Milan doubled their advantage. Birsa’s deep corner was fired back across goal by substitute Antonio Nocerino for Zapata to side-foot home from close range.

Van Dijk thought he had made some amends in the 51st minute when he headed Joe Ledley’s cross beyond Abbiati but his effort was ruled out for offside.

Any hope Celtic had was ended in the 59th minute when Balotelli made it 3-0. The Italian striker collected a long ball from Riccardo Montolivo and shrugged off the challenge of Efe Ambrose before sending an angled shot past helpless goalkeeper Fraser Forster. — AFP

Porto held to 1-1 draw PORTO: Jackson Martinez netted a second-half equalizer as Porto salvaged a 1-1 draw against Austria Vienna in a Champions League Group G game yesterday.

Roman Kienast got Vienna’s first goal - and ultimately its first point in the competition this season - after pouncing in the 11th minute when Brazilian defender Danilo mis-hit his clearance and sending a shot from the edge of the area that beat Helton.

Porto was livelier in the second half, with Martinez heading the equalizer into an open goal amid a goalmouth scramble three minutes after the restart.

Porto, a two-time European champion, is winless in three home games in the Champions League this season. It sits in third place in the group on five points, one behind Zenit St. Petersburg with one game remaining.

Leader Atletico Madrid has 13 points.

Porto is on its worst run in a competition it has contested 18 times. At the final whistle, fans at the Stadium of the Dragon jeered and whistled for the second time in four days at Porto coach Paulo Fonseca, who is in his first season in charge at the club.Vienna didn’t play particularly well but it profited from Porto’s weak form as the home team hit too many stray passes and failed to get out of first gear in midfield. Vienna goalkeeper Heinz Lindner played a key role, helping maintain the visitor’s first-half lead as he twice denied Martinez and blocked Steven Defour’s close-range effort.Lindner was kept busy in the second half, too, as he produced a reflex save in the 56th to stop a ball that bounced off Lucho Gonzalez’s chest.

Martinez appeared set to score a winner two minutes from the end but he narrowly failed to connect with Danilo’s cross. The Colombian striker missed again in added time. — AP

Matches on TV (Local Timings)

UEFA Champions League CSKA Moskva v Bayern Munich 20:00 Aljazeera Sport +7 Aljazeera Sport 3 HD Juventus v Kobenhavn Aljazeera Sport +5 Aljazeera Sport 4 HD

22:45

Anderlecht v Benfica Aljazeera Sport +4

22:45

Bayer 04 v Man United Aljazeera Sport 1 HD Aljazeera Sport +9

22:45

Shakhtar v Real Sociedad Aljazeera Sport +2

22:45

Real Madrid v Galatasaray Aljazeera Sport +8 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD

22:45

Saint-Germain v Olymiacos Aljazeera Sport +6 Aljazeera Sport 5 HD

22:45

Man City v Viktoria Plzen Aljazeera Sport +7 Aljazeera Sport 3 HD

22:45

DORTMUND: Last season’s finalists Borussia Dortmund breathed life into their hopes of reaching the Champions League knock-out phase with a nervous 3-1 home win over Napoli yesterday.

An early Marco Reus penalty and second-half strike by Jakub Blaszczykowski put Dortmund 2-0 up with an hour gone before Lorenzo Insigne pulled one back for Napoli with 20 minutes left.

Substitute Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang came on to grab Dortmund’s third, 12 minutes from time, to calm nerves and put Borussia level on nine points with Napoli in the group behind leaders Arsenal.

The victory at Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion avenged Borussia’s 2-1 defeat at Napoli in September and gives them hope of reaching the last 16 following their 1-0 home defeat by Arsenal three weeks ago.

“Now we’re back in the race,” said Dortmund’s relieved coach Jurgen Klopp.

“We couldn’t have done more to set things up for the last game.” With the Gunners three points clear, who will qualify from Group F will now be decided by the final round of pool matches when Dortmund travel to Marseille and Napoli host Arsenal in a fortnight Having lost his entire back four to injury, Borussia coach Jurgen Klopp moved defensive midfielder Sven Bender to centre-back alongside Greece international Sokratis with his first-choice pairing of Mats Hummels and Neven Subotic ruled out.

Dortmund got an early breakthrough when Federico Fernandez hauled down Poland striker Robert Lewandowski in the area and Germany’s Reus stepped up to drill home the penalty after 10 minutes.

Just eight minutes later, Reus forced Napoli goalkeeper Pepe Reina into a diving save when he curled in a free-kick. The first half was a nervy affair and with half an hour gone Napoli hit the post when Jose Callejon jinked inside Bender and beat Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller.

At the other end Lewandowski fired wide and forced Reina into one of his many fine saves in the Napoli goal. Dortmund desperately needed a second goal to calm their nerves and there were anxious glances at Westfalenstadion when Gonzalo Higuain was put clear in the area, but Weidenfeller blocked his half volley.

Less than a minute later, Borussia grabbed their second when Dortmund swept forward on the counter-attack. Reus broke down the left and found Poland winger Blaszczykowski unmarked to slot the ball between Reina’s legs with a first time shot on 60 minutes.

Rafael Benitez’s Napoli got back in the game with a superb goal on 70 minutes after Higuain pounced on a loose pass and with Weidenfeller off his line, Insigne fired home from a tight angle.

Only another excellent save from Reina denied Dortmund Aubameyang, but the Gabon winger found the net soon after.

The former St Etienne man chipped Dortmund’s third goal home when the hosts’ pressing game saw Lewandowski steal possession and charge down the right before Aubameyang chipped Reina on 78 minutes. The third goal could prove crucial in the head-to-head stats should Dortmund and Napoli finish level after the final round. — AFP

DORTMUND: Dortmund’s midfielder Kevin Grosskreutz (R) and Napoli’s Argentinian forward Gonzalo Gerardo Higuain vie for the ball during the UEFA Champions League Group F football match Borussia Dortmund vs SSC Napoli in Dortmund, western Germany yesterday. — AFP

Courtois huge error ends Atletico’s perfect record SAINT PETERSBURG: A huge error from Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois allowed Zenit St Petersburg to snatch a vital Champions League point against the highflying Spaniards as they drew 1-1 in Russia yesterday.

An under-strength Atletico, already assured of a pass to the knockout stages as Group G leaders, had taken the lead eight minutes into the second-half when Adrian Lopez broke clear of the Zenit defence and finished confidently low past Juri Lodigin.

However, the Russians were saved 17 minutes from time when Courtois allowed teammate Toby Alderweireld’s looping header to drop into his own net to end Atletico’s 100 percent record in the Champions League so far this season.

The result does still dent Zenit’s chances of progressing to the last 16 as they now need to beat Austria Vienna on matchday six and hope that Porto drop points against the Austrians later on Tuesday or when they visit Madrid in two weeks time.

With Atletico already assured of top spot coach Diego Simeone left a number of his first-team regulars, including Diego Costa,

David Villa and Diego Godin back in the Spanish capital.

However, Zenit still struggled to breakdown Atleti’s solid defence with Hulk’s piledriver from the edge of the area that was beaten away by Courtois their most dangerous effort of the first-half.

Atletico had failed to take advantage of the space Zenit were allowing them to counter-attack into during the first period, but they finally got it right just after the break as Raul Garcia released Adrian and he kept his composure to slot home his second goal in as many games.

Garcia then nearly doubled the visitors’ advantage as he rattled the crossbar, whilst at the other end Alexander Kerzhakov headed a great chance over from close range.

Zenit’s equaliser was to arrive in comic fashion though as Courtois let Alderweireld’s header go, believing it was going out for a corner, only to be left embarrassed when the ball dipped underneath his crossbar.

Garcia had another chance to win the game eight minutes from the end, but this time was denied by a smart low stop from Lodygin as the spoils were shared. — AFP

SAINT PETERSBURG: Zenit Saint-Petersburg’s Vladimir Bystrov (L) vies with Atletico Madrid’s Emiliano Insua (2nd L) during their UEFA Champions League group G match in Saint-Petersburg yesterday. — AFP

Top Nigeria official banned for corruption ABUJA: A senior Nigerian football official has been banned for 10 years for corruption, the country’s football federation announced late Monday.

A Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) emergency committee handed Leye Adepoju the sanction excluding him from all football-related activities following an investigation.

Adepoju was a member of the NFF executive committee and also the chairman of the football association in Oyo state, southwest Nigeria.

He was alleged to have received a cash payment of 1.5 million naira ($9,400) before a disciplinary hearing against Shooting Stars, from the Oyo state capital Ibadan, after they abandoned a league match against Sunshine Stars earlier this year. He was said to have received money to find in favour of Shooting Stars after their players refused to take the field in the second half when the score was 0-0, claiming

that one of their officials had been attacked.

Shooting Stars were fighting relegation at the time. A subsequent hearing awarded Sunshine Stars the three points from the match.

The NFF also banned another senior official for 10 years for claiming he was attacked in the game and also referred to police an allegation that the chairman of Enugu State Football Association was an imposter.

Chidi Ofo Okenwa was told to step down from his role pending the outcome of the police probe.

Match fixing and corruption is a problem in Nigerian football and has led to sanctions against a number of clubs, referees and officials. Four clubs were suspended earlier this year after two teams vying for promotion won 67-0 and 79-0 respectively with the NFF calling it a “scandal of huge proportions”. — AFP

Philippine boxing hero Pacquiao floored in tax fight

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

Dortmund down Napoli to boost knock-out hopes

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Ronaldo doubtful, last 16 in sight for Madrid Page 18

AMSTERDAM: Barcelona's Neymar (second right) challenges Ajax's Stefano Denswil (first right) during the Group H Champions League soccer match between Ajax and FC Barcelona at the Arena stadium. — AP

Ajax stun Barcelona to end unbeaten run AMSTERDAM: Ajax gave their chances of qualifying for the Champions League last 16 a huge boost as they beat Barcelona 2-1 yesterday despite playing almost the entire second-half with 10 men.

Frist-half goals from Thulani Serero and Danny Hoessen had the hosts well in command at the break. However, Barca were back in the game minutes after the restart as Joel Veltman was sent off for bringing down Neymar inside the area and Xavi converted the resulting spot-kick.

Barca then pressed for an equaliser, but failed to breakdown a stubborn Ajax backline as they slipped to a first defeat in any competition this season. AC Milan’s 3-0 win away to Celtic in the other game in Group H means the

Dutch side remain third, a point behind Milan, and will need to win in Italy when the two sides meet in two weeks’ time to progress.

Despite injuries to a series of key players, including Lionel Messi, and having already qualified for the knockout stages, Barca boss Gerardo Martino still named a strong side.

However, the Catalans were forced back from the off by a young Ajax side full of energy and quality on the ball.

Jose Manuel Pinto got down well to his left to save Viktor Fischer’s effort after 11 minutes, but there was nothing the stand-in ‘keeper could do to prevent Serero opening the scoring eight minutes later as he turned home Ricardo Van

Rhijn’s low cross.

Barca should have been level six minutes later when Neymar was released through on goal by Pedro, but the Brazilian dragged his shot well off target. Lasse Schone then forced Pinto into another smart save, but the Barca defence was breached for a second time four minutes before half-time.

Pinto again did well to parry Fischer’s first effort, but Hoessen reacted quicker than the statuesque Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol to double the Dutch champions’ advantage. Barca were handed a lifeline just two minutes after the restart when Veltman brought down Neymar just inside the area and was sent off for denying a clear

goalscoring opportunity.

Xavi took responsibility from the spot in Messi’s absence and sent Jasper Cillessen the wrong way. Neymar should have levelled seven minutes later when he was played in by a wonderful pass from Xavi, but Cillessen just got enough on his lofted effort to turn it behind.

The scarcity of options on offer to Martino given Barca’s current injury crisis was demonstrated as he introduced youngsters Patric, Sergi Roberto and Adama Traore from the bench as they searched for an equaliser.

But they failed to create another clear chance in front of goal as Martino tasted defeat for the first time in 21 games since taking charge in July. — AFP

Chelsea through despite Basel loss BASEL: Chelsea reached the last 16 of the Champions League despite going down to a 1-0 defeat to Basel in Switzerland yesterday, Mohamed Salah scoring the only goal with just three minutes remaining.

Salah latched on to a long ball forward by Fabian Schaer and outpaced Branislav Ivanovic as he cut in from the left before finishing past Petr Cech to hand the hosts a thoroughly deserved victory and keep their hopes alive, of joining Chelsea in the Last 16, heading into the final round of matches.

It was Basel’s second win against the Premier League club in this season’s competition and propelled them into second place in the group above Schalke 04, who only managed a goalless draw away to Steaua Bucharest in the night’s other match.

That result was good news for Chelsea too, as they are now certain

to take one of the top two spots in the group. However, they still have work to do if they are to clinch first place, with a home game against Steaua still to come, and manager Jose Mourinho will be deeply disappointed with what was a flat display by his side, three days after they had thumped West Ham United 3-0 away in the Premier League.

Mourinho had made just one change to his side, with Willian taking the place of Eden Hazard, who dropped to the bench alongside the fit-again Fernando Torres. That meant that Cesar Azpilicueta again started at left-back with Ashley Cole also only a substitute.

Perhaps Mourinho’s decision not to rotate his squad meant they also lacked freshness, as the Blues produced a lacklustre performance in the opening half of a game played in sub-zero temperatures.

That was reflected in the statis-

tics, with Basel having more of the possession and all the chances. And while Chelsea only came close to scoring once in the opening period, when Samuel Eto’o, diving in at the back post, just failed to connect with a Ivanovic cross from the right, Basel brought the best out of Cech on several occasions.

The Czech goalkeeper needed to be alert to keep out Marco Streller’s header from a Valentin Stocker freekick inside three minutes, and that early scare for Chelsea set the tone for the opening half an hour.

Basel, with seven players aged 24 or under in their starting line-up, were by far the livelier of the two teams, and Cech was also called into action to turn Fabian Frei’s shot from long range around the post before twice denying talented Egyptian Salah.

In between, Basel were also denied a penalty by French referee Stephane Lannoy, who let play go on when the ball came off Frank Lampard’s arm inside the area.

Chelsea’s first half was summed up when Eto’o was stretchered off following an innocuous-looking challenge with Serey Die during a rare foray forward, and Torres took his place.

There was a feeling that Chelsea had been let off the hook as they went in at the inter val on level terms, and their defence was rarely troubled after the restart, with the exception of a Serey Die volley that flashed just wide after a poor clearance by John Terry.

They also looked brighter going forward once Hazard had come on in place of the ineffective Oscar but, remarkably, Basel ‘keeper Yann Sommer did not have a save of note to make all evening.

And Basel finally got the breakthrough they merited with three minutes left when Salah - who BASEL: Chelsea’s Spanish defender Cesar Azpilicueta (L) jumps for the ball scored in their 2-1 win at next to Basel’s Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah (R) during the UEFA Stamford Bridge in September Champions League group E football match between Basel and Chelsea at St sent the St Jakob-Park crowd into Jakob Park in Basel yesterday. — AFP raptures. —AFP

LONDON: Arsenal’s English midfielder Jack Wilshere (2R) scores his second goal during the UEFA Champions League group F football match between Arsenal and Olympique de Marseille at the Emirates Stadium in London yesterday. — AFP

Early bird Wilshere takes Arsenal to brink LONDON: Jack Wilshere scored two goals, the first after only 27 seconds, as Arsenal beat Marseille 2-0 yesterday to move to within touching distance of the Champions League last 16.

Wilshere rewarded Arsenal’s dominance with a second goal in the 65th minute, after Mesut Ozil had seen a penalty saved, to leave Arsene Wenger’s side three points clear of Borussia Dortmund and Napoli at the top of Group F. Arsenal can now secure their progress to the knockout rounds for the 11th successive season by avoiding defeat in their final group game at Napoli on December 11. However, Napoli’s loss to Dortmund in yesterday’s other group game means that should Arsenal lose in Naples, and Dortmund win in Marseille, qualification would be decided by goal difference in the three games between Arsenal, Dortmund and Napoli.

Arsenal manager Wenger made three changes to the team that beat Southampton 2-0 on Saturday, with Nacho Monreal, Tomas Rosicky and former Marseille midfielder Mathieu Flamini coming into the team.

With Marseille already eliminated, coach Elie Baup fielded a weakened team. Mathieu Valbuena was among five first-team players on the bench, and it did not take long for the visitors to fall behind.

Bacary Sagna freed Wilshere on the Arsenal right and the England midfielder lazily stepped inside Lucas Mendes’s challenge before steadying himself and curling a left-foot shot into the top-left corner.

It would have been 2-0 six minutes later, after Olivier Giroud set Wilshere free again and he squared for Aaron Ramsey, but from 10 yards the in-form

Welshman saw his shot cannon back off Steve Mandanda’s chest.

Marseille’s response was timid, Andre-Pierre Gignac heading over and then over-running the ball inside the Arsenal box, but the hosts failed to exploit an invitation to extend their lead shortly before half-time. Ramsey appeared fortunate to win a penalty after tangling with Nicolas N’Koulou, the challenge occurring just outside the 18-yard box, but Ozil saw his spot-kick pushed away by Mandanda.

Arsenal continued to press early in the second period, but Giroud saw a shot deflected inches wide by Kassim Abdallah and when Wilshere released Ozil with an inventive chip, Mandanda flew out to save.

The entrances of Valbuena and Florian Thauvin as substitutes threatened to make it an uncomfortable closing half hour for Wenger’s men, but in the 65th minute they scored the second goal that their persistence merited.

Ramsey was the instigator, sliding a subtle pass down the inside-right channel for Ozil, and the German partly atoned for his failed penalty attempt by centring for Wilshere to side-foot home his second goal.

Thauvin gave the Premier League leaders a couple of scares as the game approached its closing stages, but goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny showed his alertness by saving sharply on each occasion.

Substitutes Santi Cazorla and Theo Walcott both spurned chances to seal matters for Arsenal in the dying stages, the Spaniard blazing over and the fitagain England winger toeing wide, but Marseille were already beaten. — AFP

Business

US consumer confidence drops to 7-month low Page 23

NBK only Arab bank among ‘Best Forex Providers 2014’

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

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Oil rises above $111, Iran relief unclear

Microsoft helps define new security guidelines

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TEHRAN: A general views shows Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (center) addressing the opening session of a two-day ministerial conference of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), which groups 10 Asian and Eurasian countries in Tehran yesterday. —AFP

Iran deal ‘will lead to surge of oil to Asia’ Supplies to flow to China, India, Japan and Korea LONDON: Iran’s deal with Western powers to curb parts of its nuclear program is likely to lead to a sizable increase of shipments of oil from the Islamic Republic to Asia, analysts said. If the interim deal struck this weekend in Geneva leads to a full lifting of sanctions, it could spark an injection of oil into an already over-supplied global market, many said Monday.

But while the agreement in its current form is unlikely to have a significant short-term impact on the market, the loosening of sanctions is likely to see Iranian oil shipments increase to China, India, Japan and South Korea. News of the deal struck in Geneva led to oil prices falling, but the effect was limited. In London, Brent North Sea crude for delivery in January fell 0.57 percent from Friday’s close to $109.23 a barrel at 1700 GMT, while New York’s main contract fell back three quarters of a percent to $94.07, after earlier dropping to $93.08.

The accord is “only a first step and does not impact the current sanctions on Iranian oil exports”, noted BNP Paribas

analyst Harry Tchilinguirian. But he said a wider lifting of sanctions on Iran’s oil production “would certainly allow oil supply conditions to ease, notably for crudes of medium and heavy quality”.

However, the analyst noted that “we are still very far from that outcome”. The six-month deal reached by the United States and Western powers and Iran is aimed at buying time to thrash out a fuller agreement. One effect of the current agreement is that Iranian oil will be more readily available to buyers in Asia, as European insurers will be allowed to insure oil shipments from Iran again.

“With sanctions loosened, oil shipments from Iran could increase again to China, India, South Korea and Japan,” noted Commerzbank’s analyst team. Iran’s return to market could cut $10 off price of Brent The likelihood of an upsurge in Iranian oil heading east is also supported by the likelihood that a further tightening of oil sanctions against Iran by the US Congress has receded as a result of the Geneva deal, they noted.

Although Sunday’s deal is “an important first step that could eventually lead to the normalization of relations between Iran and the west,” a final deal removing the most important sanctions “remains challenging given that some key stakeholders could act as spoilers,” Barclays said in a note.

Barclays predicted the downward shift in oil prices after the deal “could be short lived,” given that a December 4 meeting of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries could lead to lower output. The US granted sanctions waivers to several countries that could not easily source the right type of oil from other suppliers, but the insurance ban had crimped shipments. Iran has 25-30 million barrels of crude that it could rapidly release on to the market, Credit Suisse estimated.

Several experts reckon that if a full agreement can be reached, another one billion barrels could flow into a market that is already well-supplied. The sanctions against the Iranian regime over its nuclear program effectively caused

Global free trade talks collapse UAE firm brings salmon farming to the desert ABU DHABI: After golf courses in the desert and a ski slope in a shopping mall, the United Arab Emirates is now turning its hand to farming cold water fish such as salmon. That’s the goal of one Abu Dhabi company which plans to farm the fish in chilled onshore pools at prices that can compete with imports flown in from Norway or Ireland. Asmak, which already runs offshore fish farms, is harnessing technology honed in Scandinavia to set up the Middle East’s first onshore fish farm in a bid to provide affordable alternatives to popular local fish such as grouper.

“Within six to eight months you will be able to eat salmon that is locally produced here,” Tamer Yousef, its marketing and business development manager, told Reuters in an interview.

While Gulf companies are used to taking on the elements for projects such as golf courses and even an indoor ski slope in Dubai, Asmak’s plans pose a new challenge - keeping water at a temperature of 13 degrees Celsius in a region where sea water temperatures can go up to 40 degrees.

The project, with a price tag of 100 million dirhams ($27.2 million), involved building what is dubbed a land-based recirculation aquaculture system (RSA) farm on an area of 500,000 square metres, which essentially takes sea water, chills it and then re-uses it.

“The advantage of having the farm onshore is that I will be able to control the environment so I won’t have to deal with issues like high tides or acid rain effects and most importantly the elevated temperature levels,” Yousef said.

While fish farming typically relies on tanks built offshore, this new onshore farming technique has been making headway in Europe and North America as it causes less harm to wild fish since there is no likelihood of spreading diseases into the sea or of farmed fish escaping into the wild.

And while some critics see the new technology as too expensive, Yousef believes the project makes financial sense. “Even when you factor in the cost of keeping the tanks cooled, the price of locally produced salmon will be competitive with the imported salmon now available in the market,” he said.

Salmon available in local markets now is flown in chilled at temperatures between -5 degrees and 0 degrees Celsius. The cost of flying the salmon from mostly Norway and Ireland is around $4 to $5 per kilogram. Experts from these two countries will work closely with a team of local fishermen to constantly update them on international practices, Yousef said. — Reuters

GENEVA: Negotiators came tantalizingly close but failed to clinch a global free trade deal after more than a decade of talks that could have given the world economy a $1 trillion boost, the head of the World Trade Organization said yesterday.

Roberto Azevedo said diplomats from the WTO’s 159 members tried hard but “cannot cross the finish line here in Geneva” ahead of a summit where ministers were to have signed the deal in Bali, Indonesia next week. He said more progress was made in the past weeks than over the past five years, but that was still not enough.

“Over the last few days, we stopped making the tough political calls. And this prevented us from getting to the finish line,” he told a news conference. “We are indeed close, but not quite there.”

The negotiations would have eased the rules of global commerce by cutting red tape to open markets and help develop poorer economies. They also focused on tariff quotas, government incentives for exports and agriculture issues such as subsidies for grain stockpiling.

But disputes between major economies such as the United States, the European Union, China and India bogged down the discussions. The Bali summit has been cast as a last chance to revive the so-called “Doha Round” of WTO-brokered talks that began in Qatar in 2001 and frustrated Azevedo’s predecessor, Pascal Lamy. The diplomats became deadlocked over the details and there remains so much disagreement that several more weeks of negotiations could not close the gaps, he said.

“Holding negotiations in the short time we’ll have in Bali would be simply impractical with over 100 ministers around the

exports of oil from the Islamic republic to fall by more than one million barrels a day.

Exports fell from 2.5 million barrels a day in 2011 to 1.1 million in the first nine months of this year, according to the International Energy Agency. Iran’s ability to rapidly increase exports is likely to be hampered by the effect that years of sanctions have had on its infrastructure, said Andrey Kryuchenkov at VTB Capital. “It would be difficult to ramp shipments up quickly... given ageing and idling infrastructure,” he noted.

Credit Suisse are more optimistic-they believe that six months after a full lifting of the sanctions, Iran will have regained 75 percent of its lost production. The potential impact of an influx of Iranian oil on to the market remains unclear. Julian Jessops, chief economist at Capital Economics, believes Brent could fall by $10. But as Kryuchenkov points out, OPEC-of which Iran is a memberwill fight to defend the $100 barrier, most likely by cutting output in the world’s biggest producer, Saudi Arabia. — AFP

Gulf declines, Dubai up before Expo decision MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS

Roberto Azevedo table,” he said.

The lack of a global trade deal has not prevented individual countries from making deals among themselves. The European Union, for example, has clinched free trade deals with South Korea and later Canada. It is in separate talks with the US and Japan as well.

But Azevedo said the failure to reach a global deal leaves poorer countries worse off and hurts the WTO’s credibility. The WTO will only be viewed as a trade court and no longer as a forum for governments to negotiate trade agreements. “We will fail not only the WTO and multilateralism,” he said. “We will also fail our constituencies at large, the business community and, above all, the vulnerable among us. We will fail the poor worldwide.” — AP

DUBAI: Most Gulf bourses declined yesterday in a wave of profit-taking triggered partly by oil’s temporary weakness in the aftermath of the world powers’ nuclear deal with Iran. Oil prices have since recovered as it became clear that Iranian oil exports would not rise significantly in coming months, if at all. But Gulf stock markets have nevertheless taken the Iranian deal as a cue for profit-taking.

The main stock index in Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest oil exporter, shed 0.6 percent yesterday and Qatar was down 0.7 percent. Dubai, however, rose 0.6 percent as investors made last-minute bets on its bid to host the Expo 2020 world fair. The winning bid is to be announced after the close today. Emar Properties, which investors see as a major beneficiary of the Expo, gained 1.3 percent. Builder Arabtec rose 2.0 percent after announcing it would boost its stake in energy-focused contractor Target Engineering as part of a push into the oil and gas services sector.

Investors in London, however, showed caution over Dubai real estate exposure; the emirate’s DAMAC Real Estate revised the pricing of its $500 million initial public offer of shares in London to the bottom of the initial $12.25-17.25 range.

