19th Dec 2013

CR IP TI ON BS SU

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

KD 10,000 stolen from expat’s car in Salmiya

India vows to ‘restore dignity’ of diplomat stripped in US

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www.kuwaittimes.net

SAFAR 16, 1435 AH

Britain to issue plastic banknotes

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Ki unlocks Chelsea with late winner, City cruise

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Expulsions leave broken dreams in Africa and Asia Saudi Arabia wants more of its own people in jobs

Legendary banker to step down NBK chief Dabdoub to retire after next AGM

By Jamie Etheridge and Agencies KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait Group CEO Ibrahim Dabdoub will retire after the bank’s next annual general assembly meeting, Kuwait’s largest bank announced yesterday.

Mohammad Abdul Rahman Al-Bahar, NBK Group’s Chairman, said in a statement released to the press that Dabdoub would step down following the bank’s next general assembly meeting. He will continue to serve as an advisor to NBK’s Board of Directors.

“I am leaving NBK in the safest hands and I hope all the success to the new management team as well as to all NBK staff,” Dabdoub said in a statement to the press. No announcement was made regarding the succession but the bank is well staffed with senior leadership including Deputy Group CEO Isam AlSager and Kuwait CEO Shaikha Al-

Bahar, both of whom have worked with Dabdoub for years.

Dabdoub is a legend in Kuwait and the Middle East, serving with NBK for more than 52 years. Bahar emphasized Dabdoub’s leading role in the bank during times of crises. NBK was the only Kuwaiti bank that survived the infamous 1982 stock market crash, known as Souq al Manakh, while remaining intact. Dabdoub’s deft leadership during the critical period of the 1990-1991 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait led NBK to be the only Kuwaiti bank that remained open, operating out of its London branch during the period of the occupation.

Known in financial circles across the globe, Dabdoub was also instrumental in growing the Kuwaiti bank from its domestic origins to a leading regional financial institution. “NBK’s profits grew from KD 20 million in 1983, when

Dabdoub was appointed as CEO, to more than KD 305 million in 2012. Over Dabdoub’s tenure, the bank has distributed cash dividends exceeding KD 2.0 billion in addition to more than KD 320 million worth of shares,” Bahar noted.

In recent years, the 74-year-old has spoken out against economic stagnation in Kuwait, voicing public concerns rare for the Gulf Arab business community, although his latest comments have been positive about signs of progress in development. “He has truly been an outstanding banker, perhaps the most outstanding banker in the Arab world over the past 30 years,” said Michel Accad, CEO of Kuwait’s Gulf Bank, who is also due to step down next year. “I don’t think any other banker has achieved as much as Mr Dabdoub has.”

Dabdoub continued to work in Kuwait after the Iraqi occupation, even though Continued on Page 13

Five-year jail term of tweeter upheld MP to grill education minister

By B Izaak KUWAIT: The court of appeals yesterday upheld a five-year jail term against tweeter Mohammad AlMekhyal on charges of insulting HH the Amir and undermining his authorities. The court however postponed until Jan 22 the case of four opposition activists who are being tried on similar charges. The convicted man’s lawyer said the ruling was “harsh” and did not take into account his mental health problems. Lawyer Mohammad Al-Humaidi said his client had been treated for mental illness since 1997 and “is not aware of his actions”. He said he would appeal to a higher court.

Meanwhile, MP Roughan Al-

Roughan announced yesterday that he would file a request to grill Education Minister Nayef Al-Hajraf over alleged constitutional and administrative violations. Roudhan, an ex-Cabinet minister, said that the grilling will be submitted after debates on a number of grillings are completed. He said that he has documents to prove that the minister has committed a number of explicit and flagrant violations of the constitution.

The lawmaker said that the minister has also committed a number of administrative violations and that he has sent a series of questions about them.

Roudhan said that he has approached the issue in steps in order not to be accused of stirring trouble.

He firstly drew the attention of the minister about the violations and this was followed with sending questions.

The lawmaker said he is confident because the minister has committed the violations and will not be able to answer the questions.

The National Assembly is scheduled to debate at least two grillings in the next session on Dec 24, one against the housing and municipality minister Salem Al-Othaina and the second against Minister of Social Affairs and Labour Thekra Al-Rasheedi.

A number of other MPs have vowed to submit other grillings, like MP Saleh Ashour, who is reportedly expected to file his grilling request against the education minister today.

Continued on Page 13

Morsi could be executed CAIRO: Egypt ’s public prosecutor charged former is guilty of espionage is a very strange one,” said Nathan President Mohamed Morsi and 35 other top Islamists yes- Brown, a George Washington University professor and terday with conspiring with foreign groups to commit ter- exper t on Egypt. “As long as the treatment of the rorist acts in Egypt, in a case that could result in their exe- Brotherhood leadership is treated as a security matter cution. Declaring it “the biggest case of conspiracy in the rather than a political matter Egypt’s political future will history of Egypt”, a statement detailed a “terrorist plan” remain shaky,” he said. dating back to 2005 and implicating the The Brotherhood has said it is commitPalestinian group Hamas, the Shiite ted to peaceful resistance. Its supporters Islamist government of Iran and its are holding almost daily protests on uniLebanese ally Hezbollah. versity campuses against what they see Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, as a bloody military coup against Egypt’s dismissed it as “fabrications and lies”. first democratically-elected leader. The There was no immediate comment from prosecutor ’s statement said the Iran, Hezbollah or Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood had hatched a plan dating Brotherhood, most of whose leaders are back to 2005 that would send “elements” in prison. It marks a further escalation in to the Gaza Strip for military training by the suppression of an Islamist movement Hezbollah and the Iranian Revolutionary that propelled Morsi to victory in last Guards. Upon their return to Egypt, they year’s presidential election but which would join forces with extremist groups has been driven underground since the in the Sinai Peninsula, the Egyptian-conarmy deposed him in July after mass trolled territory that borders Israel to the protests. The state has cracked down east, it said. hard on the group since then, killing After the 2011 uprising that ousted Mohamed Morsi hundreds of its supporters. Thousands President Hosni Mubarak, the group exploitmore have been arrested as the army-backed govern- ed the chaos to carry out attacks on security forces in North ment proceeds with a transition plan designed to lead to Sinai and elsewhere, it said. The statement said they aimed to elections next year. The next step is a referendum on a establish an “Islamic emirate” in North Sinai were Morsi not new constitution set for mid-January. In a statement yes- declared president. It added that Morsi’s presidential aides terday, the Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party including Essam El-Haddad, his national security adviser, had called for a boycott of the vote. leaked secret reports to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and Besides Morsi, the prosecutor charged Brotherhood Hezbollah as a reward for their cooperation. The charges also leaders Mohamed Badie, Khairat El-Shater, Mahmoud accused the Brotherhood of carrying out attacks on security Ezzat and others with crimes including committing acts forces in North Sinai after his removal, a reference to an insurof terrorism in Egypt and divulging military secrets to a gency by hardline Islamists that has escalated since July, foreign state. “The idea that the president of the republic killing 200 policemen and soldiers. — Reuters

Ibrahim Dabdoub

Max 1٨º Min 0٦º High Tide 14:18 Low Tide 07:44 & 19:16

RIYADH/DUBAI/ADDIS ABABA: More than a million people from across the world - managers, maids, accountants and labourers - have left Saudi Arabia since March, after years or even decades working in the Gulf Arab state, which sustains its own citizens with oil revenues. Around 120,000 Ethiopians have been deported in the past month alone as part of a visa crackdown aimed at pushing more Saudis into employment to ensure future political and economic stability. “We were kicked out of our homes and our jobs,” said Mohamed Ahmed, 27, waiting with thousands of other Ethiopians at a transit centre behind Addis Ababa’s Bole Airport after disembarking with a few bags from Saudi Arabian Airlines jets. Like many others, Ahmed, who spent five years in Saudi Arabia after crossing the Red Sea in a fishing boat and trekking through turbulent Yemen, had to leave at short notice.

“We left all our belongings there,” he said.

Saudi Arabia avoided significant unrest during the Arab Spring pro-democracy protest wave in 2011, but its leaders were uncomfortably aware that entrenched unemployment was a big factor behind rebellions in other Arab states. Cheap labour from 10 million foreigners in the country hampered previous government efforts to persuade the private sector to employ some of the 20 million locals. Many of those who have left were illegal immigrants like Ahmed, who crossed the kingdom’s porous borders or stayed on after the haj pilgrimage, which attracts around 2 million foreign visitors to Makkah every year. Many others came to Saudi Arabia legally then fell foul of rigid visa rules, which require all expatriates to work for a single employer in a field specified on their residence permit and are often used to exploit migrants.

Continued on Page 13

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

LOCAL

Al-Rasheedi denies nepotism charges ‘Siblings nominated by CSC’ KUWAIT: Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Thekra Al-Rasheedi denied accusations of nepotism which have been hounding her ever since she assumed office in 2012, insisting that two siblings hired at her office were nominated by the Civil Service Commission. Al-Rasheedi’s latest remarks came in an answer to MP Abdullah Al-Turaiji and published by Al-Jarida daily yesterday.

She said that the CSC “approved a request to hire my sister Bushra Al-Rasheedi as a social care advisor in my office,” adding that her nomination was based on “her over 25 years of experience”.

She also added that the CSC approved her request to hire her brother, Waleed Al-Rasheedi, who has a Masters in Law, as a legal advisor.

Aside from her two siblings, Al-Rasheedi said that no other relatives were hired in the ministry since she was appointed minister. She was asked

about a Kuwaiti employee named Maryam AlNoumas, who she described a “retired Kuwaiti citizen with experience that qualifies her” to work at her office.

Accusations of hiring relatives illegally in the ministry is among topics included in a grilling motion filed by MP Hamdan Al-Azmi against Rasheedi, which is set for debate on Dec 24.

In other news, Al-Jarida revealed that Minister of Planning and Development Rola Dashti informed three different MPs on Tuesday that she would not be able to answer their questions which according to her are “in violation of the conditions put by constitutional court”.

Dashti, who has no-confidence motion against her that is set for voting on Dec 24, has repeatedly been accused of being ‘non-cooperative’ with MPs by failing to answer their inquiries.

Meanwhile, MP Adnan Abdulsamad said that

a constitutional court ruling on Monday could signal the “beginning of a new phase of political stability” if it rules against challenges to July’s election results. “This can happen as long as political and economic feuds are ended, something that is achievable through proper law enforcement,” Abdulsamad told Al-Rai daily on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, MP, Madhi Al-Hajri filed a parliamentary proposal suggesting setting the minimum monthly wage Kuwaiti employees get at KD 1500 plus an annual raise equal to the inflation rates.

Al-Hajri also suggested considering raising childrens allowance to KD 100 a month without limits to the number of children entitled to the allowance. He also suggested giving unemployed Kuwaiti women aged 55 and older a minimum of KD 500 monthly.

Clinical practice workshop at Dasman Institute KUWAIT: The second evidence-based clinical practice workshop, titled “Improving your patient care through EBCP’ was opened on Tuesday by Dr Fahad Al-Ghimlas, who is a consultant in respiratory medicine and Director of Fitness and Rehabilitation Center at Dasman Diabetes Institute.

This workshop is organized and held at the Dasman Diabetes Institute in collaboration with the Kuwait Institute for Medical Specialization (KIMS), Kuwait University, and McMaster University (Canada). The workshop incorporates learning the essential concepts of clinical epidemiology and critical appraisal skills. This event focuses on the physicians in-training and includes large group presentations and small group tutorials.

The objective of the workshop is to train the attendees to be able to tailor an appropriate research study design to address specific research questions, and to practice critical appraisal of the scientific literature. Eventually, the skills acquired by the attending doctors will translate into better implementation of the scientific medical literature and patient care. Dasman Diabetes Institute has this workshop as one of its unique initiatives and state-of-the-art events in collaboration with prestigious international universities. The event is held once again following the outstanding success of the first workshop conducted last year. The feedback was very encouraging to repeat the experience and translate one of the institute’s values which is training healthcare professionals and polish their research skills.

Finally, Dr Al-Ghimlas expressed sincere wishes for the attendees to benefit the most from this opportunity, and find it enjoyable. He also promised that the Dasman Institute will continue providing medical education and professional development activities.

KUWAIT: A group of Farwaniya Boy Scouts visited several sectors of Interior Ministry on the occasion of the Arab Police Day yesterday. The scouts presented police men with flowers in appreciation of their efforts. The Scouts visited Sharq police station first, then the sea center of the Coast Guard.

Al-Ibrahim oversees project to upgrade power station KUWAIT: Minister of Public Works and Minister of Electricity and Water Abdulaziz Abdullatif Al-Ibrahim yesterday patronized a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the major venture of upgrading the Al-Zour power plant. The vital project is designed to produce an additional 400 MW of power to Kuwait’s overall electrical output. Technically, it aims to transform the conventional thermal power units into the more advanced combined-cycle power systems, in which gas and steam turbines are combined to achieve very high fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions.

Talking to journalists after touring the station, Minister AlIbrahim said the additional power would be generated with-

Land plots on sale in Wafra, Khairan KUWAIT: Well-informed sources said that the Cabinet has approved prices for selling residential land plots in the projects proposed to be built in Wafra and Khairan. The sources explained that the prices approved would be KD 2000 for 400 sq m plots and KD 3000 for 600 sq m plots.

The sources stressed that the plots would be specified for residential purposes and that using them for any other purpose, such as commercial or investment, would be banned.

Moreover, the sources said that 327 land plots had been already distributed in Khairan and 340 plots of 600 sq m and 24 plots of 400 sq m are available in Wafra.

The sources also noted that in collaboration with the parliament, the Cabinet was planning to build gigantic housing projects to cover the demand for governmentbuilt and provided housing. Commenting on demands to increase housing loans to KD 100,000, the sources highlighted that the government would announce its approval in the next parliamentary financial affairs committee meeting.

out more financial costs. A new transformed unit was already operational putting out 188 MW and other units would start functioning in February, with forecast equal output, he said.

Minister Al-Ibrahim indicated a project to produce 500 MW of power, currently under execution in the southern Al-Zour plant, is due to finish by 2015. Another one with identical capacities in Al-Sabiah is forecast to conclude within the same period of time.

Three sections According to preliminary plans, North Al-Zour project was to be executed by the Ministry of Electricity and Water with projection to produce 4,800 MW this year, however the ministry publicized tenders, in 2010, to build another station with similar capacities, the public works minister added.

Elaborating, he said in 2010, the National Assembly issued Law 39/2010, shifting all plants’ construction projects to “the initiatives’ apparatus,” and this had indeed taken place later on. Al-Ibrahim added that this body split the venture into three sections; first was the intial phase of the North Al-Zour plant, with an aspired output of 1,500 MW. Deals for this venture have been signed and “we hope the first unit will be operational ahead of next summer,” AlIbrahim said.

He indicated at planned formation of companies in which citizens would own five percent of stakes, the government 10 percent and the remaining shares, 40 percent, would be allotted for entrepreneurs. “Such a partnership will be useful if it’s established according to this approach,” he opined. Hamad Al-Hadlaq (eng), in charge of the turbines’ conversion venture at Al-Zour plant, said Al-Ghanim International is executing this project, which will secure 380 MW of power to the overall national electrical production.

He said it will cost up to KD 300 million and explained that additional generated power would not be allocated to specific districts, but would be added to the overall national electrical output. —KUNA

ABU DHABI: Kuwait’s military attache in UAE, Lt Col Ahmed Al-Musaeed yesterday attended the graduation of batch 43 of Zayed Pilots Colleges that included a number of Kuwaiti cadets.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

LOCAL

BEIRUT: KRCS volunteers distributing the material assistance, including mattresses and blankets, to Syrians in mountainous district Al-Dennieh yesterday.

KRCS delivers aid to Syrian refugees in Lebanon BEIRUT: Kuwait Red Crescent Society yesterday announced delivering further aid to Syrian refugees in North Lebanon as part of ongoing efforts to soothe their hardships.

The KRCS envoy in Lebanon, Dr Musaed Al-Enezi, said in a statement that volunteers distributed the material assistance, including mattresses and blankets, to 1,000 Syrians in mountainous district Al-Dennieh, located in the heights

east of the port city of Tripoli, to help them cope with cold weather.

Such aid distribution will proceed in the coming days to the Syrian refugees in Lebanon, in coordination with the Lebanese Red Cross, he said.

The KRC started, last week, a new campaign for relieving the refugees, delivering necessities to Syrian in northern and eastern Lebanon. The State of Kuwait will spare no

effort to give more support for the Syrian refugees, he said, stressing on need of boosting coordination among various relief agencies to help the Syrians cope with their hardships, caused by the ongoing war.

Greater efforts are needed to help them, he said, noting that the Syrian refugees in Lebanon have increased to more than 824,000. A number of these Syrians, meanwhile, expressed deep gratitude to the State of Kuwait, namely

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah, the Government and the people, for sending in the much needed humanitarian help. They praised in particular the Kuwaitisí innate humane traits for aiding the poor and needy. Kuwait has scrambled to aid the Syrian refugees when the crisis erupted at their homeland, now, along with Lebanon, is gripped with peak of the winter cold, manifested with wide land scathes blanketed with snow. — KUNA

Commerce Ministry OKs 5% egg price increase Decision ‘made after several meetings’

KPMG conducts briefing on Kuwait tax developments KUWAIT: KPMG, one of the leading international firms offering professional services in audit, tax and advisory conducted a briefing on Kuwait tax issues and developments. The seminar was held yesterday at the new KPMG Training Center, which is located on the 25th floor of the Al Hamra Tower.

The seminar was hosted for KPMG’s prospective and existing clients who listened to a highly experienced professionals from the Tax Team of KPMG, Zubair Patel ( Tax Partner of KPMG), Fahim Bashir (Director of Tax). The focus of the briefing was to highlight the changes that have been implemented by the Kuwait Tax Authority (KTA) in their practices of applying the various tax laws in Kuwait. Topics covered included a summary of new Executive Rules and Regulation issued by the Kuwait tax authority on Dec 16 and changes to the tax compliance procedures required to be adopted by foreign companies paying corporate income tax in Kuwait.

Other areas impacting local companies such as Zakat and National Labour Support Tax were also discussed as well as the application of the tax retention regulations that are applied in Kuwait.

The Kuwait tax environment is continually evolving through the practices of the Kuwait tax authority. Generally, foreign companies earning income from Kuwaiti source are subject to corporate income tax of 15% (for fiscal periods commencing after 3 February 2008, prior to which a maximum tax rate of 55% was applicable) of taxable profits determined by the KTA. Due to the adjustments made by the KTA, foreign companies face a higher tax liability compared to the amounts offered in their respective declaration. In addition, as the Kuwait tax environment differs in several ways from most other tax jurisdictions around the world, foreign companies often incorrectly assume they have no tax obligations in Kuwait which eventually results in penalties which are often

higher than the actual tax due. There are also specific requirements when considering the practical application of the tax treaties. It is therefore vital to have knowledge of the practical aspects of the Kuwait tax environment prior to commencing activities in Kuwait.

Likewise, local Kuwaiti Shareholding Companies which are subject to Zakat (and National Labour Support tax for listed entities) face greater requirements for information by the KTA and adjustments which result in higher Zakat due compared to the amounts offered in their respective declaration.

The tax briefing conducted by KPMG - Kuwait on 18 December 2013 shared the experiences of the tax team in dealing with tax matters for multinational organisations and gave the attendees an insight about the practical and commercial understanding of recent progress in Kuwait corporate income tax law and practices established by the KTA in applying the tax law.

VIVA announces winners of electronic payment draw KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s fastest-growing and most developed telecom operator, announced yesterday the winners of the first Electronic Payment draw. The draw took place on Nov 30.

The lucky winners of the first electronic payment draw were: Salah Khalifa Al-Thafeeri who won the cash prize of KD 1000; Abdullah Madlool

Al-Thafeeri who won a cash prize of KD 750; Thamer Hamaad Assaf, Mohamed Talal and Mohamed Mazen Al-Refai each won a cash prize of KD 500; Kutayba Abdullah Al-Rahmani, Nadeem Abdulaziz Al-Duaij and Nasser Bader Abou Taleb each won a cash prize of KD 250. Winners of the iPhone 5 16GB were: Fahad Abdelkarim Fahad Abdulkarim, Fatma

KUWAIT: Ayman Al Mutairi, Senior Public Relations Manager at VIVA with two of the winners.

Sami Karimi, Bahaven Kor, Mosaed Ragaan Al-Haibda, Marlene Dano, Yousef Jasim Amir, Amr Abdal, Khaled Saqr Al Gemaz and Hoda Abdullah AlHuweila. Winners of the Samsung S4 LTE were: Nasser Hamad Al Saeed, Khalifa Jassim, Mawageb Mohamed, Mahdi Ali Haider, Soad Manawer AlDeihani, Haya Ahmed Salim, Fouad Hassan Ismail, Mahdy Abdullah AlFadhli, and Mohamed Bandar Al Otaibi. Winners of the iPad 16GB WiFi were: Dina Ahmed Abdel Rahman, Awatef Ayed Al Shahd, Mohamed Hamad Al Azmi, Seoud Abdulaziz Al Suweidan, Meshaal Falah Al-Azmi, Salim Rashid Rasheed, Khadeeja Lafy, Abdulaziz Suoud, and Ali Abdelamir.

The lucky winners of the Samsung S4 Zoon LTE were: Faisal Faleh Al Hadiya, Saad Amin, Mohamed Abou, and Abdullah Mohamed Hussein. The winners of the Samsung S4 Mini were Mohamed Abdel Raouf Sayed Ahmed and Aly Abdullah Alqattab. The winners of KD 100 cash prize were: Mariam Abd Salem, Yousef Hamad Al Haily and Samer Abdulrazzaq, and the winner of the iPad 16GB WiFi Mini was Alaa Aldin Ali Ali. VIVA congratulated the lucky winners and invited its customers to participate in this new draw campaign which is applicable for existing and new postpaid consumer segment of both voice and internet who pay their bills through VIVA’s website, VIVA’s application or by calling the Call Center at 102 giving postpaid customers a chance to win mobiles, tablet devices or cash prizes. The upcoming draw will be on Jan 6..

Postpaid customers will earn one point for every KD5 spent on their bill payment. Each point will count as one entry into the draw, so the more points accumulated by a customer, the more chances they will have of winning. Customers can query their chances by sending ‘Q’ to ‘535’.

KUWAIT: Local consumers were recently taken by surprise when they found that Kuwaiti eggs prices have increased by 5 percent upon orders from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry that circulated its decision number 34084/2013 to various co-ops.

According to the ministry’s decision, the increase was justified by price increases in raw materials and production costs. The ministry also stressed that the decision was made after several meetings with local egg producers and representatives from PAAFRA. Commenting on the decision, some MCI officials said that the ministry approved the increase though its main role lies in studying prices that are already high to decide whether the hikes were justified.

The sources underlined that the ministry was not entitled to approve price increases in advance and this incident was the first of its kind in 60 years.

“This decision will lead to price increases of other food items,” added the sources, noting that the ministry’s role was to reduce prices and not to give a ‘green light’ to companies to increase them. “Egg producers have already increased prices from KD 0.700 to 0.900 to 0.950 and finally to KD 1.1 and KD 1.25 for larger eggs,” underlined the sources.

The sources also blamed the ministry for the soaring prices, noting that it had not kept promises to include eggs in the subsidized food items given to citizens and to stop exporting eggs to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iraq to control their prices.

In another development, Chairman of the Board and Managing Director of the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources Jassim AlBader revealed that there is a giant development project named: “Integrated Farms”, through which more than 600 farm ownership will be given to companies that have large amounts of money, within the framework of the development plan PAAAFR is asked to carry out.

Al-Bader said the project will use Wafra area as a space to execute the project within the next few days.

He said the proposed area for each ownership is 50,000 sq meters, that will included integrated activities including fish farming, sheep, feed production, calfs fattening, palm trees planting in what is called the “agriculture cycle”.

He said that the conditions must be met such as enough financial background for the company (KD 500,000 and above), along with other conditions.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

LOCAL

Middle aged ‘friend’ reveals true colors Fugitive handed to UAE authorities

Lu&Lu launches British food fest

KUWAIT: Salmiya police arrested a man in his fifties accused of attempted rape charges pressed by his female friend recently. According to her statements at the Salmiya police station, the Egyptian woman said that the man she trusted as a friend forced his way into her apartment and attempted to sexually assault her, but escaped when she screamed for help. The woman, who is also middle aged, added that the friendship with her compatriot bonded as he offered help several times since learning that she was living alone in Kuwait with no relatives. The man was arrested and taken for questioning during which he admitted his crime when confronted with eyewitnesses’ testimonies. He was referred to the authorities for further action.

Cross-dressers arrested Three men were arrested in Daiya Monday on charges of imitating the opposite sex, while police discovered that one of them is wanted by authorities on similar charges. The three were pulled over by patrol officers who became alerted by their ‘erratic behavior’ which involved dancing to loud music while driving recklessly in the area, according to the police report. Police thought that the three were female at first, but placed them under arrest after checking their IDs and discovering that they were male cross-dressers.

The three were taken to the Criminal Investigations General Department for investigation - two of them are held pending investigations whereas the fugitive was readied to serve his six-month jail sentence.

Fired employee steals phones An unemployed man was arrested after stealing phones from his former employer to ‘compensate’ for dues he claims he was still owed. The incident was reported in Salmiya where a phone shop manager approached police and explained that a number of smartphones were stolen. The manager pressed charges against an Egyptian man, a former employee of the company who was recently released, and who the manager said was demanding dues he was still owed. Police arrested the man and found the stolen phones in his possession. He explained that he took the phones from the warehouse after company officials refused to meet him and discuss his financial demands. He was taken to the public prosecution to face charges. — Al-Rai

Suicide attempt A man was hospitalized with an overdose of medications in a case classified as attempted suicide according to preliminary investigations. The young man was rushed to Adan Hospital by his brother, and medical staff called police after a diagnosis revealed that he suffered complications of overdose. A case was filed and police are waiting for the man to be discharged from the hospital to be taken for questioning.

KUWAIT: Lu&Lu Hypermarket, the largest operator of retail outlets in the region has launched a British Food Festival yesterday and the inaugural ceremony was conducted at their Al-Qurain outlet. Frank Baker, British Ambassador to Kuwait, inaugurated the food festival. Mohamed Haris, Regional Director, Sreejith K.S, Regional Manager, Martin Daly, Operations Manager, Abdul Samad, Commercial Manager and other top officials of Lu&Lu management were present on this occasion.

The British Food Festival 2013, which has by now become an eagerly awaited annual event, presents the best of British food. Besides fresh dairy and bakery products, among the highlight of this year’s festival are the display of ethical and organic produce, which is gaining popularity with many consumers, as well as health products from Britain.

The range and variety of delectable and diverse food products that are on offer during the festival period showcase the high-

quality of British foods. Moreover, many of these products also address the growing environmental and sustainability concerns of customers.

The opening of a dedicated procurement office in Birmingham ensures that the Hypermarket not only sources the highest quality British foods, but also that they are delivered to their outlets across the region in a speedy and timely manner. With consignments of fresh dairy and bakery products brought in by air, frozen goods arriving by sea and the range of British grocery products on their shelves constantly being replenished, the Hypermarket currently accounts for a large portion of British retail exports to the region.

The British Food Festival 2013 is yet another instance where Lu&Lu Hypermarket demonstrates their market insight by providing customers with what they want and when they want it, with the clear focus of consolidating their retail dominance in the region.

Forgery case A man faces forgery charges after he told detectives looking into a case he had filed that he was a prosecutor, whereas in fact he works as a secretary at the Court of First Instance. The Kuwaiti man had headed to Farwaniya police station to file a case after police arrived at a scene where he said he was physically assaulted by a man over a traffic dispute. The man gave information of his foe to police, and identified himself as a prosecutor. Police allowed the man to leave to obtain a medical report from the hospital, and during this time, they discovered that he had lied.

Impersonation charges were pressed against the man and a search went underway for his arrest after he failed to return back to the police station.

Fugitive held Officers from the Kuwaiti Interpol arrested a Lebanese national who is wanted in the United Arab Emirates over forgery charges.

Investigations which led to the man’s arrest started after detectives received information about a fugitive who managed to enter Kuwait recently without stamping his passport. The man was handed over to UAE authorities while an investigation was opened with a police officer and a number Border Security Department employees on suspicions of helping the fugitive enter Kuwait illegally.

KD10,000 stolen from expat’s car in Salmiya

By Sajeev K Peter KUWAIT: In a daring daylight robbery, unidentified culprits smashed the side glass window of the car of an Indian expatriate and escaped with KD 10,000 in Salmiya. The money was reportedly stolen from the car of Varghese Puthukulangara, a member of Kerala government’s Pravasi Welfare Board and the convener of the Indian Overseas Congress, Kuwait on Sunday between 2pm and 3pm, sources said.

According to Puthukulangara, he had cashed

a cheque for KD 10,000 for the travel servicing company he is working and kept it in the dashboard of the car. He reportedly parked the car in an open ground opposite the Titanic Building, Salmiya before leaving to attend a reception hosted in honor of the visiting Kerala legislative assembly member Roshy Augustine at a nearby apartment, Salmiya.

On returning, Puthukulangara found the side glass window of the car broken and the money kept in the dashboard stolen. Police have started investigating the case following a complaint.

informatics award unveils projects for new session KUWAIT: The organizing committee of His Highness Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah Informatics Award announced yesterday the development projects for its 13th session and the start of registration for the informatics award, “websites and smart applications.”

Saleh Al-Asousi, member of the award’s board of trustees and the organizing committee, said in a press conference this evening: “The committee extolls HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah for his kind patronage of the activities of

Key role for Awqaf Foundation KUWAIT: Kuwait Awqaf Public Foundation always strives to take the lead in spreading the concept of donation, also known in an Islamic context as “waqf ”, worldwide, the Minister of Awqaf said yesterday.

Minister of Justice and Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Shareeda Al-Mousherji also stressed that the foundation tries to implement “waqf” fundamentals in Islamic countries as means of comprehensive development tool, locally, and a role module to be followed, internationally.

Al-Mousherji made this remark to the press at a preparatory event ahead of the 20th Awqaf Forum which will be held from Dec 22 to 24, under the patronage of His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

He said that Awqaf Public Foundation has accomplished a lot since its establishment in 1993.

Kuwait and its people take pride in this governmental body for its philanthropic works. The forum will see the participation of many charity and voluntary institutes, public figures, scholars and academicians from different par ts of the world. — KUNA

the award which contributed to Kuwait’s advancement in this vital domain.” Al-Asousi spoke highly of the founder of the award and Chief of the National Guard HH Sheikh Salem for his encouragement to the developers of the award’s projects.

“The award started in Kuwait in 2001 and kept growing to cover countries in the Arab region in 2007; it went global in 2011,” he pointed out.

Al-Asousi welcomed registration for the awards for the best websites and best smart applications via the new gateway of the Award which will

be open in a special ceremony soon.

Meanwhile, Eng. Bassam AlShemmeri, member of the committee, said the activities of the Award underwent three stages of development over the last 12 years since the Award’s inception.

“First, it offered the informatics badge to the best websites and application under the theme of ‘Shoft (have you seen) Kuwait;’ second, it organized international dialogue; and third, awarding innovation in the field of informatics knowledge,” AlShemmeri added. — KUNA

Al-Ghanim calls for closer ties with EU BRUSSELS: Kuwaiti National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim yesterday called on the European Parliament to strengthen and develop the channels of communication and direct dialogue with the National Assembly to contribute to the strengthening of relations between the two friendly countries.

Al-Ghanim said during a meeting with a delegation representing ties with the Arabian Peninsula in the European Parliament today that part of the objectives of the Kuwaiti parliamentary delegation’s visit to the European Parliament is to keep the channels of direct communication and dialogue between the two sides effective

and “not to make such interaction limited to specific visits between now and then”.

On the relationship between the executive and legislature branches, Al-Ghanim explained that these relations go through bad and good phases and this is normal in any democratic country, and Kuwait is no exception.

He said the most important aspect in this regard is the commitment of the two authorities to the constitution and Kuwait has been adherent to this framework for a long time, saying that the Constitution is a reference to any dispute that occurs between the Parliament and the Government. —KUNA

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

LOCAL

KUWAIT: The ambassador of the Kingdom of Bhutan Dasho Tashi Phuntsog held on Tuesday a reception at Crowne Plaza Hotel on the occasion of the National Day of his country. It was attended by diplomats and other dignitaries. — Photos by Joseph Shagra

KHRS demands domestic workers law

By A Saleh KUWAIT: The Kuwait Human Rights Society is calling local politicians to approve a domestic workers law as soon as possible. The call came from board chairman Khalid Al-Ajmi following a meeting between Jamal Al-Dousary, the assistant undersecretary for labor affairs at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, and a delegation from the Arab Network for the Protection of Immigrant Workers. “Kuwait signed 7 conventions related to expatriate labor forces, which requires legislating necessary regulations that protect their rights,” Ajmi said.

Cancer hospital The Ministry of Health is expected to sign contracts in the near future to establish four hospitals within four years, a senior ministry official announced yesterday. “The first project costs KD 175 million to established a new cancer hospital and is set to finalise within four months,” Dr Adel Al-Asfour, Director of Al-Sabah Specialized Medical Area, said in a statement yesterday. He announced that the new Sabah Hospital is also set to be established within four years with a budget of KD 176 million. Meanwhile, he added that the ministry received permission to go ahead with the new infectious diseases hospital project with a budget of KD 155 million and a timeline of 3 years, and the new Ibn Sina Hospital to be finished within three to four years.

Bhutan celebrates National Day KUWAIT: The 17th of December is joyfully celebrated every year as the National Day of the Kingdom of Bhutan. The unanimous election of Sir Ugyen Wangchuck as the First Hereditary King of Bhutan by the monk body, representative of the people and officials of the Government on Dec 17, 1907 ended the long period of internal strife in Bhutan. The establishment of monarchy not only united the country under one government, it heralded an era of peace, security and socio-economic development for Bhutan. Thus, the People of Bhutan commemorate and celebrate the 17th Day of December to mark the unification of the country and the peace, progress and stability it brought with the enthronement of the First King.

The institution of monarchy in Bhutan is highly respected and the Bhutanese people look upon their kings as the symbol of unity, peace, stability and prosperity. Every successive monarch made landmark achievements and laid solid foundation in building Bhutan as a sovereign independent nation.

The second king, Jigme Namgyal Wangchuck, consolidated the country under a refined governance system by taking the administrative mechanisms within the easy reach of the people, and introduced basic education and health services including the improvement of the administrative and legal systems.

The third king, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk introduced the system of Five Year Development Plan in 1961, through which major infrastructure development programmes such as roads, health, education, agriculture, environment, telecommunication and other socioeconomic related programs were established.

During his reign, Bhutan became the Permanent Member of the United Nations and many other international bodies.

The fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, is the

main architect of modern Bhutan who propounded the development philosophy of Bhutan called the “Gross National Happiness (GNH)” with the objective to ensure holistic approach to socioeconomic development. GNH has provided a distinctive paradigm shift for achieving a well-balanced development seeking to integrate: (a) sustainable and equitable economic development; (b) environmental conservation: (c) good governance, and (d) preservation and promotion of culture and traditions. Today Bhutan is among the few successful countries who has been able to protect its pristine environment through concerted efforts made in the preservation and conservation of the biodiversity. In July 2011, with endorse-

ment from 193 member countries, the United Nations has adopted Bhutan’s proposal to include “Happiness” as one of the Millennium Development Goals.

The most extraordinary and historical achievement of the fourth king was the introduction of the system of Constitutional Monarchy with the Parliamentary Democratic form of government in Bhutan in April 2008, which is considered as the most noblest gift to his people. Jigme Singye Wangchuck voluntarily stepped down from the throne at the age of 51 and handed over the responsibility of the Constitutional Monarchy to the current King, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.

Diplomatic relations between the kingdom of Bhutan and the state of Kuwait was established in 1983. The two countries enjoy a close ties of friendship and understanding and the last three decades had seen this relationship being enhanced from strength to strength. The royal families of both the countries continue to play an instrumental role in furthering the trust and confidence that exists between the two countries. Bhutan remain grateful for the generous support and assistance extended by Kuwait in the times of need particularly for providing relief fund in the aftermath of cyclone Aila and the earthquake that hit Bhutan in 2009.

(From the Royal Bhutanese Embassy)

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

LOCAL kuwait digest

Economic Development

In my view

Chemical arms in Syria

Dying from freezing

By Dr Mohammad Al-Moqatei

I

f any of us wants to list the magnitude of crimes the Assad regime is committing in Syria against his people and categorize it, he will not hesitate in concluding that it is the most heinous crime committed against humanity with the killing, displacement and the open use of chemical weapons with backing from Iran, which is involved in these crimes and Hezbollah with its hands smeared with the blood of innocents.

The tragedy of the bitterly cold winter and snow is besieging three million refugees in neighboring countries of Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, and it is a humanitarian catastrophe under all standards. The Syrian regime displaced and killed the people, so they escaped all over the globe in search of security and spare their lives and faith. Their destiny today is to face death because of winter and its snow. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees issued several appeals to rescue them, and this requires us to help them today and every day until they get past their tragedy and get rid of the criminal regime that is oppressing Syrians.

The tragedy of the bitterly cold winter and snow is besieging three million refugees in neighboring countries of Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, and it is a humanitarian catastrophe under all standards.

Syrian have suffered a lot of crimes by their regime and the ferocious sectarianism committed by the Iranians and the “party of darkness” - which claims to be close to Allah - against them, forcing them to escape, so may Allah be at their help. Our duty calls upon us - each according to his ability - to help and back them with money, and we saw in the past days large number of kids who died from the bitter cold as they cannot find a home or a tent to shield them. They are in dire need for housing, blankets and warm clothes. I pray to Allah not to hold us accountable because of our lack of action towards them and caring about them, while we enjoy the best of circumstances in the form of luxurious homes and comfortable clothes. We, as a way of thanks to Allah for His bounties he bestowed on us, must move quickly to give them urgent aid, to rescue someone from death or keep illness away.

If the crimes of their regime caused them all types of torture and displacement, we should be the remedy of mercy and the source of treatment for their many wounds. — Al-Qabas

By Abdullah Buwair

local@kuwaittimes.net

I

kuwait digest

Against Kuwaiti traditions

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

I

n response to a lawmaker’s question, the commerce minister proudly announced that all efforts are ongoing to ‘confiscate’ and ban the sale of items regarded as being in violation of religious and cultural traditions that the MP pointed out. With absolutely no respect to everyone who seeks to force their customs, traditions and even religious beliefs on others, and with similarly no respect to everyone who meets those demands including the government, it is my right to ask whether the traditions followed by the MP who made the question or the minister who became intimidated by the question are the same as my traditions and the traditions followed by other Kuwaitis.

I need someone to explain to me where I can find a written list of ‘Kuwaiti traditions’ as per which the Ministry of Commerce and Industry makes banning decisions. Is there a list that local merchants can refer to in order to know which items they are not allowed to import and sell in Kuwait because they are ‘in violation of traditions’ as seen by backward MPs? All inventions and products we use today, even all the cultures and manners inherited since the eigh-

teenth century, go against our so-called ‘traditions and customs’. The more backward a human being can become, the more their behavior contradicts with the customs of the modern era.

Kuwaiti traditions, which the concerned lawmaker is so worried about, includes eating on the floor with our bare hands. If my grandfather comes back to life and someone hands him a knife and a fork, he would not know what to do with them. Should table settings be banned because they go against the Kuwaiti traditions of eating? And what about suits and pants?

As far as I know, a ‘dishdasha’ is the traditional dress that was worn by Kuwaitis in the past. Does that mean that the ministry should ban importing shirts and pants because they are ‘foreign’ to the Kuwaiti society?

What about cars? The same goes for everything that is produced outside and imported in Kuwait, including the government system and constitution which, unfortunately, is the main reason why the MP who made the banning demands became a legislator, and used his position to control the lives of others. — Al-Qabas

kuwait digest

Focus on corruption!

By Dr Bader Al-Daihani

I

sn’t it strange that the PM admits that the majority of senior governmental officials have come to office through nepotism rather than competence and efficiency and yet he stands helplessly doing nothing.

Nevertheless, some people argue that the government is serious in fighting corruption and is capable of carrying out ambitious developmental plans!

Isn’t it strange that at a time when everybody is talking about corruption and local dailies publish stories about corrupt officials almost daily and at a time when the Audit Bureau reports sheer corruption cases, we have never seen any major corrupt official in jail. The country was occupied and looted in a matter of a few hours and during the occupation (the oil tankers and foreign investments for instance) and nobody was held accountable. Moreover, some of those who had been accused of corruption and suspected to have utilized their posts for their own personal interests were later

Isn’t it strange that at a time when everybody is talking about corruption and local dailies publish stories about corrupt officials almost daily and at a time when the Audit Bureau reports sheer corruption cases, we have never seen any major corrupt official in jail. reappointed in leading senior positions. What will a corrupt person do, other than protecting and promoting corruption?

For years now, people have been reading about cases of corruption, conflicting interests and gravy (illegal acquisition of money) through Audit Bureau reports published in local press before they turn into gossip topics and social media broadcasts. Nonetheless, not a single corrupt senior official or influential figure was held accountable!

There are endless examples such as the multi-million deposits, foreign transfers, Dow, foul meat, food and beverages, Jaber Stadium, KAC, violations in the investment and the social security authorities, the 2007 electricity emergency plan, the seafront, Al-Shadadiya university project, Mishref sewage plant, the Olympic council, Al-Seif hospital, the factories polluting Umm alHaiman and Jahra, corruption within the municipality, visa trafficking, the violations in Shuwaikh and Rai industrial areas, custom-tailored tenders and the BOT that helped turn state property in private.

So how come nobody was held accountable for any of those calamities and scandalous violations? Can we then blame the youth for impatience on waiting for a job or a house while at the same time they see the corrupt playing around with public funds without accountability? — Al-Jarida

nternational reports regarding the use of weapons of mass destruction in Syria have indicated that chemical weapons were in fact used in several battlefields between the opposition fighters and regime forces across Syria.

However, the reports do not specify which side is guilty of using the weapons. The report bases its results on tests taken from exploded shells found at battlefields and in different cities and villages, as well as medical tests of survivors and environmental tests which confirmed that sarin nerve gas was used.

Meanwhile, the Syrian government demanded through its permanent representative in the United Nations a ‘responsible position’ regarding the use of chemical weapons which they accuse the rebels of being able to use through outside support, and that the weapons were smuggled to them from outside.

I believe that the report raises more questions than it provides answers regarding the Syrian crisis. If the regime forces were guilty of using chemical weapons, the situation can be dealt with at the International Criminal Court. But if they were used by rebel fighters, then the situation including all debate that includes assessment of whether the revolution has succeeded or not will be dealt with internally.

Meanwhile, in case fighters from outside Syria were involved, then we would be before a case that can even be described as instigating crimes against humanity.

In my view

Sectarian divide in Arab world

By Rima Majed

F

rom Pakistan to Lebanon, passing through Bahrain and Yemen and Syria; political tension and violence are attributed to sectarianism. Believed to be driven by an age-old animosity dating back to the feud over the transfer of power after the Prophet’s (PBUH) death, the schism between the Muslim-majority Sunni and the Muslim-minority Shiite is dominating the centre stage.

Many analysts and so-called “experts” compete in providing little more than primordialist analyses, supposedly, to help us understand the Sunni-Shiite conflict.

Whereas some have claimed that the Sunni-Shiite schism is dividing the world today, others have argued that, “the ferocious battle between Sunni and Shiite is shattering the imperial borders drawn up a century ago”.

Speaking to the BBC, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohamed Javad Zarif said that the sectarian strife between the Sunni and Shiite is “the most serious security threat not only to the region but to the world at large”.

This tendency to depict the political tension as a sectarian one rooted in inflexible innately opposed identities, is reductionist, if not entirely misleading.

Instead of exploring the complex and dynamic nature of the Syrian conflict that is essentially a conflict over power; many are busy redrawing sectarian maps and concluding that the conflict is essentially a sectarian one. If sectarian identities alone are enough to create conflict and instigate violence, why hasn’t this happened ever since those identities were forged and why did it intensify at certain times and not others in the history of the Sunni-Shiite relations? If violence necessarily follows sectarianism, why has Sunni-Shiite violence been more intense in countries like Pakistan and Iraq and almost non-existent in countries like Kuwait or Turkey?

The history of political conflict in the Middle East has often been understood in sectarian terms. For example, although the Ottoman-Safavid conflict was essentially a struggle over territory, power and economic interests; it has been widely framed and understood as a conflict between the Sunni Ottoman and Shiite Safavid empires.

The modern “Sunni-Shiite” discourse in analysing conflicts emerged in the late 1970s/early 1980s for many reasons. The flood of arms and funding by the US to Islamic jihadi groups in Afghanistan in an effort to fight the Soviet Union created a fertile land for the flourishing of militarised Sunni groups, that later, were funded and supported by Saudi Arabia to expand and operate in different countries.

In the meantime, the Iranian revolution of 1979 succeeded in establishing an Islamic republic headed by a Shiite who serves as the supreme leader of the government. The exportation of the Iranian revolution had clear and immediate outcomes ranging from the creation of the Tehrik-e-Nafaz-e-Fiqah-e-Jafaria (Organisation of the Jaafari Law) in Pakistan, to the establishment of Hezbollah in Lebanon in 1982.

Although these parties’ constituencies, in their respective countries, are predominantly Shiite, their political behaviour has not always been “sectarianised”: Hezbollah’s political activity in Lebanon was seen as a “national” resistance against the Israeli occupation for more than a decade.

In a similar fashion, political conflict between countries in the region, were not always framed as sectarian.

For example, the Iran-Iraq war of 1980-88 was not framed in sectarian terms mainly because the Baathist regime presented itself as an Arab nationalist regime and not a Sunni one. It is only with the decline of leftist and nationalist movements in the Arab region that a more sectarian discourse has started to arise. Whereas the so-called “Sunni-Shiite” conflict has ravaged Pakistan and Afghanistan since the late 1980s; this discourse has only openly surfaced in the Arab World after the Iraq war in 2003.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs dead

N Korean defectors find unlikely home Page 12

Page 9

BHOPAL: Activists of Sanskriti Bachao Manch, or save culture forum, burn posters of US President Barack Obama and US flags during a demonstration to protest against the alleged mistreatment of New York based Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade, in Bhopal, India, yesterday. The Indian diplomat said she faced repeated “handcuffing, stripping and cavity searches” following her arrest in New York City on visa fraud charges in a case that has infuriated the government in New Delhi. — AP

US Marshals strip-search diplomat India vows to ‘restore dignity’ of diplomat NEW DELHI: India vowed yesterday to bring one of its diplomats home at any price after her arrest in New York, as she told how she broke down in tears after being stripped and cavity-searched.

As a leading daily hailed the government for “taking on Uncle Sam”, Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid pledged to “restore the dignity” of the diplomat — whose treatment at the hands of a superpower has touched a raw nerve in India.

Khurshid’s promise came a day after India

announced a series of reprisals and despite an overnight plea by the US State Department not to allow the row to damage relations.

“It is my duty to bring the lady back,” Khurshid told lawmakers. “We have to restore her dignity and I will do it at any cost,” he added in the highest-level intervention by an Indian official since deputy consul general Devyani Khobragade was arrested last Thursday.

“Today, our paramount concern, interest

and determination is to be able to intervene effectively and specifically to ensure the dignity of our officer is absolutely preserved.”

