6th Jan

CR IP TI ON BS SU

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

Outbound tourism for 2013 totals $4.5bn

India launches cutting-edge cryogenic rocket

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NO: 16039

150 FILS

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www.kuwaittimes.net

RABI ALAWWAL 5, 1435 AH

East meets West at Kuwait Islamic arts convention

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Swansea dump Man United out of FA Cup

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Human body parts ‘fall from the sky’ in Jeddah 29 injured as Saudi jet makes emergency landing conspiracy theories

A fresher start...

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

H

i guys! Do not think that you got rid of me. I am back. It has been a long time since I last communicated with you. Oh God! It has been since last year. I hope that you do not regret seeing off 2013. I hope that you are enthusiastic to greet 2014. Let’s pretend we have a choice and let’s feel optimistic about 2014.

As for myself, I was not too sad to see 2013 depart. It was not an intriguing year, I think, for many people. Let’s say for the whole world. It demoralized me a bit. It depressed me a lot but I will not allow this to last. I would like to stay optimistic. I pray that 2014 will be better for you and the whole world.

Wishes do not always come true. Sometimes wishing alone is not enough. We have to live with the realities of life. It does not matter what astrologists predict. This year, however, we have not heard of any serious predictions. Are astrologers also fed up with the present that they do not want to look into the future? I do not blame them. Many times their predictions do not turn into reality. On the other hand, it is good that their predictions rarely come true because most of them are quite pessimistic.

As for me, as a Kuwaiti, I think it was a bad year for us in Kuwait with all the negativity that surrounded us, ranging from siphoning of public funds, political bickering, stalled development projects, poor infrastructure, widespread corruption, overcrowded streets, education failures, injustice for expats and random deportations for trivial matters. I am sure a lot of injustice befell many people.

I hope that we will see a better Cabinet in 2014 which we have been waiting for. For now the names of the ministers are just predictions. I hope the parliament improves its attitude and actions this year and takes a serious note of the problems in Kuwait. I hope MPs start serving Kuwait and not their own interests. I do not mind if somebody works for their own interest while serving the country. But serving your interests alone, to me, is a crime. Businesses are suffering. Most people feel depressed with the political and economic issue in the country.

I hope the stalemate that has overcome us in the past few years will finally end this year. All of this depends on how the government and parliament act. Enough of a stalemate. Everybody is fatigued.

We are all fatigued. We’ve had enough.

Let’s have a fresher start of 2014!

RAWDAT AL-KHURAIM, Saudi Arabia: US Secretary of State John Kerry and Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud talk before a meeting at the king’s desert encampment yesterday. — AP

Kerry pledges ‘fair’ Mideast peace plan RIYADH: Secretary of State John Kerry yesterday rejected Israeli and Palestinian claims of US bias as he made a whistlestop trip to Jordan and Saudi Arabia to woo support for his peace plan. Kerry promised any agreed plan would be “fair and balanced” and likened his efforts to broker a compromise between the conflicting demands of the two sides to a puzzle. “In the end all of these core issues fit together like a mosaic, like a puzzle and you

can’t separate out one piece or another,” Kerry said in Jerusalem before flying to Amman, and later Saudi Arabia.

Each piece was interlinked, he stressed, and depended on the compromises the other side might be prepared to make. “And there’s always tension as to when you put your card on the table as to which piece you’re Continued on Page 13

Max 18º Min 07º High Tide 02:25 & 15:52 Low Tide 09:31 & 21:47

JEDDAH: Human body parts fell from the sky in the Saudi city of Jeddah yesterday, with police saying they could be the remains of someone trapped in an aircraft’s undercarriage bay. “Police received a telephone call at 2:30 am from a witness reporting the fall of human remains at an intersection in Mushrefa neighbourhood” in the Red Sea city, spokesman Nawaf bin Naser Al-Bouq said in a statement. Initial indications were that the remains “fell from a plane’s landing gear”, said Bouq, adding that investigations were ongoing.

The report came after a Saudi Arabian Airlines jet made an emergency landing in the holy city of Madinah in the west of the kingdom, injuring 29 people yesterday. That aircraft had been travelling from Iran’s second city of Mashhad with 315 people on board. A spokesman for the General Authority of Civil Aviation said there was no connection between the emergency landing in Madinah and the Jeddah incident.

The accident happened after a technical failure prevented the crew from lowering the rear wheels on the right side of the Boeing 767-300, spokesman Khaled bin Abdullah Khaybari said in a statement to the official Saudi Press Agency. The airline confirmed the account in a separate statement, saying that one of its leased aircraft had “a minor accident”. Saudi Arabian Airlines, also known as Saudia, is the desert kingdom’s national carrier and operates a fleet of more than 100 aircraft.

“Saudia expresses its deep sorrow to all the injured passengers as a result of the accident and prays to Allah the Almighty that He may provide them with a speedy recovery,” the airline said. The flight was carrying 315 people including 16 crewmembers. Fire and rescue teams were deployed at Madinah’s Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport after the crew reported the landing gear problem and preparations were made for an emergency landing, Khaybari said.

The injuries happened during a stampede as passengers scrambled to evacuate the plane, Khaybari said. Most of those hurt suffered only minor injuries, though 11 were taken to the hospital for treatment, he said. The airline reported that 12 passengers were taken to hospital, and that three remain in unstable condition. It did not elaborate. Versions of the Boeing 767, a twin-engine, widebody jet, have been in use for more than three decades.

Continued on Page 13

Arctic blast takes aim at frigid US NEW YORK: Millions of people in the United States hunkered down yesterday in anticipation of brutal weather from a dangerous Arctic blast that forecasters warn could send freezing temperatures plummeting to record lows. The northeast of the country and parts of Canada have been in the grip of crippling heavy snow and deadly subzero temperatures since the turn of the year and the deep freeze is now ripping through the US Midwest and threatening usually warmer areas further south.

The wind chill from the rare “polar vortex” could make it feel as cold as -48 Celsius in places, weather forecasters say, prompting authorities in several towns and cities to issue warnings telling people to stay indoors and even stock up on

food. In such cold conditions, exposed skin would suffer frostbite in as little as five minutes, experts have cautioned. In New York, which declared a state of emergency when storm Hercules swept in on Thursday, John F Kennedy Airport ceased operations for more than two hours because of freezing rain and snow after a Delta Airlines jet from Toronto slid into a snowbank.

None of the 35 people on board were hurt, ABC News said, but at least a dozen people have died in the cold conditions since the turn of the year and travel has been badly disrupted, with thousands of flights canceled or delayed, ensuring a miserable end to the holiday season for some. “Winter Storm Ion is spreading a Continued on Page 13

WEBSTER GROVES, Montana: A couple walks through the winter white-out on Swan Avenue yesterday. — AP

Football legend Eusebio dies

PUDDLE MUDDLE: A woman and her child cross a waterlogged open patch of ground after heavy rains hit Kuwait yesterday. — Photo by Fouad Al-Shaikh

LISBON: Portuguese football legend Eusebio, who was the top scorer in the 1966 World Cup, died yesterday at the age of 71 years, his former club Benfica confirmed.

Regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, the player known as the “Black Panther”, died after suffering cardio-pulmonary arrest early yesterday morning.

“Eusebio showed signs of fragility lately, but I didn’t expect this at all,” said Joao Malheiro, author of the player’s biography “Eusebio - my story”, who had spoken to him last week. The player’s remains were taken during the day to the Luz stadium (Stadium of Light) in Lisbon where Benfica fans had already begun to flock to lay flowers and pray on front of Eusebio’s statue on hearing the news.

Fans will be able to pay their respects as his remains will be lying in repose in the stadium’s chapel from 1730 GMT yesterday. The funeral mass will be celebrated in the Seminary Church near the stadium today at 1600 GMT and the footballer will be laid to rest afterwards at the Lumiar cemetery, in the city’s northern suburbs, Benfica said in a statement. In line with Eusebio’s wishes his coffin will before the funeral ceremony, around 1330 GMT, be carried around the Luz stadium, where his fans can pay their final respects.

The Portuguese government have already decreed three days of national mourning, with flags in Lisbon to fly at half-mast. The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) said there would be a minute’s silence ahead of yesterday’s Portuguese Cup games, as tributes flowed in for the player. — AFP (See Page 17)

This August 1971 file photo shows former Portuguese football legend Eusebio da Silva Ferreira, more commonly known as Eusebio, juggling a ball. — AFP

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

LOCAL

KUWAIT: Turkish Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek, heading a delegation of lawmakers, arrived in Kuwait yesterday for a two-day visit at the invitation of Kuwait National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim. The aim of the visit is to enhance bilateral relations.

Host of events in store for Kuwait in new year Hopes for positive changes

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Various events and activities will take place in Kuwait during this year.

At the International Fair Ground in Mishref, the International Perfumes & Cosmetics Exhibition and the Specialized Watches Exhibition ended on Jan 4, 2014. These are considered the most visited and awaited events by consumers in Kuwait. Another event that ended yesterday (Jan 5) was the Syrian Companies Exhibition also held at the same place. The Perfumes & Cosmetics Exhibition will be held again March 19-29, 2014.

On Jan 15, Kuwait will host the Second Syria Donors Conference that will be organized in cooperation with the United Nations. This is an important political and humanitarian event that will discuss the Syrian issue. Starting Jan 12 until April, the Proud to Be Kuwaiti (P2BK) exhibition will be held including the Remal International Sand and Light Sculpture Festival, which is the largest sand sculpture park in the world that will be open to the public. Modeled on around 40 different scenes from the famous book Alf Layla wa Layla (1001 nights), the sand sculptures are spread across 28,000 sq meters. From Jan 6-8, the 2nd Kuwait Enterprise Risk Management Conference will be held at the Missoni Hotel. The conference aims at bringing together ERM knowledge from a variety of industries to share best practices, strategies and tools on empower-

ing ERM efforts in order to inform the enterprisewide decision-making process.

On Jan 16 and 17, “Romeo and Juliet” will be held at the Shakespeare Theater at the British Academy of International Arts.

On Jan 27-29, 2014 the HORECA Kuwait event will be held at the Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel. This is a wide-ranging event covering the hospitality industry and featuring a grand showcase of products and services from leading catering companies and unmatched experts in food and hospitality businesses from Kuwait and overseas. On Feb 2-7, the Kuwait Yacht Show will be held at the Marina Crescent. This event focuses on the yacht and marine industry of Kuwait. It brings professionals and leaders of the industry together and aims to enhance the developmental prospects of the sector. In March, the 25th Arab Summit will held in Kuwait, but the date is not specified yet. This summit will focus on various political issues in the region and the Arab world.

On March 3-6, 2014 the Educareer Fair & Exhibition will be held at the Kuwait International Fair Ground. It’s a career fair targeting students, academic professionals and learning enthusiasts seeking higher education in reputed universities, vocational schools, colleges and schools or institutions. Also on March 6, the Gulf Expo will be held in Kuwait, but the venue is not decided yet.

This event is on the education and training industry in the region a meeting point for education and training professionals. On March 18-20, the

5th Kuwait Medical Tourism Conference and Exhibition ‘Medica’ will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. This event that will invite various professionals who are interested in this field including medical service providers, healthcare professionals, international hospitals, health insurance companies, experts, key decision makers, market leaders and associations in the medical tourism and healthcare business community.

On April 14-15, the Kuwait Oil & Gas Summit & Exhibition will be held, while the venue will be announced later. The event will bring together senior decision makers in Kuwait and the international oil and gas industry to highlight the opportunities and challenges of Kuwait energy in a global context, focusing on the development, diversification and growth of the economy. On April 14-16, the Oilfield Water Management exhibition will be held at the Hilton Kuwait Resort.

The event focuses on all the latest technical solutions and services that are related to oilfield and water management solutions. There will be an interactive conference session which will also focus on various important aspects associated with this field. On April 21-26, the 11th International Gold & Jewelry Exhibition will be held at the Fair Ground. This inspirational trade event features both local and international exhibitors. From April 23 to May 3, the Islamic Books exhibition will be held at the Fair Ground.

It will showcase Islamic books and literature including Holy Qurans, Islamic tapes and CDs as

well as sermons by famed Islamic scholars and children’s books on Islam and its history.

On June 22-26, the Q8 Build exhibition will be held at the Fair Ground. The event focuses on building, construction and real estate services.

The event bringing together exhibitors from all over the Kuwait showcases the latest equipments, machineries, tools, latest information and industry trends. On Sept 22-24, the Big 5 Kuwait expo will be held at the Fair Ground. It’s a construction industry event where the most recent technical issues will be discussed and industry leaders, contractors as well as other decision makers will provide their best inputs through this international platform. On Oct 12-15, the Kuwait Oil and Gas Show will be held at the Fair Ground. It will be the largest gathering of professionals from the oil and gas industry in Kuwait.

On Oct 22 and 23, the Kuwait Edutech Conference And Exhibition will be held at Crowne Plaza Hotel. The event will focus on the development of the educational sector in Kuwait. On Nov 18-22, the Kuwait International Property Show (KIPS) will be held at the Fair Ground. The exhibitors will highlight their projects and investment programs to Kuwaiti investors, locals and residents.

2014 will bring more holiday days for employees of public sector, as they will get 26 days off compared to 23 in 2013, and with weekends, it will reach 130 days. This will

include the New Year holiday (4 days), Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birthday (1 day), February celebrations (5 days), Isra and Meraj (1 day), Eid al Fitr (9 days), Eid al Adha (5 days) and the new Hijra year (1 day).

63,000 return after New Year holiday KUWAIT: Around 63,000 people returned to Kuwait onboard a total of 347 flights at the end of the New Year holiday, a local daily reported yesterday quoting a senior official at the Kuwait International Airport.

The majority of travelers returned Saturday which saw 24,382 passengers return on board 126 flights, according to Essam Al-Zamel, the Operations Manager at the Directorate General for Civil Aviation.

Meanwhile, 18,892 passengers returned on 111 flights Friday, and 20,118 were scheduled to return yesterday on 106 flights.

According to Zamel, 19 extra flights were allocated to accommodate the large number of passengers returning to Kuwait after spending the 4-day holiday abroad - 12 on Saturday and 3 on Friday.

Egyptians major victims of visa fraud

By A Saleh KUWAIT: The expatriate labor office at Kuwait labor union traced a number of Egyptian young men who had been fraud victims when they were promised three-month visit visas for Kuwait in return for money each of them paid.

The office stressed that the visas were issued in the name of an influential personality and were cancelled immediately after they entered Kuwait, which means their whole stay had been illegal and that they were guilty of violating residency laws.

Commenting on the issue, the head of the office Abdul Rahman Al-Ghanim said that he has received over 100 complaints from Egyptians so far. He added that the victims had entered Kuwait with valid visas and that on leaving after three months, they were stopped at the airport and found that they had been illegally staying in Kuwait. He called for an immediate

solution to this problem, exempting the victims from fines and allowing them to go back home freely.

Procedural mistakes MP, Safa Al-Hashim severely criticized the premier, describing him as an expert in ‘procedural mistakes’. “It’s high time for the country to move forward and this is impossible with an incapable PM,” she charged. She also criticized the fact that the Cabinet resignations had not been officially accepted so far and stressed that she would never accept reshuffling the grilled ministers and giving them different portfolios to avoid grillings. She also rejected the idea of appointing candidates who lost the elections “because Kuwait does not need a rubberstamp Cabinet”. “The PM’s top ambition is to keep his post regardless of the nation’s best interest. Therefore, we need a PM capable of making achievements,” she said. Moreover, she

stressed that she would never accept a ministerial post in Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak’s cabinet. “It’s time for him to step down instead of being told to do so and resign,” she said, adding that the government would not attend the Jan 7 parliamentary session. On his part, MP, Riyadh Al-Adsani promised to grill the PM if the Cabinet did not attend tomorrow’s parliamentary session.

Children’s allowance Member of the parliamentary financial and economical committee MP Humoud Al-Hamdan said that the government has officially rejected a proposal to increase children’s allowance to KD 75 per child and the housing loan to KD 100,000 . Meanwhile, MP Rakan Al-Nisf said that approving the children’s allowance and the housing loan would cause more inflation. He also stressed that any pay hikes were mere anesthetics that would never cure the problem.

Palestinians celebrate revolution anniversary KUWAIT: The Palestinian people are celebrating the 49th anniversary of the launch of the Palestinian revolution, which put the Palestinian cause on the international map, and the Palestine Liberation Organization became the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

According to a Palestine embassy press release, these celebrations coincide with United Nations declaration of 2014 as the year of solidarity with the Palestinian people. Such a declaration is a confirmation of the Palestinian just cause, and an affirmation of this great people’s right in regaining its freedom and independence.

It is also an international testimony

from the highest world authority on the actions of the Palestinian leadership headed by Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the State of Palestine, in the form of basic steps to build Palestinian state establishments and the declaration of Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital.

The Embassy of the State of Palestine, on this occasion, recalls the basic and integral role of the brotherly state of Kuwait in the launch of the revolution as the only Arab state that permitted the Palestinian National Action on its territory, and the formation of the Fatah movement that led to the launch of the Palestinian revolution after its establishment in Kuwait.

The unlimited Kuwaiti support for this launch, be it material or political, which contributed and is still contributing, is keeping the Palestinian cause present very strongly in the international political arena. The embassy of Palestine in Kuwait thanks the State of Kuwait and its great people, and extends appreciation to HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah, the government and people of Kuwait for their historic support of the Palestinian cause and people.

We pray to Almighty Allah to protect Kuwait and its people, and keep security and stability, and grant HH the Amir and HH the Crown Prince good health.

KUWAIT: Fire broke out on the 9th floor of a Kheitan building yesterday. Firemen who arrived at the scene within a few minutes evacuated residents. Some residents suffered smoke inhalation and were treated on the scene. Sgt Habib AlMirshid was injured during the evacuation and was taken to Razi hospital. — By Hanan Al-Saadoun

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

LOCAL

Kuwait outbound tourism for 2013 totals $4.5bn Dubai remains most preferred destination

By Lulwa Al-Enezi KUWAIT: Dubai, one of the world’s tourism hotspots and a regional attraction, is the number one choice for Kuwaiti travelers, a report released yesterday shows. The Kuwaitbased travel wholesaler Mubasher International yesterday issued their annual outbound tourism report for Kuwait that shows Dubai as the most visited city in 2013 followed by London, Paris, Barcelona, Munich, Milan, New York, Rome, Vienna and Zurich. The inter-regional increase of traffic, the report said, could be attributed to the growth of passengers flying low-cost airlines.

Flydubai and Jazeera Airways’ daily flights shuttling between Kuwait and Dubai make travel easier and cheaper, industry analysts agree. So does the myriad of other airlines that connect Kuwait to all of the region’s primary destinations. The United Arab Emirates was Kuwait’s most visited destination in the past year, marking a growth of 8 percent in outbound travel, followed by the United Kingdom, France, Turkey, Germany and Spain. The United Kingdom marked 42 percent growth in travelers, which is the largest average increase compared to last year.

Thailand, a destination frequented all-year round, came in only at 10th place.

Furthermore, the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Egypt and Jordan are the topmost visited

Arab destinations. The continuous economic crisis in Europe and the relatively lower price of hotels there, the report said, attracted more tourists to Spain and France compared to 2012 where the number of Kuwaiti tourists increased strongly - growth that the report attributes to Kuwait’s large football fan base travelling to see Spanish Liga matches. Honeymooners helped position the Seychelles, Maldives and Mauritius as the perfect romantic holiday spots.

Not all destinations remained the preferred choice for Kuwaiti tourists. Turkey, for example, fell from third place last year to fourth place “due to political unrest”. The political instability in Thailand has kept the destination as number 10 on the list of Kuwaiti travellers. According to the report, the Maldives, Belgium, South Korea, Ireland, Japan, Portugal, Seychelles, Netherlands, Russia and Canada are the top 10 new emerging destinations. In the meantime, the top 10 emerging cities are Alicante (Spain), San Diego (US), Tokyo, Brussels, Dublin, Lisbon, St Petersburg, Dusseldorf, the Hague and Vancouver (Canada).

According to the report, the average Kuwaiti tourist spends $3,000 daily on airfare, accommodation, dining, ground transport, entertainment, car rental, telecommunication and travel supplies. The single largest expense for a Kuwaiti traveler, the report

Strike delays gazette publication

The total expense by Kuwaiti tourist distributed as per the proportions shows, is dining (8.5 percent).The total expenses in outbound travel from Kuwait in 2013 was $4.5 billion, excluding travel to Saudi Arabia for hajj and umrah. The report also estimates that the average number of Kuwaiti family travelers ranges between six and eight including maids and drivers accompanied by them. The report concludes that leisure tourism represents about 74 per-

cent of total tourism. The remaining 26 percent are business travelers. The Mubasher report estimates that the average length of stay of a Kuwaiti family is 21 to 42 nights for the July-August period. For Eid Al-Adha and Eid Al-Fitr, families travel for four to 10 nights.

During the National and Liberation Day celebrations in the end of February, the average holiday lasts between four to seven nights.

KUWAIT: Because of a strike by the workers of the government’s printing press in protest of not receiving their bonuses for 9 months, Kuwait’s official gazette Al-Kuwait Al-Youm was not published yesterday and is due to be published today.

Informed sources said that press workers had threatened to go on strike unless their dues were paid by the end of December, which was not met.

The sources added that unless the information ministry yields to their demands, the workers’ next strike would delay the gazette and Al-Arabi magazine.

The head of the information ministry employees’ syndicate Dr Yaseen Al-Farsi stressed that the board of directors fully supports workers’ rights and fair demands.

He added that the minister of information and minster of state for youth affairs Sheikh Salman AlHumoud Al-Sabah had expressed his understanding of the workers’ grievances and efforts exerted and that he promised to follow up their complaints personally.

Time ripe for exploiting renewable energy in Gulf states KUWAIT: A specialized economic report has asserted that the time has come to exploit renewable energy sources efficiently in the Gulf states especially as the establishment of strategic projec ts depends on the energy availability.

The repor t, prepared by the Diplomatic Center for Strategic Studies, said that the Gulf states possess many of the sustainable wealth that open up sustainable development horizons for the diversification of income sources and build a competitive economy that attracts more investment in an environment that provides security, stability and good costeffective revenues for all parties.

It explained that these countries were now facing a significant

KUWAIT: Rains which lasted for hours battered the state of Kuwait yesterday disrupting road traffic and bringing low-lying areas in the city under water. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Kuwait can’t tolerate another constitutional dispute: Al-Khorafi KUWAIT: Former parliament speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi advised Prime Minister HH Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak Al-Sabah to submit his resignation officially with members of his cabinet before he is officially assigned to form a new cabinet, as a precautionary measure to avoid legal error that can render the status of the nex t cabinet questionable. “While the current procedures are seen to be correct, it is important to remind everyone that [the same thing was said about] procedures that followed the 2009 parliament’s resolutions and which the Constitutional Court found unconstitutional”, AlKhorafi said in a statement Saturday, adding that “Kuwait cannot tolerate another constitutional dispute about the cabinet’s formation”.

Al-Khorafi’s statements came in response to reports which ques-

tioned the legal status of the upcoming cabinet formation based on the argument that no official announcement was made to indicate that the premier was assigned to form a new cabinet.

On the other hand, a former minister argued that the prime minister can submit a resolution to accept the resignation of some ministers and then another to appoint new ministers, adding that a similar scenario was done in the 1994 cabinet. Meanwhile, MP Saleh Ashour held the prime minister’s advisors responsible for any complications that could become the center of a new case filed at the Constitutional Cour t. Fellow lawmaker Adnan Abdulsamad argued in the meantime that the cabinet remains ‘not resigned’ until ministers’ resignations are officially accepted, hinting that the cabinet’s failure to attend tomorrow’s session could

be motivated by “willingness to avoid facing grilling motions” that are set to be debated then.

Constitutional law professor at Kuwait University Dr Mohammed Al-Feeli explained in the meantime that unless the prime minister resigns and his resignation is officially accepted, HH the Amir is not required from a constitutional basis to carry out the traditional consultation ahead of the new cabinet’s formation. Under the current circumstances, experts believe that the cabinet is required to attend tomorrow’s session of the parliament, which is scheduled to feature debating grilling motions filed against social affairs and labor minister Thekra Al-Rashidi, housing minister Salem Al-Othaina, education minister Nayef Al-Hajraf, in addition to voting on a no confidence vote against planning minister Rola Dashty.

Conference on bone diseases KUWAIT: Kuwaiti Society of Endocrinology will hold a conference entitled ‘Bone Disorders Secondary to Endocrine Disorders and Diabetes’ on Jan 12h with the participation of local and GCC experts.

Head of Pediatric Endocrinology Unit in Al-Sabah hospital and organizer of the event Dr. Zaidan AlMazidi told Kuwait News Agency yesterday that the conference would discuss important medical issues.

The conference will also discuss

Osteoporosis for all ages, including ways to treat and prevent the disease, he noted, adding that the experts would study diseases that increase or decrease calcium levels and ways to treat it.

Dr. Al-Mazidi also said that using modern X-ray technologies in diagnosing diseases and following up on the treatmentís results will be among the conference’s main issues.

The conference’s agenda will also include topics regarding kidney diseases and their effects on bones,

thyroid diseases, and joints related diseases caused by endocrine system disorders, said Dr. Al-Mazidi.

Dr. Al-Mazidi stated that among the event’s activities will be seminars on children diabetes type one and two, including challenges that face doctors and the latest medications. He called on all public and private sector doctors of various specialties to participate in the conference which is organized in cooperation with Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS). — KUNA

developmental stage after making significant strides in building the necessar y infrastructure as the next phase has become involved in improving aspects of living for citizens and providing job opportunities, training and rehabilitation to increase the productive forces of the national labor market.

It pointed out that the growth in local economies is associated with rising energy demand from big economic projects, electricity sector and water desalination and this would raise the consumption bill of of the natural gas and fossil fuels on an annual basis in case of continuation of the increasing reliance on these traditional energy-saving sources.

It said that the facts require

reconsidering development of innovative technologies and solutions in the energy sector in light of the rising consumption of energy, saying that many strategic projects depend on the energy availability.

It added that the renewable energy sector is one of the most promising sec tors in the Gulf States in light of availability of basic components for its production as these countries are one of the hot areas throughout the year, giving them successful opportunities in the possibility of exploiting that energy properly and that would contribute to meet the needs of the development plans of sustainable sources of clean energy. —KUNA

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

LOCAL kuwait digest

kuwait digest

A look at food security

Efforts to solve traffic problem

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

By Alsir Sidahmed

T

H

ardly three months have passed since the third Afro-Arab summit concluded in Kuwait and some troubling signals have started to show up. The convening of the summit on time consolidated the impression that it will be an established practice for Arabs and Africans to meet regularly and build block by block and turn optimism into tangible cooperation between the two regions.

One of the vital areas of cooperation is agriculture seen as of national significance to both: Agriculture is the main economic backbone for many African countries for sustaining the livelihood of many of its inhabitants as well as providing jobs for them. For Arabs, especially in Gulf countries, African cooperation provides one of the best opportunities to achieve food security.

Their investments constitute more than mere FDI as they relate to food security and a chance for technology transfer, better utilization of land, improved production, bringing in more land into use and help improve infrastructure. Though investment in agriculture is not a new phenomenon, but over the past few years it attracted attention given the growing size of land allocated for the purpose of food security, from 10,000 hectares to even as high as 500,000 hectares.

Also, the life span of such arrangement goes in some cases up to 99 years. Despite that and the feeling that Africa has been saturated, available statistics show that all such plans account only for no more than 25 percent of arable land in the continent. But the outcome over the past five years does not seem satisfactory to both sides, which indicates a gap between the policy and implementation levels, lack of portraying clearly to the public what has been going on.

As a result, some foreign investors, and out of sheer experience, found out that they are wasting more of their time trying to overcome infrastructure difficulties, support at local level as communities insist on having more say in terms asking for job opportunities, services and a share on the expected production. That led some investors to look somewhere else mainly into a more mature investment climate, where the rule of law is guaranteed, infrastructure is there as well as policies and needed mechanisms in place to guarantee the investors’ rights.

A good example of this trend is the agricultural firm, Al-Dahra of the UAE, who concluded in March a deal that allowed it to buy eight agricultural companies for $400 million in Serbia. There is also Jenaan of Abu Dhabi with investments in the US and Spain, and Hassad Food, the agricultural arm of Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, who has set up a subsidiary in Australia to focus on growing wheat and barley and animal husbandry. The deal represents a possibility for potentially similar projects in Europe, North America and Australasia that though they could be more expensive and offer less scope to build vast estates like in Africa, but they also present fewer political problems and less risk. These are just examples of a growing trend to diversify and get a better and secured investment portfolio. The Saudi decision to go completely out of wheat by 2016 reflects the importance and the significance of the issue of food security felt in various Gulf countries at different stages.

But that is not enough in itself to provide the needed results for investors and their hosts. There is a need to address some sensitive issues that so far have not been addressed in a frank and more transparent way. For instance, the political instability has always been a factor, compounded by poverty. Though that is ultimately is an issue for the host countries to deal with depending on their political choices, investors are having some responsibility to protect their own image.

Buying or leasing large tracts of land was seen and portrayed in some cases as ‘land grab,’ where foreigners are seen exploiting the needs of the host countries. It goes without saying that for any investment to succeed it needs to operate in a friendly atmosphere. And that is where there is a need to translate the declarations of the Afro-Arab summits into more concrete and tangible policies that make use of the political umbrella provided and engage with concrete issues in a positive way to create the much needed friendly environment and make an impact that benefits both sides.

he Interior Ministry’s efforts to address the traffic problem deserve support and encouragement, instead of mockery or obstructions. The traffic problem is one of those issues that are considered more serious than the ongoing political struggle because it affects everyone. Therefore, I find no justification for objecting the government’s current efforts to face this problem to improve citizens’ welfare. It is OK to criticize or remark on the efforts as long as this does not escalate into actions to put obstacles in front of these efforts.

The traffic problem is a reflection of social crisis, not technical or even legal. Regardless of how much technology and new mechanics are utilized to control the traffic flow, these efforts will not change the human being in the end. No matter how may road expansion projects are launched, drivers who use these roads remain the same, and their behavior which creates

kuwait digest

New proposal on housing

By Dr Terki Al-Azmi

M

P Dr Ali Al-Omair made interesting remarks in a statement published on Thursday about the proposed increase in the housing loan. I often disagree with Omair’s point of view, but this time I agree with him in his demand for the government to provide alternatives to the increase, although I wished he had provided proposals.

First of all, it is important to mention that the mere proposal to increase the loan has already resulted in price increases despite the fact that the issue remains under discussion. It is perhaps ironic that we live in a wealthy state where houses are sold for at least KD 400,000 and it takes between KD 120,000 and KD 140,000 to build a 400 sq m house .

I was hoping that Omair adopts a proposal similar to the follows: * The government keeps the housing loan at KD 70,000, but at the same time subsidizes building material including steel, concrete, wiring, etc, because the current loan rate is barely enough to cover construction.

* The government takes control over prices and sets averages for house prices as per their types and locations. The rate must also be in line with prices in nearby countries, and not subject to supply and demand. * The government frees lands and gives landlords a one-year ultimatum to build houses. * The government puts a maximum cap for rents based on a property’s area, classification and location.

This is in my personal opinion the best solution which I publish while knowing for certain that it cannot be applied because the decision in that regard is out of the hands of the government which cannot even explain the real reasons behind the price increases.

The problem stems from the fact that we do not lack understanding for the seller’s awareness and buyer’s capability in light of the lack of monitoring on prices. That being said, I expect the loan increase to be approved, and followed shortly by more price (and rent) increases. — Al-Rai

The traffic problem is a reflection of social crisis, not technical or even legal. Regardless of how much technology and new mechanics are utilized to control the traffic flow, these efforts will not change the human being in the end. traffic problems will continue to dominate.

If anything, expanding roads could increase the level of reckless driving and violation of traffic regulations. And as much as Kuwait insists on enforcing the law, this will not change anything as long as traffic police officers are not there to issue the ticket.

That’s why I believe that with all due respect to traffic policemen’s efforts, these efforts remain insufficient to address the traffic problem alone. The solution requires social education and serious efforts to increase public awareness about the importance of honoring traffic laws which unfortunately are violated because they are the first thing that citizens who are either frustrated or inclined to break the law face.

What we need is changing the society’s perspective on traffic and the use of vehicles as a means of transportation as opposed to being a tool for show of power. We also need changed perception in traffic police officers and policemen in general. A policeman is responsible for people’s security, and is required to be at a high level of efficiency and awareness that forces others to respect him and honor the law. Therefore, the quality level of police needs to be improved along with their salaries - because it is illogical to ask police to stay outside for hours while receiving less money than their peers who spend most their times in the office. — Al-Qabas

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

LOCAL

Airport police arrest ‘nude’ Asian protestor Former candidate attempts suicide KUWAIT: A man was arrested Saturday morning after he stripped naked at the Kuwait International Airport when he discovered that he was blacklisted and wanted by authorities. According to the police report, the passenger started yelling uncontrollably when officers at the passports counter told him that he would not be able to catch his flight and instead will be taken in police custody for questioning in a case filed against him. The Indian man started taking his clothes off and lied down on the floor before police put him under arrest. He was taken to the authorities to face the previous charges as well as new ones filed for public indecency.

Suicide attempt A man who had failed in a bid to run for parliament was arrested and later taken to the hospital after he attempted suicide inside jail, according to the police report. The arrest came after three men filed a case against the man and accused him of physical assault. They said that he forced them inside his car from a Salmiya cafe where they worked, adding that he claimed he was putting them under arrest after identifying himself as a detective. The man later released the three and disappeared. The three workers added that the man was a regular customer and had verbally and physical assaulted waiters several times. The man was arrested and identified as a former candidate for parliamentary elections. He was jailed pending investigations on physical assault and police imperson-

ation charges among others. The man was later taken to the Mubarak Hospital after reportedly attempting suicide inside the Salmiya police station.

Reckless driving Investigations are ongoing in a case involving a traffic policeman who accuses a royal of insult while the woman says that the officer was the one who offended her for no reason. The case was filed at the Sabah Al-Salem police station, where the officer explained that he stopped the woman for reckless driving before she assaulted him verbally and physically. On the other hand, the woman who was identified as a ruling family member, said that the officer verbally assaulted her and destroyed her phone after she took video footage of the incident. The officer said however that the phone fell to the ground and broke while she was assaulting him.

Suicide threat A domestic helper was hospitalized following two suicide attempts on Saturday for reasons that remain under investigations. Police and paramedics headed to a location at the Fourth Ring Road in response to emergency calls reporting that a woman was about to jump from a footbridge. The Ethiopian woman was put under control and taken to the hospital where a medical staff later discovered that she had consumed bleach earlier in a bid to end her life. A case was filed.

Sexual assault Hawally police are looking to identify and arrest two men accused for sexually assaulting a woman they kidnapped from the Arabian Gulf beach. In her statements to police, the victim said that the two forced her inside their car while she was jogging, and headed to a place in Maidan Hawally where they assaulted her before escaping. Police obtained the description of the suspects’ car as investigations are ongoing.

Camper charged A man faces charges after he started a fire at his camp in order to stop police from removing it because it was set up in a restricted area. The incident took place in the Julaia desert where Kuwait Municipality vehicles headed to remove the camp after its owner ignored warnings to remove it since it was located near a security point. The Kuwaiti man then set one of the tents on fire, forcing officers to leave the place and file a case with the public prosecution.

Drug smuggling A policeman faces charges after he admitted of attempting to smuggle drugs inside the Central Jail. The security officer was monitored after Central Jail security grew suspicious of his actions, and eventually put under arrest with possession of 250 gm of heroin and 1,000 narcotic pills. He said during questioning that he planned to smuggle the drugs to an inmate who paid him a large amount of money.

Al-Bonyan distributes aid to Syrian families in Lebanon

KUWAIT: Kuwait Municipality carried out a cleaning campaign in Adailiya area resulting in the removal of four loads of leftovers. They also planted 200 palm trees in the jogging lane, with the participation of government, private establishments as well as the area’s residents. Director of the cleanliness center in Surra Salah Al-Seif and Adailiya municipality center supervisor Khalid Al-Mohammed received citizens complaints.

—By Hanan Al-Saadoun

BEIRUT: Kuwait’s non-government campaign AlBonyan has distributed humanitarian aid to 600 displaced Syrian families in Lebanon.

In a press statement, the campaign said that the aid which included blankets, carpets and money were distributed to displaced Syrian families in the northern Akkar district.

For his part, Chief Executive Officer of the Union of Aid Organizations in Al-Abdah of Akkar Ayash Ahmad expressed gratitude for the officials of Bonyan campaign and Kuwaiti people for their support and donations for Syrian refugees.

Financial Manager of the Association of Islamic Education in the city of Akroum in Akkar Ahmad AlKhateeb lauded the humanitarian efforts of the Kuwaiti campaign.

Meanwhile, as the Syrian conflict rages on,

Jordan’s Mafraq governorate is suffering from the overflow of Syrians seeking refuge from their wartorn country.

According to statistics from the Jordanian Interior Ministry, the Syrian refugee presence in Mafraq was around 129 percent of the total population, effecting life in the governorate and exhausting its resources.

Governor of Mafraq Abdullah Al-Sa’aidah said that the Syrian refugees in the governorate had roughly reached around 400,000, an enormous addition to the 310,000 people already living there.

He indicated that a solution must be found to overcome this humanitarian crisis which will affect the governorate if the situation continued.

On its part, Mafraq municipality said that the increasing number of Syrian refugees will affect

public services and infrastructure in the governorate.

Similarly, health authorities in Mafraq indicated that there were 944 Syrian refugee children born in the first 10 months of 2013, adding that health service in the governorate was under pressure with the increasing Syrian admitted to hospitals.

The continuous flow of Syrian refugees also affected the housing, education, and services sectors in Mafraq, according a number of local officials.

Mafraq is located to the north-east of Amman, capital of Jordan. The governorate population makes 4.5 percent of Jordan’s total populace. Its capital is Mafraq City, which is known for its military bases.

Since the eruption of the Syrian crisis in March 2011, some 581,414 Syrians sought refuge in Jordan. —KUNA

Kuwait’s $12bn investments to support Jordan economy AMMAN: Kuwait’s investments in Jordan, estimated at $12 billion, are considered to be a key element in supporting the kingdom’s economy and decreasing the level of both unemployment and poverty.

Jordanian officials noted the importance of such investments to achieve development and create more job opportunities in a country which lacks natural resources and depends mainly on the human factor.

Jordanian Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Dr Ibrahim Saif said yesterday he was grateful for Kuwait’s role in developing his country through investments and the Kuwaiti grant of $1.25 billion as part of the GCC grant aiming to fund developmental projects.

Saif praised the role of Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) in supporting Jordan’s economy, adding that the Kuwaiti grant was of positive results on the State’s budget.

Executive Chief of Jordan Investment Board Dr Awni AlShdeefat said that the board offers Kuwaiti investment companies facilitations and speedy procedures for doing business in Jordan.

Kuwaiti investments spread across the industrial sector, hotels, hospitals and real estate, said Al-Shdeefat, praising the efforts of the Kuwaiti diplpmatic channels in cooperating with Jordanian officials.

President of Jordan’s Chamber of Commerce Nael Al-Kabariti said that the trade volume between the two countries reached $263 million in 2012, noting the strong political relations shared by the two sides.

Executive Manager of Zain - Jordan Ahmad AlHananda said that the company which is considered to be one of the biggest Kuwaiti investments in the country, invested about $1.7 billion and supported the state’s budget with about $ 2.3 billion.

He added that Zain which

employed about 1.238 employees, contributes to the society’s development through projects valued at nearly $57 million, while providing education for about 325 college students, and offering college scholarships to 34 orphans.

Al-Hananda noted that about 270 students have so far graduated from Zain’s mobile phones maintenance training pro-

grams, adding that the company had also provided medical care to about 150,000 kids.

Moreover, the company had given job opportunities to about 1,308 college students.

Official Jordanian reports said that Kuwait is among the top Arab and world countries with investments in Jordan’s Stock Exchange, reaching about $8 billion by the end of 2013. —KUNA

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

Iraq readying ‘major attack’ to retake Fallujah

US icebreaker to rescue two ships in Antarctica

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B’desh polls hit by violence, boycott 18 killed • Polling booths firebombed • Ruling party set to win DHAKA: Thousands of protesters firebombed polling stations and at least 18 people were killed as violence flared across Bangladesh yesterday during a walkover election boycotted by the opposition. Police said they had opened fire at protesters as they torched more than 200 polling stations and stole and burnt ballot papers to try to sabotage the poll. Two of those killed were beaten to death while guarding polling stations in northern districts but most of the victims were opposition supporters. “We’ve seen thousands of protesters attack polling booths and our personnel at a number of locations with petrol bombs,” Syed Abu Sayem, police chief of the northern district of Bogra, told AFP. “The situation is extremely volatile,” he added after describing how thousands of ballot papers had been ceremoniously set on fire.

Most of the other victims were opposition activists shot by police, while a driver died of his injuries from a petrol bomb attack on his truck. Police put the overall toll at 18 although the opposition said 22 of its supporters were killed. “We were forced to open fire after thousands of them attacked us with guns and small bombs,” said Mokbul Hossain, police chief in the northern town of Parbatipur. “It was a coordinated attack. They managed to seize some ballot papers and they tried to steal our weapons.”

In the capital Dhaka, whose streets were largely deserted apart from thousands of troops, police confirmed three petrol bombings of polling stations. Tens of thousands of troops were deployed across the country after around 150 people had been killed in the build-up to the election. The ruling Awami League has accused the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of orchestrating the violence and has kept its leader under de facto house arrest. The opposition had demanded that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina make way for a neutral caretaker government before the election to ensure no ballot-rigging, a system in force in the past. It staged weeks of deadly protests, including transport blockades and calls for strikes, to press its demands.

A general strike called by the BNP, which began on Saturday, has now been extended until Wednesday morning as the party tries to ratchet up the pressure. Although there was no immediate figure on turnout, officials acknowledged that it was poor. “The turnout was low, partly due to the boycott by many parties,” said election commission chief Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad. Munira Khan, head of a Bangladeshi team of election monitors, said the vote had been characterised by “widespread apathy” and confusion about the choice on the ballot papers. AFP correspondents said there were no queues to vote, while local television reported that only a single person voted in the first three hours at one station. Final results are expected in the early hours of today.

But the outcome is not in doubt since voting took place in only 147 of the 300 parliamentary constituencies.

Awami League candidates or allies had a clear run in the remaining 153. Hasina’s government says it had to hold the vote after parliament’s five-year term expired. “The turnout doesn’t matter, what is important is that the people defied violence and came out to vote,” Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu told local television.

‘Laughable vote’ The BNP, whose leader Khaleda Zia has been confined to her home for a week, said the vote was a joke. “The

Pressure mounts on French comic PARIS: The mayor of Paris yesterday joined France’s interior minister in calling for comedian Dieudonne, whose vitriolic brand of humour targeting Jews has caused outrage, to be banned from the stage. Dieudonne has been part of France’s comedy scene for years, but while he started out with a Jewish comedian in sketches that mocked racism, he gradually veered to the far-right and alienated some fans with anti-Jewish comments - one of his latest being a joke about gas chambers. Speaking on Europe 1 radio, Paris mayor Bertrand Delanoe likened Dieudonne to a criminal who “defends crimes against humanity”. “We must ban the performances (of the comedian),” he said, echoing recent comments made by Interior Minister Manuel Valls.

Dieudonne has been fined several times for defamation, using insulting language, hate speech and racial discrimination, and a provocative arm gesture he makes has been described as an upside down Nazi salute. But the 47-year-old comedian argues that the horrors of the Holocaust are given too much focus to the exclusion of other crimes, like slavery and racism, and says his so-called “quenelle” gesture merely represents his anti-establishment views.

The gesture has landed several personalities in hot water, including footballer Nicolas Anelka, who used it to celebrate a goal. SOS Racisme, an organisation that fights racism and antisemitism, announced yesterday it would take to court anyone who spread pictures of or did the “quenelle” in locations such as synagogues or Holocaust memorials “that leave no doubt” as to the anti-semitic nature of the gesture. Valls, meanwhile, has said he wants to ban performances by Dieudonne on his nationwide tour this month, outraged by the comedian’s recent jibe against Jewish radio presenter Patrick Cohen.

“When I hear Patrick Cohen speak, I tell myself, you know, the gas chambers... A shame,” Dieudonne had said in comments filmed secretly at a show and aired on French television last month. Valls, who believes Dieudonne’s shows are taking the form of political rallies, has also asked the comedian to pay some Ä65,000 ($88,500) he has run up in fines. Officials in several cities where Dieudonne is set to perform during his January tour have said they are trying to ban his show.

Veteran Nazi hunters Serge and Beate Klarsfeld have called for a protest on Wednesday at a theatre in the western city of Nantes, where Dieudonne is due to perform. And Patrick Klugman, the lawyer representing SOS Racisme, said yesterday the organisation would “look into all legal possibilities of holding liable those who allow Dieudonne’s commercial venture to prosper”, such as those who sell tickets to his shows. But the comedian has scores of die-hard fans who feel he is being hounded by the media and politicians. “There are some who say much worse things than him and no one says anything to them,” one netizen said on a Facebook page that presents itself as Dieudonne’s official page, and has 466,000 likes. — AFP

country has rejected these farcical elections which were meaningless, laughable and universally unacceptable,” said deputy leader Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Those who did vote showed little enthusiasm. “I don’t really want to vote as I don’t think it’s a proper election with only the ruling party candidates participating,” Anwar Hossain said outside a polling station in Dhaka’s Azimpur neighbourhood.

“But I am scared about what might happen if I don’t as the candidates might think I am anti-Awami League.”

Analysts warn the election will likely stoke violence after the bloodiest year of unrest since Bangladesh broke free from Pakistan in 1971. The former East Pakistan is the world’s eighth most populous nation but also one of the poorest in Asia, and more turmoil will undermine efforts to improve the lot of its population of 154 million - a third of whom live below the poverty line. A local rights group says more than 500 people have been killed since January 2013, including victims of clashes that erupted after the conviction of Islamists for crimes dating back to the 1971 war.