Abu Dhabi’s index edged up 0.05 percent. Sudanese telecommunications operator Sudatel slipped 4.6 percent after saying in a bourse statement it had no explanation for a 41 percent share price jump over the previous three sessions.

Profit-taking was most aggressive in Egypt. The country’s main index dropped 1.8 percent, led by stocks which had previously been favorites of retail investors. “This is a normal sell-off after a decent rally. It is a bit aggressive as it is dominated by retail investors,” said Ashraf Akhnoukh, co-head of sales trading at CIBC Brokerage in Cairo.

Commercial International Bank declined 4.8 percent, even though it announced on Monday a 3 billion Egyptian pound ($436 million) share dividend. In the last five months, the stock has gained 52 percent.“Commercial International Bank has outperformed the market in the recent rally,” Akhnoukh noted. The main index is up 39 percent from this year’s low of 4,480 points which it hit in late June, just before the ouster of former president Mohammad Morsi. — Reuters

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

BUSINESS

Batelco to go to UK court in $185m case million subscribers at the end of 2011 and in February 2012 the two affiliates were ordered to be stripped of their licenses as part of a corruption probe that pre-dated the Gulf operators’ investments. Batelco swiftly announced it was selling its stake in S Tel back to Siva, but when Siva failed to pay by an October 2012 deadline, the Bahraini firm launched legal proceedings.

Batelco claims it had an option potentially allowing it to sell its S Tel stake back to Siva, court documents show. The Bahraini firm argues Siva’s failure to arrange $281

Sivasankaran on May 7, a court official told Reuters. The Bahraini firm is claiming the $174.5 million it paid Chennai-based Siva for a 43 percent stake in Indian operator S Tel in 2009, plus $10.3 million and a further $30,000 a day. Batelco and Etisalat, which in 2008 bought 45 percent of Swan Telecom, later renamed Etisalat DB, had hoped the Gulf’s large Indian expatriate communities would help them prosper in India, but both were late entrants and struggled to gain a foothold. Between them, the two units accounted for only 5.2 million of India’s 894

DUBAI: Batelco will go to a British court in May in a bid to recoup $185 million from a failed Indian venture, as the Bahraini firm tries to avoid following Gulf peer Etisalat in suffering big losses on the subcontinent.

The ongoing troubles of Batelco and the United Arab Emirates’ Etisalat show the difficulties some foreign telecom operators have found working in a competitive Indian market.

Britain’s Commercial Court will hear Batelco’s case against former Indian partner Siva and its chairman Chinnakannan

million of debt for S Tel entitled Batelco to trigger the sell option, which Siva disputes.

Batelco and Siva then provisionally agreed for Siva to buy back the S Tel shares at the original sale price and for Batelco to acquire 79 million equity shares in Tata Teleservices Ltd - India’s No.6 mobile operator by subscribers - held by the Chennai group for the same amount.

But Batelco and Siva disagree over the whether these deals were to be completed simultaneously, with the Bahraini company insisting they were two separate transac-

tions and should not be considered a share exchange. Neither sale was completed.

Batelco did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Siva declined to comment because the matter is sub judice.

Etisalat, which took an impairment of 3 billion dirhams ($828 million) on Etisalat DB in the fourth quarter of 2011, is still trying to extricate itself from India and was in court in Mumbai this month to wind up its affiliate, according to local press reports. Etisalat also took an impairment of 2.37 billion dirhams against its Pakistani unit in 2012. — Reuters

Oil rises above $111, Iran relief unclear Deal caps Iran’s exports at current levels

ATHENS: Striking doctors and health sector employees of the social insurance system EOPYY gather outside the ministry of Health in Athens yesterday during a demonstration against job suspensions and layoffs. — AFP

Azerbaijan aims for Islamic banking law DUBAI: Azerbaijan’s largest lender, International Bank of Azerbaijan (IBA), is working with national authorities on a draft Islamic banking law and a final version could be presented to parliament in 2014, a senior executive said. Islamic finance has developed slowly in the former Soviet state, where an estimated 93 percent of the 9 million people are Muslim. But IBA’s Islamic banking business is now growing strongly, which is encouraging authorities to take action.

“The main aim is legislation. The cabinet of ministers of Azerbaijan has already started the project together with the ministry of economic development and IBA,” Behnam Gurbanzada, IBA’s director of Islamic banking, told Reuters. With strong state support, the draft legislation could be ready by May with a final version presented to parliament by the end of 2014, Gurbanzada said on the sidelines of the Global Islamic Economy Summit in Dubai.

“It covers banking, taxation...It covers some specific issues like civil law.” Among other provisions, Islamic banking bans interest payments and pure monetary speculation, and the structures which it uses to achieve this can be expensive unless special tax arrangements are made.

IBA now offers sharia-compliant products through an Islamic window, but legislation would pave the way for a standalone Islamic banking unit, Gurbanzada added. The bank, 50.2 percent owned by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Finance, holds 40 percent of banking assets in the country.

“By the end of 2013 we will reach $200 million of Islamic banking assets and with a goal for 2014 of around $300 million to $350 million,” Gurbanzada said. The bank held $60 million of Islamic banking assets last December.

Next year, the lender plans to open four dedicated Islamic banking branches, Gurbanzada added. — Reuters

Damac property’s $500m IPO covered at $12.25 per share LONDON: Dubai property firm Damac Real Estate has sent out a covered message on its USD500m London IPO indicating the deal is on course to complete later yesterday, though pricing has been revised to the bottom of the range.

The price range was changed to $12.25$13.25 yesterday morning, from original guidance of $12.25-$17.25, which was set on November 14, when the issuer opened books on the deal.

The new range values the company at $2.65bn-$2.86bn and sets the freefloat at 15 percent-17.5 percent, by IFR calculations.

Hussain Sajwani, who owns 100 percent of the company, will sell up to 18.8 percent of

the share capital and provide a secondary greenshoe. The deal should begin trading today, ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday in the US. The company’s decision to launch an IPO is an indication of just how far sentiment has changed on Dubai property since the real estate crash of 2010-2011, when property prices fell 50 percent over a two-year period.

If successful, the deal will provide encouragement to other Gulf property firms to turn to capital markets. Abu Dhabi’s Aldar Properties, for example, is in the market for an Islamic bond. Citigroup and Deutsche Bank are joint global co-ordinators and bookrunners on Damac. Samba Capital and V TB Capital are co-lead managers. — Reuters

LONDON: Oil edged above $111 a barrel yesterday as investors judged the historic deal between Iran and world powers would bring no immediate increase in crude oil supplies from the OPEC member. The deal halts Iran’s most sensitive nuclear activity and suspends some sanctions by the West, but caps Iran’s exports at the current level of about 1 million barrels per day (bpd).

That means supply concerns continue to affect the market amid disruptions to oil exports from Libya. Front-month Brent crude rose 4 cents to $111.04 a barrel by 1100 GMT. It had plunged as much as $3 in the previous session but recouped most of those losses to end 5 cents down. US oil CLc1 rose 35 cents to $94.44.

“At first, the market was completely taken by surprise yesterday, which led to a sell-off. But I think the market came to its senses quite quickly,” said Bjarne Schieldrop, chief commodity analyst at SEB. “It’s becoming quite clear to most people in the market that there’s not going to be any additional oil in the near-term and not for the next half year.” Iran is mobilizing more ships to store and transport oil, aiming to keep its fields working and mitigate losses of several billion dollars a month as sanctions remain in place for at least another six months.

Oil, particularly the US benchmark, was supported by expectations that distillate stocks, which include heating oil and diesel fuel,

dropped by 800,000 barrels last week, indicating a pick-up in demand in the world’s top oil consumer. The expected fall is overshadowing a forecast of a rise in crude stocks, by 800,000 barrels for the week ended Nov. 22.

Industry group American Petroleum Institute (API) will release its numbers later in the day, followed by the official US Energy Information Administration data on Wednesday.

Also supporting oil is a drop in Libya’s exports to a fraction of its capacity because of protests at oil ports. Commerzbank said in a note: “Any rapid normalization of oil production in Libya remains a pipe dream after fighting broke out in the oil-rich east of the country between regular troops and militant Islamists.” —Reuters

Dubai soon to publish new sukuk standards DUBAI: Dubai expects to publish in one or two weeks new standards for issuing and trading Islamic bonds, which it hopes will become adopted globally, a senior financial executive in the emirate said yesterday. “The standard is there, up and running, if anybody wants to have it adopted,” Essa Kazim, chairman of bourse operator Dubai Financial Market (DFM), told Reuters.

Kazim, who on Jan. 1 will also become governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre, the emirate’s tax-free financial zone, said the standards would be published “in a week or two”. In January this year, Dubai launched a drive to develop its Islamic business sector and said becoming a centre for sukuk issuance and trading was a key part of the plan. New global issuance of sukuk has grown rapidly for most of the past several years and is projected to hit $237 billion in 2018, up from an estimated $100 billion this year, according to a Thomson Reuters study released this month. But the expansion of the market has sometimes been slowed by disputes between scholars, issuers and investors around the world over what types of debt structures are religiously permissible. Sukuk do not pay interest and are structured to offer investors returns in other ways.

Dubai hopes that by introducing clear, detailed standards for sukuk and convincing global investors that they obey the letter and the spirit of Islamic rules, it can attract more international business to its market, which competes with other centres such as London and Kuala Lumpur. Last year, only several billion dollars worth of sukuk were listed on Dubai’s exchanges, but this year the emirate has encouraged state-run companies to list domestically.

Kazim said he expected a total of $16 billion worth of sukuk to be listed in Dubai by the end of this year, and that new regulations would support the listing of Islamic bonds in currencies other than US dollars and United Arab Emirates dirhams, which are already permitted. He did not give details of the new standards, but in February Mabid Ali Al-Jarhi, a member of the board overseeing Islamic business at DFM, said they would be more explicit than standards used elsewhere on whether sukuk structures including controversial ones such as tawarruq - were permissible. Kazim also said Dubai had finalised a new set of standards that fund managers could use to determine whether equities complied with Islamic principles. He did not elaborate. —Reuters

UAE firms, Guinea sign $5bn bauxite deal ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi investment fund Mubadala and Dubai Aluminium (DUBAL) have signed a five-billion-dollar deal with Guinea that should secure resources for UAE aluminium makers, a statement said.

The accord will see Guinea Alumina Corp, a joint venture owned by Mubadala and DUBAL, investing in the construction of a bauxite export mine in Sangaredi, in western Guinea, the government of Guinea said in a statement late Monday.

Guinea sits on almost half of the world’s bauxite reser ves and the Sangaredi mine is due to be operational by 2017. A multi-user port in the West African nation will also be developed in Kamsar by 2017, while an alumina refinery with an initial capacity of 2 million tons per annum would be constructed and ready to operate in 2018. “This agreement will deliver an estimated $5 billion of foreign investment into Guinea over

the next eight years,” said Guinea’s Minister of Mines and Geology Mohamed Lamine Fofana.

“The development plan will create at peak 14,000 direct and indirect jobs and contribute substantially to Guinea’s GDP,” gross domestic product, he said. The agreement was signed during the Guinean Par tners and I nvestors Conference in Abu Dhabi. DUBAL’s chief executive officer Abdulla Kalban, who is also the chairman of GAC, said the agreement delivers on the “strategy to secure upstream resources within the aluminum value chain.” Mubadala and DUBAL took full control of Guinea’s GAC in May after they jointly acquired 66.6 percent stake owned by BHP Billiton and Global Alumina. Previously, Mubadala and DUBAL held 8 percent and 25 percent of GAC’s shares respectively. — AFP

Dubai Oct airport passenger traffic up 15% y-o-y DUBAI: Passenger traffic through Dubai International Airport rose 15.1 percent from a year earlier to 5.7 million people in October, airport authorities said yesterday. Percentage growth rates were particularly high for traffic with eastern Europe and Australasia. The airport, one of the world’s busiest, saw 55.0 million passengers in the first ten months of 2013, an increase of 15.9 percent. Dubai

International handled 208,695 tons of cargo in October, up 3.0 percent from a year earlier; volume in the first 10 months was up 6.2 percent to 1.99 million tons. At the Dubai Airshow last week, Dubai’s Emirates airline announced orders for 50 additional Airbus A380 superjumbos and 150 Boeing jets, in a bet on further rapid expansion of Dubai’s aviation industry in coming years. — Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. ASIAN COUNTRIES 2.836 4.535 2.635 2.162 2.818 228.930 36.593 3.641 6.513 8.978 0.271 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES Saudi Riyal 75.670 Qatari Riyal 77.969 Omani Riyal 737.140 Bahraini Dinar 753.690 UAE Dirham 77.278 ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 40.950 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 40.726 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.324 Tunisian Dinar 171.080 Jordanian Dinar 400.720 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.904 Syrian Lira 3.083 Morocco Dirham 34.718 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 283.650 Euro 386.050 Sterling Pound 458.800 Canadian dollar 272.350 Turkish lira 141.150 Swiss Franc 313.600 Australian Dollar 268.050 US Dollar Buying 282.450 GOLD 20 Gram 244.000 10 Gram 124.000 5 Gram 64.000 Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal Irani Riyal

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 UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

SELL DRAFT 270.24 275.99 315.01 386.57 283.30 460.99 2.89 3.644 4.498 2.162 2.812 2.642 77.20 754.03 41.12 403.20 736.76 78.23 75.68

SELL CASH 268.000 274.000 313.000 386.000 286.200 461.000 2.900 3.800 4.890 2.600 3.400 2.770 77.600 755.3000 41.200 408.500 743.300 78.600 76.000

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat

Selling Rate 283.650 274.575 458.005 386.530 311.135 748.980 77.205 78.760 76.510 399.850 41.126 2.162 4.559 2.636 3.644 6.501 696.700 3.830 09.965

Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit Chinese Yuan Renminbi

Singapore Dollar South African Rand Sri Lankan Rupee Taiwan Thai Baht

3.025 3.805 89.415 46.975

Bahrain Exchange Company CURRENCY Belgian Franc British Pound Czech Korune Danish Krone Euro Norwegian Krone Romanian Leu Slovakia Swedish Krona Swiss Franc Turkish Lira Australian Dollar New Zealand Dollar Canadian Dollar US Dollars US Dollars Mint Bangladesh Taka Chinese Yuan Hong Kong Dollar Indian Rupee Indonesian Rupiah Japanese Yen Kenyan Shilling Korean Won Malaysian Ringgit Nepalese Rupee Pakistan Rupee Philippine Peso Sierra Leone

BUY Europe 0.007373 0.450823 0.006661 0.047539 0.379388 0.042615 0.081847 0.008136 0.038871 0.305791 0.138622 Australasia 0.258822 0.230688 America 0.265788 0.279550 0.280050 Asia 0.003292 0.045191 0.034498 0.004355 0.000020 0.002755 0.003360 0.000258 0.085400 0.003038 0.002515 0.006449 0.000069

SELL 0.008373 0.459823 0.018661 0.052539 0.386888 0.047815 0.81847 0.018136 0.043871 0.315991 0.145622 0.270322 0.240188 0.274266 0.283900 0.283900 0.003892 0.048691 0.037248 0.004756 0.000026 0.002935 0.003360 0.000273 0.091400 0.003208 0.002795 0.006729 0.000075

Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Iranian Riyal Iraqi Dinar Jordanian Dinar Kuwaiti Dinar Lebanese Pound Moroccan Dirhams Nigerian Naira Omani Riyal Qatar Riyal Saudi Riyal Syrian Pound Tunisian Dinar Turkish Lira UAE Dirhams Yemeni Riyal

0.225002 0.021959 0.001898 0.009505 0.008725 Arab 0.745931 0.038395 0.000078 0.000186 0.395856 1.0000000 0.000139 0.022718 0.001201 0.730722 0.077202 0.075003 0.002174 0.167006 0.138622 0.078246 0.001288

0.231002 0.030459 0.002478 0.009685 0.009275 0.753931 0.041495 0.000080 0.000246 0.403355 1.0000000 0.000239 0.046718 0.001836 0.736402 0.078415 0.075703 0.002394 0.175006 0.145622 0.077395 0.001388

Al Mulla Exchange Currency US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar 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) 283.300 386.650 458.750 272.550 4.530 41.075 2.161 3.643 6.505 2.635 753.800 77.100 75.600

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

BUSINESS

BoE’s Carney hits back at guidance critics LONDON: Bank of England Governor Mark Carney hit back yesterday at critics of forward guidance, his centrepiece policy, saying economic recovery would be at risk if the BoE had not spelt out how long it would keep interest rates at record lows. In a sometimes-tetchy session with lawmakers - which contrasted with the warm reception at his first appearance earlier this year - Carney also took aim at Britain’s official statistics and expressed deep concern at reports Royal Bank of Scotland had mistreated small businesses.

Carney took over the BoE in July, and a month later the bank said it would not consider raising interest rates until unemployment fell to 7 percent.

The bank said at the time that might take three years. Since then, growth has picked up speed and unemployment has fallen faster than the BoE had expected, adding to doubts about how long the interest rate pledge will last.

Carney faced barbed questions from members of the Treasury Committee in Britain’s lower house of parliament. One legislator from the same Conservative party as finance minister George Osborne, who appointed Carney, suggested forward guidance was “dead on arrival”. Carney called that a “total failure of logic.” He said markets would be factoring in a much earlier interest rate hike if the BoE had not spelt out its plan.

“We are not seeing an adjustment in short-term expectations of interest rate moves.... Historic relationships would have fully priced in interest rate moves given the strength of this recovery right now.” Another legislator from the opposition Labour Party accused him of putting too favourable a gloss on Britain’s economic performance and of cosying up to Osborne, something Carney said left him “more than mildly offended”.

Carney also said he had no political ambitions in his native Canada. That may not end speculation that he could change his mind later - last year, he denied being interested in becoming governor of the BoE. Carney stressed that the 7 percent used in unemployment forecasts would not compel the Bank to raise rates. “Seven percent is a threshold, not a trigger,” Carney said. Unemployment reached 7.6 percent in the three months to September. Earlier this month, the BoE said it could fall to 7 percent as soon as the fourth quarter of next year, a big chance from its forecasts of August.

The pace of Britain’s recovery this year has surprised even the government and made it the pacesetter among other advanced economies around the world. Carney sounded a note of caution, saying the recovery was starting from a low base.

He also said the BoE’s job of measuring the health of the economy was being hampered by sub-standard official data, especially on business investment and debt levels. “I was much more comfortable with the data in Canada,” said Carney who was governor of the Bank of Canada before taking over the British central bank in July. Asked about Britain’s housing market recovery, Carney said it was likely that prices would continue to rise strongly.

“There is momentum in the housing market. We expect that near-term momentum will be sustained for a period before ultimately house price growth will be more consistent with normal income growth,” he said.

Carney also said two reports published on Monday into the state-owned RBS’s treatment of small businesses were “both deeply troubling and extremely serious”, and that further investigations were needed to assess the scale of the problem.

Carney said Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority - a regulator separate from the BoE - needed to conduct an inquiry into suggestions RBS closed down viable small businesses too quickly in order to profit from a firesale of their assets. — Reuters

South Africa growth slumps to 0.7% PRETORIA: South Africa’s economic growth slowed to 0.7 percent in the third quarter, official data showed yesterday, with labor turmoil and a weak rand weighing down Africa’s biggest economy.

Gross domestic product plunged from a revised level of 3.2 percent in the second quarter to its lowest rate in four years, data from Statistics South Africa showed. The decline was greater than market expectations. The main negative contributor was the manufacturing industry, a result of low production caused by work stoppages in the motor vehicle sector. “Not all industries had happy days,” said Statistics South Africa executive manager of national accounts Gerhardt Bouwer.

“Manufacturing had a negative growth, mainly due to all the strikes,” said Bouwer. Labour unrest is ongoing in key sectors, including manufacturing and mining.

Transport workers with the South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union are currently on strike for higher wages, as are a majority of mine workers at the Northam Platinum mine.

The figures point to more subdued growth for South Africa than expected. The central bank, facing weak domestic demand and a large output gap, has kept its main interest rate at a historically low 5.0 percent to boost growth since July 2012. In October, inflation slowed to 5.5 percent, but the bank cautioned that inflation is likely to remain uncomfortably close to the upper end of the target band.

The bank’s forecast for growth in 2013 was revised down to 1.9 percent. Its forecasts for 2014 and 2014 were both lowered to 3.0 percent and 3.4 percent, respectively.

Governor Gill Marcus has said the bank is in a difficult policy position with the weak rand - which has depreciated by 17 percent against the US dollar since the beginning of the year - putting pressure on inflation. Marcus said on November 21 the Monetary Policy Committee is considering raising rates in 2014. “Certainly raising rates was a discussion,” she said. — AFP

US consumer confidence drops to 7-month low Housing permits breach 1m mark, home prices surge WASHINGTON: US consumers’ confidence in the economy fell in November to the lowest level in seven months, as Americans expressed more concerns about hiring and pay increases in coming months.

The Conference Board says that its index of consumer confidence dropped to 70.4 from 72.4 in October. The October reading was slightly higher than initially reported. Confidence has now fallen for three straight months after reaching a five-year high of 82.1 in June. Consumers’ confidence is closely watched because consumer spending accounts for 70 percent of economic activity. Meanwhile, permits for future US home construction rose to their highest in nearly 5-1/2 years in October and prices for single-family homes notched big gains in September, suggesting a run-up in mortgage interest rates has not derailed the housing recovery.

The data releases yesterday were the latest signs of strength in the economy, despite headwinds from last month’s budget fight, which led to a partial government shutdown, and rising mortgage rates. “These reports are unequivocally in line with our view that the housing recovery remains well on track, as the lack of supply will continue to support both construction activity and house prices,” said Harm Bandholz, chief US economist at UniCredit Research in New York. Building permits jumped 6.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.03 million units, the highest since June 2008 and beating economists’ expectations for a 930,000-unit rate.

Permits, which lead housing starts by at least a month, increased 5.2 percent in September and were up 13.9 percent from a year ago. A separate report showed the S&P/Case Shiller composite index of 20 metropolitan areas increased 13.3 percent in September from a year ago, the strongest gain since February 2006. Prices were up 0.7 percent in August.

Some economists said the housing data, combined with stronger-than-expected October nonfarm payrolls and retail sales reports, raised the risk the Federal Reserve could scale back its massive monthly bond purchases as early as December.

The US central bank noted at last month’s meeting that the recovery in the housing sector had slowed somewhat in recent months. Fed policymakers next meet on Dec 17-18. While permits are not counted in gross domestic product (GDP), they are a key indicator of economic activity and the sturdy gains in both September and October should ease concerns the hous-

NEW YORK: Holiday trimmings greet shoppers around the main entry of Target in New York. The private Conference Board reported on consumer confidence for November yesterday. —AP ing market recovery was stalling. Higher mortgage rates have slowed the pace of home sales, but demand for accommodation as household formation continues to recover from multidecade lows is expected to keep supporting residential construction. Home resales fell in October for a second straight month and confidence among single-family home builders has ebbed somewhat since nearing an eight-year high in August.

Permits for the multifamily home sector surged 15.3 percent in October after increasing 20.1 percent in September.

Permits for buildings with five units or more reached their highest level since June 2008.

Last month, there were strong increases in permits in the West and also the South, where permits were the highest since January 2008. They fell in the Midwest and were flat in the Northeast. The department postponed the release of figures on housing starts and completions for September and October until Dec. 18 because the collection of data was affected by the 16-day shutdown of the government last month. November data also will be published at that time.

The partial shutdown of the federal government also delayed the publishing of the September and October permits reports. — Agencies

Saudi firm Al-Hokair to list on Riyadh bourse

LISBON: People shout slogans during a protest called by Portugal’s main union CGTP, General Confederation of Portuguese Workers, outside the Portuguese parliament during the debate of the 2014 national budget in Lisbon yesterday. — AP

Portuguese parliament adopts austerity budget LISBON: The Portuguese parliament yesterday adopted a tough new austerity budget for the debt-wracked nation, as thousands of angry protestors rallied outside. The text was adopted by lawmakers of the ruling centreright coalition, who hold 132 of 230 seats, overriding the left-wing opposition which voted against.

The 2014 budget aims to save 3.9 billion euros ($5.3 billion), partly through cutting public sector salaries and pensions.

Thousands of protestors massed outside the parliament chanting “Government resign!” and “Enough of these crooks!”, as lawmakers held the vote. Portugal secured a 78-billioneuro ($104 million) economic bailout by the International Monetary Fund and European Union in May 2011, slated to end in June next year. As a condition of the rescue, Lisbon has had to enact a series of austerity reforms to get its finances in check, which has deepened the recession and destroyed one in seven jobs, according to the International Labour Organization.

Unemployment hit a record 17.7 percent in the first quarter of this year. The scale of the reforms and the painful impact of recession have sparked mass street protests, provoking a political crisis over the summer that nearly brought down Prime Minister Pedro Passos

Coelho’s coalition government.

Outside parliament, 61-year-old retired civil servant Isabel Quintas said that “even if this rally does not change the outcome of the vote, it is important for the government and lawmakers to know the Portuguese are against these measures.”

The government views the budget measures as critical. “The 2014 budget is a decisive step for Portugal to recover its financial autonomy” and “conclude its financial assistance program” as planned in June 2014, said Finance Minister Maria Luis Albuquerque during the debate.

The budget still needs approval from the Constitutional Court, which triggered a political crisis once before by rejecting tax measures intended to meet bailout terms, and is due to rule in coming weeks on the proposed civil servant wage cuts. The 2014 budget will cut civil servant wages by between 2.5 and 12 percent for those who earn more than 675 euros per month before taxes, which has sparked the anger of unions and the left-wing opposition.

Retired civil servant pensions worth more than 600 euros will be cut by 10 percent. The age for receiving a full pension is being hiked to 66 from 65 currently, and spouse pensions are being means-tested. — AFP

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hokair Group, one of the largest entertainment and hospitality firms in the Middle East, is planning to list on the Riyadh bourse early next year, two banking sources said.

Based on a potential valuation of about 13 times to its net profit, family-owned Al-Hokair could be valued at about $680 million, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity as the matter is not public.

Companies in Saudi Arabia typically offer 30 percent of their share capital in an IPO which means the company, whose hotel operations include Hilton and Holiday Inn hotels in the Middle East, could raise about $200 million in the offering.

Saudi Arabia, home to the largest stock market in the Gulf Arab region, is encouraging family-owned groups and diversified businesses in the kingdom to list on its stock market in a bid to reduce the bourse’s reliance on construction, petrochemicals and banking companies. Set up in 1965, Al-Hokair is backed by Saudi private equity and investment firm Jadwa Investment Co. It is not related to Saudi Arabian retailer Fawaz Abdulaziz Alhokair. AlHokair and Jadwa were not immediately available for comment. Al-Hokair operates about 50 entertainment centres in Saudi Arabia such as Sparky’s Chain, Digital Land Chain and Metropolis Entertainment City. The company also owns or operates 33 hotels across the region, including leading international brands such as Hilton, Novotel and Holiday Inn, it said on its website.

