22 Jan

CR IP TI ON BS SU

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

Flexible barriers to funnel traffic at intersections

Bombing kills 4 in Hezbollah area of south Beirut

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www.kuwaittimes.net

RABI ALAWWAL 21, 1435 AH

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Delhi chief minister ends protest after clashes

Wawrinka dethrones Djokovic in thriller

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Assembly OKs e-services law, KAC amendments Interior minister promises ‘good news’ on bedoons

Max 20º Min 07º High Tide 02:45 & 15:48 Low Tide 09:29 & 22:01

By B Izzak conspiracy theories

Walking the hyena

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

I

came to the office yesterday only to be approached by an editor who asked me if I wanted to buy a hyena. I asked him to repeat the question because I thought I did not hear him well. First I thought I misheard him and that he wanted to say “honey”. But when he showed me a picture on Instagram, it was of two hyenas. The seller claimed that they were domesticated.

Give these hyenas a couple of months and they will grow strong and big. Who can guarantee that they are tame? The next question that came to mind was how did the seller bring them in the country. It is not a needle in a haystack that you can put in your bag when passing customs. They are not even sweet and nice pets. Why would anyone need to have a pet hyena unless they have a zoo. These are wild animals. Only a zoo should be allowed to bring them in the country. I heard that many other animals are brought in the country and sold to ordinary people as pets. What is the amusement and fun in having a wild pet?

Instead of walking their dogs, we will see people walking their hyenas.

Only a few months ago, if the government’s memory is fresh, a young girl was attacked by dogs. Imagine if a dog can attack someone so fiercely, what about a wild animal? Who can guarantee that these wild animals will not break loose from their houses and become dangerous to people. Imagine you are walking on the beach and a crocodile or a hyena walks by.

Crocodiles are also sold here when they are small, but when they grow bigger, they are dangerous. When they become dangerous, people leave them in Wafra. I do not want to hear the slogan that these animals are tame and domesticated. How many stories have we heard about tigers or lions attacking their trainers in well-organized circuses. These animals are wild by nature. It doesn’t matter if you train them for 10 years. You never know when they will return to their basic instincts.

I think it is high time that whichever authority is responsible for the import of these animals - the Ministry of Interior, Municipality or the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources - does something against the import of such species under the title of domestic, beautiful and tame animals.

One editor was telling me that a lady in her salon was showing off a picture of her crocodile walking around the house. She even explained that this was her second crocodile and she gave the first one away when it grew bigger to a crocodile farm in Wafra. I myself have never heard of such a crocodile farm in Wafra.

It is not only hyenas that are being sold in Kuwait. There are pictures of snakes, lions, tigers and many other exotic animals for sale on social networks. It is high time the government organizes a crackdown on people who bring such animals in the country. A couple of years ago they did a crackdown on illegal prostitutes and illegal residents. Now it is time to do the same for wild animals. Or is it less interesting regardless that it is more dangerous for the nation? As if we do not have enough problems on our hands, do we need to import more problems?

Have a safe day and always be on alert because a wild animal might be walking behind you or crawling under your feet!

KUWAIT: MPs are seen during a session of the National Assembly yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

KUWAIT: The National Assembly yesterday passed amendments to the Kuwait Airways privatization law in the second and final round and also passed the electronic transactions law in the final vote. The two laws were passed comfortably - the first law, which provides more benefits to KAC’s Kuwaiti staff, was passed by 46 votes in favour, four against and five abstentions, while the second law was passed with 49 MPs in favour and just one against.

The e-services law seeks to process transactions at government institutions electronically in order to eliminate corruption and bureaucracy and recognize the importance of electronic documents by providing rules for granting legal status to them and protecting them against abuses. The law also deals with issues of electronic records, electronic signatures, retention of paper records electronically, electronic documents, etc.

During the debate on the KAC privatisation law amendments, Communications Minister Essa Al-Kandari denied that he has signed an initial deal struck by the KAC board to purchase 25 new Airbus planes. The minister said that he only sent the board a letter of congratulations but he insisted that he urged them to seek all the necessary legal procedures for the deal including a written approval from Kuwait Investment Authority.

Last month, KAC announced it signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus to purchase 25 small and Continued on Page 13

UAE convicts 30 for Brotherhood ties DUBAI: Thirty Emiratis and Egyptians were convicted of setting up an illegal branch of the Muslim Brotherhood and sentenced to up to five years in jail in the United Arab Emirates yesterday, in a case reflecting the state’s deep mistrust of Islamism. The UAE, a US ally and major oil exporter, was rattled by the rise of Islamists in the aftermath of the uprisings that rocked the Arab world from 2011. It watched with relief as Egypt’s army toppled Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, who is from the Brotherhood, in July after mass protests against his rule and has poured in billions of dollars to support the army chief who deposed him.

The Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi handed the men sentences ranging from three months and five years in prison, state news agency WAM said yesterday, without elaborating. Twenty Egyptians, six of them tried in absentia, and 10 Emiratis, had been charged with setting up an illegal branch of the Muslim

Brotherhood in the UAE, stealing and airing state security secrets and collecting funds illegally. The Egyptian defendants, including doctors, engineers and university professors, were arrested between Nov 2012 and Jan 2013, according to Human Rights Watch.

The defendants had denied all the charges, a family member of one of the detainees told Reuters after the opening of the trial in November. The relative added some of the Egyptians had said they were physically abused in custody and their confessions were obtained under coercion. The UAE denies using torture. In November, WAM said the court had ordered medical tests for some of the defendants.

The UAE’s official National newspaper reported that the Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi also ordered the seizure of all funds and properties belonging to the men yesterday.

Continued on Page 13

DUBAI: Emirati men arrive at the Emirates Human Rights Association in Dubai to attend a press conference regarding the Muslim Brotherhood trial yesterday in Abu Dhabi. — AP

Syria talks in disarray Snowden even before they begin ‘fears for Pics prove ‘industrial-scale’ killings his life’

ALEPPO: A fireman stands in front of a burnt out vehicle as Syrian civilians look on at the site of a barrel bomb attack dropped by government forces which struck a minibus carrying civilians in this northern city yesterday. — AFP

GENEVA: Syrian and international delegates were arriving in Switzerland yesterday on the eve of peace talks that few believe can succeed as the three-year-old civil war and geopolitical acrimony it has brought show no sign of abating.

Opponents of President Bashar AlAssad, pressured to attend yesterday’s first direct negotiations by their Western backers, cited new, photographic evidence of widespread torture and killing by Syria’s government in renewing their demand that Assad must quit and face an international war crimes trial.

War crimes lawyers said a vast, smuggled cache of images from a Syrian military police photographer gave clear evidence of systematic abuse and murder of some 11,000 detainees. One of three former international war crimes prosecutors who signed the report compared the images from Syria to the “industrialscale killing” of Nazi death camps.

The delegation from Damascus, led

by Assad’s foreign minister, was briefly held up at Athens due to an argument over whether EU trade sanctions permitted refuelling the plane.