The main Islamist party was banned by judges from taking part in the election, and its leaders are either in detention or in hiding. Alarmed by the violence, the United States, European Union and Commonwealth all declined to send observers to yesterday ’s election.

Bangladesh has been plagued by instability since independence, with nearly 20 coups since 1975. — AFP

DHAKA: Bangladeshis talk as a rickshaw puller watches outside a polling station yesterday. — AP

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

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

Iraq readying ‘major attack’ to retake city ISIL fighters in control of Fallujah

TEL AVIV: Thousands of African asylum seekers who entered Israel illegally stage a protest yesterday slamming the state’s long-term detention of illegal immigrants. —AFP

30,000 African migrants stage protest in Israel TEL AVIV: More than 30,000 African asylum seekers who entered Israel illegally protested in Tel Aviv yesterday, police said, in the biggest rally ever staged by migrants in the state. “More than 30,000 demonstrators marched peacefully in Tel Aviv,” police spokeswoman Lubra Samri told AFP. Gathered in the coastal city’s central Rabin Square, the protesters sharply criticised Israel’s refusal to give them refugee status and the detention without trial of hundreds of asylum seekers. “ We are all refugees” and “Yes to freedom, no to prison!” they chanted in English, with Israeli rights activists also joining the march.

Ultra-Orthodox MP Eli Yishai, the hardline former interior minister who in 2012 led the government campaign to round up and deport tens of thousands of illegal migrants, denounced the protest. Yishai said that the “infiltrators”, as authorities call them, were encouraged by “anti-Zionist human rights organisations”. Rights groups say most African migrants in Israel cannot be deported because their lives would be under threat if they returned to their homes in Sudan and Eritrea.

Yishai told the website of Maariv daily that Tel Aviv, where many of the migrants live, “long ago became an African city”. He said the demonstration was “a sharp and clear cry for the state of Israel and judicial and law enforcement authorities to apply all the means at their disposal to return the infiltrators to their countries”.

Dawud, an Eritrean asylum-seeker at the protest, told AFP: “We have fled persecution, dictatorships, civil wars and genocides. “Instead of considering us refugees, Israel treats us like criminals,” he added,

without giving his full name. Dawud said the demonstrators intended to head for the UN refugee agency’s Tel Aviv office and foreign embassies in the city in further rallies today. Many illegal immigrants, who are often employed in menial jobs in restaurants and hotels, also launched a three-day strike in several Israeli cities yesterday.

Rising wave of protest Under legislation passed on Dec 10, authorities can detain illegal immigrants entering Israel for up to a year without trial. The same month a sprawling detention facility named “Holot” or “Sands” opened in southern Israel’s Negev desert to house illegals crossing the nearby Egyptian border and for immigrants already in the country deemed to have disturbed public order. The moves triggered protest marches by migrants, including inmates who are allowed out during the day but locked in at night, but yesterday’s was the largest demonstration by far. Israel says that there are close to 60,000 illegal immigrants from Africa in the country and that they pose a threat to the state’s Jewish character. Along with arrests and deportations, Israel has also built a high-tech fence along the border with Egypt’s barren Sinai, the main point of clandestine entry. Many migrants live in poor southern neighbourhoods of Tel Aviv where violent race riots erupted in 2012. Anti-migrant protesters there were addressed by MPs from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, including hardliner Miri Regev, who at the time called the Africans “a cancer in our body”. —AFP

FALLUJAH: Iraq is preparing a “major attack” to retake militantheld Fallujah, a senior official said yesterday, spelling a new assault for the city, west of Baghdad, where US forces repeatedly battled insurgents. Washington said it would help Baghdad in its fight against Al-Qaeda-linked militants but that there would be no return of US troops. The takeover of Fallujah and parts of Anbar provincial capital Ramadi, farther west, is the first time militants have exercised such open control in major cities since the height of the bloody insurgency that followed the US-led invasion of 2003. “Iraqi forces are preparing for a major attack in Fallujah,” a senior Iraqi official told AFP. Special forces have already conducted operations inside the city, the official said.

The regular army has paused on the edge of the city to allow residents time to leave, after which it will launch “the attack to crush the terrorists”. Fallujah is in the hands of fighters of the Al-Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, a senior security official said on Saturday. Secretar y of State John Kerry said yesterday that the United States would provide assistance to Iraqi forces in their battle against the militants but that it was “their fight”.

Kerr y said Washington was “very, very concerned” about the resurgence of ISIL but said it was not contemplating any return of US ground troops, after their withdrawal in Dec 2011. “We are not obviously contemplating returning, we are not contemplating putting boots on the ground, this is their fight,” Kerry told reporters in Jerusalem. “But we’re going to help them in their fight... We are going to do everything that is possible to help them.”

‘Wait for what is coming’ ISIL militants seized control of the village of Bubali near Ramadi after heavy fighting yesterday, a witness said. And AFP journalists

BASRA: An Iraqi riot police officer flashes the victor -sign as his unit returns to its headquarters from clashes between Iraqi army and Al-Qaeda fighters in Anbar province yesterday. — AP reported sporadic clashes both inside Ramadi and on the outskirts of Fallujah. Iraqi ground forces commander Staff General Ali Ghaidan Majeed told AFP that security forces killed 11 militants from countries including Afghanistan and various Arab states on the highway from Baghdad to Fallujah. Majeed admitted that “we do not know what is happening in Fallujah”, but said the city should “wait for what is coming” - a reference to the impending assault.

On Friday and Saturday, more than 160 people were killed in the worst violence to hit Anbar province in years. Both Ramadi and Fallujah were insurgent strongholds in the years after 2003, and Fallujah was the target of two major assaults in which US forces saw some of their heaviest fighting since the Vietnam War.

American troops eventually wrested back control of Anbar from militants, with the support of Sunni Arab tribesmen of the Sahwa militia, who joined forces with the US from late 2006. US forces suffered almost one-third of their Iraq dead in Anbar, according to independent website icasualties.org. But two years after US forces withdrew, the power of militants in the province is on the rise.

Fighting erupted in the Ramadi area on Dec 30, when security forces cleared a year-old protest camp where Sunni Arabs demonstrated against what they see as the marginalisation and targeting of their minority community by the Shiite-led government.

The violence then spread to Fallujah, and the subsequent withdrawal of security forces from parts of both cities cleared the way for militants to seize control. Prime

Minister Nouri Al-Maliki had long sought the closure of the protest camp outside Ramadi, dubbing it a “headquarters for the leadership of Al-Qaeda”. But its removal has caused a sharp decline in the security situation. ISIL is the latest incarnation of Al-Qaeda’s Iraq affiliate and has made a striking comeback this year, taking advantage of widespread discontent among Sunnis and the civil war in neighbouring Syria, where it has become a major player in the nearly three-year-old conflict.

Violence in I raq last year reached a level not seen since 2008, when the country was just emerging from a brutal period of sec tarian k illings. Three car bombs and a roadside bomb exploded in three areas of Baghdad yesterday, killing at least 15 people and wounding at least 40, officials said. —AFP

Jihadists kill 31 rebels in Syria BEIRUT: Jihadists killed at least 31 rival rebels in northern Syria as clashes raged on a new front in the country’s brutal war, a monitor said yesterday, citing insurgents and medics.

Fighting flared on Friday between rebels and forces loyal to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, an AlQaeda affiliate that moved into Syria amid the armed uprising against President Bashar al-Assad in late spring last year. It began when rebels, including Islamists, attacked checkpoints and bases manned by ISIL, which is accused of horrific abuses against other insurgents, activists and civilians in areas where they operate.

ISIL has also been accused of seeking hegemony by taking key roads and checkpoints from its rivals, and some Assad opponents have even accused it of serving regime interests.

Near Tal Rifaat, a village in the northern province of Aleppo, at least 10 rebels were killed Saturday when ISIL attacked their vehicles, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. In nearby Hreitan, five rebels were killed Saturday in an ISIL car bombing, the Britain-based Observatory said, citing rebels and medical sources on the ground.

Liwa al-Tawhid, a brigade in the massive Islamic Front rebel alliance, said on its Facebook page that its members were the target of the car bomb attack. Fighting has also raged in Aleppo city. The Observatory also cited reports of ISIL fighters laying down their arms and withdrawing from some areas including Daret Izza, without giving further details.

In Atareb, also in Aleppo province, rebels raised the green, white, black

and red flag of the opposition, and brought down the black and white flag flown by ISIL. In Idlib in the northwest, where there has been major fighting between the rebels and ISIL, four rebels were killed in an ISIL ambush near Jabal al-Zawiya, and ISIL executed five others in the town of Harem. Scores of jihadists have been killed or captured by rebels since Friday.

Yesterday, clashes erupted in new provinces, including the town of Tabqa in Raqa on the northern border with Turkey, where ISIL is extremely power ful. In Kafr Zeita in central Hama, ISIL killed seven rebels after mainstream insurgents told the jihadists to hand over their weapons, the Observatory said. The Islamic Front, the Syrian Revolutionaries Front and the nascent Army of Mujahideen rebel alliances - are all battling ISIL forces. “What’s happening is that the

ranks of the revolution are being cleaned up,” said a member of the Islamic Front, a huge rebel alliance grouping thousands of fighters, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity. On Saturday, ISIL distributed an audio statement warning the rebels to stop pressuring the jihadists, or else they would withdraw from the front lines in Aleppo city and let in Assad’s forces. ISIL also accused its rivals of waging a “media war” against it, and of “stabbing (it) in the back.” In a separate development, 10 regime troops were shot dead by Al-Nusra Front, another jihadist group, days after they were captured in Al-Kindi hospital, which the army had turned into a base. In a reflection of the complexities of Syria’s war, Al-Nusra has also been involved in some of the fighting against ISIL, despite both groups having their roots in Al-Qaeda in Iraq. —AFP

DEIR EZZOR: Syrians walk along a severely damaged road in this northeastern city on Saturday. —AFP

Tunisia constitution debate halted after ‘death threat’ TUNIS: Debate over Tunisia’s new constitution was suspended yesterday after a deputy claimed he had received death threats because a colleague had accused him of being an “enemy of Islam”. The outburst came a day after the National Constituent Assembly (NCA) adopted articles making Islam the state religion but guaranteeing freedom of conscience.

Yesterday’s row broke out after Mongi Rahoui, a deputy from the leftwing Popular Front, accused Habib Ellouze, of the Islamist ruling party Ennahda, of saying he was an enemy of Islam.

Such words are not empty in Tunisia, a country with a militant Salafist minority suspected of assassinating two opposition politicians last

year that threw the country into a grave political crisis. Addressing Ellouze, a member of Ennahda’s hardline wing known for controversial comments, Rahoui asked: “How much more blood must there be before we understand that we are united (under Islam)? “I tell you that I am a Muslim; that my father, my mother, my grandfather and my people are Muslims.

What (Ellouze) said yesterday, that I am an enemy of Islam, has lead to death threats against me.”

Ellouze had been quoted by a radio station Saturday as saying Rahoui is “known for his animosity toward religion”. He said his words had been misinterpreted and apologised to Rahoui. The session began at

1100 GMT, but was suspended twice when angr y protests from some deputies made work impossible.

Elected in Oct 2011, the NCA was due to have drafted and adopted the text within one year. But its work was delayed by deep divisions between Ennahda and the opposition, aggravated by a rise in Islamist attacks and sometimes violent social unrest.

The deadlock became a fullblown crisis when suspec ted jihadists assassinated an opposition MP in July, paralysing political life.

Ennahda, which has been sharply criticised for failing to rein in jihadists, agreed in October to step down as part of a roadmap brokered by mediators. —AFP

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

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

Romanian migrant becomes star in Britain LONDON: The British media had warned of a flood of new Bulgarian and Romanian migrants arriving on Jan 1, but judging by this week’s coverage, they only appeared to have found one.

Victor Spirescu, a 30-year-old Romanian, has become an unexpected star after flying into Luton airport, north of London, on the day EU labour market restrictions on his nation and Bulgaria were lifted. He has become the face of the new arrivals, featuring in several national newspapers in Britain - including for a double-page spread in The Times - appearing on Sky News and has been interviewed by the Romanian media back home.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper even travelled

to Romania to interview his 19-year-old fiancee, Catalina Curcean, in what it called their “ramshackle” house outside the village of Pelisor in Transylvania.

A gaggle of journalists had gathered to greet Spirescu’s flight on Jan 1, in hopes of a story about hordes of migrants arriving to seek work and possibly to abuse Britain’s welfare system.

Media panic about the new influx and fears about ‘benefits tourism’ had led the British government to rush through measures in December restricting access to unemployment hand-outs to new EU migrants.

But of the 140 passengers on board the 180-

seat plane from Tirgu Mures in central Romania, most were already working in Britain and were returning from their Christmas holidays. Spirescu was one of the exceptions, making his first trip to Britain to earn enough money to take home so he and his future wife could finish renovating their house. He was greeted by television cameras and two members of parliament, who said they wanted to see for themselves the first day of unrestricted migration to Britain.

The media attention has continued all week and although Spirescu appeared relaxed when he appeared on Sky News yesterday for a live panel discussion on immigration, he admitted it was a

little weird. “When I go in supermarkets, all the people look at me. I see a little girl, she said to her mum, ‘hey this is the guy off the television’,” he said. He added that everyone had been “very friendly”. Within a day of arriving, Spirescu had found a job washing cars at a supermarket in Biggleswade, west of Cambridge, although he hopes to win more lucrative work in construction.

Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron has refused to say how many new migrants are expected, after the last Labour government underestimated by almost one million the number of Poles arriving after Poland joined the EU in 2004. — AFP

S Sudan peace talks set to start amid fighting

This July 3, 2013 US Coast Guard photo shows the Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star, completing ice drills in the Arctic. — AFP

US icebreaker to rescue two ships in Antarctica CANBERRA, Australia: A US Coast Guard heavy icebreaker left Australia for Antarctica yesterday to rescue more than 120 crew members aboard two icebreakers trapped in pack ice near the frozen continent’s eastern edge, officials said. The 122-meter (399-foot) cutter, the Polar Star, is responding to a Jan 3 request from Australia, Russia and China to assist the Russian and Chinese ships because “there is sufficient concern that the vessels may not be able to free themselves from the ice,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.

The Russian research ship Akademik Shokalskiy has been trapped in ice-clogged Commonwealth Bay since Christmas Eve, while the Chinese ship which came to its rescue, Xue Long or Snow Dragon in Chinese, reported on Friday it too had become stuck nearby. A day earlier, the Chinese ship’s helicopter had retrieved from the Russian ship 52 scientists, journalists and tourists who are now on their way home aboard an Australian icebreaker, Aurora Australis.

Authorities say the 101 crew aboard the Chinese ship and 22 aboard the Russian ship were well provisioned and in no immediate danger. The Polar Star cut short its planned stop in Sydney, Australia, to assist. It left Sydney yesterday morning local time, Coast Guard spokeswoman Chief Warrant Officer Allyson Conroy said in an email. “Our highest priority is safety of life at sea, which is why we are assisting in breaking a navigational path for both of these vessels.” Vice Adm Paul F Zukunft, the Coast Guard Pacific Area commander, said in a statement. “We are always ready and duty bound to render assistance in one of the most remote and harsh environments on the face of the globe.”

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s Rescue Coordination Centre, which oversaw the rescue, said the Polar Star, the Coast Guard’s only active heavy polar icebreaker, would take about seven days to reach Commonwealth Bay, depending on weather. After the Snow Dragon reported it was stuck on Friday, AMSA told the Aurora to stay in the area, with its rescued passengers on board, in case help was needed.

Under international conventions observed by most countries, ships’ crews are obliged to take part in such rescues and the owners carry the costs.

On Saturday, AMSA said the Aurora was allowed to continue and that the Chinese and Russian ships were safe. Andrew Peacock, an Australian doctor and photographer who was rescued from the Russian ship, said he and his fellow passengers “have been and continue to be thankful for all the help we have been given and ... aware of the cost and inconvenience to others.”

Notes of gratitude “Handwritten notes of gratitude from each person rescued have been scanned and faxed to the captain of the Chinese ship and Chinese

authorities and we remain concerned for that ship and the Akademik Shokalskiy which remain in the ice and we fervently hope that the Polar Star gets there quickly to free those vessels and their crew,” Peacock said in an email from the Aurora yesterday.

The Polar Star left its homeport of Seattle in early December to take part in one of its main missions, Operation Deep Freeze, to break a channel through the sea ice of McMurdo Sound to resupply and refuel the US Antarctic Program’s McMurdo Station on Ross Island. A reporter for China’s official Xinhua News Agency who is aboard the Snow Dragon, Zhang Jiansong, said an iceberg appeared over Thursday night and blocked the ship’s return route. He said the ship would again try to find a way out, possibly as early as Monday when westerly winds would hopefully loosen the ice’s grip. Zhang said late Saturday that the 101 crew members on board the vessel were safe and had plenty of supplies. The Snow Dragon was 21 km from open water, he said. — AP

ADDIS ABABA: South Sudan’s government and rebels were set to begin formal peace talks yesterday amid outbreaks of fresh fighting across the country including in the capital Juba. The talks in the Ethiopian capital are aimed at ending three weeks of fighting that have already left thousands dead in the world’s newest nation, and US Secretary of State John Kerry urged the two sides not to use the talks as a “gimmick” for buying time.

“Negotiations have to be serious, they cannot be a delay, (a) gimmick in order to continue the fighting and try to find advantage on the ground at the expense of the people of South Sudan,” Kerry told reporters while on a visit to Jerusalem.

After a preliminary meeting late Saturday, negotiations were expected to begin yesterday afternoon - although diplomats said “protocol issues” had delayed the start to later yesterday, without ruling out a start early today. Regional peace brokers appeared to be struggling to prevent a breakdown, amid heavy fighting overnight inside Juba and more clashes elsewhere in the country, plus key differences over the fate of rebel officials detained by the government of President Salva Kiir.

The spokesman for South Sudan’s government delegation, Information Minister Michael Makuei, struck a confrontational tone by again accusing rebel leader Riek Machar of having started the fighting by attempting a coup.

“His attempt to overthrow a democratically elected government is an established fact... but the way the international community is handling it is rather strange,” he told reporters, rejecting calls for Juba to release suspected rebels in government custody. “We are being told to negotiate with the rebels. But any rebels who have fallen in our hands will have to answer why he or she decided to take up arms against a democratically-elected government,” he said, asserting that “nobody is above the law.”

Ethiopian government spokesman Getachew Reda said IGAD - the East African regional bloc brokering the talks - was trying to convince South Sudan’s government to release 11 detainees, many

ADDIS ABABA: South Sudan Minister for Information and Broadcast Michael Makuei holds a press conference yesterday alongside other delegation members in the Ethiopian capital a day after South Sudan’s warring parties met in Addis Ababa for the first time since fighting erupted three weeks ago. — AFP of them former senior government officials, as a “goodwill gesture”. He said a possible compromise could be for the detainees to be transferred to IGAD custody. The United States, which was instrumental in helping South Sudan win independence, has also urged South Sudan’s government to “release political detainees immediately” so that they can take part in the negotiations.

More fighting across the country The conflict erupted on Dec 15, pitting army units loyal to Kiir against a loose alliance of ethnic militia forces and mutinous army commanders nominally headed by Machar, a former vice president who was sacked last July.

Machar denies having attempted a coup, and in

Pope to visit Mideast, meet Orthodox head VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis is to visit biblical sites in Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Territories in May, his first trip to the Christian Holy Land as pontiff and only the fourth by a pope since biblical times. The May 24-26 trip to Amman, Jerusalem and Bethlehem will mark the 50th anniversary of a historic trip to the region

by Pope Paul VI. Pope John Paul II visited in 2000 and Benedict XVI went in 2009. Apart from its significance for Roman Catholic relations with Jews and Muslims, Francis’ trip will hold major importance for relations among Christians because it will include a meeting in Jerusalem with the spiritual head of the world’s Orthodox Christians, as well as Anglican and Protestant leaders.

Francis, who has made many appeals for peace in the Middle East since his election in March, announced the trip to thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his Sunday address. He had been invited to visit by both Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli President Shimon Peres. Many key biblical sites are in Israel’s Galilee region but Bethlehem, revered as the birthplace of Jesus, is in the Israelioccupied West Bank, in the Palestinian Territories.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built over the spot where Jesus is said to have been buried, is in Arab East Jerusalem, which Palestinians want as the capital of their future state.

Inter-Faith Meetings Israeli and Palestinian negotiators resumed direct peace negotiations in late July after three

years of stalemate. The Vatican has urged both sides to make “courageous and determined” decisions to move closer to peace, with the help of the international community. Francis, who defined his trip as a “pilgrimage of prayer”, said he would hold an inter-faith meeting in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre together with Bartholomew I, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. Bartholomew is the spiritual leader of the some 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.

Francis made the announcement on the exact 50th anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s meeting in Jerusalem with Bartholomew’s predecessor, Athenagoras, the first meeting of the leaders of the Western and Eastern Christianity since they were divided by the Great Schism of 1054. The meeting between Bartholomew and Francis could also pave the way for an historic encounter between Francis and Kirill, the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, the largest and most influential in world Orthodoxy.

There have been signs of a general warming between the western and eastern branches of Christianity, and Francis fuelled hopes of further reconciliation in November when he met Russian President Vladimir Putin, the first Kremlin leader to publicly profess religious faith since the 1917 revolution.

Representatives of Anglican and Protestant churches, which split from Rome in the 16th century, are also expected to attend the Jerusalem meeting in May. The Vatican did not release any more details of the trip. — Reuters

turn accuses the president of orchestrating a violent purge. Fighting now grips much of South Sudan - which won independence from Khartoum only in 2011 - with the rebels seizing several areas in the oil-rich north. The conflict has already left thousands dead, according to UN officials, with both sides alleged to have committed atrocities.

Juba was also rocked by heavy gunfire late on Saturday, with exchanges of automatic and heavy weapons fire heard coming from a district in the south of the city before calm returned in the early hours of the morning. After a terrifying night sheltering in their homes, more Juba residents could be seen trying to get transport south to Uganda, adding to the nearly 200,000 people who have already been displaced by the conflict. —AFP

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

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

3rd person dies after US apartment blast ST PAUL, Minnesota: A third person injured in an explosion at a Minneapolis apartment building housing Somali immigrants has died, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s office said Saturday.

Abdiqani Adan, 29, who did not live in the building, died Friday at the Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, according to the office. Meanwhile, two survivors still in the hospital recounted jumping from windows to save themselves.

Abdi Qobey, 59, was sitting in bed watching television early on New Year’s Day when he heard a boom and saw the walls buckle.

“I see the smoke. I see already I’m going to suffocate if I stay one more minute,” said Qobey. “I knew that if I stay, I’m not going to stay alive.” Turning to grab a few possessions, he couldn’t see anything but the second-floor window. So he ran to it. “I looked downstairs,” he recalled. “I see one officer in

Obama back from break to face sea of troubles WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama swaps the sun-dappled golf courses of tropical Hawaii for a Washington in the grip of an Arctic cold snap this weekend, and faces a tough political season ahead. With his approval rating languishing at near record lows and locked in a Cold War with a surly Congress, he needs quick victories in the run-up to his State of the Union address at the end of the month.

After 16 days of rest in his home state, Obama must oversee the final implementation of his troubled health care reform and find a way to help thousands of longterm unemployed stripped of their benefits. His National Security Agency is still under legal and political scrutiny after contractor Edward Snowden leaked details of a surveillance program which one federal judge dubbed “almost Orwellian.” And, after a year in which he struggled to get Congress to support almost any of his plans, he must now go back to lawmakers to try to push through comprehensive immigration reform. Obama looked tired when he set off for the island of Oahu before Christmas, but put on a brave face, joking: “I am sure that I will have even better ideas after a couple days of sleep and sun.”

Those ideas, whatever they may be, had better bear fruit by November, when midterm elections will decide whether he has a more cooperative Congress for the final two years of his presidency.

Few observers expect Obama’s Democrats to win back the House of Representatives, so he is likely to see out his second term with the same Republican majority seeking to thwart his every initiative. This will add to his frustration, but the low level of support for his party can in large part be traced back to the White House, a still sluggish economy and the

disastrous roll-out of the Obamacare health reform.

Obama’s personal approval rating is hovering around 40 percent, sapped by his broken promise that all those happy with their former medical insurance could keep it under Obamacare.

Many in fact can’t, and many more were left angry and bewildered by the technical failures that led to the government’s online health insurance portal repeatedly crashing. After the rocky start the system finally lumbered into gear, and by year’s end some two million Americans had signed up for health coverage, still far short of the target of seven million by the end of March. In the meantime, another vulnerable group will be looking to Obama for help and it is not clear what he can do for them. On December 28, 1.3 million of America’s long-term unemployed lost their federal checks after Congress refused to prolong the budget for the program.

Republicans argue that America is getting back to work. Joblessness has fallen from 10 percent of the workforce in 2009, in the midst of the financial crisis, to seven percent today.

Democrats argue that it makes no sense to cut off the unemployed while the recovery is still so fragile and the consumer spending-led US economy still needs fuel.

Gene Sperling, director of the National Economic Council, said cutting the benefits “defies economic sense, precedent and our values” but Obama will struggle to get Congress to agree. And any fight on the economy could harm his efforts to pass immigration reform. A version of the proposed law favored by Obama, who would like to grant legal status to millions of immigrants already living illegally in the United States, passed the Democrat-led Senate last year.—AFP

News

in brief Romney accepts apology from host

WASHINGTON: Mitt Romney says he has accepted an apology from an MSNBC host who joked about a Christmas picture that included the 2012 Republican presidential candidate’s adopted, African-American grandson. Romney told “Fox News Sunday” that he sees Melissa Harris-Perry’s apology as sincere and is ready to move on. He says everyone - himself included - makes mistakes and the Romney family has forgiven MSNBC. During a segment, Harris-Perry asked her guests to talk about a photo showing infant Kieran Romney with his grandparents and their 21 other grandchildren, all of them white. One guest on her Sunday show, actress Pia Glenn, sang “one of these things just isn’t the same”. Harris-Perry later said her intention was to celebrate diversity, but the segment took an unexpected and offensive turn.

Candy-craving thieves flee warehouse empty-handed HESPERIA, California: For a pair of thwarted Southern California thieves, taking candy from a well-alarmed warehouse proved a lot harder than taking it from a baby. Video surveillance captured the would-be candy swipers as they approached Candy Crate’s warehouse in Hesperia on Friday. The men broke a window and fled. The company sells retro sweets like candy cigarettes and Astro Pops. Candy Crate operations manager Randi Caporale (capp-oh-RAL’-ay) tells the Victorville Daily Press an alarm went off that likely scared away the thieves, and “not even a Blow Pop” was taken. Caporale says the warehouse is “in the middle of nowhere, so maybe they thought they’d come in and get their candy on.” The facility is open to the public, but the company sells most of its candy online, so little cash is on hand.

2 survive plane crash off California coast AVALON, California: The US Coast Guard says a single-engine airplane went down off the Southern California coast near Catalina Island, but both people aboard survived and were rescued by a passing boat. Coast Guard spokesman Adam Eggers says the plane crashed about 6 miles northeast of Catalina around 1 pm Saturday. Coast Guard and lifeguard boats and helicopters were quickly sent to the scene, but a ferry called the Starship Express was in the area, reached the pair first and pulled them aboard. A lifeguard boat from the city of Avalon met up with the ferry and took the two people aboard. They had no injuries. The identities of the two people were not immediately available. Eggers says the plane sank, leaving a small field of debris on the surface.

the street. He says, ‘Sir, the firefighters have not come yet. There’s no other choice. You have to jump.’” Qobey suffered fractures in both legs and a back injury but is glad to be alive, he said from his hospital bed in the Hennepin County Medical Center.

The explosion and fire broke out about 8:15 a.m. Wednesday, immediately killing two people, injuring 14 and destroying the three-story apartment building. Nine people still were hospitalized Friday, including

three in critical condition. Ali Jama, 41, was visiting friends and sleeping in a secondfloor apartment when he heard the loud boom. The windows shattered.

“When the windows were blown out, I took a look downstairs,” said Jama, a truck driver from North Carolina. He tried to go down the stairs, but there was too much smoke. He kicked the rest of the window glass and sat in the window opening. “I thought I might die,” he said. “I prayed, but I

thought I was dying.” He jumped and hit the ground two floors below. He broke both legs and several ribs. Two friends were also badly hurt when they jumped, he said, but they also survived. One of the two people who didn’t make it out of the building was identified Friday as Ahmed Farah Ali, a 57-year-old resident. His body was recovered Thursday. A second body was recovered Friday. That person has not yet been identified. —AP

Small jet makes emergency landing on NYC highway No serious injuries on board or on ground NEW YORK: A small plane traveling to Connecticut after taking a tour of the Statue of Liberty made an emergency landing on a New York City interstate highway, startling drivers but touching down safely with no serious injuries to anyone aboard or on the ground, officials said.

The aircraft, a Piper PA-28, set down at around 3:20 pm Saturday on the northbound side of the Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx borough, in an area where the highway passes through Van Cortlandt Park. The Federal Aviation Administration said three people were on board. Police and fire officials said neither the male pilot nor two female passengers appeared to have been badly hurt. All were taken to a Bronx hospital for non-lifethreatening injuries, said Mayor Bill de Blasio. De Blasio told reporters the plane had departed from Danbury Municipal Airport and was making the return trip when it experienced engine problems.

“We have ... an extraordinary situation and actually a bit of a miracle, thank God, that happened today in our city,” he said, calling the successful highway landing, without any serious injuries or deaths, “amazing.”

“I thought I’d seen everything in my life,” he said. The FAA said damage to the aircraft was minor.

Photos taken by bystanders showed blue and white plane largely intact, but resting on its bel-

N Korea fumes over Kim’s rejected peace gesture SEOUL: North Korea slammed South Korea yesterday for dismissing a peace overture by leader Kim JongUn, accusing Seoul of “pouring cold water” on its attempt to mend ties. During his New Year address last Wednesday, Kim hailed the execution last month of his once-powerful uncle, and accused the US and South Korea of manoeuvering for a nuclear war.

But he also called for a “favourable climate” to ease tension with Seoul, saying it was “high time” to improve ties that had been strained for years. The South Korean government described the move as an empty gesture Friday, however, urging the communist state to scrap its nuclear programs to show it is committed to mending relations.

“Peace and reconciliation cannot be achieved merely by words,” Seoul said in a statement. “In order to improve ties between the South and the North, North Korea must show sincerity in building trust and above all, it must make genuine efforts for denuclearisation.” The North yesterday fumed at the cool reaction by the South, calling it “undesirable” and saying it would result in further raising tensions on the peninsula.

“Seoul... answered Pyongyang’s call for defending security and peace of the nation with bellicose remarks and provocative sabre-rattling,” the North’s spokesman for the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea (CPRK), in charge of cross-border affairs, told state-run KCNA. KCNA described the move as “pouring cold water” on efforts to improve relations. “This just indicates that South Korea has no will to improve the relations with the North but will keep to the confrontation and war this year, too,” said the official. The prospect for future cross-border ties now “entirely depends on the attitudes of the South Korean authorities,” warned the spokesman.

Seoul said on Friday that Kim had made similarly conciliator y comments in last year ’s New Year ’s speech, but the following months saw the North launch a series of provocations. Pyongyang staged a third nuclear test in February-its most powerful to date-and later issued threats of atomic attacks on Washington and Seoul for staging joint military exercises south of the border.

It also unilaterally shut down an inter-Korean industrial zone in April, further escalating tensions.

After months of negotiation, the two Koreas agreed in September to reopen the Kaesong industrial complex.

Seoul’s defence chief Kim Kwan-Jin cautioned last week that the apparent peace overtures from the North could be a “smoke screen” aimed at hiding a fresh provocation, and urged the military to remain alert. Kim Jong-Un last month executed his uncle Jang Song-Thaek, who had played a key role in cementing his leadership, for charges including treason and corruption. The isolated state could stage military provocations early this year to divert public attention and rally domestic unity after the shock execution of Jang, Kim Kwan-Jin and analysts have said. —AFP

NEW YORK: Emergency personnel respond to a light airplane that made an emergency landing on the Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx borough of New York on Saturday.—AP ly by the snowy edge of the road.

The plane’s landing gear appeared in the photos to have collapsed.

A maintenance crew of city Department of Transportation workers fixing potholes on the northbound side of the highway noticed the plane in distress heading toward them and stopped traffic, clearing space for the plane to land, a DOT spokesman said.

The DOT crew then helped the plane’s occupants out of the aircraft and inside a heated truck until emergency workers arrived, the

spokesman said. It wasn’t immediately clear what kind of engine problems the plane experienced. A spokeswoman for the FAA said it was investigating but said the National Transportation Safety Board would take over the investigation if it was determined the aircraft sustained a significant amount of damage.

There were no fires or gas leaks and emergency workers removed the plane’s fuel to secure the scene, de Blasio said. The highway was closed and emergency personnel

were on the scene until about 6 p.m., when the plane was taken away on a flatbed truck to a local aviation facility, the FAA said.

FAA records indicated the plane was registered to an owner in South Salem. Patricia Sapol, 29, was driving south on the highway with her husband when they saw emergency vehicles surrounding the downed plane near exit 13, about 15 minutes after the landing. “We couldn’t believe it! We thought, ‘Oh my god that’s a plane!’ It was pretty incredible,” she said. —AP

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

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

Polish woman drugged, raped in India Latest in string of sexual attacks on women in country NEW DELHI: A Polish woman was drugged and raped as she travelled to the Indian capital with her two-yeardaughter, police said yesterday, the latest in a string of sexual attacks on women in the country. The woman, 33, and her daughter were travelling in a taxi from the city of Mathura where they live to New Delhi last Thursday when she was allegedly raped by the driver.

The driver drugged the woman at some point during the 150-kilometre (93-mile) journey and she was attacked after she passed out, Delhi police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said. The woman woke up on a bench outside a railway station in New Delhi with her toddler crying by her side, the officer said, adding that details of the attack

India marked the first anniversary of the death of a student who was gang-raped on a New Delhi bus in an attack that sent shockwaves across the nation.

The gang-rape triggered massive protests over the levels of violence against women, but in the last 12 months there have been several more cases of local and foreign woman being attacked. A judge last month sentenced three Nepalese men to 20 years in jail for the gang-rape of a US tourist in June in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh.

Six men were sentenced to life in prison in July last year for the gang-rape and robbery of a 39-year-old Swiss woman cyclist who had been holidaying in the central state of Madhya Pradesh. —AFP

were still unknown. “It is still a bit unclear, but prima facie, it seems she sat (in the taxi) voluntarily. But yes, thereafter, in the car he drugged her using some spray... medical report has confirmed rape,” he said.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, reported the incident to police who are searching for the driver, Bhagat said. The woman, a devotee of the Hindu god Krishna, had been living in Mathura believed to be the birthplace of Krishna-in Uttar Pradesh state for the past three years and worked in the cloth export business, he said.

She and her daughter had been waiting on a busy road in Mathura for a taxi to take them to the capital when the driver approached. The January 2 incident comes barely a week after

News

in brief

Japan told to improve ties with neighbors TOKYO: US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has urged Japan to improve relations with neighboring countries after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to a controversial war shrine, an American official has said. Abe enraged China and South Korea when on December 26 he made his first visit as premier to Yasukuni shrine, which honors Japan’s war dead including several high-level officials executed for war crimes after World War II. “Secretary Hagel underscored the importance of Japan taking steps to improve relations with its neighbours, and to promote cooperation in advancing the shared goals of regional peace and stability,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in a statement posted on the US Defense Department website late Saturday. The comments were issued after telephone talks between Hagel and Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera. China and other Asian countries say the shrine serves as a reminder of Japan’s 20th century aggression, and is a source of bitterness between Japan and its neighbors and Abe’s visit also sparked criticism from Washington.

Sailor survives shark, four others missing TAIPEI: An Indonesian sailor has been rescued despite suffering a shark attack but four other crewmen are missing after their Taiwanese fishing boat apparently caught fire in the East China Sea, officials said yesterday. Taiwan’s coastguard said they were informed by their Japanese counterparts Saturday noon that the 26-tonne “Cheng Tsai Li” was drifting 35 nautical miles (65 km) northeast of Miyako-jima, an island in Japan’s Okinawa prefecture. An Indonesian sailor aboard the fishing vessel was rescued by another Taiwanese fishing boat, the Taiwan coastguard said. “He was injured, suffering from shark bites,” coastguard spokesman Hsieh Ching-chin said. No details of the attack or the man’s injuries were available. Two coastguard vessels from Taiwan and two from Japan were mobilized to search for the four missing crewmen-the Taiwanese skipper, a Taiwanese sailor and two Indonesian sailors. “As of now, we have had no luck.

We’re racing against time as the weather is cold,” Hsieh said.

Indonesians rescued from faulty boat off Malaysia KUALA LUMPUR: Some 51 Indonesians who drifted in rough seas for five days after the engine on their rickety boat failed have been rescued by Malaysian authorities, a report said yesterday. The 34 men, 14 women and three children-including a two-month-old girl, are thought to have boarded the fishing boat on December 28 as they tried to sneak out of Malaysia to return to Indonesia’s Sumatra island, The Star reported. But the vessel suffered engine problems and drifted until maritime personnel spotted it on Thursday off northern Perak state, the report added. The immigrants were weak from hunger and shaken by bad weather that rocked the boat, Razak Johan-an official with the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency-told the paper. They are now under investigation for trying to illegally leave the country, it said. Razak and other officials could not immediately be reached for comments. Around two million Indonesians and others from poorer regional countries are estimated to work illegally in Malaysian plantation, construction, factory and other jobs. They often use rickety boats to sneak in and out of the Southeast Asian country, and accidents are common.

Rumbling Indonesian volcano erupts again KARO, Indonesia: Authorities extended a danger zone around a rumbling volcano in western Indonesia yesterday after it spewed blistering gas farther than expected, sending panicked residents streaming down the sides of the mountain. Mount Sinabung’s booming explosion just after midnight triggered a panicked evacuation. Men with ash-covered faces streamed down the scorched slopes on motorcycles, followed by truckloads of women and children, many crying. Officials barked out orders on bullhorns as rocks and debris rained from the sky.

More than 50 eruptions on Saturday sent lava and searing gas tumbling out of the volcano in North Sumatra province down the southeastern slopes up to five kilometers (three miles) away, said Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho. The volcano was still spitting clouds of gas and lava as high as 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) in several eruptions Sunday, but no casualties were reported. Nugroho said that the danger zone southeast of the volcano was extended from five to seven kilometers (three to four miles) from the crater’s smoldering mouth. Soldiers joined the rescue operation in two villages of Jewara and Pintu Besi, about seven kilometers (four miles) from the crater, where homes and farms were caked in gray dust.

More than 20,000 people have been evacuated from villages around the crater into several temporary shelters since authorities raised the alert status for Sinabung to the highest level in November.—AP

KOLKATA: Indian Aam Admi Party (AAP) activists hold posters during a rally as they protest against the gang-rape and murder of a teenager in Kolkata yesterday. — AFP

Thai protesters march to bring down government Premier says election ‘the best medicine’ BANGKOK: Thousands of anti-government protesters marched through the Thai capital yesterday, a prelude to a broader action next week when they say they will shut down Bangkok in their bid to scuttle a Februar y election and topple Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

The protesters, who accuse Yingluck of being the puppet of her self-exiled brother and former premier, Thaksin Shinawatra, want an appointed “people’s council” to oversee a vague reform platform, which includes electoral reform, decentralizing power, and a volunteer police force, over a 12-month period before any future election. The crisis, an outbreak of turmoil stretching back eight years, began in November and has become a drag on the Thai economy. The baht slid on Friday to its lowest against the dollar since February 2010 and the benchmark .SETI stock index has lost 15 percent since early November.

Yingluck, her brother and their support base among the rural poor in the populous north and northeast are pitted against protesters who draw support from Bangkok’s conservative, royalist elite and middle classes and the south. Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, a fiery former deputy premier from the main opposition Democrat Party, said marches would be held on Tuesday and Thursday, leading up the Jan 13 “shutdown”.

That event is shaping up as the biggest confrontation since the latest round of largely peaceful demonstrations began. The protests at times have brought as many as 200,000 people on to the streets, but have also sparked sporadic clashes with police in which three people were killed and scores wounded.

“We will keep walking, we won’t stop,” Suthep said on the march. “We will walk until we win and we won’t give up.”

Yesterday’s march began at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument, where some supporters had gathered overnight. Suthep said the protesters would set up stages at five rallying points through the city leading up to Jan 13. Suthep was feted by whistleblowing supporters, many of whom handed him cash as he shook hands and walked through the crowd.

The protesters plan to shut down government offices in an attempt to force Yingluck’s administration to a standstill but, mindful of bloody crackdowns on similar protests, they have also said they will mini-

NARATHIWAT: Thai anti-government protesters wave national flags during a rally in Thailand’s restive southern province of Narathiwat yesterday. Thousands of Thai opposition protesters marched through Bangkok to demand the prime minister step down, in a “warm-up” for their planned occupation of the city. — AFP mize the impact on ordinary Thais and will not target airports.

The protests since November have been the biggest in Thailand since 2010, when mostly “red shirt” supporters of Thaksin tried to bring down a Democrat-led government. Those protests led to a military crackdown in which 91 people were killed.

Adamant Yingluck has steadfastly refused to bow to the protesters’ demands and is determined that the election, which her Puea Thai Party is almost certain to win, will go ahead. “I admit that the election may not be a panacea to solve the problems immediately,” Yingluck said in a post on her Facebook page yesterday. “But the election is the best medicine to help solve conflict

under the democratic system. “I don’t want to see violence as it happened in 2010, or an economic crisis. We should not leave our children to inherit this conflict,” she said.

The government has vowed to roll out 20,000 police and 20 companies of troops to maintain order during the protests.

Concurrently, the “red shirts” have also promised to hold rallies outside Bangkok to counter the anti-government group.

Thousands of Puea Thai supporters gathered in a Bangkok suburb on Saturday for the party’s official campaign launch.

Pro-Thaksin parties have won every election since 2001, based on their support among the rural poor who have benefited from Thaksin’s populist policies such as cheap healthcare, easy credit and subsidies for rice farmers.

The anti-government protesters accuse Thaksin of effectively buying their support and manipulating Thailand’s democracy, while also enriching his family and business associates. The first two years of Yingluck’s government had been relatively smooth until a blunder by her party in November, when it tried to push through an unpopular amnesty bill that would have exonerated Thaksin from a 2008 graft conviction he says was politically motivated.

Thaksin fled into exile shortly before he was sentenced to a two-year jail term.

Despite her determination to press ahead, Yingluck is looking more isolated the longer the protests drag on, with intervention by the judiciary or a coup-prone military always a possibility. Thaksin was ousted in a military coup in 2006. — Reuters

India successfully launches cutting-edge cryogenic rocket BANGALORE: India yesterday successfully launched its first rocket using domestically produced booster technology after several previous missions had failed, taking another step forward in its ambitious space program. The Indian-made cryogenically-powered rocket blasted off from the southern spaceport of Sriharikota as scheduled, as Delhi tries to join an elite club of countries which have mastered the complex technology.

The 415-tonne rocket deployed a two-ton advanced communications satellite some 17 minutes after blastoff, said Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) chairman Dr K Radhakrishnan.

“I am extremely proud and happy to say that Team ISRO has done it,” Radhakrishnan announced at mission control in Andhra Pradesh state, sparking a roar of applause from colleagues. “Team ISRO and the project directors all have put their heart and soul in making this proud moment for the country,” he said. India has for years been trying to develop its own cryogenic rocket engines that are designed to put heavier satellites into high orbits, about 36,000 kilometres (22,000 miles) from Earth.

The powerful booster technology, using super-cooled liquid fuel, is a

much needed tool to help India capture a larger share of the lucrative global market for launching commercial satellites. But the technology has only been successfully developed by a handful of countries including the United States, Russia, France, Japan and China as well as the European Space Agency.

India’s project has had to overcome a string of hurdles and mishaps, including an aborted launch in August last year several hours before lift-off after fuel was found to be leaking from one of the rocket’s engines. The first India-built rocket crashed into the Bay of Bengal just minutes after take-off in April 2010 after the cryogenic engines failed to ignite.

“If we succeed this time, India will join a select club of space-faring nations with indigenous cryogenic engine capability to launch above two-ton class satellites,” ISRO director Deviprasad Karnik said before the launch. “The twin purpose of this launch mission is to flight-test once again our own cryogenic engine and put into the geostationary orbit a heavy communication satellite,” Karnik added. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh congratulated the team on Sunday’s mission, which cost 3.65 billion rupees ($58 million)

— 2.2 billion rupees for the rocket and 1.45 billion rupees for the satellite.

“It is yet another important step that the country has taken in the area of science and technology,” Singh said in a tweet. In November India successfully lifted into orbit a spacecraft bound for Mars as it tries to become the first Asian nation to reach the Red Planet.

It has taken ISRO scientists years to develop cryogenic motors after India’s attempt to import the technology from Russia in 1992 failed because of opposition from the United States. Since 2001 India has bought cryogenic engines from Russia and seven of them have been used on missions. An Indian space rocket using a Russian-built booster exploded shortly after launch in December 2010, also during a mission to put an advanced communications satellite into space. ISRO pushed ahead with developing its own engine, including the third and final part, fuelled with a mix of oxygen and hydrogen in liquid form and kept at a very low temperature. “A cryogenic rocket stage is more efficient and provides more thrust for every kilogram of propellant it burns compared to other solid and liquid fuel stages,” Karnik said. —AFP

SRIHARIKOTA: Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV D5) with an indigenous cryogenic engine carrying GSAT14 communication satellite lifts off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota yesterday.—AP

NEWS

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

Human body parts ‘fall from...

Continued from Page 1 Boeing expressed its concern for those who were on board the flight.