“You are talking about a company that owns and operates leading hotel chains and

has a leadership position in the entertainment business. Investors are looking for such names that helps them diversify their Saudi exposure,” one of the sources said.

The Riyadh bourse is not directly open to foreign investors and IPOs are marketed to local investors at a discount alone as part of plans by the state to share the kingdom’s wealth with its citizens.Two of Saudi Arabia’s largest private hospital groups will seek to list their shares on the local bourse next year, Reuters reported earlier this month, aiming to capitalise on investor interest in the fast-growing healthcare sector.

Al-Hokair posted revenues of about 2 billion riyals ($533.28 million) in 2012 and net profit of about 200 million riyals ($53.33 million), the sources said. The company has already filed an application with the Saudi market regulator, Capital Markets Authority (CMA), for the potential offering and expects to launch the IPO in February or March next year, the sources said.

Jadwa bought a 35 percent stake in the company in 2012, it said in its latest annual report. The investment was made through one of the firm’s funds.

The Riyadh-based firm also owns stakes in companies such as United Matbouli Group, a distributor of Samsung products in the kingdom and the Saudi Aramco Lubricating Oil Refining Co (Luberef).

It has appointed Saudi Fransi Capital, the investment banking arm of Banque Saudi Fransi to arrange the IPO, the sources said.

Saudi Fransi Capital could not be reached for comment. — Reuters

US banks earn $36bn in third quarter WASHINGTON: US banks earned less in the July-September quarter than they did a year earlier, marking the first year-over-year decline in earnings since the spring of 2009 when the country was still mired in the Great Recession. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. says the banking industry earned $36 billion in the third quarter, down $1.5 billion or 3.9 percent from the third quarter of 2012.

The FDIC says the year-over-year

earnings decline came primarily from a $4 billion increase in litigation expenses at a single institution. The FDIC did not name the institution.

Lower revenue from reduced mortgage activity and lower gains from asset sales also contributed to the reduction in earnings. Half of the nation’s 6,891 insured banking institutions had year-over-year growth in earnings while half repor ted declines. — AP

No explanation for 41% share jump: Sudatel

TIRANA: A view of a Bell Air ATR72 foreground and Airbus A320 plane at Tirana’s international airport. Hundreds of travelers have been stranded at the international airport of Tirana, Albania, and in neighboring countries after Belle Air, Albania’s main carrier, suspended operations there. Albanian economy minister Arben Ahmetaj said that Belle Air, which is based in Italy, owes tax authorities 4.8 million euros ($6.5 million). The company covers over 50 percent of flights to and from Albania. —AP

DUBAI: Abu Dhabi-listed Sudatel yesterday said it had no explanation for a sudden rise in its share price after the Sudanese telecommunications operator’s stock jumped 41 percent in three trading sessions. The former monopoly’s shares are usually only thinly and sporadically traded on the Abu Dhabi Exchange, but the sudden surge since Thursday has lifted the company’s shares to a 19-month high.

“We have not made any communication or taken any measures or published any information or data that led to an increase in the share price,” Sudatel said in a statement to Abu Dhabi’s bourse, in which the company referred to a “big and surprise rise” in its stock. More than 25 million Sudatel shares traded on Monday and 52 million over the past three trading days, compared to a few hundred thousand on most previous days. Its free float is 317 million shares.

The surge comes despite the firm’s weakening performance it made a loss of $34.7 million in the nine months to Sept. 30, compared with a profit of $7.8 million in corresponding period of 2012, its financial statements show. Sudatel’s market value is $398 million, according to Reuters data. — Reuters

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

BUSINESS

How China took control of an OPEC country’s oil NEW YORK: China’s aggressive quest for foreign oil has reached a new milestone, according to records reviewed by Reuters: near monopoly control of crude exports from an OPEC nation, Ecuador. Last November, Marco Calvopioa, the general manager of Ecuador’s state oil company PetroEcuador, was dispatched to China to help secure $2 billion in financing for his government.

Negotiations, which included committing to sell millions of barrels of Ecuador’s oil to Chinese staterun firms through 2020, dragged on for days.

Calvopioa grew anxious and threatened to leave.

“If the Phase III transaction documents are not signed in the coming days, then I cannot remain in Beijing,” he wrote in a confidential letter to China Development Bank (CDB), reviewed by Reuters.

In reality, Calvopioa had little choice but to wait. Shunned by most lenders since a $3.2 billion debt default in 2008, Ecuador now relies heavily on Chinese funds, which are expected to cover 61 percent of the government’s $6.2 billion in financing needs this year. In return, China can claim as much as 90 percent of Ecuador’s oil shipments in coming years, a rare feat in today’s diversified oil market.

“This is a huge and dramatic shift,” said Rene Ortiz, a former Ecuadorean energy minister and secretary general of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. “Never before has Ecuador committed its oil to a lender.”

A small OPEC exporter, Ecuador pumps around 520,000 barrels per day (bpd), or 5 percent as much oil as kingpin Saudi Arabia. But China’s role in the Andean country shows how the Asian giant’s oil firms are becoming powerhouse traders in energy markets far from home. The oil that

Ecuador sells to Chinese firms can be traded anywhere. Yet less than 15,000 bpd is being shipped to China this year, down nearly 40 percent from 2012. Most is sent to the United States.

President Rafael Correa, a socialist who is critical of the power that Western oil majors and private energy trading firms once held in Ecuador, has touted the Chinese deals as a triumph of trade between close allies. Ortiz and other critics say the cash-strapped government’s dependence on loans with increasingly onerous terms could hurt PetroEcuador’s competitiveness, damage transparency in an oil industry that accounts for half of Ecuador’s exports, and distance the country from other creditors.

Contracts, company presentations, and crude loading schedules show how China has come to dominate trading of Ecuador’s 360,000 bpd of oil exports since its biggest listed oil company, PetroChina , first offered PetroEcuador $1 billion in financing in mid-2009.

By April of 2010, Chinese firms were receiving around a third of Ecuador’s export oil. A year later the volumes had nearly doubled. By mid-2013, Chinese state-controlled firms were allocated 83 percent of Ecuador’s oil exports.

When the latest loan deal was made public, in August, it brought the amount of financing that China has pledged to Ecuador during Correa’s presidency to nearly $9 billion - equivalent to 11 percent of Ecuador’s gross domestic product.

About 60 percent of these oil shipments are handled by PetroChina, the world’s second-largest publicly traded oil firm after ExxonMobil and the listed arm of state-owned parent China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC). State-run Unipec - the

trading unit for giant Sinopec Corp - and other Chinese firms get smaller volumes, the schedules show.

Beijing’s growing thirst for natural resources has led Chinese oil firms to offer at least $100 billion in oil-related financing around the world. They already control growing volumes of oil from Venezuela, where China has negotiated at least $43 billion in loans; from Russia, where the tab may exceed $55 billion; and Brazil, with at least $10 billion. In Angola, the deals total around $13 billion. In Ecuador, Chinese firms also participate in oil fields and a refinery project. But most of the loan transactions don’t hand China direct control of oil wells, reservoirs or pipelines. Instead, the borrowings are repaid with cash proceeds from PetroEcuador’s oil sales to Chinese firms.

The Chinese “provide financing for our country and, in exchange, we ensure sales of oil at international prices,” Ecuador’s then-Finance Minister, Patricio Rivera, told state-run TV earlier this year.

PetroChina International told Reuters its arrangements in Ecuador “are purely normal commercial contracts between two companies,” and “have proved to be mutually beneficial.”

PetroChina declined to discuss their terms. A PetroEcuador spokeswoman declined to comment; President Correa’s office did not respond to questions from Reuters.

China’s cash advances to Ecuador cover only a slice of the near $13 billion a year Ecuador can earn from oil sales. But since 2009 PetroEcuador has agreed to sell Chinese firms several hundred million barrels of oil, valued far higher than the loans themselves, according to a Reuters analysis of seven different contracts. With those supplies

locked up, other buyers now get few chances to purchase crude from PetroEcuador in competitive tenders.

Today, Ecuador sets aside as little as 10 percent of its export oil to sell in such tenders to the highest bidder, Calvopioa told state TV earlier this year. In the past, tenders were far more common and frequented by US oil majors or European trading firms. In one of just three such open tenders announced this year, Spain’s Repsol bought 4.3 million barrels in September.

Chinese drillers have long competed with oil majors like Exxon. Since 2009, they have spent some $100 billion to buy oil and gas fields, in Latin America and elsewhere.

Earlier this month, PetroChina and its parent company, CNPC, agreed to buy stakes in three Peruvian oil and gas fields for $2.6 billion.

But experts say the Chinese firms’ strategy is evolving: By gaining control of crude flows from other national oil companies, China’s oil giants are expanding into oil trading, where they compete with big commodity houses like Trafigura and Glencore.

“This is part of the increase in sophistication in Chinese companies,” said Chen Ziwhu, a Yale finance professor and China specialist. With oil-backed loans, “Chinese companies are moving away from buying oil fields and wells.”

The new oil flows allow China to hedge its exposure to oil prices or disruptions from suppliers closer to home, including top OPEC producers Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq.

Although China’s oil imports are rising they reached around 6.3 million bpd in September - several of its state oil firms now trade more oil abroad than they import to China, an official told Reuters last month. Less than 2 percent of Ecuador’s oil was shipped to China during the second quarter, according to Ecuadorean Central Bank data. Instead, at least 214,000 bpd of it wound up in the United States, where many refineries are configured to process heavy-sour Latin American crude.

Chinese firms serve as middleman in most of the Ecuadorean oil sales, while keeping a strategic option to divert barrels to China if needed. As China’s trade grows in the region, US relations have soured with Venezuela and Ecuador, whose leaders are outspoken US critics.

“If China’s control over South America’s oil industry keeps growing, it could become a concern for US policymakers,” said Riordan Roett, political science professor at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington.

Growing leverage An analysis of hundreds of pages of Ecuadorean documents, including internal PetroEcuador memos, presentations and crude lifting schedules, offers new details on how China came to dominate Ecuador’s oil flows. Shortly after taking office in 2007, Correa, a US-trained economist, declared a large chunk of Ecuador’s foreign debt “illegitimate” and “odious,” and the country defaulted the next year. With Ecuador considered a pariah in credit markets and the government scrambling to balance the budget, PetroChina offered a lifeline in July of 2009, depositing $1 billion in Ecuador’s

coffers. The “pre-finance” deal was to be repaid over 2 years and carried a 7.25 percent interest rate. Ecuador committed 96,000 barrels per day to Chinese firms.

Initially, PetroChina also agreed not to sell Ecuador’s oil in nearby markets such as Peru or Chile, considered “PetroEcuador’s natural market.” For competitive reasons, many OPEC state oil companies retain tight control over the destination of their crude.

In a July 2009 memo, Ecuador’s Finance Ministry advised against giving China permission to resell Ecuador’s crude wherever it pleased.

As the loans began flowing in, Chinese firms also seemed to be gaining favor in Ecuador. In 2009, Correa was drawing praise from environmentalists with a plan to keep Ishpingo-Tambococha-Tuputini, or ITT - an oil-rich area of Ecuador’s pristine Yasuni National Park - untouched by drilling. To do so, he publicly sought pledges of $3.6 billion from rich nations to fund the effort.

But the same year, Ecuador’s economic policy ministry drew up a private presentation for Correa’s staff, reviewed by Reuters, in which they pledged to “make the utmost effort to support PetroChina and Andes Petroleum,” another Chinese-controlled driller, “in the exploration of the ITT” oil field.

Correa scrapped the Yasuni initiative this August, citing insufficient funding, and signaling that drilling could proceed in a small area of ITT. Petroamazonas, a state-run PetroEcuador affiliate, is expected to drill there, Correa says. Whether Ecuador will enlist a foreign partner remains unclear.

After 2009, terms changed in new Chinese loans, documents show. A 2010 deal for another $1 billion credit line from China Development Bank cut the premium that PetroChina would pay for Ecuador’s oil, and granted PetroChina approval to resell the crude in any market.

In early 2011, Ecuador got another $1 billion loan, and authorized PetroChina to collect money from any other companies that owed PetroEcuador if Ecuador failed to meet repayment terms.

Debtor’s remorse?

PetroEcuador has sometimes been wary of the deals. In a March 2011 presentation, it cautioned that PetroChina’s claim on Ecuador’s oil flows might prevent it from selling to buyers willing to pay more.

Market factors were converging to make Ecuadorean oil more “competitive,” it said, suggesting fewer barrels be committed to PetroChina. The advice went unheeded.

PetroChina also has partnered with private trading firms - including one, Swissbased Taurus Petroleum, whose trading in Iraqi oil had drawn scrutiny from US prosecutors in the past - to resell some of Ecuador’s oil. For now, PetroEcuador’s ability to seek other customers appears limited. An internal PetroEcuador memo prepared before the China Development Bank offered its latest loan carried a sobering reminder: “The proposed transaction will turn CDB into Ecuador ’s biggest financial creditor.” Chinese loans would now be linked to “the majority of Ecuador’s oil revenue over the medium and long-term.” — Reuters

MADRID: A man eats some food he found in a trash can outside a restaurant in Madrid yesterday. Recent figures have confirmed that Spain’s two-year recession has come to an end. However, unemployment remains high at 26.3 percent and trade unions and anti-austerity groups angry at the effects of the financial crisis held protest marches in 55 Spanish cities over the weekend. — AP

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

BUSINESS

NBK only Arab bank among ‘Best Forex Providers 2014’ Exclusive survey by Global Finance Cadillac offers exclusive prices to NBK’s Thahabi customers KUWAIT: In honor of the special relationship it shares with Kuwait’s leading companies and organizations, Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons Automotive, the exclusive distributor of Cadillac vehicles in Kuwait, has partnered with National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) to offer the bank’s Thahabi customers exclusive prices on all Cadillac vehicles.

The promotion runs till the 28th of November.

Cadillac has illustrated its recognition and appreciation of its customers with this unique promotion that offers an array of luxury Cadillac vehicles that suits the elegant & sophisticated lifestyle of Thahabi customers. Cadillac has proved itself to be the ultimate vehicle of choice for Thahabi customers as every model exudes the right amount of luxury, comfort and technological innovation, all of which complement Thahabi customers’ everyday lives.

Cadillac lineup of luxury vehicles includes a range of exclusive models including the ATS, CTS & CTS Coupe, XTS, SRX and Escalade. The Cadillac models were recently equipped with the innovative CUE technology, a factor that offers its owner many luxury and safety-oriented options that add to the drivers’ pleasure and excitement on the road. The CUE system (Cadillac User Experience) is part of the new and advanced technology that enhances Cadillac owners’ entertainment experience with LCD touch screens that are

similar to the ones used in smartphones.

The large icons, easy to use commands and memory card add to the touch screen’s functionality. It also comes with a USB and MP3 player that can be connected to the car owner’s mobile phone. These high quality and technological elements heighten Cadillac owners’ luxurious drive and unparalleled experience on the road.

Owning a Cadillac means that an individual will enjoy peace of mind on the road. As with all Cadillac owners, Thahabi members will be provided with free service and maintenance for four years or 100,000 km, 24-hour roadside assistance for up to four years or unlimited mileage, warranty for 4 years or 100,000 km and finally, courtesy transportation and a replacement vehicle when one’s Cadillac is undergoing maintenance service.

Adding to the luxury, Cadillac offers its customers in Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim the highest quality of services. Being one of the largest in the world, the service center is equipped with a large variety of the most advanced equipment operated by a team of skilled professionals and effective consultants who ensure timely service. Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons Automotive continues to offer exclusive promotions that encourage people to purchase their very own Cadillac so as to experience the limitless benefits and luxury that come along with the world famous luxury car.

Countdown to Burgan Bank’s celebration at Grand Avenue KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced yesterday that a mega celebration at The Grand Avenues - The Avenues Mall will take place on Thursday, November 28 at 7:30 pm as part of its announcement of the first lucky Al Thuraya Account winner who will win an Audi R8 Car. The event will also feature a mixture of exceptional activities as well as surprises for the visitors of the mall, and instant draw prizes.

Al-Thuraya Account is the only salary account that gives its customers an ongoing chance to win the Audi R8 dream car.

Opening an Al-Thuraya account is simple; customers are required to visit their nearest Burgan Bank branch and obtain all the necessary details, or simply call the bank’s Call Center 1804080. Established in 1977, Burgan Bank is the youngest commercial Bank and third largest by assets in Kuwait, with a significant focus on the corporate and financial institutions sectors, as well as having a growing retail and private bank customer base.

Burgan Bank has five majority owned subsidiaries, which include Gulf Bank

Algeria - AGB (Algeria), Bank of Baghdad BOB (Iraq & Lebanon), Jordan Kuwait Bank JKB (Jordan) Tunis International Bank - TIB (Tunisia), and fully owned Burgan Bank Turkey, (collectively known as the “Burgan Bank Group”).

The Bank has continuously improved its performance over the years through an expanded revenue structure, diversified funding sources, and a strong capital base.

The adoption of state-of-the-art services and technology has positioned it as a trendsetter in the domestic market and within the MENA region.

Burgan Bank’s brand has been created on a foundation of real values - of trust, commitment, excellence and progression, to remind us of the high standards to which we aspire. ‘People come first’ is the foundation on which its products and services are developed. Earlier this year, ‘Brand Finance’ - the international brand valuation company- rated Burgan Bank brand as AA with positive outlook.? The rating places Burgan Bank Brand at 2nd amongst the most valuable banking brands in Kuwait.

KUWAIT: For the second consecutive year, National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) was recognized as the Best Foreign Exchange Provider in Kuwait and the Middle East 2014 in an exclusive survey compiled by the world renowned financial magazine Global Finance. NBK is the only Arab bank enlisted among the World’s Best Foreign Exchange Providers.

The rankings, compiled by international finance magazine, Global Finance, are based on input from industry analysts, corporate executives and technology experts. Criteria for choosing the winners included transaction volume, market share, scope of global coverage, cus-

tomer service, competitive pricing and innovative technologies.

NBK is the only Arab bank enlisted among the World’s Best Foreign Exchange Providers along with major international financial institutions such as Citi, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, Societe General, DBS, and Standard Bank.

“Corporations operating in today’s global markets need the advice, tools and services of a trusted foreign exchange provider,” says Joseph D Giarraputo, publisher and editorial director of Global Finance. “The $5.3 trillion-a-day FX market is undergoing rapid changes as a result of technology and new regulations. We have iden-

tified the banks and systems that corporations can rely on to manage their FX exposure in every-changing markets worldwide,” he added.

NBK continues to collectively enjoy the highest credit ratings from the three international rating agencies; Moody’s, Fitch Ratings and Standard and Poor’s. The Bank’s ratings are supported by its high capitalization, prudent lending policies, and its disciplined approach to risk management, in addition to its highly recognized and very stable management team. NBK also maintains its position among the 50 safest banks in the world for the eighth consecutive time.

Nigeria to ditch polymer for paper banknotes ‘Policy somersaults’ cause concerns LAGOS: Nigeria is to revert to paper banknotes, the country’s central bank has announced, in a policy switch bucking a growing trend around the world for tougher polymer-based currency.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) signed a deal in 2006 with Australia’s Securency International to print lower more-circulated units of the naira in polymer, while higher denominations were kept in paper form. But six years down the line-and after allegations that the manufacturer bribed foreign officials to secure contracts, including in Nigeria-the CBN said it was being forced to reverse the policy.

“Polymer has been on a test run since 2007. This explains why we did not go the whole hog by printing all the notes in polymer,” central bank spokesman Ugochukwu Okoroafor told AFP. “We only used polymer for N5, N10, N20 and N50, while N100, N200, N500 and N1,000 are in paper form. “We soon discovered that the (polymer) notes easily fade out because of our peculiar hot climate in Nigeria... making them look tattered when in use over time.”

Earlier experiments indicated that the polymer-based notes, which are in use in 23 countries around the world, including Australia, could last longer than traditional cotton-paper notes.

But Nigeria’s central bank said there had been a public outcry about the poorer quality of some of the new currency in circulation.

Securency International was reported to have supplied 1.9 billion of its Guardian brand polymer-based notes to Nigeria between 2006 and 2008.

In the wake of the briber y claims, the Reser ve Bank of Australia sold its 50 percent stake in the firm.

Innovia Security, which bought out Securency International earlier this year, said it did not comment

on clients or their business but added that a number of countries with hot and humid climates used their product.

“We have had no issues of premature ink wear or colour fading in these markets,” a spokesman said in an emailed statement.

Nigeria, whose economy is predominantly cash-based, is looking to increase people’s use of electronic payment methods such as credit cards, online trading and introducing cashpoint machines in a bid to try to reduce the amount individuals carry around at any one time.

However, there are concerns that switching back to paper notes is a sign of a lack of a coherent policy. “My concern is that Nigeria is fond of policy somersaults,” said Moruf Akamo, a former banker.

“What becomes of the initial investment in the polymer technology, considering that the notes have been in circulation for only six years after their adoption in 2007?”

Akamo said the CBN should have done more research to ascertain the feasibility of polymer notes before starting the project. “Why is Nigeria going back and forth? It’s time our policy makers got their acts together and do what is right for this country,” he said.

Yemi Adegbola advised the central bank against spending money to print paper notes, which can degrade quickly with daily handling and the tropical climate. “I can’t see any logic in going back to paper notes,” said Adegbola, a treasury manager at a commercial bank in Lagos. “ The trend worldwide is to embrace polymer. I wonder why Nigeria’s case is different?” he added, claiming that polymer was less susceptible to forgery. “It’s not easy to fake polymer notes like paper notes,” he said. Ufoma Okeke, a 25-year-old business administration student, said the CBN should not waste scarce resources on

Nigerian banknotes, the naira, in different denominations. — AFP paper banknotes.

“Nigeria is broke. The states are finding it difficult to pay their bills.

We can better utilise our limited resources rather than waste such on a white elephant project,” she cautioned.

The CBN, however, said the switchover, likely from the middle of 2014, would not be a drain on the country’s finances and would be gradual. “What we have decided

is to switch over to paper notes when we next want to print naira notes,” said Okoroafor.

“When the polymer notes in circulation become tattered and ready to be disposed of, we will start the printing of paper notes.”

New paper notes will be printed locally by the state-run Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company rather than abroad, he added. — AFP

China, East Europe to boost trade ties

A Barnes & Noble bookstore is photographed in Orlando. — AP

Barnes & Noble swings to Q2 profit NEW YORK: Barnes & Noble reported a profit in the second quarter as it invested less in its Nook e-book reader and cost cuts offset lower sales. Its sales missed expectations, however, and its shares dropped more than 3 percent in premarket trading.

The company has invested heavily in its Nook e-book reader and digital library, but it has scaled back amid tough competition

from Amazon’s Kindle and the Apple iPad. It introduced a new e-book reader, a $119 Nook GlowLight, for the holidays. Net income for the three months ended Oct. 26 totaled $13.2 million, or 15 cents per share. That compares with a loss of $501,000, or 7 cents per share, last year. Revenue fell 8 percent to $1.73 billion. Analysts expected a loss of 3 cents per share on revenue of $1.76 billion. — AP

Irish jobless rate drops as bailout exit nears DUBLIN: Irish unemployment shrank at its fastest pace in four years in the third quarter, falling below 13 percent for the first time since a property bust and boosting the government just as it completes its EU-IMF bailout. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, widely seen as one of the most important measures of the economy, fell to 12.8 percent from a revised 13.6 percent in the second quarter, the Central Statistics Office said yesterday. That was the sharpest quarterly drop since unemployment peaked at 15.1 percent early last year.

A poll of economists last month had forecast it would take a further five quarters - to the end of 2014 - for the rate to fall that far. “It’s fair to say these are stunning numbers that suggest the economy is starting to enter a higher gear,” said Owen Callan, a Dublin-based bond dealer at Danske Bank. “It bodes very well for

2014.” Unemployment is seen as a crucial indicator of the real health of the Irish economy because it is less susceptible to the volatile investment flows of the huge multinational sector than headline gross domestic product growth.

The Irish rate is now just marginally above the euro-zone average of 12.2 percent. The government needs to engineer a recovery in the domestic economy to meet its debt reduction targets if it wants to maintain affordable borrowing rates after it emerges from its bailout deal with the European Union and International Monetary Fund in mid-December.

It had forecast growth of 0.2 percent this year and 2 percent next year, but those numbers are based on the expectation that it would take until the end of this year for unemployment to fall to 13.5 percent. —Reuters

BUCHAREST: China and 16 Central and Eastern European countries pledged yesterday to boost twoway investment and trade, insisting that EU regulations will be met.

“China eyes cooperation in infrastructure, communications, highspeed railway projects, which will lead to massive investment and a rise in commercial exchanges,” with countries in the region, Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang told 16 CEE counterparts and hundreds of businessmen attending a meeting in Bucharest. “ We are prepared to discuss ways to finance these projects, within the lines traced by European Union regulations,” Li stressed.

Brussels has warned countries in the region against crossing any regulatory red lines when concluding economic deals with China.

Li said he hoped $10.5 billion in credit lines committed by China last year would be put to use, proclaiming 2014 “the year of ChinaCEE investment and business ties”.

The credit lines were announced by Li’s predecessor Wen Jiabao during a summit in Warsaw. But analysts say that 18 months later the promise the massive capital injections have yet to materialize.

The gathering in Bucharest comes less than a week after the 28-nation European Union held a summit with China at which the two sides launched negotiations for a landmark investment agreement. The EU and China have seen their commercial relationship grow dramatically but also witnessed increasing trade disputes over issues ranging from solar panels to wine. “Pragmatic cooperation between the CEE region and China is beneficial not only to the two sides but also to the consolidation of balanced development in

Europe as a whole,” Li stressed.

“China needs a powerful Europe, but Europe can only be strong if each and every one of its members attains rapid economic development,” Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta said. The prime ministers of 15 Eastern European states are attending the summit. Latvia is represented by its Foreign Minister.

On Monday, shortly after arriving in Romania, Li insisted “cooperation between China and the CEE was an important part in the relationship with the EU.” He added that China wanted “a strong euro currency and a united, prosperous EU.” China and Romania signed 13 cooperation agreements on nuclear, renewable and conventional energy, and on agriculture.

The accords on nuclear cooperation are expected to give China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) a role in Romania’s plans to build two new reactors at its sole nuclear plant, at Cernavoda.

The project, delayed for years for lack of funding, is worth more than $5.4 billion. Ponta made a point of reassuring Brussels, stressing that Romania would “definitely observe the EU competition rules.”