Continued on Page 13

MOSCOW: The Russian lawyer of Edward Snowden said yesterday that the fugitive US intelligence leaker has feared for his life since reading of explicit threats against him by unnamed Pentagon officials. “There are real threats to his life out there that actually do exist,” Snowden’s lawyer Anatoly Kucherena told Russia’s state-run Vesti 24 rolling news channel. “These statements call for physical reprisal against Edward Snowden,” Kucherena said.

The former National Security Agency contractor is wanted

by US authorities on treason charges for disclosing details of a vast Washington intelligence operation that monitored millions of phone calls Edward Snowden and emails across the world.

Snowden received temporary asylum in Russia in August - a move that infuriated the United States.

The 30-year-old has remained in hiding but is believed to be living in the Moscow area and learning Russian. Kucherena recently said that Snowden has also been working from home as an IT adviser for a major local website. The Russian lawyer yesterday appeared to be referring to an article posted last week by the popular US online website BuzzFeed entitled “American Spies Want Edward Snowden Dead”. The article quoted one Pentagon official as saying: “I would love to put a bullet in his head.” — AFP

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

LOCAL

Firefighters battle 15 fires a day Every house, camp needs a ‘night guard’

By Velina Nacheva

KUWAIT: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled AlHamad Al-Sabah left Kuwait yesterday heading to Geneva to head Kuwait’s delegation that will attend the Geneva II peace conference on Syria. The conference will be held in the southwestern town of Montreux.

Lawmaker demands NA approval on donations

By A. Saleh KUWAIT: MP Saleh Ashour criticized the government’s donation policies, and demanded the parliament’s approval before Kuwait gives out loans or grants to other countries. “Every day a conference is held and grants are distributed left and right,” the Shiite lawmaker said during yesterday’s parliamentary session. “Maybe Kuwait should officially change its name from the ‘State of Kuwait’ to the ‘Kuwait Charity Foundation’”.

The Kuwaiti government announced a $300 million donation to Syrian refugees during the second International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria which the country hosted last week.

Ashour demanded that the National Assembly must be allowed to vote in order to allow the government to pay grants or loans in the future. “We cannot accept distribution of the Kuwaiti people’s money unwisely,” he said. “Some loans were given

to countries who stood against Kuwait’s liberation [from the 1990 Iraqi invasion]”.

Ashour’s statements came during a discussion of the housing crisis in Kuwait where more than 105,000 Kuwaitis are on the waiting list for a government house in a country that recorded nearly KD 12 billion in surpluses in the 2012/2013 budget. “The government faces a main challenge to show its ability to solve the housing crisis,” he said. During yesterday’s session, the parliament postponed discussion for a proposed increase to the housing loan from KD 70,000 to KD 100,000. The draft law, which MPs are set to vote on today, is widely expected to be rejected by the government. “If the government fails to increase the housing loan, it will prove their unwillingness to cooperate with the parliament and therefore the parliament should show no cooperation in return,” Ashour said.

The civil war in Syria is divided largely along sectarian lines and has also fueled a similar division among the region.

KUWAIT: There have been a total of five civilian deaths caused by fires since the start of the camping season on Nov 1. Awareness is crucial at camps, explains Col Khalil Al-Ameer, Director of Public Relations and Media at the Kuwait Fire Service Directorate. In a recent interview with Kuwait Times, Ameer stressed that the 39 fire stations across Kuwait are equally busy in the summer and during the camping season.

Calling the fire extinguisher a “night guard”, he said that people are not aware how important it is to have a fire extinguisher in every house or camp. That is why, he observed, KFSD is raising awareness about safety guidelines and the importance of having a fire extinguisher.

Since Nov 1, five people died from carbon monoxide inhalation from burning charcoal, explained First Lt Ali Al-Qati from the KFSD PR department. “Awareness is important for us, especially now during the camping season,” explained Qati, adding that there are many awareness messages they try to spread. “The more people are aware, the better,” he said.

But whether in a camp or at home, having a fire extinguisher is important. Accidents can happen at any time. Some 5,609 fires broke out in 2012 according to KFSD statistics. Electrical malfunctions were the most common cause of fires, causing 2,048 fires (1,740 due to short circuit and 308 due to excessive electric load), followed by accidents caused by children with 1,366 fire outbreaks. Discarded cigarettes were the fourth cause of fire outbreaks, according to statistics. For the same period there were some 111 fires with undetermined cause of ignition.

A bit shocking, however, was the number of arsons or suspicious fires in Kuwait. Every tenth fire in 2012 was due to arson or fire that was suspicious, according to statistics released by the KFSD. There were 475 cases of arson or doubtful cause of ignition which the department identifies under the same category. Arson or doubtful ignition was the fifth largest cause of fire with an occurrence of more than one a day in 2012.

Stressing again on the importance of prevention and awareness, Qati concluded, “It is better to be safe than sorry.”

KUWAIT: Col Khalil Al-Ameer making a point during the interview with the Kuwait Times.

—Photo by Joseph Shagra

Stage set for Kuwait Social Media Summit KUWAIT: The Central Agency for Information Technology (CAIT) has extended its support for the second annual Kuwait Social Media Summit that will play a prominent role in bringing together government and business leaders to share cutting-edge ideas with international and regional experts.The region’s leading social media summit, organised by Streamline Marketing Group in partnership with Rawafid Media in Kuwait, takes place on April 23 and 24 in Kuwait.

Speaking on the occasion, Abdullateef AlSuraie, General Manager of CAIT, stated: “We are pleased with the outcome of the first edition of the Kuwait Social Media Summit and continue our relationship with this event which will benefit theKuwaiti government and businesses. We believe that social networks can help Kuwaiti governmentorganisations enhance their citizen outreach and services while businesses are realising the immense value and cost efficiency offered”.

He added “Social media is revolutionising existing communication systems and how information is shared. We cannot afford to be left behind”.

The second edition of the Kuwait Social Media

Summit will feature leading experts including: Jim Rosenberg, Chief of Digital Strategy at the World Bank Group USA;Pippa Norris, Head of Online Engagement, Ministry of Defence UK; Alexandra Ekkelenkamp, Social Media Officer, Council of European Union, Belgium; Jayant Bhargava, Head of Digital Media & Entertainment Middle East, Booz & Company; and Hind Al-Nahedh, CEO & Founder, Socialobby, Kuwait among others.

Knowledge sharing Speaking about the summit, Pippa Norris highlighted the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing on social media, saying: “The pace of change in the social media landscape encourages us to seek out and share new ideas and good practice and if we are able to share our experiences and tips for success with our colleagues in Kuwait, then we become richer for this collective wealth of knowledge and experience.”

Pippa will talk about how a government organisation can ensure that the right capabilities are in place to engage at the speed of ‘social’.

Alexandra Ekkelenkamp, Social Media Officer,

Council of European Union, Belgium,remarked: “Social media increasingly shapes the way we communicate; our stories become more visual, viral and ephemeral. Like many international and government organisations, the Council of the EU has had to adapt to this new way of communicating.” Alexandra will share some of the key strategies behind the Council’s social media activities as well as some of the challenges they face.