“Boeing is prepared to provide technical assistance at the request of Saudi Arabian civil aviation authorities or the US National Transportation Safety Board,” the plane maker said in an emailed statement. All flights to the Madinah have been halted for 24 hours, according to the airline. It has formed a committee to track the condition of affected passengers. Footage posted online showed the plane leaving a trail of flame along the

runway as it screeched to a halt.

In a desperate attempt to cross borders, some people at poorly monitored airports climb inside the bays housing aircraft landing gear. Most of them freeze to death once the aircraft reach cruising altitude, but some survive. In 2010, the head of Beirut’s airport security resigned after the death of a man who managed to hide in the undercarriage bay of a Saudi-bound jet. The man’s body was found by a maintenance worker who was inspecting the gear of the Saudi-owned Nas Air Airbus A-320 after it landed in Riyadh. — Agencies

Arctic blast takes aim at frigid...

Visitors gather at the China Ice and Snow World, after the official opening of the 15th Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin yesterday. — AFP

Kerry pledges ‘fair’ Mideast...

Continued from Page 1 willing to do, when and how,” said Kerry. But he warned his efforts could ultimately fail, saying he could not tell when “the last pieces may decide to fall into place, or may fall on the floor, and leave the puzzle unfinished. That’s exactly what makes this such a challenge.”

On the fourth day of his long trip to the region, Kerry briefed the key Jordanian and Saudi stakeholders about his intense shuttling between Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas. In Amman he spent

more than an hour of talks with King Abdullah II and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh. A senior State Department official said Kerry had wanted to “seek their counsel on the discussion with the Israelis and Palestinians about a framework for final status negotiations”.

He then travelled to Saudi Arabia for almost three hours of talks with King Abdullah. At Riyadh airport before leaving, Kerry said the monarch had backed his framework. “I am grateful that the Arab League as a whole and Saudi Arabia individually will be significantly involved in helping build support for this effort,” he said. “Today his majesty was not just

encouraging, but supported our efforts in the hopes that we can be successful in the days ahead.”

Jordan borders the occupied West Bank, and under its 1994 peace treaty with Israel is recognised as playing a historic role in the guardianship of Muslim sites in east Jerusalem. Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah was the author of a 2002 Arab League peace initiative, which Kerry praised again yesterday as holding out the prospect for “instantaneously” reaching peace between Israel and “22 Arab nations and 35 Muslim nations, all of whom have said they will recognise Israel if peace is achieved”. — AFP

Continued from Page 1 swath of heavy snow across the Midwest, and its icy tentacles will also bring wintry weather into the south and parts of the east.

Following closely behind Ion will be a blast of brutally cold air,” said The Weather Channel in its Sunday morning forecast.

The Midwestern states of Minnesota, where Governor Mark Dayton has already announced schools will be closed today “to protect all our children from the dangerously cold temperatures”, and North Dakota were expected to bear the brunt of the worst weather. Chicago, Detroit and St Louis all saw more snowfall overnight, while yesterday’s National Football League playoff showdown between the Green Bay Packers

and the San Francisco 49ers at the open-air Lambeau Field in Wisconsin looked set to be one of the coldest NFL games in history. The Packers said they would help fans battle the big freeze by handing out free coffee, hot chocolate and hand warmers, while supporters would also be allowed to bring blankets and sleeping bags.

Added to the mix was freezing rain forecast to hit the south and east, affecting New York and Washington, with the extreme weather expected to continue into the early part of the week in many places across the country. Among the deaths blamed on the weather was a worker killed on Friday when he was crushed by a 30-m pile of salt being prepared to treat roads in the Philadelphia area, media reports said. — AFP

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

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Nigeria president struggling ahead of election campaign

By Phil Hazlewood igeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan is facing an uphill battle if he seeks re-election next year, after a series of unprecedented setbacks that have raised doubts about his political survival. The perceived damage to the 56-year-old’s stock has led to questions about whether he can bounce back and whether his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could be heading for its first national electoral defeat. Last month, Nigeria’s former head of state Olusegun Obasanjo accused Jonathan in a critical, 18-page open letter of failing to tackle widespread corruption and piracy as well as kidnapping and rampant oil theft. He even claimed that Jonathan was training a private militia to silence critics on a political “hit list”.

The dust had hardly settled on the resulting row when the PDP lost its parliamentary majority, as 37 lawmakers in the lower House of Representatives joined the All Progressives Congress (APC). Some PDP members of the upper house Senate are now expected to follow suit, handing a further potential advantage to the main opposition, just as parties gear up to hit the campaign trail. “I think he (Jonathan) is a very weakened president at the moment,” said political analyst Clement Nwankwo, director of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, in the capital Abuja. “He’s been a failure and he really has to do a lot to win back popular support,” Nwankwo told AFP. Political commentator Dapo Thomas suggested that with the PDP riven with in-fighting, it was now make or break time for Jonathan. “He has to choose between the service of the party and the realisation of the damage of his own political ambition,” said Thomas, from Lagos State University. “He has to drop one and allow the party mechanism to operate freely.”

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Political in-fighting Jonathan, a Christian from southern Bayelsa state, stepped up from vice-president to become acting head of state in Feb 2010 when Umaru Yar’Adua fell ill. He took over the top job after Yar’Adua’s death, going on to secure a popular mandate in the 2011 presidential elections. Jonathan has yet to announce whether he will run for re-election in 2015. But he has been accused of ignoring an unwritten PDP rule that presidential candidates rotate between Nigeria’s mainly Muslim north and the Christian majority south. That issue is seen as a contributory factor to the defection of five high-profile state governors to the APC in November, which in turn prompted lawmakers to cross the floor.

He is also widely seen as having failed to address major concerns about graft, inadequate development and poor infrastructure, and to end the bloody Islamist insurgency in northern Nigeria. The president vaunted his government’s achievements of sustained economic growth and job creation in his New Year’s message while the PDP denied it was irretrievably damaged. The recent defections were an example of democracy in action, said national publicity secretary Olisah Metuh, even as the APC hailed the apparent shift in the balance of power as a new dawn for Africa’s most populous nation. “We have seen movement on one side maybe in the last quarter of last year,” he added. “Let’s wait until April. Maybe the PDP will be larger that it was before. “In 2014, we are predicting that the PDP will be larger than it was before. Don’t forget that the PDP got the people elected. It’s a party that Nigerians love.”

‘Damage and decline’ Nwankwo acknowledged the opposition’s hand had been strengthened but said the defections were still no guarantee of electoral success and presidential power could yet help swing support back to the PDP. Nevertheless, he suggested the problems may have reached such a point that recovery was impossible, forcing Jonathan to make way for another candidate.

Thomas said the longer the president failed to tackle the issue, the more damage it would do to the PDP. Jonathan needed to rule out standing again as soon as possible and remove the party chairman Bamanga Tukur, who is seen as having been parachuted in as the president’s man, he added. “It’s better that he does it now so he can save the party,” said Thomas, who lectures in international relations and history. “I don’t see the party’s fortunes improving. I see continuous decline of the party because the defections are going to continue to be on the increase for as long as this disenchantment persists.” — AFP

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

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

Selling social media clicks big business

By Martha Mendoza elebrities, businesses and even the US State Department have bought bogus Facebook likes, Twitter followers or YouTube viewers from offshore “click farms”, where workers tap, tap, tap the thumbs up button, view videos or retweet comments to inflate social media numbers. Since Facebook launched almost 10 years ago, users have sought to expand their social networks for financial gain, winning friends, bragging rights and professional clout. And social media companies cite the levels of engagement to tout their value.But an AP examination has found a growing global marketplace for fake clicks, which tech companies struggle to police.

Online records, industry studies and interviews show companies are capitalizing on the opportunity to make millions of dollars by duping social media. For as little as a half cent each click, websites hawk everything from LinkedIn connections to make members appear more employable to Soundcloud plays to influence record label interest. “Anytime there’s a monetary value added to clicks, there’s going to be people going to the dark side,” said Mitul Gandhi, CEO of seoClarity, a Des Plaines, Illinois, social media marketing firm that weeds out phony online engagements.

Italian security researchers and bloggers Andrea Stroppa and Carla De Micheli estimated in 2013 that sales of fake Twitter followers have the potential to bring in $40 million to $360 million to date, and that fake Facebook activities bring in $200 million a year. As a result, many firms, whose values are based on credibility, have entire teams doggedly pursuing the

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buyers and brokers of fake clicks. But each time they crack down on one, another, more creative scheme emerges.

When software engineers wrote computer programs, for example, to generate lucrative fake clicks, tech giants fought back with software that screens out “bot-generated” clicks and began regularly sweeping user accounts.

YouTube wiped out billions of music industry video views last December after auditors found some videos apparently had exaggerated numbers of views. Its parent-company, Google, is also constantly battling people who generate fake clicks on their ads.

And Facebook, whose most recent quarterly report estimated as many as 14.1 million of its 1.18 billion active users are fraudulent accounts, does frequent purges. That’s particularly important for a such a company that was built on the principle that users are real people.

Twitter’s Jim Prosser said there’s no upside. “In the end, their accounts are suspended, they’re out the money and they lose the followers,” he said. LinkedIn spokesman Doug Madey said buying connections “dilutes the member experience,iolates their user agreement and can also prompt account closures. Google and YouTube “take action against bad actors that seek to game our systems,” said spokeswoman Andrea Faville.

International Hub Dhaka, Bangladesh, a city of 7 million in South Asia, is an international hub for click farms. The CEO of Dhaka-based social media promotion firm Unique IT World said he has paid workers to manually click on clients’ social media pages, making it harder for Facebook,

Google and others to catch them. “Those accounts are not fake, they were genuine,” Shaiful Islam said. A recent check on Facebook showed Dhaka was the most popular city for many, including soccer star Leo Messi, who has 51 million likes; Facebook’s own security page, which has 7.7 million likes; and Google’s Facebook page, which has 15.2 million likes.

In 2013, the State Department, which has more than 400,000 likes and was recently most popular in Cairo, said it would stop buying Facebook fans after its inspector general criticized the agency for spending $630,000 to boost the numbers. In one case, its fan tally rose from about 10,000 to more than 2.5 million. Sometimes there are plausible explanations for click increases. For example, Burger King’s most popular city was, for a few weeks this year, Karachi, Pakistan, after the chain opened several restaurants there.

While the Federal Trade Commission and several state attorney generals have cracked down on fake endorsements or reviews, they have not weighed in on clicks. Meanwhile, hundreds of online businesses sell clicks and social media accounts from around the world.

BuyPlusFollowers sells 250 Google+ shares for $12.95. InstagramEngine sells 1,000 followers for $12. AuthenticHits sells 1,000 SoundCloud plays for $9. It’s a lucrative business, said the president and CEO of WeSellLikes.com. “The businesses buy the Facebook likes because they’re afraid that when people go to their Facebook page and they only see 12 or 15 likes, they’re going to lose potential customers,” he said. The company official spoke on condition of anonymity, saying he recently moved his company offshore to avoid litigation or cease-

and-desist notices.

Fake Followers In Indonesia, a social media-obsessed country with one of the world’s largest number of Facebook pages and Twitter users, click farms are proliferating. Ali Hanafiah, 40, offers 1,000 Twitter followers for $10 and 1 million for $600.

He owns his own server, and pays $1 per month per Internet Protocol address, which he uses to generate thousands of social media accounts. Those accounts, he said, “enable us to create many fake followers”. During an interview at a downtown Jakarta cafe, Hanafiah wearing a Nike cap, blue jeans and a white Tshirt - said large social networks can boost a business’ public profile. “Today, we are living in a tight competition world that is forcing people to compete with many tricks,” he said.

Tony Harris, who does social media marketing for major Hollywood movie firms, said he would love to be able to give his clients massive numbers of Twitter followers and Facebook fans, but buying them from random strangers is not very effective or ethical. “The illusion of a massive following is often just that,” he said.

The fake click market has generated another business: Auditors. Robert Waller, founder of London-based Status People, helps clients block fakes. “We have had a lot of people who have bought fake accounts, realized it’s a stupid idea and they’re looking for ways to get rid of them,” he said. David Burch, at TubeMogul, a video marketing firm based in Emeryville, California, said buying clicks to promote clients is a grave error. “It’s bad business,” he said, “and if an advertiser ever found out you did that, they’d never do business with you again.” — AP

Iraq city seizures illustrate ISIL resurgence

By W G Dunlop he seizure by Al-Qaeda-linked militants of a major Iraqi city and parts of another illustrates their resurgence, and harkens back to the darkest days of the insurgency that followed the 2003 USled invasion. The Al-Qaeda franchise in Iraq fell from the height of its influence in the years after the invasion, suffering defeats

by American forces, especially after Sunni tribesmen joined them from late 2006 in a process that became known as the “Awakening.”

But it has made a striking comeback in its latest incarnation, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which spans more than one country and has been bolstered by the cross-border ties it has established in Syria during the country’s civil war, analysts say. It is now a major force in the Syrian conflict, and has also carried out operations in Iraq ranging from brutal bombings of civilians to brazen prison assaults.

“ISIL has been able to leverage its networks and capabilities in Iraq to become a strong presence in Syria, and has used its presence in Syria to leverage its position in Iraq,” said Daniel Byman, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Saban Center for Middle East Policy. “It now is again able to conduct limited guerrilla war as well as a sustained campaign of terrorism,” he said.

But ISIL went far beyond its usual bombings and hit-and-run attacks when it seized parts of the Anbar province cities of Ramadi and Fallujah, west of Baghdad, which it has held for days. A senior security official said Saturday that Fallujah was completely under ISIL control, with witnesses reporting ISIL militants in both cities, including fighters patrolling them in vehicles. On Friday, hundreds of gunmen, some bearing the black flags often flown

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by jihadists, gathered at outdoor weekly Muslim prayers in Fallujah, where one militant announced that “Fallujah is an Islamic state.”

Fighting began in the Ramadi area Monday - when security forces broke up the country’s main Sunni Arab anti-government protest camp - and then spread to Fallujah. Security withdrew from areas of both cities, which cleared the way for militants to move in. More than 160 people have been killed in fighting between ISIL,

security forces and tribesmen in just two days.

‘Objectives far beyond Iraq’ ISIL’s “strength and territorial control and influence has been expanding in Anbar for some time,” said Charles Lister, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Doha Center. Its “objectives lie far beyond Iraq, but transnational objectives of establishing an Islamic state across the Levant can only be realised once mini-states of territorial control are

Iraqi men from local tribes brandish their weapons as they pose for a photograph in Fallujah yesterday. — AFP

realised,” Lister said. “In the Iraqi context, Anbar and also Nineveh (province) are of crucial importance as a result of their direct links into eastern Syria.”

Defence ministry spokesman Mohammed Al-Askari has also highlighted the importance of the Syrian connection.

Aerial photographs and other information point to “the arrival of weapons and advanced equipment from Syria to the desert of western Anbar and the border of Nineveh province,” encouraging militants to rebuild once-eliminated camps, Askari said. Security forces have targeted militant camps in recent operations in western Iraq.

John Drake, a security specialist with risk management firm AKE Group, said the situation in Anbar “is comparable to the bad days at the height of the insurgency”. But while it may add to ISIL’s credibility, attempting to hold territory poses risks. “It will give more credibility to the group, but in the longer term, it will have to tread very warily if it is to avoid incurring the wrath of the local population again,” Drake said, referring to disgust with militants’ brutality that led tribal fighters to turn against them.

“ISIL showed that it can strike fast and hard, exploiting the gap as Iraqi army forces withdrew from urban areas to overrun police stations,” said Michael Knights, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

“But the growing strength of ISIL could hurt the organisation because fighting open battles for urban terrain plays to the government’s strengths,” he said. The situation in Anbar presents both risk and opportunity, Knights said. “If the Iraqi government uses this moment to re-engage the tribal awakening, Al-Qaeda could be dealt a severe reverse. If the government sidelines the Sunni tribes and continues with a brute force approach, Al-Qaeda may gain significantly in strength.” — AFP

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

S P ORTS

Skiing currently not on Vonn’s agenda

Ronaldo gets top Portugal honor

Bale back in Madrid squad for Celta clash

VIENNA: Five weeks away from potentially defending her Olympic downhill crown, American speed queen Lindsey Vonn is not even contemplating a return to the piste with her troubled knee, according to her coach.

“For the moment, there’s no question of thinking about skiing,” US women’s team head coach Alexander Hoedlmoser told the Austrian APA news agency. Vonn, 29, sustained a serious injury to her right knee in a horrific crash in last February’s World Ski Championships in Schladming. With reconstructive surgery on two ligaments and 10 months out, it surprised some that she even made it back to competitive skiing this season.

After suffering a setback in November with a partial retearing of her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), Vonn backed herself at Val d’Isere in December but her knee gave way halfway down the testing downhill course.

Vonn insisted at the time that the incident would not have major ramifications, saying she would race a maximum of two more events before heading to Sochi to defend her Olympic downhill title on February 12.

“Lindsey is currently trying to find some stability in her knee through muscle building,” US team chief Patrick Riml told APA. “Thank God, the meniscus is okay.” —AFP

LISBON: Cristiano Ronaldo is to be granted one of Portugal’s highest honors by the country’s president.

A presidential statement Friday said that Ronaldo deserved the recognition because he is “a worldwide symbol of Portugal, making the country better known internationally, and an example of perseverance for younger generations.”

The Real Madrid forward, named FIFA player of the year in 2008, is Portugal’s most famous athlete.

He has made 109 national team appearances, the third most, and is leading scorer alongside the retired Pauleta with 47 goals each.

He will lead the Portuguese bid for its first international trophy at the World Cup in June. Ronaldo is to receive the medal and ribbon making him an official of the Order of Prince Henry at a ceremony on Tuesday at Lisbon’s presidential palace. —AP

MADRID: Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has said that Gareth Bale is fit enough to feature in Madrid’s first match of 2014 when they host Celta Vigo today.

Bale missed his side’s 3-2 win over Valencia before the two-week winter break and didn’t travel with the squad to Qatar for the 1-0 friendly win over Paris Saint-Germain earlier this week due to a calf injury. However, he has returned to training with the rest of his teammates and Ancelotti indicated that he would play some part even if it is not from the start. “He is in the squad and I need to make the decision over whether he plays or not.

“He has trained and doesn’t have any problems, but we could wait until he is in optimal condition.” Should Bale not make the starting line-up then it is likely that 20-year-old rising star Jese Rodriguez will take his place. Jese scored the winner in both the Valencia and PSG games and Ancelotti once again stressed that he will have a big part to play in the second half of the season. “He is doing very well and has shown that he is a very important player for Real Madrid. “He is young, has improved a lot and he certainly could play tomorrow.” Real ended the year in fine form with six wins in their last seven games. —AFP

Hewitt stuns Federer with Brisbane victory

CHENNAI: Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland plays a shot against France’s Edouard Roger-Vasselin during their final match at the ATP Chennai Open tennis tournament in Chennai, India, yesterday. —AP

Dominant Wawrinka wins Chennai Open CHENNAI: World number eight Stanislas Wawrinka warmed up for the Australian Open later this month by bagging the ATP Chennai Open title with a fluent victory over Edouard Roger-Vasselin yesterday.

The top-seeded Swiss, playing his 500th ATP Tour match, outclassed the 52nd-ranked Frenchman 7-5, 6-2 in the 90-minute final at the Nungambakkam Tennis Stadium. It was the fifth career title and the second in Chennai for 28year-old Wawrinka, who emerged from the shadows of his renowned Swiss compatriot Roger Federer with a top 10 finish last year.

“This is big for sure,” said Wawrinka, who has a 302-198 career win record. “It has been an amazing week for me and put me in the right frame for the Australian Open. “Winning in Chennai means a lot to me. I like the place and that is why I have played here for six years now. This is just the place I want to start the season from.

“Last year was very good for me and I hope this year will also be the same. I have practised hard and tried to improve my game. This is just the first tournament of the year, I hope I can continue this way.”

The morale-boosting win ahead of the year’s first Grand Slam in Melbourne, starting January 13, earned Wawrinka the winner’s purse of $72,490 and 250 ranking points. Seventh-seeded RogerVasselin received $38,180 and 150

points. The first set lasted an hour as both players held serve till the 10th game, before Wawrinka broke through in the 11th with a backhand cross-court shot that left Roger-Vasselin stranded.

The Frenchman, playing only his second final in a 12-year career, lost his serve in the opening game of the second set and then again in the fifth game before Wawrinka served out the match with an ace.

Wawrinka won the title without dropping a set during a bruising week in which six players, including second seed Mikhail Youzhny of Russia and third seeded Fabio Fognini of Italy, were sidelined due to injury.

A seventh player, defending champion Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia, withdrew before the tournament began due to a heel injury. Roger-Vasselin said he will leave Chennai with mixed feelings as he heads for a tournament in Sydney later on Sunday night.

“This is a bit of a heartbreak for sure,” said the 30-year-old. “It was very disappointing to lose the final but there was little I could do to change that. “Stan was too good for me and deserved to win. I tried my best, did everything that I could.

But then I had just one breakpoint in the whole match.

“On one hand I am not happy I lost the final, but then I can say this has been a good week for me. I go from here with mixed feelings, but hopefully I will do better next time.” —AFP

BRISBANE: Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt stunned top seed Roger Federer of Switzerland to win the Brisbane International yesterday. Hewitt raced through the first set and then held off a comeback from the world number six to win 61, 4-6, 6-3 in two hours and seven minutes.

It was Hewitt’s 29th title on the ATP tour but his first since 2010, when he also beat Federer in the final at Halle. Hewitt has been plagued by injury in recent years and underwent surgery in 2010, 2011 and 2012 to fix various hip and foot problems.

“I think the most pleasing thing is what I’ve had to come through and the tough times in terms of surgery,” the former Wimbledon and US Open champion said. “Before the last surgery I made no secret (that) there were no guarantees I would be able to play again at all.

“There were still times when I came back from that surgery and played that Wimbledon straight after it, and I was still doubting whether I was ever going to be pain-free again.

“For me that’s the most pleasing thing.”

Hewitt, the world number 60, is projected to rise to 43 in the rankings as a result of the win, and will be one of the most dangerous floaters when the Australian Open draw is made on January 10. Federer started the final poorly and made a staggering 22 unforced errors in the first set, perhaps showing the effects of playing both singles and doubles in the heat and humidity of a Brisbane summer.

High workout However, Federer denied the high workload was to blame for his performance despite looking fatigued at times. “I feel actually pretty good considering playing five sets yesterday and coming out and playing another three-setter today, (considering) the warmer weather the last couple of days in particular,” he said.

The Swiss great had not lost his serve all week, but he appeared sluggish from the beginning and was broken to love in the first game. “I really was struggling with all sorts of rhythm,” Federer said. “I wouldn’t say I was serving poorly, but it was just a tough set for me. I was put

BRISBANE: Lleyton Hewitt of Australia (R) poses with Australian tennis legend Rod Laver (C) after defeating Roger Federer of Switzerland (L) in the men’s final at the Brisbane International tennis tournament, in Brisbane yesterday. —AFP on the back foot very often.”

He managed to stop the rot on his next serve but Hewitt was soon back in control, breaking Federer twice more to take the first set in only 27 minutes. Hewitt lost only one point on serve in the first set as Federer imploded, stunning the sellout crowd in the Pat Rafter Arena. The second set started much the same way, with Hewitt holding easily and Federer struggling.

But the top seed gradually worked his way into form, halving his error rate and beginning to pressure the Australian.

He had the chance to break Hewitt in the fifth game but couldn’t convert. However he struck immediately to break the Australian’s next serve, then served three aces on his way to levelling the match.

Hewitt struggled to hold serve at the start of

the third but surprisingly it was Federer who cracked first, dropping serve in the fourth game when a tired-looking forehand sailed long on break point. The Australian then held serve easily to jump out to a 4-1 lead in the decider, and maintained the advantage to win the title. “For the first set I was seeing the ball like a football-it didn’t really matter where he served, I was on it.

I felt great out there,” Hewitt said. “As the match went on, I think I started getting a little more sluggish just after, obviously backing up from yesterday (when he beat Kei Nishikori in three sets).” Hewitt said he was heading to the Australian Open full of confidence. “I’ll go out there and I’ll compete exactly the same as I’ve competed here this week,” he said. “If I play like I did this week, then I have a chance of doing some damage against serious players.” —AFP

Errani wins through at Sydney SYDNEY: Italy ’s Sara Errani won through at the Sydney International in a match-up against compatriot Roberta Vinci yesterday, as American teen Madison Keys pulled off an upset win over Simona Halep.

Errani, the third seed and world number seven, said it had been tough playing in the heat in her first-round match against Vinci, her doubles partner, with the first set taking 40 minutes.

“But I like hot weather,” she said after her 6-4, 6-2 win. “The hard thing is not the kind of play because we know each other very well-it’s more playing against your best friend that is very difficult.

“It is not easy to go there and play your best, but I think we played a good match today.” Earlier, rising American star Madison Keys bundled seventh seed Halep out of the tournament 6-1, 6-4 to progress to the second round, where she will face wildcard Ajla Tomljanovic who beat Daniela Hantuchova in straight sets.

Keys made the quarter-finals of the Sydney tournament as a 17-year-old a year ago before she fell to China’s Li Na in three sets. But in Halep she faced an opponent struggling to find form and who was down 3-0 early in the first set.

The Romanian staged a recovery in

the later half of the second set and fought back from 5-0 down to 5-4, but could not fend off the in-form American. “She fought to the very end... I was really just trying to focus on playing well and doing what I do well, and I think I did a pretty good job,” Keys said.

Croatian wildcard Tomljanovic downed Hantuchova 6-4, 7-5 to progress to the second round. The Sydney International has five of the top 10 women’s players, including defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska and Petra Kvitova, but America’s eighth seed Sloane Stephens withdrew yesterday with a wrist injury.

“I was having some pain in my wrist and the doctor recommended I not play this week,” said the world number 12, who had been due to face Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova in the first round.

“This is a difficult decision, but the best decision for me and my team to make.” Kvitova said the field was tough despite the absence of world number one Serena Williams. “I think it’s good to be here competing before the Aussie Open,” she said, of the season’s first major, starting in Melbourne on January 13. “I think it’s going to be a tough tournament.” —AFP

SYDNEY: Julia Goerges of Germany hits a back hand against Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the US during their women’s singles match at the Sydney International tennis tournament in Sydney, Australia, yesterday. —AP

Venus Williams, Stephens lead injury withdrawals BRISBANE: With the Australian Open just over a week away, Venus Williams and Sloane Stephens withdrew from warm-up tournaments yesterday and another American, John Isner, could soon join them.

Williams, who lost the final of the Auckland WTA tournament on Saturday, pulled out of the Hobart International, informing officials yesterday. “I don’t believe she has an injury,” tournament director Mark Handley said. “She’s played a lot of tough, close matches over in Auckland and in the lead-up to a first Grand Slam (of the season) she’s not taking any chances.”

Williams was planning to use the Hobart event as final preparations for the Australian Open which begins Jan. 13. She lost in the third

round at Melbourne Park last year. The seventime Grand Slam champion’s ranking has fallen to 47th as she has battled injuries and Sjogren’s syndrome, a fatigue-causing autoimmune disease, over the past two years.Stephens injured her left wrist at the Hopman Cup team event on Friday in Perth, and withdrew from her scheduled appearance at the Sydney International. “I was having some pain in my wrist and the doctor recommended I not play this week,” the 12th-ranked Stephens said.

Former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki withdrew from the completed Brisbane International after hurting her right shoulder in practice, but is expected to play in Sydney, where she has drawn a qualifier in the first round.

Isner also appeared in doubt for an Auckland ATP tournament, where he is the third-seeded player, after re-injuring his right ankle at the Hopman Cup. Gael Monfils also withdrew Sunday from the Heineken Open at Auckland, citing fatigue.

Monfils lost in the final of the Qatar Open at Doha to Rafael Nadal on Saturday. Jurgen Melzer left no doubt about his participation in the Australian Open, pulling out with a chronic left shoulder injury. The 27th-ranked Austrian under went surger y on a torn tendon in October and needs more time to recover, the Austria Press Agency reported on Saturday.

Melzer hasn’t played since Shanghai last October. —AP

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

S P ORTS

Former players slam ‘spineless’ England after Ashes rout LONDON: England’s Ashes whitewash triggered a scathing attack from former players yesterday with Ian Botham lashing out at the team’s “spineless” display in Australia.

Having won the home series 3-0 last year, captain Alastair Cook and his men landed in Australia in October as the overwhelming favourite to retain the famous urn. Instead, they were ruthlessly brushed aside by a rampant Australia side, failing to get close to victory in any of the five matches as pace bowler Mitchell Johnson’s express speed and Brad

Haddin’s never-say-die batting, exposed their limitations.

What proved to be the final day of the series was synonymous of England’s feeble showing as they were bowled out for 166 inside 35 overs, chasing an improbable 448 for victory, as Australia completed the clean sweep with two days to spare.

“I’m pretty depressed and embarrassed - I use that word, embarrassed, and I mean it,” former captain Botham told Sky Sports. “I am not allowed to use the words that are flashing through my head at the moment. I just think it was spineless,”

added the former all-rounder.

Australia never took their foot off England’s throat registering comprehensive victories at Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and finally in Sydney to avenge last year’s series defeat in England.

“England have been steamrollered. If it had been a boxing match it would have been stopped weeks ago,” Botham said.

Pathetic Former skipper Michael Vaughan echoed his sentiment, saying the senior players had let the team down. “I’ve lost

words to describe how England played.

That was pathetic - it was always going to happen but there’s a way to lose,” Vaughan told BBC Sport.

“I have never seen an England team throw in the towel, but they did this afternoon. Our senior core of players have not been able to get into any sort of form,” said Vaughan, who in 2005 became the first England captain to win an Ashes series since Mike Gatting in 1986-87.

“The Australian wagon got into motion at Brisbane and England have not been able to cope since. That last innings there

showed how frazzled the team is,” Vaughan added.

In many ways, the final Test in Sydney test mirrored England’s shambolic campaign as they were shot out for 155 and 166 on a green-tinged wicket. “It’s pathetic - there is no other word. It’s humiliation,” former opener Geoff Boycott told BBC’s Test Match Special.

“This is a worse loss than when we lost before 5-0 because they had great players like (Glenn) McGrath, (Shane) Warne and (Adam) Gilchrist last time. England have just disintegrated.” —Reuters

Flyers rally for 5-3 victory over Coyotes GLENDALE: Jakub Voracek scored the gamewinner with 8:08 left and the Philadelphia Flyers rallied from a two-goal deficit for a 5-3 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes on Saturday night.

Scott Hartnell, Brayden Schenn and Wayne Simmonds also scored for the Flyers and Claude Giroux added an empty-net goal with 30 seconds left. Steve Mason made several difficult saves late to preserve Philadelphia’s fourth win in five games out West. Rob Klinkhammer, Lauri Korpikoski and Mikkel Boedker scored for the Coyotes, who led 3-1 late in the second period but couldn’t hold on to spoil captain Shane Doan’s return from a rare illness. Keith Yandle’s turnover in his own zone proved costly in Phoenix’s second straight loss. Voracek collected the puck and beat Mike Smith between the legs with a wrist shot.

SYDNEY: Australia’s cricket team players pose with the Ashes trophy in front of Members Pavilion as they celebrate 5-0 victory in the Ashes Test Cricket series against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday. —AFP

Harris, Johnson heroes as Aussie sweep Ashes SYDNEY: Australia completed a 5-0 Ashes clean sweep against England yesterday as the tourists crumbled against a formidable pace attack to go down to a humiliating 281-run defeat in the fifth Test.

Mitchell Johnson-described by captain Michael Clarke as one of the modern-day pace greats-was named man-of-the-series for his 37 wickets over the five games at 13.97. Fellow quick Ryan Harris took man-of-thematch for his eight wickets in the two innings in Sydney, where a hapless England endured their fifth successive heavy defeat.

The demoralised tourists capitulated after tea, losing seven wickets in 52 minutes on their way to being

bundled out for 166 in 31.4 oversnowhere near the 448 victory target.

It was the sixth time the beleaguered tourists had been skittled for under 200 in the 10 innings of the series.

The crushing defeat-with more than two days to spare-is expected to have major ramifications for English cricket just months after they beat Australia 3-0 in England. Harris finished with five for 25 in the second innings, while Johnson claimed 3-40.

It was the third time Australia had achieved a 5-0 series clean sweep over England, after 1920-21 and 2006-07, and Clarke was also involved in the previous one. The Australians have now climbed to

third in the ICC rankings above England and Pakistan.

Amazing Feeling “Any time you win a Test match is an amazing feeling, but to win 5-0?”

Clarke said. “I think with this current team, the fact that it’s been the rollercoaster ride, the start of 2013 didn’t go anywhere near as well as we’d have liked, I think that’s what feels so satisfying at the moment, that we’ve been able to turn things around.”

Johnson’s spells in the series “certainly match the greats, if not better”, he said. England’s hopes vanished with the cheap dismissals of skipper Alastair Cook (7), Ian Bell

SYDNEY: Australia’s paceman Mitchell Johnson (L) celebrates his wicket of England’s batsman Gary Ballance (C bottom) on the third day of the Ashes Test Cricket series at the Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday. —AFP

SCOREBOARD SYDNEY: Scoreboard after Australia beat England by 281 runs on the third day of the fifth Ashes test at the Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday.

Australia first innings 326 6-0-33-3, Pietersen 4-1-17-0 England first innings 155 England second innings Australia second innings (overnight 140-4) A. Cook c Haddin b Johnson 7 C. Rogers c & b Borthwick 119 M. Carberry c Haddin b Johnson 43 D. Warner lbw Anderson 16 I. Bell c Warner b Harris 16 S. Watson c Bairstow b Anderson 9 K. Pietersen c Bailey b Harris 6 M. Clarke c Bairstow b Broad 6 G. Ballance lbw Johnson 7 S. Smith c Cook b Stokes 7 B. Stokes b Harris 32 G. Bailey c Borthwick b Broad 46 J. Bairstow c Bailey b Lyon 0 B. Haddin b Borthwick 28 S. Borthwick c Clarke b Lyon 4 M. Johnson b Stokes 4 S. Broad b Harris 42 R. Harris c Carberry b Borthwick 13 J. Anderson not out 1 P. Siddle c Bairstow b Rankin 4 B. Rankin c Clarke b Harris 0 N. Lyon not out 6 Extras (b-5, lb-2, nb-1) 8 Extras (lb-14, w-2, nb-2) 18 Total (all out, 31.4 overs) 166 Total (all out, 61.3 overs) 276 Fall of wicket: 1-7 2-37 3-57 4-87 5-90 6-91 7-95 8-139 9Fall of wickets: 1-27 2-47 3-72 4-91 5-200 6-239 7-244 8- 166 255 9-266 Bowling: Harris 9.4-4-25-5, Johnson 9-1-40-3 (nb-1), Bowling: Anderson 15-6-46-2, Broad 14-1-57-2 (nb-2, w- Siddle 4-1-24-0, Lyon 9-0-70-2.

1), Rankin 12.3-0-47-1, Stokes 10-0-62-2 (w-1), Borthwick Australia win the five-match series 5-0.

(16) and Kevin Pietersen (6) in the middle session as England limped to tea on 87-3.

But the rout turned to carnage after the interval as four wickets tumbled in two overs, with the tourists falling apart against inspired Australian bowling and fielding. “I think today was a culmination of being under the cosh for four and a half games,” Cook said.

“Credit to Australia, I can’t even count on how many sessions we won in the series. That’s a pretty daunting stat to take but a very realistic statistic.”

Michael Carberry (43) feathered Johnson to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin just two balls after tea and three balls later debutant Gary Ballance was trapped plumb in front by Johnson for seven.

Wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow went for a three-ball duck and debutant legspinner Scott Borthwick was magnificently caught by Clarke off Lyon for four.

Ben Stokes offered some belated resistance, punishing Lyon for 20 off one over before he was bowled by Harris for 32 off 16 balls with three fours and two sixes. Stuart Broad also went down swinging, with four sixes and three fours in his 42 off 36 balls before being bowled by Harris.

Boyd Rankin was last man out, caught overhead by Clarke at second slip to complete the victory.

Miserable Series Earlier Cook, who has endured a miserable series with the bat, was caught behind off Johnson for seven and was followed by Bell, who was snapped up in the gully off Ryan Harris. Pietersen was athletically caught by Bailey close to the bat off Harris as England’s top order yet again failed to fire. The England skipper has scored just 246 runs at 24.60 in this series, in sharp contrast to the last tour of Australia in 2010/11 when he amassed 766 runs at 127.66. “When you strip everything down, every single player now has to go back and have a look at themselves, have a look at their techniques,” Cook said.

“Have a look at the way they’ve bowled and start rebuilding again.

And that hunger has to come from within to do it.” Bell, who was impressive in last year’s Ashes series in England, and Pietersen, have both averaged less than 30 in the series.

Australia were dismissed for 276 in their second innings shortly after lunch, with Chris Rogers top-scoring with 119. Haddin became the highest-scoring Australian wicketkeeper in a Test series with his breezy 28 off 40 balls. The keeper, the nemesis of the English bowlers with his aggressive lower middle-order batting, finished the series with 493 runs at 61.62 to beat the previous best of 473 by Adam Gilchrist against South Africa in 2001-02. —AFP

Blues 6, Blue Jackets 2 Center Patrik Berglund scored two goals as the St Louis Blues rallied from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-2 for their fifth consecutive victory. The Blues (29-7-5), who have won only five times this season when they gave up the first goal in a game, started the comeback 7:03 into the second period when Berglund deflected a shot by defenseman Barret Jackman past goalie Curtis McElhinney. It was Berglund’s first two-goal effort of the season, having scored only four goals in 37 games before Saturday night. St. Louis goalie Brian Elliott won his 13th consecutive home game, extending his own franchise record.

Kings 3, Canucks 1 Winger Jeff Carter scored two goals and goaltender Jonathan Quick made 27 saves as the Los Angeles Kings beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-1. The Kings (26-13-4) broke a seasonlong five game losing streak as they opened a five-game home stand and gained ground on the San Jose Sharks. Goaltender Roberto Luongo stopped 45 shots and center Ryan Kesler scored the lone goal for Vancouver (2313-7), which dropped its third straight game.

Bruins 4, Jets 1 Rookie defenseman Torey Krug scored two goals and set up another with a nifty pass to lead Boston to a 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in the Bruins’ first game of the second half of the season. Krug’s goals tied him with Erik Karlsson of Ottawa and Shea Weber of Nashville for the league lead among defensemen on 10 goals. Defenseman Dustin Byfuglien scored his ninth for the Jets.

Avalanche 4, Sharks 3 Center Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals, center Paul Stastny had two assists and the Colorado Avalanche jumped out to a big lead before holding on to beat the San Jose Sharks 43. Left wing Jamie McGinn scored against his former team and defenseman Erik Johnson also scored for the Avalanche, who have won three successive games. Center Patrick Marleau scored a goal and made two assists, and centers Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski also scored for the Sharks.

Hurricanes 3, Islanders 2 Centers Manny Malhotra, Jordan Staal and Brett Sutter all scored in the second period as the Carolina Hurricanes hung on to beat the New York Islanders 3-2. Staal and Sutter scored within a minute of each other late in the second as the Hurricanes won in regulation for the first time since Dec. 14, extended their winning streak to three games and kept the heat on Philadelphia for the third playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division. Center John Tavares and left winger

Thomas Vanek scored for the Islanders.

Sabres 2, Devils 1 Right winger Matt D’Agostini scored with 8:11 remaining to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 21 victory over the New Jersey Devils. It was D’Agostini’s first goal of the season and his first for the Sabres after being acquired off waivers from Pittsburgh in late November. Left winger Matt Moulson also scored for Buffalo while right winger Michael Ryder scored for the Devils.

Rangers 7, Maple Leafs 1 Center Dominic Moore scored two goals and the New York Rangers defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-1. Left wingers Carl Hagelin, Benoit Pouliot and Chris Kreider and centers Brad Richards and Brian Boyle also scored for the Rangers. Left winger Joffrey Lupul scored for the Maple Leafs.

Senators 4, Canadiens 3 (OT) Ottawa left winger Clarke MacArthur scored a power-play goal 58 seconds into overtime as the Senators extended their season-high winning streak to four games with a 4-3 win against the Montreal Canadiens.

MacArthur took his time to position himself before shooting the puck past Montreal goalie Carey Price. Center Daniel Briere scored Montreal’s first two goals and got his third point of the game with an assist on right winger Brian Gionta’s tally 4:46 into the third that drew the Canadiens even at 3-3.

Panthers 5, Predators 4 (OT) Veteran defenseman and team captain Ed Jovanovski played for the first time in over nine months as the Florida Panthers blew a two-goal third-period lead but then beat the Nashville Predators 5-4 in a shootout.

Right winger Tomas Kopecky scored the decisive goal in the shootout.

Leading 4-3 with 4:01 left in the third period, the Panthers killed off a two-minute penalty to left winger Tomas Fleischmann. The Predators then pulled their goaltender and center Paul Gaustad tied the game with 48 seconds left in regulation.

Wild 5, Capitals 3 Defenseman Ryan Suter’s first career hat trick was the difference as the Minnesota Wild rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat the Washington Capitals 5-3. Suter scored a pair of power-play goals in the second period and added a third goal in the final period as Minnesota (22-17-5) won its second game in a row. Right winger Nino Niederreiter and left winger Jason Zucker also scored for the Wild, who lost their final six games of 2013, but have not lost since flipping the calendar.

Defenseman Mike Green had his first twogoal game of the season for Washington (2016-6).

Red Wings 5, Stars 1 Despite being outshot and missing star center Pavel Datsyuk, the Detroit Red Wings received two goals from left wing and captain Henrik Zetterberg to hand the Dallas Stars a 5-1 defeat. Detroit (19-14-10, 48 points) started a five-game road trip with goals also from center Joakim Andersson, left wing Drew Miller and left wing Tomas Tatar. Goaltender Jimmy Howard made 43 saves for the Red Wings. The Stars (20-14-7, 47 points), who outshot the Red Wings 44-27, received their lone goal from center Rich Peverley, a first-period shorthanded score. —Reuters

NHL results/standings Boston 4, Winnipeg 1; Colorado 4, San Jose 3; Buffalo 2, New Jersey 1; NY Rangers 7, Toronto 1; Ottawa 4, Montreal 3 (OT); Florida 5, Nashville 4 (SO); Carolina 3, NY Islanders 2; St. Louis 6, Columbus 2; Detroit 5, Dallas 1; Minnesota 5, Washington 3; Philadelphia 5, Phoenix 3; Los Angeles 3, Vancouver 1.

Western Conference Eastern Conference Atlantic Division Pacific Division Boston 28 12 2 124 89 58 W L OTL GF GA PTS Tampa Bay 25 12 4 116 95 54 Anaheim 30 8 5 142 108 65 Montreal 24 14 5 112 102 53 San Jose 26 10 6 139 109 58 Detroit 19 14 10 114 121 48 Toronto 21 17 5 119 127 47 Los Angeles 26 13 4 113 89 56 Ottawa 19 18 7 126 141 45 Vancouver 23 13 7 114 104 53 Florida 16 20 6 101 134 38 Phoenix 20 12 9 123 127 49 Buffalo 12 26 4 74 118 28 Calgary 14 21 6 96 128 34 Edmonton 13 26 5 112 153 31 Metropolitan Division Pittsburgh 30 12 1 136 98 61 Philadelphia 21 17 4 111 116 46 Central Division Washington 20 16 6 128 128 46 Chicago 29 7 8 165 121 66 NY Rangers 21 20 2 105 115 44 St. Louis 29 7 5 150 95 63 Carolina 17 16 9 103 123 43 New Jersey 17 18 8 101 110 42 Colorado 26 11 4 120 104 56 Columbus 18 20 4 113 123 40 Minnesota 22 17 5 106 113 49 NY Islanders 14 22 7 112 143 35 Dallas 20 14 7 120 124 47 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one Winnipeg 19 20 5 118 129 43 point in the standings and are not includNashville 18 18 6 101 127 42 ed in the loss column (L).

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

S P ORTS

Eusebio: Former Portugal and Benfica great LISBON: Portuguese forward Eusebio died of a heart attack in Lisbon at the age of 71 yesterday leaving behind a legacy that marks the Benfica legend out as one of the greatest players in soccer history.

Eusebio began playing football barefoot as a child on Mozambique’s dust track pitches before jumping into the spotlight at Benfica. He helped the club reach four European Cup finals, the last in 1968 when they lost to Manchester United in extra-time at Wembley. Benfica won the trophy in 1961 and 1962.

Nicknamed the ‘Black Panther’ for the fear he instilled in his opponents, he was the top-scorer at the 1966 World Cup with nine goals that helped Portugal reach the semi-finals and his performances at home inspired Benfica to 11 domestic titles.

European Champions In one of the most memorable moments of his career, Eusebio helped Benfica overcome Real Madrid in a thrilling 1962 European Cup final, the striker scoring a penalty to put his side ahead in the second half before sealing a thrilling 5-3 victory with an exquisite free kick.

A humbled Alfredo Di Stefano handed Eusebio his Real Madrid shirt after the final whistle as Portugal’s new-found star rejoiced in both beating his idol and getting his hands on a treasured piece of soccer memorabilia.

“The king” was carried around on the shoulders of celebrating fans that night, in an iconic image engraved in Portugal and Benfica’s history books and repeated time and again on Portuguese television

screens ever since.

In 1963, Eusebio’s trademark surging runs and fearsome shots guided Benfica to their third consecutive European Cup final, where they were beaten by AC Milan 2-1, and another final two years later which they lost to Inter Milan. On the domestic front, Eusebio’s Benfica dominated, winning three consecutive league titles on three separate occasions during his 15 years at the club.

1966 World Cup For Portugal, Eusebio hit his stride at the 1966 World Cup in England.

After easing past Hungary and Bulgaria, Portugal rounded out the group phase with a 3-1 win over reigning world champions Brazil as Eusebio scored twice to outshine Pele.