But he added that Chinese companies should not be discriminated against “when their bids were technically and financially better, which was the case in many fields.” Li and his Hungarian and Serb counterparts, Viktor Orban and Ivica Dacic, also announced an agreement on the modernization of a railway linking the two Central European countries. “This will be a landmark project,” Li said.

Orban hailed a “one-of-a-kind, never-before agreement,” saying it embodied a “win-win-win-win situation, as Serbia, China, Hungary and the EU will all have to gain

from it.” “China’s investment policy is of assistance to the entire EU because it increases the competitiveness” of the European bloc, he added. In the early 2000s, Chinese investment in the region was almost inexistent. In 2010 it topped $800 million, according to the Warsaw-based Central and Eastern European Development Institute.

Trade between China and CEE has

also grown. While it amounted to $3.0 billion in 2000, it surpassed $41 billion in 2010, with China registering a net surplus.

Following the euro-zone crisis, the CEE countries with their “hybrid economies, somewhere between emerging and developed markets... appear as more dynamic places to put Chinese money into,” the CEED said. —AFP

BEIJING: France’s Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici (left) and China’s Vice Premier Ma Kai (right) shake hands as they attend a joint press conference following a signing ceremony at a France-China HighLevel Economic and Financial Dialogue meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing yesterday.—AFP

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

BUSINESS

Kuwait development plan must overcome hurdles: Agility head Sultan lays out logistics challenges at Kuwait Projects Conference KUWAIT: Agility’s Tarek Sultan, speaking at the MEED Kuwait Projects Conference 2013, discussed the logistics, transport and border challenges facing Kuwait as it embarks on an ambitious, five-year $105 billion development plan.

Sultan, Chairman and Managing Director of Agility, said that there is a “genuine commitment” by the Kuwaiti government to move ahead with public spending and approval of critical infrastructure projects that will help close the gap between Kuwait and its Gulf Cooperation Council neighbors.

Successful completion of those projects will require international expertise, sustained government support, logistics infrastructure, knowledge of the Kuwait market and strong local partnerships, Sultan says. Agility, based in Kuwait, is a global leader in logistics and a specialist in large infrastructure projects around the world.

Sultan, a speaker at the conference, said that Kuwait must address a shortage in skilled labor, ongoing border issues with Iraq, and inefficiencies in customs procedures and critical transport facilities to ensure success and maximize the economic benefits of the projects it has outlined.

Agility is a sponsor and exhibitor at the conference, which is to take place Nov. 24-26. The event is intended to highlight the latest developments and business opportunities associated with Kuwait’s planned mega-projects and to identify factors with potential to affect implementation of the country’s national plan.

“Agility’s sponsorship underlines our commitment to successful delivery of Kuwait’s projects and strategic initiatives,”

Tarek Sultan speaking at the MEED Kuwait Projects Conference 2013.

Sultan says. “We are excited about what the future holds. As a global logistics service provider, we hope to play a role in helping Kuwait achieve its vision.”

Agility brings efficiency to supply chains in some of the globe’s most challenging environments, offering unmatched personal service, a global footprint and customized capabilities in developed and developing economies alike. Agility is one of

the world’s leading providers of integrated logistics. It is a publicly traded company with over $5 billion in revenue and more than 22,000 employees in 500 offices across 100 countries.

Agility’s core commercial business, Global Integrated Logistics (GIL), provides supply chain solutions to meet traditional and complex customer needs. GIL offers air, ocean and road freight forwarding, warehousing, distribution, and spe-

cialized services in project logistics, fairs and events, and chemicals. Agility’s Infrastructure group of companies manages industrial real estate and offers logistics-related services, including e-government customs optimization and consulting, waste management and recycling, aviation and ground-handling services, support to governments and ministries of defense, remote infrastructure and life support.

Ali Alghanim & Sons GTC, platinum sponsor of 3rd Industries & Building Exhibition KUWAIT: Ali Alghanim & Sons GTC has announced its platinum sponsorship of the 3rd Industries & Building Exhibition, scheduled to be held next December 2-5, Jumeirah Hotel, Kuwait, under the auspices of the State Minister for Housing Affairs, Salem Al-Authina, and organized by ExpoTag Exhibitions and Conferences Company, in cooperation with the National Industries Company and in participation of more than 50 government and private companies.

On this occasion, Narendra Tater , CFO said such specialized exhibitions contribute to the growth and development of the building and construction sector in Kuwait through the presence of specialists under one roof, which will assist in the exchange of experiences, knowledge and business networking between all relevant market participants. These exhibitions are being recognized as one of the most efficient and powerful platforms for effectively doing business and information transfers wherein companies in a specific business can showcase and demonstrate their latest products, services & technologies to a broader group , examine recent market trends and opportunities.

He added, “Our company M/s Ali Alghanim & Sons GTC is a highly-specialized construction company with core competence in projects of building construction, civil infrastructure, roads, landscaping, electromechanical, HVAC and provide all product everything and anything related to construction industry such as floorings, sanitary wares, home accessories, furniture, kitchens of various types, German JCSB pumps, US made electric vehicles, water systems & Industrial equipment etc. The region holds immense potential for the construction industry and what we provide is a widespread of architecture and construction related services, products and technologies, a treat for engineer’s mind.

We live in an age of continual and increasingly rapid change. Our aim is not just to keep pace with this change, but to help lead it.”

Floorings and sanitary ware Meanwhile, Mazen Basheer, GM Flooring division, said the company has announced its participation in this exhibition by presenting a number of its products which include (Bongo, Atony Melada/ Life/ Hatria/ Meratzi/Hatria for the first time in Kuwait ceramic and porcelain warranty) which extends for lifetime.

He explained that the Kuwaiti market at present is considered as one of the biggest markets on the Gulf level in view of the extensive construction and building witnessed by Kuwait, and added that among the most significant projects carried out by the company and in which it contributed include the partnership in large project such as BMW, Porch and Audi showroom, in addition to Movenpick Al Bidaa Hotel, Nakhla Al-Jumeira in Dubai, Al Rashid Mall in Saudi Arabia, Fontana Towers in Bahrain and Brwa Mall in Qatar.

Kitchens and fittings Haroot ,GM kitchens and fittings division explained that the company proposes to upgrade the specifications according to new developments worldwide and in conformity with the environmental safety requirements, which is in line with the government directions to execute the various development projects in order to achieve the economic development in the country.

He pointed out that the Company will launch a number of products during the exhibition which include Italian kitchens (Arido- Aster- Agma) brands, modern Italian bedrooms of (Homes) brand, in addition to Italian and German kitchen appliances of (Zanussi - Elva- AEG) brands and artificial marble (LG Chem.). He pointed out that among the most important projects in which the company participated include Tejara Project (kitchens) and Al Rashid Tower (Salmiya (Kitchens.)

Water system Meanwhile, Ahmad Al-Khateeb, GM Water systems said the company will inform the public of its products and the extent of their quality through constant interaction with them. He pointed out that the Kuwaiti market is considered as an active and continuously developing and progressing.

Al-Khateeb explained that among the most prominent products of the company are ICSB pumps - Germany, US made electric cars, US water boilers, central water filters, filters for irrigation uses, and Songil water tanks - Korea.

Al Khateeb said among the most significant projects accomplished by the company is the approval of ICSB pumps and Songil tanks in east Sulaibkhat housing project, as well as the ground tanks project in Sabah Al Ahmad area.

Narendra Tater

Ahmad Al Khateeb

Mazen Basheer

Premium models continue to drive growth in Kuwait 33% sales growth for BMW, Mini in Kuwait KUWAIT: Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive, the BMW Group importer in Kuwait, has announced a 33% sales growth for BMW and MINI for the first nine months of 2013 compared to the same period in 2012. Year to date sales of vehicles sold to customers make Kuwait the third biggest market after the UAE and Saudi Arabia in terms of the number of BMW and MINI cars sold in the Middle East. Testament to the strength of the Kuwait market, these figures highlight the continued demand for BMW Group vehicles and the importance of Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive’s on-going focus on exceptional customer service, an extensive product offering and premium facilities to cater for the brands’ on-going growth.

The biggest seller across the product range has continued throughout the year to be the 5 Series which aside from being the world’s best-selling vehi-

cle in the executive saloon segment, it accounted for an 11% increase in registrations. The recent launch of the new BMW 5 Series is expected to continue to drive sales for the executive saloon.

The BMW 7 Series - the leader in the premium luxury segment continues to be one of the best-selling vehicles from Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive. The successful launch of the latest generation BMW 7 Series late last year has continued to flow through into the first nine months of this year and be a positive contributor to the BMW Group’s overall outlook for 2013 in the Kuwait. With a sales increase of 102% compared to the same period in 2012, the BMW 7 Series continues to be a key driver of growth for the BMW brand in the Kuwait.

Commenting on the exceptional performance, Yousef Al-Qatami, General Manager, Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive said: “It comes as no surprise that

the BMW 7 Series continues to be a key driver of growth in Kuwait. It truly is the epitome of luxury and the clear leader in the premium luxury segment in our market. Customers in Kuwait are extremely discerning and consistently demand the best in motoring and our growth figures are a clear testament to this. We are confident that both our product offering as well as our commitment to customer service will ensure that we will end the year with a phenomenal success.”

The ever-popular 3 Series continues to maintain its position as the world’s best-selling premium car with a 34% increase in sales for Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive as more supply of the new model filters through to the region. The recent introduction of the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo will ensure that this popular model continues on its successful path in the Kuwait.

Our industry needs to provide broadband benefits for All: Ooredoo chairman KUWAIT: The Chairman of Ooredoo Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al-Thani has called on the global communications industry to seize the challenge of providing more people with Broadband Internet access, during the opening ceremony for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecom World event on November 19, 2013.

The 2013 annual edition of ITU Telecom World, was a Four-day event that started on the 19th of November to the 22nd of November in Bangkok, Thailand. The topic for discussions this year was “Embracing Change in a Digital World.” The event brought together influential global leaders in ICT from the public and private sectors to discuss solutions and new ideas.

Wataniya Telecom was also present at the ITU event this year along with many other communication service providers and government parties from around the world. As technology keeps changing in the fast world of telecommunications, the company believes in “Embracing Change in a Digital World” and is focused on bringing the best and latest to its customers in Kuwait. Sheikh Abdullah urged operators to work together to lower mobile broadband costs and improve network access during his keynote presentation.

“Our industry has two major challenges in the upcoming period. We need to make sure that the benefits of mobile broadband technology are available to as many people as possible. We need to work together with government, operators and

device manufacturers to boost affordability, improve network access and improve the customer experience,” said Sheikh Abdullah.

“At the same time, we need to do a better job of shaping the future, rather than responding to it. We need to be active investors in new ideas, new thinking and new approaches that will help our customers in their daily lives,” he added.

His bold challenge to the industry was echoed on the same day by Ooredoo Group CEO Dr Nasser Marafih, who spoke on a panel with leading experts including Dr Hamadoun TourÈ, Secretary-General,

Ooredoo Chairman speaks at ITU 2013

International Telecommunication Union; Jon Fredrik Baksaas, President and Group CEO, Telenor Group; and His Excellency Group Captain Anudith Nakornthap, Minister, The Government Complex, Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Thailand.

“Mobile Broadband is the fastest-growing technology in history, with global subscriptions growing 30 percent a year, according to the ITU. We’re supporting this growth across our footprint, and see strong opportunity in Asia, where a large proportion of the population will first access the Internet through mobile devices. There is a need for new networks, increased availability of low-cost devices, and better government understanding on issues around regulation and licensing,” said Dr Nasser.

Ooredoo has taken huge steps in recent years to enhance access to networks and boost communication technology. In its home market of Qatar, the company has rolled-out a nationwide Fibre network and launched the country’s first-ever 4G service.

Across its international markets, Ooredoo has launched a range of services to enrich people’s lives, including Mobile Money services, mobile health initiatives and targeted services for women and young people.

This year’s event is an especially important one for Qatar, which will be the host nation in 2014. At the Qatar stand, hosted by Ooredoo, a number of key technologies are on display as well as demonstrations of initiatives to support digital literacy and enhanced communication access around the world.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27 , 2013

technology

Top Threat Families in Kuwait

Risk After Support End of XP Support: April 8, 2014

INF/Autorun A family of worms that spreads by copying itself to the mapped drives of an infected computer. The mapped drives may include network or removable drives

No more security updates = Potential “zero day” vulnerabilities

Win32/Gamarue A worm commonly distributed via exploit kits and social engineering. Variants observed stealing information from the local computer and communicating with command-and-control (C&C) servers managed by attackers

In the last yearr, 30 security s bulletins affected Windows 7 & Windows 8 BUT also Windows XP

Win32/Dorkbot A worm that spreads via instant messaging and removable drives. Also contains backdoor functionality that allows unauthorized access and control of the affected computer. Win32/Dorkbot may be distributed from compromised or malicious websites using PDF or browser exploits

Microsoft helps define new security guidelines Rains outlines new threat landscape and challenges

By Islam Al-Sharaa DUBAI: Microsoft Corp is working side by side with cloud providing companies like Amazon and Google to define some new industry guidelines around cloud security, said Tim Rains, Director at Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing (TwC) group.

Rains, who is responsible for managing, marketing and communications that span Microsoft’s boxed and cloud products, was talking to Kuwait Times in an interview on the sidelines of ‘Dubai 2013 Information Security Symposium’. He also gave an overview of the threat landscape and challenges against the backdrop of emerging security challenges in the Gulf region.

“As you know, cloud is relatively a new paradigm. We work under international security standard as we work side by side with cloud providing companies like Amazon, Google to define some new industry guidelines around cloud security. Together as a group, we figured out what security controls make these companies more sensitive to clouds,” Rains said.

Rains said that they published Cloud Control Matrix (CCM) and created a registry for cloud service providers to show people what these controls look like.”We provide enough transparency to our customers helping them understand how we manage the clouds. A survey with over a hundred questions where cloud service provider answers questions is also available,” he pointed out.

Security centers There are three security centers at Microsoft.

Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) and

Tim Rains, Director at Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing (TwC) group Microsoft Malware Protection Center (MMPC) are two among them. These two centers focus on products Microsoft has already released into the market. Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) helps in the vulnerabilities in the products and security updates are there every second Tuesday of every month. Engine updates and signature updates are the areas of Microsoft Malware Protection Center (MMPC). They do research and response around malware and ongoing attacks.

The third center is Microsoft Security Engineering Center, or MSec, the security science team looks at all the exploits and they try to figure out what the attackers are doing and what do they want and they come up with security medications technologies.

“We at Microsoft update every six months.

That makes harder and harder for attackers to the vulnerabilities. Prevention and recovery were two strategies at security over the years. But over time a more holistic approach was needed. Detection and containment are two important aspects here.

We must go on the assumption that we would be attacked. There recovery happens quicker,” Rains explained.

“In the Gulf, the attackers fool people by various ways, making them install programs they want. Trojans and worms are the most common threats. So next time when you see an update for a program, let us say Adobe, you will have to abide by the security standards because these programs may be vulnerable. A lot of people get e-mails with malicious attachments,” he explained.

“Piracy is another thing. If you do not know the source of the software, do not trust the program,” he pointed out.

Tim’s team manages marketing and communications for the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC), the Microsoft Malware Protection Center (MMPC), and the Microsoft Security Engineering Center (MSEC) which includes the Security Development Lifecycle (SDL) and Security Science. Among other things, his team manages the Microsoft Security Intelligence Report (www.microsoft.com/sir) which provides

Running Windows XP... …increases your risk of infection when it goes out of support

Unsupported Windows XP SP2 malware

infection rate was 66% higher than the supported version of Windows XP SP3

Infection rate (CCM) trends for Windows XP SP2 and Windows XP SP3, 1Q10-4Q12

an in-depth analysis on the global threat landscape.

In his early years at Microsoft, Tim served in several roles including Program Manager in the Windows Networking team - Core Operating Systems Division, Technical Lead on the Security Incident Response team in the Product Support Services (PSS) Security team and Technical Lead on the PSS Windows Server Networking team. Tim’s background set the foundation that led to roles including Senior Public Relations Manager of Security Response,

Senior Product Manager of the Microsoft Malware Protection Center and more recently the Director of Product Management within Trustworthy Computing.

Tim earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) at Seattle University and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree at the University of Alberta. Tim also holds several technical certifications including CISSP, MCSE, MCSA, including a Computer Systems Technology diploma from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.

HTC, Nokia offer good, giant choices NEW YORK: I find giant phones hard to carry and use, but I’m well aware that many people like the bigger images and text they offer.

These so-called phablets, with screens measuring about 6 inches diagonally, are nearly as big as the smallest tablets. Unlike tablets, they can make phone calls over cellular networks.

Two new ones are worth considering. Neither comes with a stylus, a signature feature of Samsung’s 5.7-inch Galaxy Note 3, which is one of the most popular phones of its size. But the 5.9-inch HTC One Max and the 6-inch Nokia Lumia 1520 both have larger screens than the Note. * Nokia Lumia 1520 ($585 without contract, $199 with contract through AT&T) The 1520 runs Windows Phone 8, which has a sliver of the smartphone market - and thus fewer software developers making apps for it. But apart from that, the 1520 is a decent phone.

It’s also among the first Windows phones of its size. What I like about Windows’ approach to bigger phones is that text and images don’t simply get blown up. The software adapts the layout to take advantage of the larger screen. With big Android phones, including the Max, you see about the same amount of content that you would on a smaller phone, just somewhat enlarged. With larger Windows phones, you get a third column of apps on the home screen. You can preview two lines of emails rather than one, and you see more contact information at once for people in your address book.

There’s also a new driving mode, which lets you block incoming texts and calls when you’re near a Bluetooth device associated with your car. You can set it up to send automated replies to say you’re driving. Windows phones of all sizes come with a free Office app to read and touch up documents. With iPhones and Android phones, the app is available only as part of a $100-a-year Office 365 subscription.

None of these Office apps are meant for heavy-duty

The Nokia Lumia 1520. — AP work, though.

To me, the iPhone 5S is the best camera phone for everyday shots, but the 1520’s camera does a great job in low-light situations. It has the same camera technology as the 4.5-inch Lumia 1020, though a software fix gets rid of the 1020’s tendency to make images too yellow.

The new HTC One Max phone is seen in an undated photo provided by HTC Corp.— AP

To keep the camera thin, Nokia dropped the 1020’s protruding lens and sacrificed resolution. The 1520 can take photos of up to 19 megapixels, instead of 38 megapixels on the 1020. Still, that’s more than most phones. Grabbing and storing all those pixels takes time, so both phones tend to be slower than most cameras in snapping shots.

To keep those photos organized, a Storyteller app automatically groups photos by date and location, if that feature is on when taking shots. I like that as you zoom in on a map, photos split off into smaller groups and are shown down to the street corner or backyard where you took them.

Nokia also has a new Refocus app, which takes up to eight shots with varying focus, so you can decide later whether you’d rather have the foreground or the background come in sharper. You can even have the app blend the shots so that everything’s in focus.

Nokia Corp. phones are often overlooked because they don’t run one of the dominant operating systems. Besides having a good camera, I find colors on the screen more vibrant than on other phones. Before you buy, check the Windows online store to make sure the apps you want are available.

It’s getting better, but apps tend to come to iPhones and Android devices first.

HTC One Max ($600 without contract; with twoyear contract: $250 through Sprint, $300 through Verizon) The Max is largely a giant version of the regular, 4.7-inch HTC One. HTC Corp. expands on Android by offering a home screen with a mosaic of customized content - such as your favorite news sites and content shared by friends on Facebook and Twitter. That can get annoying and clutter up the phone, but you can turn that off if you prefer a traditional home screen experience.

Where the Max differs is in offering a fingerprint scanner for bypassing the security password. Unlike the iPhone 5S, the Max launches a different app depending on which finger you use. That gives you quick access to Facebook, the camera or whatever app you designate. Sadly, unlike the iPhone’s sensor, the one on the Max often fails to recognize my prints.

The feature is supposed to make one-hand operation easier, but I end up using my other hand anyway to type in the password.

The Max, like the standard One, promises better low-light shots. The camera is 4 megapixels, compared with the minimum 8 megapixels that most high-end phones have. Instead, HTC makes the sensor for individual pixels larger to pick up more light.

Night shots don’t come out as dark.

However, the sensors sometimes pick up too much light, so lights on store signs and Christmas trees bleed together and wash out colors. And with fewer pixels, images aren’t as sharp when blown up.

I like how the One’s Gallery app automatically organizes your photos by events, based largely on time and location. Another feature turns selected shots from an event into a short video, with customizable music and special effects. Although the standard One has these features, the Max removes a 30-second cap and lets you choose your own tunes, rather than ones included.

Both Ones come with Zoe, a feature that takes up to 20 shots in three seconds so you can choose the one with the right smile or action. Samsung’s Note 3 is lighter and easier to hold, but the Max is a good choice if you really need an Android phone that’s even larger than the Note. — AP

iPads face toughest holiday competition NEW YORK: Apple CEO Tim Cook believes Santa’s sleigh will be loaded with iPads this Christmas, but a variety of competing tablets are sure to be along for the ride, too.

Apple’s iPad Air, a thinner, lighter and fasterrunning version of its previous large tablet computers, goes on sale Friday with a starting price of $499. The company also unveiled an updated version of its iPad Mini recently. It goes on sale sometime in November.

Apple is expecting strong sales of both models -so much so that Cook told analysts during the company’s most recent earnings conference call that “this is going to be an iPad Christmas” as he predicted year-over-year growth. But this year the iPad faces its stiffest holiday season competition since its 2010 introduction. While Apple still holds the largest chunk of the growing tablet market, the iPad has been losing market share to quality -and often cheaper- alternatives that run Google’s Android operating system.

According to data released by market research firm IDC on Wednesday, iPads accounted for about 30 percent of the tablets shipped during the July-September quarter, down from about 40 percent in the same period a year ago. Tom Mainelli, IDC’s research director for tablets, noted that Apple faced tough year-ago comparisons because it released a new iPad during the second quarter of 2012, which caused its sales to spike in both the second and third quarters of that year.

Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics, Apple’s closest rival, saw its market share jump to 20 percent from 12 percent a year ago. Smaller tablet makers such as Asus, Lenovo and Acer also saw big increases, though their shares of the market remained in the single digits.

The overall number of tablets shipped in the July-September period jumped 37 percent from a year ago, driven by a surge in Android tablet shipments. At the same time, iPad shipments rose less than 1 percent.

Mainelli said that despite the competition he expects Apple to post a year-over-year increase in iPad sales for the fourth-quarter, predicting that the slimmed down nature of the iPad Air will be a big draw for consumers who complained in the past about the iPad’s weight. If Apple does lose market share during the holiday season, Mainelli said, the amount will be tiny and of little consequence to the company’s bottom line.

“We’re all guilty of this, of looking at Apple’s market share and saying: ‘Are they in trouble?’”

Mainelli said. “But the reality is they’re going to have a real good fourth-quarter, they’re going to have great average selling prices compared to their competitors and that’s going to be great for their profits and great for the Street too.”

Cook in his comments Monday emphasized that his company isn’t just focused on how many iPads it sells in comparison to its rivals, saying that Apple also looks at things like customer loyalty and usage rates.

Mainelli noted that because Apple keeps its prices high, it’s much more profitable than other tablet makers who try to boost unit sales by keeping prices low. As a result, Apple makes significantly more on each tablet it sells.

Shawn DuBravac, chief economist for the Consumer Electronics Association, said there should be plenty of demand to go around. His group expects U.S. holiday tablet sales to be up 21 percent from a year ago. According to CEA research, about 26 percent of consumers plan to buy a tablet as a gift this year, roughly the same as last year’s 27 percent.

DuBravac noted that the tablet market has fragmented in recent years, much like the personal computer and digital camera markets did as they matured. Consumers can now choose from among a wide variety of prices, sizes and options when shopping for a tablet, which boosts overall interest in the products, he said. — AP

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

Bone marrow transplant patients given immune cells with ‘safety switch’ DUBAI: Blood stem cell transplants supplemented with white blood cells engineered to carry a ‘safety switch’ have been given to three patients at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).

The first-in-man study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, showed that the white blood cells could be engineered in the laboratory to stably carry a safety gene that allows cells to be eliminated if they cause side effects.

The study shows that gene transfer technologies are ready for wider applications, with treatments against certain viruses and cancers set to be tested using the new technology. In the Phase I/II clinical trial, led by GOSH and the UCL Institute of Child Health (ICH), white blood cells known as T cells were taken from donors and modified to express a ‘suicide gene’ known as TKCD34. The CD34 component allowed engineered cells to be collected and enriched using antibodies fixed to tiny magnetic beads.

The TK part made the cells easy to ‘kill off’ at a later date if signs of severe side effects such as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) developed. GVHD is a serious complication of bone marrow and stem cell transplants, particularly where tissue matching between donor and recipient is not perfect, and is one of the most difficult challenges faced by patients and their doctors.

The engineered T cells were given to three patients receiving mismatched stem cell transplants after

chemotherapy as part of their treatment for blood or immune disorders. Although at the low doses used none of the patients went on to develop significant GVHD requiring the safety switch to be triggered, the patients cleared viruses they were infected with, including one child who had a serious infection with swine flu.

Dr Waseem Qasim, ˝Consultant in Paediatric Immunology at Great Ormond Street Hospital and lead author for the study, says: “Mismatched transplants in children - where the donor is not a close match for the child are usually depleted of T cells to prevent GVHD, but this causes problems in terms of virus infections and leukaemia relapse. We wanted to be able to use T cells from mismatched donors for their potent effects against viruses and cancer cells, but with a ‘safety switch’ as insurance against unwanted side effects.

“This study opens the door for powerful new therapies that are entering clinical phase testing.”

All of the main therapeutic reagents were produced in London, through collaborations between ICH, GOSH and the Rayne Institute at Kings College London. GOSH has a core of world-leading expertise in gene-based therapies for inherited immune disorders through the work of Professors Adrian Thrasher and Bobby Gaspar, and these related technologies are now being applied to address more common diseases in both children and adults.

US overturns safety limits on diabetes drug Avandia WASHINGTON: The US Food and Drug Administration is lifting severe safety restrictions on the former blockbuster diabetes pill Avandia, citing recent data suggesting that the much-debated medication does not increase the risk of heart attack.

The repeal means patients will no longer have to enroll in a special registry to be eligible to receive the drug.

Additionally, the drug will be available at most pharmacies, whereas it was previously limited to certain registered pharmacies. Those safety restrictions and others were put in place in 2010, severely curbing US prescriptions for the GlaxoSmithKline drug.