Other key areas of discussion will addressintegrating social media strategy into the overall communications strategy. Hind Al-Nahed, Socialobby Founderand President of Social Media ClubKuwait Chapter, said: “It is very important to integrate social accounts into the overall communication strategy of an organisation. The more you make content available in different forms, enriched with multimedia for your targeted audience, the more they will engage with the content and share it”. Hind will also discuss the importance of planning and managing crisis communications in social media. The 2nd annual Kuwait Social Media Summit will be held in Kuwait on Wednesday and Thursday.

KUWAIT: Interior Ministry Undersecretary Lt Gen Suleiman Al-Fahad received Lt Yousuf Ibrahim Al-Muhaini from the airport passports for arresting three Arabs who attempted to enter Kuwait using forged European passports. The reception was in presence of Assistant Undersecretary for Borders Security Maj Gen Anwar Abdelrazaq Al-Yaseen, and Director General of Airport Security Brig Khalid AlSuqobi.

National campaign to support Syrians raises $7.8m donations KUWAIT: Kuwait Relief Organization (KRO) announced that the national campaign for supporting Syrian people raised Monday donations at a total value of $7.8 million. The national campaign was launched by the KRO Sunday in cooperation with the Ministry of Information to raise funds to build houses for the wartraumatized Syrian refugees.

KRO Director General Jaber Al-Wandah said that the campaign comes in response to a humanitarian appeal issued by His Highness the Amir Sheik h Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in solidarity with Syrian refugees who are undergoing

extremely harsh conditions outside Syria.

He pointed out that the campaign will conclude stet, expressing great appreciations to the state bodies and non-government organizations’ unlimited support to KRO to prove the campaign successful.

Al-Wandah said that the donations can be deposited at a special bank account, through a hotline to the organization or the premises and branches of all participating organizations. The three-day campaign comprises live broadcast donations at Kuwait’s state TV from 06:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time. —KUNA

KUWAIT: A four way car accident took place yesterday at the intersection of Istiqlal Road and First Ring Road. The accident held traffic at standstill for a long time as police worked on sorting out traffic . Medical Emergencies and rescue teams were on the scene. —Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

LOCAL

The poles already missing

The soft poles on Kuwait roads

Hard metal poles at Al-Bida roundabout. — Photos by Joseph Shagra

Bright yellow barriers to funnel traffic at intersections Road violations a big problem

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Drivers across Kuwait got an unwelcome surprise this week when the traffic department with the Ministry of Interior placed flexible poles at intersections, highway ramps and other roads. The bright yellow barriers are meant to block traffic from creating two lanes on one-lane streets or at intersections. Drivers skipping the queue by using the emergency lanes are a common sight in Kuwait and the new poles many of which have already been knocked down - are meant to deter this by funneling traffic at the intersection into one lane only.

Traffic has become a controversial issue in Kuwait as authorities began cracking down last spring. Residents caught driving without licenses or driving illegal taxis faced stiff fines or deportation. Previously ignored use of mobile phones while driving or using the emergency lane during rush hour were being ticketed with increasing frequency.

“There has been a number of increasing traffic violations on the road which results in traffic jams, especially at intersections as cars try to cut in. So we aim to eliminate this bad behavior of drivers by these barriers. Drivers will often use the emergency lane to create a second or third lane leading to the exit or

the u-turn, rather than waiting their turn. In this way we channel the traffic back into a single lane,” explained Col Adel Al-Hashash, PR and Moral Guidance Director at the Ministry of Interior.

Softer than concrete The plastic barriers are softer and more accident-friendly than typical concrete barriers. “We chose these barriers because they are safer for the drivers. So if they come upon them suddenly, they will be surprised and may hit them, but the vehicle will not be damaged. We apply the rules, yet at the same time we ensure the safety of drivers to

PAI moves against violating companies KUWAIT: As the Free Zones Department at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry completed the answers to notes from the Audit Bureau with regards to free zones, the Public Authority for Industry (PAI) began moves against violating companies there and warned three major companies, asking them to change their contracts with the Ports Authority into new contracts with the PAI or move out.

As for answers to the Audit Bureau’s points, they were sent to the ministry undersecretary to take the necessary action. The answers include a summary of what the ministry and PAI have done with regards to the FTZ, particularly on the right to benefit from the area until Dec 31, 2013, as well as used and unused locations and measures

taken towards the right to benefit in the fifth warehousing area.

The answers also included the fatwa and legislation correspondence on non-approved contracts a total of 68 contracts - and there will be court action against those benefiting from these contracts. The total amount due for the use of the FTZ reached KD 719,516, and KD 467,398 was collected during the first half of the year. The PAI will send the remaining amount of KD 253,000 to the Ministr y of Commerce this week.

Kuwait’s Free Trade Zone is pivotal for the growth of a country that aims to become a logistics and trade hub in the region. By granting exemptions from taxes and customs duties, issuing licenses on the spot and having as little state interven-

tion as possible, the Kuwait Free Trade Zone serves as competition to neighbouring free zones in Dubai and Iran.

Located on Jamal Abdul Nasser road at Shuwaikh Port this business area is suitable for the establishment of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. It has become the headquarters for hundreds of companies.

The Free Trade Zone opened on November 22, 1999. It is an establishment that aims to facilitate business and help attract more investments with the institutionalization of flexible policies for free trade.

Kuwait Free Trade Zone offers various types of licenses which are suitable to the investors’ requirements. It offers commercial licenses, ser vice license and industrial license.

Central Bank of Kuwait developing plan for foreign banks expansion KUWAIT: Several representatives of foreign banks met with the Central Bank of Kuwait recently to discuss the implications of recent amendments to law number 32/1968 which regulates Kuwait’s currency, the activities and authority of the Central Bank and all banking in Kuwait. Under the new amendments, foreign banks will now be allowed to open more than one branch in the wealthy country.

Several questions, however, remain outstanding and so representatives met with CBK officials to discuss the terms and new regulation details.

Currently there are several foreign banks operating in Kuwait including BNK Paribas, HSBC, Doha Bank, Qatar National Bank, National

Bank of Abu Dhabi, Mashreq Bank, Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait, Citibank and Bank Muscat.

Foreign bank representatives had several questions including: Will foreign banks be allowed to open only one or more branches? What will be the maximum number of branches allowed for foreign banks? Can more than one branch be opened simultaneously? Will foreign banks be permitted to offer the same services local ones do? Will they be given government-owned lands like local banks or be required to buy commercial real estate? Do land transactions need Central Bank approval? Can they rent land rather than buy it? And what licenses would be needed from the Central

KUWAIT: Foreign banks will now be allowed to open more than one branch in Kuwait.

Bank or from other government departments?

The new regulations regarding the expansion of foreign banks remains to be set. “Once the new regulations are in effect, foreign banks will open branches in vital areas in a bid to get expand their local market share, focusing mainly on retail banking services,” said a source close to the issue.

In a 2008 report, Moody’s noted that “Kuwait’s banking system is one of the most robust in the Gulf region, benefiting from the country’s outstanding economic performance in recent years as well as a fairly effective supervisory framework, which — despite some drawbacks — has been very successful in restoring confidence in the system since liberation and nurturing its development.

“However, despite the recent economic growth, Kuwaiti banks face some challenges relating to the operating environment in light of the country’s relatively undiversified economy, in which oil-related activities generate half of GDP. This results in the Kuwaiti banks having limited non-oil related exposures and sizeable balance-sheet concentrations, both to the oil sector and to individual entities,” says Stathis Kyriakides, a Moody’s Analyst and author of the report.