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh then further stoked the furore by calling her arrest “deplorable” in brief comments reported by the Press Trust of India.

The US Marshals Service confirmed on Tuesday that Khobragade, 39, had been stripsearched like other prisoners after being detained while dropping her two children off at school.

Ukraine PM vows stability KIEV: Ukraine’s leadership yesterday praised a Russiafinanced bailout as a guarantee of financial stability, while opposition activists claimed the deal is likely to worsen economic troubles as the country’s dependence on Moscow increases. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday pledged to buy $15 billion worth of Ukrainian bonds and sharply cut the price of natural gas in an effort to relieve political pressure on Ukraine’s embattled president, Viktor Yanukovych. The Ukrainian economy risks a default next year, and over the past months Yanukovych has actively lobbied both Russia and the European Union for a financial life jacket.

His decision last month to opt for a deal with Russia triggered a wave of demonstrations that have crystallized into a large, round-the-clock protest camp in Independence Square in Kiev, the country’s capital.

Prime Minister Mykola Azarov told a Cabinet meeting that the deal with Russia ensures “people’s confidence in a stable life,” while an association agreement with Europe would have given Ukraine a “New Year’s present” of “bankruptcy and social collapse,” according to the Interfax news agency. The deal with Moscow, which apparently includes access to Russia’s market and large orders for Ukraine’s manufacturing industry, did little to appease the protesters, who have demanded that Yanukovych and Azarov resign and snap election be held in 2014. —AP

The State Department sought to calm tensions saying Thursday’s arrest of Devyani Khobragade was an isolated case, and should not be allowed to damage the close ties between India and the United States.

But confirmation from the US Marshals service that Khobragade was treated like any person detained in the bustling metropolis will likely only further fuel Indian ire.

Khobragade was detained for allegedly underpaying her domestic helper who is also an Indian national and for lying on the

helper’s visa application form. Her case has dominated the Indian press in recent days, and India has denounced her arrest while she was dropping her children off at school as “humiliating” launching a series of retaliatory measures against US diplomats in New Delhi.

State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf admitted it was a “sensitive issue” but insisted it was a “separate and isolated incident” which should not “be tied together” and allowed to affect broader “close” USIndian ties.—Agencies

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

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

Hundreds dead in S Sudan fighting as coup bid denied Fears of a return to civil war JUBA: South Sudan’s fugitive former vice president denied yesterday accusations he led a coup bid against his archrival President Salva Kiir after days of fierce fighting that has killed hundreds of people and sent thousands fleeing to UN bases.

The deadly unrest in the capital Juba has alarmed the international community and sparked fears of a return to civil war in the world’s youngest nation. Kiir on Monday accused soldiers loyal to his archrival, former vice president Riek Machar, of staging a coup attempt in the oil-rich but deeply impover-

Sudan Tribune website in his first public remarks since the fighting erupted.

“Kiir wanted to use the alleged coup attempt in order to get rid of us,” said Machar, who was sacked by the president in July. The government said 10 key figures, many of them former ministers, have been arrested in the crackdown, and that others, including Machar, were on the run.

Amid fears that South Sudan could descend into wider ethnic violence, the United States ordered non-essential embassy staff out of

By midday life on the streets of Juba showed signs of returning to normal. Juba airport reopened and several regional airlines resumed flights, although others said they were waiting for additional security guarantees. Dozens of foreign aid workers and expatriates said on Twitter they were waiting at the airport to board the first flight they could out of the country.

Many of Juba’s residents have spent the past two days barricaded in their homes, too afraid to move.

Others used lulls in the sporadic and often intense battles to grab

JUBA: People arrive to seek refuge in the UNMISS compound in Juba, yesterday. The mission is stepping up provision of basic health facilities. South Sudan’s fugitive former vice president denied accusations he led a coup bid against his archrival President Salva Kiir after days of fierce fighting that has killed hundreds of people and sent thousands fleeing to UN bases. — AFP ished nation, which has struggled with instability since becoming independent in 2011.

But in comments published Wednesday, Machar denied any attempt to topple the president, and instead accused Kiir of using the violence as a pretext to purge any challengers. “What took place in Juba was a misunderstanding between presidential guards within their division, it was not a coup attempt,” he told the Paris-based

the country. The fighting has highlighted the bitter fault lines in the country, which is awash with guns after decades of war.In Juba, gunfire rang out into the early hours of yesterday, an AFP reporter said, but without the same intensity as the two previous nights. “It was the quietest night we’ve had in Juba since the crisis began on Sunday evening,” Joe Contreras, a spokesman for the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)told AFP.

what belongings they could and flee to safer areas, including UN bases.

Situation ‘extremely tense’ UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous told the Security Council that between 400-500 bodies had been taken to hospitals in Juba, while another 800 people had been wounded. Ladsous told the council it appeared the clashes that erupted in the “extremely tense” capital

late Sunday were on ethnic lines.

Kiir and his rival Machar hail from different ethnic groups and fought on different sides during Sudan’s civil war. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said medical teams in Juba’s two main hospitals were having trouble coping.

“Staff in both hospitals have been working around the clock, but they are struggling because of the sheer volume of patients and the severity of the injuries,” said Felicity Gapes, an ICRC delegate leading the medical response on the ground. “There is a heavy toll, it is obvious,” Security Council president Gerard Araud told reporters at the UN, adding that precise figures were not yet available.

“There are dozens and scores of casualties,” France’s UN ambassador said. Araud added that fighting had also been reported in Jonglei, one of the most troubled states in the country and with a bitter history of clashes between rival ethnic groups. UN peacekeepers said hundreds of civilians had sought refuge at two of their bases in Jonglei, in the state capital Bor and the eastern town of Pibor. Fighting was reported overnight Tuesday in Bor, with shooting breaking out again in the early hours of yesterday.

“Hundreds of civilians have been streaming into our camp on the outskirts of the town, they’re now over the 1,000 mark, and Bor is very tense,” Contreras said. Ladsous told the Security Council that between 15,000 and 20,000 people had sought UN protection in Juba.

The special representative of the UN secretar y- general, Hilde Johnson, said it was “paramount” that the conflict did not assume ethnic dimensions. The US State Department issued a statement saying all non-emergency US government personnel have been ordered to leave “because of ongoing political and social unrest ” and also urged all Americans to get out of the country “immediately”. — AFP

GAZA: Gaza psychiatrist and prominent Palestinian human rights campaigner Dr. Eyad Sarraj, left, listens to Jewish-American scholar and activist Noam Chomsky, right. Relatives say Sarraj has died after a long battle with leukemia. He was 69. — AP

Top Palestinian human rights campaigner dies GAZA CITY: Leading Palestinian human rights campaigner Dr Eyad Sarraj, who dealt with the mental health damage caused by political oppression and challenged both Israeli and Palestinian abuses, died after battling leukemia, his family said yesterday. He was 69.

Trained in Egypt and Britain, Sarraj became the Gaza Strip’s first psychiatrist and established a community mental health program in 1990. The program focused on the most vulnerable groups, such as children and victims of torture and other abuses, and served as a foundation for his human rights work.

Sarraj spoke extensively about the toll on mental health exacted by Israel’s rule over the Palestinians. Israeli occupation, he wrote in 1997, has left the Palestinians “exhausted, tormented and brutalized.”

He was briefly jailed in the 1980s by Israel, which occupied Gaza from 1967 until 2005, and in the 1990s by the Palestinian Authority, a self-rule government then led by Yasser Arafat, according to his biography.

Sarraj later served as chairman of the Palestinian Independent Commission for Citizens’ Rights, taking on a role of ombudsman for ordinary Palestinians.

In recent years, he and other political independents worked at reconciling rival Palestinian political camps - the Islamic

militant Hamas which has ruled Gaza since a violent 2007 takeover and Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who administers parts of the West Bank.

After Israel’s military offensive against Gaza in the winter of 2008-2009, Sarraj told United Nations investigators that post-traumatic stress disorders are widespread among Gaza’s children, according to his biography.

Sarraj won greater recognition abroad than at home. He received the Martin Ennals Award for human rights defenders in 1998 and the Olof Palme Prize awarded by Sweden’s labor movement in 2010.

Sarraj was born in the town of Beersheba in British-ruled Palestine in 1944, and fled with his family to Gaza during the 1948 war over Israel’s creation. He studied medicine in Alexandria, Egypt, and earned a degree in psychiatry in Britain.

In recent years, Sarraj had been battling leukemia, according to his brother, Hakim. Sarraj died late Tuesday at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem where he had been undergoing treatment for more than a month, his brother said.

Sarraj is survived by his wife, Nirmeen Kharma, and three sons. Funeral arrangements are pending. —AP

$4.5 million seized from Turkey bank chief’s home ANKARA: Istanbul police leading a major corruption and bribery investigation targeting allies of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan have seized shoe boxes stashed with $4.5 million at the home of a state-owned bank’s chief executive, a Turkish news agency reported yesterday.

Dozens of people, including the bank’s CEO and the sons of three key government ministers, were detained Tuesday for questioning in raids as part of the investigation which threatens to rock Erdogan’s 11-year tenure.

The state-run Anadolu Agency said more than 50 people were in police custody as part of the investigation.

Other reports said as many as 84 people were detained. Many believe the police operation is the fallout of a deepening rift between Erdogan’s government and a powerful U.S.based moderate Islamic cleric, Fethullah Gulen, whose followers are reported to have a strong foothold within Turkey’s police and judiciary.

Police searching the home of Halk Bank’s CEO, Suleyman Aslan, discovered the shoe boxes containing money on his bookshelves, the Dogan news agency reported. It said Aslan’s wife, who was also detained, was heard in a wiretapped telephone conversation as saying “the greens have arrived,’ allegedly in reference to dollar bills. Dogan, a reliable news source, cited unidentified judicial officials for its report. A national police official said he could not immediately confirm the report, while officials at the Interior Ministry refused comment.

Halk Bank said police had requested information concerning their investigation but had no other comment on the case.

Analysts say the investigation is the latest round of a power struggle between Gulen and Erdogan’s govern-

ment. The cleric’s movement long supported Erdogan’s Islamic-based Justice and Development Party but has fallen out with the Turkish leader over his plans to close down private cram schools that are a major source of income for his group.

In a sign that Erdogan was fighting back against the probe, five senior police officials were removed from duty yesterday, Turkish media reports said. They included commissioners in charge of combatting organized crime, smuggling and criminal financial activity and oversaw the corruption detentions, according to Dogan.

Erdogan has suggested that the probe is a politically motivated “dirty trap” to harm his government. The investigation comes ahead of local elections in March that are largely

seen as a vote of confidence in Erdogan’s government. Erdogan himself is expected to be a candidate in the presidential election in August.

Turkey’s financial markets have been turbulent since Tuesday’s raids, with the markets sliding and the Turkish Lira drifting downward against the dollar. Police confirmed to The Associated Press that the sons of three government ministers have been held for questioning: Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan, Interior Minister Muammer Guler and Environment and Urban Planning Minister Erdogan Bayraktar.

Opposition parties have demanded that the three ministers resign and criticized the dismissal of the five police chiefs, calling it an attempt to cover up the scandal. — AP

ISTANBUL: People arrested as part of a probe into alleged corruption arrive at the hospital for a medical check-up at the start of their custody in Istanbul yesterday. Turkish police detained more than 20 people including the sons of three cabinet ministers and several high-profile businessmen in a probe into alleged bribery and corruption, local media reported.— AFP

Iran nuclear talks to resume VIENNA: Talks between experts from Iran and world powers on implementing last month’s nuclear deal will resume on Thursday in Geneva, a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said yesterday.

“The technical talks will be resumed tomorrow and continue until tomorrow” in Geneva, Nabila Massrali told AFP via email. The experts held four days of talks in Vienna last week but the Iranians walked out after Washington expanded its sanctions blacklist against Tehran. Under a land-

mark November 24 deal struck in Geneva, Iran agreed to roll back parts of its nuclear programme for six months in exchange for modest sanctions relief and a promise not to impose new sanctions. But the United States last week put a dozen overseas companies on a blacklist for evading its sanctions, angering Tehran even though Washington said the new measures did not constitute new sanctions.

But Tehran said the measures were “against the spirit” of the November 24

deal. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif expressed Iran’s “discontent” in a phone call with US Secretary of State John Kerry, Iranian news agency Fars reported on Monday. The State Department confirmed the call took place. During the six-month nuclear freeze, which has not started yet, Iran and the powers aim to hammer out a long-term comprehensive accord to end once and for all the standoff over Iran’s nuclear programme after a decade of failed attempts and rising tensions.—AFP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

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

Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs dies LONDON: Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs, whose audacious escape from jail and decades spent on the run made him one of Britain’s most notorious criminals, has died in London at the age of 84, the justice ministry said yesterday.

Biggs, who was unable to speak and could barely walk after suffering a series of strokes, was being cared for at a nursing home at the time of his death in the early hours of yesterday morning, media reports said.

He was part of the gang which robbed a night mail train travelling from Glasgow to London on August 8, 1963, seizing £2.6 million-a record at the time and the equivalent of £46 million (54 million euros, $75 million) today.

Sentenced to 30 years in jail, Biggs escaped from prison after just 15 months and went on the run to Australia and then Brazil. In Rio he had a son, Michael, with a Brazilian woman which ensured his immunity from extradition.

Michael Biggs was not immediately available for comment about his father’s death, but left a message on his phone saying: “For obvious rea-

sons I’m not taking many calls today.” Free from the long arm of the British law, Biggs appeared to revel in his notoriety, posing for pictures published in newspapers back home and cementing his folk hero status.

Biggs returned to Britain voluntarily in 2001 when a number of strokes took the fun out of fugitive life and left him pining for home. He was immediately sent back to jail to serve the end of his sentence but was released on compassionate grounds in 2009 because of his worsening health.

He remained on parole. “The probation trust supervising him has confirmed that he has died,” a justice ministry spokeswoman told AFP. Biggs always said he had no regrets about his involvement in the heist, although he said it was “regrettable” that the train driver, Jack Mills, was hit during the robbery.

Mills never fully recovered and he died a few years later. Biggs was last seen in public in March at the London funeral of fellow Train Robber Bruce Reynolds, where he made a defiant “V”

Mandela family feud resumes JOHANNESBURG: An ongoing feud between some of the Mandela family members which has made headlines in the past year has taken another turn with a report that Mandla Mandela was locked out of the family’s homestead in the village of Qunu by relatives four days before his grandfather, Nelson Mandela, was buried there.Mandla is also reported to have found his home on the Mandela estate without electricity and water on the day of his grandfather’s burial.

The Johannesburg tabloid The Times reported Tuesday that locks at Nelson Mandela’s home in the Eastern Cape hamlet were changed shortly after his eldest daughter, Makaziwe Mandela, arrived there on Thursday.At the time, Mandla Mandela was keeping vigil next to his grandfather’s coffin while the anti-apartheid icon’s body lay in state at the Union Buildings in Pretoria for three days. He escorted the coffin to Qunu on Saturday for Mandela’s funeral the following day.

Approached for comment on the report Wednesday, Mandla Mandela’s spokesman, Freddy Pilusa, told The Associated Press: “He (Mandla) doesn’t want to confirm nor deny the report. He wants to focus on promoting and upholding the legacy of his grandfather going forward.”

Mandla and Makaziwe have been involved in a bitter public spat over the control of Mandela’s legacy and leadership of the fractured family. The newspaper report said that since Mandela’s death on December 5: Water and lights at Mandla’s house on the

Mandela estate were disconnected late on Saturday. The occupants, including Mandla, had no water when they awoke on Sunday; Makaziwe had told Mandla, the statesman’s grandson, that he must remove his cattle, pigs and dogs from the homestead; Relatives, politicians and religious leaders aligned to Mandla were sidelined and refused accreditation for Sunday’s funeral.

Traditional family rituals, scheduled to be held in Mvezo, a town near Qunu, where Mandla is Madiba clan chief, were cancelled.

No transport to the funeral was provided for Mandla’s mother, Nolusapho, or for her sister. They were brought to the funeral after a member of the family sent a text message to Mandla telling him of the situation.

Nolusapho, who in the early 1970s had been with Nelson Mandela’s now deceased son, was reportedly in tears.A further outbreak of hostilities is expected over Mandela’s will, the contents of which have not been made public.

Makaziwe, who is said to wield great influence in the family, oversaw the family’s preparations for Mandela’s funeral.

Makaziwe and Mandla locked horns earlier this year when Mandla moved the remains of his father and two other relatives to Mvezo, Mandela’s birthplace and where Mandla is tribal chief.

With Makaziwe spearheading the campaign to have the remains exhumed, Mandla was forced by a court order to return the remains to Qunu, where Mandela grew up and where he had expressed a wish to be buried. —AP

sign at the waiting media. The press pack that awaited him was a sign of the enduring fascination in Britain with the train heist and particularly Biggs, who was widely viewed as a loveable rogue.

The former head of London’s Metropolitan Police, Robert Mark, observed in his memoirs that Biggs had “added a rare and welcome touch of humour to the history of crime”, according to an obituary published on the Guardian website.

By coincidence, the BBC was due to screen two new films about the robbery last night and tonight. They are expected to be broadcast as planned. Peter Rayner, former chief operating officer of British Rail, had criticised the sympathy for Biggs in the past, although he said his thoughts were with his family following his death.

“My view is that whilst I was-and am-critical of the Great Train Robbers and the heroes’ welcome they got, especially in light of the death of Jack Mills, my sympathies go out to his family,” he said. —AFP

Merkel says EU must be ready for treaty changes BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday said European Union members must be open to treaty changes to strengthen joint economic governance in the 28-nation bloc.

Merkel was speaking a day after starting her third term as leader of Europe’s biggest economy and ahead of a visit to Paris, followed by a two-day EU summit in Brussels.

She told parliament that the EU needs to work toward more centralised financial and economic governance, where members can be compelled to meet certain fiscal targets, even if this requires changes to key EU treaties. “Since the Lisbon Treaty we have a situation in Europe where everyone says, ‘we can develop everything but we can’t change the treaties’,” Merkel said. “I don’t think that we can build a truly functioning Europe that way.” French President Francois Hollande has rejected changing EU treaties, pushing for more pro-growth policies and less austerity within the existing European charters. Other EU members are also sceptical about renegotiating treaties, which may require referendums, amid rising euroscepticism in many countries.

Merkel, making her case for evolving charters in the EU, said “we have a situation in Europe where Germany is often accused of resisting certain developments. This is not the case. “We are among those who say that we must, if treaties are no longer sufficient, develop those treaties.”

“Those who want more Europe must be ready for new rules on some competencies,” she added. Merkel was sworn in for a third term on Tuesday, almost three months after winning September 22 elections, leading a “grand coalition” with the centre-left Social Democrats.

Addressing the Bundestag legislature, Merkel said that her new government wants for Germany, as a founding member of the EU, to continue “to take a responsible role and one that promotes integration in Europe”. Looking back at 2013, she said “Europe has made a fair bit of progress on the path to stability and growth”, citing the banking union project, keeping the common currency competitive and the fight against youth unemployment. —AFP

LONDON: In this Thursday, Nov 17, 2011 file photo Ronnie Biggs, one of Britain’s most notorious criminals, attends a news conference to mark the release of his autobiography “Odd Man Out: The Last Straw”, London. Ronnie Biggs, known for his role in the 1963 Great Train Robbery, died yesterday.

He was 84. —AP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

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

India passes historic anti-corruption bill All ministers covered by the proposed bill NEW DELHI: India’s parliament yesterday passed legislation to create a powerful anti-graft watchdog following a mass anti-corruption movement that swept the country in 2011 and spurred politicians into action. The ruling Congress and the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) joined forces in the lower house in a rare display of unity to create a corruption ombudsman in

the lower decision-making house of parliament.

BJP house leader Sushma Swaraj praised “the people of this country” for achieving the passage of the bill. Passage of the bill comes as general elections are due in May. Voters have become increasingly incensed by a string of corruption scandals that have engulfed the nation.

A stunning poll performance by an upstart party

RALEGAN SIDDHI: India’s anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare, center, listens to his aide and former Indian army chief and retired Gen. V.K.Singh after ending his nine-day hunger strike demanding an anti-graft legislation at Ralegan Siddhi, Maharashtra state, India, yesterday. — AP

whose mission is to clean up dirty politics gave extra momentum to passage of the Lokpal or ombudsman bill. Civil servant-turned-corruption fighter Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party-Common Man Party-trounced Congress in state polls in Delhi this month.

Kejriwal, who campaigned on a promise of cleaning up India’s dirty politics, was a key member of the grass-roots movement that demanded the tough law back in 2011 but legislation was stalled by political bickering and debate about the extent of the bill’s scope. Kejriwal’s success underscored his potential to damage both of India’s main parties when the country goes to the polls next year, analysts said. The Congress-led government has been shaken by a string of multi-billion-dollar corruption allegations involving allocation of telecommunications spectrum and permits to mine coal that has embroiled premier Manmohan Singh.

The father of the anti-corruption campaign, social crusader Anna Hazare, drank coconut water to break a nine-day fast that he was staging to push for the bill in his home village in western Maharashtra state after the legislation was passed. “This has been for the country... it has been a lot of work by a lot of people,” Hazare told a rally that was a sea of jubilant supporters waving green, white and orange Indian flags.

The Lokpal Act, which won overwhelming support in India’s upper house Tuesday and now goes to the president for formal approval, will serve as a model law for India’s states who will have to set up their own anti-corruption bodies.

All ministers and senior public servants are covered by the proposed bill, which was first proposed some 46 years earlier. Even the office of prime minister falls under the scope of the legislation. The landmark legislation will set up a body with authority to use any investigation agency to probe suspected corruption. —AFP

Bangladesh sentences eight students to death for murder DHAKA: A Bangladesh court yesterday sentenced eight students from the ruling party to death for the brutal murder of a young Hindu that was captured live on television in the capital. The special fast-track court found the Awami League (AL) activists guilty of chasing down Biswajit Das, 24, and hacking him with machetes while police stood by, in a crime that shocked the nation after its airing on TV. A further 13 activists from the AL’s student wing were sentenced to life in prison for murdering Das, whom prosecutors said they mistook for

a supporter of opposition strikes that took place last December.

Prosecutor S.M Rafiqul Islam confirmed eight students were handed a death sentence while “13 were given life in prison.” Only eight of the accused were present in the packed court to hear judge A.B.M Nizamul Huq read out the verdict. The rest, including two of those handed the death penalty, are still on the run and were tried in absentia.

The victim’s elder brother Uttam Das said the family was happy with the verdict and called for

the executions to be swiftly carried out. “We have got the justice and now we want quick execution of these criminals,” Das said. The trial was a major test for the secular AL amid allegations at the time that police, who are closely linked with the AL government, tried to cover up the identities of the activists. The sentences are likely to boost the AL’s popularity among the minority Hindu community ahead of January 5 general elections. Hindus make up around 10 percent of Bangladesh’s 153 million people and traditionally form a key AL support base.—AFP

TACLOBAN: US Secretary of State John Kerry, center, looks at bags of rice at a relief distribution center during a tour of the damage from Typhoon Haiyan in Tacloban, Philippines, yesterday. — AP

Kerry says US won’t abandon typhoon-hit Philippines TACLOBAN: A stunned Secretary of State John Kerry toured a typhoon-devastated Philippine city yesterday, pledging more US aid as its Asian ally appealed for international help to fund an $8.17 billion rebuilding plan. “This is a devastation unlike anything that I have ever seen at this scale,” Kerry said while visiting a temporary US aid supply depot for sur vivors of Super Typhoon Haiyan in the central city of Tacloban.

“It really is quite stunning. It looks like a war zone in every respect and for a lot of people it is,” he told reporters.

Tacloban, a city of 220,000 people, bore the brunt of Haiyan’s fury last month as towering tsunami-like waves whipped up by the storm obliterated its coastal districts.

Nearly 8,000 people were killed or remain missing in central provinces, with Tacloban accounting for more than 5,000 of the total. “Entire communities levelled, water up to the second storey of the airport tower, and all of this covered in water,” Kerry said, gesturing toward tents during his visit to the US Agency for International Development depot near Tacloban’s airport. He said President Barack Obama had sent him to offer condolences and assure Filipinos of unwavering efforts in assisting them. Kerry announced $25 million in extra aid, raising Washington’s Haiyan relief effort to nearly $87 million, a US embassy statement said.

Two US firms, Procter and Gamble and Coca-Cola, will help repair, restock and reopen more than 2,000 small groceries in typhoon-hit areas, it added.

“Last month’s typhoon broke the world’s heart, but what is certain is that it didn’t break the spirit of the people here,” Kerry

stressed. The United States, a long-time military ally of the Philippines, sent an aircraft carrier group and committed 1,000 Marines in a massive aid airlift in the desperate first few days after the typhoon, when Tacloban and other areas were cut off by road.

The still impoverished Philippines is battered by an average of 20 storms a year, and Filipinos have long had to deal with weather-related disasters as best they can.

But the fury of Haiyan, with its maximum 315 kilometre (195 mile) per hour winds, was unprecedented It wrecked 1.2 million homes, caused some $12.9 billion in damage and left 4.4 million homeless, according to the Philippine government.

In terms of fatalities it is now second only to a tsunami which hit the major southern island of Mindanao and left between 5,000 and 8,000 people dead following a major undersea quake in 1976.

With nearly six million jobs lost, Haiyan may also trim economic growth by 0.3 percentage points this year and next, according to a recovery plan released by the economic planning department.

The plan, launched by President Benigno Aquino on Wednesday, calls for spending of 360.9 billion pesos ($8.17 billion) over four years. The government is allocating a total of 125.1 billion pesos and appealing for help to fund the remainder.

Aquino said most of the money would be used to rebuild communities to withstand disasters better. “The task immediately before us lies in ensuring that the communities that rise again do so stronger, better and more resilient than before,” he told foreign diplomats and aid officials in Manila.—AFP

N Korean defectors find unlikely home SEOUL: The kids call him “uncle,” but he’s more of a mom and dad rolled in one. From one child that he began caring for in 2006, Kim Tae-hoon’s brood has grown to nine boys, all defectors from North Korea who have found their first real experience of family in his house.

As a single, 37-year-old raising nine youngsters, he’s a novelty in this conservative society. Local media have dubbed him “Bachelor Mom,” and he’s something of a celebrity, appearing on a popular TV lecture series to talk about life with the kids.

But he’s also an unusual success story in the South’s long struggle to assimilate North Korean defectors, who are often ignored or even resented amid perceptions that they’re uneducated, brainwashed burdens on society. “He’s like a mom and a dad,” says Lee Eok-cheol, a first-year high school student who grins as he plays with a Rubik’s Cube in the living room of Kim’s home in Seoul.

“I’m getting all the love here that I didn’t get growing up.”

About 25,000 defectors have entered the country since the end of the 195053 Korean War. But stark differences in education, wealth, social skills and world view often make it very difficult for them to fit into South Korea’s fastpaced, increasingly affluent society.

Young defectors also struggle to adjust to a hypercompetitive school system. At times they face discrimination.

Some 146 are youth who came south without immediate family members, according to government figures. The boys range from an elementary school student who arrived in South Korea just six months ago to high school seniors who have been with him for several years. Kim requested their ages not be disclosed as some are older than their classmates, largely because of the time it takes them to catch up academically.

At a recent suppertime, Kim playfully chided the boys for not finishing their salads, joking that they should all go back to North Korea. He gently teases one about his trendy clothes. “While they are with me, I can help them prepare for a smooth ‘coming out’ in society,” Kim says. “I tell them all the time that it’s not a crime to come from North Korea.” Most of the boys grew up in the northern tip of North Korea, not far from the Chinese border, and haven’t seen their biological parents in years. Now Kim is guardian for all nine. They have harrowing stories to tell. When Lee Eokcheol was small, his mother left for China. His father later left for work one

day and never came home. Lee and his brother, who also lives with Kim, crossed a river into China, a rope tied between them so they wouldn’t be separated by the current. They eventually were transferred to Seoul.

North Korean guards caught the youngest member of Kim’s family, Ju Cheol-kwang, on his first attempt to cross the river into China and sent his mother to a prison camp. He hasn’t seen her since. He made it to South Korea after his third attempt to cross into China.

Now some of the boys are flourishing. One was elected student president of his middle school. Another recently received a national award for volunteer work. They’ve all traveled to Thailand for community service. Some teach art to children from low-income families. Last month, they performed their every-other-year musical before an audience that included South Korea’s unification minister. Kim, with some help from the kids, does most of the chores himself: cleaning the rooms, doing the laundry, cooking the meals. Kim Rena, a Catholic nun who has known the family since 2009, once asked him why he didn’t hire a housekeeper. “He replied that he didn’t want his kids raised by strangers,” she said. “He said he needs to raise his own kids.” Experts and social workers say Kim’s arrangement could be a model for other group homes. The casual, family atmosphere is exactly what young, lonely defectors crave, says Heo Su Gyeung, at the Rainbow Youth Center, a non-profit organization that supports

North Korean youth.

South Korea has about 16 privatelyrun group homes and dormitory-type schools for young North Koreans without family ties. But Kim Mili, an activist at the Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights, who has known the family since 2007, says the atmosphere in other facilities tends to be more institutional.

Kim Tae-hoon’s life changed dramatically after meeting a fourth-grade defector through a mentoring program.

The boy, Yeom Ha-ryong, arrived from North Korea with his mother but was living largely alone in a small governmentsubsidized apartment while his mother worked in another city and gave him money. The boy was lucky if he saw his mother once a week, Kim says, and usually only ate one proper meal a day, at school.

After finding Ha-ryong asleep one evening in his dark, bare apartment with the TV on and the door unlocked, Kim decided to move in to care for him.

His mother kept in touch but stayed away. “He’s made me who I am today,” said Ha-ryong, now in his second year of high school.

People who heard about what Kim was doing asked if he could take in more young defectors, and as the numbers grew, they moved to another, larger house. Kim quit his job at a publishing company to fully commit to the kids and registered his home as a social facility, in part so he could get government money, but he also relies on personal donations and project grants.—AP

SEOUL: In this Oct. 28, 2013 photo, South Korean Kim Tae-hoon, right, puts food in a refrigerator with Hwang Cheol-jin, a North Korean defector, at his home in Seoul, South Korea. Kim is rearing nine boys - all defectors from North Korea. Kim has given them their first real experience of family. — AP

NEWS Expulsions leave broken dreams in Africa and Asia Continued from Page 1 Mohammed Yunus, 27, was brought to Saudi Arabia by an employment agency to work at a hotel after taking loans to travel to the kingdom, but was soon told to leave his job. His sponsor then demanded 7,000 riyals a year ($1,867) to sign off on his visa papers while he found odd jobs on building sites and in grocery shops to pay his debts. Such tales of extortion are common among low-paid workers in the country.

“I am trying to get back to Saudi. There’s no way I can repay my debts by working in India,” said Yunus, who worked in Saudi Arabia for five years before leaving during an amnesty declared in March to encourage expatriates to head home without paying fines for violating residency rules.

The government said about 4 million people changed their visas to stay in the country, while another million left during the amnesty and can apply for new visas in future. When it ended in early November, forcible deportations began. Authorities raided shops, offices, marketplaces and streets in low-income areas, checking residence permits. The Labour Ministry has said it will set up new tribunals to hear expatriates’ complaints about their sponsors, but it has no plans to change the sponsorship system itself, something even a Saudi government-affiliated rights group recommends.

‘Smear Campaign’ International migration and rights groups have acknowledged Saudi Arabia’s right to deport visa violators and change its employment rules to favour locals, but are critical of the way the crackdown has been carried out. Deportees returning to Yemen and Ethiopia have reported ill treatment, including physical abuse and poor conditions at holding centres before they were expelled, the International Organization of Migration, an international agency, said. When millions rushed to rectify minor visa infringements earlier this summer, government departments appeared unprepared, causing vast numbers of people to queue in temperatures of 40 Celsius, some for more than 24 hours.

The government has dismissed allegations of abuse and chaotic policymaking as a foreign “smear campaign”, saying it welcomed expatriates who abide by the rules, and that 250,000 Saudis have gained jobs as a result of its crackdown. The human impact of making way for them has reverberated across the world. In Yemen, Ethiopia, Pakistan,

Indonesia and India, politicians have voiced concern about the fate of their citizens in the kingdom. Egypt, Sri Lanka and the Philippines are all affected too.

“I’m going back with literally nothing. All that I earned here has been spent on raising my children,” said Abdul Kareem Shamshudeen, 53, who returned to the Indian state of Kerala last week after illegally doing odd jobs in shops for 20 years. The impact has even been felt in other wealthy oil-exporting Gulf nations, which also have large expatriate populations and where many of those leaving Saudi Arabia now want to seek work - including Yunus, if he cannot go back. “I’m always hopeful there will be another chance,” he said.

Although official unemployment among Saudis is around 12 percent, economists estimate up to two thirds are not in the labour force.

Those who do work mostly have government jobs, the absolute monarchy’s way of spreading oil wealth and buying social peace, and tend to support large extended families. While the world’s top exporter now enjoys large surpluses, economists say a rising population and growing domestic energy consumption mean the burden of creating work must move to the private sector for the economy to continue to thrive.

Riots and Deportation The cost for many migrant workers has been high. In the poor south Riyadh neighbourhood of Manfouha, an Ethiopian man was killed in a confrontation with police during a visa raid. Days later, local anger spilled into clashes between Ethiopian migrants, riot police and some Saudis, leaving three dead. Ahmed, the returnee to Addis Ababa, said gangs of Saudis attacked Ethiopians and raped Ethiopian women.

Saudis said Ethiopians had started the riot, rampaging through Manfouha with knives and sticks. “I gave myself up. I was afraid of getting killed,” he said.

For the millions of expatriates remaining in Saudi Arabia, many of whom are still thought to be in breach of residency laws, the crackdown inspires gallows humour. A comic song called Ja Jawazat, “Passport department is coming”, has attracted a million views on YouTube. Faez Choudhary, a Pakistani national who wrote the song, was born and raised in Saudi Arabia and works at a Riyadh shopping mall. “I want to help other expatriates, especially those born here, understand this is our country as well,” he said. “I myself feel like a Saudi, sometimes.” — Reuters

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

Legendary banker to step down Continued from Page 1

hundreds of thousands of fellow Palestinians left, many being unable to return as they were perceived to be sympathisers with the Iraqis because of the stance of the Palestine Liberation Organisation. In recent years, Dabdoub has not shied away from speaking about issues affecting the Kuwaiti economy. He is well-respected among government policymakers who agree that Kuwait, one of the world’s richest countries per capita, needs long-term economic reform.

As development in Kuwait stagnated due to political infighting and chronic bureaucracy, Dabdoub was a rare voice of public discontent among the Kuwaiti business establishment. In 2012 he voiced concern about delays to the implementation of a KD 30 billion ($106 billion) economic development plan for huge infrastructure projects. The plan was announced in late 2010 and was supposed to benefit local companies, provide jobs

for the growing youth population as well as diversify the oil-reliant economy. He later expressed confidence when the government appeared to be pushing ahead with projects in the plan. His comments were notable, given that such public disapproval is unusual in Kuwait and the rest of the Gulf, a region which prefers to deal with problems behind closed doors.

Founded in 1952, NBK is consistently awarded the highest credit rating in the region from Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch. NBK was also named among the 50 safest banks in the world eight consecutive times. NBK has the widest banking presence with an international network reaching 170 branches worldwide. NBK’s international presence spans many of the world’s leading financial centers including London, Paris, Geneva, New York and Singapore, as well as China (Shanghai).

Meanwhile, regional coverage extends to Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Turkey.

Five-year jail term of tweeter upheld Continued from Page 1 But MPs, the government and all those concerned are awaiting the decisive ruling of the constitutional court on the July parliamentary elections. The ruling on Dec 23 will determine the fate of the Assembly and could order dissolving the Assembly for the second time in six months and the third in less than 18 months. The court is reviewing two petitions challenging if the procedures of the July elections were in line with the constitution. Some MPs and observers have predicted the court will scrap the election and dissolve

the Assembly.

Others however said the court will not dissolve the Assembly. MP Youssef Al-Zalzalah expected the current Assembly will complete its four-year term based on the fact that the procedures of the election were correct and legal. He ruled out the possibility that the court will dissolve the Assembly. The court will also review the Assembly election results and could nullify the election of at least two members of the current Assembly - Maasouma AlMubarak and Osama Al-Tahous and declare candidates Abdulhameed Dashti and Nabeel Al-Fadhl the new winners.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

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Issues

China needs West help for nuclear export ambitions

By David Stanway

C

hina’s investment in Britain’s 16 billion pound Hinkley Point project is its first foray into Europe’s nuclear power market and a marker of its global ambitions, but its firms will depend on foreign partners if they are to fulfil them. China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) and China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) plan to take a combined 30-40 percent stake in a consortium led by French utility EDF to build French-designed EPR reactors in southwest England. China has the world’s largest nuclear building programme at home and hopes to leverage this into a nuclear export industry.

While China has already built reactors for its ally Pakistan, Hinkley Point is its first nuclear project in a developed country, and Beijing hopes the UK credentials will help promote its two nuclear giants on the global stage. But industry analysts say gaps in the Chinese supply chain, fears of political interference and inexperience in the economics of nuclear power mean the firms will struggle to go it alone. “They are very ambitious, but whether they will be welcomed overseas is another question,” said Li Ning, a nuclear power specialist and dean of the School of Energy Research at China’s Xiamen University.

In Britain, for example, political discussions behind closed doors about Chinese nuclear involvement concluded the public would not accept Chinese companies owning majority stakes in new plants and that initial participation should be capped at 49 percent, a source familiar with the discussions said. China’s massive domestic nuclear new-build program is one of the few bright spots in the global nuclear industry following the 2011 Fukushima disaster, which prompted several countries including Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Belgium to close or phase out their nuclear programs. After a post-Fukushima suspension lasting a year and a half, Beijing restarted its program late in 2012 and aims to bring capacity up from 12.57 gigawatts now to 58 GW by the end of 2020. Nearly 30 GW of new capacity is under construction in China, more than 40 percent of the world’s total new-build.

‘Clueless On Profit’ China’s regulators have long encouraged nuclear firms to build an entire industrial chain with global reach. After Fukushima, “history has given China an opportunity to overtake the world’s nuclear energy and nuclear technology powers”, Zhang Guobao, China’s former top energy official and a tireless advocate of nuclear energy, told a September meeting of nuclear scientists, according to state media. China plans to bid for projects in Argentina and Turkey.

But its domestic experience won’t necessarily translate well overseas, said Arnaud Lefevre, head of French nuclear consultancy Dynatom International, which has been involved in the nuclear business in China. “All the business of nuclear power plants in China is controlled by state-owned enterprises which are set up to produce power plants, not profits,” he said. “They have no clue about international business. They have absolutely no clue how to make profit in nuclear,” he added. Li of Xiamen University said the firms would struggle to find any immediate economic rationale for their involvement in Hinkley Point, but they would look at it as a marketing tool. “It is the first mature nuclear market for China to work in, and it could help in other regions,” he said.

French, US Partners CNNC and CGN will both be involved in Hinkley Point, but getting the two sides to collaborate has proved difficult. Recent government efforts to get them to join forces on a single Chinese reactor design have so far been fruitless. “The government intentionally put them in competition for markets, so obviously there will be a certain amount of hostility between the two sides,” said Li, adding that on international markets this might put China at a disadvantage. CGN, a southern Chinese utility, this year changed its name from China Guangdong Nuclear to China General Nuclear as part of its push to reach beyond its home region. As an operator of nuclear plants, it has modelled itself on EDF. CNNC is the bigger player, carved out of the old nuclear ministry and backed by Beijing. It retains strong government and military links and has aspirations to design, manufacture and build nuclear reactors across the world. Both collaborate with Western firms on fuel supply and know-how, and their own-brand reactors are based on foreign designs. CGN is the longtime partner of EDF, which is helping it build two Areva-designed EPR reactors in southern China, and specialists were surprised to see CNNC pop up as a partner in Hinkley Point. CNNC has teamed up with USbased Westinghouse, owned by Japan’s Toshiba, which will see the world’s first AP1000 reactor model go into operation in China next year. China has signed an agreement with Westinghouse to localise key technologies from the US-based firm’s AP1000 reactor design. Meanwhile, China’s own “localised” ACP1000 reactor is expected to make its overseas debut in Pakistan. For other projects Chinese firms will depend on foreign partners to ensure supply chains meet standards in developed markets. —Reuters

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

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

Freedoms for Saudi girls end at univ gates

By Aya Batrawy

W

ithin their female-only campuses, women at Saudi Arabia’s universities let loose. Trendy sneakers, colorful tops, a myriad of hairstyles. Some experiment with bleach blonde or even dip-dyed blue hair. The more adventurous ones have cropped their hair into short buzzes. In their bags, the textbooks vary, but one item is mandatory: a floor-length black abaya robe that each must cover herself with when she steps through the university gates back to the outside world of the kingdom.

Saudi Arabia has spent billions of dollars to improve women’s education, part of a broader drive to empower young Saudis for the marketplace. That has meant improved campuses, better facilities and research programs and a slight expansion in the curriculum for women. But a look inside the women’s universities that have sprung up over the past decade illustrates how change only goes so far.

Within the campus grounds - a world of strictly female students, teachers and staff - women have some greater freedoms. But outside, women remain bound by a web of customs and religious strictures. With those restrictions in place, women’s rights advocates say, the king’s drive to modernize the oil-rich nation will always hit a wall.

“No matter what happens, women are still bound by male guardianship laws and strict cultural norms,” said Aziza Yousef, a professor at the women’s college of King Saud University. “If you are lucky and your

male guardian is good, you will move ahead in life fine. If you are in a family where the male guardian is strict, your life will be paralyzed.”

Women also face limited job opportunities once they leave the university.

Women’s participation in the workplace is minimal, in par t due to segregation requirements and traditions that encourage women to focus on marriage and children. Although girls make up almost 58 percent of undergraduates, or around 474,000 students, women hold only a third of the jobs in the public sector, and in the private sector the percentage of working women is in the low single digits.

Limited Possibilities The education push fuels young Saudi women’s ambitions, but they still struggle to navigate the limited possibilities. “I want to be independent and work before I get married,” said Shaden Al-Hamdan, a 22year-old studying an English degree at Riyadh’s Imam Mohammed bin Saud Islamic University. She’s lucky in that her family is not pressing her to get married her father tells to wait another six years before thinking about it. But she said she knows getting a job is difficult. She doesn’t want to be a teacher, the job of an estimated 78 percent of the women who work. So she talks about trying to find a position at one of the multinational corporations operating in the kingdom. If she can’t, she’ll stay in school for a Master’s.

The overhaul of women’s education over the past decade has been significant.

Previously, women’s colleges were overseen by the Depar tment of Religious Guidance, putting female students under the direct power of clerics. In 2002, they were put under the Education Ministry, which oversees male education. Five years later, the first full women’s university was created, the Princess Nora University in Riyadh.

In 2009, the country’s first gendermixed university, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, was opened. It was a show of defiance by the king against the country’s ultraconservatives, on whose support his power is partly based. When one prominent government cleric criticized the university, the king fired him. Still, it remains the only university where men and women attend lectures together.

Princess Nora University represents the kingdom’s focus on beefing up separate women’s schooling - and it provides the most visible contrast between campus and street life. In 2011, a gleaming new PNU campus was inaugurated, able to accommodate 50,000 students. Along with a brand new hospital and an architecturally stunning library, it boasts a state-of-the-art sports complex with a swimming pool, gym, indoor running track and sprawling outdoor soccer fields, a major shift for a country where female athletics have long been frowned upon.

Arabesque latticework, known as mashrabiyas, over the windows provide privacy, and enclosed pedestrian bridges and four metro lines ferry girls around the

800 hectare campus, ensuring that will never be seen by male drivers and campus police outside the buildings. Several young women on campus quietly described it as a “golden cage”. “The campus itself and the buildings are great, but the faculty is not very strong,” 20-year-old Nada Al-Agmy said. “I feel like I’m learning things I already know.”

Culture of Rights Though some science and business courses are taught, degrees in Teaching and Home Economics are geared toward professions perceived as feminine. At the campus bookstore, a text on Islam leans next to a book on “how to think like a businessman”. Curricula for women remain limited. No universities offer engineering degrees for women, and many courses are geared toward traditional fields such as nursing and teaching. With clerics opposed to women TV newscasters, communications and journalism degrees are rare - the King Saud University in Riyadh, for example, only began to offer one for female undergraduates this year.

But teaching is strictly targeted to the marketplace. There are few political courses. “There is a big difference between manpower and rights. They need teachers and positions filled, they don’t need political science people and decision-makers,” said Yousef, of King Saud University. And for women, “education itself will not change things,” she said, saying women must be educated in a culture of rights. “They can be PhD’s, but not know their rights.” —AP

Somali charcoal still finds ways into Gulf

By Dalton Bennett

C

harcoal from Somalia is prized in Gulf nations: Made from acacia trees, it’s slow burning and gives a sweet aroma to the region’s beloved grilled meats and to tobacco burned in waterpipes. It is also banned by the United Nations, because its shipments rake in millions of dollars a year for AlQaeda-linked militants. Yet on a recent day, thousands of bags of charcoal believed to be from Somalia were videotaped by an AP journalist being loaded off a cargo ship in this isolated Omani port and piled into trucks to be shipped through the mountains into the neighboring United Arab Emirates.

Khasab port, a longtime smuggling hub, has become a major transit point into Gulf nations for Somali charcoal, frustrating international efforts to cut off the cheap-to-make product that is a major moneymaker for AlShabab, the militant group behind September ’s deadly attack on a Kenyan mall. The UN is pressing Gulf countries to do more to shut off the trade.

Despite the Security Council ban imposed in Feb 2012 , total exports of Somali charcoal have risen to 24 million sacks a year valued at up to $384 million, according to a July report by a UN monitoring group. Much of it is headed to the Gulf, with Shabab and others in the supply chain sharing the benefits, the monitors say.

“The reality is if there is a market in the Gulf, then charcoal will find a way out of Somalia,” Matt

Bryden, a former UN monitor who is now director of Sahan Research, a think tank focused on Horn of Africa. The UAE and Saudi Arabia are the main markets and “until they act, it is going to be very difficult in Somalia - which is relatively lawless, where a government is weak, where ports are uncontrolled - to block the flow of charcoal at its source,” he said.

Heightened Vigilance The United Nations Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group, which is tasked with enforcing the ban, has sent letters in recent weeks to the governments of Oman and the United Arab Emirates raising concerns about continued shipments of suspected Somali charcoal. They notified Omani authorities on Nov 20 that

In this Dec 5, 2013 photo, workers empty white sacks filled with charcoal and repackage the product into pink bags for resale at a charcoal trading facility in Sharjah. —AP Charcoal may be a modest product, but it’s a lucrative trade for Shabab, the Al-Qaeda branch in Somalia that has fueled turmoil in the East African nation. Much of the production happens in Shabab-controlled parts of southern Somalia, according to UN monitors. Shabab takes a $2 “tax” on each of the estimated 600,0001 million bags of charcoal loaded every month onto ships at the southern Somali port of Barawe, which the group controls, according to the monitors report.

at least four ships last seen taking on charcoal at Barawe were observed moored or docked in Khasab, according to one of the letters obtained by AP. The United Arab Emirates, home to the port city of Dubai, has taken steps to clamp down on the trade. The country is a major transportation and logistics hub for the wider Middle East and has well-established charcoal distribution centers. It told UN inspectors in September 2012 it impounded a shipment of

100,000 sacks of Somali charcoal, though the loaded ship later left port and sailed to Saudi Arabia, according to the UN Emirati agents stopped another ship, the Energy 3, and seized its cargo of charcoal in August, according to traders.