Monday’s ruling is a belated victory for the British drugmaker, which has spent more than a half-decade defending the safety of Avandia, once the best-selling diabetes drug in the world. Sales began plummeting in 2007 after researchers first raised questions about possible links to heart attacks. After three years of debate, the FDA limited access to the drug in 2010.

But FDA regulators said Monday a more recent analysis of a key Avandia study shows that the drug’s heart risks are no greater than other diabetes drugs.

Dr. Steven Nissen of the Cleveland Clinic, whose research first raised concerns about Avandia, said the announcement “is about the FDA’s effort to save face.”

“This is about appearances, not changing medical practice,” said Nissen, who chairs the Cleveland Clinic’s department of cardiology. “A single reanalysis of a trial does not exonerate a drug where all the other data point to increased cardiovascular risks.” Nissen said he doesn’t expect doctors to return to prescribing the drug, considering how many newer diabetes drugs are now available.

Nissen drew attention to Avandia’s

safety in a 2007 study pooling thousands of reports of heart attack and stroke from dozens of unrelated studies involving the drug. His so-called meta-analysis combined 42 studies and showed a higher risk of heart attack among patients taking Avandia compared to other diabetes drugs.

The FDA eventually agreed to restrict use of the drug, while noting the shortcomings of the analysis that first raised the concern. FDA policy generally holds that mixing data from multiple studies can lead to misleading trends and conclusions.

That focused the agency’s attention on a study known as RECORD, the only trial to specifically compare heart attack rates in patients taking Avandia versus other standard drug treatments for diabetics.

Under instructions from the FDA, Glaxo hired Duke University to reanalyze the RECORD study, reviewing each report of heart attack or stroke at a patient-bypatient level. Duke’s findings, released last year, matched Glaxo’s initial conclusion on the study: Avandia did not appear to increase the risk of heart attack compared to standard treatments.

Last June a panel of outside experts voted to recommend easing the safety restrictions on Avandia. The FDA is not required to follow the guidance of those experts, though it often does.

In 2012 Glaxo pleaded guilty to failing to report safety problems with Avandia to government officials over a seven-year period. The guilty plea was part of a larger $3 billion settlement with the Department of Justice for various criminal and civil violations involving 10 of the company’s drugs.

Despite the ruling, GlaxoSmithKline PLC’s US shares fell 61 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $52.75 in afternoon trading. Its U.S. shares had risen almost 23 percent this year. — AP

Regular exercise in sixties boosts healthy ageing LONDON: Regular exercise in later life can dramatically boost the chance of healthy ageing, even for those who do not take up physical activities until their sixties, a study suggests. Four years of sustained and frequent physical activity raised the likelihood of people ageing healthily sevenfold compared with those who were consistently inactive, researchers found.

Staying physically fit not only lowers the risk of developing major diseases or disabilities, but also promotes good mental health, keeps the mind sharp and helps us maintain an active social life.

Public health experts from University College London followed the health of almost 3,500 people with an average age of 64 over an eight-year period.

Participants were asked to describe how regularly they exercised, and how intense the activity was, in 2002-3 and every subsequent two years until 2010-11.

Each time their results were updated, researchers noted any changes in the frequency or intensity of their exercise and highlighted where people had become either active or inactive since the last survey.

Results published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed that almost one in ten people became active during the first four years of the study, while seven in ten were consistently active.

By the end of the study almost one in five people was defined as a healthy Ager, meaning they were not only physically fit but in good mental and cognitive health.

Those who had already been undertaking moderate or vigorous exercise at least once per week at the start of the study were three to four times more likely to be classed as a healthy Ager eight years later than those who had been inactive.

The advantage was boosted to a sevenfold difference for people who remained consistently active throughout the study, after factors such as

LONDON: Regular exercise can have remarkable health benefits, even for those who do not take up physical activities until their sixties, a study suggests.

age, sex and lifestyle were taken into account.

But even those who were inactive to start with and then took up exercise were three times more likely to be healthy agers than inactive people by the end of the study.

All participants were involved in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, a nationally representative sample of people born on or before 29 February 1952.

Information on medical conditions was taken from their health records, while tests were used to assess their cognitive ability and mental health, and disability was independently verified.

The results backed up a wealth of evidence

suggesting that regular exercise is crucial for good health while inactivity ranks alongside smoking, heavy drinking and obesity as a leading cause of reduced life expectancy.

“A sustained level of physical activity in older age is associated with improved overall health in participants surviving over an 8-year follow-up,” the researchers wrote. “Moreover, significant health benefits were even seen among participants who became physically active relatively late in life.

“This study supports public health initiatives designed to engage older adults in physical activity, even those who are of advanced age.” —- AP

Rare whooping cranes face enemies large and small LAUREL, United States: Jane Chandler raises the rarest cranes in the world. For them to have a chance at surviving in the wild, the young birds must never see her face, hear her speak, or know her to be a human being. If they did, these whooping cranes, named for their characteristic calls, would come to think of themselves as human. Then they would not find a mate in the wild, or understand the true danger that people represent. So Chandler dons a disguise whenever she comes near the chicks.

Her bird suit is made up of a sheet-like drape that covers her from neck to ankles, and a full white head covering with a camouflage screen hiding her face. She wears a puppet of a crane’s head on one hand, using the beak to pick up food pellets, grapes, mealworms or corn to feed the young birds.

Chandler’s title is Crane Flock Manager at the US Geological Survey’s Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, and on a crisp morning in November, her charge was a group of 11 juveniles.

Nearly six months old, they stand about three feet (one meter) high. Their heads and wings are light brown, a hue that will fade as they become adults, giving way to sleek white plumes, blacktipped wings and a scarlet crown.

These iconic North American birds poke around their outdoor enclosure, walking delicately through a pond, flapping their wings occasionally, pausing to peck corncobs and squeaking in response to the throaty sounds of adult cranes nearby. Soon, they will be packed up and sent via private aircraft to their new home, added to a group of 23 captive-bred counterparts at the White Lake Wetland Conservation Area in Louisiana.

“Historically there was a non-migratory flock in Louisiana in the 1900s,” Chandler says. “So we are trying to recreate that.”

Can it work?

Whooping cranes all but disappeared from the United States more than a century ago. The tallest

Maryland: Whooping cranes being raised in captivity before being transferred to Louisiana are seen at the US Geological Survey’s Patuxent Wildlife Research Center November 19, 2013 in Laurel, Maryland. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center has been home to efforts to replenish the whooping crane population since 1967 when scientists used 12 eggs collected from the wild to raise the endangered bird in captivity. — AFP

birds in North America, reaching up to five feet, they were hunted to the brink of extinction and lost critical habitat in the 1800s when pioneers drained their freshwater marshes for farmland.

By the 1940s, the only remaining wild population was down to around two dozen birds.

Now, after five decades of efforts and millions of dollars spent annually to rebuild their numbers, there are nearly 600 — about 300 in the wild and the rest in captivity.

Conservationists say a sustainable population would have 1,000 wild birds, in at least two independent flocks. Two of the four major efforts to reintroduce the Grus americana to the wild have failed since the 1960s. A third is struggling so much that experts are questioning whether it is even possible to bring them back to places from which they have vanished.

“Is reintroduction a valid tool for conservation?” asks Jeb Barzen, director of field ecology at the International Crane Foundation.

“It is a critical question we are engaged with.”

Chicks are not surviving in a key population of captive-bred whooping cranes that have been set free since 2001 at a wildlife refuge in the midwestern state of Wisconsin. These cranes are meant to migrate south toward Florida, serving as a second wild population to the existing flock that travels between Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada and Aransas National Wildlife Refuge on the Gulf Coast of Texas.

They learn to fly by following human pilots in bird suits aboard a one-seat ultralight aircraft, run by a non-profit group called Operation Migration.

The cranes begin pairing off, making nests and laying eggs by the time they are four to five years old. But nearly all these attempts in Wisconsin have failed. Of 132 nests counted from 2005 to 2013, 22 hatched at least one chick. Only five of those chicks survived one year, says USGS research ecologist Sarah Converse.

Often, the birds were getting up off their nests before their eggs could even hatch. But why? For years, it remained a mystery.

“We now think that it is very likely because of the harassment of birds by biting black flies,” says Converse. “They are incredibly irritating and painful, and they bite and draw blood.”

Conservationists scouted some new places for release nearby, where the bird-attacking black flies are less common, and began releasing whooping cranes there in 2011. —- AFP

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani health worker gives a girl a polio vaccine, in Islamabad, yesterday. Militants have killed over a dozen polio health workers and police protecting them over the last year. Militants claim the workers are spies and the vaccination is meant to make Muslim children sterile. —- AP

AIDS in South Africa: Grants fight ‘sugar daddy’ peril PARIS: Government grants to help poor children in South Africa also play an important role in reducing HIV risk from “sugar daddies” who prey on teenage girls, a study said yesterday. In a wide-ranging probe published in The Lancet Global Health, researchers in Britain and South Africa interviewed 3,500 teenagers and followed this up with another interview a year later.

Teenage girls from households which received child support were two-thirds less likely to have a much older boyfriend compared to counterparts from homes that did not receive the benefit, they found.

These girls were also half less likely to have sex in exchange for food, money or school fees. South Africa has more than one in six of the world’s tally of people infected with the AIDS virus.

At the end of 2012, it had 6.1 million people with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV ), of whom 3.4 million were women, according to UN figures.

Half of all new infections were among

young people, and girls were two to three times likelier to be infected than boys.

One of the biggest sources of infection are so-called sugar daddies-older men who give girls money or material benefits in exchange for sex.

These men are far likelier than boys in the girl’s age group to have HIV and also likelier to press a girl to have sex without a condom. “This study shows that as long as they are given enough money to survive, girls will choose not to have a sugar daddy,” said Lucie Cluver of the University of Oxford. “It also shows how valuable it is to give not only to younger children but also to teenagers, who are most at risk of HIV infections.”

Child support in South Africa was 280 rands ($35 or 26 euros) per month per household in 2012. It was paid to 11.2 million children under 18 under a means-tested scheme. There is also a foster-child grant of 770 rand, being paid for 573,000 children. — AFP

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

China to send ‘jade rabbit’ to Moon Marker of rising global stature BEIJING: China will launch its first ever moon rover early next month, state media said yesterday, with the vehicle named “Jade Rabbit” in a nod to Chinese folklore. The name derives from an ancient Chinese myth about a white rabbit which lives on the moon as the pet of Chang’e, a lunar goddess who swallowed an immortality pill.

The rocket carrying the probe will be launched in early December, China’s official Xinhua news agency said, citing the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence.

It did not give a specific date. China has previously sent two probes to orbit the moon, with controllers sending the first of them crashing into the lunar surface at the end of its mission.

“China has named its first moon rover ‘Yutu’, or jade rabbit, following an online poll,” Xinhua added.

The rabbit’s outline is said to be visible on the moon’s surface, similar to the Western concept of the “man in the moon”.

Beijing sees its military-run space programme as a marker of its rising global stature and growing technological might, as well as the ruling Communist Party’s success in turning around the fortunes of the once poverty-stricken nation.

It has ambitious plans to create a permanent space station by 2020 and eventually send a human to the moon, but its technology currently lags behind the expertise of the United States and Russia.

China showed off a model of the gold-coloured moon rover, with six wheels and wing-like solar panels earlier this month. The vehicle can climb inclines of up to 30 degrees and travel up to 200 metres per hour, its designers said.

References to a moon rabbit in Chinese folklore date back to the Warring States period, which ended in 221 BC. Ouyang Ziyuan, head of the moon rover project, told Xinhua that the ancient beliefs had their origins in the marks left by impacts on the lunar landscape.

“There are several black spots on the moon’s surface, our ancient people imagined they were a moon palace, osmanthus trees, and a jade rabbit,” he said.

China’s first lunar probe, Chang’e-1, was launched in 2007.

The next, Chang’e-2, began its journey three years later and after orbiting the moon was sent on a mission into deep space to monitor an asteroid.

That probe is “expected to travel as far as 300 million k m from Ear th, the longest voyage of any Chinese spacecraft”, Xinhua quoted an official as saying.

That remains a small fraction of the distance travelled by the US’ Voyager-1, launched in 1977, which left the solar system and has travelled nearly 19 billion kilometres away from its home planet.

Chinese social media users welcomed the name on Tuesday. “I look forward to the jade rabbit visiting the moon palace, go Chinese aerospace!” wrote one poster on Sina Weibo, a service similar to Twitter.

The name was chosen in an online poll, with 3.4 million people taking part, Xinhua reported.

“Yutu is a symbol of kindness, purity and agility, and is identical to the moon rover in both outlook and connotation,” it quoted Li Benzheng, deputy commander-in-chief of China’s lunar programmme, as saying. “Yutu also reflects China’s peaceful use of space,” he added. —- AFP

BEIJING: A file photo showing a model of a lunar rover named “Jade Rabbit” in a nod to Chinese folklore that will explore the moon’s surface in an upcoming space mission is seen on display at the China International Industry Fair 2013 in Shanghai. —- AFP

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS

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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

Announcement Nandhanam Kuwait Arangetram 2013

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andhanam Kuwait, a socio-cultural organization to promote India’s rich culture and values in Kuwait, is conducting its second ‘Arangetram’, a student’s debut on stage dance performance, at the American International School, Maidan Hawalli-Kuwait on Friday, November 29.

Kavya Madhavan, a well-known film actress and a dancer (Kerala state film award for best actress twice), would be the special guest for this event. The ‘arangetram’ will be conducted in its traditional form by experienced professional artists from India including Bijeesh Krishna (vocal), Venugopal Kallamparambil (mridangam), Suresh Krishnannambudiri (violin) and Cherthala Sreenath (edakka).

Nandhanam Kuwait commenced its classical dance programs from April 2010, with the traditions of Kerala Kalamandalam and with trained faculties from the very same Kerala Kalamandalam. The entry will be regulated through guest passes.

Women drummers beat a different rhythm

By Sunil Cherian

“A

mazing!” exclaimed someone after watching a 20-minute performance by a group of 7 women - from a 6th grader to a 46-year old beating on the drums they carried as though their babies. The drums were secured on to their waist to make sure no embarrassing accidents happen during the performance. They dressed, danced and drummed in astounding harmony and ‘dropped dead’ together as the curtain fell. With their heart beating heavily, these womenfolk, first of its kind in Kuwait, proved they could handle the drum beat traditionally carried out by men.

People who watched the Nair Service Society, Kuwait program last month in Mangaf talked about their performance louder than drums. And the drummers are excited too. “I almost lost my breath and became blind”, said Shanthi Anilkumar, a drummer. Another had severe back pain and some others writhed in shoulder pain.

One burned her hands with blisters that ‘almost frightened her’ and another had kneecap injury as the bottom of the heavy instrument made friction with her knees in the long 20 minutes of performance. Another broke the drumstick, breaking the heart of their master Chandramohan Kannur.

The drummers include nurses, jobless, jobseekers and a dentist. “We are like sisters now”, said Shailaja Gopan, the seniormost drummer. The seven sisters are Shanthi Anilkumar, Geetha Nair, Rashmi Deepak, Thulasidevi Sajikumar, Shailaja Gopan, Divya Deepak and Ramya Ratheesh. The 6th grade student Kanika Anilkumar who plays the cymbals recently joined the team. They gather at Sruthi School of Music, Mangaf to better their drum lessons and for choreography lessons.

Shanthi leads the percussion with her hands in the air and the rest pauses and resumes their beat as well as their synchronized steps.

“If we were back home, we wouldn’t be able to learn or perform this”, said Shylaja as others admitted. The heavy drum called chenda is traditionally played by men but over the years some women group have started performing much to the appreciation of the spectators. “But those players are from musician families. Here in Kuwait we have women drummers who are from different walks of life, and they are doing well”, said Chandramohan Kannur, their happy guru.

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Embracing the Maxim ‘Citius, Altius, Fortius’, IES held annual sports meet

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o evince sportsmanship and cache a treasure trove of memories, the members of the Bhavans family embellished the Khaifan Stadium on November 23, 2013 with a series of astounding athletic events and aweinspiring drill displays. The events of the day began with the recitals from the Holy Quran by Adila Ashraf of Grade 10.

The Sports Captains and the Vice Sports Captains accorded a congenial floral welcome to the Chief Guest, His Excellency Delarey Van Tonder, Ambassador of South Africa to Kuwait, Guest of Honor, Paul Mackay, Chairman, British Business Form, Kuwait, esteemed invitees, inspectors from the Department of Private Education, Nabil Jama and Ali Johar, Sponsor, Ali Judhiyan Al Baghaily, distinguished guests , General Manager, Jack and Jill, Mangaf branch of Bhavans, Ahmad Ali Al Baghaily, Chairman, N K Ramachandran Menon and other distinguished guests.

The Head Girl of IES, Alishba Tanya John, offered a warm welcome to the distinguished guests and the members of the Bhavan’s family with an inspiring speech. The young marshals of IES crafted a truly amazing spectacle for the eyes to behold when they marched to the beats with dexterity, precision and passion. His Excellency Delarey Van Tonder received the salute from the marching contingent of IES led by the Supreme Council. Keeping the spirit of team work and camaraderie in sports and society, the Torch Bearers, the 20 Sports Champions of IES, carried the flame and shared the light to pervade. The Sports Captains, Noel Johnson and Megha Rose Paul together lit the torch amidst roaring applause.

The Chief Guest, His Excellency Delarey Van Tonder declared the sports meet open. Addressing the students he expressed his happiness in being a part of an event of such magnitude in Kuwait. “..... The land of Kuwait has been a wonderful place for sports........Sports builds character, develops individual talent, social cohesion in competition....Do not experience the agony of defeat but cherish the fulfillment and happiness of having taken part...”, were the concluding lines of an emboldening and inspiring speech and its approbation, a rapturous

applause from the euphoric learners.

Addressing the gathering the Guest of Honor, Paul Mackay, Chairman, British Business Forum, expressed his delight in being invited for the Annual Sports Day Celebration of IES as he believed “....the great Olympics starts in schools”. He also congratulated the entire Bhavans team for the efforts, concord and discipline displayed. Ali Johar, Inspector, Department of Private Education expressed his happiness in being invited and wished the students all the very best. Chairman, N K Ramachandran presented mementos to the distinguished guests.

With the inaugural ceremony, a series of events, one surpassing the other, ensued. The audience witnessed heated athletic sessions with unending applause

that sparked the vigor and verve of the vibrant athletes. The track events for the parents and teachers enthralled the audience. The highlight of the day was essentially the scintillating, rejuvenating and mesmerizing drill displays. It was emboldening to behold a melange of sports, art, education and culture. The theme of the sports day was “Fitness and Wellness”. Emblazoned with bright ensembles of various hues students of grades 1to 8 displayed a blend of exercise, martial arts, aerobics, karate and nrith yoga. The striking synchronization manifested the theme “Fitness and Wellness” and won prosperous plaudits.

In a blast of energy, brimming with enthusiasm when the tiny marshals of IES sprinted into the field and the graceful movements blended with soul filling

music, the audience relished the feast of tranquility. The formation of the Food Pyramid left the audience speculating and unceasingly applauding. The exuding artistic quality and creativity in execution made the drill displays incredibly captivating.

The winners of the athletic events were honored in the Prize Distribution Ceremony. The Individual Champions of Grades 1to12 were awarded trophies.

The much coveted trophy, the House Trophy, was won by Sanskriti House.

Tapas House and Satya House won the second and the third positions respectively. Chairman N K Ramachandran Menon honored the winners of the track events held for parents and teachers.

Indian Community School Kuwait holds ‘Staff Day’

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or the past 54 years, ICSK has been shining on the horizon of Kuwait, sending hundreds of students each year who go out and make a mark in the world.

And this is due to the efforts of those who are associated with the school in all ways - its Staff. While most of the time, staff are busy with their routine work but there is a wish for one special occasion where they can all come together and relax.

The Board of Trustees of Indian Community School Kuwait played host to a special Staff Day for all Staff of ICSK on Nov 7th 2013. And it was a Staff Day with a difference.

Staff of all four branches of the school presented a very special program of entertainment, attended by Hon members of the Board of Trustees and PAC Representatives from Junior, Amman, Khaitan and Senior.

After the Islamic prayer and the National Anthems of Kuwait and India, the traditional lamp was lit. The welcome was given by Gayatri Ravindran who welcomed all the staff to an evening to enjoy and remember. Hon Chairman Ashok Kalra welcomed all the staff in his address and thanked them for their hard work. Staff who had served the institution for 15 years were presented with special

mementos in recognition of their services by Hon Chairman, Ashok Kalra, Hon Vice Chairman Rajan Daniel and Hon Secretary Vijay Karayil.

A splendid cultural show of music and dance was presented by staff of the 4 branches of ICSK. The show was filled with fun and frolic and was widely appreciated by the audience. The music teachers performed special numbers to regale the audience. Staff Day ended with a special dinner hosted by the Management. It was an evening to remember.

Philippines non uniform relief at ESF

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he English School Fahaheel has launched the Philippine Relief Fund following the Super Typhoon that struck the country recently. In keeping with a long tradition in supporting the community and helping those in need the fund has raised a substantial amount which will be donated directly to the Philippine Red Cross. To raise money and awareness for this cause, students across

ESF got together to take part in a Fund raising “Non Uniform Day” which included a “Couples Dress Up” and a “Bake Sale”.

The event was organized by Ludlow. The dress up saw some amazing and even outrageous couples including Sixth Form students (see picture) dressing up as their own teachers!

W H AT ’ S O N

‘Concert of Hope’ presents broadway style performers

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

Embassy Information

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hese were the laudable comments of H E the Ambassador Frank Baker when, as Patron of the Foundation of Hope Charity, he expressed both his pleasure and appreciation for the high standard of this popular annual concert and the diversity of quality entertainment it offered - there was something in the show for everyone. The Master of Ceremonies, Paul Tunbridge, guided the attentive audience through the events of the evening, interspersing his own flavor of good humor and striking an immediate bond with the audience whom he said would quickly become his friends...

The concert served not only to entertain but to launch the Diary of Hope 2014 now a sought after annual publication, produced by the Foundation of Hope team. One interesting aspect of the evening was a display of artworks produced by Hamad Al Humaidhan, a 14 year old Kuwaiti artist already known as Kuwait’s young Picasso, his artistic style much

resembling that of Pablo Picasso the famous Spanish artist. Dwarfing all others was a significantly large painting HOPE which Hamad had painted especially to raise funds for the charity; a selection of Hamad’s paintings also features in the 2014 Diary.

The concert presented an occasion for many stars to shine and among them was the Kuwait English School Choir singing “I had a dream” specially arranged by Mike Hassan. This theme of dream and hope echoed throughout the evening and following on was the song “I dreamed a dream” beautifully sung by Sarah Charlesworth and the presentation “Dreaming of Narnia” presented by members of the One World Actors Centre.

Mike Ricketts, the show’s Director and Producer demonstrated not only his vocal skills singing “Sun and Moon” along with Weng Canones but also his accompanying Pianoforte technique. Guests were welcomed to the event by some excellent String playing by the

Moonlight Quartet and also during the Concert enjoyed the wonderful rendition of “Palladio” by the String Ensemble led by Dragan Markovic.

The evening’s entertainment provided such a panorama of fine musical numbers almost too numerous to mention but the amazing violin playing by the 9 year old young prodigy Heiwei Lee who performed on both violin and Piano along with Heui Sung Kim will not easily be forgotten. Ian Drummond and Preslav Petkov expertly played a most challenging Clarinet duet by Mendelsohn and the evening concluded with a grand finale number “Amigos Para Siempre” performed by the superb vocal group Ann Karadimitrova, Greg Dunlop, Mike Ricketts, Owyn McCollin, Hamad Al Jenaie, Yousef Al Nasser, Nour Bizier, Michelle Van Zyl, Sarah Charlesworth and Weng Canones. A most memorable evening which was held in support of people (adults and children) who are intellectually challenged.

EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Embassy of Australia has announced that Kuwait citizens can apply for and receive visit visas in 10 working days through www.immi.gov.au.

All other processing of visas and Immigration matters are handled by the Australian Visa Application Centre located in Al Banwan Building, 4B, 1st Floor, Al Qibla Area, Ali Al Salem Street, Kuwait City. Visit. www.vfs-au-gcc.com for more info. The Embassy of Australia does not have a visa or immigration department.

All processing of visas and immigration matters is conducted by the Australian Consulate-General in Dubai. Email: Info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com ( VIS), immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au ( Visa Office), Tel: +971 4 205 5900 ( VFS), Fax: + 971 4 355 0708 ( Visa Office). Notary and passport services are available by appointment. Appointments can be made by calling the Embassy on 22322422. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of 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, UAE. Individuals who are interested in working, studying, visiting or immigrating to Canada should contact the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, website: www.UAE.gc.ca or www.goingtocanada.gc.ca, E-mail: abdbiim-enquiry@international.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakei St, Block 4 in Da’aiyah.

Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 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. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF GREECE The Embassy of Greece in Kuwait has the pleasure to announce that visa applications must be submitted to Schengen Visa Application Centre (VFS office) located at 12th floor, Al-Naser Tower, Fahad Al-Salem Street, Al-Qibla area, Kuwait City, (Parking at Souk Watia). For information please call 22281046 from 08:30 to 17:00 (Sunday to Thursday).

Working hours: Submission from 08:30 to 15:30. Passport collection from 16:00 to 17:00. For visa applications please visit the following website www.mfa.gr/kuwait. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF US The US Embassy in Kuwait has new procedures for obtaining appointments and picking up passports after visa issuance. Beginning August 9, 2013, we now provide an online visa appointment system, live call center, and in-person pick-up facilities in Kuwait.

Please monitor our website and social media for additional information. This new system offers more flexibility for travelers to the US and to meet the increase in demand for visa appointments.

The general application steps on the new visa appointment system are: 1. Go to www.ustraveldocs.com/kw (if this is the first time on ustraveldocs.com, you will need to create a profile to login).

2. Please complete your DS-160 Online Visa Application which is available at ceac.state.gov/genNIV. 3. Please print and take your deposit slip to any Burgan Bank location to pay your visa application fee.

4. Schedule an appointment for your visa interview online at www.ustraveldocs.com/kw or by phone through the Call Center (at +965-2227-1673).

5. If you need to change or cancel your appointment, please do so 24 hours beforehand, as a courtesy to other applicants. For more information, please visit the US Embassy website - kuwait.usembassy.gov - as it is the best source of information regarding these changes. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF VATICAN The Apostolic Nunciature Embassy of the Holy See, Vatican in Kuwait has moved to a new location in Kuwait City. Please find below the new address: Yarmouk, Block 1, Street 2, Villa No: 1. P.O.Box 29724, Safat 13158, Kuwait.