Moreover, Moody’s pointed out that Kuwait’s domestic banking system is relatively saturated, with 16 banks — including Islamic financial institutions, specialized banks and branches of foreign banks — competing to serve a total population of 3.4 million, only a third of which comprises the banks’ traditional retail target market.

Staff linked to human trafficking recalled MANILA: The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said they recalled last year the officials and staff linked to the alleged human trafficking trade in Kuwait.

DFA Spokesperson Raul Hernandez said among those “disciplinarily recalled” last March 2013 was Daligdig “Jack” Tanandato.

Some OFWs have complained of abuse and exploitation by Tanandato,

the former head of the DFA Assistance to Nationals Section, among other embassy staff.

“We did this to make way for a thorough investigation of the complaints against him. He is now facing charges because of those complaints. As of now, we have not received allegations of sexual nature against him,” Hernandez said in the message. Hernandez also assured DFA “will not tolerate any form of abuse or corruption on OFWs.”Hernandez also

stressed the DFA has not received any copy of the DOJ task force’s report.

“We will defer comment on its findings until we have read the full report,” he added.

But Assistant Secretary Lila RamosShahani of the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cabinet Cluster said though some Philippine Embassy and Labor Officers have been recalled, it appears human trafficking continues in Kuwait.. —ABS-CBN News

avoid accidents,” said Al-Hashash.

“We’re not planning to remove these poles or replace them with concrete berms. I realize that many of them are already pulled out of place and damaged, but we have a maintenance team that will replace them with new ones whenever they are damaged.

It’s possible that the ministry will place more of these barriers in new locations according to the flow of traffic and where it gets jammed,” he said.

Drivers are divided over the new barriers.Some like the idea because it will force drivers into the queue instead of allowing them to jump ahead of other cars. “I’m glad

they installed these separators on various roads, especially the Fourth Ring Road.

Many reckless drivers don’t respect traffic rules including road lanes, and they cause traffic jams by closing the road to overtake the cars waiting patiently in their lane,” said Yousef. “But these soft separators are still not respected by all drivers,” he pointed out.

Others see little impact from the new road rules. “I don’t think these separators will solve the problem of cars creating second and third lanes,” said Nouf. “It only moves the jam a bit back from the turn as drivers still go in additional lines to overtake those in line.”

KOC union rejects incentives reduction KUWAIT: Secretary of KOC workers union Nasser Al-Mutairi said the union rejec ted decision 72/2013 issued by the board of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, which reduces incentives and amends rewards, “which is an outright violation of oil sector workers’ rights and raises the possibility of new crises, whose repercussions KPC bears”.

Mutairi said that following the time period the KPC CEO asked for to reconsider the decision, no changes were made, and the union will be free to escalate things and take measures leading to a general strike

in defence of workers’ rights at KOC. He said meetings are being held with the KNPC union and other unions against the move of the KPC board without any justification to reduce the incentives system and amend the calculation of rewards for participating in success approved in 2004. The union cooperated with KPC’s administration during negotiations and urged officials to support workers and not violate their rights, and encourage them bearing in mind the hard nature of oil work which is dangerous too, “but this cooperation was not utilized correctly

by K P C of f i c i a l s,” c l a i m e d Mutairi.

He said instead of KPC fighting corruption that is rampant in the oil sector by protecting public funds that are being squandered in favour of businessmen and profiteering contracts, officials’ hesitance to defend their stands and decisions were the reason for costing the country billions in the Dow and Shell issues. Mutairi renewed the call for union members to cooperate and comply with the escalation procedures the union will adopt after coordination with other oil unions.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

LOCAL kuwait digest

In my view

Democratic or exclusionary?

Change, freedom of expression

They have the right..

They have homes and we do not!

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

T

he Kuwaiti citizen became a voter after the state adopted the democratic system following independence. Since then, Kuwaiti citizens exercised their electoral right by electing in accordance with ‘reputation’. Given the lack of parties or groups with clear and specific visions, citizens relied on their ‘intuition’ and social relations to elect who they thought was most fit to represent them. In the most part, the selection process was subject to personal relations. A candidate earned voters’ confidence through diwaniya visits, showing moral behavior and sometimes for simply being the first to ask a voter for his vote.

That was the situation at the beginning, and until perhaps the mid 1970s. After the parliament’s dissolution in 1976, and after the authority violently interfered in changing voters’ willpower, elections based on reputation became a dream for politicians despites its simplicity and spontaneity. By the early 1980s, elections had clearly shifted to becoming based on identity or, in other words, belongings. Tribal belonging in tribal areas, and sectarian or family belonging in hadar (urban) areas.

Primary elections became a main part of the election process, and was seen by as a ‘right’ by many citizens, especially tribesmen. This explains the tribal rejection to the government’s efforts to tackle primary elections.

Strong resistance to those efforts eventually forced the government to take steps backwards and turn a blind

Primary elections became a main part of the election process, and was seen by as a ‘right’ by many citizens, especially tribesmen. This explains the tribal rejection to the government’s efforts to tackle primary elections. eye to the clear and continuous violation of the law that criminalizes primary elections.

Now that primary elections gained ‘legitimacy’ by being practiced under different names such as ‘consultative meetings’ in which representatives choose their representatives (the same is practiced by Shiites, by the way), the ‘genius’ members of the new opposition confidently propose the need for elections by list.

Politicians, former MPs, and even the so-called ‘young people of the opposition’ further speculate that elections by list is possible if Kuwait allows establishing ‘democratic parties’.

It is important to point out that one of the main reasons behind the opposition’s rejection to the singlevote decree is because it came as part of the government’s efforts to tackle primary elections. But it seems that for the ‘geniuses’ of the opposition - voters who are biased towards their tribes, sectarian groups or families - have suddenly become qualified not only to belong to a political party, but also to elect by list and determine the entire nation’s fate.

Election by list requires the presence of democratic awareness, and deep-rooted traditions that support freedom, justice and equality. Today, and for years or perhaps decades to come, we still have religious, sectarian and racial fanaticism. This fanaticism will, whether the geniuses of the opposition like it or not, lead to eliminating sectors, belongings and even races from the equation, simply when the other party wins the elections.

Does anyone really want to take this risk? — Al-Qabas

Al-Anbaa

By Labeed Abdal

ho Four m ad ho es to visor usi so ng lve y iss the ue !!

in my view

Employment preferences

By Sabria Jawahar

C

onventional wisdom has it that Saudis have no place. With each passing year, more and more young desire to work in the service industry and prefer Saudi men found themselves working in some kind of to remain idle at home until that perfect govern- service employment. Then about three years ago, Saudi ment job comes along that allows them to work from 9 employment in the sector exploded when women am to 2 pm, then go home for a long nap. Sorry, this started working at supermarkets, lingerie shops and doesn’t hold much water these days. It’s true that gov- personal skincare and perfume businesses. Today, ernment jobs are the most coveted by Saudis, and if about 16 percent of the retail sector’s 1.5 million the private sector came beckoning, then the petro- employees are Saudis. It’s not a great number, but a chemical industry would be a good choice. Saudi leap from a decade ago.