He then inspired Portugal to a remarkable comeback win over surprise package North Korea in the quarter-finals. The underdogs raced to a 3-0 lead at Goodison Park but Eusebio almost singlehandedly dragged his team back into the contest, scoring four goals either side of half-time as Portugal advanced with a 5-3 victory.

Eusebio’s campaign was brought to an abrupt and jarring end when an overworked Portugal struggled against England’s physical approach and Bobby Charlton’s two goals left an inconsolable Eusebio in tears at the end of the Wembley encounter which the hosts won 2-1.

Portugal eventually finished third but Eusebio was singled out as the star of a tournament he ended as top scorer with

nine goals. It was the only World Cup he ever played in and overall, he won 64 caps for Portugal and scored 41 international goals. He played his last game for Benfica in 1975 and went on to represent clubs in North America and two minor sides in Portugal, eventually calling time on his decorated career in 1979.

Eusebio, who was considered a gentleman both on and off the pitch, spent the last decades of his life as a roving ambassador for Benfica and Portuguese soccer.

“Benfica is in my blood,” he once told Reuters in an interview.

Over the last year, Eusebio was admitted to hospital several times and diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia, acute neck pain and hypertension but shook off the conditions before finally succumbing to a heart attack. —Reuters

Eusebio, the ‘Black Panther’ who lit up 1966 World Cup LISBON: Known as the “Black Panther” or simply “The King”, football legend Eusebio, who has died aged 71, reigned over Portuguese football in the 1960s, bringing glory to both his club Benfica and his country.

The top scorer in the 1966 World Cup and considered one of the best footballers of all time, Eusebio da Silva Ferreira died of cardio-pulmonary arrest early yesterday morning.His death lead to an out pouring of tributes with the Portuguese government decreeing three days of national mourning, with flags in Lisbon to fly at half mast.

“Football has lost a legend,” FIFA president Sepp Blatter wrote on Twitter.

“But Eusebio’s place among the greats will never be taken away.” The top Portuguese footballer of all time Eusebio rivalled all-time greats including Brazilian Pele, Argentina’s Alfredo Di Stefano and England’s Bobby Charlton.

“I was the best player in the world, top scorer in the world and Europe. I did everything, except win a World Cup,” Eusebio said in a interview in 2011, recalling his tears after Portugal’s loss in the 1966 World Cup semi-final to England.

From humble origins in the former Portuguese colony of Mozambique, Eusebio da Silva Ferreira was to emerge as one of the World Cup’s most feared strikers, combining pantherlike pace with a ferocious shooting ability.

Known throughout his career simply as Eusebio, the poor boy from Maputo became a legend for his exploits with Portugal and Lisbon giants Benfica during the 1960s. Born in 1942, he rose to prominence in Mozambique football circles as a teenager through his performances for Sporting Lourenco Marques, a team with links to Sporting Lisbon.

With his exceptional technique, strength and goal-scoring record, it was not long before word of Eusebio’s prowess soon filtered back to Portugal. In December 1960 he was offered trials with Sporting.

Although keen, Eusebio was not willing to risk leaving his beloved mother unless there was the firm promise of a contract. Sporting baulked, creating an opening for Benfica, who snapped up the youngster’s signature.

A wrangle with Sporting Lourenco Marques over

Eusebio’s registration was finally settled, and in 1961 he made his debut for the club, scoring a hat-trick in a friendly. Over the next five years, Eusebio developed as one of world football’s best players.

In an early game for Benfica, he had outshone Pele in a friendly with Santos, and in 1962 he scored the crucial goals in a 5-3 victory over Real Madrid in the European Cup final.

When Madrid’s legendary Hungarian Ferenc Puskas symbolically handed his jersey to Eusebio after the match, the message was clear - the torch had passed, and in 1965

Eusebio was named European Player of the Year.

1966 World Cup exploits But while Eusebio excelled with Benfica in Europe, it was his exploits at the 1966 World Cup for which he will be best remembered.

Eusebio’s nine goals in England propelled Portugal to a third-place finish, and a succession of opposing teams simply had no answer to the power and pace of his play.

He scored twice in the 3-1 victory which sent holders Brazil out of the competition.

In the quarter-finals Eusebio was unstoppable, pulling off a one-man rescue act after Portugal went 3-0 down against North Korea after just 20 minutes. The Koreans were blown away by a four-goal display from Eusebio as the Portuguese won 5-3.

In the semi-final against England Eusebio was effectively marked out of the match but he did find the net again. He scored his ninth of the tournament in the third-place play-off win over the Soviet Union.

He finished his 64-cap career having accumulated 41 goals for Portugal. He also earned European football’s Golden Boot award twice and was Portugal’s top scorer every season between 1964 and 1973.

He helped Benfica to 11 league championships and five domestic cups. He also appeared on the losing side in the European Cup finals of 1963 and 1968. In 1975 he joined the flow of players involved in the ill-fated North American Soccer League, before retiring in 1979 after winding down his career in Mexico and Portugal.

Married with two daughters, in retirement he became an ambassador for Benfica and the Portuguese football federation. Always present at major events, he rubbed shoulders with current stars, among them the young Cristiano Ronaldo, now the Portugal captain, and the only one who could one day dethrone “The King”.

“Eusebio will always be eternal. Rest in peace,” wrote Ronaldo, in a message posted on Facebook alongside a photo of himself and his hero Eusebio. —AFP

Reaction to Eusebio death LISBON: Reaction following the death yesterday aged 71 years of Portuguese football legend Eusebio: Sepp Blatter (FIFA president) on Twitter: “Football has lost a legend. But Eusebio’s place among the greats will never be taken away “Eusebio was a football & FIFA ambassador. He’ll be sorely missed. Rest in peace Black Panther.”

Luis Figo (former Portuguese international, who retired in 2009 with a national record of 127 caps): “The king! Great loss for all of us! The greatest! “His death is a great loss ... for everything he represented globally. He was close to national players, always ready to help and offer words of comfort. He leaves behind a great void.”

Pedro Passos Coelho (Portuguese Prime Minister): “He was a football genius, an example of humility, an excellent athlete, a generous and supportive man. He was for all the fans an example of professionalism, determination and dedication.”

Statement from Eusebio’s former club Benfica: “We will remember his talent, his example, his character which marked Portuguese football and which established him as a global benchmark for football. Eusebio’s life is the heritage of all those who love football. Benfica was his home port ... He made Benfica more than a club, he made it his home and his family. The memory and legacy of Eusebio will remain among us.”

Franz Beckenbauer (former Germany and Bayern Munich player) on Twitter: “One of the greatest football players ever has passed away. My friend Eusebio died last night. My thoughts are with his family.”

Jose Durao Barroso (Portugal’s European Commission president): “It’s a sad day for Portuguese football. I offer my sincere condolences to Eusebio’s family and all Portuguese people.”

Armando Gebuza (Mozambique President) “He’s a figure who has contributed to the deep and rich history of Mozambique. Eusebio came here from time to time. He always maintained a link with Mozambique. He’s a very well known and respected figure in our country.”

Antonio Simoes (Eusebio’s former Portuguese international teammate): “Eusebio showed an extraordinary inner strength (...). I felt that he was not well recently, but I didn’t want to broach the subject with him. He had extraordinary stories which he lived through and which he loved to tell “ Portugal captain Ronaldo wrote on Twitter: “Always eternal #Eusebio, rest in peace.”

LISBON: A young boy dressed in Portugal’s Benfica’s soccer team colours, gives the thumbs-up as he poses for a photograph next to the statue of the Portuguese soccer player legend Eusebio at Benfica’s Luz stadium in Lisbon, yesterday. —AP

Early Playing Days Born Jan. 25, 1942 in Mozambique’s capital Maputo, then under Portuguese colonial rule and called Lourenco Marques. He used to play barefoot in the streets of Maputo with a ball of rags.

Known alternatively as the “black panther” or “the king” he started playing in Mozambique’s Sporting de Lourenco Marques and was hired by Benfica in 1960.

Playing Style Gifted with a devastating shot that he unleashed with both his right and left foot, Eusebio fused power with tremendous pace, sense of opportunity up front and an effective dribble. Athletically strong, he crafted explosive runs down the flanks and was never afraid to shoot from long distance. While often being closely marked and singled out, he always remained cordial, low key and polite.

Benfica Eusebio was a teenager when he left Lourenco Marques for Lisbon and his career will forever be linked with Benfica.

He is the biggest name in the club’s 109year history and assumed an almost mythical status. A statue outside the Luz stadium is a reminder of his impact.

Scored a hat-trick in 20 minutes against World Club champions Santos in 1961 after coming from the bench.

“Who is that guy who came in and scored a hat-trick? He is going to be some player,” Brazil great Pele said at the time.

Arrived at the club after Benfica had won the European Cup for the first time, beating Barcelona in 1961. He started playing for Benfica in 1961 and stayed for almost 15 years.

Won 11 championships with Benfica and five domestic cups.

Eusebio was awarded France Football’s Golden Boot twice, in 1968 and 1973 and won the Ballon d’or for the best European player in 1965.Led Benfica to four European Cup finals and won Europe’s top club title in 1962, scoring twice in a 53 defeat of Real Madrid in Amsterdam.

The last final he reached with Benfica was in 1968 when they lost in extra time to Manchester United at Wembley.

A statue depicting Eusebio executing one of his trademark shots was carved in his honour and placed just outside the Luz stadium in 1994.

Portugal’s 1966 Run To Semis Earned 64 international caps and 41 goals, including an emotional Wembley appearance against England when Portugal lost in the semi-finals of the 1966 World Cup, where he was top scorer with nine goals.

In the group phase Eusebio’s Portugal eased to wins against Hungary and Bulgaria and then beat reigning world champions Brazil 3-1 as Eusebio got the best of Pele and scored twice.

Final Playing Days Ended his career in Portugal playing for Beira Mar and Uniao de Tomar between 1976 and 1977.

Eusebio had several stints away from Portugal, particularly in the United States, where he played for the Rhode Island Oceaneers, Boston Minutemen, Las Vegas Quick Silvers and New Jersey. He also played for Canada’s Toronto Metros and Mexico’s Monterrey.

Chelsea’s Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho: “He was one of the great figures of Portugal, a nobleman of our country. I think he is immortal. He was an important reference in his vision of football, his values, principles, and emotions and that even after the end of his career. If we try to compare with modern day football Eusebio would be on the level of the best.

If he were 20 or 30 years old today, he would have had an unbelievable level.”

Football Association chairman Greg Dyke: “Every generation has great footballers.

He was clearly a world-class footballer who scored an awful lot of goals. He had a level of natural talent that most players don’t have. He was the (Lionel Messi) or Ronaldo of his time.” —AFP

FACTBOX

File picture, Pele, left, New England Revolution owner Robert Kraft, second left, Brazil Football Federation President Jose Maria Marin, second right, and Eusebio pose with a Brazil soccer jersey prior to an international friendly soccer match between Portugal and Brazil, in Foxborough, Mass. —AP

Post-Career Portugal’s dictator Antonio Salazar did not allow him to make a big-money move to Italy and Eusebio spent the final part of his career abroad, after Portugal’s chaotic transition to democracy in 1974.

Assumed the role of assistant coach and later as an advisor and lifelong ambassador to Benfica. —Reuters

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

S P ORTS

Eyewitness inadvertently filmed Schumacher’s accident GRENOBLE: Formula One legend Michael Schumacher remained in critical condition yesterday a week after his skiing accident in the French Alps, which a German eyewitness said he inadvertently caught on his smartphone.

Investigators are focusing on the retired racer’s speed when he fell and slammed his head on a rock on a small off-piste section of the Meribel ski resort, prompting his evacuation by helicopter to the Alpine city of Grenoble.

They are hoping that a helmet-mounted camera Schumacher was wearing will provide some clues, as will footage by a 35-year-old German steward who says he was filming his girlfriend on the slopes when by chance he captured the moment when the retired driver fell.

In the background, a skier is seen descending an unmarked run between two groomed pistes before falling, news magazine Der Spiegel reported.

According to the witness, who spoke to the magazine, the seven-time world champion was descending the slope at a “leisurely” pace-”a maximum speed of 20 kilometres an hour”. He plans to hand over the footage to French investigators.

This would corroborate claims by Schumacher’s spokeswoman Sabine Kehm, who said he could not have been going fast “because it appears he helped a friend who had just fallen”. But in a press conference last week, doctors who treated Schumacher said he had been skiing at great speed when he fell on December 29.

Edouard Bourgin, a specialist on accident claims, said there could have been “a catapult effect that explains the violence of the shock, even in the absence of excessive speed”. Prosecutors are also looking at whether the limits of the ski runs next to the accident site were correctly marked and whether the rock in question was lying close enough to the

piste to require some kind of protection or signage.

In addition, they are examining whether the safety releases on Schumacher’s skis operated properly in a probe aimed at determining responsibility for the accident.

Schumacher turned 45 on Friday, and fans marked the birthday with a silent vigil outside the facility, part of which was organised by Ferrari, Schumacher’s former team. His wife Corinna and two teenage children have been at his bedside throughout, and other family members have come to visit, including his father Rolf and his brother Ralph, who is also a racing driver.

Kehm said Schumacher remains in a “critical but stable” condition after he underwent two surgeries earlier in the week to ease pressure and bleeding in the brain. No further press conferences are scheduled before Monday, and pros-

ecutors and police probing the circumstances of the accident will brief journalists around the middle of the week, public prosecutor Patrick Quincy said yesterday.

‘Don’t try to beat the clock’ The accident has shocked legions of fans and racing stars used to seeing Schumacher cheat death on the track.

Mika Hakkinen, the double Formula One world champion who suffered a near fatal crash during a practice session for the 1995 Australian Grand Prix, wrote to his former rival wishing him a quick recovery, the Bild am Sonntag newspaper reported.

“Your accident is now just another challenge. You have to fight hard again, just like we both used to do on the track,” the Finnish driver said. “Do me a favour: just this once don’t try to beat the clock.

You don’t have to post your best time in

this race. You have to take all the time you need.”

It is not known whether the miniature camera Schumacher had strapped onto his helmet filmed the accident, or whether images have been damaged by the impact of his fall, which was so hard it split the helmet in two.

Any usable images should shed light on the circumstances of the accident on the small, seemingly innocuous off-piste section of Meribel located between two ski slopes-one classed as easy and the other as intermediate.

Police have also obtained eyewitness testimony from Schumacher’s 14-yearold son Mick, who was skiing with his father at the time, as well as a friend.

Schumacher, who made his debut in 1991, dominated Formula One during his career, winning more world titles and races than any other driver. He retired in 2012. —AFP

Spurs too good for Paul-less Clippers SAN ANTONIO: San Antonio took advantage of Los Angeles being without injured All-Star Chris Paul and comfortably beat the Clippers 116-92 in Saturday’s clash of NBA divisional leaders. The win moved the Spurs into equal second in the Western Conference standings, behind new leader Oklahoma City, which got a super performance from Kevin Durant in its comeback win over Minnesota and moved above Portland, which was narrowly beaten at home by Philadelphia.

San Antonio’s Tiago Splitter had 22 points before leaving with a shoulder injury and Tim Duncan added

rebounds and five assists for the Wolves. But he missed four free throws in the final 27 seconds to let this one slip away. The last three came when he was fouled on a 3pointer with 2.2 seconds to go and the Wolves down two. Derek Fisher scored 13 points and Serge Ibaka had 12 for Oklahoma City, which was outscored 66-46 in the paint.

Minnesota’s Nikola Pekovic had 31 points and 11 rebounds.

Heat 110, Magic 94 Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh each had 20 points, helping Miami rally for the win. Rashard Lewis added 18 points and LeBron James finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. The Heat’s win was their eighth straight over the Magic. It was also Miami’s 22nd consecutive divisional victory, leaving it just one win short of tying Boston’s NBA record of 23 set in 1961. Jameer Nelson led Orlando with 21 points, and Tobias Harris added 17 points and 10 rebounds.

The Magic lost their third straight.

76ers 101, Trail Blazers 99 Thaddeus Young had 30 points and Philadelphia held on for its fourth straight win, all on the road.

ORLANDO: Miami Heat’s LeBron James (6) looks to pass around Orlando Magic’s Tobias Harris during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Orlando, Fla., Saturday. Miami won the game 110-94. —AP 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Oklahoma 115, Minnesota 111 Kevin Durant scored 23 of his season-high 48 points in the fourth quarter and hit the winner with 4 seconds to play to rally the Oklahoma City Thunder from 13 points down in a 115-111 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night. Durant went 7 for 11 from the field and hit four 3pointers in the final quarter to help the Thunder rebound from two straight losses at home. Kevin Love played the entire second half and finished with 30 points, 14

Evan Turner added 23 points and rookie star Michael Carter-Williams had 16, but fell hard on the court at the final buzzer when he was trying to keep Damian Lillard from scoring the tying basket. Carter-Williams appeared to hit his head and stayed down for several moments while his teammates held off their celebration. When he finally rose, he held his hand to his head. Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge had 29 points and 14 rebounds for his 20th double-double this season. Robin Lopez added 14 points and 15 rebounds in just the Blazers’ fourth loss at home this season.

Pacers 99, Pelicans 82 Paul George had 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead four Pacers in double figures, and Indiana rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit for the win. Lance Stephenson scored 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting, Danny Granger came off the bench to score 13 and George Hill added 10 for Indiana. Eric Gordon finished with 21 points for the Pelicans after scoring 17 in the first half. Alexis Ajinca scored 17 points, reserve Tyreke Evans added 12 and Anthony Davis 10 for New Orleans.

Five different Pacers scored as

NBA results/standings Indiana 99, New Orleans 82; Miami 110, Orlando 94; Brooklyn 89, Cleveland 82; Chicago 91, Atlanta 84; Oklahoma City 115, Minnesota 111; San Antonio 116, LA Clippers 92; Phoenix 116, Milwaukee 100; Philadelphia 101, Portland 99; Charlotte 113, Sacramento 103.

Toronto Boston Brooklyn Philadelphia NY Knicks

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT 16 15 .516 13 20 .394 12 21 .364 12 21 .364 10 22 .313

Indiana Chicago Detroit Cleveland Milwaukee

Central Division 26 6 .813 14 18 .438 14 19 .424 11 22 .333 7 26 .212

Miami Atlanta Washington Charlotte Orlando

Southeast Division 25 8 .758 18 16 .529 14 16 .467 15 20 .429 10 23 .303

GB 4 5 5 6.5

12 12.5 15.5 19.5

7.5 9.5 11 15

Western Conference Northwest Division Oklahoma City 26 7 .788 Portland 26 8 .765 Minnesota 16 17 .485 Denver 15 17 .469 Utah 11 25 .306

LA Clippers Golden State Phoenix LA Lakers Sacramento

San Antonio Houston Dallas New Orleans Memphis

Pacific Division 23 13 22 13 20 12 14 19 10 22

0.5 10 10.5 16.5

.639 .629 .625 .424 .313

0.5 1 7.5 11

Southwest Division 26 8 .765 22 13 .629 19 14 .576 15 17 .469 14 18 .438

4.5 6.5 10 11.

Indiana went on a 14-0 run over a 4:12 span of the third quarter. The Pelicans, meanwhile, missed seven straight field goals.

Nets 89, Cavaliers 82 Deron Williams scored 21 points for Brooklyn, and Paul Pierce added 17 while moving past Allen Iverson into 19th place on the NBA’s career scoring list. Andray Blatche had 12 points in his return from a fourgame absence as the Nets won their second straight for just their second winning streak of the season. They limited a Cleveland team playing without star guard Kyrie Irving to 37 percent shooting and matched their best defensive performance of the season. Reggie Evans had eight points and 11 rebounds for the Nets while starting in place of Kevin Garnett, who was given a night to rest with the Nets beginning a stretch of five games in eight days. Dion Waiters scored 26 points for the Cavaliers, who played without Irving for the second straight game because of his bruised left knee. They beat Orlando in overtime on Thursday but didn’t have nearly enough firepower in this one, losing for the seventh time in eight games.

Bobcats 113, Kings 103 Kemba Walker scored 30 points, Al Jefferson had a season-high 27 and the Charlotte snapped a season-high five-game losing streak.

The Bobcats had lost their previous two games by a combined 57 points, but took the lead in this one with 17 unanswered points in the second quarter. It was Charlotte’s only win on its five-game road trip.

DeMarcus Cousins had 26 points and 11 rebounds and Isaiah Thomas added 21 points and eight assists for the Kings, who are 6-13 at home this season. Rudy Gay scored 17 points and Jason Thompson contributed 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Gerald Henderson scored 16 points for the Bobcats, who were embarrassed in a 134-104 loss Thursday night in Portland. Ramon Sessions had 12 points and Chris DouglasRoberts added 10.

Bulls 91, Hawks 84 Mike Dunleavy scored 11 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, leading Chicago to its fifth win in seven games. Luol Deng added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Bulls, hitting two free throws with 8.8 seconds left to seal the win.

Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague scored 16 points apiece for the Hawks.

Atlanta’s Kyle Korver extended his NBA record of games with at least one made 3-pointer to 103 straight when he hit the first of his two 3s with 9:59 left in the first quarter.

Korver finished with eight points.

Chicago forward Carlos Boozer missed the game with a sore right knee. An MRI came back negative and the team is hopeful it’s nothing serious.

Suns 116, Bucks 100 Gerald Green had 24 points and a career-high five steals starting in place of the injured Eric Bledsoe, pushing Phoenix to the win.

Channing Frye added 22 points, going 6 of 9 on 3-pointers, Goran Dragic scored 13 of his 15 in the second half and Markieff Morris added 14 for the Suns, who have won 11 of 14 but were coming off a home loss to Memphis on Thursday.

Brandon Knight had 25 points for the Bucks and O.J. Mayo scored 18 of his 20 in the second half.

Milwaukee committed a seasonworst 26 turnovers, resulting in 38 Suns points. Phoenix had 11 turnovers for just seven Bucks points. Bledsoe missed his second game in a row with a sprained right knee and is expected to be out for another week. —Agencies

INDIANAPOLIS: Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) dives for a touchdown after recovering a fumble by the Colts’ Eric Berry during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Saturday, in Indianapolis. —AP

Saints march on after ending playoff road jinx NEW YORK: The New Orleans Saints beat the NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles 26-24 in the wild card playoff round on Saturday, ending a road jinx with their first playoff win away from home in the history of the franchise.

Shayne Graham kicked a 32-yard field goal through the middle of the uprights for the winning score as the clock hit zero less than five minutes after the Eagles took a 24-23 lead on a three-yard touchdown pass from Nick Foles to tight end Zach Ertz.

The winning drive was set up by a 39-yard kickoff return by Darren Sproles extended by a 15-yard penalty for a horse-collar tackle that put the ball on Philadelphia 48-yard line.

Drew Brees completed 20-of-30 passes for 250 yards and a touchdown, while Mark Ingram ran for 97 yards on 18 carries for New Orleans, who controlled the line of scrimmage in gaining 185 yards rushing.

“We know what type of team we are,” Brees told reporters. “We know how good we can be. It was just a matter of putting it all together.

“This was great, coming on the road, in a hostile environment against one of the hottest teams in football.”

On the other side of the ball, the Saints defense stifled the prolific running game of the Eagles, holding NFL rushing leader LeSean McCoy to 77 yards on 21 carries and yielding only three other yards on the ground.

New Orleans, who had lost all five of their previous road playoff games since joining the National Football League in 1967, will travel to Seattle to play the top-seeded NFC West champion Seahawks next week.

Despite their lack of success away from their climate-controlled Superdome home, Saints coach Sean Payton said his team was supremely confident.

“I think there was a resolve,” Payton said. “I think our players thought coming in here tonight there was no way we were going to leave without winning this game.”

Decent Conditions Despite a snowstorm that hit the area on Friday and sub-freezing temperatures, the lack of wind and relatively solid footing presented a fair playing field for both teams.

“I thought the weather was pretty good all

things considered,” Payton added. “Hardly any wind at all.”

As far as the charge against the Saints as a team that loses big games on the road, Payton said: “I told the players, ‘you carry your own history. That stereotype can come with a team that plays inside.’ But we travelled pretty well tonight.”

Eagles first-year coach Chip Kelly said the field position gained by the Saints on the last kickoff was a killer, but that he considered the season a success.

“I told them I was proud of them, for us being together for such a short time, and how they acted and how they came to work every single day. I just thanked them for that.”

See-Saw The hard-fought contest included four lead changes before Graham connected on his fourth field goal to clinch victory.

After a scoreless opening quarter between the two offensive-minded teams, the Saints got on the scoreboard first on a 36-yard field goal by Graham for a 3-0 lead.

Eagles quarterback Foles hit Riley Cooper with a 10-yard touchdown strike to jump ahead 7-3 before a 46-yard field by Graham closed the gap to 7-6 at halftime.

The Saints took charge in the third quarter.

Brees connected with Lance Moore on a 24yard score less than five minutes after the intermission to put New Orleans ahead 13-7.

Running back Ingram, carrying the weight with Pierre Thomas sidelined with a back injury, bulled into the end zone from four yards out to cap an eight-play, 66-yard drive for a 20-7 lead.

Philadelphia fought back, and just before the end of the quarter, NFL rushing leader LeSean McCoy plunged in from one yard out to finish a 65-yard drive and cut the deficit to 20-14.

The Eagles’ Alex Henery booted a 31-yard field goal to draw within 20-17 early in the fourth quarter, before the Saints made it a sixpoint game with a 35-yard kick by Graham.

Foles gave the home crowd reason to roar when he sidearmed a go-ahead touchdown pass to Ertz with 4:54 remaining but the crowd of nearly 70,000 was silenced as the Saints marched down the field to set up their winning field goal. —Reuters

BORMIO: Mikaela Shiffrin, of the United States, center, the winner, second placed Maria Pietilae Holmner, left, of Sweden, and third-placed Nastasia Noens, of France, celebrate on podium after an alpine ski, women’s World Cup slalom, in Bormio, Italy, yesterday. —AP

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

S P ORTS

Heavyweights dodge each other in FA Cup draw LONDON: Premier League leaders Arsenal were handed a home tie against third-tier Coventry City in the draw for the fourth round of the FA Cup yesterday.

Arsenal, who last won the tournament in 2005, booked their place in round four with a 2-0 defeat of north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, while Coventry won 2-1 at Barnsley.

The Premier League’s heavyweight clubs were kept apart in the draw, although Chelsea will face a home game against Stoke City if they win at Derby County later yesterday.

Lower-league teams Bristol Rovers and Crawley Town, meanwhile, were given a potential shot at a

home tie with Manchester United.

Fourth-tier Rovers and third-tier Crawley are still to play their second-round tie, which has twice been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, with the winners set to face Championship side Birmingham City. If either side reach round four, they will face the winners of the third-round tie between United and Swansea City that was due to take place later.

Third-division Sheffield United’s reward for upsetting Aston Villa was a home game against another top-flight team as Nigel Clough’s side were drawn to face either Norwich City or Fulham.

Draw for the fourth round of the English FA

Cup, made at Wembley Stadium in London yesterday (ties to be played on January 25-26): Sunderland or Carlisle United v Kidderminster Harriers or Peterborough United.

Bolton Wanderers v Cardiff City.

Southampton v Yeovil Town.

Huddersfield Town v Charlton Athletic or Oxford United.

Port Vale or Plymouth Argyle v Brighton and Hove Albion.

Nottingham Forest v Ipswich Town or Preston North End. Southend United v Hull City.

Rochdale v Macclesfield Town or Sheffield

Wednesday.

Arsenal v Coventry City.

Stevenage v Everton.

Wigan Athletic or Milton Keynes Dons v Crystal Palace.

Derby County or Chelsea v Stoke City.

Blackburn Rovers or Manchester City v Bristol City or Watford.

Bournemouth or Burton Albion v Liverpool or Oldham Athletic.

Birmingham City or Bristol Rovers or Crawley Town v Manchester United or Swansea City.

Sheffield United v Norwich City or Fulham. —AFP

Chelsea see off Derby County with 2-0 win

ANFIELD: Liverpool’s Luis Alberto, left, and Oldham’s Mike Petrasso jump for the ball during their English FA Cup third round soccer match at Anfield, Liverpool, England, yesterday. —AP

Liverpool secures 2-0 victory over Oldham ANFIELD: Much-maligned forward Iago Aspas scored his first Liverpool goal to help his club into the fourth round of the FA Cup but it was far from an easy 2-0 victory over Oldham.

The 26-year-old summer signing from Celta Vigo has endured a difficult start to his Anfield career and never looked comfortable in the Premier League.

Wearing the number nine shirt for Liverpool carries significant history and expectation considering the greats who have graced it in the past.

But Aspas was handed the responsibility of leading the line with 20-goal striker Luis Suarez rested and he eventually delivered with a decent strike 10 minutes after halftime.

James Tarkowski’s late own goal, diverting in Raheem Sterling’s shot, gave Liverpool the cushion they needed - especially as they were down to 10 men after Daniel Agger was forced off injured with three substitutions already made.

There was to be no fairytale repeat of Oldham’s fourth-round victory over the Reds last January and Liverpool can now look forward to a trip to either Bournemouth or Burton Albion.

The accusation levelled at Liverpool is they are a one-man team - and that man was on the bench as the Reds toiled with little impact in a first half which did even less to warm the majority of the 44,102 crowd inside an icy Anfield.

Assistant manager Colin Pascoe, at Friday’s pre-match press conference, suggested Suarez would have kicked either him or manager Brendan Rodgers had they suggested dropping him.

But rest him they did and the only kicking the Uruguay international did for 76 minutes was his heels on the bench.

What he saw, the first half in particular, would have frustrated him as much as everyone else.

With six changes from the New Year’s Day win over Hull it was perhaps not surprising it took a while for the home side to develop any sort of control or rhythm.

Fringe players Aspas and Luis Alberto, both summer signings, were given rare starts but both failed to take their opportunity against a side 19th in League One. Only three of the starting XI - goalkeeper Brad Jones, Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling - experienced the 3-2 humbling at Boundary Park just over a year ago.

While Oldham were the aggressors on that day they arrived at Anfield with a slightly less positive game plan, initially looking to contain.

That plan worked longer that they probably hoped for as Liverpool looked toothless for 45 minutes.

Alberto had a promising half, drifting one shot wide from Victor Moses’ lay-off and having another batted away by goalkeeper Mark Oxley.

Sterling was less effective, which was all the more infuriating for Liverpool considering the majority of their limited opportunities fell to him.

Steven Gerrard’s position as a deeplying midfielder denied the home side an attacking thrust going forward despite Henderson’s best efforts and so the introduction of Lucas Leiva for Alberto at halftime provided a welcome release for the captain.

Immediately Liverpool seemed to find another gear, also helped by the introduction of Philippe Coutinho for the ineffective Moses, and within 10 minutes they had

broken the deadlock.

Sterling finally found an end product worthy of the name and Aspas produced a finish Suarez would have been proud of, hooking home the cross right-footed.

If ever a player needed a boost it was the Spaniard, whose start to his Liverpool career has been disappointing to say the least with a lengthy lay-off with a thigh injury not helping.

It was as though a weight had been lifted off his shoulders and it was something of a surprise to see the previously lightweight forward jump highest in the penalty area to head Sterling’s next cross against the post.

There was no time for Liverpool to rest on their laurels, however, as Danny Philliskirk fired just over from distance to serve warning a one goal lead may not be enough.

More danger was averted by Jones when Michael Petrasso swer ved past Agger, who was left tracking thin air, but fired straight at the goalkeeper.

Rodgers had seen enough and replaced Gerrard with Suarez to really give Oldham something to think about.

But it was Sterling who made the final telling intervention, with his shot turned in by the unfortunate Tarkowski with eight minutes to go.

Rodgers even got the chance to enjoy the sight of his son Anton playing at Anfield, albeit for the visitors as he was given a late run out by Oldham boss Lee Johnson. —Agencies

Matches on TV (Local Timings) Italian Calcio League Serie A SSC Napoli v UC Sampdoria

14:30

beIN SPORTS 3 beIN SPORTS 3 HD Calcio Catania V Bologna FC

17:00

beIN SPORTS 5 beIN SPORTS 5 HD Genoa CFC V Sassuolo Calcio

17:00

beIN SPORTS 4 beIN SPORTS 4 HD AC Milan V Atalanta BC

17:00

beIN SPORTS 3 beIN SPORTS 3 HD Parma FC V Torino FC

17:00

beIN SPORTS 1 beIN SPORTS 1 HD Udinese Calcio V Hellas Verona 17:00 beIN SPORTS 2 beIN SPORTS 2 HD SS Lazio V Internazionale

20:30

beIN SPORTS 3 beIN SPORTS 3 HD Spanish League Primera Div. 1 Real Madrid CF V Celta de Vigo 21:00 beIN SPORTS 2 beIN SPORTS 2 HD

EAST MIDLANDS: John Obi Mikel and Oscar scored second-half goals as Chelsea beat Derby County 2-0 at Pride Park to secure a home fourthround tie against Stoke City. After being mainly reduced to efforts from distance during the first half, Jose Mourinho’s side eventually broke the deadlock just after the hour mark when John Obi Mikel headed home Willian’s free-kick.

The influential Oscar wrapped things up for the visitors just five minutes later when his strike was too powerful for Derby goalkeeper Lee Grant to handle. It was far from straightforward for the visitors, who will now face Stoke, as the fourth round draw was concluded minutes before kick-off.

Derby entered the game on the back of a 1-0 New Year’s Day defeat by Wigan, their first loss in 10, while Chelsea were full of confidence having won their last three Premier League games.

It was Mourinho’s men who had the first sight of goal, though, as Samuel Eto’o attempted to catch Grant out with an ambitious lob, but his effort could only find the stands from distance.

Backed by a vociferous home crowd, Derby were ensuring that the Blues had difficulty breaking down their hosts as Eto’o was smothered by Grant before Michael Essien fired wide, but clearcut chances were scarce for either side in the opening stages.

The Rams were doing well to restrict Chelsea to shooting from range and this was reflected again as Ramires struck wide from some way out before Oscar’s free-kick curled inches away from Grant’s post.

The Brazilian then fired over the bar, again from distance, after escaping Jeff Hendrick and at the other end, John Eustace could only find the arms of Mark Schwarzer after dispossessing Ramires.

Oscar saw yet another long-range strike evade the crossbar before Ramires’ deflected effort clipped the post as the tie remained deadlocked at the break.

Chelsea came out from half-time full of intent, with Jake Buxton forced to clear Oscar’s cross from within inches of the goal line almost immediately after the teams had re-emerged.

Derby then threatened through Jamie Ward, curling a free-kick over the bar, after Will Hughes was clipped by Mikel.

In an attempt to open things up, Mourinho sacrificed captain for the day, Michael Essien, for the more attack-minded Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres then replaced the ineffective

EAST MIDLANDS: Derby’s English midfielder Simon Dawkins (R) tackles Chelsea’s English midfielder Gary Cahill during the English FA Cup third round football match between Derby County and Chelsea at the iPro Stadium in Derby, East Midlands, yesterday. —AFP Eto’o. However, it was through the unlikely source of Mikel that Chelsea eventually took the lead as the midfielder flicked Willian’s near-post free-kick past a helpless Grant in the Derby goal.

Ramires was then booked for diving when there was no contact from Michael Keane in the Derby box, before Chelsea claimed a second via Oscar on 71 minutes.

The Brazilian had been problematic for Derby all afternoon and after exchanging passes on the edge of the area with Torres, his swerving strike was too powerful for Grant and the goalkeeper could only parry it into the back of the net.

Torres then had two chances in quick succession to make it three, initially being denied by

the feet of Grant after the Spaniard looked to round him, before the goalkeeper got down well to push away his strike. Chelsea were threatening to run riot as Ramires’ effort deflected off Keane and onto the crossbar, but against the run of play, Chris Martin forced Schwarzer into a smart save as Derby looked for a way back into the game.

Substitute Mason Bennett also came close as he fired wide with Derby enjoying a good spell of late attacks, but they were unable to breach Schwarzer’s goal and Chelsea headed back to London with their place in the next round safe.

The fourth-round tie against Stoke will now take place at Stamford Bridge on the weekend commencing January 25. —Agencies

Sunderland beat Carlisle 3-1 to reach fourth round SUNDERLAND: The relegationthreatened Black Cats headed in at 11 at half-time after Matty Robson had cancelled out Adam Johnson’s fine free-kick.

However, Sean O’Hanlon’s own goal and a late strike from substitute El-Hadji Ba meant it ended 3-1 to the hosts, killing off any hope of an upset for the 5,631 travelling fans among a crowd of 21,973 and securing a fourth round home tie against either Kidderminster or Peterborough for Gus Poyet’s men.

The fact that it was achieved without skipper John O’Shea, Italy midfielder Emanuele Giaccherini and main striker Steven Fletcher will have been a source of comfort for the Uruguayan amid a cluttered schedule.

However, while progression in both domestic cup competitions has been welcome, it is the fight for Premier League survival which remains the overriding priority.

Carlisle have their own problems with the club sitting just three points clear of the drop zone, but they should return to league action boosted by a creditable display after they more than made a fist of it against top-flight opposition.

Poyet chose to field midfielder Ki Sung-yueng alongside Wes Brown on his return from suspension in central defence, while there was another start for striker Ji Dong-won on the left wing.

But it was Craig Gardner, prompted by midfield colleagues Johnson and Sebastian Larsson, who carried the biggest threat for the home side in the early stages with a series of long-range efforts, although only one of them forced visiting goalkeeper Greg Fleming to make a save.

Fleming did, however, distinguish himself with a fine one-on-one block to deny Jozy Altidore after he had been played in by Johnson with 17

minutes gone, and the United States international later scuffed another effort harmlessly wide from close range.

In the meantime, Prince Buaben had tested Sunderland goalkeeper Vito Mannone at his near post with the League One side still well in the game.

The visitors eventually fell behind 12 minutes before the break as Johnson produced a piece of real quality after Gardner had been tripped by David Amoo 25 yards out.

His curling free-kick was too well placed for Fleming and sailed inside the post to give the Black Cats the advantage they craved.

However, the lead lasted just nine minutes as Amoo atoned for his part in the opening goal by sending in a cross which had Mannone flapping helplessly and Robson latched on to the loose ball to smash it home off the underside of the bar despite Brown’s best efforts on the line.

Mannone was grateful to collect James Berrett’s deflected injury-time effort as the Cumbrians sensed an opportunity.

But the Black Cats restored their lead within five minutes of the restart when Johnson played Larsson’s cross first time back across goal and Carlisle skipper O’Hanlon sliced his attempted clearance past Fleming and into the net.

The visitors immediately embarked upon the search for a second equaliser with full-back Brad Potts getting forward well in support of Amoo down the right, but with Sunderland starting to retain possession their hopes dwindled.

Ki and Ji departed for Phil Bardsley and senior debutant Duncan Watmore with 27 minutes remaining, and the former Altrincham striker almost made his mark within five minutes when he fed Altidore and then ran on to the American’s back-

SUNDERLAND: Sunderland’s Craig Gardner, left, duels for the ball with Carlisle United’s James Berrett, right, during their English FA Cup third round soccer match at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland, England, yesterday. —AP heeled pass before forcing another good save from Fleming.

The Black Cats assumed complete control as time ran down with Watmore providing fresh legs and an enterprising outlook, and the visitors found themselves having to

defend ever deeper as time ran down.

Ba, an 80th-minute replacement for Larsson, made sure in the final minute of normal time with a helping hand from Altidore to complete a solid afternoon’s work. —Agencies

Harris, Johnson heroes as Aussie sweep Ashes

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

Liverpool secures 2-0 victory over Oldham

19

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Eusebio, the ‘Black Panther’ who lit up 1966 World Cup Page 17

OLD TRAFFORD: Swansea City’s Wilfried Bony, left, scores his side’s second goal of the game during the English FA Cup third round soccer match at Old Trafford, Manchester, England, yesterday. — AP

Swansea dump Man United out of FA Cup MANCHESTER: Manchester United’s troubled season reached a new low yesterday as Wilfried Bony’s 90thminute header gave Swansea City a 2-1 FA Cup thirdround victory at Old Trafford. David Moyes’s side had been hoping for the FA Cup, and Tuesday’s League Cup semi-final first leg at Sunderland, to provide some relief from his team’s Premier League travails.

But the 80th-minute dismissal of substitute Fabio da Silva-shown a straight red for a rash challenge on Jose Canas-set the stage for Swansea to claim a dramatic first ever win at Old Trafford.

Wayne Routledge’s opening goal was quickly cancelled out by Javier Hernandez, but in the last minute, Routledge beat stand-in right-back Darren Fletcher and crossed for Ivorian Bony to head home from six yards.

Swansea’s reward will be a trip to either Birmingham City, Bristol Rovers or Crawley Town in round four.

Faced with the prospect of two domestic cup ties in the

space of 48 hours, United hardly made the most auspicious of starts, going behind to Routledge’s opening goal after just 12 minutes.

It was a goal carved out by the sort of slick, onetouch passing football for which Swansea have become renowned under manager Michael Laudrup.

Bony and Alejandro Pozuelo exchanged passes and the latter caught United’s back line square with a perfect pass.

Routledge did the rest, sprinting ahead of Chris Smalling before lobbing Anders Lindegaard in the United goal with a perfectly judged finish. It was a big test of United’s resolve, on the back of a home loss to Tottenham Hotspur in their last outing, and their response was swift, with Hernandez equalising thanks to strong work from Alexander Buttner.

The Dutchman whipped over a dangerous cross from the left and the Mexican forward arrived between

markers Chico Flores and Neil Taylor to finish from close range.

United just about deserved to be level, based on the first half, but as has been the case throughout much of the season to date, they were far from their former best. Hernandez had an early run and shot well blocked by Dwight Tiendalli and following the exchange of goals, Antonio Valencia poked the ball narrowly over after Danny Welbeck’s tidy lay-off.

In response, a Jonathan de Guzman free-kick, steered directly at Lindegaard, was one of the few firsthalf glimpses the visitors had of the United goal.

United responded quickly in kind, with Buttner firing in a direct free-kick that was comfortably saved by Gerhard Tremmel.

Hernandez, with a misdirected header and a mishit volley, spurned a couple of other half-chances before the interval, but the visitors opened the second half in

Sanchez hat-trick puts Barca back on top MADRID: Barcelona moved back to the top of La Liga on goal difference with a comfortable 4-0 win over Elche yesterday thanks to a hat-trick from Alexis Sanchez. The Catalans are tied with Atletico Madrid on 49 points with the two set to meet for the first time in the league this season next weekend at the Vicente Calderon.

Lionel Messi was once again watching from the sidelines as he nears a comeback from a hamstring injury and Neymar was left on the bench having recently returned from a Christmas break in Brazil.

However, Sanchez and Pedro Rodriguez once again proved able deputies as they slotted home inside the opening 15 minutes.

Xavi Hernandez also missed a second-half penalty for the hosts, but it mattered little as Sanchez rolled home his second goal from Pedro’s pass shortly afterwards.

And the Chilean sealed his first hat-trick for the club with a stunning free-kick 21 minutes from time. Barca now lead Real Madrid by eight points, but Madrid can cut the gap on the leaders to five with victory over Celta Vigo today.

“We played very well. We had variation, precision, control and we had a lot of chances,” said Barca boss Gerardo Martino.

“We were always concentrated through the game and limited the opponent to very few sights of goal.

“In the second-half especially we controlled the game completely.” And the Argentine was particularly pleased with the contribution of Pedro and Sanchez in the absence of Messi and Neymar.

“I was happy for Alexis because, as a coach, you always like to see players like he and Pedro who work so hard for the team get their reward.” Barca needed just seven minutes to open their account in 2014 as Jordi Alba’s enticing cross from the left was expertly finished by Sanchez at the back post.

Victor Valdes was making his return in goal for Barca after six weeks out with a calf injury, but he was very nearly beaten on 14 minutes when Richmond Boakye fired a powerful drive off the outside of the post.

Moments later, though, Barca had made the game safe as Cesc Fabregas’ 10th assist of the season released Pedro to round Elche keeper Tono and roll the ball into an unguarded net.

Pedro could have added to his tally twice more in the first-half as he flashed a shot just past the far post before seeing an attempted chip over Tono also float off target.

Barca had a great chance to extend their advantage four minutes after the break when Cristian Sapunaru upended Fabregas inside the area and was extremely fortunate not to be shown a red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.

And Elche had another slice of luck when Xavi side-footed the resultant spot-kick wide of the target.

The third goal did finally arrive just after the hour mark as Pedro unselfishly squared for Sanchez to double his tally for the afternoon. Six minutes later Sanchez sealed his hat-trick with a fine curling free-kick from 25 yards that brought wild celebrations from Martino on the touchline. — AFP

the ascendancy.

Pozuelo’s committed run opened a shooting opportunity for Routledge and won a corner, before the Spanish forward made room for himself to take a low shot that skidded just wide of the home goal.

Bony also shot well wide at the end of another Swansea attack as the tie hung in the balance.

Fresh injury concern arrived for Moyes as defender Rio Ferdinand, making his first appearance since the start of December, limped off with a knee injury in the 75th minute after an accidental collision.

By that stage, Moyes had brought on young winger Adnan Januzaj in an attempt to breathe some life into his team’s attacking play, with the absences of injured duo Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie keenly felt.

But the rapid dismissal of Fabio was another blow for the home side, before Bony turned out the lights on their hopes of reaching round four. — AFP

West Ham humbled

by Forest in FA Cup

BARCELONA: FC Barcelona’s Pedro Rodriguez, left, duels for the ball against Elche’s David Lomban during a Spanish La Liga soccer match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, yesterday. — AP

MANCHESTER: West Ham’s gamble of playing a team full of youngsters and reserve players backfired spectacularly when the Premier League struggler was thrashed 5-0 by second-tier Nottingham Forest in a third-round shock in the FA Cup yesterday.

However, it was relatively plain sailing for other top-flight teams, with Chelsea and Liverpool relying on improved second-half displays to secure 2-0 wins over Derby and Oldham, respectively, and Sunderland beating third-tier Carlisle 3-1.