Tel: 965 25337767, Fax: 965 25342066. Email: nuntiuskuwait@gmail.com.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

TV PROGRAMS

03:25 Cheetah Kingdom 03:50 Cheetah Kingdom 04:15 Bondi Vet 05:05 ER Vets 05:30 ER Vets 05:55 Animal Cops Phoenix 06:45 Gator Boys 07:35 Call Of The Wildman 08:00 Monkey Life 08:25 Bondi Vet 09:15 The Most Extreme 10:10 Bad Dog 11:05 Cheetah Kingdom 11:35 Cheetah Kingdom 12:00 Animal Cops Houston 12:55 Monkey Life 13:20 Call Of The Wildman 13:50 Meet The Sloths 14:15 Meet The Sloths 14:45 Biggest And Baddest 15:40 Cheetah Kingdom 16:05 Cheetah Kingdom 16:30 My Cat From Hell 17:30 The Most Extreme 18:25 Baby Planet 19:20 Panda Adventures With Nigel Marven 20:15 Bondi Vet 21:10 ER Vets 21:40 ER Vets 22:05 Cheetah Kingdom 22:35 Cheetah Kingdom 23:00 Outback Rangers 23:25 Outback Rangers 23:55 North America 00:50 Animal Cops Phoenix 01:45 Human Prey 02:35 Untamed & Uncut

03:00 03:55 04:30 05:00 05:15 05:20 05:40 05:50 06:10 06:25 06:30 06:50 07:00 07:25 08:00 08:30 09:15 09:45 10:15 11:05 11:50 12:20 13:10 13:40 14:10 14:45 15:30 16:25 17:10 17:40 18:10 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:50 21:20 21:45 22:20 23:10 23:40 00:10 00:40 01:35 02:05 02:35

Luther Absolutely Fabulous One Foot In The Grave Nina And The Neurons Poetry Pie The Green Balloon Club Bobinogs Tweenies Nina And The Neurons Poetry Pie The Green Balloon Club Bobinogs Tweenies One Foot In The Grave Come Fly With Me Doctor Who Eastenders Doctors Drop Zone The Weakest Link One Foot In The Grave Doctor Who Come Fly With Me Eastenders Doctors The Weakest Link Drop Zone Doctor Who Eastenders Doctors The Weakest Link Keeping Up Appearances The Office Luther Gavin & Stacey The Cafe Hebburn Daddy Daycare Keeping Up Appearances The Office Gavin & Stacey Luther Eastenders Doctors Daddy Daycare

03:15 Fantasy Homes Down Under 04:00 The Boss Is Coming To Dinner 04:25 Cash In The Attic

05:10 The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook 05:40 Bargain Hunt 06:25 Celebrity Fantasy Homes 07:10 Chef At Home 07:35 The Boss Is Coming To Dinner 08:00 Bargain Hunt 08:45 DIY SOS: The Big Build 09:40 The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook 10:05 Nigel Slater’s Simple Cooking 10:30 Baking Mad With Eric Lanlard 10:55 Baking Mad With Eric Lanlard 11:20 Come Dine With Me 12:10 Masterchef: The Professionals 12:55 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 14:15 Antiques Roadshow 15:10 Holmes On Homes 16:00 Holmes On Homes 16:45 Bargain Hunt 17:30 Cash In The Attic 18:20 Antiques Roadshow 19:15 Homes Under The Hammer 20:10 The Restaurant Inspector 21:00 Planet Cake 21:30 Come Dine With Me 22:20 Antiques Roadshow 23:15 Bargain Hunt 00:00 Cash In The Attic 00:50 Homes Under The Hammer 01:40 Come Dine With Me 02:30 Masterchef: The Professionals

03:00 Mythbusters 03:50 Border Security 04:15 Storage Hunters 04:40 Dirty Money 05:05 How Do They Do It? 05:30 How It’s Made 06:00 American Guns 07:00 Mythbusters 07:50 Finding Bigfoot 08:40 Overhaulin’ 2012 09:30 Border Security 09:55 Storage Hunters 10:20 Dirty Money 10:45 How Do They Do It? 11:10 How It’s Made 11:35 You Have Been Warned 12:25 Dynamo: Magician Impossible 13:15 Mythbusters 14:05 Border Security 14:30 Storage Hunters 14:55 Dirty Money 15:20 World’s Top 5 16:10 Overhaulin’ 2012 17:00 Ultimate Survival 17:50 Dirty Jobs 18:40 Mythbusters 19:30 American Guns 20:20 Storage Hunters 20:45 Dirty Money 21:10 How Do They Do It? 21:35 How It’s Made 22:00 Sons Of Guns 22:50 Amish Mafia 23:40 Inside The Gangsters’ Code 00:30 Sons Of Guns 01:20 Amish Mafia 02:10 Inside The Gangsters’ Code

03:10 04:00 04:45 05:30 06:20 07:10 08:00 08:50 09:40 10:05 10:30 11:20 12:10 13:00 13:50 14:40 15:30 16:20 16:45 17:10 18:00

Disappeared Deadly Sins Killer Kids Dr G: Medical Examiner Ghost Lab Nightmare Next Door Deadly Sins Nightmare Next Door I Was Murdered Stalked: Someone’s Watching On The Case With Paula Zahn Extreme Forensics Dr G: Medical Examiner I Almost Got Away With It Deadly Sins Nightmare Next Door On The Case With Paula Zahn I Was Murdered Stalked: Someone’s Watching Couples Who Kill Extreme Forensics

18:50 19:40 20:30 21:20 22:10 23:00 23:50 00:40 01:30 02:20

Dr G: Medical Examiner On The Case With Paula Zahn On The Case With Paula Zahn I Almost Got Away With It Deadly Sins True CSI Deadly Women Killer Kids Couples Who Kill Ghost Lab

03:45 Stephen Hawking’s Grand Design 04:35 Unchained Reaction 05:25 Space Pioneer 06:15 The Gadget Show 06:40 Tech Toys 360 07:05 X-Machines 08:00 Junkyard Wars 08:50 Rocket City Rednecks 09:15 Rocket City Rednecks 09:40 The Gadget Show 10:05 Tech Toys 360 10:30 Invisible Worlds 11:25 X-Machines 12:20 Unchained Reaction 13:10 Space Pioneer 14:00 Stephen Hawking’s Grand Design 14:50 Weird Connections 15:20 The Gadget Show 15:45 Tech Toys 360 16:10 Prophets Of Science Fiction 17:00 Invisible Worlds 17:55 X-Machines 18:45 Unchained Reaction 19:35 Space Pioneer 20:30 Weird Or What?

21:20 Prank Science 21:45 Prank Science 22:10 The Gadget Show 22:35 Tech Toys 360 23:00 Weird Or What?

23:50 Prank Science 00:15 Prank Science 00:40 Colony 01:30 Weird Connections 02:00 The Gadget Show 02:25 Tech Toys 360 02:50 Weird Or What?

03:30 04:25 Stroud 05:20 06:15 07:05 08:00 Stroud 08:50 09:45 10:35 11:30 12:20 13:10 14:05 14:55 15:50 16:45 17:40 18:35 Stroud 19:25 20:20 21:10 22:05 23:00 23:55 00:50 01:45 02:35

03:00 03:20 03:45 04:05 04:30 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00

Zero Hour Beyond Survival With Les Victory By Design Aircrash Confidential Timewatch Beyond Survival With Les Victory By Design Extreme Engineering In Search Of The King’s Head Marley Africa Road Trip Timewatch Victory By Design Extreme Engineering Aircrash Confidential Commander In Chief Marley Africa Road Trip Timewatch Beyond Survival With Les Daredevils Extreme Engineering Victory By Design Marley Africa Road Trip Daredevils Zero Hour Crimes That Shook The World Marley Africa Road Trip Daredevils

The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody Sonny With A Chance Sonny With A Chance Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Austin And Ally

06:25 06:45 07:10 07:35 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:05 09:30 09:55 10:15 10:40 11:05 11:25 11:50 12:15 12:35 13:00 13:25 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:10 17:00 17:20 17:45 18:10 18:30 18:55 19:20 20:05 20:30 20:50 21:15 21:40 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:10 23:35 00:00 00:20 00:45 01:05 01:30 01:50 02:15 02:35

Austin And Ally A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm Jessie Good Luck Charlie Sofia The First Doc McStuffins Mickey Mouse Clubhouse A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm Jessie Jessie Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Shake It Up Shake It Up Austin And Ally A.N.T. Farm That’s So Raven Dog With A Blog Good Luck Charlie My Babysitter’s A Vampire That’s So Raven Gravity Falls Jessie Violetta Dog With A Blog Austin And Ally Gravity Falls Shake It Up Good Luck Charlie A.N.T. Farm Violetta Jessie My Babysitter’s A Vampire Good Luck Charlie Gravity Falls Shake It Up Austin And Ally A.N.T. Farm Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody Sonny With A Chance Sonny With A Chance Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place

07:00 Max Steel 07:25 Phineas And Ferb 07:50 Phineas And Ferb 08:15 Crash & Bernstein 08:40 Kickin It 09:05 Ultimate Spider-Man 09:30 Phineas And Ferb 09:40 Phineas And Ferb 09:55 Phineas And Ferb 10:05 Phineas And Ferb 10:20 Lab Rats 10:45 Lab Rats 11:10 Pokemon Bw: Adventures In Unova 11:35 Max Steel 12:00 Zeke & Luther 12:25 Zeke & Luther 12:50 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 13:15 Scaredy Squirrel 13:40 Pair Of Kings 14:05 Pair Of Kings 14:30 Phineas And Ferb 14:40 Phineas And Ferb 14:55 Phineas And Ferb 15:20 Pokemon Bw: Adventures In Unova 15:45 Lab Rats 16:10 Lab Rats 16:35 Crash & Bernstein 17:00 Lab Rats 17:30 Kickin It 18:00 Dude, That’s My Ghost 18:25 Camp Lakebottom 18:50 Supa Strikas 19:15 Lab Rats 19:40 Monsters University: Behind The Screams 20:05 Ultimate Spider-Man 20:30 Kickin It 20:55 Pair Of Kings 21:20 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 21:45 Phineas And Ferb 21:55 Phineas And Ferb 22:10 Phineas And Ferb 22:20 Phineas And Ferb 22:35 Lab Rats 23:00 Kickin It 23:30 Scaredy Squirrel 00:00 Programmes Start At 7:00am KSA

03:15 Style Star 03:40 Extreme Close-Up 04:10 THS 05:05 THS 06:00 THS 07:50 Style Star 08:20 E! News 09:15 Opening Act 10:15 Married To Jonas 10:40 Chasing The Saturdays 11:10 Eric And Jessie: Game On 11:35 Eric And Jessie: Game On 12:05 E! News 13:05 Extreme Close-Up 13:35 THS 14:30 Style Star 15:00 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 16:00 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 17:00 What Would Ryan Lochte Do? 17:30 The Soup Investigates 18:00 E! News 19:00 E!ES 20:00 The Wanted Life 21:00 Hello Ross 21:30 Fashion Police 22:30 E! News 23:30 Chelsea Lately 00:00 Chelsea Lately 00:30 The Dance Scene 00:55 The Dance Scene 01:25 THS 02:20 E! Investigates

SAVING PRIVATE RYAN ON OSN MOVIES ACTION

03:10 03:35 04:00 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:40 06:30 07:10 08:00

Charly’s Cake Angels Unique Sweets Unique Sweets Food Wars Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives United Tastes Of America Chopped Iron Chef America Food Network Challenge Unwrapped

04:30 Jelly T 06:00 Arthur 3: And The War Of Two Worlds 08:00 Marco Macaco 10:00 Three Investigators And The Secret Of Terror...

11:45 Santa’s Magic Crystal 13:15 Jelly T 14:45 Luke And Lucy: The Texas Rangers 16:15 Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups 18:00 Three Investigators And The Secret Of Terror...

20:00 Jumanji 22:00 Luke And Lucy: The Texas Rangers 23:30 Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups 01:00 Marco Macaco 02:30 Luke And Lucy: The Texas Rangers

04:00 Paranorman 06:00 Mandie And The Secret Tunnel 08:00 Super Buddies 09:45 Mission: Impossible III 12:00 People Like Us 14:00 Burden Of Evil 16:00 Super Buddies 17:45 Think Like A Man 20:00 Snow White And The Huntsman 22:15 Butter 00:00 Burden Of Evil 02:00 Think Like A Man

TOWER HEIST ON OSN MOVIES COMEDY 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:05 10:30 11:45 12:10 12:35 13:00 13:50 14:15 Basics 14:40 Basics 15:05 15:30 15:55 16:20 16:45 17:35 Basics 18:00 Basics 18:25 18:50 19:15 19:40 20:05 20:30 20:55 21:20 22:10 23:00 23:50 00:15 00:40 01:05 01:30 01:55 02:20 02:45

Unwrapped Food Crafters United Tastes Of America Extra Virgin Barefoot Contessa The Next Food Network Star Aarti Party Unwrapped Unique Sweets Food Network Challenge Tyler’s Ultimate Barefoot Contessa - Back To Barefoot Contessa - Back To Siba’s Table Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Symon’s Suppers Chopped Barefoot Contessa - Back To Barefoot Contessa - Back To Tastiest Places To Chowdown Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Guy’s Big Bite Reza, Spice Prince Of India Siba’s Table Charly’s Cake Angels Chopped Iron Chef America Amazing Wedding Cakes Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Heat Seekers Meat & Potatoes Outrageous Food Amazing Wedding Cakes

03:00 Market Values 03:30 Eat Street 03:55 Street Food Around The World 04:25 Extreme Tourist Afghanistan 05:20 Banged Up Abroad 06:15 The Witch Doctor Will See You Now 07:10 Market Values 07:35 My Sri Lanka With Peter Kuruvita 08:05 Street Food Around The World 08:30 Don’t Tell My Mother 09:00 Travel Madness 09:25 Delinquent Gourmet 09:55 Eat Street 10:20 Market Values 10:50 Eat Street 11:15 Street Food Around The World 11:45 Extreme Tourist Afghanistan 12:40 Banged Up Abroad 13:35 The Witch Doctor Will See You Now 14:30 Market Values 14:55 My Sri Lanka With Peter Kuruvita 15:25 Street Food Around The World 15:50 Don’t Tell My Mother 16:20 Travel Madness 16:45 Delinquent Gourmet 17:15 Eat Street 17:40 Market Values 18:10 Eat Street 18:35 Street Food Around The World 19:05 Somewhere In China 20:00 Banged Up Abroad 21:00 Eat Street 21:30 Market Values 22:00 Scam City 22:55 Warrior Road Trip 23:50 Ultimate Traveller 00:45 Don’t Tell My Mother 01:10 Deadliest Journeys 01:40 Banged Up Abroad 02:35 Don’t Tell My Mother

03:00 Britain’s Greatest Machines 04:00 The Known Universe

05:00 World’s Deadliest Animals 06:00 Britain’s Greatest Machines 07:00 Megacities 08:00 Ultimate Airport Dubai 09:00 Pirate Patrol 10:00 Machines Of War 11:00 Britain’s Greatest Machines 12:00 The Known Universe 13:00 World’s Deadliest Animals 14:00 Ultimate Survival Alaska 15:00 Megacities 16:00 Mega Breakdown 17:00 Pirate Patrol 18:00 Machines Of War 19:00 Alaska Wing Men 20:00 A Traveler’s Guide To The Planets 21:00 Nordic Wild 22:00 Alaska Wing Men 23:00 World’s Toughest Fixes 00:00 Mad Scientists 00:30 Mad Scientists 01:00 Salvage Code Red 02:00 Wild Russia

03:00 How I Met Your Mother 03:30 Last Man Standing 04:00 Seinfeld 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 The War At Home 06:00 All Of Us 06:30 Friends 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Seinfeld 08:30 The War At Home 09:00 How I Met Your Mother 09:30 Family Tools 10:00 Happy Endings 10:30 Friends 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 All Of Us 12:30 Seinfeld 13:00 The War At Home 13:30 Friends 14:00 Last Man Standing 14:30 Family Tools 15:00 Happy Endings 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 All Of Us 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 How I Met Your Mother 18:30 Last Man Standing 19:00 Family Tools 19:30 Happy Endings 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Weeds 22:30 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 23:00 The League 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 Weeds 02:00 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 02:30 The League

03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 22:00 23:00

The Client List Perception Warehouse 13 Psych Necessary Roughness White Collar Perception Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Warehouse 13 Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show White Collar Psych Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show White Collar The Carrie Diaries The X Factor U.S. Downton Abbey The Client List

00:00 Psych 01:00 The Carrie Diaries 02:00 Downton Abbey

04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00 23:45 02:45

5 Days Of War Pizza Man Blackthorn The Rescue Wild Wild West Metal Tornado The Rescue Swamp Shark Metal Tornado Broken Path Saving Private Ryan Amphibious

04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 21:45 00:45 02:30

Pizza Man Blackthorn The Rescue Wild Wild West Metal Tornado The Rescue Swamp Shark Metal Tornado Broken Path Saving Private Ryan Amphibious Broken Path

04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 Mom 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00 00:00

Blame It On The Bellboy 3 Holiday Tails A Kiss For Jed Wood Tower Heist Blame It On The Bellboy The Year Dolly Parton Was My Tower Heist Who Framed Roger Rabbit A Few Best Men The Sitter Stakeout

03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 12:45 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00 01:00

Shadow Dancer I’ve Loved You So Long Look Again Beneath Hill 60 Shadow Dancer The Terminal Would Be Kings The Wishing Well In Time This Must Be The Place Rabbit Hole The Wishing Well

03:45 05:15 07:30 09:30 11:15 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:15 01:15

The Entitled Across The Universe Dog Day Afternoon Teenage Paparazzo Golden Christmas 3 Kathmandu Lullaby Jakob The Liar The Woman In The Fifth Yelling To The Sky Flesh And Bone Out Of Sight The Crucible

03:15 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00 01:00

Mary & Martha Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax The Three Stooges The Lucky One A View From Here One Life Arrietty The Lucky One The Girl Mama Violet & Daisy Blue Lagoon: The Awakening

03:00 03:30 04:00 05:00 07:00 11:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:00 01:00

European Tour Weekly Inside The PGA Tour LPGA Tour Highlights Rugby League World Cup Darts Grand Slam Live PGA European Tour Inside The PGA Tour Total Rugby Rugby League World Cup Trans World Sport LPGA Tour Highlights European Tour Weekly Inside The PGA Tour Live PGA Tour PGA European Tour

03:00 UFC Fight For The Troops 06:00 UFC - The Ultimate Fighter Season 18 07:00 International Rugby Union 09:00 Total Rugby 11:30 Rugby League World Cup 13:30 Total Rugby 14:00 Darts Grand Slam 18:00 Futbol Mundial 18:30 NFL Gameday 19:00 WWE NXT 20:00 UFC - Primetime 20:30 UFC - Primetime 21:00 UFC - The Ultimate Fighter Season 18 22:00 Live Darts Grand Slam 02:00 WWE NXT

03:30 ICC Cricket 360 04:00 World Pool Masters 05:00 Live World Cup Of Golf 07:00 Snooker Champion Champions 11:00 Golfing World 12:00 World Pool Masters 20:00 Total Rugby 20:30 Futbol Mundial 21:00 Inside The PGA Tour 21:30 European Tour Weekly 22:00 PGA European Tour 02:30 Trans World Sport

Of

04:00 Mass Participation U.K 04:30 Ping Pong World Championship 05:30 U.S Bass Fishing 06:30 Porsche GT 3 Cup Challenge Middle East 07:00 WWE Smackdown 09:00 Ping Pong World Championship 10:00 U.S Bass Fishing 13:00 WWE Vintage Collection 14:00 WWE Bottom Line 15:00 This Week In WWE 19:30 Prizefighter 23:00 UFC Prelims 01:00 UFC - Belfort vs. Henderson

03:00 04:00 04:30 05:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 Rides 08:00 09:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 Rides 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 19:30 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30 23:00 00:00 00:30 01:00 Rides 02:00 02:30

Off Limits Armed & Ready Armed & Ready Man vs World Airport 24/7: Miami Airport 24/7: Miami World’s Greatest Motorcycle Globe Trekker Descending Airport 24/7: Miami Airport 24/7: Miami World’s Greatest Motorcycle Bert The Conqueror Trip Flip The Food Truck The Food Truck Bizarre Foods America International House Hunters Hotel Impossible Soul Seeker The Food Truck The Food Truck Bizarre Foods America International House Hunters International House Hunters Luxury Uncovered Luxury Uncovered Monumental Mysteries Airport 24/7: Miami Airport 24/7: Miami World’s Greatest Motorcycle Xtreme Waterparks Xtreme Waterparks

Classifieds WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

Kuwait SHARQIA-1 THOR: THE DARK WORLD (DIG) ROMEO AND JULIET (DIG) CAPTAIN PHILLIPS (DIG) THOR: THE DARK WORLD (DIG) ROMEO AND JULIET (DIG) THOR: THE DARK WORLD (DIG) SHARQIA-2 THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) SHARQIA-3 PARKLAND (DIG) FREE BIRDS (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG)

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM 1:15 PM 4:00 PM 6:45 PM 9:30 PM 12:15 AM 1:45 PM 3:45 PM 5:45 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM 11:45 PM

MUHALAB-1 ROMEO AND JULIET (DIG) GORI TERE PYAAR MEIN (DIG) (Hindi) CAPTAIN PHILLIPS (DIG) THOR: THE DARK WORLD (DIG) ROMEO AND JULIET (DIG) THOR: THE DARK WORLD (DIG)

12:30 PM 3:00 PM 3:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM

MUHALAB-2 PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) FREE BIRDS (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG)

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 4:45 PM 6:45 PM 8:45 PM 10:45 PM

MUHALAB-3 THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) FANAR-1 PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG)

2:00 PM 4:45 PM 7:30 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

SITUATION VACANT

KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (21/11/2013 TO 27/11/2013) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG)

3:30 PM 6:15 PM 9:00 PM 11:45 PM

FREE BIRDS (DIG) FREE BIRDS (DIG-3D) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG)

3:45 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

MARINA-1 PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG)

2:00 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:05 AM

AL-KOUT.1 THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG)

1:00 PM 4:00 PM 6:45 PM 9:30 PM 12:15 AM

MARINA-2 ROMEO AND JULIET (DIG) FREE BIRDS (DIG) THOR: THE DARK WORLD (DIG) ROMEO AND JULIET (DIG) THOR: THE DARK WORLD (DIG) CAPTAIN PHILLIPS (DIG)

1:15 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

AL-KOUT.2 FREE BIRDS (DIG) THOR: THE DARK WORLD (DIG) ROMEO AND JULIET (DIG) THOR: THE DARK WORLD (DIG) ROMEO AND JULIET (DIG) THOR: THE DARK WORLD (DIG)

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:45 AM

MARINA-3 THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG)

1:00 PM 4:00 PM 6:45 PM 9:30 PM 12:15 AM

AVENUES-1 LAST VEGAS (DIG) LAST VEGAS (DIG) LAST VEGAS (DIG) LAST VEGAS (DIG) LAST VEGAS (DIG) SUN+TUE+WED THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG)

11:15 PM

AVENUES-2 ROMEO AND JULIET (DIG) ROMEO AND JULIET (DIG) ROMEO AND JULIET (DIG) ROMEO AND JULIET (DIG) LAST VEGAS (DIG)

1:30 PM 4:00 PM 6:30 PM 9:15 PM 11:45 PM

2:15 PM 4:30 PM 6:45 PM 9:00 PM 11:15 PM

AVENUES-3 THOR: THE DARK WORLD (DIG) THOR: THE DARK WORLD (DIG-3D) THOR: THE DARK WORLD (DIG) THOR: THE DARK WORLD (DIG-3D) THOR: THE DARK WORLD (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:00 PM 4:30 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM 12:05 AM

2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 8:45 PM 11:00 PM 1:15 AM

FANAR-2 THOR: THE DARK WORLD (DIG) CAPTAIN PHILLIPS (DIG) THOR: THE DARK WORLD (DIG) THOR: THE DARK WORLD (DIG) CAPTAIN PHILLIPS (DIG)

2:30 PM 4:45 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

360º- 1 PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

FANAR-3 LAST VEGAS (DIG) ROMEO AND JULIET (DIG) ROMEO AND JULIET (DIG) GORI TERE PYAAR MEIN (DIG) (Hindi) LAST VEGAS (DIG) LAST VEGAS (DIG)

1:15 PM 3:15 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:45 PM 12:45 AM

360º- 2 ALL IS LOST (DIG) ALL IS LOST (DIG) ALL IS LOST (DIG) ALL IS LOST (DIG) ALL IS LOST (DIG) ALL IS LOST (DIG)

1:45 PM 4:00 PM 6:15 PM 8:30 PM 10:45 PM 1:00 AM

FANAR-4 FREE BIRDS (DIG-3D)

1:30 PM

360º- 3 FREE BIRDS (DIG-3D)

1:30 PM

AL-KOUT.3 PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

AL-KOUT.4 LAST VEGAS (DIG) CAPTAIN PHILLIPS (DIG) LAST VEGAS (DIG) LAST VEGAS (DIG) LAST VEGAS (DIG) CAPTAIN PHILLIPS (DIG)

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM 11:45 PM

BAIRAQ-1 THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG)

12:30 PM 3:30 PM 6:15 PM 9:00 PM 11:45 PM

BAIRAQ-2 PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG)

1:45 PM 3:45 PM 5:45 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM 12:00 AM

BAIRAQ-3 FREE BIRDS (DIG) FREE BIRDS (DIG) THOR: THE DARK WORLD (DIG) CAPTAIN PHILLIPS (DIG) THOR: THE DARK WORLD (DIG) CAPTAIN PHILLIPS (DIG)

1:00 PM 3:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

PLAZA PARKLAND (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) CAPTAIN PHILLIPS (DIG)

6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:45 PM

LAILA THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG) PARKLAND (DIG) THE HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIRE (DIG)

5:30 PM 8:15 PM 10:15 PM

A Kuwaiti family is looking to hire a driver with a valid driver’s license.

Contact: 99401126.

(C 4581) 25-11-2014 Professional cook for house, good knowledge of all kind of food, specially Arabic and Indian food, good salary, part time. Call: 23901053, 66519719, 67079253.

(C 4577) 23-11-2014 CHANGE OF NAME I, Mohammed Zakir, holder of Indian Passport No. H4591862 issued in Kuwait on 24/08/2009, address: 86-10-2, Chegunta Ramanpet, Medak, AP, hereby change my name to Zakir Alfouddin Shaikh.

(C 4583) 26-11-2014

ACCOMMODATION Single room, central A/C available. Very near to AlSalam International Hospital, Benaid Al-Gar, rent KD 90. Please contact: 66612378, 97879611.