Somehow, the sight of women working in retail as women, meanwhile, are gravitating toward education, sales clerks slightly eased the stigma attached to such the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare. low-level jobs. To the low- and A recent survey found that lower-middle-income families 33 percent of Saudis polled preferred a government job, These private sector jobs with young Saudi men with no university degree but who while 29 percent wanted a demand a university want a car and pocket money, position in oil, gas and the retail employment doesn’t petrochemical sector. About degree, pay well and offer seem like a bad idea. Today, 26 percent preferred banking job security. The demands it’s fairly common - at least in and finance. If this survey was Jeddah - to see Saudi guys conducted a decade ago, the of these jobs may be working alongside Saudi gap between desiring a government position over a prigreater than government women in malls. In restaurants, especially the chains, vate industry job would have work but the personal and some Saudi men are working been much wider. shift leaders or in some These private sector jobs professional rewards are as supervisorial capacity. In the demand a university degree, high-end chain electronics pay well and offer job securifar greater. stores, a large percentage of ty. The demands of these jobs workers are Saudis. may be greater than governThis is not a sea change by any stretch of the imagiment work but the personal and professional rewards are far greater. The changing attitude toward working nation, but a gradual process in which a steady payin private industry is part and parcel to Saudis’ view of check oftentimes takes precedence over one’s false the service industry. A Western blog on Saudi Arabia sense of pride. Hiring more Saudis to fill retail vacancies that purports some expertise on Saudi society said last remain a tough road to hoe. Many employers remain week that Saudis still do not want anything to do with reluctant; clinging to the old ways of keeping expats on the service industry, particularly in food and retail. But the payroll. There are few incentives to attract Saudi men to work in retail and the experience level is this perception is terribly out of date.

As long as 10 years ago when I first arrived in Jeddah extremely low. But the changing needs of Saudis in to live, I saw Saudis driving taxis and more than a few general and the Labor Ministry’s “get tough” policy on employed in fast-food restaurants. These were young undocumented expats have opened the door wider for guys, and women were still banned from the work- young Saudis to step through.

in my view

Oil undermines US role in South Sudan

kuwait digest

One committee begets another!

By Alsir Sidahmed

T

he failure of US pressure to enforce a ceasefire in the four-week long strife in South Sudan and the continuation of violence between the combatants regardless of the human drama could be attributed to one main factor - oil. The warring parties are jockeying for power and control of resources, oil, and that is why they pay little attention to what the American officials are saying. It is China, not the US, that has invested in the country’s oil industry and it is Juba’s bulk export market.

Although civil strife has been raging in Sudan for decades, oil discoveries and exports back in 1999 increased the need for a peace deal that eventually led to South Sudan’s separation. More importantly, it enhanced the new country to be economically viable and there was a chance for the state’s efforts to succeed.

During the six-year interim period that led to its separation, South Sudan earned $12 billion.

With the separation, new country took with it 75 percent of the known oil reserves of the once unified Sudan in addition to more than 300,000 barrels of daily production.

Moreover, with oil revenues constituting 98 percent of the government’s income where at least one-third is allocated for security and defense departments, oil became the center of focus for those harboring leadership aspirations.

And that is why the fight between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar concentrated more or less on oil producing areas like Unity state and its capital Bentiu, the Upper Nile and its capital Malakal that have been changing hands between the two groups over the past four weeks. More than the old wisdom of denying the foe any resources, controlling the country’s oil wealth is the surest way to dominance. Machar revealed his intentions last year to run against Kiir and to compete for the chairmanship of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), the leading political movement in the country. Securing the top post in the SPLM ensures the candidacy of the party in presidential elections.

And that is where the game started to become rough.

Kiir fired Machar and some of his allies in July - a move

that led to increased tension and it took only a coup attempt in the story of Kiir or forcing disarming some of the security guards in the story of Machar to have the long suppressed competing divisions flaring up. Like any political struggle, the combatants called on whatever support they could get to beef up and consolidate their stand: this time it is tribal. And what started as jockeying for power and resources by elites have turned into tribal and ethnic strife.

It was interesting to see how the US was feeling embarrassed that the only diplomatic achievement of successive Republican and Democratic administrations supported by various lobbies, think-tank’s and NGOs have turned sour less than three years of midwifing South Sudan independence calls for enforcing a trusteeship are being aired. Former US envoy Princeton Lyman called on the US to assume the role of the protector. Another expert G Pascal Zachary was more specific calling on Washington to seriously consider taking the role of trusteeship.

That seems more logical than threatening to cut the $50 million US aid to South Sudan, which means nothing compared to income generated by oil. The same applies to aid donors, who have been looking after the people even before separation in the areas controlled by the SPLM providing food, health and sometimes education services. But that also does not provide the needed leverage to pressure Juba politicians to behave in a better way. One US official summed up the situation saying, “if you consider just a year ago in Washington we held an investment conference for South Sudan and the president said the country is open for business. Now we are telegraphing sanctions which are the most business unfriendly thing you can do to a regime... the relationship has swung 180 degrees.”

Since Washington has mainly moral and political interests in South Sudan, it has very little that it can do.

Ironically it is China with its investments in the country’s oil industry that is more qualified to put more meaningful pressure, but that takes the issue to a completely new game of what China wants or does not want to do.

With oil revenues constituting 98 percent of the government’s income where at least one-third is allocated for security and defense departments, oil became the center of focus for those harboring leadership aspirations.

By Moussa Abo Tafra

L

ocal facts have proven that if you want to extend and prolong an issue, just form a committee to follow it up, which will surely help postponing and delaying the issue until it is forgotten. Committees in Kuwait vary a lot. There are ones to investigate certain issues and others to assess reactions to such incidents or issues. By time, and the more the committee convenes, the topic will fade away. Other committees are formed to study a certain project. We often hear that some ministries have formed special committees to study this or that project to come up with a decision that would supposedly boost the economy and development in general.

A third type of committee is formed to supervise the work of other committees. There are joint committees, which is the most common type in government bodies.

This type is kind of inert - comprising of elements from various ministries chosen according to exchanged interests and favors using the motto of ‘list me in, I will list you in as well’, which means that some officials might be members of various committees under different names.

Moreover, there are supreme, technical, legal, medical, educational, supervision and security committees you name it and you will surely find a committee somewhere with members receiving bonuses that would all contribute to pushing Kuwait towards becoming the ‘one million committee’ country!

As matter of fact, normal motives behind forming committees are to cut down on red tape and speed up the pace of work and performance to eventually help decision-makers make the right decisions at the right times without contradictions. This has been causing continuous formation of committees. We hardly finish the work of a committee before forming another. The funny thing is that most committees conclude their work with reports confirming the accomplishment of the goals for which they had been formed and this helps Kuwait remain unique in terms of forming committees that beget further ones all the time! —Al-Anbaa

local@kuwaittimes.net

C

riminalizing religious parties in general, such as what happened in Egypt where the Muslim Brotherhood was classified as a terrorist group, is a form of generalization. Decisions with such volume must be based on enforcing the law against a person or group of people who violated the law, without generalizing these actions as a behavior of everyone who shares similar ideologies.