The heightened vigilance at Emirati ports is pushing the sea trade to neighboring Oman, the monitors and charcoal dealers say. “Now they take the Somali charcoal to Oman. Inside the Emirates not a single bag can be imported (via ship) because the UAE government is very strong and well informed,” said Baba Mansoor Ghayedi, a UAE-based trader who goes by the name Haji Baba and is known as the “King of Charcoal”. He told AP that the charcoal is then trucked from Oman to the Emirates and Saudi Arabia by an Emirates-based network. Ghayedi was named in previous reports as a chief violator of the UN ban. He now insists he has stopped dealing in Somali charcoal for fear it would jeopardize the future of his business.

Smugglers Nest Oman’s Khasab port has long been a notorious smugglers nest.

It is located on a small exclave of the sultanate on a mountainous peninsula at the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf, separated by land from the rest of Oman

by Emirati territory. Towering mountain ranges screen it from the rest of peninsula. Much of the port’s illicit traffic in recent years has been dominated by Iranbound electronics and other consumer goods made tough to get because of Western sanctions over

Tehran’s nuclear program.

The trade in suspected Somali charcoal was clear in Khasab late last month. A merchant ship named El Castaro was seen by an AP journalist at the port on Nov 26 unloading thousands of sacks of charcoal onto idling trucks. In the UN correspondence obtained by the AP, monitors recommended that Omani authorities stop the El Castaro from unloading what they described as its cargo of Somali charcoal at Khasab. The UN officials said they had “comprehensive evidence” that the ship picked up the cargo in Barawe. The vessel was previously called the Fadhil Rabi and had been previously identified by the UN as involved in the Somali charcoal trade - but it changed its name before heading for Khasab, the officials said.

From Khasab, the trucks loaded with the El Castaro’s cargo, the trucks then laboriously climbed the twisting coastal road that leads to the northern tip of the UAE. Back in the Emirates, charcoal touted as Somali continues to openly be sold. As recently as late October, one trader based in the emirate of Sharjah posted on a popular online classified website advertising Somali charcoal for 3 dirhams (about 82 cents) a kilogram. Contacted over the phone, the trader spoke of an unlimited amount of Somali charcoal available but when confronted in person at his warehouse in a dusty industrial district, he denied selling the commodity. An employee who spoke anonymously in fear of retaliation confirmed to AP that most of the company’s charcoal does come from Somalia. —AP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

S P ORTS

Djokovic, Serena win ITF awards for 2013 LONDON: Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams are the International Tennis Federation’s world champions for 2013. Djokovic captured the men’s award for the third straight year, and Williams took the honor for the fourth time. Djokovic started the year by winning a third straight Australian Open and was runner-up at Wimbledon and the US Open. The 26-yearold Serb finished the season No 2 in the ATP rankings with seven tour titles. The 32year-old Williams won the French Open and US Open in 2013 to end the year No 1 in the WTA rankings for the first time since 2009. American twins Bob and Mike Bryan were named men’s doubles world champions for the 10th time in 11 years, while Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci of Italy took the women’s doubles award. —AP

Dutch yachting legend Van Rietschoten dies PARIS: Dutchman Conny van Rietschoten, the only skipper to have won the Volvo Ocean Race twice in its 40-year history, has died aged 87, race organizers said yesterday. Van Rietschoten claimed the second and third editions of offshore sailing’s leading round-the-world professional race in 1977-78 and 1981-82 on board Flyer I and Flyer II. He triumphed in the latter despite suffering a heart attack in the Southern Ocean. Van Rietschoten insisted on keeping his condition secret from his rivals and even refused shore assistance in case they found out and sensed they could take advantage. “The New Zealanders (in Ceramco) were breathing down our necks,” he later told reporters after winning the event then known as the Whitbread Round World Race. “If they had known I had a health problem, they would have pushed their boat even harder.

“The nearest port was 10 days away and the critical period is always the first 24-36 hours. When you die at sea, you are buried over the side.

Perhaps those Ceramco crew might then have spotted me drifting by. “I was determined that that would be the only thing they would see or hear from Flyer on the matter!” —AFP

Ice hockey-Pizza deliveries on ice as Sochi Olympics nears TOMAKOMAI: Tomoko Sakagami delivered pizza to finance her ice hockey dreams but cheese crust pepperonis will be the last thing on her mind when she takes to the ice as part of the Japanese women’s team at the Sochi Olympics. Taking odd jobs was the only way many women on the team could earn the money with the flexible hours needed to pursue their Olympic ambitions in a country where ice hockey, like most other sports, lives in the shadow of soccer and baseball.

Japan has about 2,100 registered female and 7,700 male players. The women’s only previous Olympic appearance was as hosts at the 1998 Nagano Games where they lost all five games, scoring two goals and conceding 45.

But qualifying for the Feb 7-23 Sochi Games has brought the Japanese squad, dubbed “Smile Japan,” both unaccustomed fame and full time job offers, which could give the world’s 10th ranked team the edge they need for a shot at a medal. After they qualified for Sochi the Japanese Olympic Committee threw its weight behind them, helping all the players, except students, find full time work at companies and businesses willing to hire Olympians.

“Under my new employment clause, practice time is included in my working hours. I am more stable financially and comfortable mentally,” said 28-year old goalkeeper Azusa Nakaoku, who was promoted to full time employee at the sporting goods shop where she works after Japan earned qualification. The players need to support themselves financially but also required flexible working hours to attend practices, training camps and games. Qualification for Sochi has brought sponsorship money flowing in but prior to that, team members had to pay for their own equipment and each had to pitch in 50,000 yen ($490) when the team played abroad.

“Caring for my body is the toughest part of continuing to play hockey at this age, and the extra few hours I now have each day for chiropractic treatment or a hot bath makes a significant difference,” goaltender Nakaoku said. The extra hours to practice also translates into more time for the team’s ace forward Hanae Kubo, 31, to hone her shooting skills before Sochi. Kubo

made her national team debut in 1996 and is Japan’s all-time leading scorer with 28 goals, but she hung up her skates after a loss to China in their final qualification group game cost Japan a place at the 2010 Vancouver Games.

‘QUITE A RIDE’ The World Cup winning run by the Japanese women’s soccer team in 2011 helped inspire Kubo’s return. Captained by veteran striker Homare Sawa, “Nadeshiko Japan” outplayed a star-studded US team in a nail-biting final that lifted Japan four months after the devastating earthquake and tsunami of March 2011. “Sawa’s ability to score goals (at the World Cup) when it mattered moved me. I wanted to return to the big stage after seeing that,” said Kubo, who is often likened to Sawa. Coming out of retirement, Kubo juggled hockey with a part time job as a skating rink desk clerk. In February she helped Japan qualify for Sochi by netting two goals in their 5-0 victory over Denmark.

Kubo and other players receive guidance and technical advice from assistant coach Carla MacLeod, a member of Canada’s gold medal winning teams at the Torino and Vancouver Olympics who is credited with raising the team’s level of play. She came to Japan after the country’s ice hockey federation asked its Canadian counterpart for technical assistance. “The federation wanted to bring in a female presence and coach and Hockey Canada put my name forward, and I came here for the first time in February 2012,” MacLeod said. “And now here we are, preparing for Sochi, so it’s been quite a ride.”

Japan will play in Group B in Sochi, which also features hosts Russia, Sweden and Germany, teams that are significantly bigger in size than the Japanese players.

Despite the physical challenge, MacLeod remains undaunted. At a five-nation tournament held in November Japan took advantage of its speed to upset Switzerland. “I don’t think there is a disadvantage at all in our squad. Are those teams physically bigger? Sure they are, absolutely,” she said. “But we have so many strengths that can combat that and make up for the difference. Our speed is a huge component.” —Reuters

PHILADELPHIA: Braydon Coburn No 5 of the Philadelphia Flyers collides with Alex Ovechkin No 8 of the Washington Capitals during the first period of an NHL hockey game at Wells Fargo Center on December 17, 2013. —AFP

Yankees hit with $28M luxury tax NEW YORK: The New York Yankees were hit with a $28 million luxury tax bill, pushing their total past the $250 million mark since the penalty began in 2003. According to Major League Baseball calculations sent to teams on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Dodgers were the only other team that exceeded the tax threshold this year and must pay $11.4 million.

Boston finished just under for the second straight year, coming in $225,666 shy of the $178 million mark.

Figures include average annual values of contracts for players on 40-man rosters, earned bonuses and escalators, adjustments for cash in trades and $10.8 million per team in benefits. Because the Yankees have been over the tax threshold at least four consecutive times, they pay at a 50 percent rate on the overage, and their $28,113,945 bill was second only to their $34.1 million payment following the 2005 season. The Yankees are responsible for $252.7 million of the $285.1 million in tax paid by all clubs over the past 11 years.

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said he hopes to get under the threshold next year, when it rises to $189 million. That would reset the team’s tax rate to 17.5 percent for 2015 and get the Yankees some revenue-sharing refunds. But following agreements on Tuesday on a $2 million, one-year deal with second baseman Brian Roberts and a $7 million, twoyear contract with pitcher Matt Thornton, the Yankees are at $177.7 million for 15 players next year, when benefits are likely to total between $11 million and $12 million.

Their only hope to get below the threshold appears to be if an arbitrator upholds most of Alex Rodriguez’s 211-game suspension, relieving the team of a large percentage of the third baseman’s $25 million salary. Tax money is used to fund player benefits and MLB’s Industry Growth Fund. The Yankees finished with the highest regular payroll for the 15th consecutive year, winding up at a record $237,018,889. The Dodgers, in their first full season under new ownership, were just $146,647 behind after nearly doubling spending from $129.1 million. —AP

Moyes mulls loaning Zaha MANCHESTER: Manchester United manager David Moyes said he would consider loaning out Wilfried Zaha, although he has not had any offers for the 21-yearold. Zaha, capped twice by England, signed for United from Crystal Palace in January for 15 million pounds ($24.36 million), but remained at the south London club until the end of the season. Since returning to United, the Ivory Coast-born winger has struggled for first team opportunities with the Premier League champions, having only appeared four times and only twice in the league. “I did say to Wilf if I didn’t feel he was getting enough games, I would consider it,” Moyes told MUTV. “Obviously if we’ve got injuries or other reasons, I wouldn’t take it on board. “But the truth is we haven’t had anybody phoning up and wanting to do that at the moment. “While it’s like that, I am fine.”

United took on Stoke City in the League Cup yesterday, aiming to make the semi-finals of the competition for the first time since winning it in 2010. —Reuters

Blackhawks sink Predators NASHVILLE: Duncan Keith scored a goal and added an assist to lead the Chicago Blackhawks to a 3-1 win over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night. Patrick Kane and Nick Leddy also scored for the Stanley Cup champions, who have won five of six. Shea Weber scored for the Predators. Keith scored the game’s first goal at 1:29 of the opening period on a slap shot from the left side that beat Carter Hutton on the stick side. Making his fourth consecutive start, Hutton had his three-game winning streak snapped.

Hutton spent the past two seasons in the Blackhawks organization before signing with Nashville in the offseason.

DUCKS 5, RED WINGS 2 Sami Vatanen had a goal and an assist, and Anaheim used a four-goal first period to extend its winning streak to six games with a victory over Detroit. Nick Bonino, Jakob Silfverberg, Corey Perry and Saku Koivu also scored for the Ducks. Andrew Cogliano had three assists and Jonas Hiller made 16 saves. Tomas Jurco got his first career goal and Daniel Cleary scored for Detroit, which has lost its past six (0-4-2). Jonas Gustavsson stopped eight of 11 shots before being replaced by Petr Mrazek late in the first period. Mrazek made 17 saves.

SHARKS 4, BLUES 2 Joe Pavelski scored the first of three straight goals by San Jose, and Antti Niemi stopped 20 shots to lead the Sharks over St Louis. San Jose completed a season sweep of the Blues, winning all three games by a combined 16-7. St Louis has lost two in a row after winning eight of 11. Matt Irwin, Brent Burns and Marty Havlat added goals for the Sharks, who led 3-0 after 22 minutes. Niemi improved to 18-6-6. Kevin Shattenkirk and Jay Bouwmeester scored second-period goals for the Blues.

BRUINS 2, FLAMES 0 Zdeno Chara scored two power-play goals and Jarome Iginla had a pair of assists against his former team to help Boston beat Calgary.

David Krejci also had two assists and Tuukka Rask made 21 saves for the Bruins in their third straight shutout of the Flames in Boston. Rask picked up his third shutout of the season and extended Calgary’s scoreless streak in Boston to 189 minutes, 36 seconds. Reto Berra kept Calgary close, stopping 29 shots as the Bruins controlled play most of the game. Boston outshot the Flames 31-21 one week after rallying for a 2-1 win in Iginla’s return to Calgary, where he played 16 seasons and spent nine as the team’s captain.

KINGS 3, OILERS 0 Martin Jones made 24 saves for his third shutout in five games, and the remarkable rookie led Los Angeles to a victory over Edmonton.

Dwight King and Jordan Nolan scored during another dominant night for Jones, who became the first goalie in Kings history to begin his career with six consecutive victories. Edmonton couldn’t solve Jones, who has allowed just five goals in his six games. Ilya Bryzgalov stopped 37 shots for the last-place Oilers, who have lost four straight. Dustin Brown added an empty-net goal for the Kings, who have won seven of eight while taking just two regulation losses in 20 games since Nov 2 (14-2-4).

PANTHERS 3, MAPLE LEAFS 1 Tomas Fleischmann, Sean Bergenheim and Brad Boyes scored for Florida against slumping Toronto. The Panthers have won four straight and six of seven. Mason Raymond scored for the Maple Leafs, who were playing the second of back-to-back games. They lost to Pittsburgh on Monday night and have dropped five of six. Turnovers led to each of Florida’s goals, and Scott Clemmensen made 28 saves for the victory.

LIGHTNING 3, ISLANDERS 2, SO Valtteri Filppula scored twice in the final 3 minutes of regulation, including the tying goal with 3.8 seconds left, and then converted in the shootout to rally Tampa Bay past the skidding New York Islanders. Nikita Kucherov also connected in the shootout as the Lightning handed New York its 13th loss in 14 games (1-9-4).

The only Islanders victory during that stretch came in a shootout last Tuesday at San Jose.

ST LOUIS: St Louis Blues right wing TJ Oshie is tied up by San Jose Sharks defenseman Matt Irwin during the third period of an NHL hockey game on Tuesday, Dec 17, 2013. —AP Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen scored for the Islanders. Nielsen also scored in the shootout, but the game ended when John Tavares couldn’t convert the final chance for New York against Ben Bishop.

CANADIENS 3, COYOTES 1 Max Pacioretty scored twice in the third period to lead Montreal over Phoenix. Carey Price stopped 26 shots for the Canadiens and Andrei Markov also scored in the third. Mikkel Boedker scored for the Coyotes and Mike Smith made 26 saves. Pacioretty scored the winner at 13:18, netting his 13th of the season by shooting the puck into traffic in front of Smith’s net. The puck ricocheted off defenseman Michael Stone’s skate and in. Phoenix hasn’t won in Montreal since 1996.

FLYERS 5, CAPITALS 2 Jakub Voracek scored two goals to help Philadelphia beat Washington. Mark Streit, Wayne Simmonds and Matt Read also had goals for the Flyers. Alex Ovechkin and Eric Fehr scored for Washington. Two days after blowing a 4-1 third-period lead at Washington in a 5-4 shootout loss, the Flyers rallied to win their seventh consecutive home game. Steve Mason made 24 saves for Philadelphia, which evened its record at 15-15-4. The Flyers are 12-6-4 since an embarrassing 7-0 loss at home to the Capitals on Nov. 1. They’ll try to go over .500 for the first time this season Thursday night when they host Columbus. Down 2-1, the Flyers stormed back with three straight goals, including a pair on the same power play in the second period.

WILD 3, CANUCKS 2, SO Jason Pominville slipped a shot past Roberto Luongo’s glove in the third round of a shootout, and Minnesota ended Vancouver’s winning streak at seven games. Luongo made 30 saves,

including 14 in the third period and overtime, and stopped Zach Parise to open the shootout.

Mikko Koivu, who had two assists for a teamhigh 20 this season, hit the crossbar with his shot before Pominville scored. Ryan Kesler’s last-chance attempt for the Canucks sailed wide right. Josh Harding stopped shots by Mike Santorelli and Chris Higgins in the shootout and made 29 saves to win for the fifth time in his last six starts. The Wild improved to 14-3-2 at Xcel Energy Center, where Luongo fell to 3-9-3 in his career. Jannik Hansen and David Booth each scored for the second straight game for the Canucks. Parise had an early goal for the Wild, and Charlie Coyle scored late on a snap shot that went between Luongo’s legs to tie the game with 11:13 left in regulation.

STARS 3, AVALANCHE 2 Colton Sceviour scored the tiebreaking goal at 17:08 of the third period to give Dallas a victory over Colorado. A rebound of a Colorado shot bounced out to Rich Peverley, who put a pass on Sceviour’s stick for a breakaway against Avalanche goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Ray Whitney scored twice for the Stars. Matt Duchene put in a rebound of Erik Johnson’s shot for a power-play goal just 2:37 into the game. Johnson’s goal at 10:20 of the second period came when the sides were skating 4 on 4. The teams played Monday night in Denver, with Colorado winning 6-2.

SABRES 4, JETS 2 Marcus Foligno, Matt Moulson and Matt Ellis scored in the third period to lift Buffalo over Winnipeg. It was Buffalo’s first regulation win since Nov. 15 against Toronto, when interim coach Ted Nolan took over for the fired Ron Rolston. Steve Ott also scored for the Sabres.

Mark Scheifele scored two goals in 36 seconds to build a 2-0 second-period lead for the Jets, who have lost four of five. —AP

NHL results/standings Boston 2, Calgary 0; Buffalo 4, Winnipeg 2; Florida 3, Toronto 1; Tampa Bay 3, NY Islanders 2 (So); Montreal 3, Phoenix 1; Anaheim 5, Detroit 2; Philadelphia 5, Washington 2; San Jose 4, St. Louis 2; Chicago 3, Nashville 1; Minnesota 3, Vancouver 2 (SO); Dallas 3, Colorado 2; Los Angeles 3, Edmonton 0.

Western Conference Pacific Division W L OTLGF Anaheim 24 7 5 116 Los Angeles 23 8 4 97 San Jose 21 7 6 112 Vancouver 20 10 6 100 Phoenix 18 10 5 105 Calgary 13 16 5 86 Edmonton 11 22 3 93

Chicago St. Louis Colorado Minnesota Dallas Nashville Winnipeg

Central Division 25 7 5 138 22 7 4 114 22 10 1 96 20 11 5 84 16 12 5 95 16 15 3 78 15 16 5 95

GA 91 68 84 86 103 108 123

PTS 53 50 48 46 41 31 25

102 80 78 83 101 95 106

55 48 45 45 37 35 35

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division Boston 23 9 2 94 Montreal 21 12 3 91 Tampa Bay 20 11 3 93 Detroit 15 12 9 91 Toronto 17 16 3 99 Ottawa 14 15 6 99 Florida 13 17 5 81 Buffalo 8 23 3 59

70 76 82 99 105 113 110 98

48 45 43 39 37 34 31 19

Metropolitan Division Pittsburgh 24 10 1 108 75 49 Washington 18 13 3 107 102 39 Carolina 14 13 7 79 94 35 Philadelphia 15 15 4 81 93 34 NY Rangers 16 17 1 76 91 33 New Jersey 13 15 6 78 85 32 Columbus 14 16 4 87 95 32 NY Islanders 9 19 7 85 121 25 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L).

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

S P ORTS

England eye redemption after Ashes surrender PERTH: The clouds drifting over the WACA on Tuesday produced an apt setting for the gloom that settled on English cricket as the tourists surrendered the Ashes at their earliest opportunity at a sweltering Perth. Visiting captain Alastair Cook had demanded introspection from his team mates ahead of the third test but

it was too late and Australia went on to dish out what they were subjected to in the 2010-11 series which England won 31. England’s fourth innings run chase at the WACA was the third time in succession that the tourists were asked to chase a 500-plus victory target which no team has achieved so far.

PERTH: England batsman Matt Prior reacts after being dismissed on the fifth day of the third Ashes cricket Test match against Australia in Perth on December 17, 2013. —AFP

The tourists’ main problem, and one of many, remains that they could not get on top of Australia’s excellent bowling attack exploiting every bit of their home advantage. England’s run-rate in this series lumbers around 2.7, compared to close to four per over they achieved in their last Ashes series in Australia. The slow batting means there is no safety net for the lower order batsmen with the bottom half of the batting line-up coming to the crease often having to face the new ball. Since landing in Australia, too many senior players have underperformed for England.

Against the pace of Mitchell Johnson and skills of Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle, the likes of Cook, Kevin Pietersen and Matt Prior have been way below their best.

“Unfortunately when we needed people to be in form and playing well, we haven’t done that, and that’s why we lost,” Cook said after his side’s 150-run defeat in Perth, which gave Australia an unassailable 3-0 lead in the Ashes. Far too many times England’s top order batsmen have thrown their wickets away and fallen into well-laid traps.

Pietersen was culpable in both innings at Perth, allowing hubris to get the better of him and holing out in the deep twice when set the challenge by Michael Clarke.

Cook’s salad days of 2010/11 must seem like a long time ago as his average in this series slumped to around 25, well below

his career average of 47. He got a gem of a delivery from Harris to be bowled for a golden duck in the second innings at Perth but had fallen tamely to off-spinner Nathan Lyon in the first after grinding out early pressure.

Cook has been one of many victims snaffled by Lyon as a result of Australia’s quick bowlers squeezing the life out of England’s best batsmen. Amid their swift subsidence in three tests at Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, there could still be signs of life for this England side. Ben Stokes without doubt stole the show with his knock of 120 in the second innings of only his second test match which had even the rival captain sweating. “No doubt we were nervous,” Clarke said. “Ben Stokes deserves a lot of credit for the way he played. That was a hard-fought hundred and he deserves a lot of credit.”

STRAIGHT BAT Playing with a straight bat for most of his innings, the all-rounder offered few chances, punished loose deliveries and overcame gaping cracks on the WACA pitch to score at a strike rate of 61.25. “I know as a batter that when you see the cracks there and how big they are - to be able to put them out of the mind like he (Stokes) did with the shots he played, I thought was outstanding,” Cook said.

“For him to be able to deliver that in an

Ashes test match in his second test match, under that kind of pressure, bodes well.”

Unfortunately for Cook, his bowlers have also been taken apart by the Australians.

Senior bowlers James Anderson and Graeme Swann in particular have been targetted for some harsh punishment, leaving Cook’s main strike pair averaging 58.42 and 80 with the ball respectively in this series.

“The simple fact of the matter is we haven’t had enough players in form with either bat or ball,” Cook said. Top order bat Jonathan Trott’s abrupt exit to deal with his stress-related illness and paceman Stuart Broad’s foot injury further complicated Cook’s problems. Prior is neither delivering with the bat nor keeping well in this series. At 31, his time will come again but there is no harm in giving the gloves to Yorkshire’s Jonny Bairstow, who has already played a number of times for England.

The rest of the top order may need to be left unchanged. Gary Ballance is their only alternative but would be more suited to the number six position, which is currently occupied by Stokes. In the bowling department Swann is likely to stay on as bringing in Monty Panesar would weaken the fielding and batting. Providing Broad is fit, England may like to bring in Steve Finn for either an off-colour Anderson or Tim Bresnan. —Reuters

Aussies’ ‘Boof’ behind the Ashes turnaround PERTH: Australia’s dramatic turnaround to dominate England and win back the Ashes just months after a 3-0 series defeat to their traditional rivals has largely been attributed to the man they call “Boof”. Darren Lehmann has been the instigator of a reinvigoration of Australian cricket in just six months, since stepping into the hot seat vacated by the sudden sacking of Mickey Arthur.

momentum shifted? I think it has but only time will tell.”

They were to prove prescient words as Lehmann got down to work devising plans for each English batsman. These were implemented to devastating effect by Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle. Australia stymied skipper Alastair Cook’s scoring shots on the leg side, while Kevin Pietersen was forced into errors by

PERTH: Australian cricket coach Darren Lehmann (left) celebrates with player Shane Watson (right) after winning back the urn from England on the fifth day of the third Ashes cricket Test match in Perth. —AFP The 43-year-old, who played 27 Tests from 1998 to 2004, has always been credited with a razor-sharp cricket mind. He saw enough during the July-August series in England to detect weaknesses in the England batsmen which he sought to exploit in the back-to-back series.

Lehmann raised eyebrows when he observed towards the back-end of the last series: “We’ve shown some cracks in their batting which is exciting for us as a bowling unit. Has the

the nagging consistency of Siddle. Ian Bell’s favored late cut to third man, his chief scoring area when he made three centuries in the English series, was dried up.

Matt Prior was denied width and Australia’s bowlers were told to bounce the tailenders. By the Perth Test the England team had largely disintegrated. Lehmann wanted to take Australian cricket back to the golden eras of Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson, the Chappells and Steve

NZ aiming to ram home advantage HAMILTON: New Zealand will field an unchanged side for the final Test against the West Indies starting in Hamilton today as they chase back-to-back victories for the first time in nearly six years.

The home team are hot favorites to seal the three-match series after snapping a year-long win drought by wrapping up the second Test inside three days against a struggling West Indies side who will now be missing suspended legspinner Shane Shillingford. The last time New Zealand won consecutive Tests was against Bangladesh in January 2008 and they last managed the feat against a top eight nation two years earlier when playing the West Indies. After rain ruined a likely New Zealand win in the first Test of this series, and New Zealand won the second by an innings and 73 runs, captain Brendon McCullum said Wednesday his side needed to ram home their advantage.

“We’re going to play the same team,” he said after all-rounder Corey Anderson came through a fitness Test unscathed following a shin problem. “It will give the guys the opportunity to build on what we’ve done in the last two Test matches.” Although the lineup was decided, McCullum remained uncertain whether he would bat or bowl first if he won the toss, although the pitch is expected to hold promise for the seam bowlers. Seddon Park, where New Zealand have lost their past three Tests (against Australia, Pakistan and South Africa), has proved an enigma for the team winning the toss. Traditionally, the successful captain elects to bowl, although six of the 13 matches to produce a result at the ground have been won by the team batting first. “Who knows how it will play but I’m expecting it to be a good Test wicket,” McCullum said. “The important thing in Hamilton is the overhead conditions and the mugginess which is around. If there is some cloud cover then the ball can swing quite a lot. —AFP

Waugh of the 1970-80s. He insisted on aggressive, in-your-face cricket and no one embraced this more avidly than Johnson, who disconcerted the England batsmen with his terrifying short-pitched bowling.

“He’s has done a fantastic job, he’s made us work hard, he’s made us maximize our potential,” skipper Michael Clarke said of the coach after wrapping up the Ashes with a 150-run win in Perth on Tuesday. Lehmann sought to “pick and stick” with the preferred lineup after Australia used 17 players in the previous series against England and a total of 22 players in their run of nine winless Tests. He gathered some of the country’s top cricket minds before the current Ashes series to discuss ways Australia could improve their batting and has been rewarded with seven centuries. England have just one in the first three Tests.

Lehmann, a throwback to the good old days when mateship and a few beers were prerequisites, encouraged his players to relax and enjoy their cricket and they responded in a closelybonded group. “He was always thinking about what he would do if he had the job. His strength is his people skills, the way be brings players together, gives them confidence,” Lehmann’s cricketing 21-year-old son Jake said recently. “He plays the game hard on the field, but off it he is laid-back, a typical Aussie bloke who loves a beer, relaxing and talking cricket with anyone.”

Perhaps Lehmann’s greatest success was the rebirth of left-arm paceman Johnson, a figure of fun for England’s Barmy Army supporters in the 2009 and 2010/11 campaigns, and absent from this year’s series in England. Notoriously wayward in the past, Johnson honed his accuracy through tweaks in his bowling technique that earned him back-to-back man-of-the-match honors in the first two huge Test wins in Brisbane and Adelaide.

Australian Test great wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist believes Lehmann has freed up the players to play their best cricket. “I can’t remember such a shift in power between two teams in such a short space of time,” Gilchrist said.

“Obviously Mitchell Johnson has been of vital importance but I continue to go back to Darren Lehmann and the seeds that he would have planted as soon as he assumed that role. “His fingerprints are all over the atmosphere around that team.” —AFP

BRISBANE: Teammates celebrate with Australia’s paceman Ryan Harris (top right) after claiming the wicket of England captain Alastair Cook (not pictured) during day two of the first Ashes cricket Test match between England and Australia at the Gabba Cricket Ground in Brisbane. —AFP

Australia’s Harris in drunken Twitter rant SYDNEY: Australia’s Ryan Harris has discovered that winning the Ashes does not guarantee access to Perth’s casino, with the bowler launching a foul-mouthed tweet after he was initially refused entry for being drunk. The team’s celebrations after clinching the series against England on Tuesday, hosted by former great Shane Warne, stretched long into the night with Harris, in particular, letting off steam.

“A tip for all those heading to Perth! Avoid the crown or casino! Shithole, can’t get in if you have had a drink #shitplace” he tweeted, reportedly at 3:30 am. The tweet has since been removed but newspapers took a screenshot and it was widely reproduced yesterday.

Strike bowler Harris, who has played a key role in the Ashes series, won widespread sympathy on social media. “Poor old Ryan Harris.

Apparently denied entry to the Crown in Perth for being too drunk last night. Australian Fun Police at their finest,” said one tweet.

Another said “Feel ya pain son.” A sheepish Harris apologized yesterday. “Obviously I made a silly mistake this morning and I tweet-

ed something I probably shouldn’t have,” he told reporters after arriving at his home base in Melbourne, adding that the bouncers on the door eventually let him in. “As I’ve heard many times before, don’t tweet when you’ve had a drink.” In contrast to Harris, Michael Clarke had no trouble getting in, with the Australian skipper tweeting his thanks to Warne, who hosted a party for the team at the Perth nightspot. “Can’t thank @warne888 enough for having us last night. The boys and their partners had a night we will remember forever,” Clarke tweeted.

His wife Kyly added: “What a night of celebrations.” All-rounder Shane Watson, who scored a century in the Perth Test, said he went to bed before the Harris incident. “Obviously things for a period of time might not have gone exactly right. But in the end we were just there to have a great time,” he told reporters.

“There was no intention other than making the most of winning the Ashes back. You do have to make the most of those good times because they’re not always there. So it was extremely special last night.” —AFP

England’s seniors face some tough questions PERTH: England’s senior players are facing tough questions over their international careers after flopping badly in the embarrassing Ashes defeat to Australia. While major changes are unlikely mid-series, some players who have formed the backbone of a previously successful team will rightly be nervous about their futures. Thirty-somethings Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, Graeme Swann and James Anderson, along with captain Alastair Cook, all went missing as Australia won emphatically in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth to take an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the fivematch series.

Head coach Andy Flower is yet to pledge his future beyond this series, and with the England and Wales Cricket Board also about to welcome a new national selector and managing director, a significant shift seems likely.

Cook, 28, cautioned against “radical decisions” ahead of the final two Tests in Melbourne and Sydney, a call echoed by the British press.”When the game’s just finished and everyone’s

really emotive and it’s hurting like it’s hurting, you could make some very radical decisions which could be the wrong ones,” he said.

“These have to be very cool, calculated decisions at the right time.”

However, it seems inconceivable that England will not try to rebuild as they look ahead to the next Ashes series in 2015. Wicketkeeper Prior could be the first to go after making just 107 runs at 17.83, and missing two stumpings and a catch in a disastrous showing on the third day in Perth. “It’s a possibility of course,” said Flower, when asked if Prior could be replaced by Jonny Bairstow, 24, for the fourth Test. “Matt Prior has been an outstanding cricketer for England during a second phase of his English career.

“But like all those positions we have to review them. We constantly review what our best side will be and we also have to have an eye to the future as well.” Flower admitted England’s veterans were going through “tough periods in their careers” and indicated they would need to find their form

quickly. “It doesn’t mean their careers are over. But it does mean they need to call on that experience to help them get out of a tough time quicker than other people,” he said. ‘We are always playing for our future’ The English came into the tour full of confidence after their 3-0 defeat of Australia on home soil just three months earlier. Ranked third in the world, they were unbeaten in four Test series, winning three of them, and they had also celebrated three Ashes series victories in a row. However, a closer look at the figures reveals that it had also been eight Tests since England last posted a score of more than 400. Their batting fragility in this year’s previous Ashes series was masked by the brilliance of Ian Bell, who scored 562 runs at 62.44, plus Pietersen’s 388 at 38.80.

In the current series, England have barely fired a shot, with go-to men Cook, Pietersen and Prior all struggling to make an impact. It took New Zealand-born Ben Stokes, 22 and playing just his second Test, to post their

first century of the series with his valiant second-innings stand in Perth.

Cook’s figures for this series stand at a meagre 154 runs at 25.66, while Pietersen, 33, has 165 at 27.50 and has been guilty of soft dismissals almost every time. Among the bowlers, experienced duo Swann, 34, and Anderson, 31, have also been well short of their best form.

Swann has 255 Test victims but only seven in this series at 80 apiece, while Anderson, who has 336 Test wickets, has the same tally at an average of 58.42. The end of Australia’s second innings in Perth summed up Anderson’s woes, when he was humiliatingly smashed for a record-equaling 28 in one over by George Bailey. Cook conceded Swann and Anderson were among those who weren’t performing to their potential. But he warned that no England player could feel safe from the axe. “There’s so many good players around in England wanting to be in the 11 spots we presently hold. So we are always playing for our future,” said Cook. —AFP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

S P ORTS

YANGON: Competitors strike poses in the 90-kilogram category bodybuilding contest at the 27th Southeast Asian Games at Myanmar Convention Center in Yangon, Myanmar. —AP

2013

R e v i e w s

Miami Heat dynasty gaining momentum

NASHVILLE: Arizona Cardinals running back Rashard Mendenhall (28) dives over the goal line for a touchdown on a 1-yard run against the Tennessee Titans in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in this file photo. — AP

NFL unfazed by year of scandal NEW YORK: For most of 2013, the National Football League (NFL) made headlines for all the wrong reasons, but America’s most popular and brutal sport has once again emerged seemingly unscathed. With the NFL set to stage the first outdoor, cold-weather Super Bowl in less than two months, excitement over the current season’s pending playoffs is already starting to bubble over. In recent years, the NFL has never seemed far from the eye of a storm, lurching from one offfield controversy to the next, but it hardly seems to matter. With the end of each year, America’s attention instinctively switches back to what is happening on the gridiron, and 2013 was no different.

Not even the prospect of a blizzard could detract from America’s grandest sporting event where tickets are expected to sell on the secondary market for tens of thousands of dollars while 30-second TV commercials will sell for around $4 million. At last season’s Super Bowl, in New Orleans in February, the championship game between the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers was interrupted for more than a half-hour due to a power outage. But what was a major embarrassment for the NFL almost became a mere footnote after one of the most absorbing Super Bowl games of all time.

Baltimore, inspired by their fearless linebacker Ray Lewis and marshaled by brilliant quarterback Joe Flacco, upset San Francisco 34-31 in a game of unrelenting tension. A season that started against the backdrop of an industrial dispute over money and a pay-for-pain scandal, ended in the sort of triumph only the NFL and Hollywood could have scripted. It marked the first time two brothers squared off as the rival head coaches in a Super Bowl, with Baltimore’s John Harbaugh beating his younger sibling Jim’s 49ers.

For Lewis, the only remaining player from the Ravens team that won the Super Bowl 12 years earlier, it marked the ultimate high in his final game before retirement. Flacco was named the game’s Most Valuable Player and was rewarded with a six-year $120 million contract, while Ravens offensive lineman Michael Oher, whose life was the inspiration for the Academy Awardnominated “The Blind Side,” showed that happy endings do happen away from the silver screen. “I think we gave the country a pretty good game to watch,” said an understated Flacco.

VIOLENT UNDERCURRENT The Super Bowl’s feel-good factor quickly disappeared during the offseason as the NFL was forced to confront its violent undercurrent. In June, the New England Patriots dropped tight end Aaron Hernandez after he was arrested over the shooting death of Odin Lloyd, a semi-profes-

sional player. Two weeks before the start of the NFL’s 2013 regular season, Hernandez was indicted on a charge of first-degree murder. A week later, in an unrelated case, the NFL agreed to pay $765 million to settle a lawsuit from players who accused the league of hiding the dangers of brain injuries while promoting the game’s gladiatorial appeal. Thousands of former players, many suffering from dementia and health problems, took legal action against the NFL, citing increasing research pointing to links between concussions and brain injuries.

In recent years, there had been a spate of suicides among current and former NFL players and the research prompted the league to make changes, including banning the most dangerous hits and resting players showing symptoms of memory loss. The NFL admitted no wrongdoing but agreed to fund medical exams, concussionrelated compensation and a program of medical research as well as cover some legal expenses.

“We think it’s the right thing to move forward and try to do what we can to help our players,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said.

CLUBHOUSE CULTURE Early in the current season, another scandal erupted, this time over bullying, racism and the sport’s clubhouse culture. All-Pro guard Richie Incognito was at the center of the spat, accused of racially abusing his Miami Dolphins team mate Jonathan Martin in a series of phone calls, text messages and emails. Incognito was suspended indefinitely by the Dolphins while the NFL launched an investigation. Another dispute, this time over the name of the Washington Redskins, managed to draw the attention of President Barack Obama.

Many Native American groups want the Redskins name changed, saying it is racist, and Obama said if he was the team owner, he would consider changing the name. Despite the seemingly endless stream of bad publicity, the NFL showed no sign of slowing down, with attendances, television ratings and revenues continuing to grow. The competition on the field remained as captivating and as unpredictable as ever. The beauty of single-elimination playoff football is that no one can be sure which two teams will make it through to the Super Bowl. The Feb 2, 2014 showdown, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, just across the New York state line, is looming as another first for the NFL because the game’s biggest match has never been played outdoors in a wintry state. “Football is made to be played in the elements,” said New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg at a launch to promote the next Super Bowl. “We’re gonna celebrate the game here.” — Reuters

LOS ANGELES: The Miami Heat picked up right where they left off by returning their core group and adding key pieces like veteran Ray Allen en route to winning their second-straight NBA championship in 2013. Talk of a Heat dynasty gained momentum and James was named MVP of both the regular season and playoffs for the second-consecutive year. He also silenced the critics who said he couldn’t win the big one.

James carried the Heat on his back in two game sevens in the postseason, including a 37point, 12-rebound performance in a 95-88 win over the San Antonio Spurs to give Miami backto-back NBA titles. “It feels great. This team is amazing,” he said. “The vision I had when I decided to come here has all come true. To win backto-back championships is an unbelievable feeling.” James had another 32 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists in a must win game six that pushed the Spurs to the brink of elimination.

Allen drained a key three pointer with five seconds left in regulation to force overtime in game six and keep the Heat’s season alive. James’ game-seven playoff heroics also included scoring 39 points in a 99-76 rout by the Heat over the scrappy Indiana Pacers in the league semi-finals.

The Heat won a league-best 66 games which included an impressive 27-game win streak which began on February 3 with a win over Toronto. It marked the second longest win streak in NBA history behind the Los Angeles Lakers 33game run in the 1971-72 season.

The Heat are now the darlings of the NBA, just two years after becoming one of the most reviled teams in league history when James and Bosh jumped ship and joined Dwyane Wade in south Florida. But the big three are also a year older, especially the 31-year old Wade who has been suffering from chronic k nee problems for the last few years.

Oklahoma City became a victim of their own success. After a strong 2011-12 season, the Thunder traded away James Harden after the two sides couldn’t agree on a new contract.

The Thunder failed to find a replacement for the offensive weapon, who was sent to Houston in a trade. In Harden’s absence, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook stepped up to lead the club to a 60-win season, but the loss of their top sixth man proved to be too much for the Thunder to

MIAMI: Dion Waiters #3 of the Cleveland Cavaliers defends Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat during a game at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. — AFP overcome. It didn’t take long for the wheels to who ended Miami’s 27-game win streak with a come off the Los Angeles Lakers’ bid for another victory on March 27.

NBA player Jason Collins made headlines in title. In one of the earliest firings in NBA history, the Lakers sacked coach Mike Brown after just May by becoming the first openly gay athlete of any of the four major North American sports. five games of the season.

Kobe Bryant going down with a torn left The New Jersey Nets moved to Brooklyn to Achilles tendon in April didn’t help either. To top become the Brooklyn Nets. The move allowed it off, Dwight Howard’s brief stint in LA ended up the club to return to New York where it first being a bust and he eventually ended up bolting played when they joined the NBA in 1976. The Hollwood for the low-key atmosphere of first game of the 2012-13 season in Brooklyn was Houston. The Lakers also lost their long-time supposed to feature the Nets playing the New owner Jerry Buss who died at age 80 in 2013. On York Knicks, but it had to be postponed because the injury front, no contending team felt the loss of Hurricane Sandy which slammed into the east of a superstar more than the Chicago Bulls who coach of the United States, killing over a hunlost Derrick Rose for the season with a torn ACL. dred people and causing billion of dollars in In a small consolation, the Bulls were the ones damage. — AFP

Tiger at the top, but challengers abound PARIS: Tiger Woods regained the world number one ranking after an absence of two and a half years in 2013, but the debate over who is currently the best golfer in the world rages on.

Woods owes his return to top spot to his wins in five tournaments, but crucially he came up short once again in the four majors, failing to end a drought that dates back to June 2008 when he won his 14th major title at the US Open. Instead, four players shared the honors in the tournaments that are the crown jewels of golf.

Adam Scott finally smashed the Aussie jinx at the Masters, Justin Rose became the first Englishman to win the US Open in 43 years at Merion, Phil Mickelson took the British Open at his 20th attempt and Jason Dufner was a popular winner of the PGA Championship. With his 38th birthday coming up on December 30, Woods can hardly be called a veteran just yet, but he admits that the golfing landscape around him is changing fast. “It’s a whole different generation of guys,” he said. “I’ve played probably more headto-head matches against Ernie (Els) than anybody because we played around the world; and Vijay (Singh) would probably be the second and Phil (Mickelson) would probably be third.

“But along the way ... I had Goose (Retief Goosen) in there and (David) Duval in there as

well for a number of years. “It’s a different crop of guys. All those guys are in their 40s and 50s. So we got a whole new crew, and I think the youngest probably being Rory (McIlroy). “But there’s a lot of guys who are in their late 20s, early 30s that are right in their prime.” McIlroy in fact started the year as the world number one but, after a change of golfing equipment, his year went rapidly downhill as he became distracted by business affairs and a clear loss of form.

Still there were some signs that he can put all that behind him and he has plenty of career time left to significantly add to his majors haul of two. “Golf ’s a long career and I’m 24 years old,” said McIlroy in Sydney earlier this month after overhauling Scott to win the Australian Open - his first and only tournament victory of the year. “I get a little impatient at times and if I actually just took a step back and looked at the bigger picture, it hasn’t been too bad a year. “It’s obviously been made a lot better with the win.

You know you have to go through the lows and I’m not saying it was a low this year. It’s not like I plummeted off the face of the earth.

“I’m still sixth in the world so it’s not too bad.

It’s not the level that I feel like I can play to but I feel I’m getting back there, so it’s very pleasing.”

McIlroy’s win in Sydney prevented Scott from

becoming just the second player to achieve the Down Under “Grand Slam” of Australian PGA, Australian Masters and Australian Open which would have brought down the curtain splendidly on a breakthrough year for him. Long touted as set to become a dominant figure in the game, Scott had - until April - flattered to deceive.

But all that changed at Augusta National where he beat Angel Cabrera in a drama-filled playoff. He nearly-once again-won the British Open three months later and many see Scott as being the next player to hold the world number one spot. Others point to Henrik Stenson, the big Swede who started 2013 way down the rankings after a miserable last two years and wasn’t even eligible for the Masters until the week prior to the tournament.

But in a super summer, Stenson tied for third at the Scottish Open, was runner-up at the British Open, runner-up to Woods at Firestone and third in the PGA Championship.

He then won the FedEx Cup in the United States and the final event in Europe to become the first player to win the FedEx Cup and the Race to Dubai in the same season. He was rightly named as European Tour Player of the Year. “It just reflects the stellar year I have had. —AFP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

S P ORTS

Guan and Ko offer glimpse of future SINGAPORE: Guan Tianlang offered a tantalizing glimpse of the future this year as a group of emerging teens showed how Chinese players could finally become a force in world golf. Despite some difficulties in a “year of consolidation” for Asia, Guan provided hope of better times to come with a stunning appearance at the US Masters. The Guangzhou schoolboy became the tournament’s youngest ever player, aged just 14, and then the youngest to make the cut and the highest placed amateur.

With Andy Zhang also competing at last year’s US Open aged 14, and Ye Wocheng playing a European Tour event at the record-low age of just 12, it seems something is stirring in Chinese golf. Golf in China has made huge strides over the past decade and the country now hosts one of the world’s richest tournaments, the $8.5 million WGC-HSBC Champions. Until now, players in the communist country, where golf was once banned as a bourgeois pursuit, have lagged behind, with just a handful ranked in the world’s top 1,000.

But China’s new group of teenagers, backed by well-heeled “Tiger Dads” and trained by some of the world’s best coaches-often with the 2016 Olympics in mindcould be the start of something big. “I think people getting to see (Guan) play around the world, especially the Masters, is great for the game,” said America’s Rickie Fowler.

“And there’s going to be, probably in the next 10 to 15 years, some good players coming out of China, more so than what there has been before.” Women’s golf has long been dominated by Asian players but another teenager stole the headlines this year in the form of New Zealand’s South

Korean-born Lydia Ko, 16.

Ko, already the world number four, has been winning professional tournaments since the age of 14, when she became the youngest player of either sex to do so. After missing out on millions of dollars in prize money due to her amateur status, Ko announced her long-awaited decision to turn pro on YouTube in October. She won her first event as a professional this month in Taiwan. World number one Park In-Bee was player of the year on the back of six wins this season, while Taiwan’s Tseng Ya-ni fell off the top ranking and plunged to 29.

Off the course, it was in some respects a tough season for Asian golf, with tournaments dropping off what has become a congested calendar. The Singapore Open, once dubbed “Asia’s major”, took a break while it searches for a title sponsor, while the Hong Kong Open struggled on without corporate backing. The Avantha Masters, India’s only European Tour event, fell victim to economic woes, and the OneAsia circuit cancelled two events, the Charity High1 Resort Open and the inaugural OneAsia Championship. The Asian Tour, locked in a bitter turf war with OneAsia and seeking out new markets, also postponed the inaugural Vietnam Masters, which is due to be its first event in the country. With two rival circuits and expansion into the region by both the US PGA Tour and the European Tour, it is no surprise some events are being squeezed out. “Whilst there are new sponsors out there, getting them on board, certainly in Asia, is not easy,” David Parkin, OneAsia director of tour operations said earlier this season. One Asia separately called it “a year of consolidation... for the industry in general”.— AFP

Guan Tianlang of China

Glory for LeBron, more heartbreak for Derrick NEW YORK: LeBron James cementing his status as one of the all-time best players, another devastating injury to Derrick Rose and a once-unthinkable power shift in Los Angeles all occurred during basketball’s memorable 2013. The year also will be remembered for a series of “lasts” for outgoing NBA Commissioner David Stern and a Canadian making history as the top pick in the NBA Draft.