(C 4582) Sharing accommodation for couple Filipino only near Indian school Jabriya.

Available November 25, 2013. Contact: 99537639.

(C 4581) 25-11-2014

FOR SALE 2005 model Mitsubishi Nativa, 4x4, 6 cylinder, silver color, price KD 1,900. Tel: 66104141. (C 4586) 27-11-2013

excellent condition, maintained with company price KD 1200. Tel: 99839511.

(C 4579) 24-11-2013

Honda Accord 2008, company maintained, excellent condition. Tel: 99787716 or 99673239.

(C 4584) 26-11-2013 Nissan Pathfinder 2003 model, in good condition, white. Serious buyer may contact 97277135 25-11-2013

112 THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is

1889988

KIA Optima model 2006,

Prayer timings MATRIMONIAL Inviting proposals for God fearing Marthomite boy 27/174/BE, working as an Engineer in Kuwait. Please contact email: oommenanoop@gmail.com or ansa.nick@gmail.com (C 4585) 27-11-2013

Fajr:

04:58

Shorook

06:21

Duhr:

11:36

Asr:

14:30

Maghrib:

16:50

Isha:

18:11

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

Airlines JAI THY JZR JZR QTR SYR ETH GFA THY UAE ETD OMA MSR QTR FDB THY DHX FDB JZR JZR BAW KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR IRM ETD FDB GFA IRA IAW DHX JZR MEA TMA KNE MSC IRM UAE SVA JZR MSR CLX KNE IYE

Arrival Flights on Wednesday 27/11/2013 Flt Route Time 574 MUMBAI 00:10 772 ISTANBUL 00:45 539 CAIRO 00:40 267 BEIRUT 00:40 1084 DOHA 00:55 1439 DAMASCUS 01:35 620 ADDIS ABABA 01:45 211 BAHRAIN 02:10 764 SABIHA 02:15 853 DUBAI 02:35 305 ABU DHABI-INTL 02:45 643 MUSCAT 03:05 612 CAIRO 03:10 1076 DOHA 03:45 67 DUBAI 04:00 770 ISTANBUL 05:35 170 BAHRAIN 05:40 69 DUBAI 05:50 529 ASYUT 06:20 555 ALEXANDRIA 06:05 157 LONDON 06:40 412 MANILA 06:45 53 DUBAI 07:50 302 MUMBAI 07:55 382 DELHI 07:55 206 ISLAMABAD 07:40 344 CHENNAI 08:35 284 DHAKA 08:50 362 COLOMBO 08:45 352 COCHIN 08:10 855 DUBAI 08:40 125 SHARJAH 09:00 1070 DOHA 09:10 1186 TEHRAN 09:15 301 ABU DHABI-INTL 09:20 55 DUBAI 09:40 213 BAHRAIN 10:40 603 SHIRAZ 10:45 157 BAGHDAD 11:00 872 BAHRAIN 11:15 165 DUBAI 11:30 404 BEIRUT 11:55 213 BEIRUT 12:10 470 JEDDAH 12:15 403 ASYUT 12:20 1188 MASHAD 12:40 871 DUBAI 12:50 9401 JEDDAH 12:00 561 SOHAG 12:55 610 CAIRO 13:00 792 LUXEMBOURG 13:15 480 TAIF 13:15 826 SANAA 13:30

FDB QTR SVA KAC SVA MSR KAC SVA KAC KAC UAE QTR ETD RJA JZR JZR JZR SVA ABY GFA KNE RBG KAC JZR QTR FDB KAC GFA KAC KAC KAC KAC OMA KAC KAC KAC FDB MSC JAI ABY ETD AXB MSR DLH ALK MEA ETD UAE GFA QTR FDB JAI JZR JZR AIC

57 1078 9403 521 9405 575 790 500 788 538 857 1072 303 640 787 777 357 510 127 215 462 553 542 177 1080 63 786 217 102 618 1782 774 647 674 166 1784 61 405 572 129 919 489 606 634 229 402 307 859 219 1074 59 576 135 239 975

DUBAI DOHA JEDDAH NAJAF JEDDAH SHARM EL SHEIKH MEDINAH JEDDAH JEDDAH SHARM EL SHEIKH DUBAI DOHA ABU DHABI-INTL AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA RIYADH JEDDAH MASHAD RIYADH SHARJAH BAHRAIN MEDINAH ALEXANDRIA CAIRO DUBAI DOHA DUBAI JEDDAH BAHRAIN NEW YORK DOHA JEDDAH RIYADH MUSCAT DUBAI PARIS JEDDAH DUBAI SOHAG MUMBAI SHARJAH ABU DHABI-INTL COCHIN LUXOR FRANKFURT COLOMBO BEIRUT ABU DHABI-INTL DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI COCHIN BAHRAIN AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA CHENNAI

13:50 13:55 13:05 13:45 14:00 14:15 14:25 14:30 15:10 16:05 16:40 16:40 16:50 16:55 17:00 17:55 17:55 17:15 17:25 17:30 17:50 18:15 18:05 18:20 18:40 18:45 18:45 19:30 19:35 19:00 19:40 19:30 19:55 19:25 19:10 20:45 20:05 20:05 20:10 20:20 20:25 20:35 20:45 20:55 21:10 21:20 21:35 21:40 21:45 22:00 22:00 22:15 22:05 22:20 22:30

Departure Flights on Wednesday 27/11/2013 Airlines Flt Route Time AIC 982 AHMEDABAD 00:05 UAL 981 WASHINGTON 00:55 JAI 573 MUMBAI 01:10 DLH 635 FRANKFURT 02:10 SYR 1440 DAMASCUS 02:35 ETH 621 ADDIS ABABA 02:45 THY 773 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 02:55 UAE 854 DUBAI 03:50 ETD 306 ABU DHABI 04:00 OMA 644 MUSCAT 04:05 MSR 613 CAIRO 04:10 QTR 1085 DOHA 04:15 FDB 68 DUBAI 04:40 QTR 1077 DOHA 05:15 JZR 560 SOHAG 06:20 FDB 70 DUBAI 06:30 JZR 164 DUBAI 06:55 THY 765 ISTANBUL-SABIHA 07:05 GFA 212 BAHRAIN 07:15 THY 771 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 07:30 KAC 537 SHARM EL SHEIKH 08:10 FDB 54 DUBAI 08:30 BAW 156 LONDON 08:45 KAC 671 DUBAI 09:30 ABY 126 SHARJAH 09:40 KAC 789 MADINAH 09:45 UAE 856 DUBAI 09:55 KAC 117 NEW YORK 10:00 ETD 302 ABU DHABI 10:05 KAC 522 AL NAJAF 10:05 QTR 1071 DOHA 10:10 FDB 56 DUBAI 10:20 IRM 1187 IMAM KHOMEINI 10:30 KAC 175 FRANKFURT 10:45 GFA 214 BAHRAIN 11:25 KAC 541 CAIRO 11:30 IRA 602 SHIRAZ 11:45 JZR 356 MASHHAD 11:55 IAW 158 AL NAJAF 12:00 KAC 103 LONDON 12:20 JZR 776 JEDDAH 12:25 MEA 405 BEIRUT 12:55 DHX 521 BAGRAM 13:00 KAC 785 JEDDAH 13:00 KNE 461 MADINAH 13:10 MSC 406 SOHAG 13:20 SVA 2401 JEDDAH 13:30 JZR 786 RIYADH 13:35 JZR 176 DUBAI 13:45 TMA 223 AL MAKTOUM INTERNATIONAL 13:45 MSR 611 CAIRO 14:00 IRM 1189 MASHHAD 14:05 KNE 481 TAIF 14:10 KAC 1781 JEDDAH 14:10

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

UAE IYE FDB SVA CLX QTR MSR KAC KAC SVA KAC SVA KAC JZR ETD QTR UAE JZR RJA ABY SVA GFA KNE JZR JZR RBG JZR FDB QTR GFA KAC FDB OMA KAC ABY MSC JAI KAC MSR DHX ALK MEA ETD ETD GFA KAC FDB UAE KAC KAC QTR JAI JZR JZR KAC

872 827 58 2403 792 1079 576 673 1783 2405 617 503 773 238 304 1073 858 538 641 128 511 216 471 184 266 554 134 64 1081 218 283 62 648 331 120 404 571 351 619 171 230 403 308 920 220 301 60 860 381 205 1075 575 528 502 415

DUBAI SANAA DUBAI JEDDAH GIALAM DOHA SHARM EL SHEIKH DUBAI JEDDAH JEDDAH DOHA MADINAH RIYADH AMMAN ABU DHABI DOHA DUBAI CAIRO AMMAN SHARJAH RIYADH BAHRAIN JEDDAH DUBAI BEIRUT ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN DUBAI DOHA BAHRAIN DHAKA DUBAI MUSCAT TRIVANDRUM SHARJAH ASYUT MUMBAI KOCHI ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN COLOMBO BEIRUT ABU DHABI ABU DHABI BAHRAIN MUMBAI DUBAI DUBAI DELHI ISLAMABAD DOHA ABU DHABI ASYUT LUXOR KUALA LUMPUR

14:15 14:30 14:30 14:35 14:45 14:55 15:00 15:05 15:15 15:30 15:30 15:45 16:05 16:55 17:35 17:40 17:50 17:50 17:55 18:05 18:15 18:20 18:40 18:40 18:50 18:55 19:10 19:25 19:40 20:15 20:30 20:45 20:55 20:55 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:10 21:45 21:50 22:10 22:20 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:50 22:50 22:55 23:10 23:15 23:25 23:30 23:55

34

stars CROSSWORD 381

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) Today may be the day that you stay home and everybody else goes out to work or tends to chores. You could be writing an article about the health care system in your country and the demand for better health. You encourage alternative health techniques to be considered more deeply. These alternative remedies may have a long way to go before acceptance is commonplace. If you are not a freelance writer, you may consider writing a letter to the editors of different magazines concerning this issue.

Awareness is an important factor in public acceptance. Perhaps this is a time to think and study, for you have a real appreciation for ideas and thoughts. You get into the decorating mood this evening and find fascinating ways to decorate for the upcoming season.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today some of your co-workers may seem a bit fussy. Hold your tongue a little while longer—the mood will pass. It is interesting to observe how ideas, tendencies and a group mind seem to move in patterns. You busy yourself with your own work but you also find ways to be amused silently at the emotional movement of today. The increase in workload this afternoon is another temporary situation. You could discover that a student or a young person will open up to you today. The trust this person has in your ability to solve problems keeps you attentive to ways you can be helpful. It is nice to be needed.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. The probability of a specified outcome.

5. Rich Middle Eastern cake made of thin layers of flaky pastry filled with nuts and honey.

12. An honorary degree in science.

15. A member of an Algonquian people living in central Canada.

16. Covering the entire surface.

17. Hawaiian dish of taro root pounded to a paste and often allowed to ferment.

18. A large artillery gun that is usually on wheels.

20. Fill with high spirits.

21. To make a mistake or be incorrect.

22. Collect or gather.

25. Stem of the rattan palm used for making canes and umbrella handles.

27. Of or relating to a galaxy (especially our galaxy the Milky Way).

30. A republic in southern Europe on the Italian Peninsula.

31. A member of the Siouan people formerly living in the Missouri river valley in NE Nebraska.

32. A metallic element having four allotropic forms.

34. The compass point midway between northeast and east.

36. A form of communism developed in China by Mao Zedong.

40. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits.

41. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

43. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

44. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

47. A religious belief of African origin involving witchcraft and sorcery.

50. (Mexican) Corn and cornmeal dough stuffed with a meat mixture then wrapped in corn husks and steamed.

52. Type genus of the Nepidae.

54. A member of the Pueblo people living in northern New Mexico.

55. The United Nations agency concerned with international maritime activities.

57. Order by virtue of superior authority.

59. The 17th letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

60. The slender spear of the Bantu-speaking people of Africa.

63. A true bug.

65. A firearm that is held and fired with one hand.

66. A flask that holds spirits.

69. A state in the western United States.

70. One of a pair of long straps (usually connected to the bit or the headpiece) used to control a horse.

72. Genus of tropical plants with creeping rootstocks and small umbellate flowers.

73. A recurring sleep state during which dreaming occurs.

77. A rotating disk shaped to convert circular into linear motion.

78. A sweetened beverage of diluted fruit juice.

79. Of or relating to or characteristic of Croatia or its people or language.

80. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

DOWN 1. English scholastic philosopher and assumed author of Occam's Razor (1285-1349).

2. A dramatic work intended for performance by

actors on a stage.

3. A mountain in south central Alaska.

4. Having physical sensation.

5. A decree that prohibits something.

6. A silvery ductile metallic element found primarily in bauxite.

7. Swiss painter influenced by Kandinsky (18791940).

8. Somewhat flattened cylindrical squid.

9. Evergreen Indian shrub with vivid yellow flowers whose bark is used in tanning.

10. A doctor who practices veterinary medicine.

11. A unit of surface area equal to 100 square meters.

12. Drained of energy or effectiveness.

13. Either of two Welsh breeds of long-bodied short-legged dogs with erect ears and a fox-like head.

14. English theoretical physicist who applied relativity theory to quantum mechanics and predicted the existence of antimatter and the positron (19021984).

19. An Oscan-speaking member of an ancient people of Campania.

23. Grass mowed and cured for use as fodder.

24. The United Nations agency concerned with civil aviation.

26. Separate or cut with a tool, such as a sharp instrument.

28. A Tibetan or Mongolian priest of Lamaism.

29. According to the Old Testament he was a pagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel (9th century BC).

33. A small cake leavened with yeast.

35. An unstable meson produced as the result of a high-energy particle collision.

37. The United Nations agency concerned with atomic energy.

38. A sailing vessel with a single mast set about one third of the boat's length aft of the bow.

39. A large and imposing house.

42. Bony fishes of the southern hemisphere that breathe by a modified air bladder as well as gills.

45. The 12th letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

46. Scandinavian punch made of claret and aquavit with spices and raisins and orange peel and sugar.

48. Small sweet triangular nut of any of various beech trees.

49. King of the Huns.

51. Assign in incorrect name to.

53. An association of people to promote the welfare of senior citizens.

56. Informal terms for money.

58. A cephalosporin that can be given parenterally (trade name Zinacef) or orally by tablets (trade name Ceftin).

61. Fed beyond capacity or desire.

62. 100 aurar equal 1 krona.

64. The capital and largest city of Bangladesh.

67. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike.

68. God of love and erotic desire.

71. An agency of the United Nations affiliated with the World Bank.

74. Being ten more than one hundred ninety.

75. Being one more than one hundred.

76. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

While you may be using your analytical abilities at work this Tuesday, you will also become involved in conversations about the upcoming holidays.

Plenty of subjects interest you enough so that you could become distracted in your regular work of the day—careful. This afternoon you may find yourself being put to good use by your friends, or it could be that circumstances force you to reorganize and become more conservative. You may find yourself involved in a neighborhood meeting later today. Perhaps choosing better placement of trash containers or voting on guidelines for decorations will be the gist of such a meeting. You can demonstrate great understanding of the needs of others and it is easy for you to ask the right questions.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Time seems to escape from you while you are busy with your professional chores this morning. Your expressive and outgoing side is activated later today and you can relax a bit after the noon break. Friends may suggest a trip for this next weekend and after conferring with family, you may find yourself plotting your path. There are other options and you might leave yourself available for whatever may come.

Remember, there is a fun and upbeat tourist site you have not seen yet. You are very expressive when it comes to your talents. You could successfully work in the arts and theater, in sports or with the ultimate self-expression: children. Other than your own professional work, this whole day is filled with your creative expression.

Leo (July 23-August 22) This is a good time for clear deliberation and problem solving. You are in a serious frame of mind and find yourself dealing with matters of much concern and responsibility. This may mean that you will find new ways to clear away old debts. You may be very persuasive—making clear decisions that affect yourself and others. Your whole base of knowledge and experience could be changing—your mind and your belief system. This afternoon is a good time to spend with a loved one. Emotions are up, and you may even find yourself pondering a bit on the meaning of life. Overall, you will prosper through new insights, inventions and an independent point of view. Music, literature and romance are at your disposal. Enjoy an evening of your own making.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Your accomplishments come quickly and your organizational skills are commendable. Because you move through life so quickly, you could overlook some things that are beneficial for your own peace of mind. Any deeply meaningful information will be learned eventually, but the peace of mind is important because it helps you to stay healthy physically. Because this is a natural phenomenon with your personality, you must schedule some timeout as though you were scheduling appointments. Use your timeout in peaceful, spirit-filled activity twice a day. A young person may need lessons in money management and if this is a relative, it might be a good idea to provide a tutor. This is a great time of the year to plan get-togethers with family.

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22) You are ready to get this workweek behind you. You may be planning a big shopping trip or a get-together with friends from your high school days.

You may even be looking forward to travel. Travel at this time may lead to prosperity. Your people skills and leadership qualities are impressive—people flock around you to listen to the things you have to say or teach. Do not believe rumors at work. People like you, that are competitive and successful, will just naturally find blocks to the goals that are set. The fun in achievement is the struggle to overcome the problem-solving challenges. What seems like good financial news may turn out to be nothing after you check the facts. Stay diligent—better financial days are ahead.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) There is a lot of energy in the air this morning. On a cold day, you have enough energy that you barely feel the cold; you are invigorated. Your mind is set on getting successfully through the day. You possess an intensity that burns through any difficulties. You will use your resourcefulness to bring an end to a difficult project.

Psychic visions, worldviews and impressions from others help guide you in many of your choices, and nobody has to know. You will prosper through new insights. You have a friend that will be going into business soon who benefits from your wise suggestions.

Sometimes the placement of a business will discourage or encourage a potential customer and you have a great deal to offer on the subject of location.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You are very comfortable with life in general this morning. Everything seems to be working together and you may find yourself expressive and communicative with others. If you are commuting on a bus, the whole busload of people will be in a better mood today because of you. Perhaps you know how the meaning of life fits you or perhaps you have a new lover, or you just know how to enjoy life. There is some talk of how we humans interact with each other and how we take care of nature. Please note the importance in how we visualize nature. This afternoon you could find yourself in hobby stores buying parts, games or an addition to your favorite pastime. Before you begin to play with the hobbies of yours, clear away the old.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) You could be seen by others as just the person to be put in charge of some project requiring a conservative mind. Work is intense today—there is a rush to complete projects. It is important to take your breaks and get some fresh air. This afternoon the focus could be on a move of residence—yours or a friend. Friends may worry about your constant work but you have a focus and will explain in your own time. Friends or relatives give you a lot to ponder—a period of great mental activity and heightened communication with others. This evening you could be organizing a photo album. The opportunity to be with family members later this week calls for a display of pictures that tell the story of your activities over the past couple of years.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) This is not the best time for career or vocational decisions. If you are looking for a job, consider working with a temporary agency. You might be able to understand how future work opportunities could become available. Then you can focus your attention on how you might work for a company that seems to fit with your needs. This is a fruitful time for real-estate investments, if you do not bite off more than you can chew. You have the courage to achieve the best for yourself through careful choices; you set good examples. It may be your turn to cook but hurry as time is running short this afternoon. Music fills the air this evening and if you are not performing a good friend or family member will entertain you. Enjoy some relaxation time.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) You authorize responsibility to others today; although you might prefer to have more control over certain circumstances, it is not always possible. This is a good time to get down to the nitty-gritty and take care of these responsibilities as well as some business you may have postponed lately. A meeting with someone older is at hand this afternoon. With a listening and patient attitude, satisfactory agreements can be found. You could find that you are appreciated or valued for your feelings or your ability to act and get things done. Do you have control of color in your life it may be time to have some real fun this coming holiday if you find yourself by yourself—paint. Paint a room or paint a picture or play with watercolor like a big kid. You will smile.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 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

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

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Al-Madeena

22418714

Al-Shuhada

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Faiha

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Kaizen center

25716707

Rawda

22517733

Adaliya

22517144

Al-Jahra

25610011

Khaldiya

24848075

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Kaifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salem

22549134

Nuzha

22526804

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24814764

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22515088

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22532265

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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

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22547272

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25625030/60

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23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

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22613623/0

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23729596/23729581

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2572-6666 ext 8321

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25665898 25340300

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22621099

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25713514

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23713100

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24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

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25343406

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22641071/2

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25739272

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22562226

22618787

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22561444

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22619557

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22525888

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25653755

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25620111

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22610044

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25327148

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22639939

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22666300

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25728004

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25355515

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24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Neurologists Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Kaizen center 25716707

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Dr. Salem soso

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

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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

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

lifestyle G o s s i p

Roberts considers snubbing work for kids

J

ulia Robert has considered giving up acting jobs to spend more time with her children. The ‘Pretty Woman’ star - who is married to cameraman Daniel Moder - admits she found it tough when she tried to leave her kids, twins Hazel and Phinnaeus, to go back to work after they were born in 2004. Her first attempts at juggling motherhood and work were not that successful. Julia told The Hollywood Reporter: “The first time I worked after I had Finn and Hazel was a play [‘Three Days of Rain on Broadway’] for four months. And they were a year-and-a-half old, and there was a little place in the theatre for them to play, and Paul Rudd’s son was just younger than they were. It seemed perfect, ‘I’ll be at work while they’re sleeping, and nothing about our life will be any different.’ And then cut to me standing at an elevator waiting to go to work,

literally pulling my own hair out. I went a little bit cuckoo.” Julia, 46, admits she felt she had earned the right to take some time off with her kids because she had been working non-stop for so long. The Oscar winner explained: “I had been working for 18 years when I had Hazel and Finn almost nine years ago. So I felt like I earned that time in my house and in my kitchen and in bed all day with these two little people. I felt that was my present to myself. I was fortunate to work a lot, and I worked hard, and I was very devoted to that, and then I earned this jewel box of a life that I felt completely entitled to. And things haven’t gotten easier as her twins have got older and Julia - who also has a son Henry, who was born in 2007 - almost turned down a role in her most recent film ‘August: Osage County’ because she felt

Bieber had to sign hotel contract

J

ustin Bieber reportedly signed a contract forcing him to behave at a New Zealand hotel. The ‘Boyfriend’ singer was banned from bringing back girls to his £1,000 a night suite and restricted from eating with guests in the posh banquet room in a bid to prevent any controversy during his residence at the Langham Hotel in Auckland last weekend. A source told the Daily Star newspaper: “Justin will be thrown out if doesn’t follow the rules. They don’t care who he is. His management were made to sign a contract, which included a long list of demands, stopping him from partying and disturbing other guests.” Justin’s arrival was “dreaded” by hotel staff following his recent stint in Brazil where he attempted to bring two prostitutes back to his hotel after visiting a brothel, and faced arrest after spray painting the side of a hotel building with graffiti. However the 19year-old singer was forced to agree to the hotel’s demands after a string of accommodation in the area failed to meet his security needs.

The source added: “There aren’t many other hotels he could stay in that has the necessary security facilities. So really they had to sign.

But it’s a highly respectable place and Justin’s arrival was dreaded by some.”

Stars donate songs for Philippines relief album

D

ozens of top stars have donated songs to an album aimed at raising funds for typhoon disaster relief in the Philippines. Songs by The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Beyonce, U2 and Bruno Mars are among the 39 donated to “Songs for the Philippines,” available for purchase Monday at iTunes and for streaming on iTunes Radio. The artists, record companies and music publishers have agreed to donate the proceeds to the Philippines Red Cross.

Thousands were killed, injured and displaced by Typhoon Haiyan earlier this month and officials have struggled to keep up with humanitarian aid demands. The compilation album has a little of everything, from the disturbing images of a live version of Eminem’s “Stan” to the calming effect of The Beatles’ “Let It Be.”

Springsteen sets January date for new album

B

ruce Springsteen on Monday set January 14 as the release date for his 18th studio album, a mix of cover versions, studio outtakes and rerecordings of old songs titled “High Hopes.” “This is music I always felt needed to be released,” said the US rock legend on his brucespringsteen.net website, where he also posted a video for the title track composed by singersongwriter Tim Scott McConnell. Musicians appearing alongside The Boss on the 12 tracks include guitarist Tom Morello and members of the E Street Band, including saxophonist Clarence Clemons who died in 2011. The new album will come out two weeks before Springsteen performs the first of three scheduled concerts in South Africa ahead of a tour of Australia and New Zealand.

Sean Penn: Madonna in Haiti to see his aid work

M

adonna is in Haiti to visit humanitarian projects that ex-husband Sean Penn has been overseeing since the Caribbean nation’s devastating earthquake in 2010, the actor said Monday. Penn said in a brief phone call to The Associated Press that he had invited Madonna, with whom he has “maintained a great friendship over the years,” to visit several times and that she had come with her son Rocco. He said they arrived a “couple of days” ago, and he wasn’t sure when she would leave. “She’s here, she’s seeing, she’s made the effort to come here, and I’m thrilled by that,” Penn said, adding that he hoped Haiti might inspire her to seek out a cause in the country. “She has a unique platform, and wherever she chooses to bring that to, it’s very well.” Madonna’s been busy posting photos on Instagram. One shows her posing with others at a new hospital built by public health pioneer Dr Paul Farmer in the central part of the country.

Did Jolie buy Pitt a $20 million heart-shaped island?

A

ngelina Jolie has not bought Petra Island for Brad Pitt. The owners of the heart shaped island have shut down reports the ‘Changeling’ actress had splashed $20 million on the land ahead of her husband’s 50th birthday next month by revealing the paradise retreat is still up for sale. The exclusive island is located approximately 50 miles north of Manhattan, New York and sits in the middle of Lake Mahopac in Putnam County, but Donna Massaro - whose parents Joseph and Barbara own the retreat - insists the land hasn’t received an offer since it was put on the market four months ago. She told the New York Post newspaper: “I don’t have any idea where that [report] came from.

The family threw it out there to see if anyone was interested, and so far no [potential buyers] have [come forward].” The 11-acre island contains two properties designed by Brad’s favourite architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, including a cottage built in 1950 - nine years before Wright’s death - and a main house which was built in 2008 from one of his blueprints. The lavish property is decked with mahogany and juxtaposes modern furnishings with exposed rock walls from which the house has been built over in addition to work surfaces carved out of solid granite.

Bono optimistic about ‘Spider-Man’ musical future

U

2 frontman Bono feels optimistic that his musical, “Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark” will continue to thrive after the show turns the lights out on Broadway early next year. “When you think of the difficult birth that we had with ‘Turn Off the Dark,’” he said, “it’s worked out so well.” “Three hugely successful years, and then it’s off to Germany, it’s off to Las Vegas,” Bono said Monday night on the red carpet for “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.” U2 contributed to the film’s soundtrack with “Ordinary Love.” It’s the band’s first new song in three years and it plays at the end of the movie. Bono and Edge also wrote the music for “Spider-Man.” By the time it closes, more than 2 million people will have seen it. But the musical had a tumultuous run, including six delayed opening nights, numerous injuries to the cast, and the publicized firing of director Julie Taymor. It was also Broadway’s most expensive show, costing around $75 million. “It was a lot more expensive than it should have been, but in the long term it will ... do very, very well,” he said. The musical turns off its light at the Foxwoods Theater on Jan. 4.