Manchester United hosts fellow Premier League side Swansea in the late game. With his squad hit by injury and the first leg of a League Cup semifinal against Manchester City to come on Wednesday, West Ham manager Sam Allardyce fielded an unrecognizable starting XI that was humbled at The City Ground.

Djamel Abdoun’s goal gave Forest a 10 lead at halftime before Jamie Paterson scored a hat trick and Andy Reid completed the humiliation with the fifth in injury time. West Ham’s lineup further highlights the FA Cup’s increasing lack of appeal in the eyes of many top clubs nowadays but Allardyce made no apologies, even though the humiliating result will pile the pressure on him after his team’s poor start to the season. West Ham is next to last in the Premier League

after 20 games.

“We had a huge amount of problems in terms of the available members of the squad so I’ve got to keep them intact, that’s a major priority,” Allardyce said.

“Many, many managers have changed the team in all divisions, but my changes had to be severe. I didn’t want it to be but it had to be.”

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho also rested many of his top players against Derby at Pride Park. But the depth of his squad shone through as John Obi Mikel headed home Willian’s devilish free kick in the 66th minute for only his fourth goal for Chelsea in 300 appearances, before Brazil playmaker Oscar struck a fierce shot in at the near post five minutes later.

Chelsea will host Stoke in the fourth round while Liverpool must travel to Bournemouth or Burton after avoiding a repeat of last season’s embarrassing exit at the hands of third-tier Oldham.

Brendan Rodgers’ side was never at its best without the rested Luis Suarez, but Iago Aspas’ 54th-minute goal - his first for the club - and a late own goal by James Tarkowski was enough for the Reds.

Sunderland will play either Kidderminster or Peterborough thanks to goals from Adam Johnson and French debutant El Hadji Ba and an own goal by Sean O’Hanlon against Carlisle. — AP

Business

Libya restarts production at Al-Sharara oilfield Page 22

GCC remains the most competitive oil producer

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

Page 26

Oil, gas and petrochemicals top industries in Kuwait Page 23

Top Fed officials zero in on next policy steps Page 25

DHAKA: A Bangladeshi man carries vegetables on his cart as he rides past campaign leaflets in Dhaka yesterday. An extended post-election political crisis could unravel much of the recent economic progress in Bangladesh which is still counting the cost of a series of disasters in its vital garment industry. —AP

Growth could drop to 5.5% in 2014: IMF Unrest scuttles Bangladesh’s economic gains DHAKA: An extended post-election political crisis could unravel much of the recent economic progress in Bangladesh which is still counting the cost of a series of disasters in its vital garment industry. While still one of Asia’s poorest nations, Bangladesh has posted annual growth figures of around six percent over the last five years and its poverty rate has fallen by some two percentage points.

Once branded a “basket case” by US secretary of state Henry Kissinger, it was more recently named one of Asia’s “Emerging Tigers” by US investment house Goldman Sachs.

Sunday’s election was meant to have been a chance for the young nation to demonstrate its democratic credentials to the international community. But with the main opposition boycotting the contest amid a wave of deadly violence, analysts say foreign investors are more likely to be scared off.

“We are already seeing an adverse impact on the economy ... which could cause irreversible

losses in the longer term,” said Mustafizur Rahman, head of Dhaka’s Centre for Policy Dialogue think tank.

“Shipment of exports, distribution of fertilizer to farmers, supply of goods and produces, purchasing power of consumers are hit hard.

New export orders are slowing down, production costs are raising,” Rahman added. While opposition-ordered shutdowns have been a staple of Bangladeshi life since independence, the country has endured 71 days of general strikes and blockades since the start of 2013.

Frightened of violent repercussions if they break the blockades, many businesses and shops opt to shut for the day while the export of goods grinds to a halt.

One of the worst hit is the garment sector, the mainstay of the economy with Bangladesh now the world’s second largest clothes manufacturer after China. The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry has put the cost of the disruption since October at more than $4 billion, including

a $1 billion loss for the garment sector.

Farmers nationwide have been forced to dump milk and produce has been left rotting, with trucks unable to move them to towns and cities for sale. Food prices have soared in cities due to disrupted supplies as opposition supporters, armed with crude bombs and weapons, blockade main roads in violent protests. But analysts fear the political turmoil could linger well beyond the one-sided polls, with the opposition showing no sign of easing the pressure on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government.

The turmoil caps a woeful period for the garment industry which was hit by a series of strikes in May following the collapse of a factory complex in which at least 1,135 workers were killed.

Appalling safety That industrial disaster, the worst in Bangladesh’s history, again highlighted the appalling safety conditions in the sector after a

Dubai slips after margin lending rules change MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS DUBAI: Momentum driving markets in the United Arab Emirates was tempered yesterday after the regulator approved changes to margin lending rules and said it would crackdown on unlicensed lending, while most other regional bourses scaled higher. Dubai’s index slipped 0.2 percent, easing off Thursday’s five-year high. The market gave back early-session gains as brokers told clients to sell shares so margin limits would fall within the amended regulations.

Although changes to the lending rules aim to improve trading volumes going forward, the likelihood of penalties for not complying with the set limits sent some brokers scrambling to lower margin levels. Most of the trading on Dubai’s bourse was on margin, which is now being cut back, traders said. “Today, margin trading business from what we can see in volumes is low,” said Mohammed Ali Yasin, managing director of Abu Dhabi Financial Services. “This is for the short-term as brokers will raise their capital to allow for more leverage.”

Abu Dhabi’s index rose 0.6 percent, in its fifth consecutive gain, to a new five-year high. Banks supported, with Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank up 3.5 percent and Union National Bank 3.9 percent higher. Analysts expect Abu Dhabi lenders to announce strong dividends in the coming weeks.

In Qatar, the measure advanced 1.1 percent in its second sharp advance as investors position for dividends. Regional investors favor Qatari stocks in dividend season, which are among the highest-paying in the region. In Egypt, Cairo’s benchmark index added 0.6 percent to 6,854 points, heading back to the previous peak of 6,876 points - the intraday high of Dec. 26. The market gained despite fresh violence over the weekend. Thirteen people were shot dead as supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood clashed with police across Egypt on Friday, defying an ever-widening state crackdown on the movement that ruled the country until six months ago. “We expect to see more and more violence from the supporters but the market has been quite resilient as people look forward to the constitutional voting in mid-January,” said Mohamed Radwan, director of international sales at Pharos Securities.

“The question is not if to buy but whether to buy before or after the referendum.”

The priority for investors is to see the country move along a set roadmap to restore full civilian rule. Elsewhere, Saudi Arabia’s measure struggled to make gains but closed up 0.2 percent. Oman ticked up 0.1 percent, while Kuwait’s benchmark was little changed. — Reuters

fire in November 2012 which killed 111 people. It also fuelled demands for substantial wage increases. Although basic salaries have been hiked by 76 percent, the average worker still earns just $68 a month. “The political hostilities have made the industry vulnerable,” said Shahidullah Azim, vice president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association.

“The minimum wages for the workers have been raised, but orders are shrinking. We fear many factories might not be able to pay their wages,” added Azim whose $22 billion industry accounts for 80 percent of Bangladesh’s exports.

“Buyers are pulling out. If more and more orders are diverted, we will have less and less work.” In a final pre-election address on Thursday, Hasina vowed to turn Bangladesh into a middle-income economy by the end of the decade.

But the International Monetary Fund said in a report last month that growth would slow in 2014 to 5.5 percent-the slowest rate in a decade.

“The economy faces challenges rising mainly from the uncertainty in the political environment, social unrest and the transition in the garment industry,” said the report. Despite the impressive growth of recent years, around a third of Bangladesh’s 154 million population still lives below the poverty line. The relative stability of the last two decades has enabled Bangladesh to thrive at a time when Pakistan, its former overlord, has been in near constant crisis.

But the recent turmoil, which has been compounded by the violent reaction to controversial trials dating back to the 1971 war of independence, has evoked fears that Bangladesh could go the same way. Zaid Bakht, director of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, said the country’s poorest were most at threat which could in turn undermine social stability.

The Centre for Policy Dialogue’s Rahman said the situation was not beyond salvation. “But if we further delay, something irreversible will happen,” he added. — AFP

Kuwait inflation rate seen at 3.5% in 2014 KUWAIT: A report by Kuwait Finance House (KFH-Research) forecast yesterday that the inflation rate in Kuwait is expected to be at 3.5 percent in 2014.

The report noted that the inflation rate in Kuwait increased to 2.6 percent in November on a monthly bases, while it dropped year over year (y-o-y). Consumer prices in Kuwait moderated further to 2.6 percent y-o-y in November 2013, a tad lower than 2.7 percent y-o-y growth recorded in October 2013 due to lower food and beverages prices.

Kuwait’s inflation rate has previously touched 3.0 percentlevel in May and June 2013 following high food demand in preparation for holy Ramadan during that month and increasing housing rentals.

Overall, inflation has averaged 2.7 percent y-o-y in January to November 2013, in line with our 2013 inflation forecast of 2.8 percent y-o-y. As it is expected, the moderating inflation rate in Kuwait in November 2013 was due to lower food and beverages prices. During the month, food costs continued to soften to 2.4 percent y-o-y, much lower than 3.5 percent y-o-y increase recorded in the previous month.

Details showed most of the food sub-category declined in November 2013 led by fresh and frozen fruits (-1.5 percent); fresh, chilled and frozen vegetables (-1.4 percent); as well as meat and poultry (-0.4 percent). Meat and poultry and fish and seafood prices constitute about 50.7 percent and 19.7 percent of

the food and beverages price index, respectively.

As Kuwait imports most of its food items (approximately 90.0 percent) for domestic consumption, it is expected that food price inflation in Kuwait will remain low in the near term, in tandem with declining trends in international food prices. In November 2013, the FAO Food Price Index dropped 4.4 percent y-o-y.

In addition to food, Health care and the “miscellaneous goods and services” category also contributed to the decline in inflation, declining by 0.5 percent y-o-y and -1.2 percent y-o-y, respectively. On the upside, prices of furnishing equipment & household maintenance remained high at 4.6 percent y-o-y in November 2013, the same rate as in October 2013. The report noted that the price in this category has grown significantly as it used to hover around 2.2 percent - 2.8 percent in April 2013 to August 2013, due to rising rental costs.

Despite the recent price moderation, accommodative monetary and loose fiscal policy should underpin domestic demand, driving price pressures. Recent credit data released by the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) indicate significant growth in private credit, up by 7.7 percent y-o-y in October 2013, compared with 6.1 percent y-o-y in September 2013 and an average of 4.0 percent in 2012, the strongest growth since 2009. This has been largely driven by the robust growth in lending to households and the real-estate and construction sectors. — KUNA

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

BUSINESS Dimah report

Expect much stronger euro in 2014

By Hayder Tawfik KUWAIT: In the financial markets and specifically in the foreign exchange markets, sometimes currencies do not move according to what we think or what we believe in, based on economic fundamentals. The euro-zone is looking a bit healthier than back in 2012 but there are still big problems they are facing. The weak economic fundamentals faced by some of the members are still there.

Also, the continuing arguments about the banking union or the bail out of some members are still going on. May be the storm is gone away for now but the dark clouds are still in the sky. All this bring us to the question of why the euro has rallied so much in 2013 in spite of the bad shape of the Euro zone block. Let me take you back to something similar happened in Japan over the last two decades. Japan suffered from years of very weak economic growth and deflation, sometimes outright recession, but during those years the Japanese currency was the strongest in the world. May be this defies the economic logic.

Are we going to experience something similar in the Euro zone? We think there is a strong possibility of this happening.

Since July of last year the euro has been on a one way upward move, and it is now back to 2007 levels. After few years of financial gyrations, investors have decided not only to hold euros but also continue to add aggressively to their positions.

Regardless of what kind of an economy a country is running an appreciating currency can cause serious problems.

Just ask The Japanese about it. We think that the biggest risk facing the biggest economy in the Euro zone i.e. Germany is the appreciation of the Euro against the Yen by a whapping 26 percent in 2013. Those two countries are export orientated and depend heavily on the export markets. They both produce top quality goods and sometimes there is not much different from the goods they produce in particular the auto industry. Foreign exchange rates are an important determinant of the price of a country’s goods and services on the world markets. If German car prices hold steady while the euro strengthens, then the cost of German cars in Yen or dollar goes up and the Germans exporters will suffer on the world markets. The Euro zone block has its own problems and the last thing the want is a very strong Euro. Because consumers, corporates and governments have been cutting back, Europe is reliant on exports to drive growth and employment. Sooner or later we expect politicians and businessmen start raising their concern more than ever about the strength of the Euro.

It is not easy to explain the movement of any currency against one single currency or a mix of few. Sometimes a currency might start moving up if investors expect the economic prospects getting better. Other times as it happened with the Japanese banks they liquidated their foreign investments and brought the money home to cover their domestic losses, it drove the Yen to the stratosphere. We know that the price of a specific good or in the case the euro is ultimately determined by supply and demand. So, maybe there is not much Euro around and the European Central bank is not printing enough. This is exactly the opposite of what the Bank of Japan has been doing recently. May be investors have decided that the breakup of the euro-zone is not likely or they have taken very seriously what the European Central bank president, Mario Draghi said about the bank will do whatever it takes to protect the euro. A very strong Euro might be bad for European exporters bad it has its own benefits too. It could encourage increase lending by international investors to the Euro zone governments in particular the periphery governments. It also keeps inflation under control and makes foreign imports much cheaper. The worry here is if it could lead to an outright deflation as it happened in Japan. We think that the European central bank has some limited power in stopping the Euro from strengthening further. Short term interest rates are near zero and printing money is something the Germans will oppose for sure. The introduction of Quantitative Easing measures is possible but can only be done by the rich members such as Germany. Something we can see happening but when the Euro has already reached levels that become unbearable to German exporters.

Finally, we think that the Euro’s appreciation against the dollar and Yen will continue throughout 2014 and it will be sustainable. We remain positive on the currency. We see the currency appreciating by more than 10 percent against the Japanese Yen and may be a bit less against the US dollar.

Libya restarts production at Al-Sharara oilfield TRIPOLI: Libya has restarted oil production at the southern Al-Sharara field with an initial output of 60,000 barrels per day (bpd) after protesters ended a blockade, the state-run National Oil Corp (NOC) said yesterday. But in a new sign of trouble, protesters blocked an oil pipeline in western Libya, adding to disruptions that have slashed Libya’s oil production to 250,000 bpd from 1.4 million.

Tribesmen calling for greater local powers had blocked the Al-Sharara field since the end of October. NOC now hopes to reach the field’s maximum output capacity

of around 340,000 bpd within two to three days, spokesman Mohamed Al-Harari said.

“Production started last night,” he said.

Libya remains in turmoil as the government struggles to rein in dozens of militias that helped topple leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 but kept their guns and continue to make political and financial demands. Last week, the protesters at AlSharara agreed to suspend their action after the defence minister visited them and said the government would look into their demands. They are calling for the establishment of a local council and the granting of

decrease production,” he said.

No more information was immediately available about the protest. The pipeline feeds the Mellitah oil and gas terminal, a joint venture operated by ENI and the NOC. There is no sign of progress in eastern Libya despite reported attempts by tribal elders to help end a blockade of the Ras Lanuf, EsSider and Zuweitina ports, which previously accounted for 600,000 bpd in crude exports. The group behind the blockade is demanded autonomy for the east and a greater share of the oil wealth, Libya’s main source of income. — Reuters

national identity cards for tribesmen from the Tuareg minority. The field, located in the remote and volatile south, supplies crude to the western Zawiya export terminal and feeds the 120,000-bpd Zawiya refinery.

Separately, in western Libya, protesters blocked a pipeline near Nalut carrying condensates from the Wafa field to the port of Mellitah, co-owned by Italy’s ENI, oil officials said.

Harari said production of condensates remained normal as the field had sufficient storage capacity. “We hope the government will solve the problem before we have to

India economy faces challenges in 2014 MUMBAI: India’s economy faces five big questions that could dominate economic debate in the months ahead, according to reports.

Will inflation drop?

India has suffered high inflation for nearly five years. The steady decline in growth in recent quarters has opened up a negative output gap, which means that the economy is growing below its potential rate. Companies lose pricing power in such circumstances.

It is thus no surprise that inflation in industrial goods has fallen sharply. But consumer price inflation-especially food inflation-continues to be too high. This winter has seen a fall in vegetable prices, which is what the Reserve Bank of India was banking on when it decided not to increase interest rates in December. Too much should not be read into this. Inflation had shown signs of declining in the middle of 2013, but it accelerated after that. Inflation expectations of households will continue to be elevated as long as there is no decisive victory in the battle against rising prices.

Will the current account deficit remain under control?

India was walloped during the panic in July because it had a very high current account deficit-as did Turkey, Indonesia and Brazil. One of the best bits of news in recent months has been the sharp decline in the current account deficit. Many-including this newspaper-believed that India would end this fiscal year with a current account gap of around $85 billion, which it would find difficult to fund if global liquidity dried up. It now appears that the external deficit will be around $30 billion lower than earlier estimates. That partly explains the rupee rally after September.

The success in bringing down the current account deficit was achieved because a weak rupee helped push up exports while administrative measures curbed gold imports. A swap subsidy for banks bringing in dollar deposits also helped restock the foreign exchange chest after it was depleted during the defence of the rupee in the middle of 2013.

Will the government meet its fiscal deficit target?

Finance minister P Chidambaram had budgeted for a Rs .5.42 trillion fiscal deficit for the year ending in March. The most recent data released by the government shows that the government had almost reached that number in the first eight months of the fiscal year. That is as far as the absolute number goes. Nominal gross domestic product (GDP) could also be lower than what was implicitly assumed in the budget. So Chidambaram could find it difficult to meet his deficit target in terms of the headline number: fiscal deficit as a percentage of GDP. There are three options. First, aggressive privatizations to lift government revenues. Two, a brutal compression of spending that could likely hurt growth further. Three, clever tricks to ensure that spending done in the current year is only accounted for in the next year.

Will investment activity pick up?

Strong rural demand could prevent a further collapse in economic growth in the coming quarters. But most economists agree that a sustainable recovery will not be possible unless the investment cycle turns. The Cabinet Committee on Investment has tried to clear the way for a few big projects that were trapped in red tape. The recent decision to move Jayanthi Natarajan from the environment ministry could also help some large industrial projects. All this will provide a temporary respite.

However, it will be up to the next government to rebuild business confidence, promise policy stability and undertake reforms that encourage a revival in capital spend-

HYDERABAD: An Indian vendor sorts vegetables as he waits for customers in Hyderabad. The Indian rupee declined Thursday against the dollar amid demand from importers as the US currency strengthened overseas. —AP ing. It will take more than a cabinet committee to revive animal spirits.

Will the effect of quantitative easing be benign?

The US Fed will begin to cut back its monthly bond purchases that are funded with the creation of new money.

The first hints that the US would soon begin to exit its extraordinary monetary policy had led to shock waves in the emerging markets. The Indian rupee had tumbled to

record lows. The effects of the actual reduction in quantitative easing from January are expected to be more benign for three reasons. First, the US central bank has provided unusually strong forward guidance that it will continue with an easy monetary policy till unemployment drops further. Second, the US is not about to shrink its stock of reserve money; it is merely saying that it will cut back the pace of monetary expansion. Third, there is now less uncertainty about the US monetary policy.

UAE regulator changes margin lending rules DUBAI: The UAE stock market regulator has introduced new margin lending rules and vowed to crack down on unlicensed lending, it said in a statement on its website.

Margin lending - borrowing with cash or share holdings as security, has been in high demand as investors sought to maximize gains from a UAE market surge, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi’s bourses jumping 108 percent and 63.1 percent respectively last year. Limits on such lending were introduced in 2008, but many brokers ignored these and faced few repercussions. Now, on the request of brokers, the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) has made changes to what firms can lend customers.

Previously, firms could lend each client 10 percent of the capital they set aside for margin lending, but they can now lend three times that amount. The new rules are to take immediate effect.

Firms must abide by the new regulations or face fines of 100,000 dirhams ($27,200). Repeat offenders may lose their licenses in a promised crackdown on illicit margin lending. “The SCA is doing something important, which is to lower the risk to smaller companies giving unlimited margin and limit downward volatility,” said Mohammed Ali Yasin, managing director of Abu Dhabi Financial Services.

The new rules may increase margin lending in the long term as brokerage firms boost their base capital to provide more margin lending, but in the short term trading volumes may fall as brokers comply with previouslyignored lending limits. “Brokers have to adjust positions to bring margin levels down,” said Hisham Khairy, head of trading for institutional desk at MENA Corp brokerage firm, adding trading volumes could drop by 30 percent initially. — Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. ASIAN COUNTRIES ASIAN COUNTRIES Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal transfer Irani Riyal cash

2.706 4.554 2.698 2.167 2.856 225.880 36.588 3.643 6.357 8.606 0.271 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

75.684 77.982 737.270 753.820 77.292 ARAB COUNTRIES

Egyptian Pound - Cash Egyptian Pound - Transfer Yemen Riyal/for 1000 Tunisian Dinar Jordanian Dinar Lebanese Lira/for 1000 Syrian Lira Morocco Dirham

41.000 40.378 1.324 172.250 400.790 1.904 2.022 35.463

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 283.700 Euro 388.390 Sterling Pound 468.670 Canadian dollar 269.420 Turkish lira 130.320 Swiss Franc 316.980 Australian Dollar 256.460 US Dollar Buying 282.500 GOLD 20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

230.000 118.000 60.000

UAE Exchange Centre WLL COUNTRY Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

SELL DRAFT 254.91 268.22 322.04 392.27 282.50 469.52 2.74 3.634 4.569 2.164 2.857 2.685 76.98 751.90 40.75 402.07 734.68 78.01 75.46

SELL CASH 255.000 268.000 323.000 395.000 285.200 473.000 2.800 3.800 4.880 2.600 3.400 2.760 77.300 752.700 41.100 407.100 740.800 78.400 75.700

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

3.010 3.855 88.370 46.975

Singapore Dollar South African Rand Sri Lankan Rupee Taiwan Thai Baht

0.220450 0.020825 0.001878 0.009413 0.008401

0.226450 0.029325 0.002458 0.009593 0.008951

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

Arab 0.746064 0.037836 0.000078 0.000188 0.395926 1.0000000 0.000139 0.022724 0.001202 0.730851 0.077215 0.075017 0.002174 0.169154 0.131623 0.076259 0.001289

0.754064 0.040936 0.000080 0.000248 0.403426 1.0000000 0.000239 0.046724 0.001837 0.736531 0.078428 0.075717 0.002394 0.177154 0.138623 0.077408 0.001369

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY SELL CASH 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

SELLDRAFT Europe 0.007375 0.458601 0.006089 0.047554 0.379597 0.042091 0.081881 0.008138 0.039954 0.306569 0.131623

0.008375 0.407601 0.018089 0.052554 0.387097 0.047291 0.81861 0.018138 0.044664 0.316769 0.138623

Australasia 0.245228 0.228154

0.256728 0.237654

America 0.261503 0.279600 0.280100

0.270003 0.283950 0.283950

Asia 0.003588 0.0450200 0.034497 0.004355 0.000018 0.002628 0.003361 0.000259 0.082544 0.002982 0.002494 0.006415 0.000069

Al Mulla Exchange

0.004168 0.048700 0.037247 0.004756 0.000024 0.002808 0.003361 0.000274 0.088544 0.003152 0.002774 0.006695 0.000075

CurrencyTransfer 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

Rate (Per 1000) 282.300 390.250 468.150 267.550 4.570 40.610 2.158 3.632 6.376 2.678 751.850 76.850 75.400

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

BUSINESS Weekly commodities update

Will growth drive a strong January for commodities?

By Ole Hansen, Head of Commodity Strategy, Saxo Bank

T

hin holiday markets have yielded a surprise strong performance by the metal sector, not least silver and platinum. The move came during a week where US stock indices extended their gains to new all-time highs and tenyear bond yields climbed back towards three percent.

All of this indicates that the market is gearing up for a strong beginning to 2014 as optimism, especially about US growth, has been rising.

A word of caution before we proceed: Trading this time of year is very thin and market moves can quickly be undone once liquidity returns in early January. Established trends are normally also supported as traders seeks to protect and book as much profit as possible before once again starting from scratch on January the first. So without reading too much into it we can nevertheless try to draw some conclusions as to what will happen into early January.

In a repeat scenario from the previous three years, raised growth expectations could once again become one of the key drivers as 2014 begins. The table below shows the strong January performances among some of the key commodities during the past three years. All showed positive returns in all three years with platinum and RBOB Gasoline the strongest performers followed by industrial metals and Brent crude with silver also joining in. The energy sector was also supported by strong first quarter rallies driven by geopolitical worries in both 2012 and 2013 but overall growth expectations were raised leaving macro funds with a fairly easy decision to make.

Silver has been the best performing commodity during this shortened week but overall remains at the bottom of the performance table having lost more than 34 percent in 2013. Platinum came second after it jumped the most in ten weeks on speculation that a global economic recovery would boost demand for the metal at a time of lower than expected production in South Africa, the world’s largest producer.

Gold shrugs off taper Even gold has managed to shrug of the taper announcement from the US Federal Reserve on December 18 and climbed back above $1,200/oz. which if maintained into the early parts of January may trigger some rethinking about its near-term outlook. Note that the precious metal has managed to rally despite ten-year US bond yields rising to a 30month high and stocks reaching a new record together with the continued reductions of holdings in Exchange Traded Products. As of December 26, some 70 tons had been pulled from gold backed ETPs according to Bloomberg, the biggest monthly reduction since July when the reduction was 74 tons.

Gold is currently down by more than 25 percent on the year but actually up by one percent over the past six months which gives an indication about how the selling was concentrated during the early part of the year. As we begin 2014 headwinds will still present themselves with investors being bearish bonds and bullish stocks on raised growth expectations and the continued normalization of interest rates. December will show a fourth month in a row of negative returns momentum and trend following investors will not be changing their outlook or positioning unless we see a much stronger move to the upside. Traders will continue to favour selling into rallies until we see a potential break back above the December high at 1268/oz.

With growth expectations receiving some attention, silver may once again enjoy a better than expected January and on this basis the gold/silver ratio trade could receive some attention. As the chart above shows the recent outperformance of silver has brought the ratio down to 60.9 which is the cost of one ounce of gold measured in ounces of silver. This level corresponds with trend line support going back to April 2011 when it reached a low of 31.7 as the price of silver was pushing towards USD 50/oz. A break below support could trigger some additional relative buying interest for silver against gold so it is something worth keeping an eye on over the coming days.

MANILA: A Filipino trader blows a horn in front of the electronic board during the last day of trading this year at the Philippine Stock Exchange in the financial district of Makati, south of Manila on Friday. —AP

Oil, gas and petrochemicals top industries in Kuwait Bayt.com and YouGov survey KUWAIT: A recent Bayt.com “ Top Industries in the Middle East and North Africa” survey conducted by Bayt.com, the Middle East’s number one job site, and YouGov, a research and consulting organization, has shown that respondents in Kuwait consider the oil, gas and petrochemicals industry to be the most preferable for employment. Oil, gas and petrochemicals careers are also thought of highly in terms of growth potential, while women are predominantly interested in health-related careers.

In Kuwait, 41 percent of employed respondents are satisfied with the salary package in their current industry, while 48 percent are satisfied with their ability to maintain a good work-life balance. They are also generally content with the potential for career growth (with 40 percent being satisfied); job security (50 percent); working hours (59 percent); and training and development opportunities (36 percent). 53 percent are happy with their current work culture, which shows that the Kuwait work environment is a happy one.

The best salary packages in Kuwait are perceived to be in the oil, gas and petrochemicals industry (65 percent); though banking and finance careers are also seen to pay well, according to 29 percent. Oil, gas and petrochemicals jobs are seen as being the best for maintaining a good work-life balance (47 percent), followed by government (36 percent) and banking and finance (33 percent).

Oil, gas and petrochemicals offers the best potential for career growth according to the majority of respondents (55 percent), with banking and finance coming second (28 percent). The highest levels of job security are seen to be in oil, gas and petrochemicals positions (54 percent),

though there is also a perceived high degree of security in government (42 percent), and banking and finance (21 percent).

Respondents believe that the most stressful industries are oil, gas, and petrochemicals (21 percent), banking and finance (19 percent), construction (18 percent) and IT, electronics and telecommunications (18 percent). Construction is also considered to have the longest working hours, by a third of respondents (24 percent).

Suhail Masri, VP of Sales, Bayt.com, said: “It’s easier than ever before to find jobs in different industries. On Bayt.com we cur-

career advancement as the new frontier of recruitment and certainly the definition of where the vanguard of the online recruitment business is today.”Women in Kuwait are most attracted to healthcare, medical services and pharmaceuticals according to 37 percent of respondents, followed by banking and finance 35 percent) and education and academia (34 percent). Local talent is seen to be drawn predominantly to oil, gas and petrochemicals (46 percent), government, civil service and utilities jobs (34 percent), and banking and finance (28 percent).

In the past year, respondents believe that the oil, gas and petrochemicals indus-

rently have an average of 10,000 vacancies every day across industries, job roles, and career levels. In addition to posted jobs, there is a universe of hidden jobs, where employers fill thousands of unadvertised vacancies using the Bayt.com CV Search leading technology. Besides posting their CVs, Bayt.com professionals can now showcase their skills, merits and interests on the Bayt.com Specialties platform which supports a constant career dialogue and a wealth of opportunity to be recognized by potential employers, clients and peers in the industry. There are over 80,000 specialties on Bayt.com Specialties today growing rapidly due to the popularity and depth of Bayt.com’s unique new value proposition and we see this new realm for

try has seen the strongest growth (50 percent), followed by banking and finance (27 percent), and IT, electronics and telecommunications (20 percent).

Govt favored According to 55 percent of Kuwait respondents, the government is a favorable employer. A quarter of Kuwait respondents (23 percent) have changed the industr y they work in in the last 24 months, with 55 percent considering an industry change in the next few years. Oil, gas and petrochemicals is the industry of choice for 30 percent, though IT, electronics and telecommunications(9 percent) and banking and finance (9 percent) jobs are also popular. The top reasons for career

changes are perceived better salaries (78 percent), career growth opportunities (55 percent), and better benefits (39 percent).

Sundip Chahal, CEO, YouGov, said: “Within Kuwait, it is very clear which industry is the most preferable, though interestingly the majority of regional respondents are keen to find employment in the IT, electronics and telecommunications industry rather than in oil, gas and petrochemicals.”

Data for the Bayt.com “Top Industries in the Middle East and North Africa” survey was collected online from November 1825, 2013, with 7,370 respondents aged 18+, representing Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, KSA, Syria, Tunisia, and the UAE. Bayt.com is the leading online recruitment website in the MENA region today.

With more than 13,750,000 million registered job seekers and over 8 million visits each month (November 2013), we represent all career levels, industries, job roles and nationalities in the region. The jobsite operates in three different languages Arabic, English, and French to cater to our diverse demographic.

Bayt.com works with over 40,000 employer companies, from small businesses to large multi-nationals and governments, and helps them to successfully attract and recruit qualified professionals and executives every day. From our 12 offices in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the UAE, Bayt.com maintains an ongoing, dedicated customer support staff that is able to work directly with our recruiting employer customers to ensure their goals are achieved most efficiently and costeffectively.

Nigerian finance grows but investors still shy

NEW YORK: Ralph Shrader, Chairman and CEO of Booz Allen Hamilton, visits the New York Stock Exchange. The defense contractor provides of management, technology, and engineering services to the US government’s defense and intelligence agencies. It is headquartered in McLean, Virginia. —AP

Words, but no action yet from ECB: Analysts FRANKFURT: The European Central Bank looks set to ring in the New Year with interest rates on hold, but will have its work cut out for it in 2014, analysts say.

The ECB’s policy-setting governing council is scheduled to hold its first meeting of this year on Thursday, but central bank watchers are not projecting any new measures just yet after a surprise rate cut in November.

“The ECB’s governing council appears unlikely to make any substantive policy changes at its first policy meeting of the year,” said Jonathan Loynes at Capital Economics. “But the ongoing combination of weak economic growth, a damagingly strong currency and poor liquidity conditions will maintain the pressure on the central bank to take further action to support the region’s fragile economic recovery in 2014,” he said.

The ECB took markets by surprise in November and pared back its central “refi” refinancing rate by a quarter of a percentage point to a record low of 0.25 percent. The reason behind the move was an expectation that the single currency area is facing a prolonged period of very low inflation.

Area-wide inflation picked up fractionally in November, but analysts believe that does not sound the all-clear and the ECB may have to take further action again at some point.

There is “no immediate need to act,” said Commerzbank economist Michael Schubert. “ECB council members signalled in recent weeks that they currently see no need for further measures,” the expert said. “Against this backdrop we expect that at ECB President Mario Draghi will merely emphasise once again that the ECB is ready to act,” Schubert suggested. In addition to changing interest rates, the ECB could pump more liquidity into the financial system to get credit flowing again between banks and businesses, crucial if any economic upturn is to be sustained.

For the moment, loans to businesses in the euro

area are continuing to decline, new ECB data showed on Friday. Private sector loans dropped by 2.3 percent in November in a year-on-year comparison, after already contracting by 2.2 percent in October, the ECB calculated. The ECB already pumped more than 1.0 trillion euros ($1.3 trillion) into the banking system at the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012 to avert a potentially disastrous credit crunch. But the banks preferred to use the ultra-cheap cash to buy up sovereign bonds rather than lend it on to businesses and the ECB is considering ways of channelling the cash directly to businesses if it decides to open the liquidity gates once again.

“The governing council obviously agrees that with possible further steps the ECB wants to provide targeted support to the real economy. But there seem to be differences of opinion as to what is the most effective way to reach this target,” said Loynes at Capital Economics. Berenberg Bank’s Schmieding said the weak credit data did suggest a possible credit crunch. However, “companies are-on aggregate-in such a comfortable financial position that they can reduce their bank loans and increase their cash reserves at the same time. On aggregate, companies do not need credit at the moment,” Schmieding suggested. “The data on money and credit show that euro-zone companies have the financial strength to increase their investment. The question is whether they will do so.”

Confidence in the future was key to investment and in the wake of the post-Lehman turbulences and the euro crisis, companies are more reluctant to invest than before, the expert argued. However, rising business confidence in the euro-zone “does suggest that business investment will pick up over the course of 2014. In Germany, this started in the spring of 2013 already. We expect more and more companies elsewhere to follow suit soon,” Schmieding said. —AFP

LAGOS: Nigeria’s financial markets posted healthy gains in 2013 but five years on from the global financial meltdown, local investors are still wary of sinking their money into stocks. The market capitalization of the nearly 200 listed companies on the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) rose by 41 percent in the 12 months to December 31 to around 13 trillion naira ($58 billion).

The All-Share Index on west Africa’s leading bourse closed up nearly a third over the year, to 41,329.19 points. The figures indicated that the market appears to have rebounded well from the global meltdown, which saw some eight trillion naira wiped off the value of stocks. Industry operators said the market has been buoyed by foreign investors looking for bargains.

“Foreigners made our capital market their investment destination as a lot of shares were selling far below their par value following the 2008 financial crash,” broker Mukaila Alogba said. Investments from offshore accounted for some 60 percent of total transactions in the stock market in 2013, he added.

Also, the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation, which backs private enterprise, floated 12 billion naira in bonds to lure investors into Nigeria’s nascent capital markets, he said. “The IFC also approached the Securities and Exchange Commission for a nairadominated medium-term notes program of one billion dollars,” Alogba said.

A $1.5 billion African Development Bank facility for projects by telecoms firm MTN was also driving the market, he added.

But despite the more optimistic outlook-including for the Nigerian economy as a whole -Nigerians remained wary of sinking their cash into equities.

Skepticism “Local investors cannot forget in a hurry irrational manipulation of share prices which stockbrokerage firms, in connivance with banks, engaged in to cause the market crash,” said one stocks analyst. Lagos businessman Soji Fadairo would rather forget what happened five years ago.

“Each time I tried not to remember, my memory keeps recalling how I lost my entire savings to stock market crisis,” he recalled. “Overnight, my entire investment running to several millions of naira evaporated like air.”

Fadairo’s experience forced him to sell property in the upscale Ikeja neighborhood of Nigeria’s financial hub to offset a five-million naira bank loan. “I will never put my money on stocks again. Experience they say is the best teacher,” he said. Funke Bello, a 45-year-old civil servant, also lost out but has now dumped stocks for bricks and mortar to assure her long-term financial future.

“I used to be active on market with thousands of stocks in blue-chip companies. I was making a lot of money in terms of capital gains until the crisis,” she said.

The losses she suffered forced her to withdraw her son from his school overseas. “I will not venture into stocks again. I am now into properties business. If you buy a house or a plot of land today and decide to sell it tomorrow, it will be at a good margin,” she said. One senior manager at the NSE said the future looked brighter for the market on the back of strong economic indicators for the country as a whole. The economy is predicted to grow at a rate of seven percent, the naira is stable against the US dollar, inflation is at a manageable 7.9 percent and interest rates are favorable for savings and investment. “A lot has changed since the global recession,” said the official, who requested anonymity.

“Investors are also enjoying high returns on investment due to impressive performances of quoted companies,” he said. The official urged reluctant investors to take advantage of the gains and pointed to new regulations to protect investors.

“We are poised to promote good corporate governance as well as prevent inside dealings and abuse in the market,” he said. —AFP

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

BUSINESS

US crude prices drop, Libya supply in focus GLOBAL WEEKLY INTERNATIONAL REPORT KUWAIT: US crude prices dropped last week as data showing a larger-than-expected build in distillates, which dragged the oil complex lower, in addition to traders’ anticipation of the return of Libyan oil supply. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude oil settled at $93.96 a barrel, down by a hefty $6.36 for the week. In London, Brent crude settled at $106.89, down by $5.29.

NYMEX RBOB gasoline settled at $2.6488 a gallon, for the week, the contract fell by 0.17 cents. NYMX heating oil settled up at $2.9394 up by 0.18 cents.

The Iraqi Ministry of Oil announced that the total of oil exports during December 2013 reached 72mn barrels and their revenues reached $7.47bn. The official spokesperson of the Ministry of Oil, Issam Jihad said “Though all bad weather conditions in the southern Iraqi ports, which occurred for the first time and lasted in Iraq throughout 14 days, yet the

Ministry managed to compensate the delay,” noting that “The price average of oil barrel reach $102.9 for each barrel.” Libya warned customers against buying any crude offered by a pro-autonomy group which seized three oil ports in the east of the OPEC producer more than five months ago. The heavilyarmed group calling for autonomy and a greater share of oil sales is occupying the eastern ports, which previously accounted for 600,000 barrels a day (bpd) of oil exports. The group has said it might sell crude on its own unless the Tripoli government meets its demands to share power and oil revenues.

NOC would take legal action against the signing of petroleum purchase agreements with another party.

US crude inventories fell by more than expected in the week ended in December 27.

According to data released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) crude-oil

stockpiles fell 7mn barrels to 360.6mn barrels, compared with an average survey estimate for stocks to decline by 3mn barrels on the week. Crude-oil supplies are at their lowest level since September 20. Gasoline stockpiles rose by 844,000 barrels to 220.7mn barrels, their highest level since August 9. Analysts surveyed by The Wall Street Journal expected a 1.2mn barrel increase. Distillate stocks, which include heating oil and diesel fuel, rose by 5mn barrels to 119.1mn barrels, a twomonth high, compared with analysts’ forecast of a drop of 300,000 barrels. Natural gas futures fell, capping a second straight weekly decline, after a government report showed the first below-average US supply drop in five weeks. On the New York Mercantile Exchange settled lower at $4.304 per mmbtu. Working gas in storage was 2,974 billion cubic feet (bcf ) as of Friday, December 27, 2013, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net

decline of 97 bcf from the previous week.

Stocks were 562 bcf less than last year at this time and 289 bcf below the 5-year average of 3,263 bcf while analyst estimates compiled Bloomberg predicted a 112 bcf decline.

The euro fell the most against the US dollar in two months amid speculation its six month rally was due for a pause even as data signaled improvements in the European economy. The British pound advanced for a third week against the euro as data showed UK house prices rose in December and mortgage approvals in November reached the highest level in almost six years.

US US consumers’ mood improved as 2013 drew to a close, with many optimistic about their future job prospects, while home prices rose again in October, though the pace of gains slowed. The data releases provided more evidence of strength in the US economy, which appears to have overcome headwinds caused by an autumn government shutdown, higher taxes and rising mortgage rates. The rise in the Conference Board’s index of consumer attitudes to 78.1 in December brought it to within reach of levels last seen before a standoff in Congress over fiscal policy caused the government to shut down in October.

US construction spending rose to its highest level in nearly five years in November as a surge in private construction projects offset a drop in public outlays. Construction spending increased 1 percent to an annual rate of $934.4bn, the highest level since March 2009. It was the eighth straight month that construction spending increased. Economists polled by Reuters had expected a gain of 0.6 percent in November. Construction spending in October was revised to show a 0.9 percent rise instead of the previously reported 0.8 percent increase.

US manufacturing grew at a slightly slower pace in December but hiring hit a 2-1/2-year high and the volume of new orders soared to a level last seen in early 2010. The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said its index of national factory activity stood at 57.0 last month. That was in line with economists’ forecasts but a touch below November’s 2-1/2-year high of 57.3.

Contracts to purchase previously owned US homes edged up in November, marking the first increase in six months and providing a hopeful sign the sector has begun to stabilize after its momentum was sapped by rising mortgage rates. The National Association of Realtors said its Pending Home Sales Index, based on contracts signed last month, rose 0.2 percent from October, to 101.7. But contracts were 1.6 percent below last November’s levels.

Economists polled by Reuters had expected signed contracts, which become sales after a month or two, to rise 1.0 percent. The US Federal Reserve is no less committed to highly accommodative policy now that it has trimmed its bond-buying stimulus, Ben Bernanke said. Bernanke gave an upbeat assessment of the US economy in coming quarters. But he tempered the positive signs in the housing sector, financial markets and fiscal policies by repeating that the overall recovery “clearly remains incomplete” in the United States.

Europe Euro-zone manufacturing grew at the fastest rate since mid-2011 in December on brisk business in Germany and Italy, setting the stage for a solid start to the year after a tumultuous 2013. Markit’s euro-zone Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 52.7 in December from November’s 51.6, confirming an early estimate and marking its best reading in 31 months. In other news, lending to

companies in the euro-zone contracted at the fastest pace on record in November, piling pressure on the European Central Bank to do more to revive the currency bloc’s economy.

Corporate borrowing in the euro-zone overall declined at the fastest pace on record, November’s 3.9 percent drop comparing with a 3.8 percent decline on the year in the previous month.

Rising output and strong growth in new orders helped German manufacturing expand at the fastest rate in 2-1/2 years in December. Markit’s Purchasing Managers’ Index for the German manufacturing sector, which accounts for about one-fifth of the economy, rose to 54.3 in December from 52.7 in November, its sixth consecutive month of expansion. The final reading was the highest since June 2011, and was a tick above the preliminary figure of 54.2, helped also by a boost in employment in the sector. British manufacturing grew less quickly than expected in December but the sector still looks on track to notch up growth of more than 1 percent in the fourth quarter. The Markit/CIPS Manufacturing PMI eased to 57.3 last month from November’s three-year high of 58.1. That was below the 58.0 expected by analysts the average PMI reading for the final three months of the year was the highest since the first quarter of 2011. Meanwhile, Britain’s construction industry enjoyed its second fastest month of growth in more than six years in December, helped by the biggest increase in commercial projects since 2007. The Markit/CIPS construction PMI fell to 62.1 in December from November’s reading of 62.6, the index’s highest level since August 2007 when the financial crisis first started to take hold in Britain.

Japan Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda indicated the central bank will keep intact its current monetary easing policy in 2014 with prospects that the country’s economy continues to recover despite possible adverse impact from a sales tax hike in April.

China China’s manufacturing sector showed signs of losing momentum in December indicating the challenges facing Chinese exporters. The official manufacturing purchasing managers index fell in December to 51.0, slightly below expectations, from 51.4 the month before. The median forecast of eight economists polled by The Wall Street Journal was 51.2. Economists said that the rising wages and a stronger currency have hurt China’s exports dragging down growth in the manufacturing sector.

Growth in China’s services sector fell to a four-month low in December as business expectations dropped. The official PMI for the non-manufacturing sector dropped to 54.6 in December from November’s 56.

The sub-index for business expectations sagged to 58.7 last month from November’s 61.3, dragged down by the property and water transportation sectors where firms expected activity to contract while new orders held steady at 51.

India India’s factories lost momentum last month as softness in new domestic orders prompted firms to lower production growth, but demand from abroad picked up. The HSBC Manufacturing PMI, compiled by Markit, fell to 50.7 in December from 51.3 in the previous month. The index, which gauges business activity in Indian factories but not its utilities, spent three months below the 50 mark. A sub-index measuring overall new orders fell to 51.3, from 51.9 in November. That prompted firms to decrease the pace of output growth last month.

An oil pump operates at sunset in the desert oil fields of Sakhir, Bahrain. The price of oil fell below $98 a barrel amid reduced trading volumes and the impact of a strengthening dollar. —AP

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

BUSINESS

Top Fed officials zero in on next policy steps Better economy puts US CB at crossroads

Crippled Kashagan oil project a ‘nightmare’ LONDON: Giant Kazakh oilfield Kashagan, which was brought to a halt by leaks shortly after start-up last year, is grappling with a bureaucratic “nightmare” on top of its engineering troubles as it strives for commercial production in 2014. The scale and complexity of the world’s most expensive standalone oil project led its seven partners away from the traditional single operator command-andcontrol model, where one of the larger companies takes charge while the others provide support and share the risks, costs and rewards.

The consortium, which includes ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell, Total and Kazakh state oil firm KazMunaiGas(KMG), first put one of the smaller partners - Italy’s Eni - in charge of construction and deliver y in 2001/02. They retreated from that decision in 2008/09 after years of delays and cost escalation, opting instead for collective responsibility. This has created problems along the way, and is an extra headache for engineers and managers as they battle to find out why a pipeline started to leak last year, just weeks after oil flowed for the first time, and to fix the problem so that oil can flow out and revenue in.