After facing loads of criticism for past playoff failures, James inched his way up the list of all-time greats by leading the Miami Heat to a second consecutive NBA championship in June and putting his team on the verge of becoming a dynasty. While not always at his best in the 2013 playoffs, James raised his game when it mattered most, scoring a game-high 37 points and adding 12 rebounds in a championshipclinching victory over the San Antonio Spurs in the decisive seventh game of the NBA Finals.

“For me, I can’t worry about what everybody says about me. I’m LeBron James, from Akron, Ohio. From the inner city. I’m not even supposed to be here,” James, a two-time Finals MVP, said after the victory.

“That’s enough. “Every night I walk into the locker room, I see a No 6 with James on the back. I’m blessed. So what everybody say about me off the court don’t matter. I ain’t got no worries.” For Stern, 2013 was a victory lap of sorts after having previously announced his decision to step down as the longest-tenured commissioner in professional sports.

Stern, 71, will retire in February after 30 years on the job, a period during which he oversaw strong revenue growth, expansion to 30 teams from 23, a movement into small markets like Oklahoma City and Memphis and helped grow the game on a global basis. One week after the 2012-13 NBA season ended, the Cleveland Cavaliers used the top pick in the draft to select Toronto native Anthony Bennett, making him the first Canadian player taken first overall.

Bennett, touted as a big-bodied rebound specialist who played one season for the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, became the seventh player born outside the United States taken with the top pick but the first from a country better known for producing elite ice hockey players.

“Yeah. It’s just crazy. Made history. I can’t really complain about that,” Bennett said after being the surprise top pick. “It’s just like a long time dream that I had since I first

started playing basketball, even though it was six or seven years ago. It’s just crazy.”

REJUVENATED CLIPPERS For Chicago Bulls point guard Rose, the year ended the same way it began, with him on the sidelines because of an injury that has robbed the 25-year-old of another season in his prime. Rose, who missed all of the 2012-13 season recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee, was injured 11 games into the current 82-game campaign before undergoing season-ending surgery to repair the medial meniscus in his right knee. The injury was a devastating blow to a Bulls team that was considered a contender for the Eastern Conference crown with Rose rejoining a team that reached the conference semi-finals last season without him. In Los Angeles, the spotlight that was usually reserved for Kobe Bryant and the 16-time NBA champion Lakers has since been shifted to the rival Clippers, who opened the season with lofty goals given the championship pedigree of former Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers at the helm. Rivers, one of only four active coaches to win an NBA title, was acquired from the Celtics in June and is looking to bring the rejuvenated Clippers franchise its first championship. The Lakers, long the preferred destination for top players seeking an NBA title, found themselves in unfamiliar territory having to battle for a playoff spot and then getting swept out of the first round of the postseason.— Reuters

LeBron James

Photo of the day

Robby Naish at the PWA JP Aloha Classic in Maui - 2013.— www.redbull.com

Warriors whip Pelicans 104-93 OAKLAND: Stephen Curry had 28 points and 12 assists, David Lee added 21 points and 17 rebounds and the Golden State Warriors beat the short-handed New Orleans Pelicans 104-93 on Tuesday night in Andre Iguodala’s long-awaited return. Iguodala finished with two points and two assists in 17 minutes after missing the previous 12 games with a right hamstring injury. The Warriors led by 10 points in the first quarter, 18 at halftime and 26 late in the third quarter. The Pelicans played without injured starters Anthony Davis (broken left hand) and Tyreke Evans (sprained left ankle). Ryan Anderson had 21 points and six rebounds and Jason Smith scored 12 for New Orleans, which has lost its first two games of a five-game trip. The Warriors outshot the Pelicans 45.1 to 37.5 percent and outrebounded them 58 to 44 to control the game - for the most part - from start to finish. New Orleans made a brief run in the fourth quarter against Golden State’s backups before the starters returned and restored order. The Warriors went 5-7 after Iguodala injured his hamstring Nov. 22, losing three of its last four games.

TRAIL BLAZERS 119, CAVALIERS 116 Damian Lillard made a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining, lifting Portland to the road win. Lillard had a career-high eight 3pointers while scoring 36 points. The 2013 NBA Rookie of the Year also had a fadeaway jumper as time expired to give Portland a 111-109 overtime victory over Detroit on Sunday. Portland (22-4) has the best record in the NBA and is 11-0 against the Eastern Conference. The Blazers have won five straight and are 12-2 on the road. Kyrie Irving’s bid for a tying 3-pointer bounced off the back of the rim at the buzzer. Irving and Dion Waiters scored 25 points apiece for Cleveland.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 26 points and 15 rebounds for Portland.

THUNDER 105, NUGGETS 93 Kevin Durant scored 30 points, powering the Thunder to their seventh consecutive victory.

Durant had 30 or more points in a game for the 12th time this season, most in the NBA. He is averaging a league-high 28.6 points. Russell Westbrook had 21 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists for the Thunder. Serge Ibaka added 17 points and 10 rebounds. Denver had won 10 of 13. JJ Hickson had 20 points and 14 rebounds, but the Nuggets dropped to 0-2 this season against Oklahoma City. Ty Lawson added 17 points and 13 assists.

LAKERS 96, GRIZZLIES 92 Kobe Bryant scored 21 points in his sixth game of the season, and the Lakers closed out a four-game road trip with a victory. Pau Gasol added 21 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, who were coming off a 114-100 loss at Atlanta on Monday night. Nick Young had 18 points, and Jodie Meeks finished with 13. Zach Randolph had 18 points and a season-high 16 rebounds for Memphis. The Grizzlies played without Mike Conley, who sat out after bruising his left thigh in Sunday’s loss to Minnesota. The Grizzlies led 69-67 in the fourth quarter before the Lakers went on a 17-4 run. Bryant played 32 minutes, matching his most action since returning from his torn left Achilles’ tendon. He was 9 for 18 from the field, both season highs, despite running the offense most of the night.

OAKLAND: New Orleans Pelicans’ Lou Amundson (left) and Golden State Warriors’ David Lee fight for a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game on Tuesday, Dec 17, 2013. —AP BOBCATS 95, KINGS 87 Kemba Walker scored 24 points, helping Charlotte snap a three-game losing streak.

Gerald Henderson added 20 points and reserve Ramon Sessions scored 16 for the Bobcats, who went 8 for 17 from 3-point range. Walker also had five assists in his 10th game with at least 20 points. DeMarcus Cousins had 30 points and 17

rebounds for Sacramento, which shot 37.5 percent from the field. The Kings have dropped three of four. Kings forward Rudy Gay scored four points on 1-of-6 shooting in his worst game since he was acquired in a seven-player trade with Toronto on Dec. 9. He departed with 5:23 left in the third quarter due to right knee stiffness.— AP

NBA results/standings Charlotte 95, Sacramento 87; Portland 119, Cleveland 116; LA Lakers 96, Memphis 92; Oklahoma City 105, Denver 93; Golden State 104, New Orleans 93.

Boston Toronto Brooklyn NY Knicks Philadelphia Indiana Detroit Chicago Cleveland Milwaukee Miami Atlanta Charlotte Washington Orlando

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L 12 14 9 13 9 15 7 17 7 19 Central Division 20 4 12 14 9 14 9 15 5 19 Southeast Division 18 6 13 12 11 14 10 13 8 17

PCT .462 .409 .375 .292 .269

GB 1 2 4 5

.833 .462 .391 .375 .208

9 10.5 11 15

LA Clippers Phoenix Golden State LA Lakers Sacramento

.750 .520 .440 .435 .320

5.5 7.5 7.5 10.5

San Antonio Houston Dallas New Orleans Memphis

Portland Oklahoma City Denver Minnesota Utah

Western Conference Northwest Division 22 4 .846 20 4 .833 14 10 .583 12 13 .480 6 21 .222 Pacific Division 17 9 .654 14 9 .609 14 12 .538 12 13 .480 7 16 .304 Southwest Division 19 5 .792 16 9 .640 14 10 .583 11 12 .478 10 14 .417

1 7 9.5 16.5 1.5 3 4.5 8.5 3.5 5 7.5 9

US delegation to Sochi games includes gays WASHINGTON: The United States has named former tennis star Billie Jean King, one of the first prominent athletes to publicly acknowledge her homosexuality, to be in the US delegation to the Winter Olympics in Sochi, where Russia’s anti-gay policies have stirred controversy. Another openly gay athlete, two-time Olympic hockey player Caitlin Cahow, will represent the United States at closing ceremonies, according to a White House statement.

Although Russia has thrown itself into staging the games, preparations have been overshadowed by international criticism of its human rights record and a recent anti-gay propaganda law that critics say discriminates against homosexuals. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said several times that gay athletes are welcome in Russia and that no discrimination will be tolerated. He has said the law is needed to protect young people.

The legislation, however, has drawn calls by human rights activists to boycott the Olympics.

German President Joachim Gauck has announced he will not attend the Olympics even though he went to the 2012 London Olympic games, but he declined to comment on the reason for his decision. Likewise, France has said that neither President Francois Hollande nor any top French

official would attend the Sochi games, also without offering an explanation.

President Barack Obama, speaking about the Russian law in a television interview in August, said he had “no patience for countries that try to treat

Tennis champion Billie Jean King gays or lesbians or transgender persons in ways that intimidate them or are harmful to them.” The US delegation is also led by a lower-ranking official than has been the case for recent Olympic games.

Former Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, who is now chancellor of the University of California system, will lead the US

group, the White House said in a statement.

In contrast, first lady Michelle Obama headed the US delegation to the 2012 London games and Vice President Joe Biden performed that role for the 2010 winter games in Vancouver. The White House said the president’s schedule did not allow him to travel to Sochi, and declined to say whether it was sending any message through its selection of the delegation. “ The US delegation to the Olympic Games represents the diversity that is the United States,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. “All our delegation members are distinguished by their accomplishments in government service, civic activism and sports.”

The US delegation to the opening ceremony also includes Olympic figure skating gold medalist Brian Boitano, presidential aide Rob Nabors, and US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul. Cahow, the hockey player, was on teams that won silver medals in Vancouver and bronze medals in the 2006 winter Olympics held in Turin, Italy. The United States has also been unhappy with Russia’s decision to grant temporary asylum to Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who has leaked classified documents revealing the extent of US surveillance of phone and email traffic around the world.— Reuters

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

S P ORTS

UEFA punishes Olympiakos, Zenit for racism Olympiakos appeal against ‘harsh’ sanctions ATHENS: Olympiakos Piraeus have appealed against the partial closure of their ground for February’s Champions League tie with Manchester United arguing that UEFA’s sanctions were harsh as there was no racist behavior by the fans. European soccer’s governing body said on Tuesday that the sanctions were imposed for “the racist conduct of supporters, insufficient organization, the setting-off of fireworks and the use of a laser” in the Group C match with Anderlecht on Dec 10. UEFA has ordered the Greek champions to close the north stand lower tier at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, where their Gate 7 ultras gather, for the last 16, first-leg clash against United on Feb 25. UEFA also fined Olympiakos 30,000 euros ($41,200).

However, Olympiakos press spokesman Kostas Karapapas wrote on his Facebook

account yesterday: “The punishment is because of one particular banner which as soon as it was seen was taken down and that is why it is harsh to say the least.

“There was no racist slogan or racist banner, and no racist chanting or songs were heard during the match with Anderlecht,” he added. Greek media reported that the banner depicted a man who had been decapitated.

“The punishment from UEFA is a first level decision and we have submitted an appeal to try to ensure that our stadium is full for the match against Manchester United,” added Karapapas. “It is a shame that some people don’t want to see the Gate 7 area full for the match.” Olympiakos missed two penalties but still won 3-1 against Anderlecht, who finished with eight men, to qualify for the knockout

phase of the Champions League as Group C runners-up above Benfica by virtue of a better head-to-head record.

RACIST BEHAVIOUR Zenit St Petersburg were also sanctioned by UEFA for incidents during a 4-1 loss at Austria Vienna in their final group game but the club said yesterday they would not appeal. The Russian league leaders must close four sections of the Petrovsky Stadium, which usually house their ultras, against Borussia Dortmund in their last 16 first-leg tie on Feb 25. UEFA said Zenit had been punished for “the racist behaviour of fans - namely the displaying of a banner - the setting-off and throwing of fireworks and crowd disturbances”. The club were also fined 40,000 euros ($54,900) for the ugly scenes. “We accept the sanc-

tion and we’ll not appeal against it as it would be inappropriate,” it said in a statement yesterday.

Last week, Zenit condemned violence by their fans, saying the trouble-makers led to the team’s poor performance in Vienna while Italian coach Luciano Spalletti described the hooligans as “enemies” and said they should stay away from football grounds. Macedonian referee Aleksandar Stavrev interrupted the match in Austria for a few minutes in the first half after a number of flares were thrown from the Zenit fans into the crowd below. Big-spending Zenit, owned by Russian energy giant Gazprom , became the first team to qualify for the Champions League knockout stage with only six points from six matches when they finished runners-up to Atletico Madrid in Group G.—Reuters

trophy drought when they lifted the League Cup. But Monaco now appear to be the only realistic threat to PSG’s dominance.

Promoted back to Ligue 1 after a two-year absence, their billionaire Russian owner Dmitry Rybolovlev splashed the cash, including an outlay of 60 million euros ($82.4m) on Radamel Falcao from Atletico Madrid. That deal was briefly a French league record until PSG hit back with the 64 million-euro recruitment of Edinson Cavani from Napoli, and a two-way fight for supremacy was underway amid concerns that Ligue 1 was about to become as lopsided a contest as the Barcelona and Real Madrid-dominated Spanish league.

Monaco’s rivals have set about challenging their right to benefit from the favourable tax laws in the principality, that particular imbalance having been made all the more acute by the French government’s introduction of a 75 percent tax rate on earnings over a million euros which almost led to a strike by angry clubs. But, as that row drags on, the French have good reason to be proud of their national team again. Didier Deschamps’s side toiled for much of 2013, but their remarkable recovery from a 2-0 first-leg defeat to Ukraine in their World Cup qualifying play-off in November raised spirits.

Les Bleus won the second leg 3-0 at the Stade de France to book their ticket to the 2014 finals. Now there is hope that a team featuring Ballon d’Or candidate Franck Ribery can make an impression in Brazil as they build towards Euro 2016, which France will host. By then, some of the exciting young stars who helped France win this year ’s under-20 World Cup in Turkey, including Paul Pogba, Lucas Digne and Florian Thauvin, should be key players in the full national team. No wonder French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet felt compelled to describe the end of 2013 as “a new beginning” for the sport in the country.—AFP

Fergie’s exit sparks the year of change LONDON: Alex Ferguson’s shock retirement as Manchester United manager in 2013 meant that the Football Association’s 150th year was one of seismic upheaval in the English game. By the end of the year, United’s two-decade reign as English football’s dominant force was in serious jeopardy, leaving their rivals scrambling to take advantage.

Jose Mourinho was back at Chelsea, Gareth Bale was no longer a Tottenham Hotspur player, and every Premier League ground was equipped with pioneering goal-line technology. The year had started in familiar fashion, with United romping to an unprecedented 20th league title, but at 09:17 on the morning of Wednesday, May 8, everything changed.

A tweet published by the United press office confirmed the jaw-dropping rumours that had first emerged on the Daily Telegraph website the previous night: Ferguson, the father of the modern United, the most successful manager in British football history, was stepping down after 26 and a half record-breaking years. His last home game, an occasion drenched in emotion, saw United beat Swansea City 21, before he bowed out with an extraordinary 5-5 draw at West Bromwich Albion in his 1,500th and final match at the United helm.

The 71-year-old Scot hand-picked his own successor, Everton manager and countryman David Moyes, and urged the club’s fans to “stand by our new manager” during his final address to the crowd after the win over Swansea.

Ferguson predicted that there would be difficult times ahead, but there was widespread incredulity at the rapidity of United’s decline. Despite the best efforts of a resurgent Wayne Rooney, who had again seemed close to leaving the club during the close season, United lost five of their first 16 league games to all but relinquish their title.

“The players are hurting, because they are used to winning and when they don’t, that hurts,” Moyes admitted.

“But they will respond. There is no doubt about that.” A new £5.5 billion ($9 billion, 6.6 billion euros) television rights package sparked huge investment during the transfer window, with Chelsea and Manchester City spending freely and Spurs re-investing much of the reported worldrecord £100 million fee that they received for Bale from Real Madrid. It was Arsenal, however, who emerged as the unexpected early-season pace-setters.—AFP

KUWAIT: Qadsia and Al-Arabi football teams qualified for His Highness the Crown Prince Cup final after beating Al-Nasr and Kuwait clubs in the second leg on Tuesday. Qadsia beat Al-Nasr 2-1 in the clash that was held in Ali Sabah Al-Salem Stadium. Al-Nasr’s Abdulrahman Bani scored the opener in 15-minute from a pass from Omani international Ismail AlAjami. Syrian international Omar Souma leveled the score with a penalty spot in the 60th minute and then added his second goal of the night in the 84th minute. Qadsia’s Ahmad Ajab and Sultan Al-Enezi were sent off, leaving the team to play with nine players. Al-Arabi succeeded in beating Kuwait SC 7-6 in penalty shootout. Kuwait took the lead when Tunisian international Esam Juma scored in the 7th minute but Arabi’s Syrian international Mahmoud Mawwas leveled the score sheet in minute 36. The first leg that was held last Tuesday and it ended with one goal each.

LONDON: A football player sacked by Oldham Athletic after being arrested in a spot-fixing investigation said yesterday that he “vehemently denies” the allegations. Cristiano Montano had his contract terminated by English third-tier club Oldham on Monday, having been one of six players arrested earlier this month by the National Crime Agency (NCA) Britain’s equivalent of the FBI-following a newspaper expose. The 22-year-old Colombian and the five other men were bailed until April by the NCA, which is yet to bring any charges against them. Oldham cited “gross misconduct” as their reason for sacking Montano, having initially suspended him, but he has criticized the club for not letting him put across his side of the story. In a statement, Montano’s barrister Roy Ledgister said his client was “disappointed” and would appeal against the club’s decision, which he described as “illogical as it appears no proper investigation was carried out”. The statement added: “The club would usually have interviewed their player as part of their investigation, instead they chose to engage in ‘lengthy discussions’ with their lawyers.

City’s Aguero could face longer spell on sidelines

RENNES: Paris Saint-Germain’s Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani heads the ball during the French L1 football match Rennes against Paris Saint Germain in this file photo. —AFP

Pope Francis greets his favorite football team Alex Ferguson

Qadsia, Al-Arabi reach Crown Prince Cup final

Spot-fixing suspect denies wrongdoing

Monaco emerge as only threat to dominant PSG PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain began what they hope will be an era of dominance in French football in 2013, a year that was also marked by the return of Monaco as a force and the national team’s dramatic qualification for the World Cup. Nineteen years after they were last crowned champions, PSG won their third title and their first trophy since the Qatari takeover at the Parc des Princes in 2011 under Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti.

The capital club’s strength compared to the rest of the country was frightening, epitomized by player of the year Zlatan Ibrahimovic. His goals helped the side reach the Champions League quarterfinals, where they bowed out on away goals to Barcelona, and his impact was such that the verb ‘to zlatan’ became commonly used slang in French. Glamour was added during the second half of last season

by David Beckham’s cameo at the Parc des Princes, the veteran Englishman finishing his glittering career with a Ligue 1 winner’s medal. In a touch of class, Beckham promised to donate his salary to a local children’s hospital, but PSG’s success came at a big cost to owners Qatar Sports Investments, who spent huge sums building a formidable squad.As sports daily L’Equipe said: “Never has a French league title come at such a price for the owner of a club”. And turmoil soon followed. Ancelotti left for Real Madrid, while sporting director Leonardo departed too after being banned from all official functions for 14 months for shoving a referee.

Ancelotti was replaced by former France coach Laurent Blanc, who was considered to be little more than a stop-gap when appointed but who has succeeded in further improving the team. Few would bet against them winning a second successive title and making another big impression in the Champions League in the New Year.

The year saw other grand old names enjoy success, with Bordeaux winning the French Cup and Saint-Etienne ending a 32-year

Extras

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis warmly greeted players from his favorite football team San Lorenzo after a general audience in St Peter’s Square yesterday, following their victory in the national championship in Argentina.

The Vatican said the 77-year-old Argentine pontiff, who is still a member of the club that he used to watch in Buenos Aires as a child with his father, was delighted when they clinched the title on Sunday. The delegation of players and team managers handed a smiling Francis their championship trophy as well as the club’s red-and-blue jersey with “Francisco Campeon” (“Francis Champion”) emblazoned on the back.

The pontiff has pushed for sports to take a more prominent place in the Catholic Church, championing team games as good for mind, body and soul and calling for more “spiritual athletes.” The club-officially known as Club Atletico San Lorenzo de Almagro-dedicated their victory to him. It traces its origins to 1907, when a Catholic priest, Lorenzo Massa, allowed boys playing football in the

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis holds the trophy of San Lorenzo’s Argentinean football club. San Lorenzo’s players won the Argentina’s first division football Championship at Jose Amalfitani stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina on December 15, 2013. —AFP streets of Buenos Aires to play in his church’s yard. The club was founded the following year. San Lorenzo will

now represent Argentina in the annual Copa Libertadores South American football tournament.— AFP

Spanish clubs in illegal aid probe BARCELONA: A three-pronged investigation will take place into alleged state aid for several La Liga clubs, including Real Madrid and Barcelona, the European Commission said yesterday. Athletic Bilbao are one of the teams alleged by a representative of “several European clubs”, in a complaint filed in 2009, to have benefited from unfair tax advantages along with Pamplona-based Osasuna and the world’s two richest clubs by income, Real Madrid and Barcelona. The four have privileges regarding corporation tax as they are exempt from the general obligation for professional football clubs to convert into limited sports companies.

It means they have a preferential tax rate of 25 percent compared to 30 percent. “Professional football clubs should finance their running costs and investments with sound financial management rather than at the expense of the taxpayer,” read a statement from European Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia. “Member States and public authorities must comply with EU rules on state aid in this sector as in all economic sectors.”

The European commission added in yesterday’s news release that another line of enquiry will be into the controversial deal between the City of Madrid and Real where the

club sold their training ground for a considerable profit.

Land valued in 1998 at 595,000 euros ($817,000) was later put at 22.7 million euros, the Commission said. Valencia, Elche and Hercules are also part of an investigation into financial assistance they received from the regional government in the form of loans and bank guarantees.

MORE BURDENSOME On Tuesday, Spain’s secretary of state for sport, Miguel Cardenal, hit back at accusations the clubs were acting unfairly. “The taxation for Spanish clubs is a lot more burdensome,” Cardenal told Radio Nacional, comparing the system with other European countries and saying it should be put into context. “We are talking about entities, and I have up-to-date data, that they paid more than 170 million euros last year,” he said referring to the top flight La Liga clubs. “I would like the commission, when it talks about a helping hand in Europe, so as not to give the wrong impression, to explain that the taxation of Spanish clubs is considerably more burdensome than their counterparts in Germany, England and France with the law that they have in place, and including Italy.”—Reuters

LONDON: Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has revealed his star striker Sergio Aguero could be out of action for longer than expected.

Pellegrini had previously said he expected Aguero to be out for up to four weeks after he suffered a calf injury in Saturday’s 6-3 thrashing of Arsenal. But there remains uncertainty as to the true extent of the problem and Pellegrini said it could be worse than first feared. Pellegrini, speaking after City’s 3-1 League Cup quar ter-final win at Leicester on Tuesday, said: “I am not a doctor. It is very difficult.

“The doctor has said he has at least one month or eight weeks. We will see. “I don’t how many weeks but it will be at least one month. It is very difficult to know at this moment how many weeks it can be.”

Aguero’s absence for that length of time would be a major blow to City, with the 25-year-old having scored 19 goals already this season. He had found the target again against Arsenal but then pulled up when under no pressure early in the second half.

Aguero is certain to miss the Christmas program, which includes a home clash with Liverpool in the Premier League, and could also be out for both League Cup semi-final legs in January. An extended lay-off could also make the Argentina international doubtful for City’s Champions League last 16 tie against Barcelona in February.

Nigeria to use USA for WCup training camp ABUJA: Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi wants the African champions to use the United States as their pre-World Cup training base. Football officials had previously floated the idea of training in Argentina, Colombia or the United States. But Keshi said he has decided on two American cities, Miami or Houston, because they are likely to have similar weather as Sao Paulo, the Brazilian city where the Super Eagles will be based for the tournament. Nigeria are scheduled to begin their World Cup training on May 25. “I have proposed that we camp in the United States because by the time we would be opening our camping the US would have the same weather as Brazil,” Keshi said. “There are several US cities that would be hot like Brazil and would have the same temperature (as) Sao Paolo.” He specifically identified Miami and Houston, which has a large Nigerian community. Japan will most likely be one of Nigeria’s pretournament friendly opponents after they expressed a desire to test their readiness against the Eagles.

“While in Brazil for the draw, I was told Japan were interested in playing us, but I would also like to play countries like Peru,” Keshi said. “Considering the countries we have in our group, I would love the Eagles to play countries from the region that have the same playing style,” he added. “But it would also depend on the availability of such countries because some of them may have concluded their friendly arrangement already.”

Moggi’s jail term cut to 2 years and 4 months ROME: Former Juventus chief Luciano Moggi has had his jail term for his role in a match-fixing scandal cut to two years and four months after an appeal hearing on Tuesday. Moggi had appealed against the original conviction of five years and four months going back to 2006 before a court in Naples. The former general manager of Italy’s most successful Serie A club was effectively banned from the game for life after being found guilty of sporting fraud and conspiracy in an affair known as ‘Calciopoli’. The scandal centered on the role and influence of referees appointed for league matches and led to Juventus losing the two league titles they won in 2005 and 2006 and to their demotion to Serie B. Former referees chief Pierluigi Pairetto was sentenced to two years in prison as was the former Italian football federation (FIGC) vice-president Innocenzo Mazzini.

However, the cases against Fiorentina President Andrea Della Valle and Lazio President Claudio Lotito were dropped on Tuesday because they passed the statute of limitations. Former referee Paolo Bergamo’s appeal against a three year, eight month sentence has to be reheard due to a technicality.

Moggi’s lawyer Maurilio Prioreschi said his client would be appealing.

Pope greets beloved team after victory

Warriors whip short-handed Pelicans 104-93

18

19

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

England eye redemption after Ashes surrender

Page 16

SUNDERLAND: Sunderland’s US striker Jozy Altidore (left) rounds Chelsea’s Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer during the League Cup Quarter-Final football match between Sunderland and Chelsea at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland on December 17, 2013. Sunderland won 2-1. — AFP

Sunderland, City book League Cup semis Ki unlocks Chelsea with late winner, Man City cruise LONDON: Substitute Ki sung-Yueng drove in an extra-time winner to take the Premier League’s bottom club Sunderland into the League Cup semi-finals with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Chelsea on Tuesday. Ki smashed home in the 118th minute after being teed up by Fabio Borini, who had come off the bench to force extra time with an 88th-minute equalizer. In the night’s other quarter-final, Edin Dzeko scored twice as free-scoring Manchester City booked their place in the semi-finals with a 3-1 win at second-tier Leicester City.

Chelsea, third in the Premier League, looked on course to reach the last four after taking the lead when goalline technology adjudged that a combination of Frank Lampard and Sunderland’s Lee Cattermole had bundled a cross over the line. But they were pegged back two minutes from time when on-loan Borini steered an expert finish past two Chelsea defenders on the line from a tight angle. The hosts

then laid siege to the Chelsea goal and were rewarded two minutes from time when Ki smashed home a low drive to send the home crowd wild.

Chelsea won the competition twice in Jose Mourinho’s first spell at the club, but with a busy Christmas schedule looming in the Premier League, they made eight changes from their weekend team. The fringe players, however, did little to push their cases and found themselves chasing possession for much of the opening 45 minutes before taking the lead a minute into the second half. A low cross from Azpilicueta picked out Lampard and Cattermole sliding in at the far post. The ball eventually bobbled over the line before goalkeeper Vito Mannone clawed it clear.

Referee Anthony Taylor pointed to his watch to signal the goal had been awarded by the Hawk-Eye technology installed at the ground. The match looked to be heading

Barcelona cruise into Copa del Rey last 16 MADRID: La Liga leaders Barcelona comfortably secured their place in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey with a 3-0 win over third-tier Cartagena on Tuesday, to seal a 7-1 win on aggregate. Cartagena threatened to embarrass their illustrious hosts when Zurdo struck the post midway through the first-half.

However, any hopes the visitors had of a famous victory were quashed when Pedro neatly swept home Martin Montoya’s cross for his third goal of the tie.

Without a host of regular starters, Barca struggled to create clear-cut openings all evening but they were gifted a second goal 23 minutes from time when Mariano Martinez turned Cristian Tello’s cross into his own net.

And Neymar rounded off the scoring with his sixth goal in his last three games when he headed home Andres Iniesta’s cross three minutes from time. “We played a well and were solid throughout out the game,” said Barca boss Gerardo Martino. “I think we handled the game well, with respect for both the opponent and the people that came to watch.”

Martino surprised many by playing Neymar for the full 90 minutes when many of his senior teammates were handed a rest. However, the Argentine said the 21-year-old will return to Brazil on Thursday for 10 days holiday as he is

suspended for Sunday’s final game before the winter break away to Getafe. “He won’t play on Sunday so tonight was an opportunity to give him the 90 minutes. “He’s going to Brazil on Thursday. He hasn’t had a break since the Confederations Cup so it is good to give him a few extra days.”

And Martino also confirmed that he expects the injured Lionel Messi and Victor Valdes to be back training in Barcelona along with Neymar on January 2. “During the two training sessions on the second we hope to have all the players back together, including those that are continuing to recover like Leo and Victor.” Barca will also face Getafe in the last 16 after the Madrid side thrashed Girona 41 to secure their place in the next round by the same score on aggregate.

Osasuna, fresh from their 2-2 draw against Real Madrid on Saturday, will face Los Blancos again in January should Madrid overcome Olimpic Xativa on Wednesday as the Navarrans progressed on away goals after a 1-1 draw at home to Malaga on Tuesday. Levante hammered Recreativo Huelva 4-0 to also progress 4-1 on aggregate, but the upset of the evening came from second division Alcorcon who overcame a 2-0 first-leg deficit to beat Granada 5-4 on penalties. — AFP

towards a routine victory for Chelsea before it was brought to life in the 88th minute following the introduction of Borini.

The ball bounced free to the Italian, on loan from Liverpool, and he steered it accurately into the net from a tight angle.

Borini almost won it but his effort was expertly blocked by Gary Cahill and he perhaps should have done better at the start of extra time when he failed to make proper contact with a deep cross, unmarked at the far post.

Yet Sunderland were not to be denied and after Chelsea’s stand-in keeper Mark Schwarzer had produced a superb save to turn over a header from Ki, the South Korean latched on to a pass from Borini, cut inside and drove the ball low into the net. “This gives us momentum going into Saturday (against Norwich) and keeps the season alive,” Sunderland midfielder Lee Cattermole told Sky Sports. “The priority is always the league. We played extra time but this win gives us some

belief.” Dzeko made his case for a more regular starting spot in City’s star-studded line-up with goals either side of halftime after Aleksandar Kolarov had given the visitors an early lead.

Lloyd Dyer grabbed a consolation for Leicester. “We had a very good first half, and then we had the possession and dominated the game until they scored. It is an important competition, it is important to win every game you play in and to get to the final at Wembley would be wonderful for the supporters,” Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini said.

“I think the Capital One Cup is different to normal because we could have Tottenham and Manchester United also in the semi-final so that would be beautiful for the fans.” Stoke City hosted Manchester United and managerless Tottenham Hotspur take on West Ham United in the last two quarterfinals yesterday. — Reuters

Greedy Bayern eye Club WCup crown AGADIR: Bayern Munich are already excited at the prospect of being crowned world club champions after booking their place in Saturday’s final of the tournament in Morocco. “‘Club world champions’, that sounds nice,” said director of sport Matthias Sammer after Bayern brushed aside Asian champions Guangzhou Evergrande 3-0 in Tuesday’s semifinal in Agadir to remain on course for a fifth trophy in 2013. “But first, we have to make it happen.”

Goals by France winger Franck Ribery, Croatia striker Mario Mandzukic and Mario Goetze saw the Bavarians through to the final in Marrakech, where they face either Morocco’s Raja Casablanca or Brazil’s Atletico Mineiro, who met today.

Only victory will suffice for the Bavarian giants, with Sammer admitting that a defeat on Saturday would be a ‘catastrophe’ as Bayern look to add the Club World Cup to their Champions League, Bundesliga, German Cup and UEFA Super Cup titles already secured this year.

“It’s not so bad if you can call yourself the best team in the world,” midfielder Toni Kroos said about the thought of lifting the trophy, while Ribery was equally blunt: “We are professionals and we want to win. This is important to us.” Meanwhile, captain Philipp Lahm explained the team’s thinking as they took on the Asian champions. “We wanted to make sure we controlled possession against a side we knew can counter-attack well,” said Lahm after Bayern utterly dominated Guangzhou, enjoying 70 percent possession and coming close to increasing their lead on numerous occasions.

“We needed a bit longer than usual to get the first goal, but all things considered, we dominated and concentrated hard,” he added, after Bayern were forced to wait 40 minutes before getting the breakthrough. “This tournament is special and we certainly wanted to make the final. “We want the title,

AGADIR: Bayern Munich’s Daniel Van Buyten (5) vies for the ball against Guangzhou’s Dario Conca during the match Bayern Munich versus Guangzhou Evergrande FC on December 17, 2013. — AFP that’s our task, then we can go calmly into the winter break.”

Already twice a winner of the Club World Cup during his time in charge of Barcelona, Bayern coach Pep Guardiola is on course for a third global crown after his German champions swept aside Marcello Lippi’s Guangzhou.

“There you see the real difference between the best club in the world and the rest,” said the 65year-old Italian Lippi. “All their

players can fill any position, and they were superior in all areas. “We were not able to disrupt Bayern’s game at all, that is why they are also the best team in the world.

“Overall, we were clearly inferior, but I can’t blame my team, they put in a good performance. “The fact we can compete in the semifinal of a Club World Cup after only 18 months of work together was something that had been previously unthinkable.”— AFP

Business

Germany frustrates Europe Page 22

Salaries slashed, late in crisis-hit Greece

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

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Ford, EA team up to provide free download of all-new Mustang

All-new BMW 4 Series Coupé unveiled

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FRENCH ALPS: Mathieu Dechavanne, head of the Compagnie du Mont Blanc which runs the new attraction, enters a glass cage named ‘Pas dans le Vide’ (Step into the Void) at the top of the Aiguille du Midi peak (3842-meters high or 12,604 feet), in the French Alps yesterday. France’s UMP party unveiled a package of ‘emergency’ proposals yesterday to revive Europe’s number two economy that included scrapping the 35-hour work week and slashing public spending by 130 billion euros ($180 billion). — AFP

UK jobless rate plunges BoE warns of strong currency risk to recovery LONDON: Britain’s unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest level in four-and-a-half years, data showed yesterday testing the Bank of England’s plans to put off interest rate hikes for as long as possible. The pound jumped on the data, which showed the jobless rate fast approaching the 7.0 percent level at which the BoE has said it will consider a rate hike, even as the Bank warned about the risks of a stronger pound hurting Britain’s recovery. Economists were taken aback by the fall in the unemployment rate to 7.4 percent in the three months to October, down from 7.6 percent a month earlier. That was a faster improvement than even the most optimistic forecasts in a Reuters poll - or , indeed, formal Bank of England expectations.

Bank Governor Mark Carney made no comment when asked about the figures at a news conference about a separate matter. “A huge jobs gain, a chunky fall in the unemployment rate and another big fall in jobless claims signal a strong recovery is underway and raises the risk of an earlier rate hike than the BoE have indicated,” said Rob Wood at Berenberg. The number of people in work jumped by 250,000, the biggest increase since mid-2010 with full-time jobs providing the bulk of the growth. The 99,000 fall in unemployment was the sharpest drop since

2000.

“They’re very, very strong - the underlying trend looks robust,” said Ross Walker at RBS. Investors added to bets that the BoE will raise interest rates in the second quarter of 2015 and bond strategists said there was a growing chance those bets will move earlier. But economists said signs that inflation and wage growth will stay low next year should allow the BoE to keep nursing the economy back to full health with record low interest rates.

Despite the fall in unemployment, many people in work are not seeing an improvement in living standards, a hot political issue ahead of an election due in 2015.

Average weekly earnings growth excluding bonuses grew 0.8 percent, matching a record low and way below inflation which stood at 2.1 percent in November. “We think wages, and not unemployment or CPI (inflation), will be the more likely candidate to prompt a rate tightening cycle,” HSBC economists Simon Wells and John Zhu told clients. They saw a first BoE rate hike only in late 2015.

There were other signs of Britain’s still-damaged labor market in yesterday’s data. Nigel Meager, director of the Institute for Employment Studies, pointed to a record high number of people working part-time because they

cannot find a full-time job. “If this figure also begins to dip in the coming months it will be further confirmation that the recovery is a solid one,” he said.

Clear up guidance?

The BoE said in August, shortly after Carney took over as governor, that it will not consider raising interest rates until unemployment falls to 7 percent, assuming there is no threat to the economy from high inflation expectations. Since then, Britain has outpaced most other industrialised economies with annualised growth of over 3 percent. Retail sales data yesterday pointed to more strong growth in the fourth quarter.

Last month the BoE brought forward sharply its expectations for when unemployment might hit 7 percent to late 2014 or the third quarter of 2015, depending on different forecast models. But even those projections are being overtaken by the data: the BoE’s forecasts saw unemployment to fall to its current rate of 7.4 percent only in the second quarter of next year. As the recovery has picked up speed, Carney has stressed that unemployment hitting 7 percent would not be an automatic trigger for a rate hike from record low levels, and that the recov-

UK banknotes get polymer makeover LONDON: British banknotes will get a tough new makeover from 2016 when plastic replaces the traditional paper, enabling them to survive accidental spins in the washing machine, the Bank of England said yesterday. Britain will be the largest economy so far to adopt the more durable polymer material for general banknotes, after 87 percent of respondents approved the change in a public consultation.

The move will bring estimated savings of 100 million pounds ($162 million) over a decade. It will begin with five-pound notes in 2016 at the earliest, with 10-pound notes arriving the following year.

Polymer notes were first adopted by Australia in 1988 and are now in use in more than 20 countries including Canada, the homeland of new BoE governor Mark Carney.

The British ones will feature World War Two leader Winston Churchill on the five-pound note and 19th-century author Jane Austen on the tenner. “Ensuring trust and confidence in money is at the heart of what central banks do. Polymer notes are the next step in the evolution of banknote design to meet that objective,” Carney said in a statement.

The notes will last about six years, more than twice as long as paper, allowing the Bank to make savings of 25 percent. Apart from passing the washing machine test, the notes are more dirt-resistant than paper and consist of a transparent plastic film coated with an ink layer which can be wiped clean.

They will be harder to fake thanks to features like a transparent window. Opponents of the move cited the slippery texture of the polymer, which the BoE said would reduce over time but added it would try to combat with raised print. The new notes also fold

ery needs to deepen before stimulus can be rolled back.

Carney declined to comment on the latest jobs figures when questioned about them at a news conference on the introduction plastic banknotes yesterday. On Tuesday, he stressed how Britain’s economy remains at risk from weak demand from the euro-zone. On Carney’s side is an easing of inflation which slowed in November to 2.1 percent, just a touch above the BoE’s target of 2 percent which it has missed each month since late 2009.

BoE policymakers believe the stronger pound and government measures to limit household energy bill rises mean inflation could hit its 2 percent target in early 2014, according to minutes of their latest meeting published yesterday. But economists said Carney and his fellow BoE policymakers would come under pressure to clarify what their next steps will be once unemployment hits 7 percent, something now widely seen as likely to happen in 2014. Philip Shaw at Investec said the BoE could lower the threshold rate to 6.5 percent - mirroring the way the US Federal Reserve tweaked its forward guidance and an idea already floated by some British policymakers - or tie a rise in interest rates to wage growth as well unemployment. — Reuters

Emaar lifts Dubai to new 5-yr high MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS

LONDON: A person poses holding sample five and ten pound British polymer banknotes during a news conference at the Bank of England. — AFP differently to their paper counterparts.

The Bank added that the plastic notes would be 15 percent smaller to become more in line with the size of other international currencies and fit better in people’s wallets. The BoE originally decided to outsource banknote production in 2003, awarding the first contract worth 40 million pounds a year to De La Rue. The contract expires in 2015 and the

replacement is currently open to tender. The BoE expects to enter a contract with Innovia Security to provide the polymer material, for which the company would set up a new production plant in 2016.

The BoE has issued paper banknotes ever since it was founded in 1694, and there are currently around 2.9 billion in circulation with a face value of about 58 billion pounds ($95 billion). -— Reuters

DUBAI: Dubai bourse rose to a new fiveyear high yesterday with blue chip Emaar Properties gaining after it approved a bond conversion that will result in fewer new shares than expected. The property developer responded to requests from convertible bond holders by agreeing to issue 18.7 million new shares; a tiny fraction of the company’s 6.09 billion shares outstanding.

“I think this is a good deal - it allows some interest savings and it shows the management is flexible,” said Sanyalaksna Manibhandu, senior analyst at NBAD Securities. Emaar climbed 2.3 percent to 7.25 dirhams ($1.97), halting a two-session drop, and was the main support for the market. A full conversion of the $500 million bond that Emaar issued in 2010 would result in dilution of only 2.2 percent in the stock price if it occurred at 4.38 dirhams per share, analysts at NBK Capital earlier estimated in a note.

“Overall the trend remains bullish and calls for continued upward rallies to 8.80 dirhams and then 10.50 dirhams in the medium to long term,” NBADS said in a

note. Other real estate shares jumped: Deyaar Development and Union Properties climbed 10.7 and 6.5 percent respectively.

Deyaar said on Tuesday its Fairview Residency project was nearing completion with handover scheduled for March 2014.

Dubai’s index rose 2 percent to a new fiveyear high and extending 2013 gains to 97.7 percent. “Looking into 2014, there are some catalysts at play which should attract buyers and will support the overall market in the medium-term,” said Amer Khan, fund manager at Shuaa Asset Management.

In May, index compiler MSCI will implement the UAE’s upgrade to an emerging market index, which will result in additional inflow from index-tracking funds. Abu Dhabi’s measure slipped 0.2 percent, easing off Tuesday’s 63-month high. In Saudi Arabia, the index climbed 0.3 percent to a fresh five-year high. Food firm Savola Group jumped 4.2 percent and banking shares also supported gains with Saudi Investment Bank and Al Jazira Bank up 3.1 and 2.7 percent respectively. — Reuters

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

BUSINESS

Al-Jazeera weighs bid for stake in $1bn Turkish pay-TV company DUBAI/ISTANBUL: Qatari-backed broadcaster Al-Jazeera is considering a bid for a majority stake in Turkish pay-TV company Digiturk to boost its soccer offering ahead of the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar, banking sources familiar with the plans said yesterday. A number of potential buyers have shown an interest in Digiturk since a 53-percent stake in the company was seized by Turkey’s Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) from Cukurova Holding in May because of the conglomerate’s debts to the state agency. Al-Jazeera’s interest stems from Digiturk’s $321 million-a-year deal for

exclusive rights to Turkey ’s Super League championship, one of the sources said.

“It’s really the football rights that differentiates Digiturk from others, and the Qataris are keen to get that access,” the source said. “Otherwise, it does not make any sense for them to look at a business in a country where the local language is so dominant.” Digiturk has a market capitalisation of $1 billion and about $500 million of debt, two of the sources said, giving it an enterprise value of about $1.5 billion. Al-Jazeera, which operates under the patronage of

the emir of Qatar and his family, has appointed Barclays Capital to assist with its bid, the sources added. TMSF declined to comment on a stake sale and an Al-Jazeera spokesman was not available to comment.

Providence stake US private equity group Providence Equity Partners owns the remaining 47 percent of Digiturk and has appointed JP Morgan to evaluate its options, the banking sources said. However, another source close to the US firm said it was not considering a sale. Both Providence

and JP Morgan declined to comment. A formal bidding process is expected to begin in early 2014, the sources said.

Non-binding offers have already been submitted by Turkey’s Dogan Group and Turk Telekom. In September Dogan offered $742 million for a 53 percent stake, trumping Turk Telekom’s $530 million approach for the same stake in July.

“What we are seeing is that the local players are keen for the majority 53 percent stake, while the international bidders may want the whole business,” another banking source said. Al-Jazeera

is looking to continue its international expansion. In January it agreed to buy Current T V, the struggling US cable channel founded by Al Gore and partners. Terms of the deal were not disclosed but analysts estimated that it could be worth as much as $500 million.

Turkey’s pay-TV market had 4.1 million subscribers in the second quarter of 2012, producing revenues of $26.8 million, up 52 percent on the previous quarter, according to the latest available data from telecoms regulator BTK. Digiturk’s market share in the quarter was 61.73 percent, BTK said. — Reuters

Gazprom may gain despite cheaper gas to Ukraine MOSCOW: Gazprom will sell gas to Ukraine at a big discount under a deal agreed by President Vladimir Putin but the state gas company’s losses may eventually be offset by an increase in Russian supplies to its neighbour. Closer ties with Kiev could in time also give the statecontrolled gas firm access to Ukraine’s pipeline network, offering savings in pumping Russian gas to EU customers.

Putin, who oversees every major energy deal in Russia, said after Kremlin talks on Tuesday with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich that Ukraine would now pay $268.50 per 1,000 cubic metres of gas instead of the current price of about $400. The one-third price cut is at first glance a setback for Gazprom, meaning a reduction in profits to help Putin secure a deal which he hopes will keep Ukraine in Moscow’s orbit and prevent it forging closer ties with the European Union.

“Gazprom is now funding it,” Chris Weafer, senior partner with consultancy Macro-Advisory, said of the deal. “Here again, it is being used as part of Russia’s foreign policy.” He added: “Minority investors in Gazprom are picking up the cost of that tab in terms of lost income from the cheaper gas.” The price cut, bringing Ukraine’s bills down to levels more in line with European markets, had been expected, however. Gazprom shares, just over half of which are owned by the Russian state, were little changed yesterday.

Analysts said they expected Putin to use Gazprom in his efforts to both thwart EU plans to bring Ukraine into a free trade pact and also to forge a “Eurasian Union”, an economic bloc stretching across much of the former Soviet Union.

“You can’t measure everything by money in this life. The Russian elite still thinks that the Soviet Union’s collapse is a bad thing,” said Sergei Zhavoronkov of the Moscow-based Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy. A source close to talks with Ukraine, which also stands to get up to $15 billion in Russian credits, said: “For Putin, it didn’t matter what he could get from Ukraine. He was mostly preoccupied with how to hinder the Brussels’ policy.”

Gazprom benefits However, sources at Gazprom and analysts said the company, which has a monopoly on Russia’s pipeline gas exports, could nonetheless reap economic benefits in the longer term. One source at Gazprom said some details were being kept secret to avoid fuelling protests in Kiev, where rallies have at times drawn hundreds of thousands of people angered by Yanukovich’s rejection of the EU trade deal late last month. “It’s obvious that the volume of gas exports

to Ukraine will rise,” the source said, adding that Gazprom may also have secured lucrative rights to retail gas trading in Ukraine.