37

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

LIFESTYLE F e a t u r e s

Photo shows skiers and snowboarders coming down a trail at Park City Mountain Resort.

tah’s ski industry is getting an earlyseason intravenous shot. Ski-pass sales and lodging reservations are up as resorts reap the benefit of an improving economy. Even the weather is cooperating, with November building up snow equity on the slopes. Utah boosters hope the Sochi Olympics whip up enthusiasm for skiing in the state that held the 2002 Winter Games.

Many of the 14 Utah resorts are step-

U

purchases, Utah’s Eagle Point ski area will offer $25 lift tickets to anyone on Thursdays and Sundays when it opens Dec 19.

It’s shaping up as a season of hope for Utah skiing after a pair of unimpressive snow years. By mid-November, Park City had booked 28 percent of the season for lodging at a pace a fifth faster than the year before, industry officials say. The early bookings come as Park City Mountain Resorts prepares to celebrate its storied 50-

Skiers at Park City Mountain Resort, in Park City, Utah.

Photo shows an adult skiing with a child at Park City Mountain Resort. ping up offerings for season-pass holders, daily visitors and young learners. They’re holding prices, offering special deals and notably, more multi-resort privileges. For vacationers who can’t plan early-season

year history with a season-long series of live music, fireworks and giveaways.

“The early-season snowfall helped calm fears,” said Nathan Rafferty, president of the trade group Ski Utah. After a pair of lacklus-

ter winters, Utah was itching for a comeback and appears to be getting it, he said.

“We haven’t seen this kind of sustained strength in the mountain lodging industry since pre-2008,” said Ralf Garrison, director of Denver-based analysts DestiMetrics.

Resorts around Salt Lake City have modernized rapidly since the 2002 Olympics, and skiers can expect more improvements on the slope this winter. Fast lifts can now be found at most of the resorts, and Brighton Resort is opening a girls-only snowboard terrain park. Snowbird replaced its pokey two-seat Gad 2 with a high-speed quad, cutting ride time in half on a popular side of the mountain. Brian Head in southern Utah poured $3.5 million into base lodges and magic-carpet surface lifts.

Other Utah resorts invested in snow-making, grooming fleets and dining options.

Another convenience is unfolding off the slopes. Salt Lake City’s airport is now served by light-rail transit, which can connect vacationing skiers - with bus transfers - to Alta and Snowbird or Brighton and Solitude in the canyons east of Salt Lake City. Eventually, Utah wants to run light-rail directly to the four resorts. Mass transit is shaping up as an alternative to renting a car.

A wild card for the ski industry - the legalization of marijuana in neighboring Colorado - has Utah resorts feeling queasy.

Will it siphon off frat boy skiers to Colorado and send more families to Utah? There’s no sign either is happening, say Colorado and Utah resort officials who are trying to make it a non-issue, even as Rafferty concedes, “It is something everyone wants to talk about.”

Rich Gomez, for one, said the pot dilemma “means nothing” for his skiing decisions.

A 59-year-old businessman from Trabuco Canyon, Calif, he prefers Utah’s uncrowded slopes, deep powder and lift and lodging rates that are a bargain by Colorado or California standards.

“Look at the snow here - it’s better,” said Gomez, who was skiing with his grandchildren at Brighton Resort last week on a $49 lift ticket. “Utah is different. It’s more laidback. Colorado is nice, but it’s tougher to get to and more expensive.” Gomez likes that he can choose among eight resorts within an hour’s drive of the Salt Lake airport. His son-in-law, Allen Basso of San Clemente, Calif., summed up a day at Brighton by declaring he found “not one line” at the bottom of a ski lift.

Others at Brighton doubted that dopesmoking skiers would avoid Utah to descend on Colorado. “We can do it on the sly here, but we’re not admitting anything,” joked Matt Burk, a 49-year-old medical respiratory therapist from Salt Lake City.

Anything that keeps Utah skiing low-profile is good, said Burke and his ski buddy, Torg Hickman, a 46-year-old nursing assistant.

Both plan to take February off for skiing, burning a year’s vacation time. “This is the best place in the world,” crowed Hickman, who has been skiing in Utah for 37 years.

Utah skiers can largely thank a Colorado company for putting downward pressure on ticket and pass rates. Vail Resorts Inc. took over Canyons Resort at Park City and brought a popular multi-resort pass to Utah. For around $700 - a bargain by industry standards - Vail’s EPIC pass gives skiers the run of six Colorado resorts, one in Utah, and three around Lake Tahoe, plus some free skiing at select European resorts. Vail sold around 350,000 EPIC passes before sales closed Sunday (Nov 24), up from 300,000 last winter, executives say. With buyers in all 50 states and 80 countries snapping it up, Utah expects to grab more out-of-state skiers because of it.

“The big story is Vail brought the EPIC pass to town. And we’re seeing other resorts join forces,” Rafferty said. “That’s good for Utah skiers.” Brighton and Solitude offered early-season buyers a joint Big Cottonwood Canyon pass for the first time this winter, and they made a connecting trail between resorts easier to navigate. In addition, Alta and Snowbird teamed up on a pass option with some neighbors over the Wasatch Ridge, Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley. A season-pass holder at any one of the four resorts will now get three days of skiing at each of the others.

You don’t need a season pass to find deals. Alta and Snowbird are cutting ticket prices in half for airline passengers who, after registering online, show up with a boarding pass within 24 hours of arrival.

Anyone can buy discounted tickets at many ski shops in the Salt Lake valley, generally for $5 less than published rates. In Utah, lift tickets range from $32 to $108 a day.

For less than $40 a day, several resorts are offering equipment and lessons during January. Park City offers a similar deal all season long with a package of five lessons.

The best deal for Utah skiers is for 5th and 6th graders: They can get three days of skiing at each of Utah’s resorts for $30 - that works out to 71 cents a day. It doesn’t get cheaper. “We hear it all the time: ‘Skiing’s too expensive,’” Rafferty said. “But there are great programs out there.”—AP

Photo shows skiers and snowboarders on a lift at Park City Mountain Resort.

A skier at Park City Mountain Resort in Park City, Utah.

Wright chairs owned by late NYC mayor go for $11K set of dining room chairs designed by Frank Lloyd Wright sold Monday for more than $11,000 at an auction of furniture and other possessions of the late New York Mayor Ed Koch. The chairs were part of a dining set in Koch’s home in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. While the chairs sold for well over the estimated price of $2,500 to $3,500, a matching table went for $1,375, under its $1,500 to $2,500 estimate.

The furniture pieces were among more than 40 items from

A

This undated photo provided by Doyle New York shows an image by Red Grooms, ‘The Williamsburg Bridge for Mayor Koch’.

Koch’s estate offered at the Doyle New York auction house. Koch, a three-term former mayor whose brash, humor-tinged style personified the New York of the 1980s, died in February at age 88.

The Democrat was credited with helping to save the city from its 1970s economic crisis and leading it to financial rebirth.

The auction house is selling his belongings in two sessions.

Furniture, decorative arts and paintings were on the block Monday. On Nov 25, Koch’s correspondence with heads of state, his books and other ephemera are to be sold. Koch’s favorite burgundy leather upholstered club chair and ottoman brought $875; it had a pre-sale estimate of $200 to $300.

Among the more unusual items was a group of three ancient

This undated photo provided by Doyle New York shows ancient pottery vessels which belonged to former Mayor Ed Koch and sold at auction last week.—AP

pottery vessels, two of which date to the Iron Age and the third to the first century. They sold for $1,875 but had been estimated to bring $700 to $1,000. Koch’s artworks included a lithograph by American artist Frank Stella titled “Jasper’s Dilemma.” It is inscribed “For Ed - thanks a million - F.S. ‘89.” It sold for $2,250,

This undated photo provided by Doyle New York shows chairs designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, which belonged to former Mayor Ed Koch and sold at auction last week.

This undated photo provided by Doyle New York shows a burgundy leather club chair and ottoman which belonged to former Mayor Ed Koch. within its estimate. The Nov 25 highlights include a framed copy of a 1948 letter from President Harry Truman recognizing Israel.

Also included are letters from Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.—AP

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

lifestyle M u s i c

British actor Sean Bean poses with his ‘Best Performance by an Actor’ award for his role in ‘Accused’.

— AP /AFP photos

&

M o v i e s

Director Vinicius Coimbra, left, writer Claudia Lage, and writer Joao Ximenes Braga pose with ‘Telenova’ award for ‘Side By Side’.

Violinist Richard O’Neill, left, executive producer Boyoung Lee and CEN Media president E Jejun pose the “Arts Programming” award for “Hello?!

UK wins three International Emmy Awards, JJ Abrams honored

S

ean Bean won Best Actor at the International Emmy Awards on Monday night. The 54-yearold actor was one of the big winners at the annual TV awards ceremony - which celebrates shows created outside of the United States - as he accepted a prize for his starring role in BBC crime drama ‘Accused’. Sean played cross-dressing teacher Simon in the second series of the drama which was created by acclaimed TV writer Jimmy McGovern. Comedian Chris O’Dowd also had reason to celebrate as his Sky 1 HD sitcom ‘Moone Boy’ - which follows a 12-yearold boy’s adventures with his imaginary friend earned the Best Comedy Series prize.

Elsewhere, blonde beauty Sheridan Smith was less successful at the ceremony, losing out on a Best

Actress prize for her role in ITV period drama ‘Mrs Biggs’. The 32-year-old star was bested by Brazilian actress Fernanda Montenegro, who starred in ‘Sweet Mother’. TV producer-turned-Hollywood director J.J. Abrams was honoured by the voting committee with the International Emmy Founders Award for his services to TV. The ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ helmer is behind hit shows such as smash hit drama ‘Lost’, ‘Alias’ and ‘Fringe’. J.J. was presented his award by ‘Star Trek’ actor Zachary Quinto and joked that his TV executive father, Gerald W. Abrams, must have pressured International Emmy president Bruce Paisner - a long time pal of his dad - into giving him the nod. The awards ceremony, hosted by British comic John

Oliver, took place in New York.2013 International Emmy Awards - selected winners: Best Drama Series: ‘The Returned’ (France) Best Comedy Series: ‘Moone Boy’ (Britain) Best Actor: Sean Bean, ‘Accused’ (Britain) Best Actress: Fernanda Montenegro, ‘Sweet Mother’ (Brazil). — Bang Showbiz Australian executive producer Michael Cordell poses with the ‘Non-Scripted Entertainment’ award for ‘Go Back To Where You Came From - Series 2’.

Ryan O’Neal accused as Warhol painting trial opens

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A picture taken on November 21, 2013 shows a journalist sitting at the projection room of newly refurbished Zoo Palast cinema in Berlin. — AFP

Berlin’s famed Cold War-era cinema to reopen doors

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erlin’s historic Zoo Palast cinema reopens Thursday after a major renovation to restore the sparkle to the former Cold War-era theatre, once the starstudded cultural boast of the city. The Zoo Palast, which owes its name to a nearby city-centre zoological garden, was built in the mid-1950s out of the ashes of a silent movie theatre. The UFA film production company, a leading maker of German movies between the two world wars, chose the spot near ‘Berlin’s Champs-Elysees’, the Kurfuerstendamm, to open the UFA Palast am Zoo in 1919.

Audiences marvelled at masterpieces by filmmakers such as the Austrian Fritz Lang, who was behind the 1927 expressionist science fiction film “Metropolis” or his drama thriller from 1931, “M”. But in November 1943 the building was destroyed in an Allied bombing raid and in 1955 its ruins were razed to the ground to make way for the Zoo Palast, with its bold, angular architecture. “We have kept everything we could (of the historic building) in order to maintain the traditions and the soul of the Zoo Palast,” said Hans-Joachim Flebbe, who operates the cinema and has spent 5.5 million euros ($7.4 million) on the three-year restoration.

Flebbe, 62, who has worked in cinemas for four decades, said he wanted to combine comfort with the Zoo Palast’s original chic and glamour for an experience that would draw those disillusioned by the modern movie-going experience back to the big screen. “Our goal is not to take the audience away from the multiplexes. It’s to reconcile with the cinema those who were no longer coming because it was too noisy, too stressful,” he said.

Ushers will guide cinema-goers to roomy leather seats where they will be able to stretch out and order drinks. Mobile phone noise is strictly frowned upon and loud or strong smelling snacks are off the menu. “You can’t imagine Berlin without the Zoo Palast,” Juergen Buellesbach, head of Bayerische Hausbau, which owns the building, told reporters last week.

Flynn, Loren graced its red carpet When West Berlin was an enclave on the Cold War’s communist map, the Zoo Palast experienced its golden age, becoming a hive of activity during the city’s famed Berlinale film festival. As well as featuring large on the silver screen, world movie stars such as Errol Flynn, James Stewart, Sofia Loren and Robert de Niro stepped out on to the cinema’s red carpet. But in 1999 the festival shifted its centre to Potsdamer Platz and its host of multi-screen cinemas, leaving the Zoo Palast to slowly decline until it was closed for renovation in 2010.

Cue Flebbe, who in 1977 entered the scene, buying his first independent cinema.

By 1989 he had set up Cinemaxx, a multiplex chain, and would come to own nearly 400 screens. In 2008, however, he was removed by the group’s shareholders amid a difficult climate for cinemas generally, with dwindling audiences and the rise of DVDs and film piracy. Flebbe decided on a strategic about-turn to focus instead on what he calls “premium cinema”.

With big band-style jazz setting the mood, the Zoo Palast will be able to accommodate 1,650 spectators in its seven screens boasting the latest sound and image technology as it mixes modernity with classic features. Its facade and two of the screening rooms are under heritage protection. “We have kept the woodwork from 1957 from the original cinema... We’ve also left intact the entrance on the terrace and kept certain doors,” said architect Anna Maske. But the higher end experience comes at a cost-tickets are priced between 6.50 and 13.50 euros, which is expensive for Berlin. And, surprisingly, given its location in a touristy part of a cosmopolitan city, there are currently no plans to screen films in their original language. — AFP

yan O’Neal snatched an Andy Warhol portrait of his ex-lover Farrah Fawcett from her home shortly after she died, even though he knew it was not his, lawyers claimed Monday. But as a long-awaited trial opened in Los Angeles, a lawyer for the veteran actor claimed he was the rightful owner of the painting, with an estimated value of up to $12 million. The University of Texas, where the “Charlie’s Angels” star studied as a young woman, sued O’Neal in August 2011 after spotting the disputed canvas in the actor’s home during an episode of reality TV show “Ryan and Tatum: The O’Neals.”

The university says Fawcett bequeathed all her artwork to her alma mater when she died, and it insists the Warhol painting should be displayed in a museum next to a nearidentical portrait of the late actress. The university’s lawyer, David Beck, told a Los Angeles jury that O’Neal removed the work from Fawcett’s Wilshire Boulevard condominium shortly after she died of cancer on June 25, 2009, aged 62.

“We need your help to resolve a dispute as to who really owns this Warhol painting,” he said in his opening statement in the LA Superior Court. Fawcett “had possession and control of these two paintings on the day she died and for years before that,” the university’s lawyer said, claiming O’Neal knew that when he drove away with the disputed canvas. “He didn’t tell anyone what he was going to do, and he didn’t tell anyone what he had done,” Beck said.

But O’Neal’s attorney Martin Singer said the university was trying to take away the one portrait the 72-year-old actor has of “the love of his life, Farrah Fawcett.” “One iconic portrait of Farrah Fawcett is not enough,” he told the sixman, six-woman jury, referring to the Warhol near-duplicate the university already has. While the university says the portrait is worth about $12 million, O’Neal’s lawyer estimated its value at just under $1 million, adding: “The University of Texas should have been satisfied with what

they got.” Fawcett died in Los Angeles after a long battle with cancer on the same day that pop icon Michael Jackson passed away from an overdose of the anesthetic propofol, given to help him sleep as he rehearsed for a comeback tour. — AFP

This April 10, 2003 file photo shows actors Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O’Neal relaxing at the after-party for ‘Malibu’s Most Wanted’ at the Highlands in Los Angeles, California. — AFP

US pop music star Lady Gaga poses for Japanese fans upon her arrival at Narita Airport, outside Tokyo yesterday. Lady Gaga is in Japan to promote her latest album ‘ARTPOP’. — AFP

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

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Joffrey in ‘Game of Thrones’ to quit acting, be a humanitarian

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ame of Thrones” star Jack Gleeson may leave acting when he’s done playing the sadistic Joffrey Baratheon - perhaps to focus on his charity work. Gleeson, 21, auditioned for “GoT” at 17 and sounds as if he has not enjoyed the attention he has received since. “It was always a recreation beforehand, but when I started doing ‘Game of Thrones’ perhaps the reality was made too real for me,” Gleeson told Ireland’s Independent. “The lifestyle that comes with being an actor in a successful TV show isn’t something I gravitate towards.”

He said that since studying philosophy at Trinity College, working with the relief agency Goal and working with his theater company, “I’ve kind of just re-evaluated what I want to do.” He recently went with Goal to Haiti, where the 2010 earthquake killed 230,000 people and left 1.5 million homeless. His uncle worked with the charity in the 1980s. “It was inspiring to see the improvements being made in Haiti, to see the motivation of the people to improve the quality of life,” Gleeson said. “People are eager to get on with their lives and be resilient.” “I’d been looking to use the celebrity I’ve got from the show to bring awareness for causes Goal supports,” Gleeson added. — Reuters

A woman dressed up as zombie.

A couple dressed up as zombies take part in a “Zombie Walk”.

French zombie show takes top International Emmy prize

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rench series “Les Revenants” (The Returned) took the prize Monday evening for the best international drama series at the International Emmy Awards in New York. Rights for the fantasy-zombie show, which was created by Fabrice Gobert, have already been bought in some 40 countries, including the US, Canada, Australia, Germany, and throughout Latin America. Accepting the golden trophy at the New York Hilton, producer Caroline Benjo thanked Gobert and Canal + “so daring in their choices” as

well as Sundance Channel, which has just begun airing the show in the United States.

She joked that all the “French zombies that didn’t know they were liked, and are going to go out. Beware.” The series, marking a kind of renaissance in French television, was also remarkably successful in Britain earlier this year when a subtitled version aired on Channel 4. It notched some 1.8 million viewers, the best audience for a subtitled show in Britain since 2006.

It has been airing with subtitles on Sundance since October 31 on Sundance in the United States-a high achievement for a French show. Some 36 nominees from 19 countries were competing in nine categories at the 41st International Emmy award ceremony, which honors the best television made outside the United States. — AFP

‘Family Guy’ fans start petition to resurrect show’s beloved talking dog

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housands of fans of the Fox animated comedy series “Family Guy” signed a petition on Monday demanding that the network and show’s creator bring back a beloved talking-dog character whose death stunned viewers in the latest episode. Brian Griffin, the character voiced by “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane, was killed off in Sunday’s episode titled “Life of Brian,” after being hit by a car. By Monday night, some 14,000 fans of the show were campaigning on petition site Change.org to resurrect the character.

Brian, an unconventional family dog that talks, drinks alcohol, dates women and is an aspiring novelist, has been a major character since the pilot of “Family Guy” in 1999, appearing in more than 200 episodes.

The show, which is set around bumbling buffoon dad Peter Griffin, his feisty wife, Lois, teenage children Chris and Meg, and Machiavellian baby Stewie, is known for its raunchy humor and often draws criticism from watchdog groups such as the Parents Television Council. Episodes often feature characters in compromising or inappropriate situations. The Emmy-nominated series is in its 12th season and averages 6 million viewers an episode.

In Sunday’s episode, the Griffin family is left distraught as Brian dies with the poignant final words: “You’ve given me a wonderful life. I love you all.” The family hold a funeral and shared memories of its beloved four-legged friend, with Peter saying, “Brian wasn’t just my dog, he was my best friend in the whole world.” Later in the episode, the family adopts a new dog, smart-talking Vinny, voiced by “The Sopranos” actor Tony Sirico, who quickly becomes a part of the family, even winning over Stewie by the end of the show. Representatives of the Fox show declined to comment to Reuters on Brian’s death. — Reuters

General view during a “Zombie Walk” in Mexico City. According to organizers, 10,000 people are taking part in the event. — AFP photos

Christmas musical ‘Black Nativity’ hits a new note on big screen

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hile growing up in Massachusetts in the 1960s and 1970s, Kasi Lemmons’ mothertook her every year to see the Christmas musical “Black Nativity” in Boston. Now, the 52-year-old director of 2007 drama “Talk to Me” is bringing poet Langston Hughes’ musical about family redemption to the big screen on Wednesday in a present-day adaptation starring Oscar winners Jennifer Hudson and Forest Whitaker. “I wanted to write a story that could continue ‘Black Nativity’ that was a contemporary story, that was a very accessible story, that was something anyone could relate to,” Lemmons said in an interview.

Hughes’ 1961 gospel musical-drama retold the biblical story of the birth of Christ featuring black actors for a black audience. In Lemmons’ adaptation, the director said she wanted to tackle a modern, broken family’s struggles against the backdrop of New York’s historically black Harlem neighborhood. “Unfortunately, that is a reality,” Lemmons said about the family drama which tells the story of the Cobb family’s fractured relationship with runaway daughter Naima, portrayed by Hudson.

The film, distributed by Twenty-First Century Fox Inc’s Fox Searchlight Pictures, begins in Baltimore with a destitute Naima, facing eviction and struggling to make ends meet. She sends her teenage son Langston, an overt nod to the poet, to New York to live with the middle-class grandparents he has never met. Langston, played by Jacob Latimore, is reluctant to embrace his grandparents Harlem church leader Reverend Cornell Cobb (Whitaker) and Aretha (Angela Bassett) - as he tries to get to the bottom of the family secret: Why did his mother run away?

“Watching this family being broken and torn apart and seeing a child suffer because of ... a mistake that his grandfather made with his daughter that caused her to react the way that she did, which basically ended up destroying their relationship which eventually affected her son,” Hudson said.

Hughes and Harlem “Black Nativity,” which culminates in a Christmas Eve nativity service at Cobb’s Harlem church, is in part homage to Hughes and Harlem, Lemmons said. “I have a tremendous love for Langston Hughes, a tremendous love for

Harlem, the Harlem Renaissance and the artists of the Harlem Renaissance,” the director said, adding that she now lives in the area of Harlem that Hughes had once called home. The prolific poet, who also authored numerous novels, plays and newspaper columns before his death in 1967 at age 65, was a leader of the 1920s Harlem Renaissance, the African-American cultural movement

symbolizing the demand for real estate in the workingclass neighborhood. Harlem, along with East Harlem, are Manhattan’s poorest in terms of median household income at about $30,000 year in 2009, according to New York University’s Furman Center. “I think Harlem was a character in itself,” Latimore added. “I think if it was any place else the film would’ve had a different touch - the history, the artistic

steeped in racial consciousness.

Prime players of the Harlem Renaissance included intellectual W. E. B. Du Bois, political activist Marcus Garvey, writers Zora Neale Hurston and James Weldon Johnson, as well as jazz pioneers Duke Ellington and Dizzy Gillespie.

Lemmons concedes that she worries the neighborhood, north of Manhattan’s Central Park, is gentrifying rapidly. “I wanted to capture a little bit of Harlem and a little bit of history without it being like a history lesson,” Lemmons said.

In June, a home in Harlem sold for a record $4 million,

side to Harlem, it was just very unique.” — Reuters

‘Family Guy’ fans start petition to resurrect show’s beloved talking dog

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

Indonesian dancers perform during the World Culture Parade at Garuda Wisnu Kencana in Jimbaran on Indonesia’s tourist island of Bali. Representatives of some of the world’s famous festivals will participate with some 700 dancers from the Indonesian Art Institute (ISI) Bali for The World Culture Forum which runs from November 24-27. — AFP

Chess, rubber duck

Rubber ducks are on display.

inducted into Toy Hall of Fame

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he rubber duck squeaked out a win for a place in the National Toy Hall of Fame, joining the ancient game of chess in the 2013 class inducted Thursday. The pair beat out 10 other finalists: bubbles, the board game Clue, Fisher-Price Little People, little green Army men, the Magic 8 Ball, My Little Pony, Nerf toys, the Pac-Man video game, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the scooter.

Online polls had Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and My Little Pony running strong, but in the end a national selection committee made up of 23 experts, including toy collectors, designers and psychologists, voted in the winners.

“The two inductees ... are fantastic examples of the two extremes in the world of play,” said Christopher Bensch, vice president for collections at The Strong Museum, which houses the 15-year-old hall.

“One is so strategic. It’s rule-driven. It’s something that adults play and puzzle over,” Bensch said, “and at the other extreme is a toy that’s pure fun. It has no rules. No one wins or loses. You squeeze it. You float it. It’s so silly, so fun.”

Anyone can nominate a toy for the hall of fame, but to make it through the selection process and become a finalist a toy must have achieved icon status, survived through generations, foster learning, creativity or discovery and have profoundly changed play or toy design.

“If there is a game you can call classic, this is that game,” said curator Nicolas Ricketts as he introduced chess during an induction ceremony that featured the unveiling of chess- and rubber duck-themed cartoons by syndicated cartoonist Leigh Rubin. Chess can be traced back centuries to an ancient Indian war game, but evolved into the game it is today by 1475, Ricketts said.

“In 1779, Benjamin Franklin wrote that playing this game inspires habits of foresight, circumspection and caution, all important traits in human life,” he said. “Scholars today still study the effect of this game’s play on the childhood brain and development.” The rubber duck “has been a fixture in pop culture for decades,” curator Patricia Hogan said.

Although rubber toys first appeared in the late 1880s, no one knows exactly who hatched the idea of the rubber duck, museum officials said. They weren’t always meant for the bath - the first ones didn’t float - but Ernie on “Sesame Street” secured its place in the tub with his 1970 ode, “Rubber Duckie.” The song made it to No. 16 on the Billboard Top 40 chart. To date, 53 toys are in the National Toy Hall of Fame, including alphabet blocks, the jump rope, playing cards, Scrabble and the stick. — AP Chess pieces are on display during the National Toy Hall of Fame ceremony at the National Museum of Play at The Strong in Rochester, NY. — AP photos

From left, BJ Scanlon, of Rochester, NY, Sarah Peters, of Pittsford, NY and Shawn Gray, of Henrietta, NY, stage a fight during the National Toy Hall of Fame ceremony.

BJ Scanlon, of Rochester, poses with a rubber duck.