“It’s a bit of a nightmare to be honest,” said one industry source with knowledge of the project. “The consortium is the operator until first commercial production, so it’s all a bit ‘by committee’ until then.” The Caspian Sea project aims to exploit the biggest oil discovery in decades, producing a peak of 1.66 million barrels a day - as much oil as OPEC member Angola, from a reserve almost as big as Brazil’s. Much of it is built on artificial islands to avoid damage from pack ice in a shallow sea that freezes for five months a year in temperatures that drop below minus 30 degrees Celsius (-22F).

The field extends over 3,375 square kilometers (1,303 sq miles), and the whole onshore and offshore site is bigger still. The oil is 4,200 metres (4,590 yards) below the seabed, at very high pressure, and the associated gas reaching the surface is mixed with some of the highest concentrations of toxic, metal-eating hydrogen sulphide (H2S) ever encountered. Kashagan has cost an estimated $50 billion so far, five times early projections, and its 13-year life is a tale mostly of delay. In September and October 2013, pipeline leaks

that investigators think were caused by H2Slinked stress cracks led to shutdown.

Commercial production could be many months away as a result, and the engineering difficulties have exposed the shortcomings of the unwieldy administrative structure, which will stay in place until the oil is flowing properly. Agip, Eni’s engineering arm, was initially the operator and is still nominally in charge of the construction and delivery phase, much of it conducted by Eni unit Saipem. But the operatorship changed in 2009 when a new entity, representing all the partners and called the North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC), took over.

“It gives you a headache just thinking about it,” said a second source. “There used to be a normal operatorship set-up. Now it’s just one committee after another. Each company has its own internal auditing, permitting procedures, personnel management, communication, etc. Every single step has to be seen by everyone else. It’s as if there was no CEO but the board met every day.” It won’t get any simpler when the oil starts flowing. Shell will then take over management of production operations along with KMG, the NCOC website says.

Shell will also take on planning, development and construction of phase 2 of the project’s offshore facilities, which is designed to bring it up to full production, but Agip will do the onshore work, and ExxonMobil will do the phase 2 development drilling. Meanwhile, Total, the fourth international oil company (IOC) in the consortium, is conducting the leaks investigation, including use of a “pigging” pipeline investigation robot. The companies involved in the project have also changed over the years. BP, BG Group and ConocoPhillips have all sold out.

Sources among the bolters say picking Eni as operator - much less experienced in giant projects than some of its partners - was the result of unwillingness among the bigger players to see one of their near rivals operate such a prestigious scheme. They say that lack of experience might have contributed to Kashagan’s problems and to the change of approach in 2009. Eni declined to comment on that suggestion, but a spokesman said the company “was awarded operatorship of the project as the outcome of a selection process within the venture group”.— Reuters

Realty investment — advantage NRIs KUWAIT: With the GDP’s growth rate at 4.80 percent in the first quarter and the rupee nosediving by 20 per cent so far this year against US dollar, NRIs are sitting pretty to derive maximum yield on their investment. Money exchangers and bankers are reportedly seeing a spurt in remittance from the expatriate Indian community.

The inflow is not only limited to making fresh investment but also minimizing home loan liability through prepayment options.

Housing finance companies and select banks are seeing NRI home loan borrowers minimizing their financial commitments.

Mid-size investment in developed plots is surging as is evident from the quantum of enquiries received by various land developers.

A cursory glance at housing scenario in India will reveal the investment potential in real estate. A technical group set up by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation has estimated that the housing shortage at the start of the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17) was 18.78 million units.

Even after liberalization of FDI norms in real estate, not much headway has been made in mitigating the housing shortage in the country nor easing the norms to encourage more investment in housing. Affordable housing has been given the boost by way of easing ECB norms and the World Bank allocating $100 million. With soaring land prices and prohibitive infrastructure development charges, not many developers are evincing interest to develop such categories of properties. There is a paramount need to offer more fiscal sops to encourage developers for affordable housing development.

In this piquant situation, what is in store for investors in real estate sector? Location and timing are essential ingredients. Even in the aftermath of 2008 crisis, residential index rose across Indian cities except in a few cities. There are of course specific reasons for the sluggishness in select cities like Hyderabad aggravated by the political imbroglio.

Time and tide wait for none, so goes the adage. Similar is the case with real estate investment. The reasons are not far to seek.

Every year, the state government is gearing up to mobilize additional revenue by way

of hiking guideline values. The petroleum price hike pushes the every associated sector. Material, labor shortage and soaring land values have led to an unprecedented hike in the cost of construction to a level that small developers have downed their shutters.

Housing is still not recognized as an industry while film industry has got the status long back. With the result funds for real estate sector are available only at exorbitant rates as banks are not encouraged to fund developers but only with riders. The worst hit in the whole scenario is the common man as he bears the brunt of all price increases.

With the urbanization gaining momentum and suburbs bristling with activity, city apartments have now crossed Rs 1 crore mark in major cities like Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai and NCR. Even redevelopment work is raking in money for those lucky investors who had wisely invested in real estate decades ago. Between concept and implementation, price appreciation in many residential projects ranges from 18 to 25 per cent.

What additional factors have given a boost to NRI investment in real estate? The availability of property management services in many cities for retail investors. A few multinationals like LJ Hooker, Red Sky, Remax and Coldwell Banker have already set up shops across India and are in the process of appointing franchisees to expand their operations. Industry sources say that Australian companies like Rockend has innovative and easy to use property management software, strata management software, document management software and trust accounting software.

The easing of repatriation norms, decentralization in remittance through authorized foreign exchange dealers are major factors that should prompt NRIs to increasingly look at investment in real estate. Whether it is for higher education, earn lucrative yield on investment, senior citizens homes’ or living life in luxury, real estate is a better option and the earlier one gets into the bandwagon the better. All said and done there is no denying that ground realities will have to be strictly adhered before plunging into investment.

PHILADELPHIA: The US Federal Reserve, having just reduced its bond-buying program, now appears deep in debate over the best way to unwind its extraordinary stimulus in the months and years ahead. Wrapping up a big economics conference in snow-swept Philadelphia, a handful of top US central bankers were sometimes at odds over the ideal pace at which to wind down the purchases and, eventually, start to shrink the Fed’s balance sheet and raise interest rates.

The Fed has held benchmark rates near zero since late 2008 to spur growth and hiring in the wake of the Great Recession. It has also quadrupled the size of its balance sheet to around $4 trillion through three rounds of massive bond purchases aimed at holding down longer-term borrowing costs.

In what came as a surprise to some, the Fed decided last month to cut its current quantitative easing program, or QE3, by $10 billion to $75 billion per month. It cited a stronger job market and economic growth in its landmark decision, which amounts to the beginning of the end of the largest monetary policy experiment ever. Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren dissented against that decision. On Saturday he urged patience as the Fed continues to trim the purchases, in part because he said it risks a permanent rise in the number of Americans who are out of work. “The failure of monetary and fiscal policy to generate a more rapid recovery risks creating a long-term structural unemployment problem out of a severe cyclical downturn,” the dovish Fed official said at the meeting of the American Economic Association.

US unemployment has dropped from a postrecession high of 10 percent in 2009 to 7.0 percent in November, a five-year low. Still, the proportion of the unemployed who have been so for more than six months remains high, at almost 40 percent. In what might be his last keynote speech as Fed chairman, Ben Bernanke told the conference on Friday that the economic recovery has a long way to go, and that the Fed is committed to stimulus as long as needed. Last month, he said the Fed plans to keep buying bonds through much of the year.

Beyond that, the central bank has tried to telegraph its future intentions by saying it will most likely keep rates near zero well beyond the time joblessness falls below 6.5 percent.

Those promises make hawkish Fed officials like Charles Plosser uncomfortable. On Saturday Plosser, the head of the Philadelphia Fed, warned the recession could have done permanent damage to potential US output.

Taking an indirect swipe at an approach favored by Fed Vice Chair Janet Yellen, Plosser said he is skeptical of “optimal control” policymaking in which mathematical models are used

WASHINGTON: Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke speaks during a news conference at the Federal Reserve in Washington. The Fed will begin to reduce bond purchases by $10 billion this month because of a stronger US job market.—AP to predict when things like unemployment and economic growth will return to more normal levels. “Measures that arbitrarily, or by assumption, assign the bulk of fluctuation in GDP to purely temporary factors may provide poor policy guidance when shocks are more permanent in nature,” he said. Yellen, who is set to take the reins at the U.S. central bank next month, has in the past suggested higher inflation could be tolerated for a short while in order to speed up the overall economic recovery.

Life after bond-buying While gross domestic product growth rose above 4 percent in the third quarter, it has generally stayed closer to 2 percent since the recession ended in 2009, causing some to think that longer-term potential GDP growth is no longer the 3-percent rate to which Americans are accustomed. If that is the case, the Fed’s ultra-easy policy stance, including promises to keep rates near zero for a while to come in order to drive down joblessness, may be misdirected.

“The shock that hit the economy appears to have had very persistent, if not permanent, effects,” said Plosser, who regains a vote on policy this year under the Fed’s rotating system.

“From a statistical perspective, the economy appears to have taken a permanent hit to the output level.”

For now, the Fed is looking for sustainable economic growth and labor market improve-

ment before it stops buying bonds and starts looking to shrink its balance sheet.

William Dudley, the influential head of the New York Fed, said he hopes the balance-sheet trimming will start to happen in the next four years - the duration of Yellen’s term if she wins US Senate approval as expected today.

“But there is a lot of uncertainty about how monetary policy exit will occur with the very large balance sheet,” Dudley said. “We have a pretty strong presumption that the instruments we have in place will work very well ... But there is no question that there could be unintended consequences.” Clearly communicating policy intentions “becomes critically important” in this phase because “the real question is not what will happen today but what will happen in the future,” he said. Michael Woodford, a Columbia University professor whose writings on such communications have been hugely influential at the Fed and other central banks around the world, urged the Fed to further clarify exactly what economic conditions would cause it to consider raising rates. “I’m a little disappointed that ... they haven’t been willing to tell us much more. They backed off somewhat,” he told the conference on Friday, noting that 6.5 percent unemployment - the level the Fed has tied to a possible policy tightening - is not that far off.

“One hopes that the new FOMC (the Fed’s policy-making committee) will address this issue ... in coming months.” —Reuters

Boeing contract cuts into local labor influence SEATTLE: A new labor contract that was approved in a close vote by Boeing machinists secures a major airplane contract for the Seattle area, but it also moves workers away from pensions.

National union leaders, the state’s governor and the company all hailed Friday contract approval - which defied local union bosses - as a vital boost to the region’s economy.

The tight count exposed deep rifts in the once-powerful union, but with plenty of states lining up to give Boeing exactly what it wanted to get work on the 777X, the aerospace giant had a tremendous advantage. “It shows that even a strong local is vulnerable and has a limited defensibility to slow the tide of concessions that has been going on across the country,” said Leon Grunberg, a sociology professor at the University of Puget Sound who coauthored a book, “Turbulence: Boeing and the State of American Workers and Managers.”

He added Saturday, “This is happening with a company that’s doing very well financially.” Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers approved an eight-year contract extension late Friday by 51 percent, a turnaround from November when the same workers voted down a previous offer by 67 percent.

The passing margin was about 600 votes of about 23,900 counted, according to Wilson Ferguson, president of a local unit of District 751. Ferguson said Saturday that the vote diminished the local union’s power since it conceded some hard-fought benefits they won’t be getting back. Foes of the contract opposed the idea of freezing the machinists’ pensions and moving workers to a definedcontribution savings plan.

“The very fact that Boeing was making these demands in the first place just has to be

seen as discouraging for average workers,” said Jake Rosenfeld, a sociology professor at the University of Washington who has a forthcoming book “What Unions No Longer Do.” “This is a very strong union, and if you have a strong union, being forced into givebacks of this sort ... then you can just imagine how little leverage other workers have when negotiating,” he added.

Dog-eat-dog industry But Richard Gritta, a finance professor at University of Portland, said Boeing needed to gain these concessions to remain competitive in the “dog-eat-dog industry” that has seen Boeing and Airbus trade dominance. “It’s a very tough industry. To gain these concessions from labor is critical,” he said Saturday.Local union officials had urged their 30,000 members to oppose the deal, arguing that the proposal surrendered too much at a time of company profitability. They had opposed taking a vote at all but were overruled by national leaders in the Machinists union.

A number of political leaders, including Washington Gov Jay Inslee, praised the vote, which supporters said keeps thousands of well-paying jobs in the state and solidifies Boeing’s presence in the Seattle area, where the company built its first airplanes nearly a century ago.

Inslee, a Democrat, said the vote secured Washington state’s “future as the aerospace capital of the world.” Some local elected officials had said there was no other choice but to vote “yes.”

Grunberg, the University of Puget Sound professor, said, “Everybody was scared about Boeing moving this huge new production out of state, so I think there was tremendous anxiety about losing this production.” More than 20

WASHINGTON: Boeing workers cry after learning that voters in District 751 of the Boeing machinists union voted to accept Boeing’s latest contract offer to keep the assembly of the Boeing 777X airplane in Washington state.—AP

WASHINGTON: Jim Bearden, administrative assistant for District 751 of the Boeing machinists union, tells reporters that workers voted to accept Boeing’s latest contract offer to keep the assembly of the Boeing 777X airplane in Washington.—AP

other states moved recently to bid for work on the 777X, an updated version of Boeing’s bestselling 777. Boeing has said the 777X is expected to carry as many as 400 passengers and be more fuel efficient than the 777. US Sen Patty Murray on Friday said the decision wasn’t an easy one and workers’ concerns about income and retirement security were legitimate. But the Democrat also said the agreement guarantees “thousands of good-paying jobs and billions of dollars in economic growth.”

Under the terms of the contract extension, Boeing said the 777X and its composite wing will be built in the Puget Sound area by Boeing employees represented by the Machinists union. Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner said Friday that “the future of Boeing in the Puget Sound region has never looked brighter.” Lynne Dodson, with the Washington State Labor Council, the largest labor group in the state with 450,000 members, didn’t see Friday’s vote as an indication of declining union influence. “It’s an indication of just how far Boeing will go,” she said. “It’s more a reflection of corporate greed than of union power.”

Ferguson, the local union leader, said Saturday morning: “This was a turning point in the labor movement. Pensions were hardfought battles to get in the first place. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.” “Their fear and intimidation worked,” he added. —AP

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

BUSINESS

GCC remains the most competitive oil producer Saudi has lowest cost of oil extraction in world KCIC ASIA ECONOMIC REPORT

By Francisco Quintana In the late 1970s the United States decided to support the development of technology to tap shale gas and oil. Steadily, the country was able to develop the technology necessary to reach oil and gas deposits that were previously inaccessible. Hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking’ procedures have been gradually improved, reducing drilling time and cost. According to the United States’ Energy Information Agency (EIA) in a note published in June 2013 (“Shale oil and shale gas resources are globally abundant”), the world has 345 billion barrels of technically recoverable shale oil which until not long ago were not available. That additional amount is larger than the existing proven reserves in Saudi Arabia, which are estimated to amount up to 300 billion barrels. If these reserves can be tapped successfully, the current map of oil would shift substantially. The International Energy Agency (IEA), a think tank supported by OECD countries, estimates in its 2013 energy outlook that the United States will be the top oil producer by 2015 on the back of rising shale production. These developments

have prompted a debate on the future role of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE and Qatar in the energy field. Many analysts think that rising competition from shale oil will reduce the capacity of the region and, in particular, of Saudi Arabia, to prolong its current price-maker role in the energy markets.

A key factor is often absent in this debate. New technological developments have made the extraction of shale oil and gas economically efficient at current prices, but the extraction cost is still one of the highest among different types of oil. The chart shows the estimated cost of producing one barrel of oil, including the investment in capital. Saudi Arabia has the lowest extraction cost in the world, just above $20 per barrel. The proximity of its deposits to the surface allows an easy exploitation, while the dire size of its deposits (just the Ghawar field close to Bahrain holds more oil than the United States) creates economies of scale in infrastructure investments. Similar conditions apply to the rest of the Gulf countries, Iraq and Iran, which can extract oil with only a minor premium over Saudi Arabia. Other sources of relative cheap oil like China, Libya and Mexico play a

small role in international markets due to their limited exporting capacity. China consumes domestically the 4 million barrels that are produced every day. Libya never fully recovered from the Arab Spring events and is currently exporting

United States, destination of almost 90% of the country’s exports of oil, dropped from a peak of 1.5 million in 2004 to less than a million bpd in 2012, due to falling production and rising domestic consumption.

three times more expensive than conventional GCC oil. Production costs for shale oil in the United States and oil extracted from sands in Canada ranges from $70 to more than $100, five times Saudi Arabia’s cost. Production cost estimates vary

100,000 barrels per day, compared to one million in July and more than 1.5 million before the crisis.

Similarly, Mexico is reducing its exporting capacity: sales to the

New discoveries Most of the new discoveries of non-conventional oil involve much higher production costs. Oil from deep water extraction is at least

among analysts, but magnitudes remain widely similar. These estimates in particular were calculated

by Cambridge Energy Research Associates in 2008, but since then

only the shale oil industry has witnessed a relatively significant change in technology and extraction prices have only come down marginally.

In spite of rising production, oil prices did not come down because the marginal cost of oil production, which is the cost of pumping the last and most expensive barrel required to satisfy demand is increasingly higher due to the technical challenges associated to drilling in places like the Arctic Ocean or deep waters, which involve higher material costs and falling productivity.

Gulf countries need high oil prices because they have to meet rising fiscal needs. But, in the event of a sustained period of low oil prices, a large chunk of today’s global production would have to shut down due to high extraction costs. Instead, the Gulf would be the only place in the world where producers would still make money by selling oil at $40 a barrel. Saudi Arabia and its neighboring countries still have an important role to play in global energy markets in the decades to come.

—Francisco Quintana is a Senior Economist at KCIC, an investment firm investing in Emerging Asia.

How will risk perform this year after a strong 2013?

Burgan Bank announces daily winners of Yawmi account

NBK MONEY MARKET REPORT

KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced yesterday the names of the five lucky winners of its Yawmi account draw, each taking home a prize of KD5,000.

The lucky winners for the daily draws took home a cash-prize of KD 5000 each, and they are: 1. RAJAA HASSAN EASA ALAWAD 2. ALJAZI MOHD NASHMI AL-OTAIBI 3. AHMAD BADER ABDULAZIZ ALMUTAWAA With its new and enhanced features, the Yawmi Account has become more convenient, easier, and faster for customers to benefit from. Now, customers will be eligible to enter the draw after 48 hours only from opening the account. Customers are also required to deposit KD 100 or equivalent only to enter the daily draw, and the coupon value to enter the draw stands at KD 10.

The newly designed Yawmi account has been launched to provide a highly innovative offering along with a higher frequency and incentive of winning for everyone. Today, the Yawmi account is a well understood product, where its popularity can be seen from the number of increasing account holders.

Burgan Bank encourages everyone to open a Yawmi account and/or increase their deposit to maximize their chances to becoming a daily winner. The more customers deposit, the higher the chances they receive of winning the draw.

Opening a Yawmi account is simple, customers are urged to visit their nearest Burgan Bank branch and receive all the details, or simply call the bank’s Call Center at 1804080 where customer service representatives will be delighted to assist with any questions on the Yawmi account or any of the bank’s products and services.

Customers can also log on to Burgan Bank’s www.burgan.com for further information.

KUWAIT: We take the opportunity to wish you a happy new year 2014 from all National Bank of Kuwait Treasury staff.

The New Year begins with the Federal Reserve having begun tapering its Quantitative Easing program, the 10-year treasury yields at around 3 percent, and the great debate begins whether the trends of 2013 would continue or we see a sustained Dollar rally into the new trading year. The most important question analysts are debating now is how markets would perform in 2014 after the S&P moved up almost 30 percent in 2013 and the Nikkei almost 60 percent.

Tapering the Fed QE program has proven to be a real concern last year when it relates to emerging market currencies. As we have seen strong demand for Euro, Pound and the Swiss Franc into the yearend, all three have seen a start of trend reversal into the first two trading days of the year.

The euro closed the week at 1.3589 while the Sterling Pound at 1.6418. The Yen remains on the

increase of 0.4 percent compared to November’s reading of 56.5 percent. December’s employment reading is the highest since June 2011 when the Employment Index registered 59 percent Will ECB act again?

While no major policy changes expected at the January 9 meeting, weak economic growth, a strong euro and poor liquidity conditions may pressure the ECB to act Further. Drying up of bank liquidity could induce the ECB to issue more LTROs, possibly with conditions forcing banks to use funds to increase business and household lending. The Euro strength not only threatens to hinder the fragile recovery, it may push inflation further below the ECB targets. If the euro strengthening does continue, it may cause the ECB to cut refi rate to by end-1Q to 0.10 percent.

Spain job creation Spain’s Economic Minister Guindos said, “2014 will see the net creation of jobs, higher even than we pre-

UK manufacturing The UK manufacturing index remains comfortably over the 50 level despite coming in less than expected on Thursday. Last month’s reading of 58.4 was the highest since Feb 2011. however this has since been revised to 58.1. The market consensus expected us to match this figure at around 58.0 but we came in less than expect at 57.30.

On the other hand, Britain’s construction industry had its second fastest month of growth in more than six years in December. The Construction PMI fell to 62.1 in December from November’s reading of 62.6, the index’s highest level since August 2007 when the financial crisis first started to take hold in the UK. China’s disappointing PMI After China’s disappointing official PMI figures that came over the weekend, not helping market sentiment was the final HSBC manufacturing PMI that slipped to a 3-month low of 50.5 in Dec from 50.8 in Nov. Analysts however still expect stronger external demand and the growth-enhancing effect of reforms should lead to further acceleration of the economy in 2014.

Volatility in onshore Chinese money market rates continues while on the other hand, China’s house prices continue to show signs of stabilization. Indeed, Chinese property prices rose again in December, according to two private surveys, but are showing signs of stabilizing following government measures aimed at cooling the housing market and averting the threat of a bubble. House prices have surged in the past year, in part due to a view that property remains one of the best investments. That has prompted the government to try to head off bubbles in the market without damaging one of the pillars of growth in a slowing economy Japan easing Bank of Japan Governor Kuroda said the central bank won’t necessarily end or scale back its stimulus program in 2 years, and will continue it until inflation stabilizes at 2 percent. He added that while economic growth rate will probably drop in the April-June quarter when the consumption tax rate will be raised to 8 percent from 5 percent, it will improve after that.

weak side at 104.86 Initial claims edged lower Initial jobless claims dropped slightly last week, ending the year on a downward trend, as holiday season volatility appeared to ease. The number of people filing for first-time unemployment benefits dropped to 339,000 in the week ended Saturday, from an upwardly revised 341,000 the previous week, the Labor Department said Thursday.

Last week’s figure, the lowest in a month, was in line with economists’ forecasts and indicated moderate job growth. The four-week average on the other hand remained somewhat elevated last week at 357,250, up 8,500 from the previous week ISM manufacturing strong According to the Institute for Supply Management, the ISM Manufacturing PMI Index edged slightly lower to 57.0 in December from 57.3 in November. This was roughly in line with the median forecast of 56.8 for December. The New Orders Index increased in December by 0.6 percentage point to 64.2 percent , which is its highest reading since April 2010 when it registered 65.1 percent . The Employment Index registered 56.9 percent, an

dicted in September in the budget, and the jobless rate will fall.” He also mentioned that labour reform would make the market more dynamic, adding that recovery would take place due an expected tax reform which would look to reverse a personal income tax rise implemented in 2011.

Portugal rescue Portugal’s President Cavaco Silva said there were reasons to believe that Portugal would not need a second rescue, although a precautionary program was a “different reality”. He added that they had reasons to count on the support of their European partners to access financial markets at reasonable interest rates, which requires that the aid program be concluded with success.

The latest manufacturing indicators showed France lagging well behind its partners in otherwise encouraging recovery in the Euro zone. While Germany and Italy showed expansion, France showed decline to 7-month lows.

After the widespread belief that the French economy is fundamentally flawed, the news in the beginning of the year raises the flag that the country could be in jeopardy of a further reduction in its credit rating.

Commodities Gold extended its rally from the biggest annual loss in three decades on signs the slump is spurring demand. According to some analysts, physical buyers are viewing the $1,200 level as an attractive entry point for gold as demand appeared to be robust for December.

Turkey’s gold imports on the other hand increased 64 percent in December, according to official data.

Emerging market physical demand has been robust from China and South East Asia as the festive gold buying Lunar New Year is less than a month away on 31 January.

Oil trending lower West Texas Intermediate crude traded near a month low amid concerns amongst market players that the Fed will accelerate their rate of tapering after signs of improvement in the US economy.

Gains were also capped amidst expectations for a rise in Libyan supply and speculation of a buildup in US stockpiles capped gains. The US could also tighten regulations on crude-by-rail shipments after an explosion in North Dakota in the beginning of the week.

This may lead to higher transportation costs and create supply gluts that could depress US crude prices.

Kuwait Kuwaiti dinar at 0.28285 The USDKWD opened at 0.28285 yesterday morning.

Al-Tijari announces winners of Najma Account draw KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait held the Al-Najma Account Daily draw on January 5, 2014. The draw was held under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry represented by Ahmad Al-Hamad The winners of the Najma daily draw are:Fotouh Abbas Hasan — KD 7000, Mariam Essa Al-Naser — KD 7000, Jood Afdhal Khan — KD 7000.

The Commercial Bank of Kuwait announces the biggest daily draw in Kuwait with the launch of the new Najma account.

Customers of the bank can now enjoy a KD 7,000 daily prize which is the highest in the country and another 4 mega prizes during the year worth KD 100,000 each on different occasions: The National Day, Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha and on the 19th of June which is the date of the bank’s establishment.

With a minimum balance of KD 500, customers will be eligible for the daily draw provided that the money is in the account one week prior to the daily draw or 2 months prior to the mega draw. In addition, for each KD 25 a customer can get one chance for winning instead of KD 50.

Commercial Bank of Kuwait takes this opportunity to congratulate all lucky winners and also extends appreciation to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for their effective supervision of the draws which were conducted in an orderly and organized manner.

Indonesia posts robust trade surplus in 2013 JAKARTA: Indonesia posted a robust trade surplus in November, data showed, in a sign of recovery in Southeast Asia’s biggest nation that was plunged into economic turmoil in 2013.

Jakarta will welcome the news as it battles a deep current account deficit and poor trade performance, soaring inflation and a slump in the rupiah’s value. The November trade surplus of $776.8 million, up from October’s modest $24.3 million surplus, is the country’s highest since April 2012, and marks a major upswing since a record deficit of $657.2 million in September.

Central Statistics Agency chief Suryamin, who goes by one name, said the recovery came thanks to an improvement in countries buying Indonesian exports, while the weak rupiah also made goods cheaper abroad. But the overall trade balance for January to November 2013 is still in a substantial deficit of $5.6 billion.

Manufacturing also improved, according to HSBC’s purchasing managers’ index, which rose to 50.9 in December from 50.3 in November, showing a rise in domestic demand. A reading above 50 indicates expansion. —AFP

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

technology

3D-printed components flown in British fighter jet LONDON: A Tornado fighter jet fitted with metal components created on a 3D printer undertook a successful test flight in Britain last month, defence company BAE Systems said yesterday.

The plane was equipped with a 3Dprinted protective cover for the cockpit radio, a protective guard in the landing

gear and support struts on the air intake door, the British firm said.

The announcement follows NASA’s successful test of a 3D-printed rocket engine component in August last year, as aerospace companies seek cheaper and quicker ways to manufacture engineering parts.

“You are suddenly not fixed in terms of where you have to manufacture these things,” said Mike Murray, Head of Airframe Integration at BAE Systems, announcing the successful test flight at the firm’s airfield in Warton, northwest England.

“You can manufacture the products

and whatever base you want, providing you can get a machine there, which means you can also start to support other platforms such as ships and aircraft carriers.

“And if it’s feasible to get machines out on the front line, it also gives improved capability where we wouldn’t traditionally

have any manufacturing support.”

BAE said some of the parts-produced at a Royal Air Force base in eastern England-cost less than £100 ($165, 120 euros) to manufacture, and had the potential to save hundreds of thousands of pounds every year, without giving details. —AFP

Amazon’s Bezos airlifted off Galapagos in health scare QUITO: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was recovering Saturday after being airlifted off the scenic Galapagos Islands because he was suffering from severe kidney stones, an Ecuadoran official said.

The 49-year-old American billionaire, who also owns The Washington Post, was walking on a tourist yacht near Santa Fe Island when he complained of severe pain.

“We received a call for a medical emergency and proceeded to make a helicopter evacuation from a passenger yacht. Until then, we were unaware that it was Mr Bezos,” said Santiago Rubio, captain of the port of

Santa Cruz Island, the most populous area of the Ecuadoran archipelago.

Bezos was taken to Baltra Island, from where he left on a private plane to the United States for emergency surgery, the regional maritime directorate DIRGIN said in a statement. In a short statement, Amazon.com vice president for public relations Drew Herdener confirmed the incident by relaying a message from Bezos in which the tycoon indicated that he was in high spirits.

“Galapagos: five stars. Kidney stones: zero stars,” Bezos said in a shor t message passed to AFP by Herdener. —AFP

Ford to unveil solar hybrid car at CES LAS VEGAS: Ford plans to unveil at this month’s International CES gadget show a solar-powered concept car that offers the same performance as a plug-in hybrid but without the need for a plug.

The C-MAX Solar Energi Concept car uses a gasoline engine combined with a gizmo that acts like a magnifying glass to concentrate the sun’s rays on the vehicle’s roof-mounted solar panels. The automaker says the vehicle’s estimated combined city-highway mileage is 100 mpg.

Ford says that by using solar power instead of an electric plug, a typical owner will reduce their annual greenhouse gas emissions by four metric tons.

The company says it sold about 85,000 hybrid or electric vehicles in 2013, including 6,300 units of its CMAX Energi plug-in hybrid. The sun-

ray concentrator was developed by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and uses what is known as a Fresnel lens, which concentrates light but can be made thinner than a conventional lens. A full day of sunshine is equivalent to a four-hour battery charge, or 8 kilowatts, Ford says.

On a full charge, it should have a range of 620 miles, including 21 electric-only miles, the same as the CMAX Energi. The concept car also comes with a plug-in port for standard electric charging.

Ford says that 75 percent of all trips made by an average driver could be powered by the sun. After showing off the concept car at the convention in Las Vegas Jan. 7-10, Ford Motor Co. says that it will test the vehicle with institute researchers to determine if it’s feasible for mass production. —AP

BlackBerry sues startup founded SAN FRANCISCO: Troubled smartphone maker BlackBerry Ltd. is accusing a company backed by “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest of being a ripoff artist. The allegations emerged in a patent infringement lawsuit filed Friday in a San Francisco federal court by BlackBerry. The suit targets an iPhone keyboard made by Typo Products LLC, a Los Angeles startup co-founded by Seacrest and entrepreneur Laurence Hallier.

The complaint contends that Typo Products’ keyboard for recent iPhone models illegally copies technology and designs that BlackBerry pioneered years ago for its line of smartphones.

BlackBerry is seeking unspecified damages and a court order that would prevent Typo Products from selling the keyboard without a licensing agreement.

Typo Products didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. The keyboard in dispute hasn’t hit the market yet, though Typo Products has been taking early orders for the $99 accessory on its website and says it’s meant to ship in January. It’s designed to slip on

to the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S so it can serve as a substitute for the touchscreen keyboard built into the software on those devices.

The physical keyboards on BlackBerry’s phones helped reshape the way that people used mobile devices. But those phones have been waning in popularity since Apple Inc. released the first iPhone in 2007, threatening BlackBerry’s survival. As part of its efforts to adapt, BlackBerry has introduced smartphones featuring touch-screen keyboards, but the Canadian company is still struggling after suffering a $4.4 billion loss in its most recent quarter.

BlackBerry still sells phones with physical keyboards that the company now says are being cloned by Typo Products. “We are flattered by the desire to graft our keyboard onto other smartphones, but we will not tolerate such activity without fair compensation for using our intellectual property and our technological innovations,” said Steve Zipperstein, BlackBerry’s general counsel. —AP

WASHINGTON: In this photo dated September 6, 2012 shows Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, during a press conference in Santa Monica, California. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was recovering January 4, 2014 after being airlifted off the scenic Galapagos Islands because he was suffering from severe kidney stones. —AFP

GMO labeling battle rumbling in America NEW YORK: A GMO labeling battle is rumbling in the United States, with those demanding full disclosure of genetically modified organisms in food products pitted against big companies.

Although some giants such as General Mills have recently taken timid steps toward being more upfront with consumers, the United States, unlike some 60 other countries, lacks a legal requirement to do so.

Still, in the world’s largest economy, where almost all soy, sugar beet, corn and canola crops are genetically engineered, bills requiring labeling for GMO foods were introduced in 26 states last year.

But only Maine and Connecticut approved such measures and have yet to implement them.

Alaska adopted a law in 2005 requiring labeling of genetically engineered salmon, whose safety for human consumption is still being studied by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Elsewhere measures have been defeated, notably in the state of Washington, where voters narrowly rejected GMO labeling. Other proposals are near death or languishing in legislative committees.

But supporters of GMO labeling of food insist they are unfazed and determined to shore up more support.

“We expect even more states this year” to join the battle, particularly Oregon and Colorado, said, Colin O’Neil of the Center for Food Safety, a nonprofit organization that opposes GMO foods.

While one bill in Vermont was likely to pass this month, two senators were working on feder-

al legislation, he said. The labeling of genetically engineered foods is “an issue that exploded last year at the state level” due to consumer pressure, according to O’Neil.

A recent New York Times poll found that 93 percent of Americans want GMO food to be labeled. For O’Neil, “the tipping point came with the California ballot initiative” on GMO labeling that was narrowly rejected in 2012 due to a costly counter-campaign by large multinationals.

Agrochemical giants such as DuPont, Monsanto, Syngenta, and BASF, joined by food behemoths including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Kraft Foods ponied up a combined $46 million for advertising and other means to convince voters to reject the proposal.

The anti-GMO side spent $9 million. “That sent a tremendous signal to consumers,” O’Neil said.

“Many were unaware that companies would spend so much to keep consumers in the dark.”

The Grocery Manufacturers Association, which represents leading food, beverage and consumer products companies, said the organization has maintained “strong support for a federal solution” regarding standards for the safety and labeling of GMO foods and beverages.

“Our nation’s food safety and labeling laws and regulations should not be determined by political campaigns or through a patchwork of state laws,” spokesman Brian Kennedy told AFP. The GMA argues it agrees with the FDA and other agencies, such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, that foods and beverages containing genetically engineered ingredients are safe and that labeling

would be costly for small farmers, as well as the agencies verifying them.

Small steps But there are small signs the issue is making its way to the front burner. General Mills announced Thursday that it would make its popular Original Cheerios breakfast cereal without GMOs, and US consumers would see it labeled as such.

“We did it because we think consumers may embrace it,” the company said. “But it’s not about safety.” However, General Mills, whose brands include Haagen-Dazs ice cream and Yoplait yogurt, said that for other varieties of Cheerios it will not be able to forgo GMOs. “The widespread use of GM seed in crops such as corn, soy, or beet sugar would make reliably moving to non-GM ingredients difficult, if not impossible.”

A few other companies have also addressed the GMO labeling issue lately. Supermarket chain Trader Joe’s says it sells only non-GMO products.

Meanwhile upscale grocer Whole Foods, which sells a large amount of organic produce, plans to label genetically engineered products-but only as of 2018.

As for fast food chain Chipotle Mexican Grill, it has started listing genetically engineered ingredients on its website. “Our goal is to eliminate GMOs from Chipotle’s ingredients, and we’re working hard to meet this challenge,” it says.

But “there is currently not a viable supply of responsibly raised meats and dairy from animals raised without GMO feed.” —AFP

Bump, Flock apps to be discontinued SAN FRANCISCO: Smartphone file-sharing apps Bump and Flock have announced that they will be discontinued at the end of January. US Internet giant Google bought the Bump Technologies startup behind the apps in September for a deal reportedly worth between $30 million and $60 million. “We are now deeply focused on our new projects within Google, and we’ve decided to discontinue Bump and Flock,” Bump co-founder and chief executive David Lieb wrote in a blog post late Tuesday.

On January 31, Bump and Flock will be removed from both the App Store and Google Play, after which neither app will work and all user data will be deleted.

Over the coming weeks, users can export their data by opening either app and following instructions. They will then

receive an email with a link containing their photos, videos, contacts and other data. Lieb thanked users for their feedback, enthusiasm and support over the years, saying it “brought much meaning to our work.”

“In many ways, Bump was a revolutionary product that inspired many subsequent advances and helped push the world forward,” Lieb wrote. “We hope our new creations at Google will do the same.”

The Bump application lets smartphone users easily share data by gently knocking knuckles while holding devices.

Flock software taps into smartphone location-sensing technology to note when friends are in proximity of one another and lets them contribute to sets of photos reflecting shared experiences such as a concerts or sporting events. —AFP

FRANCE: A picture taken on March 25, 2010 in Paris shows a mobile phone mast on a building. Paris may take measures to limit the exposure of its inhabitants to telecommunication emissions thanks to a unique charter in France, but it does not escape the telephone operators’ unbridled race to 4G internet connection, to the displeasure of resident’s associations and ecologists. —AFP

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

African American women have a harder time losing weight NEW YORK: African American women who follow the same diet as white women and exercise just as much tend to lose less weight because they burn fewer calories, a new study suggests.

“Many large and well done studies have demonstrated that African American women tend to lose fewer pounds than their Caucasian counterparts,” Dr Ann Smith Barnes told Reuters Health by email.

Smith Barnes studies obesity at Baylor College of Medicine and is the medical director of Weight Management Services and Disease Prevention for the Harris Health System of Houston. She was not involved in the new study.

Scientists haven’t been sure what explains those differences in weight loss.

One suggestion is that African American women are less likely to adhere to weight loss programs. Another possible

explanation is that their bodies need fewer calories.

To learn more, James DeLany from the University of Pittsburgh and his colleges studied 39 African American women and 66 white women. The participants were all severely obese and were randomly assigned to either a calorie-restricted diet alone or the diet along with exercise guidelines. The researchers measured women’s daily energy expenditure at the beginning and end of the study. They also tracked their physical activity using wearable monitors.

By the end of the six-month intervention, white women had lost an average of 24 pounds and African American women had lost an average of 16 pounds, according to findings published in the International Journal of Obesity.

But the African American women had increased their physical activity by as

much as white women and they followed the prescribed diet just as closely.

“Our results show that the African American women and Caucasian women were consuming nearly exactly the same number of calories during the intervention, and were engaged in the same amount of physical activity - they were as compliant as the Caucasian women,” DeLany told Reuters Health in an email.

His team calculated women’s energy requirements and found African American participants needed less energy than white participants. “The reason the African American women lost less weight than the Caucasian women is because the prescribed caloric intake for most interventions, including our study, is based on initial body weight, and since the African American women have lower energy requirements than

Caucasian women of the same weight, they were prescribed a lower caloric restriction during the intervention,” DeLany said - meaning their diet wouldn’t have been as intensive.

More research needs to be done DeLany said that according to his findings, African American women would have to eat about 150 fewer calories per day than their white peers - or work out that much more - to lose the same amount of weight. “This new study has a small sample of participants, so cannot be widely generalized,” Smith Barnes said. “However, it does add to our understanding of possible reasons for differences in the number of pounds lost between different ethnic groups and helps to dispel the notion that African American participants are necessarily less compliant than Caucasians in

behavioral change interventions.”

“What is a more interesting question is whether the weight loss that is achieved among African Americans even if less than Caucasians - produces equal health benefits in blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, and other weightsensitive chronic conditions,” she said.

Smith Barnes said some studies suggest behavioral changes - and not just weight loss - are what matter for improving health.

“More research needs to be done to confirm this, but if it is true, then the number of pounds lost would be less important from a health standpoint,” she added. Smith Barnes said her research has shown African American women who lose extra weight and keep it off tend to follow three strategies: reduce fat intake, avoid fast food and weigh themselves regularly.—AP

Hong Kong announces new air pollution index

Skin cancer awareness low among minorities NEW YORK: Black and Hispanic people and other minorities tend to know less about skin cancer than whites, a new study suggests. “Our findings emphasize the need for improved patient education about characteristics of melanoma, regardless of race,” researchers led by Dorota Z Korta, of the NYU Langone Medical Center in New York, wrote.

People of all races are equally at risk of getting skin cancer on the palms of their hands or soles of their feet - but those aren’t common places for sun exposure, said Dr Darrell Rigel. He is a former president of the American Academy of Dermatology and a dermatology professor at New York University, but wasn’t involved in the new study.

“For other parts of the body, the chances are much less (among minorities), but you can still get it,” Rigel told Reuters Health. African Americans, Hispanics and other minorities with darker skin than whites “are less likely to realize that they’re at risk for skin cancer,” he said.

Between one and five Hispanic, black and Asian people out of every 100,000 are diagnosed with melanoma each year. That compares to 20 out of every 100,000 white women and 32 per 100,000 white men. But research shows minorities with skin cancer tend to be diagnosed at a more advanced stage and have lower chances of survival than whites.

For their study, Korta and her colleagues surveyed 152 people who visited a dermatology clinic at a New York City public hospital. Many survey respondents were unaware of the warning signs of skin cancer, such as the ABCDEs: asymmetry (A), border (B), color (C), diameter (D) and evolving (E) nature of a mole or other skin mark.

Low awareness Awareness was especially low among minorities. For instance, half of white respondents answered correctly that an

asymmetrical shape is characteristic of melanoma, compared to 12 percent of minorities. Most others responded “don’t know.” Similarly, 71 percent of white survey respondents correctly identified changes in the size or shape of moles over time as characteristic of melanoma, compared to 29 percent of minority respondents.

“Our study significantly adds to the field by defining clear gaps in patient knowledge about melanoma characteristics (ABCDE criteria) here in the United States,” the authors wrote. Survey respondents were also asked about their beliefs regarding the purpose of skin cancer screening, and the majority of them - whites and minorities alike - incorrectly stated that skin cancer screenings help prevent the disease.

Most correctly responded that skin cancer screenings reduce the risk of death from skin cancer.

Eight percent of the clinic visitors had been diagnosed with skin cancer in the past, according to findings published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Of all the participants, 16 percent had undergone a total body skin examination by a doctor to check for skin cancer. Fifteen percent said they performed self-exams for skin cancer but only 11 percent had ever been taught by a health care practitioner how to look for cancer.

The US Preventive Services Task Force currently says there isn’t enough evidence on the potential benefits and harms of skin cancer screening to recommend adults get screened. Still, people can take steps to decrease their exposure to harmful sun rays and lower their risk of skin cancer, according to Rigel. “Protecting yourself from the sun lowers your risk significantly,” he said. He recommended both avoiding the mid-afternoon sun’s penetrating rays and using sunscreen, hats and other protective clothing. And, Rigel added, “If you have something growing, bleeding, crusting or changing on your skin, see your dermatologist.”—AP

Seasonal flu widespread in the United States NEW YORK: Half of the United States is reporting widespread influenza activity, most of it attributed to the H1N1 virus that caused a worldwide pandemic in 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday. Flu season is in full effect.

The Centers for Disease Control says cases are on the rise nationwide, especially in the South, and it’s only the b...

Thousands of people die every year from flu, which peaks in the United States between October and March. The flu is spreading quickly this season, with 25 states already reporting cases, the CDC said. “We are seeing a big uptick in disease in the past couple of weeks. The virus is all around the United States right now,” said Dr Joe Bresee, chief of Epidemiology and Prevention in the CDC’s Influenza Division.

In 2009-2010, the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, spread from Central Mexico to 74 other countries, killing an estimated 284,000 people, according to the CDC. While younger people were more sus-

ceptible to H1N1 in 2009, Bresee said it is too early to tell whether the same will be true this year.

Flu shot may be less effective in men This season’s virus has killed six children in the United States, according to CDC data.

The agency does not track adult deaths, but dozens have been reported around the country. “There is still a lot of season to come. If folks haven’t been vaccinated, we recommend they do it now,” Bresee said.

Texas has been one of the harder-hit states, where at least 25 people have died this season from the flu, local health officials said.

The Texas Department of State Health Services issued an “influenza health alert” on Dec 20, advising clinicians to consider antiviral treatment, even if an initial rapidflu test comes back negative. Texas health officials also encouraged people to get a flu vaccination. “The flu is considered widespread in Texas,” Carrie Williams, a spokeswoman for the state’s health department, said.—Reuters

Hong Kong: Hong Kong on Friday announced a new air quality health index, the first in Asia to use the system, in its ongoing battle to combat air pollution. The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI), introduced in Canada in 2005, will replace the city’s nearly two-decades-old Air Pollution Index (API) amid growing concerns about the city’s air quality and a need for more comprehensive monitoring data.

The city ’s leader Leung Chun-ying has pledged to make pollution one of his top priorities during his five-year term, with an official report saying it was the “greatest daily health risk” to the city’s residents. The new system, which launches on December 30, monitors the concentration levels of multiple pollutants and also the health risks associated with them by measuring hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

The index measures the combined readings of four common pollutants-sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone and particulate matter.

In comparison the API only shows the concentration level of the highest-level pollutant.

“Under the new system, I would say that it is very competitive and very comparable to the air quality guidelines of the World Health Organization, it’s a much higher standard,” Andrew Lai, Deputy Director of the Environmental Protection Department, told a press conference. “You may witness more days with air quality under the categories of high or very high,” Lai said, adding that it was not because of the deteriorating air in the city, but because the measuring system is more stringent. The government will advise residents to

HONG KONG: Thick smog hangs over Hong Kong yesterday.—AFP stay indoors if the AQHI reaches the “serious” category, the highest in a scale of one to 10, with a separate 10+ category that designates “serious” pollution. The system will use existing ambient and roadside stations to measure pollutants in the air.