Analysts said Gazprom may also have won a stake in Ukraine’s gas pipeline system, which feeds around a half of all Russian gas supplies to Europe. Gas storage facilities may be on offer too, the Gazprom source said. One of Yanukovich’s critics in Ukraine, Inna Bohoslovska, accused the president of giving Moscow access to the country’s pipeline businesses. The two governments have declined comment.

Ukraine sees the pipeline network as a guarantee of its independence, and losing control over it could fuel protests.

Another Gazprom source said the Russian gas producer and Ukraine had already agreed on increasing gas supplies but he would not say by how much.

Gazprom declined official comment.

Volumes beat price Russia and Ukraine have had fraught relations over gas. Gazprom shut off its export pipelines across Ukraine in the winters of 2005-06 and 2008-09 during price wars with Kiev. A deal secured after the 2009 crisis forced Ukraine to pay one of the highest prices in Europe for Russian gas, and Kiev has said it had no option but to cut the volumes it buys.

According to Russia’s Energy Ministry, Russia’s gas exports to Ukraine fell by almost a fifth in January-October this year to 21.6 billion cubic metres (bcm), compared to 33 bcm in all of 2012 and 40 bcm in 2011. Analysts said that if Russian gas exports to Ukraine, which was the second-largest gas market for Moscow after Germany last year, increased by around 10 bcm next year, this would offset the effects of price cuts on Gazprom’s accounts.

Ukrainian Energy Minister Eduard Stavitsky has said Ukraine plans to import up to 33 bcm in 2014, which may still be not enough to offset the price cuts but would cushion the effect of cheaper gas for Gazprom. “We believe that lower pricing for Russian gas means higher Ukrainian offtake. We estimate that should Ukrainian volumes return to the 2012 levels the impact on the (core profit) will be a positive 1.5 percent,” Bank of America Merrill Lynch said in a note to investors. To bypass Ukraine and secure safe passage of Russian gas to western Europe, Gazprom has built the 55 bcm-ayear Nord Stream pipeline on the bed of the Baltic Sea. It is also pushing ahead with South Stream via the Black Sea with total costs seen at $46 billion. However, with more stable access to Ukrainian pipelines, Gazprom might reduce the scale of the South Stream project, some industry experts believe.— Reuters

GROSS SCHWASS: Transport vehicles of DHL, a division of German postal service Deutsche Post, stand ready to be loaded in front of the company’s logistics center in northeastern Germany yesterday.— AFP

Germany frustrates Europe France, Spain, Italy press for common backstop BRUSSELS: Germany is standing firm against the use of euro-zone money to back a scheme for tackling troubled banks, dousing hopes still harboured by its peers that the bloc will unite behind lenders in difficulty. More than five years since a financial crisis struck, Europe is crafting its most ambitious reform since the launch of the euro - an agency and fund to shut problem banks as soon as the European Central Bank starts to police them next year. European leaders - who meet at a summit on Thursday and Friday want to sign off on a deal so that banking union can become reality from the start of 2015, raising investor confidence and fostering more lending.

The aim is to prevent a repeat of the turmoil when failing banks in countries from Ireland to Cyprus brought their states to the brink of bankruptcy. But just as talks reach a climax, central elements of the plan are disintegrating. Arriving for a second day of negotiations in Brussels, Germany’s finance minister said no money from the euro-zone’s rescue fund, the 500-billion-euro European Stability Mechanism (ESM), would be available directly to pay for bank clean-ups.

Instead, a government footing the bill for a failing bank and falling short, could apply for a bailout paid for by the ESM. That deals a blow to a central tenet of banking union as it was originally conceived, namely that weak governments should not be left to cope with banks, whose problems can buckle a country. “The only way to the ESM is through the nation states,” Wolfgang Schaeuble told reporters, reiterating the longheld German view that such help can be given only to governments and not directly to banks.

Instead, he talked about unspecified “additional means of granting loans”. Unlike in the

United States, where the federal government can transfer funds to help weaker states, countries in the euro-zone do not send such aid.

Germany, which makes up more than a third of the euro-zone’s economy, wants to keep it that way.

Euro-zone finance ministers agreed on Tuesday night that banks will pay into funds for the closure of failed lenders, amassing roughly 55 billion euros ($76 billion) over 10 years in a Single Resolution Fund (SRF). Until then, if there is not enough money available, governments will be able to impose more levies on banks. If that does not suffice, they would help with public money and after that turn to the ESM for help.

After 2025, when the SRF is full, it could borrow to raise additional emergency itself, the draft euro-zone ministers’ agreement said. That was put to a meeting of all 28 EU finance ministers yesterday.

Unfinished business Schaeuble’s blunt message jarred with that of his French and Spanish peers, who appeared to understand the role of the ESM differently. The dissonant voices cast a question mark over whether the new scheme to close banks and the entire banking union project. “Using the ESM has not been ruled out at all,” Luis de Guindos, Spain’s economy minister, told reporters, a line echoed by his Italian counterpart Fabrizio Saccomanni.

Asked if the euro-zone was breaking the ‘doom loop’ between struggling banks and their states, French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici said: “That was exactly the purpose and that is what we are going to achieve.” The European Central Bank, on whose support many banks

depend, has become agitated because delays and uncertainty over how failed lenders will be dealt could compromise attempts to clean up the financial sector after ECB health checks next year.

“The single fund should have a credit line,” Vitor Constancio, a member of the ECB’s executive board, told ministers in part of the meeting that was broadcast. His boss, Mario Draghi, said on Monday that the latest plan may be too complex and inadequately funded. But there is little chance of a back-up without German consent.

Completing a banking union is central to keeping the euro safe in the long term, a currency bloc that is as political in its goal of deepening European integration as it is economic.

The euro lacks the workings of a normal currency union such as in the United States, which has a central finance ministry and central regulators alongside a central bank. Europe’s banking union had promised to help change that. To compound matters, negotiators have also devised an unwieldy system to close a bank that may involve ministers from across the 28 countries in the European Union.

“We have to move fast in emergencies to resolve certain banks. I am concerned about decision making ... this remains too complex,” Michel Barnier, the European commissioner in charge of financial regulation, told ministers in the meeting. “We are building up a single system, not an intergovernmental network with several tiers,” he said. What results in the end is likely to be far off what investors had originally expected. One leg, a common system of deposit guarantees, will not be part of it. EU negotiators agreed here only to standardise the rules on saver protection. — Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. ASIAN COUNTRIES 2.748 4.575 2.651 2.159 2.864 225.370 36.500 3.634 6.393 8.794 0.271 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES Saudi Riyal 75.484 Qatari Riyal 77.776 Omani Riyal 735.320 Bahraini Dinar 751.830 UAE Dirham 77.088 ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 40.200 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 40.633 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.321 Tunisian Dinar 171.540 Jordanian Dinar 399.730 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.899 Syrian Lira 2.075 Morocco Dirham 35.369 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 282.950 Euro 391.090 Sterling Pound 462.340 Canadian dollar 267.690 Turkish lira 139.040 Swiss Franc 320.800 Australian Dollar 252.820 US Dollar Buying 281.750 GOLD 20 Gram 234.000 10 Gram 120.000 5 Gram 61.000 Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal transfer Irani Riyal cash

UAE Exchange Centre WLL COUNTRY SELL DRAFT Australian Dollar 262.45 Canadian Dollar 270.72 Swiss Franc 323.46 Euro 392.54 US Dollar 282.25 Sterling Pound 468.20 Japanese Yen 2.81 Bangladesh Taka 3.631 Indian Rupee 4.610 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.161 Nepali Rupee 2.885 Pakistani Rupee 2.640 UAE Dirhams 76.91 Bahraini Dinar 751.23 Egyptian Pound 40.97 Jordanian Dinar 401.71 Omani Riyal 734.03 Qatari Riyal 77.94 Saudi Riyal 75.40

SELL CASH 262.000 271.000 323.000 395.000 285.000 471.000 2.800 3.800 4.850 2.600 3.400 2.760 77.200 752.100 41.100 406.800 740.100 78.300 75.600

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 282.700 269.510 461.550 390.375 319.945 746.465 76.945 78.500 76.255 398.510 40.993 2.160 4.567 2.652 3.632 6.379 694.370 3.745 09.800

Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit Chinese Yuan Renminbi

Singapore Dollar South African Rand Sri Lankan Rupee Taiwan Thai Baht

3.010 3.855 88.370 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 0.007354 0.454152 0.006128 0.048075 0.383235 0.041694 0.081644 0.008104 0.039000 0.311563 0.139334 Australasia 0.244783 0.227901 America 0.261903 0.278850 0.279350 Asia 0.003522 0.045114 0.034408 0.004414 0.000020 0.002670 0.003349 0.000259 0.084066 0.002974 0.002444 0.006405 0.000069

SELL 0.008354 0.463152 0.018128 0.053075 0.390735 0.046894 0.81644 0.018104 0.044000 0.321763 0.146334 0.256283 0.237401 0.270403 0.283200 0.283200 0.004122 0.048614 0.037158 0.004815 0.000026 0.002850 0.003349 0.000274 0.090066 0.003144 0.002724 0.006685 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

0.222116 0.021594 0.001872 0.009439 0.008519 Arab 0.744074 0.037518 0.000078 0.000187 0.394864 1.0000000 0.000138 0.022632 0.001197 0.728903 0.077009 0.074817 0.002168 0.166061 0.139334 0.076055 0.001285

0.228116 0.030094 0.002452 0.009619 0.009069 0.752074 0.040618 0.000080 0.000247 0.402364 1.0000000 0.000238 0.046632 0.001832 0.734583 0.078222 0.075517 0.002388 0.174061 0.146334 0.077204 0.001365

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) 282.400 391.400 461.500 268.150 4.563 40.978 2.158 3.629 6.375 2.655 751.900 76.900 75.400

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

BUSINESS

As Yemen rebuilds, policy paralysis drags on economy Fractious politics blocking serious fiscal reforms

ATHENS: A man rides his bicycle next to a lit Christmas sign reading ‘’Athens’’ as a homeless man sleeps on a metro air vent above an underground station to warm up. — AP

Salaries slashed, late in crisis-hit Greece ATHENS: In the crisis-hit, jungle-like Greek job market, not only has unemployment reached staggering heights, but salaries are paid with huge delays and sometimes employees are even paid in kind. “Every morning I leave my kids, take my car, pump it up with gas and go to work,” says 40-yearold cashier Chryssoula Zarkamela. The economic crisis has not altered Zarkamela’s routine except for one thing: she and her ten colleagues at the Arvanitidis super market in Katerini, northern Greece, have not received their 894-euro (1.229$) salary since August.

All employees of the super market chain, which counts some 150 stores countrywide, get paid irregularily, she explains.

“Things took a turn for the worse about a year ago. At first we were paid with a month’s delay, we didn’t complain much.

Then the (unpaid) sums accumulated.” In May, already three months in arrears, the company asked employees to accept half their salaries in 20-euro vouchers to be used in the super market.

“They think I will pay my taxes with flour and sugar,” Zarkamela said. “One or twomonth delays in salary payments are so frequent that even the kindest work inspector finds it pointless to complain,” says lawyer Margarita Stefanatou, who specialises in labour law. In a survey published by left-ofcentre daily Kathimerini in earlier this month, the union Gsee estimated that more than one million salaried employees were unpaid. Greece already has a staggering unemployment rate of more than 27 percent, with some 1.37 million people registered as jobless. “One in two companies do not pay their employees on time,” said

Yiannis Kouzis, associate professor of social policy at Athens’ Panteion University.

According to Kouzis, jobs in security, cleaning, hotelery and restaurants are the most dysfunctional.

According to the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV), companies employing up to 50 persons, which make up 98.5 percent of businesses in Greece, are the most vulnerable in the economic crisis. Small-size businesses, which before the crisis could count on bank credit for cash flow problems, are now suffocating as credit is no longer available, says Stefanatou who admits mismanagement was also a problem.

At the Henri Dunant hospital in Athens, which opened in 2000, the previous management left a million euro funding gap.

More than one thousand employees there have not been paid for nine months, explains doctor Anastassia Koutsouris, deprived of her 1,650-euro monthly salary. “I could leave, but where would I find work?,” the 45-year-old said. Fear of unemployment is what makes N, a 52-year-old waiter at a central Athens hotel who chose to remain anonymous, reluctant to leave his job. But for the past 15 months he has only been getting some “200 euros here and there”. It is rare for employees to demand their salaries, as did the shipyard workers in Skaramangas, close to Athens, who have not been paid for 18 months and hold regular protests.

Unpaid seamen working at the Pinelopi ferry, which links Athens with the Cycladic islands in the Aegean Sea, have also walked off the job since last summer. “The crisis hit a job market that already resembled a jungle and was full of many abuses,” said Eli Varkalama, lawyer for Gsee. — AFP

MUMBAI: An Indian employee of a public sector bank holds a placard during a protest yesterday. — AFP

India keeps rates on hold despite surging inflation MUMBAI: India’s hawkish central bank surprised markets by keeping its key interest rate unchanged yesterday, but warned it “will act” to tighten monetary policy if inflation soars further. After meeting in the financial capital Mumbai, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said its benchmark repo rate, at which it lends to commercial banks, would remain at 7.75 percent. Most economists had predicted an increase after the widely watched wholesale inflation rate unexpectedly soared to a 14-month high of 7.52 percent in November, well above the RBI’s five percent comfort zone.

Recently appointed RBI governor Raghuram Rajan said yesterday’s rate decision was a close call. But he said there was “reason to wait before determining the course of monetary policy” given indications that vegetable pricesthe main inflation driver-may be dropping, after surging 95 percent from last year’s levels. If inflation fails to soften when the next set of figures are published “the Reserve Bank will act,” Rajan stressed after chairing his third monetary policy meeting.

“In an environment where there is uncertainty, we have to wait for more data and see the impact of the last couple of rate hikes,” he told reporters after the decision. “Another month’s reading will not put us way behind the ball. We are trying to be responsible central bankers.”

The bank raised rates in both September and October, saying it was determined to fight inflation, but government and business leaders have been clamouring for looser monetary policy to help spur a sharply slowing economy.

India posted growth of 4.8 percent in the second quarter ended September, far below the near double-digit expan-

sion enjoyed when the economy was booming. Rajan last week said the bank was “very uncomfortable” with the inflation level but added that growth was “weaker than we would like”. He also kept the cash reserve ratio-the percentage of deposits banks must keep with the central bank-unchanged at 4.0 percent. Shares on the Bombay Stock Exchange jumped 260.89 points or 1.27 percent to 20,873.03 points in afternoon trade, cheered by the move to keep rates on hold.

Siddhartha Sanyal, chief India economist with Barclays Capital, welcomed the decision. “A rate hike at this stage would have unduly penalised the industrial sector in which the momentum is already weak,” he told AFP. The Confederation of Indian Industry also praised the decision, and urged the government to boost agricultural supplies and productivity to help tame food prices. “ The RBI has demonstrated restraint and foresight to strike the right balance between inflation and growth,” said director general Chandrajit Banerjee. But Sonal Varma, India economist at Nomura Financial Advisory and Securities, said inflation was likely to remain high and forecast the RBI would raise rates by a cumulative 50 basis points in the first half of 2014.

Finance Minister P. Chidambaram expects the economy to expand by five percent this year, but some private economists see growth as low as four percent. The scandal-scarred Congress government hopes for a revival in the economy before a general election due in May after faring poorly in state polls.

Chidambaram last week said lowering inflation was the government’s top priority, adding it was “common knowledge the government of the day will pay a high price for inflation”. — AFP

SANAA: Abdulkhaleq, a 28-year-old Yemeni who worked illegally in Saudi Arabia for five years, returned to his country last month because of a crackdown by Saudi visa authorities. He aims to leave Yemen again as soon as possible. “Here in Yemen it is worse than ever,” Abdulkhaleq said in the old quarter of the capital Sanaa. “People have no jobs, there is no security. There is nothing for me here. I would rather go to China, or Somalia even.”

Yemen’s economy is recovering from the political turmoil which surrounded the overthrow of authoritarian president Ali Abdullah Saleh in 2011. The currency has stabilised, inflation has dropped and some businessmen have resumed investing. But to Abdulkhaleq, the recovery seems far too slow to create jobs or raise living standards for many of the impoverished country’s 27 million people. Tribal violence and militancy still weigh heavily on business activity.

Worse, the economic improvement has shaky foundations: a big rise in state spending that depends on borrowing on local capital markets.

Economic reforms that would make the recovery sustainable and spread wealth more widely are on hold, and there is little sign of the political will to revive them. Tense negotiations over democratic reforms are “sucking the oxygen out of the political space, leaving very little bandwidth to deal with other urgent needs, especially related to economic issues,” said Danya Greenfield, expert on regional politics and economics at the Atlantic Council, a US think tank. “There is a complete lack of leadership or vision within the transitional government on economic policymaking, and this comes at a very high cost.”

Local markets The economy of Yemen, the second-poorest Arab state after Mauritania, shrank 12.7 percent in 2011, according to the International Monetary Fund. Gross domestic product rebounded 2.4 percent last year and the IMF thinks it will grow

6.0 percent this year. But those figures hide worrying trends. Most of the growth is due to a jump in state spending, which soared 32 percent in 2012. To sustain this spending, the government has increasingly turned to local debt markets, issuing a flurry of Treasury bills and, in November and December, Islamic bonds to local Islamic banks.

In the year to October 2013, T-bills in circulation jumped 38 percent to $6.4 billion, officials said. The IMF has forecast a budget deficit of 5.8 percent of GDP for 2013, but government officials now project a wider shortfall, of 6 to 7 percent. Ibrahim Al-Nahari, Yemen’s central bank sub-governor for foreign operations and research, said it should be possible to continue financing the budget using local markets. He estimated the Islamic banks alone could provide a further $500 million.

But he conceded that rising spending and debt payments were a source of concern.

Meanwhile, much state spending does not go towards job creation or investment in infrastructure that would make the economy more productive. Instead, it goes to an the public wage bill and fuel subsidies - buying political peace in the short term while neglecting the long-term economic outlook.

Attacks Since 2011, attacks on an oil pipeline have cut supplies to Yemen’s main refinery at Aden. This forces the government to import fuel which it sells at subsidised prices, making losses; fuel subsidies cost Sanaa $3 billion in 2012.

Corruption adds to the pressure on finances. “It has got worse since 2011,” said Mohammed AlAbsi, a local journalist who made his name fighting corruption. The state wage bill contains tens of thousands of fraudulent “ghost” employees, he said.

Foreign assistance has helped to stabilise Yemen’s balance of payments. In 2012 Sanaa obtained promises of about $7.9 billion over the

next few years from foreign donors including the United States and Saudi Arabia. But much of the money goes to aid projects in the country rather than government coffers. “Yemen cannot afford to wait much longer on implementing essential reforms,” said Gazi Shbaikat, the IMF’s representative in Yemen, who is negotiating a $550 million with Sanaa.

The IMF is pressing for reforms including cuts to the public wage bill and subsidies; savings would be redirected towards social welfare and spending on infrastructure. It also wants Sanaa to improve tax collection and business regulation. Postponing reform would mean waiting to implement poverty reduction and job creation schemes that are essential for political stability, Shbaikat said.

Alan Duncan, the British junior minister for international development who helped to arrange last year’s aid package for Yemen, said changes to the fuel subsidy system were vital not only as an economic step but to address a top source of political discontent among Yemenis. “These fuel subsidies do not benefit the poor. They are diverted by smugglers,” he said, referring to a widespread belief in Yemen that former members of the Saleh regime make tens of millions of dollars smuggling cheap diesel abroad.

There are some signs that the government is starting to rationalise its finances. The IMF projects state spending growth will slow to 6.4 percent in 2013. But it is not clear that officials are ready to bite the bullet on major reforms. Even minor changes to state spending could face opposition from vested interests. Embroiled in acrimonious National Dialogue talks which aim to bring in a new constitution, President AbdRabbu Mansour Hadi is not well placed to take on such opposition. “If you speak to anyone in government, they will tell you that the subsidies should be cut,” said an official overseeing state finances. “But the political environment does not allow it.” — Reuters

Gold edges higher ahead of Fed policy statement LONDON: Gold firmed a touch yesterday ahead of a keenly awaited policy announcement from the Federal Reserve, as investors awaited further clues on when the US central bank will trim its monetary stimulus program. Speculation that the Fed will taper its $85 billion monthly bond purchases, in a move away from the ultra-loose monetary policy that sent gold prices to record highs in 2011, has knocked the metal 25 percent lower this year.

Worries that this fall had been overdone prompted a wave of short covering last week, lending some support to prices. They are likely to tread water along with the dollar until the Fed’s statement is released at 1900 GMT. Spot gold was up 0.3 percent at $1,232.70 an ounce at 1223 GMT, while US gold futures for February delivery were up $2.20 an ounce at $1,232.30. “ Tapering has been like the sword of Damocles holding above gold’s head for so long now. Once it is behind us, we will have some certainty over what will come,” Sharps Pixley chief executive Ross Norman said. “Ultimately what will determine gold’s direction in the immediate

aftermath of the announcement will be the US dollar, and how it responds,” he said. “Normally the gold market would have quietened down at this time of year, but you feel that gold is holding on for this last hurrah.”

Trading on financial markets was cautious as investors awaited the Fed’s policy decision and an outside chance it could announce it was trimming its massive stimulus programme immediately. European shares climbed, helped by a strong German business sentiment survey, but moves in the dollar and benchmark US and European government bonds were tight.

Physical gold fund holdings drop Investment interest in physical gold funds continued to wane, with the world’s largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, New York’s SPDR Gold Shares, reporting another 2.1-tonne outflow from its holdings on Tuesday. China - the world’s biggest bullion consumer - saw trading volumes for 99.99 percent purity gold pick up yesterday to about 13 tonnes from Tuesday’s 8 tonnes. Indian demand remained depressed by

a lack of stocks in the market, which kept premiums high. India’s government raised import tariffs on gold earlier this year and tied imports to export volumes to reduce the country’s current account deficit. An official from the Reserve Bank of India said yesterday it would be premature to remove the curbs on imports.

“We think (Indian) gold imports should start to pick up in recent months regardless of policy as the industry adapts to the new measures,” Macquarie said in a note yesterday. “But government policy will remain the key determinant.”

Gold exports from Australia, the world’s second-biggest producer of the metal after China, are set to drop 4 percent in 2013/14 to 270 tonnes, Australia’s Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics said yesterday. Silver was up 0.2 percent at $19.92 an ounce, while spot platinum was up 0.2 percent at $1,347.75 an ounce and palladium was up 1.1 percent at $705.72 an ounce. Palladium fell 2.3 percent on Tuesday to its lowest in two months, after breaking through technical support at $705.50, its early December low, analysts said. — Reuters

How budget deal should help support US economy WASHINGTON: Congress is on the verge of doing something it hasn’t done during three years of partisan warfare: Passing a budget deal that won’t likely hurt the economy. The two-year spending plan the Senate is expected to approve Wednesday all but removes the threat of another government shutdown like the one that slowed the economy in October. Among other things, the agreement will roll back some of the automatic federal spending cuts that kicked in this year. The result? Economists say the US economy has a good chance to accelerate at its fastest pace since before the Great Recession struck six years ago.

Growth has plodded along at a 2.4 percent annual rate so far this year. Bolstered in part by the budget deal, the economy is poised to expand 2.9 percent next year, its healthiest pace since 2005, according to an Associated Press survey of economists. “There was a lot of austerity in 2013,” said Michael Hanson, senior US economist at Bank of America. “We should have a lot less in 2014.”

President Barack Obama is expected to sign the bipartisan compromise. The measure overwhelmingly cleared the House last week. On Tuesday, the Senate advanced the bill in a procedural vote, setting the stage for final passage. The deal marks a sharp change from recent years in which partisan hostilities led to governance by crisis. Deals were struck between Democrats and Republicans only as the government neared an emergency. A lastminute deal in October, for example, removed the threat of a default on the national debt that could have triggered another recession.

The earlier budget deals helped shrink the deficit. But they’ve also squeezed workers and businesses by hindering growth. Higher tax rates, along with spending cuts, subtracted 1.5 percentage points from annual growth this year, according to the Congressional Budget Office. That’s the difference between an economy limping along at 2.4 percent annual growth and one accelerating at close to a 4 percent rate.

With the new deal in place, economists estimate that the government will exert less of a drag on the economy. The drag on growth from federal policies should decline from 1.5 percentage points this year to 0.5 percentage point at the most, economists estimate. The bill approves spending in 2014 at

slightly more than $1 trillion, compared with the $967 billion mandated by the automatic spending cuts. It boosts spending by $63 billion over two years.

It replaces the spending cuts with longer-term savings, many of which don’t accumulate for nearly another decade. Airline passengers will pay higher ticket fees, but the additional revenue won’t come from tax increases. Deficits would rise slightly in 2014 and 2015. The compromise could also spur businesses to hire and expand because they’re no longer operating under the threat of another government shutdown. It also suggests that a compromise will be reached when Congress must again raise the debt limit in February to prevent a possible default. Just the appearance of two nearly implacable political parties agreeing on the first bipartisan budget pact since 1986 has increased hope.

“More significant is that there is a deal at all, as

that should eliminate the risk of another shutdown,” said Jim O’Sullivan, chief US economist at High Frequency Economics, who forecasts that the economy will grow 3.3 percent next year largely as a result of less drag from the government. The agreement could also make it easier for the Federal Reserve to scale back its purchases of $85 billion in bonds each month. The Fed program has been intended to lower loan rates to boost borrowing, spending and investing. But even as hiring has picked up, Chairman Ben Bernanke has been reluctant to slow the purchases until Congress settled its differences on the budget.

Economists said the additional spending from repealing some of the spending cuts should help growth. But some of the gains could be offset by the end of emergency unemployment benefits on Dec 28. The federal program has extended benefits to 1.3 million people who’ve been out of work longer than six months. —AP

NEW YORK: In this photo, a destitute man sleeps on the sidewalk under a holiday window at Blanc de Chine in New York. — AP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

BUSINESS

HP raises CEO Whitman’s salary to $1.5M from $1 HP annual revenue down by 12% SAN FRANCISCO: Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman is getting a huge raise as she enters the third year of her attempt to turn around the slumping personal computer and printer maker. Whitman’s annual salary is soaring to $1.5 million from the $1 that she settled for during her first two years on the job, according a regulatory documents filed Tuesday. The raise approved last week is retroactive to Nov 1, the beginning of Hewlett-Packard Co’s fiscal year.

HP said the bigger paycheck will make Whiteman’s salary comparable to what CEOs of similar-sized companies make.

HP earned $5 billion on revenue of $112 billion during its last fiscal year. The Palo Alto, Calif, company’s annual revenue has fallen by 12 percent over the past two years as PC sales have declined amid a shift to smartphones and tablets. Whitman has been trying to counter the downturn by expanding into more profitable niches such as business software, data analysis and technology-consulting services.

Whitman is a billionaire who agreed when HP hired her as CEO in September 2011 to accept a nominal salary partly because she realized the company would have to trim its payroll to offset the drop in revenue. Not long after Whitman took control, the company set out to eliminate nearly 30,000 jobs. HP’s revenue is still falling, but the company’s stock has risen by 20 percent since Whitman took over. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index has climbed about 58 percent during the same period. HP’s shares plunged during Whitman’s first 15 months on the job, but have nearly doubled this year in a sign of increased investor confidence in her ability to get the company back on the right track.

Despite the rally, HP was dropped from the prestigious Dow Jones industrial average earlier this year, partly because its stock price remains well below where it stood just a few years ago. The shares closed Tuesday at $27.45, about 40 percent below their value in August 2010 when HP parted ways with Mark Hurd as its CEO amid questions about his relationship with a company contractor and his expense reports. Hurd is now a top executive at HP rival Oracle Corp, where he is paid an annual salary of $950,000.

Whitman could afford to forego much of the salary routinely paid to corporate CEOs. Her wealth is estimated at $1.9 billion by Forbes magazine. Most of Whitman’s fortune flowed from her success running eBay Inc. during the Internet bazaar’s formative years. She stepped down as eBay’s CEO in 2008 and subsequently made an unsuccessful run to become California’s governor. Other billionaire CEOs who limit their salary to $1 include Google Inc.’s Larry Page and Oracle’s Larry Ellison. Despite her paltry salary, Whitman has still been richly compensated during her stint as HP CEO. Most of her pay has come in the form of stock awards designed to give her an incentive to boost HP’s market value. Her initial pay packages have been valued at $15.4 million to $16.5 million, mostly because of the stock award. HP hasn’t yet revealed how much stock, bonus and other perquisites that Whitman received in the last fiscal year to supplement her annual salary. Tuesday’s regulatory filing didn’t discuss how Whitman’s higher salary might affect the rest of her pay package for the current fiscal year. — AP

IRS vendor owed $525m MOUNT LEBANON: In this photo, construction continues on a new single family home in Mount Lebanon, Pa. The Commerce Department reports the pace at which builders broke ground on homes in November yesterday. — AP

WASHINGTON: The Internal Revenue Service has been doing business with nearly 1,200 vendors that owe back taxes, including one unnamed contractor that owed a whopping $525 million, a new inspector general’s report says. Altogether, 1,168 IRS vendors owed back taxes totaling $589 million as of July 2012, according to the report released Tuesday. Only 50 were in a payment plan to pay off their debt.

“When the IRS conducts business with vendors that do not comply with federal tax laws, it conveys a contradictory message in relation to its mission to ensure compliance with the tax laws,” said J Russell George, Treasury inspector general for tax administration. The IRS checks whether vendors owe back taxes when the agency awards contracts, the IRS said. But the IRS doesn’t continuously monitor whether vendors are current in their tax bills after contracts are awarded, the report said.

George has recommended the IRS require an annual tax check for all contractors, but the agency says federal acquisition regulations don’t authorize them. The inspector general’s office is prohibited by law from revealing the name of any delinquent vendors, including the one that owed $525 million. The report says most of the back taxes, including the biggest, were delinquent for less than a year.

The inspector general’s office said its report excluded back taxes that were being contested, counting only those that were either agreed to by the taxpayer or ordered by a court. About 7 percent of IRS vendors owed back taxes, the report said. However, it suggest-

ed the IRS may have been an unwilling business partner with most of them.

For example, the IRS must routinely pay fees to banks and other financial institutions when it orders them to turn over records about taxpayers, the report said. The agency also has to pay filing fees to state and county governments to file tax liens.

“Thus, even if these entities have unpaid tax debt, the IRS must still use their services,” the report said.

The IRS said 863 of the delinquent vendors - or about three-fourths - provided these types of services to the agency. Federal law authorizes the IRS to withhold government payments to individuals and businesses that owe back taxes, the report said. The federal government can also exclude individuals or companies from doing business with the federal government for a variety of reasons, including failure to perform the terms of a contract or being convicted of a crime, the report said.

The IRS awarded contracts to three vendors that had been excluded from doing business with the federal government, the report said. However, the report said, IRS efforts to prevent such contracts were generally effective. “The vast majority of vendors that conduct business with the IRS meet their federal tax obligations,” the IRS said in a statement. “We appreciate (the inspector general’s) acknowledgment that IRS has effective controls in place to prevent suspended and debarred vendors from receiving IRS contracts.

We agreed with (the IG’s) recommendations and are in the process of implementing them.” — AP

LONDON: A file picture shows a sign for a BP filling station in central London. —AFP

BP reveals $1.1bn charge after closing well in Brazil LONDON: BP said yesterday that it will write off $1.08 billion (784 million euros) in costs from a failed Brazilian well, but revealed a “significant” discovery in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. The British energy giant added in a statement that “momentum” was returning to its operations in the Gulf of Mexico, in the wake of the 2010 oil spill catastrophe. “The BP-operated Pitanga exploration well on Block BM-CAL13, in the Camamu-Almada basin offshore Brazil, had encountered oil shows but no commercial quantities of oil or gas,” it said, adding it will relinquish the block.

The London-listed energy major revealed that $850 million of the $1.08 billion charge related to the value of the BM-CAL-13 block, while the remainder reflected the cost of drilling. In 2010, the British company had purchased various assets in

Azerbaijan, Brazil and the Gulf of Mexico, from US firm Devon Energy for $7 billion. “ The Pitanga well result will trigger a write-off of around $230 million related to the costs of drilling the well, as well as a write-off of around $850 million associated with the value allocated to this block as part of the acquisition accounting related to the Devon deal, which BP expects to treat as a non-operating item,” it added yesterday.

BP added that the “significant” discovery at its Gila prospect, which it co-owns with ConocoPhillips, was located 300 miles southwest of New Orleans in 4,900 feet of water. The group said that appraisal drilling was required to determine its size and commercial value.

“The Gila discovery is a further sign that momentum is returning to BP’s drilling operations and well exe-

cution in the Gulf of Mexico,” added Richard Morrison, regional president of BP’s Gulf of Mexico business.

Despite the Brazilian well closure, BP added that 2013 has been the most successful year in new field exploration for almost a decade, with 15 completed wildcat exploration wells.

This has resulted in seven potentially commercial discoveries, giving a new field exploration success rate of over 40 percent.

“Exploration is at the heart of BP’s upstream strategy,” added Lamar McKay, boss of BP’s upstream division, in the statement. “The successes and opportunities now being delivered through our increased exploration activity confirm our confidence inour ability to sustain BP’s resource base. “This success is being mirrored in improved operating performance delivery across BP’s upstream business.” — AFP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

BUSINESS

Indulge in epitome of sporting luxury with the all-new BMW 4 Series Coupe Now available in Kuwait

KUWAIT: From its conception on a design board in Munich, the definition of modern sporting luxury - Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive, the BMW Group impor ter in Kuwait has announced the arrival of the all new sporty and athletic twodoor BMW 4 Series Coupe. The all-new BMW 4 Series CoupÈ is being showcased at the Avenues Shopping Mall in Kuwait from the 15th till 21st of December.

Visitors were able to experience the dynamic coupe daily from 10:00 am until 10:00pm.

Representing the fourth generation of BMW’s mid-size coupÈ, the all-new BMW 4 Series CoupÈ embodies the sporty nature of the premium segment in every aspect of its design, performance and dynamics. The ‘4’ in its model designation signals outstanding styling and positioning while emphasising not only its standalone design, but also an even greater technical differentiation from the BMW 3 Series.

The muscular and purposeful design of the all-new BMW 4 Series Coupe highlights its dynamic abilities. Exterior features have been developed to highlight the vehicle’s sporting pedigree, starting with a large, wide air-intake in the front apron which accentuates the vehicle’s increased width. This is capped at both ends by apertures for aerodynamically motivated aircurtains which are complemented by air-breathers located just

behind the front wheels. The new model is visibly larger in width and wheelbase than the BMW 3 Series Coupe, and its dynamically stretched coupÈ silhouette sits considerably lower to the road. This, together with its hallmark BMW short overhangs, a long bonnet and setback passenger compartment with flowing roofline, gives the BMW 4 Series Coupe a balanced appearance.

Xenon headlights are standard, while Adaptive LED twin

smooth flowing lines, and opulent interior and an engine that packs a punch, the all-new BMW 4 Series CoupÈ is everything a modern sports coupÈ aspires to be. Backed up with a host of innovative new technologies from the BMW Group, including a wide array of BMW Connected Apps, the new coupe will redefine what it means to be a sports coupe in Kuwait. At Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive we will continue to deliver the best in motoring to our discerning cus-

bumper. Its distinctive trim element made of satinated aluminium - echoing the threefold division of the front air inlets - also emphasises the rear’s width. The two tailpipes are enclosed by the bumper, and are flanked by small upward sweeps for added dynamism and sophistication.

Once inside, the interior of the BMW 4 Series CoupÈ is dominated by BMW Individual colours and materials which ooze luxury.

Black and Schiparelli Brown as well as sustainably tanned

ments running along the seat edges that are echoed on the foot mats and leather cup holders. Not restricting user customisations, the BMW 4 Series CoupÈ will have alternate interior options under the ‘Sport’, ‘Luxury’ and ‘Modern’ lines as well as the M Sport Package.

The new BMW 4 Series CoupÈ deploys a unique combination of driver assistance systems and mobility services - available as standard or as an option under the BMW ConnectedDrive ban-

headlights are optional - they team up with the slightly forward-slanting BMW kidney grille and twin round circular headlights which make the new 4 Series CoupÈ instantly recognisable as a BMW. Commenting on the launch, Yousef Al-Qatami, General Manager, Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive, said: “With

tomers.”

The sporty character of the BMW 4 Series CoupÈ is equally apparent in the car ’s rear.

Horizontal lines and L-shaped LED taillights spaced very far apart combine to emphasise the car’s muscular wheel arches and wide track. Another distinctive element in the rear design is the

leather radiate exclusivity and sporting appeal, while the clever use of superimposed design lines and surfaces emphasise the model’s outstanding dynamic ability. In addition to a discreet embossed ‘BMW Individual’ designation on the upholstery and entry sills, the seats have decorative hand-plaited leather ele-

ner - to set the benchmark in terms of safety, comfor t and infotainment. These include the latest BMW Professional Multimedia Navigation system, Active Cruise Control with braking function,; glare-free Highbeam Assistant, and Dynamic Safety. Collectively, these help to keep the driver more aler t,

reducing the possibility of accidents and minimising the consequences should one occur. Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive is the only importer in Kuwait to offer this unparalleled level of connectivity and motoring assistance to its customers.

BMW Professional Multimedia Navigation now includes enhanced 3D graphics, greater functionality, a new iDrive Touch Controller for writing text and a movable cursor in the interactive map. The Driving Assistant option uses a camera mounted in the rear-view mirror to detect a possible collision, alerting the driver and initiating autonomous braking if necessary. The same camera is also used by the Active Cruise Control to maintain the gap between the 4 Series CoupÈ and the vehicle ahead, alerting the driver if the car ahead brakes suddenly. The Lane change and Lane departure warning systems also use a camera and radar sensors to warn the driver of a potential collision when changing lanes. The new BMW 4 Series CoupÈ will initially be available with a choice of two BMW TwinPower Turbo engines: 435i and 428i and will be supple mented by the 420i in January 2014. The two engines available from launch - the 3.0-litre sixcylinder 435i and the 2.0-litre four-cylinder 428i are both direct-injection turbocharged delivering 306hp and 245hp respectively.

Japan’s trade deficit soars on fuel import Tokyo stocks up 1.54%

BEIJING: Two Chinese workers clean the roof of a walk way of a shopping mall yesterday. — AFP

China outbound investment up by 28.3% in 11 months BEIJING: Chinese overseas investment rose to $80.2 billion in the first 11 months of 2013, the government announced yesterday-exceeding the entire total for last year.

Outbound investment calculated on the basis of deals closed rose 28.3 percent in January-November from the same period last year, the ministry of commerce said, topping the $77.2 billion recorded during all of 2012.

Investment to Russia surged 685 percent during the 11 month period, and also leaped 232.2 percent to the United States.

China has been actively acquiring foreign assets, particularly energy and resources, to power its fast expanding economy. Ministry spokesman Shen Danyang explained the surge in investment to Russia by telling reporters there were “quite significant projects”, without giving any specifics.

Russia’s top oil producer Rosneft announced in October it had signed a memorandum with China’s state-held CNPC creating the two nations’ first joint venture for developing remote East Siberian fields.

The value of the deal was unspecified. CNPC in June also struck a deal to acquire a 20 percent stake in a liquefied natural gas project in the Russian Arctic known as the Yamal LNG. “China currently is keen to invest abroad, leading to high investment growth rate,” Shen said. He added that in the future the ministry will “try as much as we can” to relax controls on outbound deals to “actively increase overseas investment by companies and individuals”. In September, shareholders of US pork giant Smithfield Foods agreed a $7.1 billion takeover by China’s Shuanghui International, the biggest ever Chinese acquisition of a US company.

But an official told AFP that Beijing is cautious of announcing big-ticket overseas investments due to concerns about “overinterpretation” by the media. The media “often link the deals to the government. But companies don’t just listen to us-they make their own decisions,” he added.

Investment destined for Hong Kong and Japan fell 0.6 percent and 13.3 percent respectively. The ministry also said that foreign investment into China rose 5.48 percent year-on-year in the first 11 months.

Foreign direct investment (FDI), which excludes financial sectors, totalled $105.5 billion for January-November, the ministry said. For November alone FDI increased 2.35 percent year on year to $8.48 billion, it said. Investment from the European Union jumped 17.36 percent to $6.8 billion during the January-November period from the year before, while that from the United States increased 8.6 percent to $3.2 billion.

Most investment into China comes from a group of 10 Asian countries and regions including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand and Singapore. FDI from those economies rose 7.45 percent to $91.4 billion in the year to November. The Shanghai Free Trade Zone, China’s latest showcase of what it says is a commitment to further market reforms, had drawn 58 overseas companies with a registered capital of more than $610 million by the end of November, Shen said.

The government has said the zone, launched in late September, will have a range of favourable policies, including free convertibility of the Chinese currency on a trial basis. “Foreign companies are very interested in the zone and they are enthusiastic to invest,” Shen said. —AFP

TOKYO: Japan posted a record November trade deficit, data showed yesterday, underscoring how soaring energy bills have weighed on the country’s trade balance despite a jump in exports.

Government figures showed a 35.1 percent yearon-year rise to a 1.29 trillion yen ($12.6 billion) deficit, the worst result for November and the 17th straight month of shortfall-the longest stretch since comparable data began more than three decades ago.

Japanese energy imports surged after the 2011 Fukushima crisis forced the shutdown of nuclear reactors, which once supplied a third of the nation’s power. A sharp decline in the yen, which is good for exporters’ profitability, has also forced up the cost of importing pricey fossil-fuels to plug the country’s energy gap. “The weak yen is largely to blame for the recent widening of the deficit, as a weaker currency increases the costs of imports more than it raises export revenues,” said Londonbased Capital Economics.

It added that “the other important reason for the widening of the trade deficit is the relative strength of domestic demand in Japan”. The yen has been under pressure since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who took office late last year, launched a policy blitz that meshed government spending with a central bank monetary easing plan unveiled in April. The growth plan, dubbed Abenomics, is aimed at rebooting the world’s third-largest economy, which has suffered from deflation for years.

Yesterday’s trade figures come on the back of slowing GDP growth after a sizzling expansion that saw Japan outpace other G7 nations in the first half of the year. Japan’s third-quarter growth came in at 0.3 percent, a sharp slowdown from a 0.9 percent expansion in the previous quarter. But firms appear to be taking the slowdown in their stride. On Monday, a Bank of Japan survey that polls more than 10,000 companies showed business confidence has soared to a six-year high.

Part of the reason is that the weak yen has boosted the bottom line at exporters such as Sony and Toyota, as the cheaper unit makes them more competitive overseas while inflating repatriated profits. That benefit showed up in the trade data as exports last month rose 18.4 percent to 5.90 trillion yen, backed by robust shipments of automobiles.

Imports soared 21.1 percent to 7.19 trillion yen, owing to Japans’ hefty bills for oil and gas purchases. Exports expanded in most major regions, with US-bound shipments up 21.2 percent to 1.13 trillion yen while those to the European Union rose 19.4 percent to 599.4 billion yen. Goods shipped to Japan’s biggest trading partner China surged 33.1 percent to 1.14 trillion yen, supplying more evi-

dence that the impact of a consumer boycott on Japanese brands was fading.

The boycott came after a Tokyo-Beijing territorial dispute over islands in the East China Sea set off protests in China and soured already testy relations between the Asian giants. As the Japanese premier nears his one-year anniversary, there is rising speculation that the Bank of Japan will expand its monetary easing programme-which injects vast sums into the financial system-as consumers prepare for a sales tax hike that critics fear will derail a budding recovery.

“As domestic demand accelerates ahead of the consumption tax hike, the deficit may well widen further in the near-term, but we should see a narrowing once the tax has been raised,” Capital Economics said. Tokyo has approved a spending package worth almost $54 billion to offset the tax hike-to 8.0 percent from 5.0 percent. The tax rise is seen as crucial to bringing down Japan’s huge national debt. Analysts have warned that Abe’s bold pro-growth program is not enough on its own without promised economic reforms. A proposed shake-up, including loosening labor laws and signing free trade deals, is seen as key to ushering in lasting change.

Meanwhile, Tokyo stocks jumped 1.54 percent

yesterday morning as the yen weakened ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s decision on a timeline for scaling back its stimulus program. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index added 235.96 points to 15,514.59 by the break, while the Topix index of all first-section shares rose 1.00 percent, or 12.27 points, to 1,244.58. Later yesterday, Fed policymakers wrapped up a two-day meeting after debating whether the world’s biggest economy is strong enough to immediately scale back its $85 billion a month quantitative-easing (QE) programme.

Analysts are split on whether the Fed will act right away or wait until early in the new year as fourthquarter data flows in.

Markets have been see-sawing ahead of a decision on the stimulus, which has been credited with buoying global equity markets. “Whether the Fed takes its foot off the QE pedal tonight or in January is probably a moot point... as the bottom line is that tapering is very much going to happen and markets will need to adjust sooner rather than later,” Credit Agricole said.

With US November housing starts figures also set to be released, dealers said they were keeping a close eye on any statements from Fed chief Ben Bernanke about US economic conditions and any Fed move on interest rates. —Agencies

TOKYO: A pedestrian walks in front of a quotation board displaying the Nikkei key index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (left) and TOPIX (right) yesterday.—AFP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

BUSINESS

Ford and EA team up to provide free in-game download of all-new Mustang ‘Need for Speed Rivals’ players can choose from 5 designs DUBAI: Gamers are being given the first chance to get behind the wheel of the all-new Ford Mustang. EA and Ford are teaming up to let players of the recently released “Need for Speed Rivals” video game virtually drive the hotly anticipated, next-generation Mustang before it hits the streets next year. Just days after the all-new Ford Mustang- loaded with innovative technologies and delivering world-class levels of performance was revealed around the world, it will automatically appear in the garage of cars available to drive for everyone playing the arcade-style racing game.

“During the past five decades, Mustang has become so much more than just a car,” said Andrea Zuehlk, Ford digital marketing manager. “The feeling of freedom and independence Mustang inspires has made it popular around the world. Making it available in Need for Speed Rivals helps us share the joy that comes from driving a Mustang to even more people.”

With more than 9 million cars sold

in its 50 years of continuous production, Mustang has made a significant impact in pop culture, including gaming; it’s been featured as a playable car in the Need for Speed video game franchise since 2005. Mustang has also made thousands of appearances in film, television and music, and is the world’s most-liked vehicle on Facebook, with more than 5.6 million fans.

“We worked closely with the development team at EA to provide them with engineering data for the new Mustang, several months before we showed it to the rest of the world,” said Mark Bentley, Ford product licensing manager. “Computer design models enabled the game developers to create an accurate representation of the new Mustang before it goes on sale.”

The exclusive, customized Mustang “hero car” from the upcoming Need for Speed movie is also available to drive and has been playable in the game since it launched in November. Along with

the new car, Need for Speed players can also choose to get behind the wheel of the Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang, which is available as a police chase vehicle.