The belief that a certain ideology is right or wrong, or is legitimate or not, does not justify taking arbitrary action against whoever endorses said ideology.

Constitutional principles such as freedom of opinion and expression are guaranteed in order to lay down the foundations of the state of law, which in turn helps prevent the prevalence of chaos and jungle law. Religious and sectarian multitude is a natural characteristic of societies around the world, and coexistence requires commitment to personal freedoms and allowing each ideology to be expressed without biased restrictions.

If we take Egypt - which happens to be the main source for many legislations and constitutions in the Arab World - as an example, we find that the state has collapsed after a public revolution toppled the regime, then collapsed against when the revolution was abducted, and a third time after a second revolution rose. But despite the disturbances, violence, killings and terror, everyone in Egypt calls for the return of tolerance, freedom, dignity and pluralism; which all are characteristics of the Egyptian society.

The willpower of the Egyptian people, who remained a strong component of their nation through its crises, helped Egypt stay standing despite the collapse of the ruling system and other main components of the state.

People’s role in guaranteeing the existence and continuity of Egypt is a lesson for every other country around the world. Regardless of time or place, people always reject injustice and seek decent living.

kuwait digest

Is happiness optional?

By Dr Aseel Al-Awadhi

W

ith the growing amount of grumbling and the passivity prevailing in our society, many people seem to be dissatisfied and miserable, which raises questions like ‘What is the concept of happiness?’, ‘What makes us happy?’ and ‘What is the source of real happiness?’.

The concept of happiness is a topic that has always concerned philosophers, as some of them believe that the goal of all human beings’ actions is to reach happiness.

Even political and social reform demands eventually aim at achieving an urgent psychological need to feel happy.

We are not after philosophically discussing the concept of happiness here, yet we must highlight the latest scientific studies about this topic.

I recently watched a documentary about happiness that reviewed a study suggesting that 50 percent of the happiness or misery we feel might be attributed to a person’s genetic makeup, 10 percent to a person’s living conditions and surroundings such as the city a person dwells in, type of accommodation, income level, job nature and general living conditions while the remaining forty percent is affected by behavior, which means that whatever we used to believe is the source of our happiness or misery forms but a tiny element and that almost half of hap-

The concept of happiness is a topic that has always concerned philosophers, as some of them believe that the goal of all human beings’ actions is to reach happiness. Even political and social reform demands eventually aim at achieving an urgent psychological need to feel happy piness depends on our choices and options. So, is happiness optional, after all?

The documentary shows an interview with the head of a poor Indian family living in a one-room tin-house in Calcutta where all family members sleep. The man speaks about his happiness on returning home after a long day of hard work to have dinner with his family. The documentary also shows another man from Brazil who lives in a house that could be ranked as below modest and does nothing but practice his hobby - surfing to feel happy as well as to make enough money. The documentary also reviews the results of a study that emphasizes that the world’s most miserable people are the Japanese despite the welfare and advances they enjoy.

This brought memories of my days at university in America when I used to wonder about the secret of the happiness of a cashier who gets $10 an hour, of a student who had borrowed thousands of dollars to pay for his university fees while having to do one or two part-time jobs for accommodation and sustenance and would eventually graduate to start a career and pay it off over long years. If happiness is really optional, why don’t we opt for it then? —Al-Jarida

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

LOCAL

‘Strategic plan’ to resolve residency violators issues Efforts to guarantee workers’ rights KUWAIT: The Interior Ministry announced the beginning of a strategic security plan to “resolve the situation of labor law violators and marginal labor forces” as part of Kuwait’s efforts to honor international human rights regulations. The ‘ambitious’ plan calls for improving procedures to handle expatriate labor forces’ complaints with regards to troubles faced with employers. “The step reflects Kuwait’s adherence to achieve justice when it comes to the humanitarian rights and duties of labor forces,” said Col Adel AlHashash, the Acting General Director of the Security Media Department in an official statement yesterday.

“The efforts call for guaranteeing workers’ rights in accordance with the regulations organized by expatriates’ residency laws in Kuwait, which is considered a pioneer in respecting human rights in the Gulf region,” Al-Hashash said in the statement carried by the official Kuwait News Agency.

According to the statement, the Interior Ministry is asking expatriates who have problems with their sponsors, including issues that ended with workers being in violation of labor and residency regulations, to lodge complaints at Citizenship

legalizing their status in the country in accordance with residency regulations and in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor”.

Human rights is considered a major issue in Kuwait which often gets criticism from international rights groups over the abuse of expatriate labor forces and human trafficking. The government has plans to set up an independent labor authority that exclusively handles the affairs of expatriate labor forces, effectively replacing the sponsorship system that is seen as favoring employers over employees.

Col Adel Al-Hashash and Passport Department offices “in order to be probed through legitimate channels and remove injustice through legal procedures”.

Al-Hashash further offered expatriates “the chance to look into the possibility of

Illegal visas Hind Al-Subaih, the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Minister of State for Planning and Development Affairs, revealed on Monday that “a timetable is in place to establish the administrative structure for the Public Labor Authority, with plans to launch it in the near future”.

“After the structure is formed and a general director is appointed, the authority can officially start its work and handle exclusive duties of recruiting expatriate labor forces in accordance with [the private sector’s labor law],”

Subaih said in statements carried by the local press yesterday.

Earlier reports had suggested that the government could be waiting to launch the authority after the beginning of the 2014/2015 fiscal year in order to include its financial allocations in the state’s budget. A bill to establish the authority was passed in the parliament in March last year.

This comes while a news report suggested that the Interior Ministry deported 180 expatriates who obtained visas illegally, and prepares to deport a second batch soon.

“The Immigration Investigations General Department issued arrest warrants for hundreds of expatriates identified during investigations which revealed that they obtained commercial visas illegally,” said sources quoted by Al-Watan yesterday. They said that the majority of detainees were Egyptian nationals “who were caught mostly caught at the airport before traveling outside the country”.

Though not specified in the report, the detainees are likely victims of a visa scandal involving senior Interior Ministry officials who according to investigations issued around 13,000 visas illegally over the course of two years.

Kuwait continues support of Islamic conference document

KUWAIT: The Kuwait Dive Team managed to lift large amounts of fishing nets that were stuck at 9meters depth in the middle of Kuwait’s Bay, the team announced in a statement yesterday. A crane vessel was used to lift a total of 5-tons of nets “which posed threat to fishing boats and marine species in the area”, according to marine operations manager Waleed Al-Shatti.

MADINA AL-MUNAWARA: M inister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem AlSabah is participating at the opening of the eighth meeting of the Islamic Conference of Culture M inisters held at Madina AlMunawara. Kuwait’s participation in the conference comes as part of its continuous support of its document written up by Saudi Arabia titled “cultural rights in the Muslim world”, said Sheikh Salman, also Chairman of Kuwait ’s National Council for Culture, Ar ts and Letters.

He stressed that Kuwait had put forward all of its intellectual and cultural potentials in the formation of this document, responding to the needs of Islam and human rights.

Kuwait is very concerned regard-

ing the phenomenon of Islamophobia, and stands side-byside with Saudi Arabia in steps aimed at activating a ‘draft operational plan’ for dialogue between the followers of all religions and cultures, he said, stressing that Kuwait believes that this is a way to renounce violence and terrorism.