Hong Kong’s authorities have plans to reduce emissions from local sources. But they admit reductions will be challenging given the city is

COLORADO: File photo shows Sam Walsh, a budtender, sets up marijuana products as the 3-D Denver Discrete Dispensary prepares to open for retail sales on January 1, 2014 in Denver.

located at the southern edge of the Pearl River Delta, one of China’s largest manufacturing centers. The city’s policies to reduce emissions include a plan to replace over 80,000 older diesel commercial vehicles between 2014 and 2019, and requiring container ships berthing in the city to use cleaner fuels, among others. The WHO in October classified outdoor air pollution as a leading cause of cancer in humans.—AFP

COLORADO: Cannabis products are displayed for sale at the 3-D Denver Discrete Dispensary.—AFP photos

New York may allow medical marijuana use NEW YORK: New York is planning to loosen its marijuana laws to allow limited use of the drug by people suffering serious illness, the New York Times reported Saturday, citing state officials. The newspaper reported on its website that Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo a long-time opponent of legalizing medical marijuana-was planning to announce the new guideline next week in an executive action.

The decision would see New York mirror a growing list of states which have taken an increasingly progressive stance on marijuana use.

Colorado this week became the first US state to legalize the drug for recreational use. The Times reported that New York’s new policy would be far stricter than in California, which has already loosened its rules on medical marijuana. In California, people suffering from mild ailments can obtain prescriptions for the drug; in New York it will be made available in only 20 designated hospitals across the state for individuals suffering from cancer, glaucoma or other diseases. New York retains some of the most draconian sanctions of any US state for individuals caught dealing or using drugs.

However Cuomo’s apparent policy U-turn would inch it closer to the softer policies that are rapidly gaining traction in the United States.

Saturday’s report said New York hoped to have the infrastructure for dispensing medical marijuana installed later this year. The move comes amid a nationwide campaign to relax laws on marijuana use which has been buoyed by shifting attitudes on the drug. In October, for the first time in a Gallup poll, a majority of Americans-58 percent-said they favored the legalization of marijuana.—AFP

Birth control type tied to time between pregnancies NEW YORK: Women using intrauterine devices (IUDs) and other types of long-term reversible birth control after having a baby are less likely to get pregnant again quickly, a new study suggests. Women who used those methods were four times more likely to wait more than 18 months between pregnancies compared to those relying on condoms, researchers found.

The World Health Organization endorses a twoyear period between birth and a woman’s next conception.

Still, one third of all repeat pregnancies in the US occur within 18 months of the previous child’s birth. And a growing body of evidence shows this close timing increases the risk a baby will be born early or at a low birth weight.

The time between pregnancies “cannot be explained only by the mother’s preferences,” Heike Thiel de Bocanegra said.

She and her colleagues from the University of California, San Francisco investigated the link between access to birth control or family planning services and pregnancy spacing. In the current study of 117,644 California women who’d had at least two children, 64 percent waited 18 months or more between pregnancies and the rest did not. All women included in the study filed claims through the state’s

Medicaid program for the poor, called Medi-Cal, or through health providers offering state-funded family planning services.

The researchers matched data on claims for contraceptives to California’s birth registry. “We assumed that access to contraception . . . would improve birth spacing,” Dr Anitra Beasley wrote in an email to Reuters Health. “This study actually examines this assumption,” she said.

Beasley, who studies family planning at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, was not part of the current research.

Women who used long-acting reversible contraception, including IUDs or implants, were four times more likely to wait at least 18 months to conceive again, compared to those who only used “barrier” contraceptives like condoms or spermicide. More than half of women started using birth control pills, the ring or the patch after giving birth. They were twice as likely to wait at least 18 months between pregnancies as condom users.

Those relationships stood firm even when the researchers looked at possible influences like the mother’s race, education, age and whether she was born in the US, according to the report published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Women in the

study counseled by a certified family planning service provider were 67 percent more likely to wait 18 months between pregnancies, compared with women who utilized Medi-Cal services only.

“Low-income women are sometimes seen only once after giving birth,” Thiel de Bocanegra said. “Some women receive contraceptionsome do not,” she said. Women in the study received four months worth of covered contraceptives, on average. That number was dragged down by the one third of women in the study who had no contraceptive claims at all.

For Meredith Matone, a researcher with PolicyLab at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the study’s large size helps build a better understanding of how public health initiatives work in the real world. “The results we find in clinical trials do not always translate well when implemented on a large scale, where they are subject to challenges that include provider performance, patient compliance and operational hurdles,” Matone wrote in an email to Reuters Health. “Under health care reform, there are opportunities to continue to support such evidence-based public health programs for families,” said Matone, who was not involved in the new research.—Reuters

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

Leeches: They bite and heal

By Abdellatif Sharaa An ancient therapy practiced by many civilizations and people in different parts of the globe has found a home in New Zealand and Australia.

The Life Clinic Hirudotherapy and Healing and the International Leech Therapy Institute was founded and run by Mehdi Jaffari, who spoke to Kuwait Times about the therapy and how leeches can help save lives. Jaffari expressed special concern towards people in the Arab world in general and Kuwait in particular because of the high rate of diabetes reaching epidemic proportions.

Jaffari said that diabetes, if uncontrolled, cause many complications affecting the kidneys

and heart and may lead to radical procedures such as the amputation of toes, feet and legs.

Although many people are scared of leeches, they are highly beneficial and are used to clean blood vessels and improve circulation, which is normally compromised in the lower extremities of diabetics.

Jaffari said leeches used in the therapy specially bred, and when attached to the patient’s skin, inject an enzyme that regenerates cells.

“The area where we put the leech becomes clear and arteries and veins in the toes, kidneys, liver and head are cleaned, saving the patient’s life,” he added. He said “as we heard that the rate of diabetes in Kuwait is very high, and as a Muslim who lives in Australia and New Zealand, I want them to know that leeches can save lives, and are being used every day in our clinic”.

As for the duration of the treatment, Jaffari said this depends on the patient, because each patient is different. “We are the only clinic in the world that hosts national and international patients,” he said, adding that many patients come from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman etc, besides Britain, US and other countries.

Jaffari said the success rate of the leech therapy is almost 100 percent, stressing that after the treatment is complete, patients are asked to follow a special diet to stay “clean” for up to 10 years. He said circulation gets back to normal, and patients become vibrant and can carry out normal activities. When asked about eye treat-

ment in diabetics, he said this is an area that is difficult to deal with so far. “I welcome everyone interested in learning about medicinal leech therapy,” said Jaffari, adding “I encourage new collaboration from universities and international companies who are interested in organizing and coordinating venues for leech therapy courses in their countries.”

What are leeches?

Leeches are annelids that comprise the subclass Hirudinea. There are three types of leeches, freshwater leeches, terrestrial leeches, and marine leeches. Most of them live in fresh water, but there are also those that prefer to live on land, particularly in low foliage or in rainforests.

There are also some leeches that can be found in dry forests, but only in places where there is a bit of moisture. During the dry season, these leeches often burrow themselves in the ground, where they hibernate even without water. They simply shrivel up and become rigid and their bodies become very dry. If you sprinkle them with water, they recover completely within ten minutes. Those that live in the water usually prefer bodies of water that are relatively slow moving and calm. A lot of leeches may also be found in murky waters, which makes them harder to spot.

They bite and suck blood Leeches that suck blood are called Haemophagic leeches, “Haemo” meaning blood

and “Phago” meaning to eat. They attach themselves to their hosts only until they become full, after which they simply fall off end start digesting the blood they sucked. These leeches suck blood through an anterior sucker which is composed of the first six segments of the invertebrate’s 34 segments. It uses this mouth to attach to the host. They also release some sort of anesthetic, which is the reason why you don’t feel the leeches when they bite. They then use suction and mucus to stay on their host. Once they open up a bite wound, they secrete an anti-clotting enzyme called hirudin into the bloodstream so that blood will keep flowing. Sometimes, blood will continue to seep for hours after the leech has been removed, which is due to the anti-clotting enzyme in their saliva. While this may sound terrifying, being bitten by a leech isn’t deadly or dangerous. They’re not really the villains that popular media often portray them to be. In fact, leeches are very harmless. The amount of blood lost due to a leech’s bite isn’t really significant and when they’re full (which doesn’t take long), they simply fall off and go on with their lives.

They also heal Some of the popular leeches are the European medical leech or the Hirudo Medicinalis. These are the ones used in the field of medicine for microsurgery, grafting, and reconstructive surgery. In the past, these leeches were used to cure infections and for bloodlet-

ting. They were quite popular during the medieval ages because they were known to cure infections. In fact, they remained great options for treating infections until antibiotics were discovered.

Doctors use leeches for microsurgery due to their ability to remove blood that has coagulated. They relieve venous congestion and muscle flaps. Leeches are also known to treat black eyes!

Hirudin can be used to treat infections of the middle ear and is being tested as a systemic coagulant. When used for medical purposes, a same leech is never used to treat more than one person, as bacteria and viruses present in their former host can transfer to the new host.

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

W H AT ’ S O N Advisory to Indian nationals in Kuwait

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he Embassy of India has been receiving often reports from the members of Indian community residing in Kuwait regarding thefts, robberies assaults and damages to their property etc. All such incidents should be immediately reported to the local police station. In order to extend help the members of our community, please contact us with the following information so that the matter could also be taken up by the Embassy with Kuwaiti authorities:(a) Brief details of the incident; (b) Civil ID of the affected member(s) and their passport details; (c) Contact telephone number and the proof of residence of the person(s) affected; (d) Copy of FIR along with address of the Police station.

2. Please contact either Ms Hend, Ambassador’s office at Telephone No. 22561276, Fax No. 22546958 (E-mail: amb.kuwait@mea.gov.in OR ambss@indembkwt.org) or Balram Kumar Upadhyay, Counsellor (Consular and Chief Welfare Officer) on Telephone No. 22533125, Fax No.22573910 (E-mail: counsellor@indembkwt.org).

Indian passport, visa fees reduced

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s a goodwill gesture, BLS International Visa Services Company Co (KSCC), which is operating as a sole partner for the Embassy of India in Kuwait to handle Passport and Visa Services, has reduced the Indian Passport processing fee from KD 1.500 to KD 1.000 and Indian Visa processing fee from KD 5.000 to KD 3.000. These rates have been implemented with effect from 17/12/2013.

Regency celebrates a year as Kuwait’s favourite hotel

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he Regency Hotel, Kuwait, voted in 2013 as Kuwait’s Leading Luxury Hotel and Kuwait’s Leading Conference Hotel, has consolidated its position as the best hotel in the capital by successfully completing a full year as the number one hotel on TripAdvisor, globally recognized as the premier review site within the hospitality industry. Out of the hotels in Kuwait, The Regency has been voted as number one, not only by the hospitality industry at the World Travel Awards in Dubai in May, but more importantly by its guests.

General Manager, Aurelio Giraudo commented “2013 has been an exceptional year for The Regency and to have successfully achieved a consistency to maintain the number one position on TripAdvisor for such a long period is outstanding and is a reflection of the hard work of all members of our team to exceed the expectations of all our guests. We continually strive to improve and develop new ideas to offer creative innovations of product and service to our loyal guests and we will work even harder as we fin-

ish 2013 and start again for 2014.”

The team at The Regency would like to thank all its guests for the positive reviews that were posted in 2013 which has enabled the hotel to shine as the leader in the market.

“Our team considers the positioning of the hotel on TripAdvisor as being a measure of their success and through their wonderful interaction with guests they have a direct impact on the reviews that are posted. They consider it an honor to be recognized in this way as it is a direct reflection on a daily basis their delivery of the highest standards of personalized service and luxury.”

Following the opening of Balsamico as a fine dining Italian restaurant, Regency Gourmet as a unique gourmet experience with fine French patisserie, the development of its own Regency Rewards Program and the delivery of an unbeatable Executive Experience for corporate guests there is much more to come from The Regency in 2014 as the hotel continues to spread its wings.

Giraudo added “we are driving development, innovation and excellence in all areas and our creativity and expansion will continue throughout 2014 so we are able to launch new programs and offer new experiences to our guests. We will visit new markets and spread more understanding of The Regency within Kuwait, the region and internationally. We hope that this will excite existing guests and attract new partners so that they will continue positively reviewing the hotel and allow us to continue as the people’s favourite Kuwaiti hotel” The Regency Kuwait is Kuwait’s only privately owned and operated five star deluxe hotel with 203 rooms, including 53 elegant suites. With 5 outlets, a conference and convention centre with 4 ballrooms and 10 meeting rooms, swimming pool and beach, a unique Ladies Lounge with private beach and pool, the hotel can be found in the Salmiya area of the city against the shores of the Arabian only 15-20 minutes away from Kuwait International Airport and close to the downtown area.

Embassy of India holiday notice The Embassy of India will be closed on the following dates during the month of January 2014.

14 January 2014, Tuesday - Eid - E - Milad 26 January 2014, Sunday - Republic Day

TIES Center - Where cultures meet

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IES Center cordially invites all those interested to the following events:

1- A Brainstorming Session by TIES Staff, volunteers, and well-wishers. Do our activities spark your interest? Do you feel that there are some areas where TIES needs to improve? Do you feel that TIES is important? For decades, people have used brainstorming to generate ideas and to creatively solve problems. With that in mind, this session will try to solicit valuable feedback from everyone involved. Please join us as we look at our Center’s strengths, weaknesses, and potential opportunities. Join us and have your say regarding the direction that TIES will be headed for this year. It is essential that we meet the needs of expatriates and so we really need your help to asses our focus.

2- Quran Quotes and Tafseer class by By Hassan T Bwambale. After reading Qur’anic verses aloud and exploring them very briefly, Hassan will explain the various connotations of some words and phrases to show the literary beauty and miracle of the Qur’an. The class will involve an open discussion in a casual, relaxed setting with the aim of reflecting and pondering verses from the Noble Quran, as well as learning how to recite some short surahs. Tomorrow January 6th, 2014 we will discuss surat Al-Qaaria (The Striking Calamity) at 7:00pm. This surah has profound teachings.

3- A lecture entitled, “Creative Writing and Storytelling,” By Quade Herman Kilpatrick. Do you dream of being a writer? Do you want to put pen to paper but don’t know how to start?

This six-session creative writing workshop will give you an introduction to the basic elements of writing fiction and creative non-fiction. Class discussions and exercises are designed to kickstart your writing, and develop your own writer’s “voice”. Come prepared to write! A good command of written and spoken English are required to participate in the workshop.

Quade Kilpatrick has a Master’s Degree of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of British Columbia, Canada. She was a writer and editor at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for several years, and has produced radio documentaries and written for over a dozen newspapers and magazines. Her favorite genre is creative non-fiction. She is at work on her first novel.

For more information, please call 25231015/6 or log onto: www.tiescener.net

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

Al Mulla Exchange presents winners of its third ‘Lucky 7’ draw

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l Mulla International Exchange, Kuwait’s premier exchange company, held the third draw in their ongoing promotion labeled, ‘Will you be one of the Lucky 7’ on Dec 29 at their Hawally 3 branch.

The 19-week long promotion, which began in early November and will run till March 20, is open to all customers of Al Mulla International Exchange who make their remittances through any of the 52 branches spread across the country. There will be a total of nine draws, conducted every two weeks, which will pick the lucky winners from all transactions done at any branch of Al Mulla Exchange, including remittances made through Western Union.

The winners of the third draw were:

Arifulla Khan who won KD 400; Krishna Prasad who received a Samsung Note 3;

Mogal Riyaz who took home a Samsung Fridge; John Rovel Pilapil Lauron who was

presented with a Samsung Digital Camera; Haroon Ahmed Mushtaq who won the 5th prize of a 16Gb iPad Mini; Ramesh Swamy who was gifted a Samsung 32” LED television and Mahmoud Mostafa Mohammed Tulbah who happily took home a Braun Food Processor.

The ‘Will you be one of the Lucky 7’ promotion is yet another reason for customers to remit their money through Al Mulla Exchange, which since its inception in 2001 has revolutionized the exchange industry in Kuwait by continuously offering innovative, customer-centric remittance solutions.

Besides making money transfer a rapid, safe and relaxed experience for customers, Al Mulla Exchange offers free insurance and loyalty points on every transaction.

New appointments at Movenpick Hotel

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ovenpick Hotel Kuwait, located in the Free Trade Zone, has announced the appointment of Jafar Amin as Director of Sales and Elsayed Elasy as Communications Manager.

Amin has held numerous positions in front offices and sales in major international hospitality hotels companies in Kuwait.

Like Hilton Kuwait, the Al Manshar Rotana Hotel and Sheraton Kuwait.

Before Amin assumed the position of Director of sales at the Movenpick Hotel Kuwait in the Free Trade Zone, he held the position of Senior Sales Manager at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Kuwait, where he was chosen to be an addition to the hotel’s staff, Amin has been keen on developing his skills by participating in many training sessions throughout his career in international hotels, which will help him to better per-

Al-Sayed Al-Asi

Jaafar Amin

form his future tasks of leadership, planning, and development in the field of sales at the Movenpick Hotel Kuwait.

Elasy graduated from the Faculty of Tourism and Hotels in Cairo University, and

he worked in many Egyptian newspapers as a correspondent for the tourism page.

After that he joined the Marriott Hotel in Sharm al Sheikh, and then he was appointed as an Executive in the department of

Public Relations and marketing in the Marriott Kuwait, the Courtyard Marriott, and Al Raya Ballroom. At that time, he obtained Marriott’s international certificate in public relations along with twenty public relations team of Marriott Hotels around the world. Following that, he was chosen to be part of the team for the inauguration of the Regency Hotel. He later joined the office of sales and external marketing for Rotana Hotels, becoming responsible for the markets in Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain.

It is worth mentioning that before Elasy assumed the position of Communication Manager at the Movenpick Kuwait, he worked as regional director of marketing and public relations in the Middle East and North Africa for one of the major entertainment company in Kuwait. He became a member of the Association of Arab Experts in Tourism in the GCC countries.

25 stations included in Oula development plan

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ula Fuel Marketing Company has initiated the implementation of its 5 years plan from 2013 until 2018 to develop its stations; Omariya Station which is located on the airport street fronting Al-Yarmouk Area (between Fourth & Fifth Rings) was the first station on this plan which will include another 25 stations along the upcoming 5 years.

Omariya Station has been fully shut down early in December 2013 where it will be subject to a total renovation process through which new facilities and services will be added to transform it into a one-stop-shop to fulfill the needs of its customers. These new services will not be limited to gas filling only; but it will expand to include an automatic car wash service equipped with the latest electronic and environment-friendly means which will contribute to recycle the water effluent from the washing process and will also reduce the waiting time a car wash usually consumes, plus to a small automotive service center for oil changing and some light maintenance works. The station will also include a central market of ??80 square meters where customers could find all major consumables and an ATM machine.

In this regards, Mr. Abdu Hussein Al Sultan Oula’s Chairman- stated: “This Five-Year development plan (from 2013 and until 2018) is an implementation of Oula’s strategy and the aspirations of

the Board of Directors through which we are aiming to upgrade the level of services provided by gas stations in general and the services available in our stations in particular. We strive to set a new standard for fuel stations in Kuwait relevant in its level to the international standards where fuel stations became as one-stop-shop contains a variety of services available to customers in one place,

which in return will lead to save time and effort on them”. Mr. Abdul Hussein Al-Sultan went to say: “Oula promises its customers to continue in its current approach to develop and modernize its stations to meet the level of expectations, and commensurate with the nature of the needs of our valued customers.”

In regards to the external appearance of the

station, the new design with its distinctive green color will give the building a spectacular aesthetic.

During reconstruction, Oula will also be taking into consideration the an international safety and security standards in all of the stations’ facilities where floors will be provided with underground pipes to address the vapors resulting while filling automobile with fuel; this shall in return contribute to protect the employees and the customers at the stations and help avoid occurrence of any accidents pr fires in the station and also protect the environment from pollution.

This development plan initiated by Oula Fuel Marketing Co. will have a significant role in improving and developing the level of services offered by the gas stations and will create more competition between companies operating in this field within the country; this will make moving from one place to another inside Kuwait a true pleasure when en using these stations and take advantage with its integrated and modern services.

It should be noted that the station will be closed for a period of 6 months; in the first three months only the station will be fully closed, afterwards, consumers will be able to use only gas filling services rather than the other services until the completion of the construction and modernization works in the end of the period given previously.

W H AT ’ S O N

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

Embassy Information 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. nnnnnnn

Marriott Hotels organize a visit to the elderly in Kuwait

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s part of the active international ‘Spirit to Serve ‘initiatives, a team of associates from the JW Marriott Hotel Kuwait City, the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel Kuwait City and the Arraya Ballroom managed by Marriott International in Kuwait, recently organized a memorable visit to Farah Specialist Center for the Care and Rehabilitation of the Elderly in Kuwait, located in Shuwaikh, which is a subsidiary of the Ministry of Social Affairs, to share joyous moments with elderly people who are in need of assistance with day to day activities and general health and wellbeing.

Elderly patients along with members of Kuwait Marriott Hotels enjoyed a games session, and shared jokes and stories of past experiences, while also treating them with deliciously packed lunches to add to the momentous occasion. Group gifts designed for the elderly, consisting of knitting kits, ludo kit, and a carom board, were also distributed to add to their delight, in addition to roses distributed to every inmate, that would express the brand’s sincere feelings of love and hope.

“Kuwait Marriott Hotels has been support-

ing the Kuwaiti community through a range of educational, health, sport and social programs. The visit to Farah Specialist Center for the Care and Rehabilitation of the Elderly in

Kuwait stands as one of many initiatives we take towards enhancing and improving the cultural perspectives on elderly citizens in the various communities that we serve while also

assisting them in our own way,” said George Aoun, Cluster General Manager of Kuwait Marriott Hotels.

Andrew Fernandes, Marketing Communications and Public Relations Manager for Kuwait Marriott Hotels added, “At Marriott, our associates play an important role in our endeavor to benefit the warm community we reside with. Without employee involvement and enthusiasm to involve themselves in more works of community goodwill, our outreach efforts through our flagship Spirit to Serve mission would not be nearly as successful”.

Marriott’s “Spirit to Serve” initiative is captured in uplifting human interest stories and important environmental issues across the world. Through drives like visiting Farah Specialist Center for the Care and Rehabilitation of the Elderly in Kuwait, Marriott strives to be a responsible member of the local community. It continues to become an important role in people’s lives, and help them overcome adversity, embody a passion for service and achieve personal excellence.

BEC Exchange opens new branch

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EC Exchange Company (BEC), one of Kuwait’s leading money transfer and Foreign Exchange Company announced the opening of its latest branch in the country. The Egaila branch, located on the Al Naoukita Complex - 3, was inaugurated by Titus E.D., Director and General Manager of BEC. To celebrate the opening of the branch, which is BEC’s 33rdbranch in Kuwait and 1st branch in the Egaila, BEC gave away 50 silver coins to the first 50 lucky customers. The new branch will offer customers a full suite of BEC services including EzRemit Money Transfer, Credit to Account, Cash Pick Up, MoneyGram and Foreign Currency Exchange to name a few.

Commenting on the opening, Titus E.D. Director and

General Manager BEC said “Part of our business strategy is to open convenient and accessible branch locations and to take BEC closer to our customers. As Egaila is highly populated with Kuwaiti’s and expatriates living and working there, we felt it was ideal to open another branch to meet the needs of customers in this busy and peopled area.”

Customers, who make an FX or remittance transaction at the new Egaila branch, with their BEC Bonus Loyalty Card, will automatically be entered into BEC’S current campaign - BEC’s 2013Year End Bonanza. Customers will be entered into an automated draw with the chance to win the star prize of a Renault Duster Jeep plus other prizes including 2 gold bars x to the value of 250KD, 7 Laptops, 10 Sony Mobile Phones and

10 x 50KD cash prizes. Customers who have not yet registered for a BEC Loyalty Card can do so at any of BEC’s 33 branches across Kuwait.

Established in 1992, BE specializes in sending money safely and efficiently at competitive rates. Parented by BFC Group Holdings, the leading remittance and foreign exchange group in the region has over 100 branches across Bahrain, Kuwait, United Kingdom, India and Malaysia. BEC has a global reach covering over 200 countries, through its own money transfer product - EzRemit and its partnership with MoneyGram an international money transfer company and offers customers unparalleled remittance and foreign exchange products and services.

EMBASSY OF SLOVAK The Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Kuwait would like to inform the public that 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:

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

Indian Overseas Congress arts competitions 2014

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ndian Overseas Congress, Kuwait is conducting 7th Arts Competitions-IOC fest 2014 on 6th and 7th March 2014 at United Indian School. IOC, once again welcome the growing buds of Indian expatriate community in Kuwait from various disciplines to test their talents and competency in the field of arts. The winners of this prestigious competition will be awarded with Trophies and Medals. Kalaprathiba and Kalathilakam prizes will be

awarded for the top scorers in the fest.

The competitions are for Elocution, Solo, Poetry Recitation(Mal), Classical Dance (single), Folk Dance(single), Group Dance(Cinematic), Indian Patriotic Song, Mono act, Drawing/Painting and Poster Poetry writing.

Although the competitions are meant for children from various disciplines, Elocution, Solo, Poetry Recitation and Indian Patriotic Song Competitions will be held for con-

testants above 18 years also. A committee under the leadership of Raju Zacharias as General Convenor, Sunil Rapuzha and Jacob Kavalam as joint conveners has started functioning. The entry forms, are available at the following places: Abbassiya - Hidine Super Market Sakina Book Stall Hidine Restaurant. Riggae - Al Dallah Super Market, Fahaheel - Royal Mobile Services and Sales.

Enquiry can be send to Email : iocfest2014@gmail.com

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.

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

TV PROGRAMS

00:50 Untamed & Uncut 01:45 Gator Boys 02:35 Animal Cops Philadelphia 03:25 Sharks Of Palau 04:15 America’s Cutest Pets 05:05 Too Cute!

05:55 Animal Cops Philadelphia 06:45 Wildest Islands 07:35 Wildlife SOS 08:00 Meerkat Manor 08:25 My Cat From Hell 09:15 America’s Cutest...

10:10 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 11:05 Call Of The Wildman 11:30 Swamp Brothers 12:00 Bondi Vet 12:55 Wildest Islands 13:50 Cheetah Kingdom 14:20 Cheetah Kingdom 14:45 Cheetah Kingdom 15:15 Cheetah Kingdom 15:40 Cheetah Kingdom 16:10 Cheetah Kingdom 18:55 Cheetah Kingdom 19:20 Call Of The Wildman 19:45 Call Of The Wildman 20:15 Swamp Brothers 20:40 Swamp Brothers 21:10 Swimming With Monsters: Steve Backshall 22:05 Sharks Under Glass 23:00 Wildest Africa 23:55 Cheetah Kingdom

00:00 2 Point 4 Children 00:30 Keeping Up Appearances 01:00 Only Fools And Horses 01:30 As Time Goes By 02:05 Michael McIntyre Live And Laughing 03:00 Lapland: Christmas 2011 04:15 The Weakest Link 05:00 Me Too! 05:20 Charlie And Lola 05:30 The Green Balloon Club 05:55 3rd & Bird 06:05 Me Too! 06:25 Charlie And Lola 06:35 The Green Balloon Club 07:00 3rd & Bird 07:10 Poetry Pie 07:15 Bobinogs 07:25 Doctor Who Confidential 07:35 The Weakest Link 08:20 BBC Proms 2011: Comedy Prom 09:55 Famous, Rich & In The Slums 10:50 Famous, Rich & In The Slums 11:45 Born To Royalty 13:00 Keeping Up Appearances: Xmas Special 13:30 Doctors 16:00 My Family 16:30 Blackadder The Third 17:00 Absolutely Fabulous: Xmas 2011 17:30 Absolutely Fabulous: Xmas 2011 18:00 BBC Proms 2011: Hooray For Hollywood 20:00 Sally Lockhart Mysteries 21:35 Dara O Briain Live From The Theatre Royal 22:30 Michael McIntyre Live And Laughing 23:20 The Weakest Link

00:10 Cash In The Attic 00:55 Marbella Mansions 01:40 Marbella Mansions 02:25 DIY SOS: The Big Build 03:20 Bargain Hunt 04:05 Bargain Hunt 04:50 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 06:05 Bill’s Kitchen: Notting Hill 06:30 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow 07:20 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow

08:05 Cash In The Attic 08:50 Bargain Hunt 09:35 Bargain Hunt 10:20 Rhodes Across Italy 11:05 Rhodes Across Italy 11:50 Rick Stein’s Taste Of Italian Opera 12:40 Bill’s Kitchen: Notting Hill 13:05 MasterChef 13:35 MasterChef 14:25 DIY SOS: The Big Build 15:15 Antiques Roadshow 16:10 Antiques Roadshow 17:05 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 18:25 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow 19:10 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow 20:00 Fat & Fatter 20:50 Come Dine With Me: Supersize 22:25 Antiques Roadshow 23:15 Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds

00:05 Bugs, Bites And Parasites 00:55 Life Or Death: Medical Mysteries 01:45 Weird Or What?

02:35 How It’s Made 04:40 How Do They Do It? 07:00 Kings Of Crash 07:50 World’s Top 5 08:40 Wheeler Dealers 09:30 The Hunger: Death Race 10:20 Bush Pilots 11:10 Dual Survival 12:00 Destroyed In Seconds 13:40 How It’s Made 15:45 Storage Hunters 17:50 Border Security 19:55 Mythbusters 20:45 You Have Been Warned 21:35 Treehouse Masters 22:25 The Hunger: Death Race 23:15 Bush Pilots

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 09:30 09:55 10:15 10:40 12:05 12:15 12:35 13:00 13:25 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:10 16:35 17:00 17:20 17:45 18:10 18:30 18:55

The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody Jonas Jonas 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 Jonas Jonas 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 That’s So Raven Shake It Up Good Luck Charlie Dog With A Blog Gravity Falls Wolfblood My Babysitter’s A Vampire A.N.T. Farm Frenemies Prank Stars That’s So Raven Shake It Up Austin And Ally Austin And Ally Austin And Ally Austin And Ally Austin And Ally Dog With A Blog My Babysitter’s A Vampire Wolfblood Gravity Falls A.N.T. Farm Good Luck Charlie Austin And Ally Dog With A Blog My Babysitter’s A Vampire Wolfblood Gravity Falls

19:20 19:40 20:30 21:15 22:00 22:50 23:35

Mako Mermaids Violetta Violetta Violetta Violetta Violetta Wizards Of Waverly Place

Don’t miss out!

American Idol returns to OSN screens this month with season 13

00:00 Chelsea Lately 00:30 The Dance Scene 00:55 The Dance Scene 01:25 THS 03:15 THS 04:10 E! Entertainment Special 05:05 Extreme Close-Up 05:30 Extreme Close-Up 06:00 THS 07:50 Style Star 08:20 E! News 09:15 Opening Act 10:15 Eric And Jessie: Game On 10:40 Eric And Jessie: Game On 11:10 E!ES 12:05 E! News 13:05 Pop Goes The Year 14:05 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 15:00 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 16:00 E!ES 17:00 Fashion Police 18:00 E! News 19:00 E!ES 20:00 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 21:00 The Drama Queen 22:00 Pop Goes The Year 23:00 E!ES 23:30 Chelsea Lately

00:15 01:30 02:20 02:45 03:10 03:35 04:00 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:40 06:30 07:10 07:35 08:00 09:40 10:05 10:30 10:55 11:20 11:45 12:10 12:35 13:00 13:25 13:50 Basics 14:15 Basics 14:40 Basics 15:05 15:30 15:55 16:20 16:45 17:35 18:25 19:15 20:30 20:55 21:20 21:45 22:10 23:00 23:25 23:50

Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Tastiest Places To Chowdown Unwrapped Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Unique Eats Food Crafters United Tastes Of America Chopped Amazing Wedding Cakes Unwrapped Unwrapped Everyday Italian Aarti Party Aarti Party Aarti Party Aarti Party Reza’s African Kitchen Reza’s African Kitchen Reza’s African Kitchen Reza’s African Kitchen Charly’s Cake Angels Charly’s Cake Angels Barefoot Contessa - Back To Barefoot Contessa - Back To Barefoot Contessa - Back To Reza’s African Kitchen Reza’s African Kitchen Siba’s Table Siba’s Table Amazing Wedding Cakes Iron Chef America Iron Chef America Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Charly’s Cake Angels Charly’s Cake Angels Tastiest Places To Chowdown Tastiest Places To Chowdown Chopped Charly’s Cake Angels Charly’s Cake Angels Amazing Wedding Cakes

01:30 Saturday Night Live 02:30 The League

E

SEEKING JUSTICE ON OSN MOVIES HD 03:00 Breaking In 03:30 Baby Daddy 04:00 Arrested Development 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Arrested Development 06:00 Two And A Half Men 06:30 Friends 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Arrested Development 08:30 Arrested Development 09:00 Breaking In 09:30 That Mitchell And Webb Look 10:00 Two And A Half Men 10:30 Friends 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Two And A Half Men 12:30 Arrested Development 13:00 Arrested Development 13:30 Friends 14:00 Baby Daddy 14:30 That Mitchell And Webb Look 15:00 Two And A Half Men 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 Two And A Half Men 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 Breaking In 18:30 Go On 19:00 2 Broke Girls 19:30 Two And A Half Men 20:00 The Cleveland Show 20:30 Web Therapy 22:00 New Girl 22:30 New Girl 23:00 The League 23:30 The Cleveland Show

03:00 15:00 18:00 19:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Rescue Me Defiance Bones Franklin & Bash Red Widow Supernatural Rescue Me

01:00 05:00 15:00 21:00

Touch Touch Touch Switched At Birth

00:15 Amphibious-18 02:00 The Corruptor-18 04:00 Arctic Blast-PG15 06:00 Men In Black 3-PG 08:00 The Man Inside-PG15 10:00 Superman vs. The Elite-PG15 12:00 The Presence-PG15 14:00 The Man Inside-PG15 16:00 Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part One-PG15 18:00 The Presence-PG15 20:00 Three Kings-18 22:00 Body Count-PG15

ARCTIC BLAST ON OSN MOVIES ACTION HD

00:15 The Do-Deca PentathlonPG15 02:00 That’s What She Said-18 04:00 Hit List-PG15 06:00 Drop Dead Fred-PG 08:00 The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants-PG15 10:00 Another Stakeout-PG15 12:00 Hit List-PG15 14:00 My Dog’s Christmas MiraclePG15 16:00 Another Stakeout-PG15 18:00 From Prada To Nada-PG15 20:00 The Ringer-PG15 22:00 All American Christmas Carol-PG15

01:00 Buried-PG15 03:00 Bobby Fischer Against The World-PG15 05:00 Another Harvest Moon-PG15 07:00 Courage-PG15 09:00 Buried-PG15 11:00 Web Of Lies-PG15 13:00 One Angry Juror-PG15 15:00 Tricks Of A Woman-PG15 17:00 Wish You Were Here-PG15 19:00 Wrecked-PG15 20:45 Melancholia-18 23:00 Neds-PG15

01:30 Mad Bastards-18 03:15 Hara-Kiri: Death Of A Samurai-18 05:30 The Lucky One-PG15 07:15 Too Late To Say GoodbyePG15 09:00 The Flowers Of War-PG15 11:30 The Firm-PG15 14:00 Planet Of The Apes (1968)PG15 16:00 Like Crazy-PG15 17:30 The Firm-PG15 20:00 Broken Bridges-PG15 22:00 Angels Crest-18 23:45 The End Of The Affair-18

01:00 Shark Night-PG15 03:00 Moonrise Kingdom-PG15 05:00 The Iron Lady-PG15 07:00 Phil Spector-PG15 09:00 Seeking Justice-PG15 11:00 Ring Of Deceit-PG15 13:00 Underground: The Julian Assange Story-PG15 15:00 Arbitrage-PG15 17:00 Seeking Justice-PG15 19:00 Silver Linings Playbook-PG15 21:00 Chronicle-PG15 23:00 Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter-18

01:00 Moomins And The Comet Chase 02:45 Super Buddies 04:30 Ben 10: Alien Swarm 06:00 Moomins And The Comet Chase 08:00 Crab Island 10:00 Charlotte’s Web 11:45 Barbie In The Pink Shoes 13:15 Ben 10: Alien Swarm 14:45 Tom & Jerry: Robin Hood And His Merry Mouse 16:00 Hammer Boy 18:00 Charlotte’s Web 20:00 Arthur 3: And The War Of Two Worlds 22:00 Tom & Jerry: Robin Hood And His Merry Mouse 23:15 Hammer Boy

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Intruders-18 Here Comes The Boom-PG15 Frankenweenie-PG Fun Size-PG15 Dating Coach-PG15 Arthur Christmas-PG Here Comes The Boom-PG15 Rise Of The Guardians-PG Dating Coach-PG15 The Big Year-PG Goon-18 2 Days In New York-18

01:30 The Ashes Highlights

02:30 10:30 11:00 13:30 16:00 17:00 18:00 22:45

Live Cricket The Ashes NFL Game Day NFL NFL Trans World Sport Cricket ODI Series Highlights PGA Tour Live Top 14

00:00 00:30 03:30 04:00 09:00 14:00 17:00 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00

NFL Gameday Live NFL NFL Gameday Live NFL PGA Tour Cricket ODI Series Highlights Top 14 Trans World Sports Futbol Mundial NFL Gameday Live NFL

00:30 European Tour Weekly 01:30 Live PGA Tour 06:00 AFL Premiership Highlights 07:00 PRO 12 09:00 Top 14 11:00 PDC Worlds Darts Championship 14:00 PRO 12 16:00 Futbol Mundial 16:30 Pool Mosconi Cup 20:30 ICC Cricket 360 21:00 PDC Worlds Darts Championship

00:00 02:00 03:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 10:30 13:30 14:30 15:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 21:00 22:00

NHL Monster Energy Supercross Bellator MMA US Bass Fishing European Le Mans Series WWE Bottom Line WWE NXT WWE Experience WWE This Week Prizefighter Monster Energy Supercross World Snowboarding NHL European Le Mans Series WWE Bottom Line WWE SmackDown WWE Vintage Collection Bellator MMA

00:00 Chasing Ice 01:30 Nat Geo’s Most Amazing Photos 02:00 Light At The Edge Of The World 03:00 Big, Bigger, Biggest 04:00 Breakout 05:00 Huge Moves 06:00 Evacuate Earth 07:00 Maya Underworld: The Real Doomsday 08:00 Chasing Ice 09:30 Nat Geo’s Most Amazing Photos 10:00 Light At The Edge Of The World 11:00 Big, Bigger, Biggest 12:00 World’s Toughest Fixes 13:00 Huge Moves 14:00 Animal Mega Moves 15:00 The Best Job In The World 15:30 Wild Congo 16:30 Brain Games 17:00 Wild Russia 18:00 Untamed Americas 19:00 Mega Factories 20:00 Mega Bridges 21:00 Great Migrations 22:00 Ultimate Airport Dubai 23:00 Megastructures

veryone’s favorite singing competition, American Idol returns for its highly anticipated 13th season with a new dream team, new contestants and the best and worst of auditions this January, only on OSN at the same time as the US. In the season’s premiere episode, host Ryan Seacrest and judges Harry Connick, Jr, Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban travel to Austin, TX, and Boston, MA, where the good, the bad and the outrageous audition for their shots at stardom. This season promises to deliver the most talented group of singers yet and, as always, it’s up to the viewers to root and vote for their favorite contestants, ultimately crowning the next American Idol. Catch every moment at it happens on OSN First HD from Jan 16 at 20:00 KSA. This year, OSN brings viewers over 100 first-run and exclusive TV shows, in addition to a sterling repertoire of the latest blockbusters, within three months of their theatrical release so you always see it first on OSN. Other series to look forward to this January include Helix bringing adrenaline-packed action and suspense at the same time as the US only on OSN First HD. The show follows a team of scientists investigating a possible disease outbreak who find themselves in the midst of a struggle between life and death with the key that could either save or destroy humanity.

Fresh from the HBO oven, the brand new Hello Ladies premieres on Jan 13, at 22:00 KSA exclusively on OSN First Comedy HD. Starring Stephen Merchant (otherwise known as Ricky Gervais’ tall and lanky sidekick), the story follows Stuart Pritchard’s comedic misadventures on his quest for the woman of his dreams in LA. Comedy lovers can also enjoy S11 of Two and a Half Men from Jan 4 at 19:30 KSA, and the premiere of the third season of 2 Broke Girls from Jan 5 at 19:00 KSA. The streak of thrill continues with the return of Supernatural S8, the exciting HBO series’ Banshee S2, and the award winning and truly uncompromising, compelling, action drama Strike Back S3, in which a Bond-less MI6 puts its top two agents on missions ripped straight out of today’s headlines.

Headlining OSN’s movie line-up is the much-awaited and critically acclaimed The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, the second film in the sequel, starring Academy Award winning actress Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth. The movie follows on the heels of 2012’s blockbuster cinematic success, The Hunger Games - and takes the worldwide phenomenon sparked by Suzanne Collins’ bestselling books into a new chapter that deepens the story and propels it forward.

The beloved inventor out to the save the world in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 must defeat the likes of hungry ‘shrimpanzees,’ ‘hippotatomuses,’ and other ‘foodimals’ to guarantee mankind’s existence. The highly anticipated animated film will premiere on OSN Movies Box Office.

OSN’s star-studded 9pm movie premiere slot will also boast unmatched blockbusters including Iron Man 3, Gangster Squad, Olympus Has Fallen, and the hugely-popular horror franchise, Resident Evil - all exclusive on OSN for a minimum of 12 months. For the best of television this month, please visit www.osn.com

Oscar-winning Hollywood producer Saul Zaentz dies at 92

F

ilm producer Saul Zaentz, winner of best picture Oscars for “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” “Amadeus” and “The English Patient,” has died at age 92, US media reported Saturday. Zaentz died due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease at his home in San Francisco on Friday, his nephew Paul Zaentz told the Los Angeles Times. “He was an extraordinary man,” Paul Zaentz, who worked with his uncle for 37 years, told the Hollywood Reporter. “He had a lot of guts, a lot of integrity.” Zaentz, who began in the music business before moving into films, was known for producing highbrow movies, and even ran his independent film production company from Berkeleynear San Francisco-to keep a distance from Hollywood.

“One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975), co-produced with actor Michael Douglas, starred Jack Nicholson as a patient at a mental institution. The movie won five Oscars, including best director for Milos Forman. Zaentz and Forman teamed up again for “Amadeus” (1984) about the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The movie won eight Oscars, including best picture, best director and best actor for F. Murray Abraham. For “The English Patient” (1996), a drama set in World War II, Zaentz teamed up with director Anthony Minghella. The movie won nine Oscars, including best picture and best director.

On Oscar award night in 1977 Zaentz was awarded the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award for lifetime achievement. Other movies that Zaentz had a role producing include “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” (1988), “At Play in the Fields of the Lord” (1991), and “Goya’s Ghosts” (2006). He also produced an animated version of The Lord of the Rings (1978). Earlier in his career Zaentz made a fortune with Fantasy Records, a label that he bought, which represented jazz musicians and rock group Creedence Clearwater Revival. Later however Zaentz was involved in bitter and lengthy litigation with Creedence singer John Fogerty over the rights to several of the group’s hit songs. — AFP

Classifieds MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

Kuwait SHARQIA-1 JUSTIN BIEBER’S BELIEVE (DIG) 1:45 PM GRUDGE MATCH (DIG) 3:45 PM JUSTIN BIEBER’S BELIEVE (DIG) 6:00 PM A STRANGER IN PARADISE (DIG) 8:15 PM GRUDGE MATCH (DIG) 10:00 PM A STRANGER IN PARADISE (DIG) 12:30 AM SHARQIA-2 47 RONIN (DIG-3D) 1:00 PM WALKING WITH DINOSAURS (DIG-3D) 3:30 PM FROZEN (DIG-3D) 5:30 PM HOWA FI KEDA (DIG) (Arabic) 7:45 PM 47 RONIN (DIG-3D) 9:45 PM 47 RONIN (DIG-3D) 12:15 AM SHARQIA-3 POLICE STORY 2014 (DIG) 2:00 PM HOMEFRONT (DIG) 4:15 PM POLICE STORY 2014 (DIG) 6:15 PM HOMEFRONT (DIG) 8:30 PM POLICE STORY 2014 (DIG) 10:30 PM HOMEFRONT (DIG) 12:45 AM MUHALAB-1 HOMEFRONT (DIG) 2:00 PM HOMEFRONT (DIG) 4:00 PM HOMEFRONT (DIG) 6:00 PM A STRANGER IN PARADISE (DIG) 8:00 PM HOMEFRONT (DIG) 9:45 PM MUHALAB-2 POLICE STORY 2014 (DIG) 1:00 PM WALKING WITH DINOSAURS (DIG) 3:30 PM POLICE STORY 2014 (DIG) 5:30 PM GRUDGE MATCH (DIG) 7:45 PM POLICE STORY 2014 (DIG) 10:00 PM MUHALAB-3 FROZEN (DIG-3D) 2:15 PM FROZEN (DIG-3D)

KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (02/01/2014 TO 08/01/2014) 4:30 PM 47 RONIN (DIG) 6:45 PM 47 RONIN (DIG) 9:15 PM

A STRANGER IN PARADISE (DIG) 9:00 PM HOWA FI KEDA (DIG) (Arabic) 10:45 PM A STRANGER IN PARADISE (DIG) 12:45 AM

FANAR-1 POLICE STORY 2014 (DIG) 1:00 PM GRUDGE MATCH (DIG) 3:30 PM POLICE STORY 2014 (DIG) 5:45 PM GRUDGE MATCH (DIG) 8:15 PM POLICE STORY 2014 (DIG) 10:30 PM POLICE STORY 2014 (DIG) 12:45 AM

MARINA-1 HOMEFRONT (DIG) 1:30 PM HOMEFRONT (DIG) 3:30 PM POLICE STORY 2014 (DIG) 5:30 PM HOMEFRONT (DIG) 7:45 PM POLICE STORY 2014 (DIG) 9:45 PM HOMEFRONT (DIG) 12:05 AM

FANAR-2 FROZEN (DIG) 1:45 PM FROZEN (DIG) 4:00 PM HOMEFRONT (DIG) 6:15 PM HOMEFRONT (DIG) 8:15 PM HOMEFRONT (DIG) 10:15 PM HOMEFRONT (DIG) 12:15 AM

MARINA-2 JUSTIN BIEBER’S BELIEVE (DIG) 1:45 PM HOWA FI KEDA (DIG) (Arabic) 3:45 PM JUSTIN BIEBER’S BELIEVE (DIG) 6:00 PM HOWA FI KEDA (DIG) (Arabic) 8:00 PM GRUDGE MATCH (DIG) 10:00 PM GRUDGE MATCH (DIG) 12:15 AM

FANAR-3 HOURS (DIG) 1:30 PM THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (DIG) 3:45 PM DHOOM 3 (DIG) (HINDI) 6:00 PM DHOOM 3 (DIG) (HINDI) 9:15 PM HOURS (DIG) 12:30 AM FANAR-4 47 RONIN (DIG) 12:30 PM WALKING WITH DINOSAURS (DIG-3D) 3:00 PM WALKING WITH DINOSAURS (DIG-3D) 5:00 PM 47 RONIN (DIG) 7:00 PM 47 RONIN (DIG) 9:30 PM 47 RONIN (DIG) 12:05 AM

CHANGE OF NAME

MARINA-3 FROZEN (DIG-3D) 1:00 PM WALKING WITH DINOSAURS (DIG-3D) 3:30 PM FROZEN (DIG-3D) 5:30 PM 47 RONIN (DIG-3D) 7:45 PM 47 RONIN (DIG-3D) 10:15 PM 47 RONIN (DIG-3D) 12:45 AM AVENUES-1 THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (DIG) 1:30 PM DHOOM 3 (DIG) (HINDI) 5:00 PM DHOOM 3 (DIG) (HINDI) 8:30 PM DHOOM 3 (DIG) (HINDI) 12:05 AM

I, Vijaykumar Baburao Painginkar, R/o Paingin, Canacona, Goa, India, change my name to Yousef Vijaykumar Painginkar, Passport No. F5608432.