“In the game, players can choose from five custom designs to give their new Mustang a unique look,” said Zuehlk. “Four are selected from the designs that received the most votes in Ford’s award-winning Mustang Customizer online, mobile and tablet application, plus a special bonus design created by RTR founder and Drift champion Vaughn Gittin Jr.” Available now, Need for Speed Rivals has reached worldwide critical acclaim, earning the Gold Award with a 9/10 from Game Informer Magazine,which calls the game “an exceptional experience.” Need for Speed Rivals has also received an 8.5/10 from AusGamers and a 9/10 from Eurogamer.net, praising it as “a racer that any of its competitors would do well to match in the new generation.”

Need for Speed Rivals glorifies the

street ’s ultimate rivalr y, daring gamers to cross the line as either a cop or racer to gain the upper hand by any means necessar y. Playing either side of the law comes with its own distinct career experience, each with its own set of high-stakes challenges, rewards, pursuit technology and cars. But now, the stakes are at their highest level with an all-new

scoring system where gamers put their speed points on the line and risk losing it all if busted. Need for Speed Rivals is now available for the PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft and Xbox 360 , as well as for PC via Origin worldwide.

UAE-Russia Energy experts discuss ‘Energy Security’

British Airways gives travellers opportunity to explore Europe KUWAIT: This December, British Airways is giving travellers from Kuwait the opportunity to explore Europe, by launching a sale to all destinations in the UK and Europe, which will run until December 31, 2013. A recent survey commissioned by British Airways has shown that people from Kuwait are intent on travelling the world as often as possible and are using technology to ease the travel process by booking and checking in online. British Airways is responding to this feedback by encouraging customers to visit new destinations, or revisit old favourites, through a few simple clicks on ba.com.

As Europe is home to some of the top fashion capitals of the world, British Airways will also be giving its customers the opportunity to travel in style and arrive rested and pampered. This

December, British Airways and Elemis have unwrapped new-look lounge travel spas with indulgent 15-minute treatments and complimentary self-treatment products, as well as new in-flight amenity kits in Club World. The drawstring bag, designed to double up as a shoe or clothing bag includes products to refresh, revive and rehydrate, created in travel sizes exclusively for British Airways customers. Paolo De Renzis, British Airways area commercial manager for the Middle East and Central Asia, said: “As many people want to travel during the winter break, we want to encourage our customers to take flight and explore the UK and Europe. People in the Middle East have shown us that they are avid travellers, and we want to give them the opportunity to travel comfortably with a high-end carrier at very attractive prices.”

Transfer your salary to ABK and receive KD 100 KUWAIT: Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK) offers its customers several specialized services, and is constantly upgrading its current products to be on par to meet customer needs. The bank offers new customers a gift of KD 100 and numerous other benefits upon transfer of salaries that start from KD 500.

Stewart Lockie, General Manager of Retail Banking stated, “We are proud to see ourselves becoming the banking partner of choice for our customers. Customers with a salary of KD 500 or above receive a gift of

KD 100, the Visa Gold card free of charge for the first year, free travel insurance, a free checkbook for the first time and other advantages upon transferring their salaries to ABK.” Lockie added, “Customers that have a salary exceeding KD 1,000 receive all the benefits mentioned earlier, in addition to a 50 percent discount on the standing order issuance fees, free of charge money transfers, free valet parking service at 10 popular spots such as malls and restaurants, in addition they also get a safety deposit box service free of charge for the first year.”

Al-Tijari offers customers exclusive discounts from Mada KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait is exclusively offering its credit card and prepaid card holders a 20 percent discount on wireless internet subscriptions with unlimited download from Mada when purchased from their point of sale locations in Marina Mall, Avenues, Muhallab, Al-Bairaq Mall, Mada Store in Hawalli and X-Cite branches in Al-Rai and Farwaniya and Fahaheel. There is also a

home delivery services for Al-Tijari customers who wish to purchase the offer by calling 1822888. The special offer is on the SoHo router and the Biscuit portable router for a subscription of three months or one year.

The offer is valid until January 26, 2014.

The Commercial Bank of Kuwait always strives to give its customers the best offers and reward them for their continuous

ABU DHABI: Government Officials and Energy CEOs met in Abu Dhabi at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum to discuss the key topics effecting energy security in 2014 and beyond and setting the scene for the Forum’s discussions in their upcoming meeting in St Petersburg in May 2014.

Attendees included Suhail Mohamed Faraj Al-Mazrouei, Minister of Energy of the UAE Mohamed Thani Al-Rumaithi, Chairman of Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry Sergey Belyakov, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, Alexander Yefimov, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to UAE, Badr Jafar, President of Crescent Petroleum and Grant Porter, Chairman of Global Natural Resources at Barclays Capital.

During the high-level panel, moderated by CNN’s John Defterios, the panelists discussed the changing global demand and rapid technical innovation which has the potential to transform the world’s energy market, creating vast opportunities for suppliers and customers who can effectively harness new technologies, whilst on the other hand also raising potentially severe risks that market participants must take active, pre-emptive measures to avert.

“Both demand-side and supply-side factors could overhaul

the market”, Badr Jafar commented. “Energy demand is rising in China, Asia and the Middle East, but falling or flat in the traditionally major markets of the US and Europe. Meanwhile, as a result of large price differentials and technological development, US and Chinese markets are already investing heavily in gas use in transportation, resulting in potentially millions of barrels per day of demand at the margin switching over”, he said.

Panelists also described the US shale revolution, the most dramatic example of this energy market overhaul, as fundamentally changing the supply pictures for petroleum, and especially gas where estimated global resources

have increased by 66 percent in the last half decade. Meanwhile, as environmental concerns potentially drive a switch from coal to gas in power generation in certain key markets across the world, China could once again transform the global energy landscape as it did when it became a major energy importer in the 2000s.

Also on the supply-side, the shut-in production due to geopolitical instability was highlighted as a being a key factor to consider, which “is over 3 million barrels of oil per day if you include the drop in production in Libya, Iran, Syria, Sudan and Nigeria”, said Jafar. The opportunities presented by innovation in the energy market are extensive, Jafar affirmed, and

those producers who can incorporate new technology into their own energy systems will be at a considerable advantage. “A country like the UAE, with very large oil and gas resource bases and disproportionately smaller levels of production, has considerable potential to grow using these new techniques,” he said, citing Russia as a good example as demonstrated by its high productivity relative to its resource base.

The session was organized as a joint initiative between the St Petersburg International Economic Forum and the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry, on the subject of ‘Energy Security in an Era of Market Transformation’.

ADM to move HQ to Chicago CHICAGO: Archer Daniels Midland Company announced yestedray it is moving its global headquarters to Chicago, but said the agribusiness giant could still set up a new technology center in another state after failing to win millions in tax breaks. The company said in a written statement it would move a small corporate team of about 50-75 employees to Chicago, but won’t, at least for now, be bringing 100 more jobs that were to come with the technology center it had planned for the same site. Chicago, with its two international airports and big-city amenities, was an obvious contender when the company first announced in September that it planned to move its headquarters from Decatur in central Illinois to a location with better access to its customers worldwide. “While we considered other global hubs, Chicago emerged as the best location to provide efficient access to global markets while maintaining our close connections with US farmers, customers and operations,” said ADM

Chairman and Chief Executive Patricia Woertz in the company’s statement.

ADM plans to keep about 4,400 jobs in Decatur, where it’s been headquartered for 44 years, and make that city its Nor th American headquarters. Woertz noted in her statement that the company had originally planned to bundle its new global headquarters with a technology center in one location that would have brought an additional 100 jobs. She called that a “comprehensive plan” that would have “included state government support and multiyear commitments to stakeholders.”

But Illinois lawmakers did not pass a sought-after tax-incentive package. Woertz said the plan to locate the IT center with the global headquarters “could not be realized within ADM’s timeframe” and that the company was scouting out alternative sites in several states. She said the company expects to make a decision by the middle of next year. The company’s announcement earlier this year prompted a new round of concerns

about Illinois’ business climate and debate in the Legislature about whether the state should offer financial incentives so that companies would create new jobs or keep jobs there. ADM had sought up to $30 million in tax breaks to keep the global headquarters in Illinois. The Illinois Senate and a House committee approved that deal during a special legislative session earlier this month, but the House adjourned without voting on the measure.

Business leaders and some lawmakers feared the lack of action would frustrate ADM and send the company out of state. But House Speaker Michael Madigan criticized ADM and other companies for seeking the incentives. The powerful Chicago Democrat also said he was unlikely to support perks for companies that pay little in taxes. ADM has about 30,000 employees worldwide. While Chicago officials had said the city was in the running for the new global headquarters, officials in Atlanta and St Louis said they also were also in contact with ADM. —AP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

technology

High-tech startup hopes to change biking styles An electric-hybrid vehicle CAMBRIDGE: A Massachusetts startup is launching a new device that transforms almost any bicycle into an electric-hybrid vehicle using an app on a smartphone. The device, called the Copenhagen Wheel, is installed as part of a rear hub of a bike wheel and is packed with a proprietary computer, batteries and sensors that monitor how hard a rider is peddling and activate an onboard motor whenever support is needed.

The device uses wireless connectivity to communicate with the biker’s smartphone to track distance traveled, elevation gained, share with friends the number of calories burned and lock the wheel remotely as soon as the owner walks away from the bike.

“The motor integrates itself with the rider’s motion ver y, ver y seamlessly,” said Assaf Biderman, who co-invented the device at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ’s SENSEable City Lab, where he is associate director. “It’s almost like having a riding companion riding together with you, making the ride easier, simpler.”

The combination of power from the Copenhagen Wheel and the cyclist’s energy can make an average biker move “almost like a Tourde-Franc-level athlete in your daily commute,” said Biderman, who founded Cambridge, Mass.based Superpedestrian Inc. that secured an exclusive license for the technology from MIT.

CAMBRIDGE: Assaf Biderman, co-inventor of the Copenhagen Wheel and Associate Director of the SENSEable City Laboratory at MIT, poses with his invention at Superpedestrian, his venture-backed company in Cambridge. —- AP

Google Glass eyewear lets winking snap pictures SAN FRANCISCO: Google Glass yesterday announced updates to the software in its Internet-linked eyewear to allow users to snap pictures by winking.

The new feature, which promises to escalate privacy concerns already being voiced about the high-tech gadget, came as one of an array of improvements.

“We’ve got a new setting that lets you quickly and easily capture the moments you care about with a simple wink of the eye,” Google Glass posted on its Google+ social network page.

“We’re starting with pictures, but just think about what else is possible,” the message continued.

Notions put forth included Glass wearers someday paying for cab rides by winking at meters or buying something in a shop with a blink.

Updates included letting owners lock eyewear so it can’t be used unless a person knows the right “handshake” of swipes and taps.

The “Glassware” code powering the eyewear was also modified to upload video directly to Google-owned videosharing venue YouTube.

Envisioned uses “Glass is about helping you look up and experience the world around you without getting bogged down by technology,” Google said.

The high-tech accouterment lets wearers take pictures, record video, send messages or perform other tasks with touch controls or by speaking commands. It connects to the Internet using Wi-Fi hot spots or being wirelessly tethered to mobile phones.

Facebook, Twitter and major news organizations have already tailored applications for Google Glass, which has only been made available to developers and a limited selection of “explorers” who paid $1,500 each for the eyewear.

Envisioned uses range from practical tasks such as shopping or delivering local weather reports to sharing real time video streams or playing augmented reality games in which the world is the board.

Google has not announced a public release date for Google Glass but speculation centers around early 2014. — AFP

Former US Energy chief joins carbon capture company WASHINGTON: Former Energy Secretary Steven Chu is joining the board of directors of a Canadian company that says it has a cost-effective way to capture and reuse carbon dioxide from power plants fired by coal and natural gas.

Vancouver-based Inventys Thermal Technologies says it has developed a process that it says uses less energy than conventional carbon capture techniques and is less expensive.

A Nobel Prize-winning physicist, Chu served as energy secretary in President Barack Obama’s first term and now teaches physics at Stanford University.

“It’s a cause I believe in, and it is also something that has a shot at working,” Chu said in an interview Tuesday. He was referring to so-called carbon-capture technologies, which are intended to limit pollution blamed for global warming.

The process removes or captures heattrapping carbon dioxide produced by power plants and other sources, preventing it from being released into the atmosphere. The captured carbon can be stored underground or used to stimulate recovery of leftover oil from old oil fields.

The technique used by Inventys “is a new approach,” Chu said, and “like any

start-up company there’s a high-risk about it.”

Chu, who left office in April, said Inventys recruited him not just for his political contacts, but also for his technical knowledge. “I don’t want to be part of the ex-Washington scene of people trying to cash in because they know people or can open doors,” he said.

Chu’s move comes as the Obama administration announced plans to offer up to $8 billion in loan guarantees for carbon-capture technologies that can be applied to a range of pollution sources.

Several demonstration projects are now under way, including a large plant in Port Arthur, Texas, that began operations last year.

Chu declined to identify a second company where he also serves on the board of directors, saying only that it is U.S.-based and “has a very different approach to hydrocarbon fuels.”

As energy secretary, Chu was credited with boosting renewable energy such as wind and solar power, but he was criticized for his handling of a $500 million federal loan to solar panel maker Solyndra, which later went bankrupt, laying off 1,100 workers. — AP

Speed limits in software The Copenhagen Wheel packs sufficient power to propel a rider as fast as 60 kph (37.28 mph), but developers have put speed limits in software to meet local speed limits, effectively turning off the motor once the speed reaches 20 mph in the US and 25 km in Europe.

The concept was inspired by a simple question: “How can we get more people to cycle?” said Biderman.

The project received funding from the Italian ministry of the environment and office of the mayor of Copenhagen, a Danish city known as one of the most bicycle-friendly locations in the world and whose tourism website says 55 per-

CAMBRIDGE: in this Dec 12, 2013 photo, Assaf Biderman, co-inventor of the Copenhagen Wheel and Associate Director of the SENSEable City Laboratory at MIT, arrives at Superpedestrian, his venture-backed company in Cambridge. The Copenhagen Wheel is a human/electric hybrid bicycle engine built into a bicycle’s back wheel. — AP cent of its residents bike 1.2 million kilometers (750,000 miles) every day.

The initial 1,000 units of the Copenhagen Wheel became available for pre-order through the Superpedestrian website earlier this month.

Two weeks later, at least 810 had been sold for $699 each, the majority of them to customers in the US Other orders went to Europe, Australia, Kenya, Madagascar and elsewhere. Shipping is scheduled for next spring.

Rechargeable batteries The Copenhagen Wheel does not replace a cyclist’s existing bicycle. Consumers get the stylish hubcap-sized device already installed on a new rear wheel that fits their current bicycle.

They remove the current wheel from their bike and install the souped-up unit and they are

ready to go. The batteries are rechargeable.

The Copenhagen Wheel seeks to tap into a lucrative and highly competitive market for electric bikes, also known as e-bikes.

In a recent report, clean-technology consulting company Navigant Research estimated that worldwide revenue from electric bicycles will grow from $8.4 billion this year to $10.8 billion in 2020, fueled in part by desire for a viable alternative to increasingly congested city roads that makes crawling in car traffic less palatable.

In the US, the trend is reflected in Census Bureau data showing the number of bicycle commuters rose 60 percent in the decade ending in 2010.

“Over the past few years we’ve seen a cycling renaissance throughout the world,” Biderman said. “People are looking for alternatives.” — AP

Facebook testing video advertisements NEW YORK: Investors are giving a thumbs-up to the idea of Facebook making hundreds of millions in new revenue from video advertisements, but some users argue that the social network is already too cluttered and has become more about commercialism than communing with friends.

Facebook said Tuesday that it is testing video advertisements that show up in its users’ news feeds. As part of the test, Facebook said some of its users on Thursday will see a series of videos teasing Summit Entertainment’s upcoming release of “Divergent,” a film based on a young adult novel with the same name, in their feeds.

The Menlo Park, California-based company says the idea is still in the testing phase and that it’s not currently selling video ads. The company wouldn’t disclose pricing, but said its goal is for the test feature is to make it a premium advertising product that’s used to reach large audiences at specific times.

Facebook’s shares, which have posted substantial gains over the past four months, hit an all time high of $55.18 on the news, before closing up $1.05, or 2 percent, at $54.86.

Additional revenue boost Citi analyst Mark May backed his “buy” rating for Facebook’s stock on Tuesday, noting that the video advertising effort could add more than half a billion dollars to the company’s revenue next year and up to $1 billion by 2016.

Advertising, in general, has already helped Facebook achieve enormous growth in recent years. The company’s revenue grew from $3.71 billion in 2011 to $5.09 billion in 2012. Revenue was $5.29 billion through the first nine months of this year.

While an additional revenue boost would be good for Facebook’s bottom line, the company needs to proceed with caution. People have grown accustomed to video ads online, but Facebook is seen as a place where users connect with friends and family and is often perceived as a more personal setting than other websites where video ads may not seem as intrusive.

Some users insist Facebook’s intimate feel started disappearing long ago. They point to the combination of targeted advertisements that run along the right side of a user’s news feed and what they see as increasingly inane posts from some of their “friends.”

Jon Knott, a 22-year-old Facebook user from

Chicago, says video ads could be the “final straw” for young adults like him, who are growing tired of Facebook’s busy nature.

Knott says political rants and “obnoxious oversharing” by friends are already pushing him toward other forms of social media such as Twitter. He adds that advertisements are a lot less annoying when they’re limited to 140 characters.

Ben Wachtel, a 23-year-old from Indianapolis and a Facebook user since high school, says he feels like he and his friends are using the social network less and less, as ads crowd out posts from real people. He says the main reason he stays is because Facebook provides a home for his years of photos.

Less bothersome “I hear people say they don’t get the updates from their friends that they used to, that they just don’t care what’s out there,” Wachtel says. “If they add videos, especially auto play ones, it’s just going to push people away.”

Under the current plan, the advertisements automatically start playing without sound when they appear. Users can click on a video to view it with sound, or scroll past it if they’re not interested.

Facebook notes that for mobile users the advertisements are preloaded only when a device is connected to wireless Internet and will not consume additional data, removing a big worry for users who face hefty charges if they exceed the limits of their data plans. And no sound will play unless a user clicks or taps on the video.

Facebook says it’s been testing the silent auto-playing videos for video content shared between Facebook users since September, and has seen a 10 percent increase in the number of videos users watch, like, share and comment on.

Tim Johnson, a 37-year-old Facebook user from St. Cloud, Minnesota, says that while the videos will probably be annoying he doubts they will prompt many users to leave Facebook for other social media.

“What we’ve seen over and over again is Facebook makes a change and then people complain and then more people join anyway,” Johnson says.

While Johnson jokingly refers to himself and other Facebook users as “sheep,” he says he thinks the silent nature of the videos will make them significantly less bothersome than they could be. — AP

Worried your laptop camera will be hacked?

NEW YORK: When entrepreneur CJ Isakow heard tales of high school students being spied on via the video cameras built into their laptops and tablets, he had an idea. Then as talk mounted this summer of National Security Agency surveillance, Isakow felt moved to action.

“I think everyone deserves a choice of whether they want to be watched or not,” he said. “There’s no physical opting out of cameras, so I wanted to make sure there was a product that delivered.”

To test the market Isakow set up a basic Web page offering a product that would protect from spying, and he encouraged people to submit their e-mail addresses for more information. He ran ads on conservative blogs which said essentially, “You’re being watched,” and linked to his Web site.

The feedback was so strong that within a couple days, Isakow was looking for a designer to make the plastic piece, which is symbolically shaped like a shield. In a matter of weeks he was 3D printing the guard on shapeways.com.

The Eyebloc is now manufactured in Minnesota and sells on Amazon.com and Isakow’s Web site for $6.99.

A pack of three can be bought for $14.99.

Electronics users who are especially concerned about privacy could slap a piece of tape or a Post-it note over the cameras on their devices. The advantage of Eyebloc is it can be easily removed when a user wants to use their camera, and then reapplied. The Eyebloc has no adhesive so won’t leave any residue on a tablet or laptop.

There is a drawback, some laptops won’t close completely with the Eyebloc in place due to the thickness of the plastic. And it won’t fit desktop computers, but Isakow plans to expand the product line to include desktops.

Isakow said he’s received the most interest from mothers who are concerned about people trying to spy on their children. He will pitch his product Jan. 10 on the ABC show Sharktank, which he hopes will propel the product into the mainstream.

Isakow sees stories of a baby monitor and Miss Teen USA being hacked, plus the rise of cameras on digital devices as indicators that interest in camera security will grow. — AP

China Bitcoin exchange bans yuan deposits HONG KONG: The biggest Bitcoin exchange in China said yesterday that it’s no longer accepting yuan deposits, dealing another setback to the virtual currency.

BTC China’s announcement on its Twitter-like Sina Weibo account comes two weeks after China’s central bank said the country’s banks and payments systems were barred from handling the virtual currency.

The exchange said that “due to the reasons that everyone knows, BTC China has to temporarily stop its yuan account recharging functions.”

Account holders can still top up their

accounts using Bitcoins and withdraw yuan, the exchange said.

“BTC China will continue to operate.

Please continue to monitor our website, we will try to offer another way to recharge,” it said.

The price of Bitcoins tumbled after the midday announcement, sinking as low as 2,503 yuan ($412) by early evening after starting the day at 3,755 yuan ($618).

The Chinese central bank warned earlier this month that Bitcoins don’t have any legal status or monetary equivalent and shouldn’t be used as currency, adding that financial institutions and payment systems could not sell, trade or store

Bitcoins.

The measures reflect growing concern by authorities that the cybercurrency, which is created, distributed and authenticated independently of any bank or government, could pose a viable alternative to China’s tightly controlled yuan, which is not freely convertible.

The relative anonymity of Bitcoins holds out the promise of being able to spend money across the Internet without scrutiny. Despite wild swings in value, the cybercurrency has been moving toward broader acceptance, with a growing number of companies accepting Bitcoins, which can be converted into cash. —-AP

SANDY: This April 3, 2013 file photo shows bitcoin tokens in Sandy, Utah. The nation’s election regulator says that groups can’t receive contributions in the form of Bitcoins, at least for now.

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) on Thursday passed on a request by the Conservative Action Fund to use the digital currency. It had asked the FEC whether it could accept Bitcoins, how it could spend them and how donors must report those contributions. — AP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

US immigrants wary of health insurance HOUSTON: Many immigrant families hesitate to apply for government-subsidized health insurance under President Barack Obama’s health care law, worried that providing personal information could draw the attention of immigration authorities and lead to deportation.

Immigrants who are in the United States illegally cannot participate in the system, but many have eligible relatives who are citizens or legal residents.

Immigrant families are important to the success of the health care overhaul, Obama’s most significant domestic achievement.

Immigrant advocates and the US government have been working to reassure families that their information will not be shared with enforcement agencies. The effort has led to changes in the main health care website and a memo from immigration authorities promising not to go after anyone based on insurance paperwork.

Still, some families remain so concerned that they would rather see loved ones go without coverage than risk giving personal information to a federal agency. Adonias Arevalo spent days try-

ing to calm his parents’ nerves about personal information that would appear on his application. After a week of discussion, the 22-year-old Houston man, who works at a community center and has temporary legal status, finally eased their fears.

Immigrant families “They are afraid,” said Arevalo, whose parents immigrated to the United States from El Salvador seven years ago. “The majority of families, they know it’s something they need to do. ... They’re just afraid of putting themselves out like that.” Of the nearly 40 million people living in the US who were born elsewhere, about a third do not have health insurance, according to census data. And about 9 million people in the US belong to immigrant families in which at least one child is a citizen, according to the Pew Research Center’s Hispanic Trends Project.

Those immigrant families, which tend to be younger and healthy, are attractive to the health care program because it relies on young participants to pay premiums to help fund coverage for older

people who need more expensive care.

Texas has the nation’s highest rate of uninsured people, many of whom are immigrants. In Houston’s Harris County, where more than a quarter of the 4 million residents are foreign-born, the group Enroll America is trying to soothe anxieties that signing up for insurance could mean risking deportation.

“It has pushed people away from wanting to apply online,” said Mario Castillo, who leads the group’s efforts in the Houston area. “They don’t want to type that into a computer ... they want to put a paper application in.” Cheryl O’Donnell, state director of Enroll America in Arizona, said her staff is confronting similar concerns. “There is a lot of fear, particularly if the noncitizen is applying for a citizen child,” she said.

Government concerns In mid-October, three weeks after enrollment opened, the Obama administration stepped in. Immigration and Customs Enforcement published a “clarification” designed to assuage fears. The memo explained that information obtained through health care registra-

tion would not be used to pursue immigration cases against anyone in the country illegally.

Jenny Rejeske, a health policy analyst at the National Immigration Law Center, said advocates had shared with the government concerns they heard from mixed-status families.

Advocates had sought that clarification for years, but it wasn’t until federal officials “saw that this was going to be a deterrent for people applying that they decided to do something about it,” Rejeske said. Around the same time, a new page appeared on healthcare.gov titled “What do immigrant families need to know about the marketplace?” Under a heading for mixed-status families, it states: “Family members who aren’t applying for health coverage for themselves won’t be asked if they have eligible immigration status.”

It also said that applying to the insurance marketplace, the Medicaid program for the poor or the children’s program known as CHIP will not mean immigrants are considered a “public charge,” addressing a long-held concern that accepting a government benefit could jeopardize

their chance of getting legal status or becoming a naturalized citizen.

Among America’s uninsured children - regardless of immigration status - 65 percent are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP but are not enrolled. Arevalo, who applied for insurance after talking to his parents, works as a community resources specialist at a community center run by Neighborhood Centers Inc. He moved to the United States from El Salvador when he was 14 and received permission in March to stay in the country for two years through a program offered by Obama to some immigrants who were brought into the country illegally as children.

His new job puts him at an income too high to qualify for a tax subsidy in the health care marketplace, though he would also be ineligible due to his deferred immigration status. Instead, he will have to buy a basic insurance plan through his employer for about 20 percent of his monthly salary.

But to learn that, he first had to apply for coverage, and persuading his parents his application wouldn’t jeopardize them was a significant hurdle. — AP

Teens using synthetic drugs less often: Survey

WASHINGTON: In this Aug. 16, 2013, file photo, vendors look over their display of glass bongs on the first day of Hempfest in Seattle. A new study by the Rand Corp. suggests the market for marijuana in Washington state could be more than twice what state officials estimated last year, before voters approved Initiative 502 to set up a regulated system of recreational marijuana sales to adults. —AP

Study looks at marijuana demand in Washington SEATTLE: Figuring out how much marijuana people use has been one of the trickiest, and most important, questions facing the bureaucrats who are setting up Washington state’s new legal pot system.

Underestimate demand, and marijuana fans might stick with their black market dealers. Overestimate it, and the surplus legal production could wind up being diverted out of state, or to kids. Now, researchers working with the state’s official pot consultant think they have their best look yet at cannabis consumption in Washington - aided by a novel survey aimed at figuring out how much the heaviest users of marijuana burn on a typical day. In a study released yesterday, a RAND Corp. team figured that Washington’s roughly 750,000 marijuana users will have consumed between 135 to 225 metric tons of the drug in 2013. The median figure they came up with, 175 metric tons, is more than twice what the state estimated before voters approved Washington’s legal weed law last year. But officials have been aware since June that RAND’s researchers were headed toward the higher number, and they say the new study won’t require any sudden changes to the rollout of the state system. “That’s the ballpark of what we’re looking at with our system,” said Brian Smith, a spokesman for the state Liquor Control Board, the agency charged with regulating marijuana in Washington.

Washington and Colorado legalized the possession of marijuana by adults over 21 last year, and both states are setting up systems of state-licensed growers, processors and retail stores where taxed pot will be available. Sales are expected to begin Jan. 1 in Colorado, while Washington isn’t expected to have stores open until late spring. The

US Justice Department is allowing the experiments to proceed as long as the states keep pot away from the black market and children, and meet other federal law enforcement priorities.

How much marijuana do people use ?

In Washington, officials aren’t hoping to capture the entire marijuana market in the first year of legal recreational sales. Instead, they’re looking at having state-licensed growers produce 80 metric tons of marijuana, half for use as traditional dried buds and half for use in producing marijuanainfused products.

RAND’s study, “Before the Grand Opening,” aims to take a snapshot of pot use here on the eve of legal sales. It found that half of the marijuana used in the state is consumed in the state’s three most populous counties. King County, which includes Seattle, accounts for about 30 percent, while Pierce to the south and Snohomish to the north account for about 11 percent each. The study drew on national, government-funded surveys, but the researchers also conducted their own online survey of marijuana users to address a gap in the national research: How much marijuana do people use when they use it, especially because pot is often shared? One of the primary national surveys on drug use stopped asking people how many joints they smoked nearly 20 years ago, noted RAND study author Beau Kilmer.

Especially important is figuring out how much pot is smoked by consumers who use it more than 21 days per month, Kilmer said. That relatively small segment of the market accounts for about 80 percent of all marijuana used, according to earlier research.—AP

BRUSSELS: European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy Tonio Borg addresses the media, at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, yesterday. The European Commission has today adopted three draft laws on animal cloning and on novel food which will provide legal certainty in this field. — AP

WASHINGTON: Fewer teens are trying fake marijuana known by such names as K2 and Spice, apparently getting the message that these cheap new drugs are highly dangerous, according to the government’s annual survey on drug use.

Synthetic marijuana is thought to have appeared in the US in 2009, and soon after came a spike in emergency room visits, even deaths, as the drug caught on among young people. About 8 percent of high school seniors said they’ve used some type of synthetic marijuana this year, according to the report released yesterday by the National Institutes of Health.

That’s a sharp drop from the 11 percent of seniors who’d experimented with fake pot in 2012.

Use of synthetic drugs among younger teens dropped as well and fewer than 1 percent of students also are trying another new kind of illegal drug known as bath salts, said University of Michigan professor Lloyd Johnston, who heads the annual Monitoring the Future survey of more than 40,000 students in the 8th, 10th and 12th grades.

“The message has gotten out that these are dangerous drugs,” Johnston said. “Their ever-changing ingredients can be unusually powerful. Users really don’t know what they are getting.” Synthetic marijuana is made of dried plant material sprayed with various chemicals and packaged to look like pot. The Drug Enforcement Administration banned a number of chemicals used to make synthetic marijuana in 2011, but new chemical varieties continue to appear. Earlier this year, federal health officials discovered that two new types of fake pot had sickened

SEATTLE: In this Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2013 photo, marijuana clone plants that are used to grow medical marijuana are displayed under a light, at The Joint, a medical marijuana cooperative in Seattle. Fewer teens are trying fake marijuana known by such names as K2 and Spice, apparently getting the message that these cheap new drugs are highly dangerous, according to the government’s annual survey on drug use. — AP more than 200 people in a month in Colorado.

Dangerous drug The annual survey also found that teenage perceptions of the dangers of marijuana use continued to decline. In 1993, more than 60 percent of high school seniors considered marijuana dangerous, while this year less than 40 percent thought that. The rate of use stayed steady, with 6.5 percent of high school seniors saying they regularly used marijuana in the past year. The survey results were being released just weeks before

recreational marijuana sales become legal in Colorado and Washington state for people over 21. Opponents of legalized marijuana long have said they worried about its impact on children.

Dr Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, said researchers worry that as perceptions of marijuana as a dangerous drug continue to decline use will keep increasing among teenagers. Mason Tvert, communications director for the Marijuana Policy Project which advocates for regulating marijuana, said steady rates of marijuana use among

Hamburger conquers land of haute cuisine PARIS: Once considered the worst kind of food sin in France, the hamburger is conquering the land of haute cuisine. From humble fast food to Michelin-starred gourmet burgers, sales of the most quintessentially American sandwich have soared in France and the dish has become a fixture on restaurant menus. “ The French discovered the burger through (French fast-food chain) Quick or McDonald’s, initially as a fatty, disreputable product,” said Bernard Boutboul of food consultancy Gira Conseil.

“But in the last two or three years, socalled traditional restaurants have begun offering burgers on their menus-because they’d be crazy not to.”

Up to 80 percent of France’s more than 100,000 traditional eateries are now offering burgers, he said, alongside time-honoured French classics like steak frites, duck confit and moules marinieres.

“There has been a 40 percent increase in (burger) sales in the last two years-it’s just incredible,” Boutboul said.

France’s newfound love of the burger was clear this week when dozens of fans lined up in central Paris for the return of US fast-food chain Burger King to the French capital. After quitting France in 1997 because of poor sales, Burger King has returned with a vengeance and is planning to open 350-400 outlets here.

Burgers are not only increasingly popular in France, they’re increasingly trendy and gone are the days when sophisticated French diners would wrinkle their noses at the idea. Growing burger sales “come mainly from the sit-down restaurants, with a nine percent increase in the number of burgers consumed in 2013,” said Maria Bertoch, a food expert at global market research company NPD Group.

“Restaurants have never been so AngloSaxon and the burger has really moved upmarket in recent years,” said Nicolas Nouchi, the director general of food service firm CHD Expert in France.

Many top-end French eateries have jumped on the bandwagon and are now offering burger options.

The New York Times has called the burger Yannick Alleno serves at Cheval Blanc in Alps resort Courchevel one of the best in the world, and top chef Jean-Francois Piege has won praise for his “Big Burger” at chic Paris brasserie Thoumieux.

Food trucks selling burgers are particularly popular among French hipsters, and dozens regularly line up for sandwiches at mobile eatery “Le Camion qui Fume” (The Smoking Truck).

‘Burger battle just beginning’ The French now each eat on average 14 hamburgers a year, putting them second behind only the British, with 17 each a year, in terms of European burger-munchers, according to NPD figures.

Most of those are still consumed at fastfood joints, with McDonald’s and local chain Quick dominating the market.

Burger King returned to France at the end of last year with one outlet at Marseille airport and another roadside restaurant near the northeastern city of Reims, and experts say it is likely to thrive.

“The market is not yet saturated... and Burger King is likely to present itself as a premium option. The battle of the burger is just beginning,” Boutboul said.

Restaurants that sell burgers are even outperforming other fast-food options as the French-hit by a stagnant economy and rising joblessness-look for cheaper dining options.—AFP

teenagers “underscores the benefits of regulation versus prohibition.”

Marijuana remains illegal under federal law, but the Justice Department in August pledged not to target the marijuana industry in states where the drug has been legalized as long as the states keep pot away from children, other states, criminal cartels and federal property. While only two states have legalized the production, sale and use of recre ational marijuana, 18 others and the District of Columbia allow medical marijuana. —AP

China confirms human death from new bird flu SHANGHAI: A 73-year-old Chinese woman has died of a type of bird flu new in humans, health officials say, but experts believe the risk of it spreading between people is low. The woman died of the H10N8 strain in the southeastern city of Nanchang on December 6, the Jiangxi provincial health department said in a statement on its website.

Biologists say the strain has never been detected in humans before. Bird flu infections raise fears that a virus could mutate to become easily transmissible, potentially triggering a pandemic. An outbreak of H7N9 bird flu has infected at least 139 people on the mainland and resulted in 45 deaths, but fatalities have dropped significantly since the end of June.

Other cases of H7N9 infection were also reported in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The woman in Nanchang was admitted to hospital on November 30 with severe pneumonia and died of respiratory failure and shock, the provincial health department’s statement said.

She had visited a local live poultry market before succumbing to the virus, it added. People who have been in close contact with the woman have not shown any signs of illness so far, it said. Local health officials also cited unnamed experts as saying initial assessments suggested the death was an individual case and the risk of the virus spreading between humans was low.

The H10N8 bird flu strain has never been detected in humans before, University of Hong Kong microbiologist Yuen Kwok-yung told Hong Kong Cable TV on Tuesday. In August scientists reported the first likely case of direct person-to-person transmission of H7N9. But they told people not to panic, describing the virus’s transmissibility as “limited and non-sustainable”. —AFP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

The mystery of America’s ‘virgin births’ PARIS: One in ever y 200 young American women says she became pregnant while still a virgin. That is the eye-popping figure reported by US researchers who trawled through a long-term study into reproductive health among young Americans.

Out of 7,870 women who took part in the confidential research, 45 — 0.5 percent—said they had conceived yet had not had vaginal intercourse. None said they had used in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) to become pregnant, according to the paper, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). Out of the 45, “there were some miscarriages and other pregnancy losses,” said the authors.

The study was based on the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, which ran from 1995 to 2009, spanning life between adolescence and adulthood. It is deemed reliable and representative of US social and ethnic backgrounds.

The young women reported their history of vaginal intercourse and pregnancy and their knowledge of birth control methods. Over 14 years, they responded to regular questionnaires, logging their answers on a laptop rather than in eye-contact interviews, although a helper was also present in the room in case the volunteer needed aid. Their age and commitment to a religion were also recorded, their parents were asked to say how much they had talked about sex or birth control and their school’s director was asked to say what part sex education had in the curriculum.

Chastity pledge Nearly a third — 31 percent—of the “virgin

pregnancy” group said they had made a chastity pledge, a vow often promoted by conservative Christian church groups which argue sex should only take place in the context of marriage. In “non-virgins” who had become pregnant, 15 percent had made the chastity pledge. Among those who said they were still a virgin, the proportion of chastity pledgers was 21 percent.

“Virgin mothers” were also more than two years younger, being 19.3 years on average when they gave birth, compared to “non-virgin” mothers whose average age at parenthood was 21.7 years. Lead author Amy Herring, a professor of biostatistics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said the volunteers “weren’t asked a question ‘have you had a virgin pregnancy?’, it was put together from a series of questions about pregnancy history and vaginal intercourse history.” The findings raise intriguing questions about sexual education and awareness but also about the difficulties of getting accurate data about sex lives, she said in a phone interview with AFP. “Even though we thought that the questions were quite clear, there’s still the possibility that some women misunderstood or misinterpreted them, such as simply giving the wrong year, or for whatever reason that they did not want to admit that they had had intercourse,” Herring said. “Even though we used technology to try to enhance the candour of respondents, we still see responses that are unrealistic,” she said.

“In fact we went back a few weeks ago to see if this was a phenomenon that was confined only to the women, and we actually found a few virgin fathers as well-which is a little harder to get your head around.” — AFP

RAIBIER: In this Oct 24, 2013 photo, forest land owned by Paul Nys in Rainier, Ore., is shown that will help store carbon as part of the Forest Health-Human Health Initiative. Nys and a dozen other tree farmers are hoping to help cover their medical expenses by selling carbon credits generated by their forest land. — AP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

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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

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Announcement TIES Center - Where cultures meet

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he TIES Center is glad to announce that its Winter 2 Arabic language courses will begin on Sunday January 19 until Wednesday March 5, 2014. We offer classes for all levels, from beginner to advanced. Our classes are specially tailored to meet the needs and requirements of expats living in Kuwait.

You still have the chance to join if you are interested.

The TIES Arabic classes are intended for all expats who wish to learn Arabic. Whether you want to Learn Arabic for business or basic communication or simply as a hobby, the TIES Center welcomes you. Throughout the course, the students will learn how to read, write and speak Arabic in a friendly, relaxed and welcoming environment.

TIES Arabic program highlights: Lessons are step by step - ranging from basic to advanced level; Lessons build confidence for speaking, reading, and writing Arabic; Lessons combine language learning with cultural insights; Lessons are specially tailored for expats living in Kuwait. It is an opportunity to interact with other Westerners, who are taking the courses. For more information, please e-mail: Hassan@tiescenter.net .”

In the presence of the Canadian and the Netherlands Ambassadors

Najia and Tantawi with the hotel culinary team

Hilton Kuwait Resort opens new Royal Marquee

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ilton Kuwait Resort launched its new Royal Marquee at an inauguration gala dinner attended by the Netherlands and Canadian ambassadors to Kuwait and local VIPs, for the prominent Chaine des Rotisseurs gastronomy association.

Kuwait members of the Chaine des Rotisseurs, an association that brings together over 25,000 enthusiasts globally who share the same values of quality, fine dining and love of culinary art, gathered at Hilton Kuwait Resort’s stunning new Royal Marquee last week, to enjoy a sevencourse menu. The cuisine was especially prepared for the

event by Abdul Kader Yamout, the Executive chef, to reflect the wonderfully varied Arabian cuisine and hospitality for which Kuwait is known.

Located on the property’s private beach, Hilton Kuwait Resort is the only five star resort in Kuwait to offer a Royal Marquee with a host of exceptional facilities and service offerings. Ziad Tantawi, general manager, Hilton Kuwait Resort said; “It is an honor to host the Dutch and Canadian ambassadors, our local VIPS and the celebrated Chaine des Rotisseurs association at our new Royal Marquee. This 700sqm venue caters up to 550 people and provides an

ideal location for exclusive dinners and events. Hilton Kuwait Resort specializes in providing outstanding service for every occasion and we very much look forward to welcoming our future guests.”

Mohamed Najia, president of the Chaine des Rotisseurs in Kuwait, expressed his appreciation and gratitude for the excellent services provided during the dinner; “The new Royal Marquee at Hilton Kuwait Resort was not only a stunning location for our annual event, but the team also provided the world class dining experience that our members have come to expect.”

IMAX film program Effective from December 15, 2013 to April 14, 2014 Thursday ** 9:30am Showtime available for groups Great White Shark 3D 10:30 am, 2:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 8:30 pm Penguins 3D 11:30 am, 3:30 pm, 9:30 pm Flight of Butterflies 3D 12:30 pm, 4:30 pm Tornado Alley 3D 6:30 pm To The Arctic 3D 7:30 pm Friday Fires of Kuwait Great White Shark 3D Tornado Alley 3D Penguins 3D Flight of Butterflies 3D To The Arctic 3D

2:30 pm 3:30 pm, 7:30 pm, 9:30 pm 4:30 pm 5:30 pm 6:30 pm 8:30 pm

Saturday ** 9:30am Showtime available for groups Tornado Alley 3D 10:30 am, 5:30 pm Flight of Butterflies 3D 11:30 am, 7:30 pm Great White Shark 3D 12:30 pm, 3:30 pm, 6:30 pm, 8:30 pm Journey to Mecca 1:30 pm Penguins 3D 2:30 pm, 9:30 pm To The Arctic 3D 4:30 pm Notes

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All films are in Arabic, except “Fires of Kuwait 2D” and “Animalopolis 2D”

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“Fires of Kuwait” is in English. Arabic headsets are available upon request.

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For English, headsets are available upon request.

Film schedule is subject to changes without notice.

How to barbecue safely and eliminate risk of food poisoning

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afe Food, Safe Family,” a food safety educational program set forth by Al-Yasra Foods, recently held two events at Messila Beach and Green Island to educate the public-at-large on barbecuing safely, as well as the possible risk of food contamination and food poisoning if the right food safety practices are not implemented.

Over the two events, more than 500 families were educated and introduced to right food safety practices while barbecuing by nutritionist Dana Ghareeb and the Safe Food, Safe Family team.

Ghareeb said, “During both our events, we had a BBQ station whereby we explained the dos and dont’s of barbecuing which included how to know when the coal is ready for barbecuing, how to separate food items before barbecuing, and the importance of using separate cutlery for different types of food items.

More importantly, we reached out to more than 300 families at their respective barbecue pits analyzing the way they barbecued, highlighting their mis-

takes to them and teaching them about the right ways to handle their food items before, during and after barbecuing.”

“Barbecuing is an activity that both Kuwaitis and expats in Kuwait enjoy, but the reality is that most people have not been exposed to the right and wrong ways to barbecue and that is something

we aim to change through our campaign. In the future, we will be participating in more activities in hotspots across Kuwait to educate people on the basics of food safety that directly apply to their everyday lifestyle and leisure activities,” Ghareeb concluded.

As part of Al-Yasra Food’s ongoing

commitment to promoting food safety and health in Kuwait, “Safe Food, Safe Family” will be hosting Food Safety Week at 16 different cooperatives over the next six months, as well as other monthly events that will be open to the general public, and showcasing the most important aspects of food safety.

Premier Goal Academy Winter Festival of Football at Bayan Park

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he Premier Goal Academy in association with Everton FC, under the sponsorship of Porsche Centre Kuwait, Behbehani Motors Company, held their 2013 Winter Festival of Football event at Bayan Park under the patronage of the British Ambassador, Frank Baker.

In total, over 600 players aged 3 to 18 participated in the Porsche Centre Kuwait sponsored event, including teams from the PGA/Everton Coaching Courses and Everton Centre of Excellence, as well as numerous private schools and football academies from across Kuwait. A huge turnout of enthusiastic parents and spectators cheered on and encouraged the players, who were superbly organized and guided by their coaches throughout a series of exciting matches.

Frank Baker and several other VIP guests presented medals to all participants, as well as certificates of appreciation to event sponsors and supporters. Baker expressed his appreciation and recognition for the collective effort behind such an important community event, and congratulated all the players and coaches

who took part, saying: “Apart from the joy of the game itself, football is a wonderful way to encourage young people to become physically active, improve fitness, and develop their communication and good teamwork - essential skills as they grow up. In this day and age of hi tech entertainment it is important to participate in sporting activities which contribute to maintaining a healthy lifestyle” he added, “Congratulations to all who took part and made this fabulous event possible - to Premier Goal Academy organizers Mike and Baker, Porsche Centre Kuwait, Behbehani Motors Company, Sports Direct, Wrigleys Extra, Aquafina, Mickey Snacks, KD Cow, Simon’s Sound System and the other generous sponsors, and all the teachers and coaches who have taught and encouraged the players and teams to such an exceptionally high standard.” The PGA Winter Camp will take place on 21st - 24th December and 28th - 31st December from 4-7 pm daily at Bayan and everyone is welcome to participate in this program. There will be courses in football and basketball available for children aged 3 to 16 years.

W H AT ’ S O N

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

Embassy Information

Upper Crust Pizzeria introduces new breakfast menu at KIPCO Tower branch

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pper Crust Pizzeria, the awardwinning Boston based pizzeria is proud to announce the launch of its brand new breakfast menu at the KIPCO Tower branch, raising the benchmark in the diversity, quality and lifestyle experience of modern and casual breakfast in Kuwait. Besides its gourmet thin crust pizzas and delicious pastas, the restaurant unveils an extensive range of tempting, wholesome and satisfying breakfast options made with fresh highend ingredients.

Additions to the menu include popular delights such as French Toast with many flavourful variations, deliciously sizzling Egg Skillets, and a wide variety of savoury Breakfast Pizzas that will surely satisfy any craving with their enticing toppings featuring eggs, cheese and fresh vegetables. Consistent in its dedication to delivering diversity and quality, Upper Crust Pizzeria is excited about cre-

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 SOUTH AFRICA The Embassy of the Republic of South Africa has the honour to inform that on the occasion of the Christmas and New Year, the Embassy will remain closed from 24 December 2013 and will reopen again on 5th January 2014. ating a new breakfast menu that satisfies the taste preferences of customers in Kuwait.

The entire family is invited to savour the new breakfast items in a relaxed, casual and welcoming atmosphere fea-

turing open kitchens and pizza tin-decorated ceilings, all adding up to a truly unique experience. The breakfast menu can be enjoyed all days of the week, including weekends and public holidays and is dedicated to all those craving

unique combinations and daring pairings. Looking further ahead, Upper Crust Pizzeria aims to retain its popularity in Kuwait through the consistent evolution of its menu, excellent customer service and engaging atmosphere.