Kuwait’s participation in this conference comes in line with all its attention and support of intellectual and cultural work locally, regionally and internationally and in line with the efforts of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) in the implementation of the strategy of Islamic cultural work outside the Muslim world, he added.

Sheikh Salman expressed happiness over Kuwait’s participation at the eighth meeting of the culture ministers, which is considered a new opportunity to con-

Sheikha Fariha launches ‘Ideal Mother Award’ KUWAIT: President of the Kuwait Association for the Ideal Family and Chairperson of Al-Fatat Sport Club Sheikha Fariha Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah launched Monday the “Ideal Mother Award” in recognition of the pivotal role of mothers in society building.

In a press conference to announce the award launching, Sheikha Fariha underlined that the annual award aims to honor the best mothers. She added that the success stories of the best mothers should be adequately highlighted and presented to the whole society as role models. The Kuwait Association for the Ideal Family, the organizer of the Ideal Mother Award contest, will provide awards not only to ideal Kuwaiti mothers, but also to ideal expatriate, Gulf, and Arab mothers, Sheikha Fariha said.

She went on to say that the contest is also meant to identify the main reasons for the success of these mothers.

For his part, Deputy President of the Kuwait Association for the Ideal Family Saleh Al-Naham stated that “The Kuwait Association seeks to encourage mothers to do more for their families.” He disclosed that the nominee registration has been extended to the end of February. “There are four criteria for judging the nominees: personal, social and familial skills as well as adherence to ethics,” he said. —KUNA

Mulaifi consults educators on educational charts KUWAIT: The Ministry of Education is considering amending recently applied educational regulations as special questionnaires are being currently distributed to primary and secondary schools to probe educators’ opinions about their pros and cons. In this regard, informed educational sources said that the questionnaires are meant to survey the opinions of teachers, HoDs and school directors concerning the rules and that school directors had already distributed the questionnaires to teachers pending sending them to the office of the new (incumbent) minister, Ahmed Al-Mulaifi.

Moreover, the sources stressed that Al-Mulaifi ordered sending the questionnaires to school directly so that he could get feedback from the people actually working in the field of education in direct contact with students. The source also highlighted that most educators believe the new rules have many problems, namely the one for the secondary stage where students who attempt to cheat will be equally punished as those from whom they try to cheat by giving them both ‘zero’ in that specific subject.

f i r m t h e d e e p - ro o te d t i e s between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia under the wise leaderships of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz AlSaud.

He praised the efforts exerted by the Saudi Minister of Information Dr Abdulaziz Khoja on his preparations for this conference as he also congratulated him and the Saudi people on the occasion of the opening of the cultural center and the public library in Madina.

Sheikh Salman also expressed his thanks to the Director General o f I S E S CO D r A b d u l a z i z A l Tuwaijri on the organization’s efforts in advancing the cultural work of the Arab and Muslim world, in addition to the success of the conference. —KUNA

Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

LOCAL

Car mechanic dead in service garage mishap Officer hurt in Failaka training KUWAIT: A mechanic died when he was run over inside a car dealer’s service garage on Monday. According to the police report, the man was standing in front of a car prepared for service, but a coworker ran him over when he hit the gas pedal accidently instead of the brakes. The Pakistani man died inside the ambulance on the way to the hospital, while police apprehended his Egyptian coworker on manslaughter charges.

Officer injured A special task force officer was hospitalized after suffering an injury during training at Failaka Island Monday afternoon. The man reportedly suffered facial injuries as a result of an explosion that happened by accident during training, according to preliminary investigations. He was taken by helicopter to Amiri Hospital for treatment and his condition was described as stable.

Teenager dead A teenager died in a two-car collision on

Kabd Road which also left a female driver injured. Paramedics headed to the scene in response to an emergency call, but pronounced the 18-year-old Kuwaiti man dead on arrival.

They helped the Kuwaiti woman to the hospital, while criminal investigators were called to examine the scene and transport the body to the forensic department. A case was filed for investigations to determine the circumstances behind the accident.

Meanwhile, a motorcyclist died in an accident at the junction between Shuhada and Hitteen. The victim, a 49-year-old Kuwaiti, succumbed to his injuries at the scene where his 2014 model motorcycle collided with a 2013 model car. The car’s Bangladeshi driver was not injured in the accident, and was taken in custody for questioning.

Body found A man was found dead in Jleeb Al-Shuyiukh Monday, and preliminary investigations indi-

cate that he died of natural causes. Paramedics and police arrived to an apartment building in the area where the janitor reported discovering a dead body on the roof. The man, identified as an Egyptian national in his 60s, was pronounced dead at the scene. Criminal investigators were summoned and they reportedly found no evidence of foul play at the scene. The body was taken for an autopsy to confirm the cause and time of death. Investigations are ongoing.

Woman negligence Investigations are ongoing in a case involving a man who accuses his ex-wife of negligence that led to injuries to their son. In his statements to police, the Kuwaiti man said that he discovered burn marks on the seven-yearold’s arm during a visit, and demanded to press negligence charges against his ex-wife who has the child in her custody. The woman is being summoned for questioning.

Asian held with 2kg of drugs

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: An Asian expat was arrested with 2kg of marijuana. A warrant was obtained after getting tips and a drugs fighting unit went to his house and found nearly two kilograms of marijuana.

He admitted trading in it, adding he received it by air cargo. The suspect and drugs were sent to concerned authorities.

A citizen accompanied by her husband accused an unknown man of firing at her car with an AK-47. But her husband accused his ex-brother-in-law. He claimed that he was threatened by him a few months ago.

• Capital detectives are investigating the case of kidnapping a minor girl. A security source said the citizen told Waha police that her daughter (18) was calling for help, and when she went out, she saw a man forcing the girl in his car.

• A female citizen told Rumaithiya police that an unknown person took pictures of her while she was in her undergarments two weeks ago. Detectives are

investigating.

• Police denied rumors that a chase took place against a citizen who attempted to kill himself. The sources said the incident was about an Asian attempting to commit suicide, who was arrested and placed in a Farwaniya holding cell.

• An Indian was caught drinking alcohol in public in Abdullah Al-Salem. He had a locally made liquor bottle with him.

• A citizen was caught in Hawally with heroin and 300 illicit tablets with him. He was referred to concerned authorities.

• Authorities security arrested two Kuwaitis in their twenties inside an offlimits oil area. The two were charged with damaging state property and destroying the metal mesh.

• A female citizen accused a person of molesting her. She gave police his car’s license plate number. Charges of encouraging vice were filed. Detectives are investigating.

• A fire broke out in a Subaibiya filling station located in the middle of Subiyya road. The fire caused gas to leak.

KUWAIT: The Asian drug trader pictured after his arrest.

KUWAIT: Zain’s 10th annual Distributors Conference with its authorized dealers and partners in progress in Dubai.

Zain shares 2014 vision with partners, dealers KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommunications company in Kuwait, held its 10th annual Distributors Conference with its authorized dealers and partners in Dubai further strengthening the company’s fruitful relationship with its partners. Zain’s partners are important and unique parts of Zain’s success to date playing a crucial role in implementing the company’s commercial strategy.