Address in Kuwait: Rabiya, block 2, street 26, H-05.

Address in India: House816B, Paingin, Canacona, Goa - 403702. (C 4607) 5-1-2014

No: 16039

SITUATION VACANT

AVENUES-2 HOURS (DIG) 1:15 PM HOURS (DIG) 3:15 PM A STRANGER IN PARADISE (DIG) 5:15 PM A STRANGER IN PARADISE (DIG) 7:15 PM A STRANGER IN PARADISE (DIG)

FANAR-5 HOWA FI KEDA (DIG) (Arabic) 1:30 PM A STRANGER IN PARADISE (DIG) 3:30 PM A STRANGER IN PARADISE (DIG) 5:15 PM HOWA FI KEDA (DIG) (Arabic) 7:00 PM

I, Nazia Nazir Ahmed Mukadam, Passport No: Z2237838, hereby change my name to Nazia Nazir Mukadam. Address: Al-Bahr, flat no. 302, 170, Adell road, Mahim (W), Mumbai 400016, India. (C 4608) 6-1-2014

Very experienced cook for Kuwaiti home, transferable residency, very lucrative salary, male applicants only. Contact 94088822.

(C 4609) 6-1-2014

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

Airlines BBC JAI KAC JZR JZR THY MEA QTR GFA THY AFG UAE ETD MSR QTR KAC KAC JZR FDB THY DHX FDB BAW FDB QTR NIA KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY ETD FDB QTR KAC GFA MSC MSC JZR IRC MEA SYR UAE MSR MSR KNE FDB QTR KAC

Arrival Flights on Monday 6/1/2014 Flt Route 43 DHAKA 574 MUMBAI 502 BEIRUT 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 772 ISTANBUL 408 BEIRUT 1084 DOHA 211 BAHRAIN 764 SABIHA 416 JEDDAH 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI-INTL 612 CAIRO 1076 DOHA 206 ISLAMABAD 412 MANILA 503 LUXOR 67 DUBAI 770 ISTANBUL 170 BAHRAIN 69 DUBAI 157 LONDON 53 DUBAI 1086 DOHA 251 ALEXANDRIA 352 COCHIN 362 COLOMBO 302 MUMBAI 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 301 ABU DHABI-INTL 55 DUBAI 1070 DOHA 344 CHENNAI 213 BAHRAIN 401 ALEXANDRIA 403 ASYUT 165 DUBAI 6521 LAMERD 404 BEIRUT 341 DAMASCUS 871 DUBAI 610 CAIRO 579 SOHAG 480 TAIF 57 DUBAI 1078 DOHA 382 DELHI

Time 00:05 00:10 00:15 00:40 00:40 00:45 03:10 00:55 02:10 02:15 02:20 02:35 02:45 03:10 03:45 07:40 06:45 05:50 04:00 05:35 05:40 05:50 06:40 07:50 07:50 06:45 09:50 08:45 07:55 08:40 09:00 09:20 09:40 09:55 10:40 10:40 10:50 11:15 11:30 11:45 11:55 12:30 12:50 13:00 13:05 13:15 13:50 13:55 13:05

KAC SVA KNE GFA KAC OMA KAC QTR UAE ETD RJA SVA ABY GFA MPH KAC JZR KAC KAC KAC JZR KAC RBG MSC QTR FDB KAC KAC GFA KAC OMA FDB JAI ABY AXB DLH ALK MEA ETD UAE GFA QTR FDB JZR JAI JZR AIC PIA TAR JZR

546 500 472 221 788 645 118 1072 857 303 640 510 127 215 93 284 777 542 774 786 177 742 553 405 1080 63 618 674 217 104 647 61 572 129 489 636 229 402 307 859 219 1074 59 135 576 239 975 205 327 185

ALEXANDRIA JEDDAH JEDDAH BAHRAIN JEDDAH MUSCAT NEW YORK DOHA DUBAI ABU DHABI-INTL AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA RIYADH SHARJAH BAHRAIN AMSTERDAM DHAKA JEDDAH CAIRO RIYADH JEDDAH DUBAI DAMMAM ALEXANDRIA SOHAG DOHA DUBAI DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN LONDON MUSCAT DUBAI MUMBAI SHARJAH COCHIN FRANKFURT COLOMBO BEIRUT ABU DHABI-INTL DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN COCHIN AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA CHENNAI LAHORE TUNIS DUBAI

14:05 14:30 14:35 15:00 15:10 15:55 16:35 16:40 16:40 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:25 17:30 17:50 17:45 17:55 18:05 18:45 18:45 18:20 18:20 18:15 18:30 18:40 18:45 19:00 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:55 20:05 20:10 20:20 20:35 20:55 21:10 21:20 21:35 21:40 21:45 22:00 22:00 22:05 22:15 22:20 22:30 23:05 23:15 23:20

Airlines AIC UAL PIA JAI BBC THY AFG UAE KAC ETD MSR MEA QTR FDB QTR KAC FDB JZR THY GFA KAC THY NIA FDB BAW QTR KAC ABY UAE ETD FDB QTR GFA KAC KAC MSC MSC KAC JZR IRC MEA KAC SYR JZR MSR MSR KNE UAE

Departure Flights on Monday 6/1/2014 Flt Route 982 AHMEDABAD 981 WASHINGTON 206 LAHORE 573 MUMBAI 44 CHITTAGONG 773 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 416 KABUL 854 DUBAI 381 DELHI 306 ABU DHABI 613 CAIRO 409 BEIRUT 1085 DOHA 68 DUBAI 1077 DOHA 283 DHAKA 70 DUBAI 164 DUBAI 765 ISTANBUL-SABIHA 212 BAHRAIN 545 ALEXANDRIA 771 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 252 ALEXANDRIA 54 DUBAI 156 LONDON 1087 DOHA 787 JEDDAH 126 SHARJAH 856 DUBAI 302 ABU DHABI 56 DUBAI 1071 DOHA 214 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 165 ROME 406 SOHAG 404 ASYUT 103 LONDON 776 JEDDAH 6522 LAMERD 405 BEIRUT 785 JEDDAH 342 DAMASCUS 176 DUBAI 580 SOHAG 611 CAIRO 481 TAIF 872 DUBAI

DIAL161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Time 00:05 00:55 01:05 01:10 01:45 02:55 03:30 03:50 03:50 04:00 04:10 04:10 04:15 04:40 05:15 05:15 06:30 06:55 07:05 07:15 07:15 07:30 07:35 08:30 08:45 08:50 09:25 09:40 09:55 10:05 10:20 10:55 11:25 11:30 11:50 11:50 12:15 12:20 12:25 12:45 12:55 13:00 13:30 13:45 13:50 14:00 14:10 14:15

FDB QTR KAC KAC KAC KAC KNE GFA SVA JZR OMA ETD QTR UAE JZR RJA ABY SVA GFA JZR JZR RBG JZR MPH FDB MSC QTR GFA FDB OMA KAC KAC ABY JAI KAC DLH DLH DHX ALK MEA ETD GFA KAC FDB UAE KAC QTR JAI JZR KAC

58 1079 673 773 741 617 473 222 501 238 646 304 1073 858 538 641 128 511 216 184 266 554 134 93 64 402 1081 218 62 648 331 361 120 571 351 634 636 171 230 403 308 220 301 60 860 205 1075 575 502 411

DUBAI DOHA DUBAI RIYADH DAMMAM DOHA JEDDAH BAHRAIN JEDDAH AMMAN MUSCAT ABU DHABI DOHA DUBAI CAIRO AMMAN SHARJAH RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI BEIRUT ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN AL MAKTOUM INTERNATIONAL DUBAI ALEXANDRIA DOHA BAHRAIN DUBAI MUSCAT TRIVANDRUM COLOMBO SHARJAH MUMBAI KOCHI DAMMAM DAMMAM BAHRAIN COLOMBO BEIRUT ABU DHABI BAHRAIN MUMBAI DUBAI DUBAI ISLAMABAD DOHA ABU DHABI LUXOR BANGKOK

14:30 14:55 15:05 15:20 15:20 15:30 15:30 15:45 15:45 16:55 16:55 17:35 17:40 17:50 17:50 17:55 18:05 18:15 18:20 18:40 18:50 18:55 19:10 19:20 19:25 19:30 19:40 20:15 20:45 20:55 20:55 21:00 21:00 21:10 21:10 21:35 21:35 21:50 22:10 22:20 22:20 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:50 22:55 23:10 23:15 23:30 23:55

34

s ta rs CROSSWORD 421

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) ARIES A friend may bend your ear today in hopes of finding some helpful answers.

You have a kind heart and a willingness to listen; make sure you are inoculated against negative vibrations. An option here is to leave good thoughts. You will find yourself shopping or looking at real estate later today. Whether you want to sell or buy, you will want legal advice before making up your mind. It would not be wise to let yourself be talked into signing any papers until you get a second opinion. Your ability to communicate is at a high but your ability to act may seem blocked. Work on your tax papers this evening; you may uncover some important information for making positive changes to this year’s income. Your attitude is one of cooperation.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You may be working on a project, only to be interrupted time and time again. It may be better, just for today, to be available for others—your time will come. This would be a good time to insert a bit of laughter and to teach others a more lighthearted way of looking at their lives. Education, advertising and travel play a big part in today’s activity and it is all positive. This afternoon you might get help in planting some flower bulbs for a spring show of colors around your home. You could find yourself taking an interest in more spiritual and mystical matters. The direction of your life could turn more to questions of religion and world unity. You and your mate may talk about ideas of where, how or what might come in the future of family life.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. A flexible container with a single opening.

4. Any of a group of proteases that mediate apoptosis.

11. Money in the form of bills or coins.

15. An artificial language that is a revision and simplification of Esperanto.

16. Of or relating to the intima.

17. A town and port in northwestern Israel in the eastern Mediterranean.

18. Strong lightweight wood of the balsa tree used especially for floats.

20. A domain in which something is dominant.

21. A barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports.

22. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

23. Any bird of the genus Pitta.

24. A confusion of voices and other sounds.

25. Large ornamental tropical American tree with bipinnate leaves and globose clusters of flowers with crimson stamens and sweet-pulp seed pods eaten by cattle.

27. Submerged aquatic plant having narrow leaves and small flowers.

29. The work of caring for or attending to someone or something.

30. A logarithmic unit of sound intensity.

31. An independent group of closely related Chadic languages spoken in the area between the Biu-Mandara and East Chadic languages.

33. Thoroughly acquainted with and skilled in something through study or experience.

36. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light.

38. Oriental moth that produces brownish silk.

42. The compass point midway between northeast and east.

44. (Islam) The man who leads prayers in a mosque.

46. Anterior pituitary hormone that stimulates the function of the thyroid gland.

47. A subdivision of a larger religious group.

51. Lower in esteem.

53. A major god.

54. Realistic Norwegian author who wrote plays on social and political themes (1828-1906).

55. Long-tailed arboreal mustelid of Central and South America.

56. Seeking advancement or recognition.

58. American professional baseball player who hit more home runs than Babe Ruth (born in 1934).

60. An acute inflammatory disease occurring in the intestines of premature infants.

61. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits.

64. A member of the Siouan people formerly living in the western Dakotas.

69. In bed.

71. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

72. Resembling or characteristic of or appropriate to an elegy.

74. A small cake leavened with yeast.

75. A caustic detergent useful for removing grease.

76. Having uncoordinated muscular movements, symptomatic of a CNS disorder.

78. Of a light yellowish-brown color n 1.

79. Perennial herb of East India to Polynesia and Australia cultivated for its large edible root yielding Otaheite arrowroot starch.

80. Formalwear consisting of full evening dress for men.

81. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

DOWN 1. Wild ox.

2. (Babylonian) A demigod or first man.

3. (Jewish folklore) An artificially created human being that is given life by supernatural means.

4. An independent agency of the United States government responsible for collecting and coordinating intelligence and counterintelligence activities abroad in the national interest.

5. An associate degree in nursing.

6. A lightweight cord.

7. A representation of the Virgin Mary mourning over the dead body of Jesus.

8. Italian violin maker in Cremona.

9. A deep bow.

10. Any of various trees of the genus Ulmus.

11. The capital and largest city of Venezuela.

12. Jordan's port.

13. Someone who skis.

14. A city in the Saxony region of Germany on the Saale River.

19. A large number or amount.

26. The compass point that is one point east (clockwise) of due north.

28. A collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn.

32. A mountainous island in western Indonesia.

34. The Uralic language spoken by the Yeniseian people.

35. A summary that repeats the substance of a longer discussion.

37. A river in northern England that flows southeast through West Yorkshire.

39. A soiled or discolored appearance.

40. A former communist country in eastern Europe and northern Asia.

41. Fertility goddess in ancient Greek mythology.

43. The compass point that is one point north of northeast.

45. Tropical Asian starlings.

48. (informal) An instance of deliberate thinking.

49. One species.

50. The bone in the ankle that articulates with the leg bones to form the ankle joint.

52. African tree having an exceedingly thick trunk and fruit that resembles a gourd and has an edible pulp called monkey bread.

57. An event that repeats.

59. Any of various spiny trees or shrubs of the genus Acacia.

62. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables.

63. A city in southern Turkey on the Seyhan River.

65. Large sweet juicy hybrid between tangerine and grapefruit having a thick wrinkled skin.

66. An independent agency of the United States government responsible for aviation and spaceflight.

67. A beautiful and graceful girl.

68. An international organization created in 1949 by the North Atlantic Treaty for purposes of collective security.

70. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

73. A federal agency that supervises carriers that transport goods and people between states.

77. A New England state.

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

Finally, one of the old buddies from school days drops by to catch up on old times, so to speak. Showing off new homes and new areas of interest in the city to friends that have been away from home and visiting with friends creates a time of nostalgia. There is talk of plans and goals among friends. You have many friends and you will probably learn the most from the less aggressive of your acquaintances. One of your friends always converses in a very quiet and pleasant manner. Joy is the inevitable result of gentleness. Joy goes with gentleness as sure as grief attends attack. Joy is the song of thanks. Learning to have joy is creating a mindset of gratefulness. This is the beginning of an expansive, creative and even romantic phase.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) You may find yourself put to good use by your friends today. Someone may suggest some form of entertainment after helping to put a piece of furniture together or painting a hallway, etc. All of this should go rather smoothly. While you are with your friends, you will find yourself giddy and feeling very relaxed among friends. Others may find you especially witty for now. You may decide to discuss with your friends some of the ideas you have about a move or a change in your living quarters—new color scheme, etc., not necessarily a new apartment or home. Others value you for your independence and unique qualities and talents—they may be asking you for advice. You and your friends may decide to go to a movie or a play this evening.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Do not make assumptions concerning your loved ones today. Close relationships offer a lot of potential for growth and good fortune. A marriage or some other partnership can raise high hopes and give your spirits a boost. People close to you are optimistic and have good prospects for the future. Unconventional hobbies and other forms of self-expression that break from the norm play a bigger part in your day. A child or lover may be rebellious—or perhaps simply ahead of his or her time. Resist the urge to criticize. Realize that some of us have to dance to our own drummer. Romance and recreation take on an unusual character, out of step with ordinary expectations. High-tech gambles could pay off big—this may mean a private bet with a sibling.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) A friend or someone from your religious gathering may seek you out for advice and council. Your thinking is unique and you influence others with your ideas.

Young people enjoy being with you and learning from you and the older people that are around you enjoy your positive energy. A child’s project may gain your attention but you will need to limit yourself to observation; remember it is the child’s project. Become involved in some household activity so you will be nearby to answer questions. This evening a social gathering is enjoyed. Everything conspires to reveal you at your most elegant, particularly in social situations. You demonstrate great understanding and sensitivity to the needs of others and communicate goodwill.

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22) Organizing or planning ahead for some event always makes for a successful end result. Today the organizing or planning may involve some future travel event or family event. Optimism is important now. Loyalty, dependability and trustworthiness are in you and your mate’s future. These positive aspects of your life will be with you for a long time—hopefully, forever. You and your mate may discuss further education. Further education can improve your working status and should soon be considered. You will be able to take a step up the corporate ladder or at the very least, increase your income potential.

A night class together might be fun, especially one that both of you could be equal in understanding—no competition.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) On this day, life seems to have slowed a bit—at least your own. Things cannot be forced today. This slower pace brings about a great opportunity to work some more on a project of yours—perhaps a hobby. Your humor is certainly in fine shape. As you join family or friends at a restaurant for the noon meal, you find yourself relaxed and full of good stories to tell. As you refresh others, you will find a renewed strength of your own. Through the twenty-first of the month, you could be more thoughtful than active— good for writing and planning. Pay attention to the amounts of food you eat; easy does it.

This is a great time to reflect and understand your own situation. Emotions or the feelings of those around you may be very clear; it is a nice time.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You have much energy and drive this day. This is a time that is perfect for participating in some fun outdoor activity. Try to make this a time for socializing—you may not have the weather working with you later. If you are where there are enough people, you might be able to get some sort of team sport game organized for the afternoon. Enjoy recreation and later today think about saving some time for creating a plan for working better or improving some situation in your job. You could come up with new solutions or perhaps some new inventions. Travel of all kinds look good this year and the further you go the better! Try a small wager from time to time, because luck is with you this whole year.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) There could be new responsibilities at home, perhaps a few you had not planned. Young or elderly people may enjoy your company for a time today as you could be working on a creative project to help teach, entertain or divert their attention for a little while. You may, however, find yourself somewhat at odds with someone around you. There is a lot going on and you will want to focus on doing the best you can.

At times, you may feel you are working against the flow of energies but it won’t take you long to add your positive self to the potion in order to change things for the better. It is advisable to take a few breaks during the day in order to reenergize and catch your breath.

By late this afternoon, you are ready to visit a bookstore or enjoy a movie.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) You may not feel like concentrating on a health program or exercise routine but very few of us can operate well without some good muscle tone. If you begin to work yourself into a routine of exercise now, as you get older the routine will come naturally. You will certainly help to assuage painful joints through exercise. The fun part is in finding something you can do with a group of people and if this is not going to the gym together, a bicycle tour or a run might be just the thing. You will find exercise will release stress. Any tension around you at this time is very disturbing and others will find you patiently using your sense of humor to diffuse tension. This evening you may be helping family members pack up to return home or to college after the holiday break.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) You teach honesty every day with your own behavior. Continued interaction with neighbors over community concerns may create some round-table discussions or at least a group conversation over the fence. Open communication and an agreement to be watchful and communicative in helping to alert others to any changes or unusual happenings may be the beginning of a bimonthly neighborhood gathering. In order to keep everything simple but open, perhaps all could agree on a monthly date to give each other a call and rotate the responsibility by house number. Speaking of calls, answer the phone today; you may find that someone is looking to pay back a debt! If your creative project is not finished you might enjoy applying the final changes.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital

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Ahmadi

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PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

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22635047

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22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

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2572-6666 ext 8321

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(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

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Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

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info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

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25345875

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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

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William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

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Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

lifestyle

Sandra Bullock walks on stage to accepts the Desert Palm achievement award - actress for ‘Gravity’ at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Saturday.

—AP/AFP photos

Tom Hanks accepts the Chairman’s award for “Captain Phillips” and “Saving Mr Banks”.

Meryl Streep accepts the Icon award for “August: Osage County”.

honored in Palm Springs S

andra Bullock shared the painful results of Googling herself, Meryl Streep shadowboxed on-stage and Tom Hanks braced for awards season’s “celebrity mule train” at the year’s first glitzy Hollywood gala. Matthew McConaughey, Julia Roberts, Amy Adams and Bradley Cooper were among the stars who cracked jokes and praised one another Saturday night at the opening of the Palm Springs International Film Festival, a desert warm-up of sorts for more closely-watched industry events in coming months.

Honors were announced well in advance and the ceremony wasn’t televised, lessening pressure on winners and allowing for self-effacing, sometimes lengthy acceptance speeches. The festival is celebrating its 25th year but it’s only recently become a star-studded stop on the awards circuit.U2’s Bono spoke passionately about artist activism and the fight against AIDS. Bruce Dern reveled in industry praise for his “Nebraska” after a half-century career, saying: “A bunch of you seem to have gotten together and to have said, ‘Bruce Dern can play.’” Presenters included Gary Oldman, Ewan McGregor, Idris Elba and Jane Fonda.

Bullock, also nominated for Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe awards for her performance as an astronaut in “Gravity,” delighted the crowd of over 2,000 by reading online comments about herself. “Julia (Roberts), apparently you and I are in a dispute over George Clooney. We talked about this. It’s shared custody, and we both are fine with it,” she joked. McConaughey, honored for his lead role in “Dallas Buyers Club,” also proudly noted his movie “Mud” and small part in “The Wolf of Wall Street.”

“I had a sensational year of acting,” he said, wearing a bowtie and shimmering gold tuxedo jacket. Streep, who

Actress Elisabeth Rohn

Actor Jeremy Renner

stars alongside Roberts in “August: Osage County” and is also up for Globe and SAG honors, was given the festival’s icon award. “I don’t feel like an icon. Most of the days I feel like ‘I can’t,’” she said. But, she allowed, jabbing fists toward the crowd, “I feel like I’m an example now in my dotage of the fact that you just can’t put those old gals out to pasture. We’ve got a lot of stuff still to say.”

There was self-congratulation all around at the quality of awards season films, from “12 Years A Slave,” whose director Steve McQueen was honored, to “American Hustle,” whose cast received an ensemble award. Several actors noted that they had been catching up on colleagues’ movies with DVD screeners and visits to the theatre. “We put out a damn good product,” McConaughey said. “We’ve got challenging films. We’ve got stories of isolation, survival, history, con men, scams. A lot of these films, they walk that tightrope. They have that combination of two very hard things to have - import and entertainment.”

There will be no shortage of additional opportunities to celebrate said movies, as Hanks noted in accepting the fest’s chairman’s award for his leading roles in “Captain Phillips” and “Saving Mr Banks.” He and many others gathered Saturday will reunite at the Golden Globes next weekend in Beverly Hills and the SAG awards the following weekend. “To be invited to the Palm Springs International Film Festival is an honor and a delight beyond words and sometimes beyond reasoning,” Hanks said. “It means without a doubt that the holidays have come to an end and for a few lucky people the celebrity mule train is just beginning.”—AP

Colin Farrell, left, and John Lee Hancock present the Frederick Loewe award for film composing.

Margo Martindale presents the Icon award.

Lupita Nyong’o poses backstage.

Host Mary Hart speaks on stage.

Director Wong Kar Wai arrives at the 25th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards.

Actress Amy Adams poses backstage.

Matthew McConaughey, left, and Camila Alves arrive at the event.

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

lifestyle

Amy Adams, center, and from left, Shea Whigham, Paul Herman, Jeremy Renner, Elisabeth Rohm, David O Russell and Bradley Cooper accept the ensemble performance award for “American Hustle”.

Tom Hanks, left, and Julia Roberts pose backstage.

Bono, of musical group U2, accepts the Sonny Bono Visionary Award.

Ewan McGregor, left, presents the spotlight award to Julia Roberts for “August: Osage County”.

Matthew McConaughey accepts the Desert Palm achievement award- actor for ‘Dallas Buyers Club’.

Steve McQueen accepts the director of the year award for “12 Years a Slave”.

Jane Fonda, right, presents the career achievement award to Bruce Dern for “Nebraska”.

Bradley Cooper accepts the ensemble performance award for ìAmerican Hustleî.

‘Home Centre’ announces room makeover winners

A

Steven Seagal

Seagal says he may run for Ariz governor

A

ction-movie star Steven Seagal says he is considering a run for Arizona governor. The “Marked for Death” actor told KNXV-TV that he is considering a shot at the state’s highest office and has had a talk about the bid with the self-proclaimed toughest sheriff in America.

The 61-year-old made the comments while talking about his newly released reality series “Steven Seagal - Lawman:

Maricopa County.” Seagal teamed up with Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio for the show that was shot in Arizona and airs on cable TV’s Reelz Channel. The martial arts expert is a member of Arpaio’s posse, made up of 3,000 unpaid civilians. He also has been deputized with sheriff’s offices in New Mexico, Texas and Louisiana and says he wants to increase border security.—AP

‘Inside Llewyn Davis’ is US critics’ choice for best film

“I

nside Llewyn Davis,” the Coen brothers’ tale of a struggling folk singer in early 1960s Greenwich Village, was named the year’s best film by the National Society of Film Critics on Saturday, with star Oscar Isaac winning best actor and the filmmaking brothers sharing the award for best director.

The group, made up of 56 prominent movie critics from newspapers, magazines and other media outlets nationwide, chose Cate Blanchett as best actress for Woody Allen’s “Blue Jasmine,” in which she plays the troubled wife of a financial fraudster. Best supporting actress went to Jennifer Lawrence for the 1970s-set “American Hustle,” and James Franco won best supporting actor for his portrayal of a gangster drug dealer in the comic drama “Spring Breakers.”

In choosing “Inside Llewyn Davis,” the critics broke away from choices by other groups such as the National Board of Review and the New York Film Critics Circle, which respectively chose the quirky “Her” and

“American Hustle” as best film. Earlier this week, the Producers Guild left the wellreviewed film off its list of nominees for the year’s best film.

In the film, which also won the critics’ prize for best cinematography and also stars Carey Mulligan, Isaac plays the title character Llewyn Davis, a struggling folk musician on a weeklong odyssey set against a musical score of T-Bone Burnett. The film was chosen as the year’s best by the Boston Society of Film Critics and is nominated for several Golden Globe awards, including best musical or comedy.

The critics awards are among the last in the run-up to the Oscar nominations, to be announced on Jan 16 in Los Angeles. The Academy Awards ceremony is slated for March 2. Joel and Ethan Coen are a filmmaking team known for producing, writing and directing movies from their 1984 debut “Blood Simple,”“Fargo” and “True Grit.” to their Oscar winning best picture, “No Country For Old Men.” —Reuters

room makeover is not merely about changing the furniture and fixtures in a room - it is about redefining a living space. And, if the transformed room reflects the personality of its occupants, the change can work wonders for their overall well-being. This year’s edition of ‘Home Centre Room Makeover Contest’ took on the challenge of recreating rooms to articulate the individual personalities of participants.

The contest received an overwhelming response both in terms of entries as well as the final voting for winners. Judges faced the daunting challenge of whittling down the 37,000 plus submissions to a manageable 500 that factored in the personality traits of the contestants. The final 25 winning entries were chosen by a panel of in-house experts, of which 3 entries were picked by popular demand through voting that generated over 300,000 votes.

With the winners announced, the final phase of the ‘Home Centre Room Makeover Contest’ involved an aggregate spending of AED250,000 on reinventing the living spaces of eight contestants each in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and three winners each in Oman, Qatar and Kuwait.

Each entry came with a unique story. A young fashion enthusiast, blogger and singer from UAE was looking for a room that’s not only made to sleep but one that stimulates her interests; a couple in KSA who wanted to revive their compact living room that opens up to their kitchen to suit their lifestyle; and a homemaker from Qatar wanted her bedroom to reflect her calm and relaxed personality. One of the winners from Kuwait was Rahaf Abdulhadi Jaber, a Kuwaiti mother who entered the contest for a reformation of her daughter’s room who wanted to turn it into a little den fit for a princess.

Ghulam Ahmed Kaanchwala, an Indian expatriate in Kuwait, won a makeover for his living room; while Egyptian bachelor Majdi Ahmed Jomaa got his pad transformed into a honeymoon haven to welcome his new bride.

Expert stylists from Home Centre redesigned the rooms of the winners according to the tastes, attitudes and needs of the occupants. Each makeover was completed in a single day. The Home Centre makeovers were accomplished using the latest range of products, integrating contemporary trends in interior design, keeping in mind maximum utilisation of space and functionality. All elements of fine interiors, from colours and lighting to furniture and accessories were

stylised, providing the winning rooms with a fresh lease of life.

Aarti Jagtiani, General Manager, Home Centre, said: “By changing the contest mechanics to include a simple, personality-based questionnaire the contestants had to fill in, we were able to engage more people and reach a larger cross-section of consumers in the region. The incredible response we received only reiterated the faith of our customers in our initiatives and products. Home Centre’s vision has always been to transform houses into homes, and with this contest we get the opportunity to show how we breathe life into personal living spaces.”

In the three years since its inception,

the popularity of the ‘Home Centre Room Makeover Contest’ has grown exponentially in the region, both for the novelty of the concept and the opportunity it provides to winners to ‘refresh’ their homes and lives.

As the region’s leading home retailer, Home Centre specialises in offering an interesting mix of the trendy and the traditional in furniture, furnishings, home accessories, kitchenware and gift options.

Available at all Homecentre stores - Al Rai, Shuwaikh, Awqaf, Fahaheel & The Avenues.

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016

lifestyle F E A T U R E S

Through Islamic carpet, rug weaving,

at Kuwait Intl Islamic Arts Convention

By Hassan Abdel Bari

A

ccording to research by Dr Nazeeh Ma’roof, head of IRCICA’s Craft Development Program, evaluator of the UNESCO’s Craft Decade for Arab States (1988-1999) and jury member in many crafts awards and competitions, handmade carpet weaving is one of the oldest

Dr Ma’roof, Fareed Al-Ali introducing Abu Se’da to acting undersecretary, Al-Emadi. — Photos by Yasser Zayyat tradition and continue the way of their grandmothers,” she underscored.

Artist Musa Kazim Basaran of Turkey has been involved in carpet and kilim weaving and production since 1991. He has woven over 200 carpets and kilims and has designed all the kilims that are produced for sale in his studio. He describes a kilim as a flat-weave with patterns that traditionally depict a woman’s lifespan. The motifs express their wishes and desires, their sorrow and happiness and protection from harm and many other lifetime experiences.

Ajap Bayriyeva of Turkmenistan took to weaving after her mother, one of the most famous Turkmen carpet weavers, and her father, who had a carpet weaving business for over 40 years. She is currently a specialist of Turkmen carpets and national costume at the National Turkmen Carpet

Abu Se’da making a salient weaving masterpiece. professions and handcraft that dates back to very ancient eras. He argues that though most historians agree that this craft started with ancient Egyptians, others attribute carpet weaving to the Mayans while a third party says it started in China.

Historical Background However, the most ancient rugs discovered in the middle of twentieth century date back approximately 2,500 years, though some may be much older. The materials used for carpet and rug weaving - natural wool, silk and cotton - helped these masterpieces survive so long.

However, with Islam reaching very

Dr Ajap Bayriyeva, Turkmenistan

Safia Safi showing one of her products.

Amal Sghiouri, Morocco.

Teslam Bint Tahman, Mauritania.

A moment of creativity for Musa Kazim Basaran, Turkey.

Wool rug by Safia Safi, Algeria.

remote areas worldwide, this craft was adapted to weave special prayer rugs and hence comes the Arabic word sijjada, which is derived from the word sujud (prostration to Allah) while praying. Sijjada is also known as zarbiya in Moroccan Arabic (Its plural zarabi is mentioned in the Holy Quran in Surat Al-Ghashiya verse 16).

Ma’roof adds that the Islamic civilization has been the main factor that contributed to elevating the moral and spiritual value of the product by making it a rug for praying, and thus it started attracting the attention of vast sectors of Muslim communities across the world, which was reflected in the constant wish to use the best weaving materials and the most aesthetic designs and patterns of decoration using geometric and botanic formations in astounding colors.

Furthermore, Ma’roof noted that amongst other handicrafts, prayer rugs have been always admired by Orientalists visiting Muslim nations. On his visit to the Turkish city of Konya in 1283 AD, the famous Italian traveler, Marco Polo said that “the world’s best carpets are woven in the city of Konya”. The same was said about Persian carpets by the English traveler Hakluyt in 1579 AD. “They have the best dyes that are affected by neither rain nor vinegar,” he said. On his visit to Cairo in

A Persian rug by Iranian artisan, Metra Razavi.

1663 AD, the Italian traveler Thivano said that Cairo has a large production of the most beautiful carpets and that they are mainly exported to Constantinople and Christian monarchies.

With this in mind and due to prayer rugs’ significance to all Muslims, the 6th Kuwait International Islamic Arts Convention, currently being held at the Grand Mosque’s royal marquee, dedicated this year’s cycle of the exhibition to handmade carpets and rugs artistically woven

by Muslim artisans from various parts of the Islamic world - from Morocco in the far west of Africa to Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in central and eastern Asia.

Participating artisans Amal Sghiouri is a Moroccan artist specialized in Moroccan carpets and rug weaving. She is also the head of the Azhar Craftsmen Co-op Society for Handmade Moroccan Carpet Weaving and Marketing, which includes 70 women members and 4 men. She is also a member of the National Zarabi Weaving & Marketing Society in Kenitra. Her products have won the quality mark of ‘La Bel’. She has won many awards in zarabi design, weaving and marketing.

She has also won many certificates of excellence and appreciation in many national exhibitions in Tangier, Casablanca, Dakhla, Settat, Khouribga, Saidia and other Moroccan cities in addition to international ones like Barcelona.

Speaking to Kuwait Times, Sghiouri expressed happiness in participating in Kuwait’s Islamic arts exhibition, noting that it was a great opportunity to meet such a fine group of fellow artisans and exchange expertise.

Teslam bint Tahman, a Mauritanian car-

An artist at work.

pet weaving artist born in 1984, took up carpet and rug designing and weaving after her mother in 2001. She underwent carpet a training course at the Mauritanian Weaving Society (MATIS) in 2004, a training course on weaving experience development at MATIS in 2008 and a training course in preparing zarabi weaving teachers at MATIS in 2011.

Safia Safi, an Algerian carpet and rug artist, told Kuwait Times that she was deeply impressed by the generosity of the Kuwaiti people and their keenness on preserving and promoting Islamic arts.

Zakariya Abu Se’da is an outstanding handmade carpet weaving Egyptian artist, specialized particularly in rugs. He started his career at his father’s workshop in 1982, and has since gained great experience in the field. He now owns the workshop jointly with his brother where he designs carpets and rugs using natural silk, natural wool and blends of all colors and sizes.

He also has many families work at home providing them with designs, material and funding to produce handmade carpets that he markets. Abu Se’da told Kuwait Times that his company’s products are exported worldwide and that he has participated in many local and international craft exhibitions. “This is my first visit to Kuwait and I highly admire KIAC chairman Fareed Al-Ali’s artistic gift and the Kuwaiti people’s hospitality,” he said.

Fatima Aghamirzayeva, a carpet weaving and knotting artist from Azerbaijan, said she started weaving at the age of 15 and was well-experienced in natural dyes used in weaving. “My main aim is to bring back the history of my wonderful country to keep alive the ancient tradition of our nation by including all groups living there and the youth get more interested in this

Undersecretary Dr Adel Al-Falah with Metra Razavi, Iran.

Fatima Aghamirzayeva, Azerbaijan.

Museum. She holds a PhD in ethnology.

She has done lots of research about Turkmen national costume and of ancient and modern Turkmen carpets and rugs.

Seeing this fine group of Muslim artisans gather in Kuwait is heartening and shows that we Muslims have a lot in common regardless of linguistic, ethnic, cultural, social or economic diversities or distant separated locations in the far east or the far west.

Silk rug by Zakariya Abu Se’da, Egypt.

Eye-catching colors and profound material.

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

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South Korea a leading medical tourism destination S

outh Korea is one of the fastest growing nations in the medical tourism sector, welcoming 122,297 medical tourists from around the globe in 2012. In November 2012, South Korea recorded 10 million arrivals for the first time with an increase of 14.9 percent compared to previous year. 91,838 Middle East tourists visited Korea in the first nine months of 2012 - a 19.3 percent increase over same period last year and arrivals from GCC countries were recorded at 11,054 tourists for the same period, an increase of 20.1 percent over previous year.

South Korean medical expertise excels in a wide range of specialized areas such as organ transplantation, cancer treatment, spinal treatment (with surgical care or with traditional Korean Medicine), prostate diseases, diabetes/obesity treatment, hip replacement, plastic surgery and dental care. For example, in the area of organ transplantation, Asan Medical Center of South Korea raised the success rate for liver transplantation to 95 percent as early as in 1999. In 2000, it was first to succeed in transplanting parts of the liver from two donors into one patient. They even succeeded in transplanting from a donor with a different blood type. Asan Medical Center now holds the world record with more than 3,500 organ transplant operations.

The number of medical science publications by the Korean doctors has been Asia’s best over the years, and the number of clinical trials carried out in Korea is among the largest in the world. Foreign physicians are visiting South Korea to learn these advanced Korean medical technologies first hand, and there is also an increase in invitations for Korean physicians to give lectures at foreign medical institutions.

Thanks to South Korea’s advanced and reliable healthcare system, hospitals in Korea boast of world-class standard with highly qualified medical personnel using the latest in medical technology to cutting edge medical equipment in patient treatment. While all general hospitals in Korea are not-for-profit organizations, the quality of medical care provided by them has been closely monitored by the Korean Government authority through hospital accreditation and strict evaluation programs since 2004. As a result, especially in terms of cost-efficiency, top quality medical services are assured with almost 70 percent compared to USA and Europe.

To make South Korea an even more friendlier destination for Arab patients, Korea has recently made successful inroads into personalized services for Muslim/Islamic patients, like implementing guidelines in the aspects of clinical care, Halal food services, religious observances, apartment type of accommodations, as well as translation services.

Case 1: Doctor from Abu Dhabi received treatment in South Korea A lady doctor from Abu Dhabi (Dr Kaabi, 42) successfully received her thyroid operation at the Seoul National University (SNU) Hospital and has returned home. Dr Kaabi visited the SNU Children’s Hospital while medical escorting an eight year old child from Abu Dhabi. During her visit to the institution, she discovered an abnormality in her thyroid. After receiving a successful operation on June 18th 2012, she was discharged from the hospital on June 21st looking healthy.

When she decided to receive treatment in a foreign country, her acquaintances advised her to go to the US. But having personally experienced the Korean medical services, she chose South Korea. Dr Kaabi stated, “While receiving treatment in South Korea, I was impressed not only with the Korean medical facilities and serv-

ices, but the meals and prayer rooms for Middle East patients.” She added, “If someone requires treatment, I will definitely recommend South Korea’s medical services.”

Case 2: Dubai’s liver transplant patient like in a movie Mohammed arrived in South Korea from Dubai under dire conditions. However, he received a successful liver transplant operation at the Samsung Medical Center on June 2nd 2012. He first considered receiving the operation either in Germany or Singapore, but made the final decision of coming to South Korea.

Mohammed was escorted using an emergency helicopter upon his arrival. He recovered his health after a major operation which lasted

for 12 hours. Now he is gaining back his health as well as his smiles. He stated, “I will speak highly of the Korean medical services that have given me a new life once I return to Dubai.” He added, “I hope to help other patients to experience the excellent medical services in South Korea.”

Foreign doctors come to South Korea for training Foreign physicians are visiting South Korea to learn the Korean medical technologies first hand. There is also an increase in invitations for Korean physicians to give lectures at foreign institutions.

World-Class Stomach Cancer survival rates Dr Sam Yun of Harvard University, expert in stomach cancer operations, chose South Korea to treat his mother’s stomach cancer. The Seoul National University Hospital, which successfully operated on Dr Yun’s mother, had provided the highest number of stomach cancer operations in the world, recording at 9 million operations with the fatality rate 0.6 percent lower than EU’s 10 percent. In recent years, nearly a thousand foreign doctors have come to learn its technologies.

World leader in lung cancer surgeries South Korea boasts advanced medical technologies in lung cancer surgeries. In 2010, Samsung Medical Center recorded the world’s highest post-operative survival rate at 82 percent. The survival rate for third stage lung cancer was at 18 percent, nearly doubling the international average. The Center performed over 5,000 lung cancer surgeries in the past 18 years and in recent years, 58 percent of the operations were conducted through endoscope. To better understand these surgeries, over 45 foreign specialists have visited the Center for the past three years.

Advanced robotic surgery with superb dexterity Korean physicians are boasting superb dexterity by conducting operations without damaging the micro blood. Severance Hospital implemented the robotic surgeries in 2007 and until now, has performed approximately 7,000 operations. After being designated as an official robotic surgery educational center in Asia in 2008, 400 foreign physicians from 25 countries have come to learn its robotic surgeries.

Hanks, Bullock, Streep honored in Palm Springs

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014

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Contestants display their calligraphy banners during the 48th annual New Year calligraphy contest in Tokyo yesterday. — AFP photos

Contestants write their calligraphies during the 48th annual New Year calligraphy contest.

Aoi Nakanishi, aged eight, displays her calligraphy among other contestants.

Yuzu Fujiwara (front), aged seven, writes her calligraphy.

Bluefin tuna price slumps at Japan auction

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giant bluefin tuna sold at a Japanese auction yesterday for less than five percent of the record-breaking sum paid last year amid concerns over soaring prices for the prized delicacy. The 230-kilogram (507pound) bluefin tuna was purchased at the Tsukiji market’s first auction of the year for 7.36 million yen ($70,000), significantly down from the 155.4 million yen paid for a fish of similar quality in 2013 — slipping below 10 million yen for the first time in five years.

Bluefin is usually the most expensive fish available at Tsukiji, the biggest fish and wholesale seafood market in the world. A piece of “otoro”, or the fatty underbelly, can cost up to 2,000 yen at high-end Tokyo restaurants. The winning bidder, Kiyoshi Kimura, president of the company that runs the popular Sushi-Zanmai chain, said the quality of the fish was as good as last year’s, telling reporters: “It’s the best.”

The price decline was in part due to the greater number of bluefins available from Oma, the northern Japanese city

that is a top site for tuna fishing.

But after overheated bidding last year saw prices skyrocket, concerns over excessive inflation saw other bidders stay away from vying with the Sushi-Zanmai chain, which won last year’s auction for the record-breaking fish.”The first auction should be a place to bid for the best-quality tuna, which is thought to be a lucky charm for business,” said Makoto Kondo, spokesman for the rival Hong Konglinked Itamae-Sushi chain.

“But it turned out to be a bidding for the sake of high prices last year.”Decades of overfishing have seen global tuna stocks crash, leading some Western nations to call for a ban on catching endangered Atlantic bluefin tuna. Japan consumes three-quarters of the global bluefin catch, a highly prized sushi ingredient known in Japan as “kuro maguro” (black tuna) and dubbed by sushi connoisseurs the “black diamond” because of its scarcity. The growing popularity of Japanese sushi worldwide has also led to increased demand. — AFP

President of sushi restaurant chain Sushi-Zanmai, Kiyoshi Kimura cuts a 230kg bluefin tuna at his main shop in Tokyo yesterday. — AFP photos President of sushi restaurant chain Sushi-Zanmai, Kiyoshi Kimura displays a 230kg bluefin tuna.

X-cite by Al-Ghanim electronics’ online portal introduces sunglasses

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A customer eats a fat meat.

An employee of sushi restaurant chain Sushi-Zanmai displays blocks of a 230kg bluefin tuna.

n keeping with its goal of continually expanding its product offering, including the non-electronic area, X-cite by Al-Ghanim Electronics’ online portal, www.xcite.com,recently launched its newest category: sunglasses.

High-end, fashionable, and glamorous styles from a variety of manufacturers, including brands such as Giorgio Armani and Ray-Ban, are now available for both men and women at attractive prices.

The sunglass category is the fourteenth category on the website and joins the perfume and home furnishings categories in the non-electronic sector. The new category is just one more step in X-cite.com’s remarkable growth over the past two years as it continues its dominance in the e-commerce market.

The online portal caters to a large customer base in Kuwait providing great daily deals and online exclu-

sive offers. Xcite.com’s team has put customer service and at the forefront of its priorities, delivering nothing but the best to its customers.

X-cite would like to invite cus-

tomers to visit the sunglasses category on the website www.xcite.com/sunglasses.html and start their shopping for the most stylish sunglasses at best market prices.