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EMBASSY OF SLOVAK The Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Kuwait would like to inform the public that on the occasion of the Christmas holidays the Embassy will he closed on Monday 24, Tuesday 25 and Wednesday 26, December 2013, on the occasion of the New Year and the Independence Day of the Slovak Republic, the Embassy will be closed on Tuesday, December 31, 2013 and on Wednesday, January 01, 2014 and on the occasion of Catholic Epiphany Holiday, the Embassy will be closed on Monday, January 06. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF INDIA India and Kuwait have enjoyed historically close, warm and friendly ties. The visit of His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of Kuwait to India in November 2013 has imparted a new thrust to the strengthening further of the bilateral ties. To facilitate travel of Kuwaiti nationals to India for business, tourism, medical and study purposes, the embassy has adopted the following visa structure for Kuwaiti nationals with immediate effect:

GUST hosts Issa Ramadan for climate lecture

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he Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) Department of Humanities and Social Sciences Cultural Committee, in collaboration with the Club (Be Educated) hosted Dr Saleh Al-Ojairi, renowned Kuwaiti astronomer, and Issa Ramadan, Kuwaiti expert meteorologist, for a lecture on astrology and the general climatic variables and their implications on public safety. The lecture was attended by students, staff and faculty.

Dr Salah Arkadan, GUST Assistant Professor of Arabic and Islamic Culture Studies and the Head of the H&SS

Cultural Committee, welcomed the guests and gave a small introduction about them to the audience. Dr Al-Ojairi spoke first, talking about his childhood interest in reading and developing his skills and knowledge in astronomy. He explained that throughout his studies and continuous reading, the difference between himself and general guessing was.

Issa Ramadan, explained his work through several figures and images to the audience, showcasing the weather transitions and importance of public awareness in this

regard. He pointed out that meteorologists all over the world are hidden soldiers, monitoring the movements of the wind, waves, earthquakes, volcanoes and other natural phenomena to hopefully ensure adequate preparation.

The seminar ended with a Q&A session and a thank you from GUST and the Club (Be Educated) President, Abdulaziz Al-Obaid, an awarding of tokens of appreciation to the guest speakers including a framed copy of the certificate of Sheikh Abdullah Al-Azmi, the first Kuwaiti to attain the International Award from Al-Azhar Al-Sharif in 1881.

Please apply Indian visa online at www.bls-international.com and deposit visa application, with applicable visa fee and service charge, at either M/s.

BLS International Services, Emad Commercial Centre, Basement floor Ahmed Al-Jaber Street, Sharq, Kuwait city (Telephone: 22986607 - Fax: 22470006) or M/s. BLS International Services, Mujamma Unood, 4th floor, Office No.25-26 Makka Street, Entrance 5, Fahaheel, Kuwait (Telephone: 22986607 - Fax: 22470006). For additional information, please contact Second Secretary (Consular) in the Embassy at sscons@indembkwt.org.

In addition, a service charge of KD 5 will also apply for each visa service provided. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF US The US Embassy in Kuwait has new procedures for obtaining appointments and picking up passports after visa issuance.

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 +965-22271673).

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

Bangladesh Military Contingent observes Victory Day of Bangladesh

T

he Victory Day of Bangladesh on December 16 was observed in Bangladesh Military Contingent to Kuwait with solemnity and festivity. Various programs were organized like special prayer, cultural programs etc. A lunch was hosted at BMC Command

Headquarters where the Defence Attache of Bangladesh Brigadier General Md Nasimul Gani, afwc, psc and the Chief of Seconded Personnel Affairs Branch Colonel Nabil Abdullah Al-Hasan and other invited guests and available BMC personnel attended. Brigadier General S M

Shamim-Uz-Zaman, ndc,psc Commander BMC welcomed all and highlighted the significance of the day before the august gathering. In the afternoon a cultural programme was organized at camp premises to mark this festive day.

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.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

TV PROGRAMS

00:00 Absolutely Fabulous 00:30 Hitler On Trial 01:55 Eastenders 02:25 Doctors 02:50 Hitler On Trial: The Story Behind The Film 03:45 Absolutely Fabulous 04:15 The Weakest Link 05:00 Boogie Beebies 05:15 Poetry Pie 05:20 Balamory 05:40 Spot’s Musical Adventures 05:45 Show Me Show Me 06:10 Buzz & Tell 06:15 Boogie Beebies 06:30 Poetry Pie 06:35 Balamory 06:55 Spot’s Musical Adventures 07:00 Show Me Show Me 07:25 Buzz & Tell 07:30 One Foot In The Grave 08:00 Come Fly With Me 08:30 The Weakest Link 09:15 Eastenders 09:45 Doctors 10:15 Hustle 11:05 Return To Cranford 11:55 One Foot In The Grave 12:25 The Weakest Link 13:10 Come Fly With Me 13:40 Eastenders 14:10 Doctors 14:40 Hustle 15:30 Hitler On Trial: The Story Behind The Film 16:25 The Weakest Link 17:10 Eastenders 17:40 Doctors 18:10 Hustle 19:00 Keeping Up Appearances 19:30 The Office 20:00 The Hound Of The Baskervilles 21:30 Hebburn 22:00 Famous, Rich And Jobless 22:50 Keeping Up Appearances

00:00 Cash In The Attic 00:45 DIY SOS: The Big Build 01:40 Come Dine With Me 02:30 Masterchef: The Professionals 03:15 Design Star 04:00 Eating With The Enemy 04:50 Cash In The Attic 05:35 New Scandinavian Cooking 06:05 Bargain Hunt 06:50 Design Star 07:35 Nigel Slater’s Simple Suppers 08:00 Bargain Hunt 08:45 DIY SOS: The Big Build 09:35 New Scandinavian Cooking 10:00 Nigel Slater’s Simple Cooking: Xmas 2011 10:50 Baking Mad With Eric Lanlard 11:15 Come Dine With Me 12:05 Masterchef: The Professionals 3:35 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 14:15 Antiques Roadshow 15:05 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

00:30 01:20 02:10 03:00 03:50 04:15 04:40 05:05 05:30

You Have Been Warned Treehouse Masters Mythbusters Mythbusters Specials Border Security Storage Hunters Flip Men How Do They Do It? How It’s Made

06:00 07:00 07:50 08:40 09:30 09:55 10:20 10:45 11:10 11:35 12:25 13:15 14:05 14:30 14:55 15:20 16:10 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:30 20:20 20:45 21:10 21:35 22:00 22:50 23:40

American Guns Mythbusters Specials Finding Bigfoot Fast N’ Loud Border Security Storage Hunters Flip Men How Do They Do It? How It’s Made You Have Been Warned Treehouse Masters Mythbusters Border Security Storage Hunters Flip Men Dirty Great Machines Fast N’ Loud Ultimate Survival Dirty Jobs Mythbusters Specials American Guns Storage Hunters Flip Men How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Sons Of Guns Amish Mafia Amish Mafia

00:40 Stuck With Hackett 01:05 Stuck With Hackett 01:30 Stunt Junkies 02:00 The Gadget Show 02:25 Tech Toys 360 02:50 Prophets Of Science Fiction 03:45 The Science Of Star Wars 04:35 Smash Lab 05:25 The World’s Strangest UFO Stories 06:15 The Gadget Show 06:40 Tech Toys 360 07:05 Mega Builders 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 Nextworld 11:25 Mega Builders 12:20 Smash Lab 13:10 The World’s Strangest UFO Stories 14:00 The Science Of Star Wars 14:50 Stunt Junkies 15:20 The Gadget Show 15:45 Tech Toys 360 16:10 Prophets Of Science Fiction 17:00 Nextworld 17:55 Mega Builders 18:45 Smash Lab 19:35 The World’s Strangest UFO Stories 20:30 Game Changers 20:55 Game Changers 21:20 Bang Goes The Theory 21:45 Bang Goes The Theory 22:10 The Gadget Show 22:35 Tech Toys 360

00:00 00:20 00:45 01:05 01:30 01:50 02:15 02:35 03:00 03:20 03:45 04:05 04:30 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:25 06:45 07:10 07:35 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:05

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 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 Austin And Ally A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm Gravity Falls My Babysitter’s A Vampire Jessie Good Luck Charlie Dog With A Blog

09:30 Good Luck Charlie: The Road Trip Movie 10:45 Dog With A Blog 11:05 Jessie 11:25 Wolfblood 11:50 Suite Life On Deck 12:15 A.N.T. Farm 12:35 Austin And Ally 13:00 Shake It Up 13:25 That’s So Raven 13:45 Jessie 14:10 Good Luck Charlie 14:35 Dog With A Blog 15:00 Wolfblood 15:25 Gravity Falls 15:50 Jessie 16:10 Violetta 17:00 High School Musical 3 Senior Year 18:55 Dog With A Blog 19:20 Violetta 20:05 Jessie 20:30 My Babysitter’s A Vampire 20:50 Wolfblood 21:15 Gravity Falls 21:40 Shake It Up 22:00 Austin And Ally 22:25 A.N.T. Farm 22:50 Good Luck Charlie

00:40 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 01:05 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 01:30 Heat Seekers 01:55 Meat & Potatoes 02:20 Outrageous Food 02:45 Food Network’s Christmas Kitchen 03:10 Food Network’s Christmas Kitchen 03:35 Unwrapped 04:25 Food Wars 04:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 05:15 United Tastes Of America 05:40 Chopped 06:30 Iron Chef America Special 07:10 Food Network Challenge 08:00 Unwrapped 08:50 United Tastes Of America 09:15 Unique Sweets 09:40 Kid In A Candy Store 10:05 Barefoot Contessa 10:30 Food Network Challenge 11:20 Andy Bates Street Feasts 11:45 Food Network All-Star 12:35 Jenny Morris Cooks Morocco 13:00 Reza’s African Kitchen 13:25 Charly’s Cake Angels 13:50 Siba’s Table 14:15 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 14:40 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 15:05 Guy’s Big Bite 15:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 15:55 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 16:20 Roadtrip With G. Garvin 16:45 Chopped 17:30 Barefoot Contessa 18:00 Food Network All-Star 18:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 19:15 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 19:40 Siba’s Table 20:05 Charly’s Cake Angels 20:30 Chopped 21:20 Food Network All-Star 22:10 Iron Chef America Special 23:00 Iron Chef America Special 23:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Special

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 The New Normal 02:00 Louie 02:30 Brickleberry 04:00 The Simpsons 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 1600 Penn 06:00 Last Man Standing 06:30 Friends 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 The Simpsons 08:30 1600 Penn

REVENGE OF THE NERDS ON OSN MOVIES COMEDY HD

00:00 Airport 24/7: Miami 00:30 Airport 24/7: Miami 01:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 02:00 Insane Coaster Wars 02:30 Insane Experience - RideIculous 03:00 Off Limits 04:00 Reza’s African Kitchen 04:30 Reza’s African Kitchen 05:00 Bizarre Foods America 06:00 Airport 24/7: Miami 06:30 Airport 24/7: Miami 07:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 08:00 Globe Trekker 09:00 Descending 10:00 Airport 24/7: Miami 11:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle

Rides 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30 23:00

Xtreme Waterparks Trip Flip The Food Truck Bizarre Foods America International House Hunters International House Hunters International House Hunters Hotel Impossible Trip Flip Trip Flip The Food Truck The Food Truck Bizarre Foods America International House Hunters International House Hunters Baggage Battles Baggage Battles Man vs World

OSN launches Fight Network HD

O

SN, the region’s leading pay-TV network, has partnered with Fight Network to launch ‘OSN Fight Network HD’, the region’s first dedicated combat sports channel, covering martial arts, boxing, kickboxing and professional wrestling. The new 24x7, high-definition channel which is now live on OSN, will fuel the adrenaline of fight fans across the MENA

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE II ON OSN MOVIES ACTION HD 10:30 Friends 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Last Man Standing 12:30 The Simpsons 13:00 1600 Penn 13:30 Friends 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 Last Man Standing 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:30 Ben And Kate 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 The New Normal 22:30 Louie 23:00 Brickleberry 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 22:00 23:00

Burn Notice Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Hannibal Rescue Me Perception Franklin & Bash Burn Notice Drop Dead Diva Criminal Minds Perception Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Franklin & Bash Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Criminal Minds Royal Pains Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Criminal Minds Franklin & Bash The X Factor U.S. Top Gear (US) Rescue Me

00:00 03:00 04:00 07:30 09:00 10:30 12:00 14:00 15:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00

Switched At Birth Scandal House Of Cards Coronation Street C.S.I. Coronation Street C.S.I. Switched At Birth Live Good Morning America C.S.I. Switched At Birth Parenthood C.S.I. Switched At Birth House Of Cards

00:00 02:15 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:15 12:30 14:00 16:15 18:30 20:30 22:45

Bunraku Paintball Shadow Mission: Impossible Battleship Mission: Impossible II The Apparition Tombstone Mission: Impossible II Wild Wild West Tombstone Imago Mortis

00:15 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:15 10:30 12:00 14:15 16:30 18:30 20:45 22:30

Paintball-18 Shadow-PG15 Mission: Impossible-PG15 Battleship-PG15 Mission: Impossible II-PG15 The Apparition-PG15 Tombstone-PG15 Mission: Impossible II-PG15 Wild Wild West-PG15 Tombstone-PG15 Imago Mortis-PG15 Hostel-R

00:00 Stripes-18 02:00 Venus & Vegas-PG15 04:00 Just Crazy Enough-PG15 06:00 Blame It On The BellboyPG15 08:00 This Means War-PG15 10:00 I Don’t Know How She Does It-PG15 12:00 Just Crazy Enough-PG15 14:00 The Tooth Fairy 2-PG 16:00 I Don’t Know How She Does It-PG15 18:00 Adventures In Babysitting 20:00 Revenge Of The Nerds-18

01:00 Blue Lagoon: The Awakening-PG15 03:00 One Angry Juror-PG15 05:00 Five-PG15 06:45 Here-PG15 09:00 Blue Lagoon: The Awakening-PG15 11:00 Down The Shore-PG15 13:00 Hidden Crimes-PG15 15:00 You Got Served: Beat The World-PG15 17:00 Happythankyoumoreplease 19:00 Yelling To The Sky-PG15 21:00 On The Road-R

01:00 03:00 05:00 PG15 07:00 09:00 11:00 PG15 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:15 23:30

Blue-Eyed Butcher-18 In Time-PG15 L’amour C’est Mieux A DeuxHide Away-PG15 Courage-PG15 Too Late To Say GoodbyeA Fall From Grace-PG15 Matching Jack-PG15 Too Late To Say Goodbye The Rainmaker-PG15 Girl, Interrupted-18 The Key Man-PG15

01:00 Colombiana-PG15 03:00 Journey 2: The Mysterious Island-PG 05:00 Katy Perry The Movie: Part Of Me-PG 07:00 Now Is Good-PG15 09:00 Puss In Boots-PG 11:00 Pitch Perfect-PG15 13:00 Of Two Minds-PG15 15:00 Pop Star-PG15 17:00 Puss In Boots-PG 19:00 Prometheus-PG15 21:00 Broken City-18 23:00 The Watch-18

01:15 The Land Before Time 02:45 Princess Sydney: The Three Gold Coins 04:15 Everyone’s Hero 06:00 The Land Before Time 08:00 Jelly T 10:00 Beethoven’s Second 11:30 A Monster In Paris 13:00 Home Alone: The Holiday Heist 14:30 Barbie In The Pink Shoes 16:00 Ben 10: Alien Swarm 18:00 Beethoven’s Second 20:00 Twigson 22:00 Barbie In The Pink Shoes 23:30 Ben 10: Alien Swarm

00:15 02:00 04:00 06:00

Amphibious-18 Midnight In Paris-PG15 Frankenweenie-PG Project Nim-PG15

08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 PG15 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Bernie-PG15 One Life-PG15 Midnight In Paris-PG15 Madea’s Big Happy FamilyBernie-PG15 Premium Rush-PG15 Love’s Kitchen-PG15 The Inbetweeners-18

03:00 European Tour Weekly 03:30 Inside PGA Tour 04:00 NHL 06:00 Trans World Sport 07:00 PDC World Darts Championships 12:00 World Match Racing Tour 14:00 Total Rugby 14:30 Amlin Chanllenge Cup 16:30 HSBC Sevens World Series Highlights 17:00 PGA Tour Highlights 18:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 21:00 Trans World Sport 22:00 Live PDC World Darts Championship

00:00 ICC Cricket 360 00:30 Live Cricket Test Match 08:30 ICC Cricket 360 09:00 PGA European Tour Weekly 09:30 Inside The PGA Tour 10:00 Total Rugby 10:30 Trans World Sports 11:30 NHL 13:30 Futbol Mundial 14:00 Darts 19:00 WWE NXT 20:00 NFL Gameday 20:30 PGA Tour Highlights 21:30 PGA European Tour Highlights 22:30 PGA European Tour Weekly 23:00 WWE NXT

02:00 03:00 03:30 06:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 11:00 11:30 13:30 14:30 15:30 16:30 17:00 19:30 20:30 21:30 23:30

Trans World Sport Futbol Mundial Rugby League World Cup Golfing World Golfing World Asian Tour Golf Total Rugby Amlin Challenge Cup ICC Cricket 360 Rugby Union Asian Tour Highlights Champions Tour Golfing World Asian Tour Golf Rugby League World Cup Golfing World Asian Tour Highlights Amlin Challenge Cup Total Rugby

01:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 05:30 06:00 07:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:30 19:00 21:00 22:00

NHL Ping Pong World US Bass Fishing UIM Aquabike Champs UIM Aquabike Champs Mass Participation WWE SmackDown Ping Pong World US Bass Fishing NHL UIM Aquabike Champs UIM Aquabike Champs European Le Mans Series Mass Participation Mass Participation Prizefighter NHL UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC

00:00 Airport 24/7: Miami 00:30 Airport 24/7: Miami

region. ‘OSN Fight Network HD’ will be a one-stopshop for the thousands of fans of combat sports, a genre that is rapidly gaining popularity across the region.

Fight Network, an undisputed leader in combat sports TV with over three million international subscribers, will showcase live coverage as well as regular news updates and fight analysis in addition to fightthemed drama series, documentaries, feature films and classic fight reruns. The network will also feature fights unique to the MENA region.

David Butorac, Chief Executive Officer, OSN, said: “We are setting a new trend in sports TV entertainment in the MENA region with the launch of ‘OSN Fight Network HD’. We constantly monitor customer preferences and identified a credible opportunity to launch a channel dedicated to combat sports.

“While youth audiences love the adrenaline-rush of this exciting genre of diverse sporting activities, many combat sports are also gaining popularity as a fitness regimen. By partnering with Fight Network, OSN is once again proving that when it comes to bringing worldclass and exclusive content, we lead the industry.”

“With our focus on international expansion, we are

thrilled about partnering with OSN to reach its broad range of territories,” said Leonard Asper, CEO of Fight Network’s parent company Anthem Media Group.

“OSN subscribers across the Middle East and North Africa will now have access to the world’s premier combat sports content, including fights unique to those regions.”

‘OSN Fight Network HD’ is a strong addition to the existing portfolio of major international sporting events currently offered by OSN including Rugby Union, Rugby League, WWE, cricket, golf and Aussie rules football.

‘OSN Fight Network HD’s international programming will feature the world’s top events and anchor shows, including Europe’s leading mixed martial arts such as Cage Warriors Fighting Championship and Ultimate Challenge MM; the leading Japanese promotions DEEP and Pancrase; world-class international kickboxing from It’s Showtime! And Enfusion; international world championship boxing events and an extensive classic fights catalogue.

The new channel brings original productions by Fight Network such as five Rounds and Fight News Now, as well as talk and interview programs Toe 2 Toe and MMA Meltdown with Gabriel Morency.

‘OSN Fight Network HD’ is also the home of premier traditional martial arts, including the famed Abu Dhabi Combat Club and is the official broadcaster of the Sport Accord World Combat Games. OSN subscribers can enjoy OSN Fight Network HD anytime, anywhere via OSN Play, the region’s first online TV viewing platform.

Classifieds THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

Kuwait SHARQIA-1 THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (DIG) FRI THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (DIG) NO FRI THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (DIG) HATOULY RAGEL (DIG) HATOULY RAGEL (DIG) THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (DIG) THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED SHARQIA-2 FROZEN (DIG-3D) FROZEN (DIG-3D) TARZAN (DIG-3D) FROZEN (DIG-3D) THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (DIG) THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED SHARQIA-3 HOURS (DIG) HAUNTER (DIG) DHOOM 3 (DIG) (HINDI) NO THU HAUNTER (DIG) THU HOURS (DIG) HAUNTER (DIG) HOURS (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED MUHALAB-1 HOURS (DIG) HOURS (DIG) DHOOM 3 (DIG) (HINDI) NO THU HOURS (DIG) THU HATOULY RAGEL (DIG) HOURS (DIG)

KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (19/12/2013 TO 25/12/2013) 1:45 PM 1:15 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:15 PM 12:15 AM

2:00 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 6:00 PM 9:15 PM 11:15 PM 1:15 AM

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 4:45 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM

MUHALAB-2 THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (DIG) BLOOD OF REDEMPTION (DIG) THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (DIG) BLOOD OF REDEMPTION (DIG) THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (DIG)

1:00 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM

MUHALAB-3 FROZEN (DIG-3D) FROZEN (DIG-3D) THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (DIG-3D) THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (DIG-3D)

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 9:00 PM

FANAR-1 HOURS (DIG) BLOOD OF REDEMPTION (DIG) HOURS (DIG) HOURS (DIG) BLOOD OF REDEMPTION (DIG) HOURS (DIG) BLOOD OF REDEMPTION (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

FANAR-2 FROZEN (DIG) FROZEN (DIG) FROZEN (DIG) THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (DIG) THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (DIG) THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

FANAR-3 DHOOM 3 (DIG) (HINDI)

12:30 PM

NO THU DHOOM 3 (DIG) (HINDI) NO THU DHOOM 3 (DIG) (HINDI) NO THU DHOOM 3 (DIG) (HINDI) NO THU THE FROZEN GROUND (DIG) THU THE FROZEN GROUND (DIG) THU HATOULY RAGEL (DIG) THU THE FROZEN GROUND (DIG) THU

12:30 PM

FANAR-4 TARZAN (DIG-3D) TARZAN (DIG-3D) THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (DIG-3D) THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (DIG-3D) THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (DIG-3D) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:15 PM 4:15 PM 6:15 PM 9:15 PM 12:15 AM

FANAR-5 A MADEA CHRISTMAS (DIG) HAUNTER (DIG) A MADEA CHRISTMAS (DIG) A MADEA CHRISTMAS (DIG) HATOULY RAGEL (DIG) HAUNTER (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

MARINA-1 THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (DIG) THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (DIG) HATOULY RAGEL (DIG) HATOULY RAGEL (DIG) THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (DIG) THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

MARINA-2 HOURS (DIG) SAVING SANTA (DIG) HAUNTER (DIG) HOURS (DIG) HOURS (DIG) HAUNTER (DIG) HOURS (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 4:45 PM 6:45 PM 8:45 PM 10:45 PM 12:45 AM

3:45 PM 7:00 PM 10:15 PM

3:45 PM 7:00 PM 10:15 PM

ACCOMMODATION

MARINA-3 FROZEN (DIG-3D) TARZAN (DIG-3D) FROZEN (DIG-3D) THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (DIG) THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:00 PM 4:30 PM 6:30 PM 9:00 PM 12:05 AM

AVENUES-1 A MADEA CHRISTMAS (DIG) A MADEA CHRISTMAS (DIG) A MADEA CHRISTMAS (DIG) THE CITIZEN (DIG) A MADEA CHRISTMAS (DIG) A MADEA CHRISTMAS (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

AVENUES-2 HAUNTER (DIG) SAVING SANTA (DIG) HAUNTER (DIG) HAUNTER (DIG) HAUNTER (DIG) HAUNTER (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 8:45 PM 11:00 PM 1:15 AM

Sharing accommodation available for decent bachelor non-smoking, Amman Street, one big room, opposite to Al Rashid hospital.

Please contact: 66232356/55862576.

(C 4600) 18-12-2013

LOST I, Nita Kishore Bhatkar, holder of Indian Passport No. Z1171971 have lost my Bachelors in Business Administration degree certificate issued by the Madurai Kamraj University.

If you find it please contact 66095560.

16-12-2013

FOR SALE Selling Mazda 6 (2004 model) white color car, mileage 124,000 kms only.

Body, chassis, engine, gear, A/C, exteriors etc all in good condition and well maintained. Expecting KD 550. Call 66596645.

(C 4601) 18-12-2013

No: 16021

Pajero jeep model 1996, color red, used by a lady.

Contact: 66152130.

17-12-2013 Ford Lincoln, 2009 model, excellent condition, full options, top price.

99081888. (C 4599)

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

Airlines BBC JAI JZR JZR KLM THY QTR SAI GFA THY UAE ETD MSR QTR MSC FDB JZR THY DHX QTR QTR FDB BAW KAC JZR KAC KAC IRA FDB KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR ETD IRA FDB JZR IZG GFA MSC MSC MEA JZR DHX JZR JZR SYR TBZ UAE JZR MSR MSR KNE FDB QTR KAC KAC KAC

Arrival Flights on Thursday 19/12/2013 Flt Route 43 DHAKA 574 MUMBAI 539 CAIRO 267 BEIRUT 411 AMSTERDAM 772 ISTANBUL 1084 DOHA 441 LAHORE 211 BAHRAIN 764 SABIHA 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI-INTL 612 CAIRO 1076 DOHA 401 ALEXANDRIA 67 DUBAI 503 LUXOR 770 ISTANBUL 170 BAHRAIN 8524 DOHA 8650 DOHA 69 DUBAI 157 LONDON 412 MANILA 529 ASYUT 206 ISLAMABAD 302 MUMBAI 617 AHWAZ 53 DUBAI 352 COCHIN 332 TRIVANDRUM 362 COLOMBO 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 1070 DOHA 301 ABU DHABI-INTL 605 ISFAHAN 55 DUBAI 327 NAJAF 4161 MASHAD 213 BAHRAIN 403 ASYUT 405 SOHAG 404 BEIRUT 165 DUBAI 872 BAHRAIN 241 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA 329 NAJAF 341 DAMASCUS 5483 MASHAD 871 DUBAI 561 SOHAG 610 CAIRO 579 SOHAG 480 TAIF 57 DUBAI 1078 DOHA 382 DELHI 546 ALEXANDRIA 672 DUBAI

Time 00:05 00:10 00:40 00:40 00:30 00:45 00:55 01:30 02:10 02:15 02:35 02:45 03:10 03:45 03:45 04:20 05:50 05:35 05:40 05:45 05:45 05:50 06:40 06:45 06:20 07:40 07:55 07:50 07:50 08:10 08:15 08:45 08:40 09:00 09:10 09:20 09:30 09:40 10:00 10:35 10:40 11:15 11:20 11:55 11:30 11:15 12:45 12:00 12:30 12:35 12:50 12:55 13:00 13:05 13:15 13:50 13:55 13:05 14:05 14:00

KAC SVA KNE JZR JZR KAC JZR GFA KNE NIA OMA KAC JZR QTR UAE ETD RJA JZR SVA ABY GFA JZR UAL JZR KAC KAC KAC JZR QTR FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC GFA OMA TAR FDB MSR JAI AXB ABY JZR DLH ALK MEA JZR ETD UAE GFA QTR KLM JAI AIC FDB JZR JZR UAL PIA MEA

562 500 472 257 331 788 535 221 470 251 645 118 333 1072 857 303 640 787 510 127 215 777 982 135 284 542 786 177 1080 63 176 618 104 774 614 674 217 647 328 61 618 572 393 129 189 634 229 402 181 307 859 219 1074 417 576 981 59 239 185 981 205 406

AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA JEDDAH JEDDAH BEIRUT NAJAF JEDDAH CAIRO BAHRAIN JEDDAH ALEXANDRIA MUSCAT NEW YORK NAJAF DOHA DUBAI ABU DHABI-INTL AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA RIYADH RIYADH SHARJAH BAHRAIN JEDDAH WASHINGTON DC DULLES BAHRAIN DHAKA CAIRO JEDDAH DUBAI DOHA DUBAI GENEVA DOHA LONDON RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI BAHRAIN MUSCAT DUBAI DUBAI ALEXANDRIA MUMBAI KOZHIKODE SHARJAH DUBAI FRANKFURT COLOMBO BEIRUT AL MAKTOUM INTERNATI ABU DHABI-INTL DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA AMSTERDAM COCHIN CHENNAI DUBAI AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA DUBAI BAHRAIN LAHORE BEIRUT

14:50 14:30 14:35 14:45 14:10 15:10 15:50 15:00 15:35 15:50 15:55 16:35 16:05 16:40 16:40 16:50 16:55 17:00 17:15 17:25 17:30 17:55 18:00 18:00 18:00 18:05 18:45 18:20 18:40 18:45 19:15 19:00 19:35 19:30 19:35 19:25 19:30 19:55 20:00 20:05 20:05 20:10 20:15 20:20 20:15 20:55 21:10 21:20 21:30 21:35 21:40 21:45 22:00 22:05 22:15 22:30 22:30 22:20 23:20 23:10 23:15 23:15

Airlines AIC AXB JAI KLM BBC DLH SAI THY KAC UAE ETD MSR QTR MSC FDB QTR KAC JZR FDB JZR JZR THY GFA QTR QTR KAC JZR THY RAB FDB JZR BAW IRA JZR JZR KAC KAC KAC ABY KAC UAE ETD QTR IRA FDB JZR GFA KAC IZG KAC MSC MSC JZR JZR MEA DHX KAC SYR JZR JZR

Departure Flights on Thursday 19/12/2013 Flt Route Time 976 GOA 00:05 490 MANGALORE 00:15 573 MUMBAI 01:10 411 AMSTERDAM 01:45 44 DHAKA 01:45 635 FRANKFURT 02:10 442 LAHORE 02:30 773 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 02:55 381 DELHI 03:50 854 DUBAI 03:50 306 ABU DHABI 04:00 613 CAIRO 04:10 1085 DOHA 04:15 406 SOHAG 04:45 68 DUBAI 05:00 1077 DOHA 05:15 283 DHAKA 05:30 560 SOHAG 06:20 70 DUBAI 06:30 326 AL NAJAF 06:40 164 DUBAI 06:55 765 ISTANBUL-SABIHA 07:05 212 BAHRAIN 07:15 8525 DOHA 07:15 8650 DOHA 07:15 545 ALEXANDRIA 07:15 240 AMMAN 07:20 771 ISTANBUL 07:30 303 KANDAHAR 08:00 54 DUBAI 08:30 328 AL NAJAF 08:40 156 LONDON 08:45 616 AHWAZ 08:50 256 BEIRUT 08:55 534 CAIRO 09:00 561 AMMAN 09:25 787 JEDDAH 09:25 671 DUBAI 09:30 126 SHARJAH 09:40 101 LONDON 09:50 856 DUBAI 09:55 302 ABU DHABI 10:05 1071 DOHA 10:10 606 MASHHAD 10:20 56 DUBAI 10:20 330 AL NAJAF 10:50 214 BAHRAIN 11:25 541 CAIRO 11:30 4162 MASHHAD 11:35 165 ROME 11:50 404 ASYUT 12:15 402 ALEXANDRIA 12:20 776 JEDDAH 12:25 332 AL NAJAF 12:45 405 BEIRUT 12:55 511 KANDAHAR 13:00 785 JEDDAH 13:00 342 DAMASCUS 13:30 786 RIYADH 13:35 176 DUBAI 13:45

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

TBZ MSR MSR KNE UAE FDB QTR JZR KAC KAC KNE JZR GFA SVA KAC KAC KNE KAC NIA OMA JZR JZR ETD QTR UAE JZR RJA ABY SVA GFA JZR JZR UAL JZR FDB QTR GFA FDB TAR OMA KAC ABY MSR JZR JAI KAC AXB KAC KAC DHX ALK MEA ETD GFA KAC UAE KAC KLM QTR FDB JAI JZR KAC KAC

5484 580 611 481 872 58 1079 134 673 617 473 188 222 505 773 501 471 613 252 646 180 238 304 1073 858 538 641 128 511 216 184 266 982 554 64 1081 218 62 328 648 331 120 619 334 571 351 394 343 543 171 230 403 308 220 301 860 205 417 1075 60 575 528 415 411

MASHHAD SOHAG CAIRO TAIF DUBAI DUBAI DOHA BAHRAIN DUBAI DOHA JEDDAH DUBAI BAHRAIN JEDDAH RIYADH BEIRUT JEDDAH BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA MUSCAT AL MAKTOUM INTERNATIONAL AMMAN ABU DHABI DOHA DUBAI CAIRO AMMAN SHARJAH RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI BEIRUT BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA DUBAI DOHA BAHRAIN DUBAI TUNIS MUSCAT TRIVANDRUM SHARJAH ALEXANDRIA AL NAJAF MUMBAI KOCHI KOZHIKODE CHENNAI CAIRO BAHRAIN COLOMBO BEIRUT ABU DHABI BAHRAIN MUMBAI DUBAI ISLAMABAD DAMMAM DOHA DUBAI ABU DHABI ASYUT KUALA LUMPUR BANGKOK

13:50 13:50 14:00 14:10 14:15 14:30 14:55 15:00 15:05 15:30 15:30 15:40 15:45 16:00 16:05 16:30 16:30 16:35 16:50 16:55 16:55 16:55 17:35 17:40 17:50 17:50 17:55 18:05 18:15 18:20 18:40 18:50 19:15 19:20 19:25 19:40 20:15 20:45 20:50 20:55 20:55 21:00 21:05 21:05 21:10 21:10 21:15 21:30 21:40 21:50 22:10 22:20 22:20 22:30 22:35 22:50 22:55 23:05 23:10 23:10 23:15 23:25 23:55 23:55

34

s ta rs CROSSWORD 403

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) ARIES Now that your goals are within reach, it is time for some new plans to take form. You enjoy independent thinking and finding solutions without help. Someone is influential in helping you find exactly what you want in your career or self-improvement program. People around you want to help you. Your mind performs better and more efficiently when you are calm and cool—it can lead you to sensible and unbiased solutions.

Your mind controls your body and soul, so keep it looking upward and outward. A financial adviser is offering an economic update or review this evening in some form of lecture.

This mini-class will feature an industry expert to help the public understand the stock market. It may sound dull, but it’s not for even a moment.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Having the ability to get your message across to others is at a high just now.

Your timing is perfect. Playing the role of the one who nurtures another, suits you quite well at this time. You may strongly feel the need to care for others. In this case, you are excellent with volunteer work. You value people that have disabilities and know they have a lot to offer society. You seek to help in matters of community gatherings. You may find a good way to help others become organized and to also help create some convenient timesaving ideas. Today, you may succeed in encouraging one or two families to adopt handicapped persons for a couple of hours to show them the lights of the season.

Tomorrow, others will also want to be helpful.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. A sharp hand gesture (resembling a blow).

4. A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (trade name Clinoril).

12. A bachelor's degree in theology.

15. Used of a single unit or thing.

16. Tuberous or rhizomatous herbaceous perennials.

17. 10 hao equal 1 dong.

18. Act together, as of organisms.

20. A desert in central Asia.

22. A family of Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in southeastern Asia.

23. A highly unstable radioactive element (the heaviest of the halogen series).

24. Annual herbs whose flowers have only one petal spurred at the base.

27. A game in which numbered balls are drawn and random and players cover the corresponding numbers on their cards.

29. An iconic mental representation.

30. A member of the Siouan people formerly living in the Missouri river valley in NE Nebraska.

32. An ester of adenosine that is converted to ATP for energy storage.

33. Southern European plant having spiny leaves and purple flowers cultivated for its edible leafstalks and roots.

36. A silvery ductile metallic element found primarily in bauxite.

37. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects.

39. A bivalent and trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group.

41. A port in western Israel on the Mediterranean.

42. White crystalline compound used as a food additive to enhance flavor.

44. Psychoactive substance present in marijuana.

46. A written proposal or reminder.

48. A crystalline metallic element not found in nature.

49. Any of various rotating shafts that serve as axes for larger rotating parts.

51. An implement used to erase something.

53. Mites and ticks.

54. Measuring instrument in which the echo of a pulse of microwave radiation is used to detect and locate distant objects.

56. A colorless odorless gaseous element that give a red glow in a vacuum tube.

57. A pause during which things are calm or activities are diminished.

58. (British) A disparaging term for an appointee.

61. An intensely radioactive metallic element that occurs in minute amounts in uranium ores.

62. Flightless New Zealand rail of thievish disposition having short wings each with a spur used in fighting.

65. A bar of sand.

73. A self-funded retirement plan that allows you to contribute a limited yearly sum toward your retirement.

74. Pleasantly occupied.

76. Jordan's port.

77. A light touch or stroke.

78. Of or relating to the people of Nigeria.

80. Any of several small ungulate mammals of Africa and Asia with rodent-like incisors and feet with hooflike toes.

81. A Kwa language spoken by the Yoruba people in southwestern Nigeria.

82. The father of your father or mother.

83. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

DOWN 1. Immense East Indian fruit resembling breadfruit of.

2. Small buffalo of the Celebes having small straight horns.

3. A small ball with a hole through the middle.

4. French composer noted for his experimentalism and rejection of romanticism (18661925).

5. An ancient city of Sumer located on a former channel of the Euphrates River.

6. An atom or molecule or radical or ion that forms a complex around a central atom.

7. One of two or more atoms with the same atomic number but with different numbers of neutrons.

8. Tag the base runner to get him out.

9. Characterized by divine or godlike nature.

10. Before noon.

11. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light.

12. Of or concerning this or that.

13. A Loloish language.

14. A wine bottle made of leather.

19. A clique that seeks power usually through intrigue.

21. (Irish) Chief god of the Tuatha De Danann.

25. A benevolent aspect of Devi.

26. Aromatic Eurasian perennial.

28. A city in western Germany near the Dutch and Belgian borders.

31. A region of northeastern France famous for its wines.

34. Many times at short intervals.

35. The iridescent internal layer of a mollusk shell.

38. (nautical) Of an anchor.

40. A region of complete shadow resulting from total obstruction of light.

43. Any of various small biting flies.

45. A sudden very loud noise.

47. (Greek mythology) A princess of Colchis who aided Jason in taking the Golden Fleece from her father.

50. A pre-Christian priest among the Celts of ancient Gaul and Britain and Ireland.

52. A member of a widespread group of Amerindians living in northeastern South America.

55. Grasshopper with short antennae.

59. 30 to 300 kilohertz.

60. A state in the western United States.

63. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables.

64. Squash bugs.

66. Any of various strong liquors distilled from the fermented sap of toddy palms or from fermented molasses.

67. (Babylonian) God of wisdom and agriculture and patron of scribes and schools.

68. A vigorous blow.

69. An independent ruler or chieftain (especially in Africa or Arabia).

70. (anatomy) A fold or wrinkle or crease.

71. A group of cattle or sheep or other domestic mammals all of the same kind that are herded by humans.

72. The (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb.

75. A fractional monetary unit of Japan and Indonesia and Cambodia.

79. (Akkadian) God of wisdom.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

You are feeling upbeat, healthy and natural. Everything points to your taking the first step in a work project. You should enjoy a great deal of support from those around you. Anything taking precedence in your life now gets your full attention. It’s really a great time to be with others and to work side by side. Someone in a superior position may ask your advice. The ability that you have to manage and direct others is not exactly secret. You should be feeling quite confident with your circumstances, very much at peace and stable on the emotional level. This evening, music may assume a more important role in your life than usual. Perhaps a good friend of yours is just getting started in a music career. Whatever the case, you enjoy and support your friend.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Something may help you to appreciate and discover the beauty that is in your life this morning. Perhaps you did not know that there are big owls nested near your walking path. Take your camera the next time you go out and try not to use the flash— what a treat! You are at your mental best with sharp ideas and clear thoughts. You will find this an excellent time to put the finishing touch on any decisions or plans. You can be your creative self this afternoon with ideas on little munchies or souvenirs you could sell to hotels and party shops for new year’s eve parties. This evening you are able to see the results of your good budgeting. You feel good about being able to spend or overspend now. You will have some intelligent help from a friend regarding finances.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Professional decisions are good but may take a little more time and patience on your part. You complete your tasks efficiently. Prepare to reorient your viewpoint and direction during the next six months. You will close the door on many of the issues that you have been dealing with for the last three years. You need specialized training and tools to do even minor maintenance on a car these days; this afternoon, you join the mainstream of the public to wait in line for a mechanical check of your car. It is always good to be as safe as possible in the winter weather. You may want to get all caught up in the social whirl but your timing would be better for this weekend. Possibly a good book or movie will take on that more than real dimension this evening.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) This is a good time for clear speculation. You are in a serious frame of mind and find yourself dealing with matters of much concern and responsibility. This is a good time to reorganize. You may be feeling a bit on the introverted side this afternoon, however, and just want to spend more time with your lover or with close friends. It may not be a time to be outward or to try to make yourself known in the world. Your feelings are more reflective than expressive just now. To know that you are really wanted and needed helps you to maintain a comfortable feeling; the lack of these things can cause an instinctive feeling of uneasiness. It really is true that no man is an island. You should not have to go it alone, unless you so choose.

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22) You communicate effectively, both professionally and personally. You should find that today is one of those super nice days when things just kind of flow along.

You will do particularly well in activities that include children, young people and your home and surroundings. You could feel real rapport and assistance at this time for circumstances and those around you. You may not be expecting it but some kind of a little boost in the form of extra recognition or support will be coming from those around you. You should feel very much in touch with others, as the lines of communication are wide open.

All of the support that you could possibly want or need should be there. This evening there is time for a phone conversation from someone far away.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Needs of a sensual nature are emphasized at this time. You will instinctively want to feel powerful and in complete control, pulling the strings, if you will. This may lead to a greater interest in helping to expand your business at this time. This afternoon you may receive a call from an out-of-town friend or relative that wants to visit you this weekend. There is nothing like company to spur us into action around the house. You may work to put everything in its place. You prepare for this visit by following some very important techniques: use a ladder when needed, allocate the work and consider outside cleaning help. Be wise and do not take it upon yourself to throw away anyone else’s things. You are thankful for the push to do a cleaning.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Working with others can be quite successful today. You will gain information that a legal matter has settled profitably. You are most persuasive.

Combined with your passion for your personal issues, you get most of what you want. You encourage your friends or co-workers to become involved in a 5k run to benefit police orphans or widows. They need volunteers and runners and your community could include the area where you work—you gain positive attention. There are t-shirts for first, second and third place winners. You are pleased to be a part of this effort. Time will come this evening to enjoy the company of a loved one. You create a most romantic setting for a loved one. Make plans to repeat this activity from time to time.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Go ahead and allow your creative and intuitive sides to surface—there are rewards coming your way. Watch for new solutions to old problems or something very inventive to evolve as a result of all of this. If anyone has a project that needs to be completed by a certain time, you will be the one that he or she comes to for help. You just seem to innately know what others want and need and can take action with very little waste or haste. You will be greatly appreciated for your abilities to manage and direct others. There does not seem to be a problem with too many requests because you are good at saying no when there is no more room or energy for you to be expressive. Do, however, notice if family members are neglected; take time to enjoy them often!

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) A feeling of peace and stability on the emotional level comes into play at this time. Being stable and permanent satisfies a deep emotional need. Music could also play a more important role for you than usual and you may find a short period of material acquisition satisfying a deep yearning to be free from want. There is a better than average chance that you will understand those around you and have a special time with someone you love. A great deal of support and harmony, along with the good feelings that you are having, makes this an exceptionally happy time. Someone younger than yourself comes to you for guidance. You teach the actions and things about which you believe. The best reward of a kindly deed . . . Is the knowledge of having done it.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) You may see some positive changes now that have come from some real personal work you have done recently. This may be clearing away some old projects or making the effort to create new friends of co-workers. The young people that did not agree with your methods are beginning to see things your way. Your support system has vastly improved over past situations. Some of the changes could be that you have reversed some of your dreamy thinking and have begun to make realistic goals. You are also more patient than in the past, especially with young people—good for you! You may be called upon to teach today—you will gracefully accept the request because there are excellent rewards and future possibilities. You praise others this evening.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 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

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Hawally

Al-Madeena

22418714

Al-Shuhada

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Faiha

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Kaizen center

25716707

Rawda

22517733

Adaliya

22517144

Al-Jahra

25610011

Khaldiya

24848075

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Kaifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salem

22549134

Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Qadsiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Gar

22531908

Shaab

22518752

Qibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Qibla

22451082

Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Omariya

24719048

N Khaitan

24710044

Fintas

23900322

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist

25665898 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

22618787

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Mousa Khadada

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Kaizen center 25716707

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Dr. Salem soso

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062

Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Lostprophets singer jailed for 35 years for child sex abuse

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ountry singer Chris Cagle (KAY’-guhl) was arrested in Texas over the weekend on a drunken-driving charge. The Texas Department of Public Safety said Cagle was arrested early Sunday near Greenville, about 50 miles northeast of Dallas. The agency said the 45-year-old entertainer, who lives in Marietta, Okla, was pulled over after running a red light.

Hunt County Sheriff Randy Meeks said Tuesday that Cagle was under the influence of alcohol and was taken into custody after failing a field sobriety test. He was arrested on a charge of driving while intoxicated, Meeks said.

The sheriff’s office said Cagle was released later Sunday on $3,000 bond.

There was no information on an attorney for Cagle. A message to a booking and management agency representing Cagle wasn’t returned Tuesday.

The penalty for Class B misdemeanor DWI can include a fine of up to $2,000 and up to six months in jail. Cagle’s 2002 single “I Breathe In, I Breathe Out” reached No. 1 on Billboard’s country music chart.

ritish rock singer Ian Watkins, the former Lostprophets frontman, was jailed for 35 years yesterday for the attempted rape of a baby and several other “incomprehensible” child sex offences.

Watkins, who admitted 13 offences at Cardiff Crown Court, had “plumbed new depths of depravity”, his judge said. The vocalist, whose band sold millions of albums around the world, plotted the abuse of two children with their own mothers in a series of text and Internet messages. The heavily tattooed 36-year-old spoke of his desire to intoxicate one of his victims by blowing crystal meth smoke into the child’s face. “Ian Watkins was the ringleader of this terrible conspiracy and it is right that his sentence reflects this,” the Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement after sentencing. “He is a highly dangerous and manipulative individual who preyed on his victims in a calculated manner. “It is incomprehensible that adults would commit such appalling acts against children and young people, and our thoughts remain with the victims and those close to them.” Police are now investigating whether Watkins committed further abuse in the United States and Germany.

De Niro punched Stallone during Grudge Match filming

Lohan making music with Kate Moss’ husband?

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indsay Lohan is making music with Kate Moss’ husband. The troubled actress is determined to get her life back on track following her stint in rehab in the summer, and has teamed up with Jamie Hince to work on a mystery project. The 27-year-old star posted a number of teasing photographs on her Instagram account, which saw her sitting at a mixing desk in a New York studio, as well as a signed copy of The Kills record, along with the hash tags “Jamie Hince” and “Studio time”.

The blonde beauty, who released two albums when she was a Disney star, is keen to revive her music career and has been seeking advice from Jamie and Lily Allen’s ex-boyfriend Robertson Furze in a bid to turn into a “rock chick”. A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “Lindsay’s really embarrassed by [her previous] music, it was really poppy and cheesy. She sees herself as far more credible now. “Jamie is one of her idols - she loves The Kills and sees herself as a bit of a rock chick.” In another bid to rebuild her career, Lindsay met with literacy agency Waxman Leavall last week to discuss the idea of writing a tell-all autobiography, which will see her open up about every aspect of her life including becoming a child star, allegations of drug use and her famous relationships.

Bruce Springsteen doesn’t work ‘linearly’

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he musical legend is preparing to release his upcoming album ‘High Hopes’ in January, but he admits the record was put together in an abnormal manner, unlike other artists who have a structure.

He said: “The best way to describe this record is that it’s a bit of an anomaly. But not much. I don’t really work linearly, like a lot of people do.” The 64-year-old star has always written and recorded more songs than he can fit onto an album at any one time, but he keeps them stashed away on a computer so he can listen to them when he gets bored while on tour. Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine, he explained: “I have a lot of this music on a computer. I bring it out on the road to amuse myself. “Very often, if I have nothing to do late at night I’ll bring it up and look at different bodies of music.” Meanwhile, Springsteen said previously ‘High Hopes’ was a trip down memory lane for him because he picked a mixture of new material, covers and rerecorded versions of existing songs which he felt “deserved” to be recorded properly. He explained last month: “Some of these songs, ‘American Skin’ and ‘Ghost of Tom Joad’, you’ll be familiar with from our live versions.”I felt they were among the best of my writing and deserved a proper studio recording. ‘The Wall’ is something I’d played on stage a few times and remains very close to my heart.” ‘High Hopes’ will be available from January 14, 2014.

Coldplay played intimate pub gig

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oldplay gave a local pub an intimate gig on Monday. The ‘Scientist’ hitmakers - consisting of Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland and Will Champion - took to the stage at the Ring O’Bells in Somerset after being asked to perform by Miles Leonard - who partowns the boozer and is the boss of the band’s record company Warner Bros/Parlophone - at a staff Christmas party. Some of the local residents were also in attendance, as well as Lily Allen and Glastonbury Festival organizer Emily Eavis. Emily took to Twitter after the show, writing: “Coldplay played at the ring O’bells on the Mendip hills in Somerset last night, it was great!” The group kicked off the 40-minute set with a series of hits including ‘Yellow’, ‘Clocks’, ‘Paradise’ and ‘Christmas Lights’, before being joined on stage by Lewis Watson, Royal Blood, Conor Maynard, Chas ‘n’ Dave and Becky Hill. The Ring O’Bells posted on Twitter: “As you may have heard, We’re extremely lucky and privileged to have hosted Parlephone and Warner Bros private party last night... “And yes Coldplay performed along with some other great artists. It was an incredible evening and a once in a lifetime experience... And I’d like to thank everyone who made it possible. Can’t wait for Christmas and New years ... hope to see everyone in the pub soon (sic)”. Meanwhile, Chris also tried his hand at serving behind the bar as he poured pint after pint for the locals.

A resident told The Sun newspaper: “It was a stunning gig. Incredible. One we’ll never forget. Chris was on form behind the bar and on stage-he had great chat and looked so hot.”

obert De Niro punched Sylvester Stallone “a couple of times” while filming ‘Grudge Match’. The ‘Rocky Balboa’ star admits he wanted to take the boxing scene in the comedy movie further than acting, so he allowed De Niro, who has two Oscar Awards under his belt, to smash him across the face and knock him to the floor to make it feel like a real fight. Stallone told the Confidenti@l column in the New York Daily News newspaper: “I told him [De Niro], ‘In here, your Oscars are not going to help you pal, you’re in Rockyland. “He was very feisty, he took a good shot. It was very, very hard, the training. He hit me a couple of times because, you know, you want to get that realism. But when I saw him take some falls and I took some falls I said, ‘This is getting good, this is not a joke fight.’

“However, the 67-year-old actor admits jumping into the ring with De Niro, 70, was harder than he thought it would be because they couldn’t pull off the same stunts they could during their younger years. Although, he believes the film - which follows a pair of ageing boxing rivals who are coaxed out of retirement to fight one last time - suited him down to the ground because it was very “age appropriate”. Stallone explained: “We weren’t jumping around like we were 22, even though I wanted to; I wasn’t able to.”

Cavalli accuses Kors of copying him

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oberto Cavalli claims Michael Kors copies other designers. The Italian couturier says the popular fashion designer constantly steals his own ideas and gives American style a bad name with his copycat looks. He ranted to Style.com: “He’s one of the biggest copy designers in the world. I just want to tell him to stop copying me! Stop! All the time I write those comments on Instagram. He copies everybody! “Americans like Michael Kors! And you love so many other designers who do that - he’s not American fashion. He is international fashion made in America. It’s not fair. The American women, they all dress the same.” The outspoken star insists Michael isn’t the only designer who is guilty of copying his aesthetic and joked he set up his youth-aimed sister line, Just Cavalli, in 1998 so he could copy himself. Roberto said: “Before I [launched] Just Cavalli, I started to see how many people around me were copying me. There was Cavalli style all over, and I said, ‘Why am I giving so many opportunities to other people? Maybe I should just start to copy myself.’ So I started Just Cavalli to copy myself.”

Pippa Middleton is engaged

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he party planner - who is the sister of Britain’s Duchess Catherine, the wife of Prince William - was surprised by a “romantic and grand” proposal from boyfriend Nico Jackson during their vacation to the luxury Oberi Amarvilas resort in India earlier this month. A source told Us Weekly magazine: “It was exactly how he planned it. Very romantic and grand.” The couple - who have been dating for 15 months have been celebrating their good news in private and are looking forward to a family Christmas before heading off on another trip, skiing in the Alps. It was previously claimed that Pippa, 30, and Nico, 36, plan to marry in Scotland. A source said recently: “A wedding in London would never compare to her sister Kate’s of course, and the prospect of erecting a marquee at her parents’ house in Bucklebury for a party after the wedding service would be too low-key for her tastes these days.” There was some talk of Pippa hunting out suitable wedding venues on her next trip to Scotland. Nico loves the country too - he thinks it’s beautiful - but when it comes to wedding planning he’ll leave that to Pippa. He will go along with whatever she wants. And what she wants at the moment is a wedding in the Scottish Highlands. “Nico would love a honeymoon in the Caribbean and a great bachelor party.” Pippa attracted the attention of the world when she was the maid of honour at the wedding of her sister Catherine - formerly known as Kate Middleton - to heir-to-the-throne William on April 29, 2011.

Pippa wowed in a white figure-hugging dress - designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen. —Bang Showbiz

Mendes and Gosling breaking up

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va Mendes and Ryan Gosling are reportedly on a break. The couple who have been dating for two years after meeting on the set of ‘The Place Beyond The Pines’, are reportedly “re-evaluating” their romance as they realised they weren’t ready to tie the knot. A source told RadarOnline.com: “There was a realisation before Thanksgiving that they took things way too fast and were rushing toward a marriage that neither of them particularly needed. “They’ve decided to take a break to reevaluate their romance.” Eva, 39, is said to be committed to their relationship and is even thinking about starting a family with the Hollywood hunk but he isn’t as keen. The source added: “The real question is how Eva is going to figure into Ryan’s plans. Eva wanted to have his babies.” Ryan, 33, and Eva’s relationship has been rumoured to have been on the rocks since they took a brief break six months ago to contemplate their future together and friends are predicting they’ll split soon. A source previously said: “He can be moody, and she’s insecure. She sees a text from a mystery number and assumes he’s talking to other girls. I wouldn’t

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

LIFESTYLE F e a t u r e s

China brokers love for ageing lonely hearts

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This picture taken in Pantin, north of Paris, shows street art works inside the Magasins Generaux, a neglected building that was used as a material by street artists and that is now expected to be refurbished. The 20,000 square meter building should be hosting in two or three years the BETC advertisement company, which employs 700 today. —AFP

UNESCO world heritage sites in Albania Butrinti National Park of Butrint. Declared “Monument in Protection” by the Albanian State in 1948. Registered as an UNESCO world heritage in 1992. Inclusion in the List of Monuments at Risk in 1997.

It was further expanded in 1999. The national importance of Butrint’s assets and cultural heritage was recognized and confirmed in the world by UNESCO World Heritage Committee in 1992. Registration of Butrint by UNESCO was based on cultural criteria as a unique and exceptional testimony of a cultural tradition and civilization that disappeared.

Butrint was an ancient city in Epirus, during the VII century. The main objects in Butrint are: The Temple of Aeskulapius, the theater with 1500 seats, nymfeu, bathrooms, basilica, the Lion gate, the gate lake, the Venetian towers and the fortress of Ali Pasha. A series of items can be found at the Museum of Butrint.

‘Season of Giving’ at Joyalukkas

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Butrinti

Gjirokastra The museum City of Gjirokastra.

Declared as a “Museum City” by the Albanian state in 1961. Recognized as a world heritage in 2005. Gjirokastra is a unique testimony of a cultural tradition of life during the XIV - XIX centuries.

It is the main city of the southern part of the country. This city impresses everyone who visits it, as a result of the architecture, the surprising images of Drinos valley, and the spectacular crown ridge of calcareous Bureto and LunxhÎria.

Gjirokastra

ISO polyphony Albanian

Berati Registered as a world heritage in 2005 and ratified in 2008. Berati is the city where can be found traces of the Illyrian, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman periods, rich in old churches with wonderful wall paintings, icons and wood engraving. In 1961 the city was put under the protection of the Albanian state and was declared a “Museum City “.

ISO polyphony Albanian Albanian Folk Iso-polyphony is proclaimed “masterpiece of the oral heritage of humanity” protected by UNESCO. Obviously, the date November 25, 2005 is a historic day for all the Albanian cultural heritage but also for Albania itself. In this day “Albanian folk iso-polyphony” was added to the list of “Masterpieces of the oral heritage of humanity” protected by

Berati UNESCO, a fact that was heralded in all media world by Dr Koichiro Matscura, General Director of UNESCO, the UNESCO headquarters in Paris.

To come up with this decision, the International Jury meeting in Paris from 21-24 November 2005, examined 60 candidates proposed for inclusion in the list

“Masterpiece of Humanity”, the proposals were made? In an official way by different countries of the world and met the criteria stated files for this purpose.

In recent years, in the field of international recognition of cultural heritage were included: Butrint National Park, the city of Berat and Gjirokastra, as “cultural

heritage of humanity” protected by UNESCO. Albanian state itself has developed and implemented the law in this area that has also become part of global standards, though adopting almost all the international conventions in this field.

Dumond unveils autumn winter ’13 collection

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earing her favorite black dress, 53-year-old Liu Fenqin sat nervously in a corner at an official match-making event in Shanghai, hoping to find a husband after her first marriage ended in divorce more than 10 years earlier. With China’s divorce rate rising, Liu was one of thousands of middle-aged and senior lonely hearts who took part in the annual event sponsored by the Shanghai government after the upper age limit was raised from 45 to 60 this year.

“I’m looking for someone not too ugly,” Liu said as she glanced around at the participants, many of whom were also too shy to mix and mingle. She wanted to find a second husband when she was younger but her daughter did not want her to, she said, so she put her love life on hold.

The event, which drew 30,000 people last year, attracted an estimated 40,000 this year after organizers lifted the age limit to satisfy demand from the growing number of divorcees, said Xu Tianli, vice chairman of the Shanghai Matchmaking Agency Management Association.

With some people there in their 60s and even 70s, the age limit was not absolute. “If anyone has earnest love and marriage needs then we will do our best to help them out,” Xu said. Divorce rates in China have climbed for seven years in a row. In 2012, the year-on-year rise in divorces outpaced that of marriages for the first time, according to official data.

The Chinese city with the highest divorce rate is Beijing, at 39 percent, according to local media. About half of US marriages end in divorce, while the figure for Britain is 42 percent. The issue has not escaped the notice of China’s government, which is concerned that broken homes will erode social stability.

“Previously, the government didn’t collect statistics but sensitivity to this issue is increasing,” said Sun Qiliang, who heads China’s Marriage and Family Counseling website.

“It’s likely that children from divorced families will become social outcasts and vagrants. So it does have a negative impact on society.” To mend ailing marriages and encourage senior singles to date, China has introduced a range of measures. In March the “Family Harmony” project was launched to train a force of “marriage doctors and nurses” to help stabilise rocky relationships.

The match-making event in Shanghai, held in a vast furniture warehouse, was divided into different sections, with three set aside for senior participants. Zheng Zhixin, 68, said he and his wife got divorced while they were living in Japan when he worked there as an engineer.

“She wanted to stay but I wanted to come back home.

Our direction was not the same,” he said. Zheng said he still believes in love but realises that socialising with women is not one of his strengths. For Liu, the event offered a chance to find companionship, even though she did not find anyone who took her fancy. “My daughter is married. I am lonely,” she said. “I want someone to live with in case I get ill. I don’t need love because I am already old.”

—Reuters

his season, a trip to one of the most impressive scenarios in Brazil inspires a universe of colors and textures. Always in touch with themes that reflect Brazilian beauties, Dumond meets the nature of the region of Chapada Diamantina to develop its winter 2013 collection.

Exotic landscapes, flora, fauna and local culture become must-have items in this collection.

Starting with the colors and materials, which are influenced by stones, referring to mining, an activity present in the history of Chapada Diamantina. Shades of amber, emerald and zirconia give color and life to winter, in contrast with the sober hues carbon, stone and gravel.

A western touch also goes well in this context of trails and nature, gaining weight with fringe details and materials like nubuck and

vegetable-tanned leather. In total harmony, an ethnic line comes with its graphisms and colorful details. Shades like orange and violet convey grace and freshness to shoes and accessories.

Among the highlights, Chelsea boots reign supreme. The low-shaft booties with an elastic band on the side that were successful among the darlings of the Beatles in the 1960s are revisited this winter. Shoes with striking embellishments like studs and spikes are perfect to create impressive looks. Cap toes make shoes luxury items. Accessories, such as collars and reversible belts, with two color options, join forces with powerful looks. This winter, Dumond invites people to go to one of the most inspiring landscapes in the Brazilian territory. Available at The Avenues-The Mall.

oyalukkas has announced the ‘Season of Giving’ promotion to commemorate the year-end festive period. The ‘Season of Giving’ promotion has been announced across all Joyalukkas showrooms in the region.

The exciting yearend, special celebration will feature two exclusive products, which will be offered at very special prices during this promotion period, which will end on January 4, 2014.

The two exclusive products are an exclusive snowflake design diamond pendant set for only KD 515 and a signature twinkle Masaaki pearl set for only KD 170.

“The year-end celebrations have begun and under our ‘Season of Giving’ campaign we are offering two exclusive jewelry sets for very special prices.

Besides this, we have also sourced a host of exciting collections and designs to make the celebration period special,” said John Paul Joy Alukkas, Executive Director, Joyalukkas Group.

Joyalukkas is a Superbrand with 91 showrooms spread across 10 countries around the world and offers a collection of over one million exquisite designs in all forms of precious jewelry. With a loyal customer base of over 10 million people the brand has been recognized as the ‘world’s favorite jeweler’.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

lifestyle

Anchorman 2

The Hobbit

Burgundy battles Bilbo at box office R

on Burgundy is expected to prevail in the box office battle against Bilbo, when “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” opens against the reigning No. 1 movie, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.” Analysts forecast Paramount’s sequel starring Will Ferrell doing around $55 million over the five days. If Warner Bros.’ “Smaug” can put up half of its big opening last week - no small feat - it will do $37 million for the weekend and near $50 million for the five days. It’s been nine years since “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” played in theaters, but consumer awareness is definitely not a problem for the sequel, which will roll out in about 3,400 theaters, roughly 2,800 of which will offer early screenings starting at 9 p.m. Tuesday night.

Ferrell has been relentless, ubiquitous and pretty darn funny as the frontman in a massive Paramount marketing campaign that is among the broadest in recent memory. It’s been so effective - Ferrell’s Dodge commercials have upped Durango sales by

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40 percent - that some observers have wondered if a backlash could set in.

“Overkill is always a possibility with this kid of saturation marketing, but in the end, that’s a risk worth taking for Paramount,” Boxoffice.com editor-in-chief Phil Contrino told TheWrap. “Even if there is a backlash, they’ve almost certainly reached enough people to offset it.” In the sequel, the San Diego news team led by Ferrell’s Burgundy relocates to New York. Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, David Koechner, Christina Applegate and Kristen Wiig co-star in “Anchorman 2,” which was written by Ferrell and Adam McKay, who directs. From Gary Sanchez and Apatow Productions, “Anchorman 2 was made for roughly $50 million. Judd Apatow, Ferrell and McKay produced, and David Householter, Kevin Messick and Jessica Elbaum executive produced.

It’s difficult to find a comparable movie for “Anchorman 2,” because there aren’t many sequels that arrive nine years after the original (though “The Best Man Holiday” scored last month for Universal

after a 15-year hiatus). “It doesn’t seem like such a long time because it’s been such a big part of the pop culture landscape for years,” said Contrino. The original “Anchorman” opened to $28 million in July of 2004 and went on to take in $85 million.

It was a huge hit on DVD and video on demand, however.

Paramount, which is projecting a fiveday total between $40 million and $45 million for “Anchorman 2,” used “Little Fockers,” another PG-13-rated comedy sequel, as a comp. That one brought in $45 million on a similar five-day window in December of 2010. Not all the reviews are in, but “Anchorman 2” has been well-received by critics so far and has an 85 percent positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Its social media presence on Twitter and Facebook is very strong.

“Anchorman 2” was accounting for 46 percent of advance sales at online ticket broker Fandango on Tuesday morning, with “The Hobbit” at 26 percent. “There’s a party-like feel to the movie, and it’s likely

that happy vibe will be felt in theaters too,” Fandango’s Dave Karger told TheWrap.

“We’re seeing a higher-than-usual number of tickets per transaction in ‘Anchorman 2’ sales, which may indicate groups of film fans celebrating the holidays with Ron Burgundy’s news team.”

“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” added a little over $6 million on Monday, upping its domestic total to nearly $80 million. Globally, Peter Jackson’s second entry in the Hobbit trilogy has taken in more than $215 million in its first week. Fox is opening its CGI-live-action hybrid kids film “Walking With Dinosaurs” yesterday, too.

The PG-rated animated movie is based on the BBC TV series of the same name, and will be in 3,200 theaters.

It’s an unusual film, like a nature documentary - only on 3D and special effects steroids, and narrated by a prehistoric bird (John Leguizamo). The filmmakers shot the live-action backgrounds for “Walking With Dinosaurs” on location in Alaska and New Zealand. Later, the CGI dinosaurs were

added, utilizing the Fusion Camera System developed by James Cameron and used on “Avatar” and “Life of Pi.” Barry Cook (“Arthur Christmas”) codirects with Neil Nightingale, a documentary director at BBC Earth. The script is by John Collee, who wrote both “Happy Feet” and “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.”

Karl Urban, Justin Long, Tiya Sircar and Skyler Stone also provide voices. The Oscar hopeful “Her” - written, directed and produced by Spike Jonze - will be opening in six theaters yesterday for Warner Bros.

The fantasy romance stars Joaquin Phillips as a man who develops a relationship with a female voice (Scarlett Johansson) produced by his computer operating system.

Rooney Mara, Amy Adams and Olivia Wilde co-star in the R-rated “Her,” which was named best film of 2013 at the National Board of Review Awards and shared the LA Film Critics’ top honor with “Gravity.” — Reuters

Actor Joaquin Phoenix finds New Oscars logo puts love in a virtual world in ‘Her’ spotlight on Academy

oaquin Phoenix knew he had to star in Spike Jonze’s latest film “Her,” an unconventional romance that explores ideas about intimacy, isolation, relationships and technology, because it wasn’t a typical love story. Phoenix’s depressed writer character finds love in the film, set in a futuristic Los Angeles, but the object of his affection isn’t a co-worker or the girl next door. It’s an intuitive, voice-controlled, computer operating system named Samantha.

“I thought it was really interesting and unique, that there was this great emotional center you could grab onto, that it wasn’t too esoteric,” Phoenix told Reuters ahead of the film’s opening in US theaters yesterday. “There are these great big ideas and themes to explore but it felt totally accessible.” Phoenix, a triple Oscar nominee for his roles in “Gladiator,” “The Master” and “Walk The Line,” which also earned him a best actor Golden Globe in 2006, plays Theodore Twombly, a writer for BeautifulHandwrittenLetters.com.

By day he dictates affectionate letters that are transcribed by a computer into “handwritten” notes for clients to their loved ones. In the evening he plays a large video game alone in his high-rise, sparsely furnished apartment. The National Board of Review named “Her” best picture of 2013, calling it “an outstanding achievement that is sure to become a new classic,” and awarded Jonze its best director award.

Phoenix, 39, nabbed his fourth Golden Globe nomination for his role in “Her,” while the film won Globe nominations for best picture in a comedy or musical and best screenplay. “In a tender about-face from his fearsome performance in ‘The Master,’ Phoenix here is enchantingly open, vulnerable, sweet-natured and yearning for emotional completion,” The Hollywood Reporter said about his performance.

The New York Post praised Jonze, who wrote the screenplay and is known for pushing cinematic boundaries since his off-the-wall 1999 film “Being John Malkovich.” “Jonze seems to be heading for a far quirkier ending than the one he actually delivers, but he does tap into the zeitgeist with his unlikely romantic fable,” it said.

Love in the virtual world Theodore is lonely, sad and in the throes of a painful divorce from his wife, a neuroscientist played by Oscar-nominee Rooney Mara until he falls for Samantha, voiced by actress Scarlett Johansson.“I think, honestly, it was more difficult what she had to do in some ways,” Phoenix said about Johansson. The actress is never seen on screen and conveys Samantha’s wit, intelligence and a range of emotions through her deep, throaty voice.

“As an actor, I think it is always nice to have access to tangible

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he body behind the Oscars has unveiled a new logo that it hopes will focus more attention on the organization’s wider work in addition to Hollywood’s biggest trophy

File photo shows actor Joaquin Phoenix during a photo call for the movie “Her” at the 8th edition of the Rome International Film Festival in Rome. — AP things. I love wardrobe and I love props and I love the environment I am going to be in, and to just be in a recording booth and to try to generate that emotion is very difficult. She had the hardest job,” he added. As their relationship evolves, so does Samantha. She organizes Theodore’s emails, jokes and empathizes with him, composes music, and collates the letters he has written for his clients and submits them to a publisher to be released as a book.

Before long Theodore is smitten with the disembodied Samantha, whom he connects and communicates with through an earpiece, taking her on a mountain holiday, to the beach and on a double date with another couple. Samantha even convinces Theodore to meet with a surrogate who can provide the physical aspects of the relationship that she can’t.

Olivia Wilde, on screen in this year’s Formula One racing film “Rush,” makes an appearance as a blind date for Theodore.The film also reunites four-time Oscar nominee Amy Adams with Phoenix.

They two worked together in “The Master.”Adams plays Theodore’s best friend Amy, a woman who is going through her own marital breakup and can sympathize with his predicament and his dependence on technology. “I loved the relationships Spike developed in the movie and how each of them was so specific,” said Adams. “It was a story that was so much bigger than a love story. It was just a story about the human experience.” — Reuters

Lawrence thinks ‘It should be illegal’ to call somebody fat on TV

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Jennifer Lawrence

ennifer Lawrence proves why she is one of Barbara Walters’ “10 Most Fascinating People of 2013 on the ABC News special yesterday when she declares that the government should seriously consider punishing people on television who pick on people for being fat. “Because why is humiliating people funny?” the 23-year-old “American Hustle” star said in an interview set to air during Walters’ final year-end special. “I just think it should be illegal to call somebody fat on TV.” Lawrence, who told Harper’s Bazaar UK earlier this fall that she was once warned she might get fired from an acting gig if she did not lose weight, has in the past spoken out against the shallow culture that entertainment can encourage.

While speaking to Yahoo! CEO Marissa Meyer to pro-

mote “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” Lawrence singled out E! series “Fashion Police” for doing just that.

“There’s shows like the ‘Fashion Police’ and things like that are just showing these generations of young people to judge people based on things,” Lawrence said, “that they put values in all the things that are wrong and that it’s OK to point at people and call them ‘ugly’ and call them ‘fat’ and they call it ‘fun’ and ‘welcome to the real world.’” Lawrence admits in her interview with Walters she herself has been guilty of such shallow comments, but the media needs to take responsibility.

“I get it, and, and I do it too, we all do it. the media needs to take responsibility for the effect that it has on our younger generation, on these girls who are watching these television shows, and picking up how to talk and how to be cool,” Lawrence said. —Reuters

This image provided by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) on December 17, 2013 shows its new logo. —AFP

fest. The prestigious Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, whose 6,000 or so members choose who gets the prized golden statuettes every year, is aiming to highlight its year-round work supporting filmmakers, showcasing cinema and fostering talent.

The old logo featured the distinctive Oscar silhouette against a gold oval. The new one creates a large capital “A” that surrounds Tinseltown’s most coveted little man. “This design gives the Academy a presence in its own logo for the first time, and underscores our efforts to support creative arts and sciences year-round,” said the Academy’s marketing chief Christina Kounelias. The Academy, which next month will unveil its nominees for Hollywood’s annual awards fest on March 2, used design studio 180LA to create the new look.

The logo “transformed the visual balance from not only representing the Oscars, but now it’s very much about the Academy,” said 180LA’s chief of design Richard Harrington, who is based out of Britain. As well as organizing the Academy Awards, the Beverly Hills-based body runs events and exhibitions, provides grants and support, holds archives and fosters research into the history of cinema, among other activities. The organization is due to open an Academy Museum in 2017. — AFP

‘Family Guy’ revives Brian the dog in Christmas ‘miracle’

‘F

amily Guy” fans celebrated Monday after the hit US television show resurrected Brian the dog, a main character since the series’ 1999 launch who was apparently killed off last month. The show’s creator Seth MacFarlane joked about the plot twist on Twitter, after Brian Griffin returned in an episode aired Sunday night in the United States.

“And thus endeth our warm, fuzzy holiday lesson: Never take those you love for granted, for they can be gone in a flash,” he wrote. “I mean, you didn’t really think we’d kill off Brian, did you? Jesus, we’d have to be ... high,” he added, using an expletive.

Brian died after being hit by a car in an episode which aired November 24, entitled “Life of Brian,” triggering an online petition and a flood of comments on social media including a Facebook page “RIP Brian Griffin from Family Guy.” The Griffin family replaced him with a new dog called Vinny-who in Sunday’s episode helped revive Brian in a storyline involving time travel

by Stewie, the posh Englishaccented infant of the family.

When Stewie saves Brian

from being hit by the car, the dog says: “Thank you for saving my life,” adding: “A lot of other families would have just gotten another dog and moved on.” Fellow cult animated show “The Simpsons” has said that one of its characters will die during the current 25th season, which premiered in September, triggering a surge of laments and speculation about who will go in Springfield. — AFP

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

lifestyle M U S I C

&

M O V I E S

Soul of Rolling Stones,

Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones performs at the Staples Center launching of their ‘50 & Counting’ tour on May 03, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. —AFP

T

Bella Hardy

he Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards hit 70 yesterday with another tour on the horizon, and probably a smirk for everyone who would not have bet he would make it this far in a life of excess. The unmatched guitar legend isn’t just hitting 70 — like Mick Jagger did in August. He is also celebrating his 30th wedding anniversary with former model Patti Hanson, with whom he has two daughters. He also has three children with the Italian actress Anita Pallenberg.

With his trademark bandana tied around his head, open shirt and face wrinkled by years of hard partying and struggles with addiction, Richards’ image incarnates pure, undiluted rock and roll. His low voice sounds otherworldly, while his virtuosity on the guitar has turned even his critics into grudging fans.

Along with the Beatles, the Stones revolutionized popular music in the 1960s.

Richards hits the road with fellow bandmates Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood plus special guest Mick Taylor, who played with the group from 1969 to 1974, on its “14 on Fire” tour that debuts February 21 in Abu Dhabi. In the run up to the two milestones Richards’ web site is urging fans to send him commentaries that will be presented to him as a gift.

“People say ‘why don’t you give it up?’ I don’t think they quite understand.

I’m not doing it just for the money, or for you. I’m doing it for me,” Richards said in “Life”, his autobiography, published in 2010. Much has happened since Richards left Dartford, a town on the outskirts of London where he lived with his working class family, met Jagger on a train and with him formed in 1962 what is today regarded by many as the world’s greatest rock and roll band. The Stones in the 1960s drew on the work of black American rhythm and blues and maestros like Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters.

Richards’ guitar riffs are among the most emblematic in the history of rock, etched in the memory of millions with tunes like “Satisfaction”, “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”, “Sympathy for the Devil” “Brown Sugar”, “Let’s Spend the Night Together” and “Start Me Up”. Besides their musical wizardry, Richards and Jagger gained fame as womanizing boozers and drug users who were “anti-establishment” in a country steeped in tradition. Their excesses in the 1960s and 70s brought scandal, trials and jail stints and in 1969 the founding Stones guitar player, Brian Jones, drowned in a swimming pool. —AFP

A minute with

British folk singer Hardy on delving into the past

F

iddle player and songwriter Bella Hardy has been in the vanguard of the British folk revival of the last few years, with six albums under her belt and numerous award nominations, including BBC Radio 2’s Folk Singer of the Year.

Hardy has been hailed as a talent to watch since her 2007 debut album “Night Visiting”, and in 2012 she won BBC Radio 2’s Folk Award for Best Original Song for “The Herring Girl”.

Far from resting on her laurels, however, she is planning a tour of her 30 favorite venues to mark her 30th birthday next year and celebrate her work to date before beginning afresh. “I’ve always been the youngest in all the things I’ve done,” she told Reuters by phone from a Stafford churchyard while on her Christmas tour. “As a teenager I was the youngest in a band called The Pack. My nickname was ‘Baby Pack’.”

Turning 30 seemed like a good time to take stock with a tour that would allow her to revisit old material, she said. “I’ll just pick some of my favorite songs and tie a ribbon round them. Then I can look to what’s coming next.” Her Folk Singer of the Year nomination comes on the back of her well-received album “Battleplan” with her self-penned works growing in confidence and emotional depth. And although Hardy has no plans to release an album next year, she is already relishing writing new material.

“I’ve been doing a lot of experimenting with different sounds and different approaches to the way I make my music. It’s lovely just to have the freedom and time to develop.” Hardy works with a changing lineup of musicians to create a different feel and tone for her arrangements, from the stripped-back minimalism of some earlier work to recording and performing with a full backing band, The Midnight Watch.

She is on tour with long-time collaborator Scottish guitarist Anna Massie and Chris Sherburn on concertina. In March, Hardy will join seven other musicians for the Elizabethan Session, a joint commission between Folk by the Oak, an annual music festival at Elizabeth I’s childhood home Hatfield House, and the English Folk Dance and Song Society.

“We’ll have a 10-day period in a house together and write a collaborative set of music,” said Hardy. “I don’t think we’ll come out of it with a set of madrigals.

We’ll probably have a huge mix of different things.” The group won’t get to stay at Hatfield House, but Hardy is working on ways to get into the mood: “I really like cooking so I will have a little delve into the history of Elizabethan food and I have half a plan to spend 10 days cooking and baking. Maybe I’ll come out of it with a recipe book!”

Here’s what else she had to say about the influences on her song writing and how her work has evolved.

Q: You grew up in the village of Edale, Derbyshire. How did that inform your song writing?

A: I’m from the Dark Peak in the Peak District. My second record was called “In the Shadow of Mountains”, which refers to the location as I lived right underneath Kinder Scout. But it was also about some of the shadows we live under in our lives. I’m very much influenced by the hills and valleys around me and the skyline I love, and that does come across very heavily in my earlier music.

Q: “Battleplan” is a mixture of traditional songs like “Yellow Handkerchief” and your own compositions like “Maybe You Might”. How did you go about assembling the material for that?

A: I have a handbag full of notebooks and I write things down as I go. Then when it comes to making the record I go through my notebooks and find a theme that ties it together. It’s very much like jigsaw puzzles and Agatha Christie. I try not to see a difference between my own material and the traditional songs. All those songs have been written by somebody, it’s just they’ve had years to evolve and round off the sharp edges, which is what makes them so strong. —Reuters

Katy Perry

Keith Richards, turns 70

Perry’s ‘Roar’ lip-sync performance:

NRJ music awards take the blame I

f you hear that “Roar” loud and clear, it might actually be a backing track. Katy Perry’s mouth was moving, but the (correct) words were just not coming out as the pop star performed her hit single at the 15th annual NRJ music awards in Cannes on Saturday. The lip movements and the lyrics were not even close to being in sync - Perry’s mouth was a few full seconds away from the playback, creating an incredibly awkward performance.

Updated: On Tuesday, after the video of the incident went viral, the NRJ Awards shouldered the blame: “Katy Perry sang live during the NRJ Music Awards in Cannes on Saturday night, but unfortunately a bad soundtrack was accidentally launched,

taking over the live performance of Katy at the beginning of the delivery tube of the ‘Roar,’” a statement read, translated from French to English by Google Translate. “TF1 and NRJ present their apologies to Katy Perry ... for this technical problem beyond our control.”

Previously, Katy Perry’s reps did not respond to TheWrap’s requests for comment. Unfortunately for Perry but fortunately for internet trolls, the whole thing was caught on videotape and is currently making the viral rounds. At around the 52-second mark of the below clip, a smooth French guy hops on stage, awkwardly halting the performance, kissing Perry’s hand and saying, “If you don’t mind, we

can restart. We had a little problem with the sound.”

We’ll say.

“I’m sorry to stop all your energy - I prefer you to be the best,” the man added. The performance-crasher (who may have been the awards show host, he was dressed nicely and had a microphone) then counted Perry down for another go at it, which she uncomfortably complied with. But this time she definitely sang live - and while it may have looked better, it surely didn’t sound like an improvement. “Roar” is Grammynominated for Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance. Perry performed the hit single at the American Music Awards, where she drew some criticism for dressing as a geisha. — Reuters

Swift, U2, Coldplay and Jay-Z will compete for Best Song Oscar T

aylor Swift, U2, Coldplay, Jay-Z and the Kings of Leon could all end up performing on the Academy Awards next year, if Oscar voters choose them from the list of 75 eligible songs released by the Academy on Friday. All of those pop stars perform songs that qualified in the much-maligned Best Original Song category, which over the last three years has ranged from a low of 39 in 2011 to a high of 75 in 2012 and now 2013.

U2’s “Ordinary Love” and Coldplay’s “Atlas” are featured in the films “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” and “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” respectively. Swift performs the song “Sweeter Than Fiction” from “One Chance,” Jay-Z does “100$ Bill” from “The Great Gatsby” and the Kings of Leon do “Last Mile Home” from “August: Osage County.”

Of course, Oscar Music Branch voters have never courted pop stars quite as avidly as the Golden Globe voters, who last week opted for a lineup that included Swift, U2, Coldplay and Justin Timberlake (with “Please Mr Kennedy,” a song from “Inside Llewyn Davis” that isn’t eligible for the Oscars). So the stars on the list will have stiff competition from the likes of “Let It Go,” the power ballad from Disney’s “Frozen” that could potentially give its co-writer Robert Lopez the last leg of the EmmyGrammy-Oscar-Tony grand slam known as the EGOT. Other songs on the list include a number from animated films, including Pharrell’s “Happy” from “Despicable Me 2,” Snoop Dogg’s “Let the Bass Go” from “Turbo” and Owl City’s “Shine Your Way” from “The Croods.” Also in the mix are songs from sixtime nominee Diane Warren (“Unfinished Songs,” performed by Celine Dion in “Unfinished Song”), Lana Del Rey (“Young and Beautiful” from “The Great Gatsby”) and Karen O (“The Moon Song” from “Her”).

Baz Luhrmann’s extravagant version of “The Great Gatsby” and the Indian film “Kamasutra 3D” have the most entries of any film, with five each.

“Austenland” has four, while “Black Nativity,” “For No Good Reason,” “Live at the Foxes Den” and “Turbo”

have three each.

Incidentally, there’s no guarantee that any of the nominated songs will actually be performed on the Oscar show. The show’s producers, Neil Meron and Craig Zadan, also produced the last Oscars, at which two of the nominated songs were performed in full, a third was given a 40-second version as part of a medley, and two others were dispensed with through film clips.

And for the first time, the Academy is holding a concert at UCLA’s Royce Hall three days before the Oscars, at which all the nominated composers and artists will be invited to perform. Although the

Academy has not commented, many Oscar-watchers have speculated that the concert, which is not expected to be televised, is a way to move the nominated music off the Oscar show.

Members of the AMPAS Music Branch will now view DVDs that contain all the eligible songs in the scenes in which they are used in their films. The system, which has been in place for eight years, typically favors songs that are performed onscreen (such as “Let It Go”) over ones that are used in the end credits (such as “I See Fire” from “The Hobbit” or “Amen” from “All Is Lost”). Of the 32 songs that have been nominated under the current system, 20 of them have been performed live by onscreen characters, and only one has played over a straight roll of end credits. —Reuters

Cyrus, Macklemore & Lewis set for New Year’s Rockin’ Eve’

M

iley Cyrus, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Blondie and Icona Pop will help Ryan Seacrest and co-host Jenny McCarthy ring in the new year during ABC’s “Dick Clark’s

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” this year. The artists are set to perform live from New York City’s Times Square, while Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie is hosting the West Coast feed, which will include performances from Capital Cities, Daughtry, Ariana Grande, The Fray, Robin Thicke, Jennifer Hudson, Jason Derulo, Fall Out Boy and Enrique Iglesias.

The long-running holiday special kicks off at 8 pm ET on ABC with “New Year ’s Rockin’ Eve Presents The 30 Greatest Women In Music.” The countdown for 2014 will begin 30 minutes before midnight. “There’s nothing like New Year’s Eve in New York with the energy and excitement from all of the people that gather throughout Times Square,” McCarthy said in a statement.

“You never know what’s going to happen and, as the saying goes, what happens in Times Square... is seen by millions of people around the world, so you better keep it classy. Or so they keep telling me.” — Reuters

The list “Amen” from “All Is Lost” “Alone Yet Not Alone” from “Alone Yet Not Alone” “Doby” from “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” “Last Mile Home” from “August: Osage County” “Austenland” from “Austenland” “Comic Books” from “Austenland” “L.O.V.E.D.A.R.C.Y” from “Austenland” “What Up” from “Austenland” “He Loves Me Still” from “Black Nativity” “Hush Child (Get You Through This Silent Night)” from “Black Nativity” “Test Of Faith” from “Black Nativity” “Forgiveness” from “Brave Miss World” “Lullaby Song” from “Cleaver’s Destiny” “Shine Your Way” from “The Croods” “Happy” from “Despicable Me 2 “Gonna Be Alright” from “Epic” “Rise Up” from “Epic” “What Matters Most” from “Escape from Planet Earth” “Bones” from “For No Good Reason” “Going Nowhere” from “For No Good Reason” “Gonzo” from “For No Good Reason” “The Courage To Believe” from “Free China: The Courage to Believe” “Let It Go” from “Frozen” “100$ Bill” from “The Great Gatsby” “A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)” from “The Great Gatsby” “Over The Love” from “The Great Gatsby” “Together” from “The Great Gatsby” “Young and Beautiful” from “The Great Gatsby” “The Moon Song” from “Her” “I See Fire” from “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” “Bite Of Our Lives” from “How Sweet It Is” “Try” from “How Sweet It Is” “Atlas” from “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” “Better You, Better Me” from “The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete” “Bring It On” from “Jewtopia” “Aygiri Nadani” from “Kamasutra 3D” “Har Har Mahadeva” from “Kamasutra 3D” “I Felt” from “Kamasutra 3D” “Of The Soil” from “Kamasutra 3D” “Sawariya” from “Kamasutra 3D” “In The Middle Of The Night” from “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” “You And I Ain’t Nothin’ No More” from “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” “Let’s Take A Trip” from “Live at the Foxes Den” “Pour Me Another Dream” from “Live at the Foxes Den” “The Time Of My Life” from “Live at the Foxes Den” “Ordinary Love” from “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” “Monsters University” from “Monsters University” “ When The Darkness Comes” from “ The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones” “Sacrifice (I Am Here)” from “Murph: The Protector” “ The Muslims Are Coming” from “ The Muslims Are Coming!”

“Oblivion” from “Oblivion” “Sweeter Than Fiction” from “One Chance” “Nothing Can Stop Me Now” from “Planes” “We Both Know” from “Safe Haven” “Get Used To Me” from “The Sapphires” “Stay Alive” from “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” “So You Know What It’s Like” from “Short Term 12 “There’s No Black Or White” from “Somm” “Cut Me Some Slack” from “Sound City” “You Can’t Fix This” from “Sound City” “Let It Go” from “Spark: A Burning Man Story” “We Ride” from “Spark: A Burning Man Story” “Becomes The Color” from “Stoker” “Younger Every Day” from “3 Geezers!”

“Here It Comes” from “Trance” “Let The Bass Go” from “Turbo” “The Snail Is Fast” from “Turbo” “Speedin’” from “Turbo” “My Lord Sunshine (Sunrise)” from “12 Years a Slave” “Make It Love” from “Two: The Story of Roman & Nyro” “One Life” from “The Ultimate Life” “Unfinished Songs” from “Unfinished Song” “For The Time Being” from “The Way, Way Back” “Go Where The Love Is” from “The Way, Way Back” “Bleed For Love” from “Winnie Mandela” —Reuters

‘Anchorman 2 vs ‘The Hobbit’: Burgundy battles Bilbo at box office

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

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Penguins, dressed in Santa Claus and Christmas tree costumes, parade through spectators during a Christmas event at the Everland amusement park in Yongin, South Korea yesterday. Christmas is one of the biggest holidays in South Korea as over half the population are Christians. — AP

Hotels sell elusive dream of a good night’s sleep F

eeling like all you want for Christmas is a decent night’s sleep? If that gift does not come at home, hotels across the United States are looking to profit from the sleep deficit this holiday season by offering sleep packages to a growing population of “wired and tired” guests. “We’ve become a nation of walking zombies. We don’t value sleep. We treat it as a luxury,” said Dr James Maas, a psychologist and sleep expert who coined the phrase “power nap.” About two-thirds of Americans say they do not get enough sleep during the week, with most saying they need 7.5 hours to feel their best, according to a National Sleep Foundation poll, which found blinking lights from pervasive use of electronics are exacerbating this problem. Hotels in big cities and quiet deserts alike have woken up to the trend and are dimming lights, removing digital clocks in rooms, hiring sleep concierges, offering meditation, pillow menus and relaxation massages. Guests might even find themselves hooked up to an intravenous infusion.

In a crowded hotel market such as Manhattan, The Benjamin wants to be known for guaranteeing a good night’s sleep. It recently hired sleep consultant Rebecca Robbins, who co-authored “Sleep for Success!” with Maas to

oversee the sleep program, train staff in sleep care and consult guests. The hotel has removed digital clocks from rooms, offers guests pillows with names like “Swedish Memory” and helps jet-lagged guests power nap.

That level of dedication keeps California fundraiser Armando Zumaya coming back to The Benjamin even if there is a bit of noise in the Midtown location.”When I’ve gone to other New York hotels, I didn’t sleep as well,” said Zumaya. At the Montelucia Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona, the Joya Spa offers guests an aromatherapy and massage-based “Restorative Sleep Ritual” and the “Sacred Sleep/Healing Dreams” meditation. “Many of our guests are stressed and not getting enough sleep. We help them relax on a deeper level,” said Erin Stewart, director of the Joya Spa. It goes one step further with an intravenous therapy of vitamins and antioxidants, including vitamin B, which it claims is particularly helpful for better sleep. “IVs are wonderful for sleep for a multitude of reasons,” said Lauren Beardsley, a licensed naturopathic doctor who administers the treatment. “By providing the body with adequate nutrients to support the body’s normal physiological function, we can restore balance and restore quality sleep,” she added.

Sleeping is believing Medical professionals do sound a note of caution about alternative sleep remedies offered by hotels and others. “Sleep has become a commercial issue and this isn’t always to the benefit of the consumer,” said

Said Mostafavi, a Los Angeles-based sleep physician. Sleep medicine as an accredited specialty is fairly new, having grown with advances in research since the discovery of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in 1953.

Stuart Menn, another California-based sleep

physician, believes some may be exploiting the sleep business but said the increased awareness it brings is helpful.

“I’m happy the word is getting out that sleep is important. But there will be those who purposely abuse the system or who passionately believe in what they do but can’t afford to rigorously test their methods,” he said. “Frankly, a lot of it is a state of the mind. I guess if you went in to a spa and were convinced that aromatherapy is effective, you might sleep better that night,” he added.

Many hotels upgraded bedding during the so-called “bed wars” in the late 1990s as Starwood’s Westin Hotels rolled out its Heavenly beds. But now they are focusing on factors such as lighting and air quality to create a better sleep ambience. “Our goal is to continue providing innovative offerings to ensure a good night’s sleep,” said Rob Palleschi, global head of Hilton Hotels & Resorts, which is part of Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. There may be a lot of room for growth in sleep amenities in a world that shows no signs of resisting digital temptation. “There’s a lot of work to be done to help guests wind down in this ‘uber-connected’ era,” said Maas. “Any society that is technologically proficient is running into this issue.” —Reuters

Singapore firm launches travel site for Muslims A

new website for Muslim travellers which includes a global directory of halal restaurants and dedicated city guides launched yesterday in a bid to capitalize on the growing number of Islamic tourists. Specialist Singaporebased firm Crescentrating said the site, which is called HalalTrip.com, offers a wide range of features for tourists wishing to travel in accordance with the rules of Islam. “It is the world’s first fully-featured travel booking website for Muslim travellers,” Crescentrating chief executive Fazal Bahardeen told AFP, adding that the industry had been lacking a dedicated travel booking site catering to the needs of Islamic tourists.

Spending by Muslim travellers is estimated to reach $200 billion by 2020, up from $126 billion in 2011, according to the company’s chief operating officer Dany Bolduc.

Crescentrating acquired HalalTrip.com from its Austrian owner in June and has re-launched it with new features including booking facilities for nearly 400,000 hotels, as well as airlines and tour packages. The site previously only allowed bookings for 1,000 hotels.

Tourists can now search flights and hotels on the Englishlanguage site as a result of partnerships with online reservation firm Booking.com, and travel search engine Wego.com.

It also offers a global directory of halal restaurants, mosques

Half-ton chocolate

Santa in Houston

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A sea lion balances a Christmas tree on his nose while a trainer in a Santa Claus costume smiles during a show at the Aqua Stadium aquarium in Tokyo yesterday. Visitors can enjoy the Christmas special show which will be held through to December 25. —AFP

anta Claus has come to town in Houston and he’s sweeter than your average holiday fellow. A Houston hotel has created a half-ton dark chocolate sculpture of Santa Claus in a chair, complete with elves. Pastry experts at the Hilton Americas in downtown Houston used dark chocolate and a special chocolate dough to fashion the exhibit, which is on display until Dec 30.

Hotel spokeswoman Tere Perry says the project cost about $5,000 worth of chocolate and 400 hours in work. Officials estimate the chocolate adds up to more than 2.4 million calories. But it’s not edible. Perry told the Houston Chronicle the sculpture has been sealed with lacquer.—AP

Award-winning Pastry Chef Mahesh Weerasinghe stands with his hand-sculptured, chocolate art at the Hilton Americas, Monday in downtown Houston.

— AP photos

and amenities useful the Muslim tourist. There are dedicated travel and city guides to places such as Istanbul, Beijing, and Kuala Lumpur, highlighting places of interest for the Islamic visitors. Other features will be added progressively, including Arabic and other language interfaces, the company said.

Crescentrating already runs a website which rates hotels, restaurants, airports and other establishments using such criteria as having halal restaurants and prayer rooms. This year, it launched a service that allows Muslim travelers to determine their prayer times and the direction to which they should pray even while they are in mid-flight and across different time zones. — AFP