Open discussions and transparency with its dealers and partners were the most notable topics of discussion throughout the conference, which was titled this year “success is the title of our partnership”.

The annual meeting whereby the company showcased its commercial and promotional plans and vision for 2014 is an important and fundamental step to achieving a beneficial communication tool between the company and its dealers to ultimately offer the highest levels of quality in its products and services to its customers’ base, which is the largest in the country.

During the Conference’s opening ceremony speech, Shafeeq Al-Sayed Omar, Chief Commercial Officer of Zain Kuwait said: “we are keen on strengthening our robust relationship with our partners and dealers, as achieving our 2014 goals will require more communication tools in the way we communicate our messages with our customers”.

“Such open discussions and meetings will be the base in which the company will build its work flow system with its dealers and customers, and we are confident that transparency and credibility, which are the main themes of this meeting, will have the biggest effect in reinforcing Zain’s vision for the next phase of growth” added Al-Sayed Omar.

Al Sayed Omar considered this meeting as a phase for reflection, where the relationship between the company and its partners can launch in a new form that will bring even more collaboration between the two parties in order to find the appropriate tools that will better serve the expectations of everyone involved.

In his speech to the authorized dealers, Al-Sayed Omar further stressed on the importance of introducing an added value to customers: “our goal is to reinforce the loyalty of our customers by creating a real value for them, as this is the bridge that will lead us to new innovative phases of our operations”.

A gala dinner concluded the activities of the conference where many entertaining activities were held for the attendees in a joyful atmosphere that further cemented the bond between the company and its partners.

Italian, Kuwaiti officials discuss cooperation

Health awareness forum inaugurated KUWAIT: Under the patronage of Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs for its employees an exhibition and seminar is being conducted titled “Your Health Matters to Us”. The five-day event from Jan 19 to 23 is being held in Crowne Plaza Hotel at the Al Andalous and Murjan ballrooms. The health awareness forum features a

series of medical lectures and workshops presented by specialized physicians and health organizations that highlight the dangers of obesity, treatments and means of prevention.

The importance of the initiative is that it helps to fight obesity, deal with poor dietary habits and most importantly lower the risk of

developing chronic diseases associated with obesity such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and back pain.

The events feature an exhibition where obesity related products are being displayed. The event is open to the general public in the evening.

ROME: Kuwaiti Ambassador to Italy Sheikh Ali Al-Khaled Al-Sabah met here yesterday with Minister of Education, Universities, and Research Maria Chiara Carrozza, discussing with her and other Italian officials the opening of an Italian cultural office in Kuwait and means to develop bilateral relations in education.

Carrozza said that she suggested during her meeting with Sheikh Ali Al-Khaled the opening of a cultural office in Kuwait as a mean to develop cultural and educational ties between the two countries.

She lauded Sheikh Ali Al-Khaled’s efforts

in promoting better relations between Kuwait and Italy, affirming that Italian universities were keen on accepting Kuwaiti students. On his part, Sheikh Ali Al-Khaled thanked Carrozza on her kind words and stressed that the establishment of an Italian cultural office in Kuwait was a stepforward to further enhance relations between Kuwait and Italy.

He affirmed that he would continue to contact Italian educational and scientific institutions to promote educational ties and help Kuwaiti students to enroll in Italian universities and institutions. —KUNA

Huge resort on World Islands DUBAI: A property developer has started building a huge resort complex on a man-made archipelago off Dubai’s coast as the emirate revives tourism and real estate projects suspended after its property market crash in 2008.

The “Heart of Europe” project, a complex of luxury hotels and villas stretching across six small islands, is expected to be completed at the end of 2016, the Kleindienst Group said on Monday.

Lying about 5km off mainland Dubai in the Gulf, it will feature classic Italian, Spanish and

German architecture as well as landscaped gardens and streets that in some cases will be lined with artificial snow, the company said.

Kleindienst, an international developer based in Dubai, declined to reveal how much the project would cost or how it would be funded, saying an announcement on this would be made next month. Local press reports have put the cost at over $800 million.

The 60-square-km archipelago, comprising over 200 islands laid out in the shape of a world map, was created from millions of tonnes of

sand and rock. It was completed in 2008 as a way to expand Dubai’s supply of beachfront property. Until recently it looked like a costly white elephant. Most of the islands were sold to investors but Dubai’s financial crisis of 20082010 then put plans to develop them on hold.

All but a handful remain empty, baking in the sun. Over the last couple of years, however, a flood of foreign money into Dubai has revived the real estate market and begun to repair developers’ balance sheets, allowing projects to proceed.— Gulf Business

ROME: Kuwaiti Ambassador Sheikh Ali Al-Khaled Al-Sabah with Italian Minister of Education, Universities, and Research Maria Chiara Carrozza. —KUNA

KUWAIT: Ahmadi Municipality removed rain water that gathered in open yards and public parking areas in Fintas and Mangaf. The action was taken to make it easier for traffic. Public cleanliness supervisor at the governorate Faihan Al-Mutairi said the places where water gathered were located, then equipment was sent there to remove the water and clean the area. — Photos by Hanan Al-Saadoun

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

India’s court commutes death sentences, sets restrictions Page 11

Suicide car bombing kills four in Beirut Page 8

WAZIRISTAN: Internally displaced Pakistani civilians, fleeing from military operations against Taleban militants in North Waziristan, arrive in Bannu, a town on the edge of Pakistan’s lawless tribal belt of Waziristan yesterday.

Pakistani jets and helicopter gunships bombarded suspected Taleban hideouts in a northwestern tribal district yesterday, killing at least 40 people, in response to two major bombings targeting the military. — AFP

40 dead as Pakistani jets hit militant hideouts Residents flee area as airstrikes, shelling continues

Yemen national dialogue marred by attack, killings SANAA: Yemen’s political factions extended the president’s term by a year and approved a new federal system at the end of national reconciliation talks yesterday, a milestone in the troubled country’s transition to democracy. Highlighting the security challenges facing Yemen, which borders major oil exporter Saudi Arabia and is home to one of Al-Qaeda’s most active branches, unknown assailants shot dead a leader of the Yemeni Shiite Muslim Houthi group while he was driving to attend the final session of the talks.

Yemen has been torn by rising violence and lawlessness as the US-allied country struggles to overcome political turmoil after long-serving President Ali Abdullah Saleh stepped down following months of mass protests against his rule in 2011. The nation’s political factions gave interim President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, whose two-year term had originally been due to end with elections in February 2014, an extra year after delays in the transition to democracy.

He will oversee a shift to a federal system intended to accommodate southern separatist demands for more autonomy. Southern separatists have been demanding to revive the state that merged with North Yemen in 1990. The national reconciliation talks, launched in March 2013 as part of a Gulf-brokered power transfer deal, have been plagued by walk-outs by politicians.

Hadi, who will head a special committee, was also tasked with the drafting of a new constitution within three months. He was also mandated to reshuffle the cabinet and restructure the Shura Council, the consultative upper house of parliament, to give more representa-

tion to the south and to Shiite Muslim rebels in the north. Mindful of the challenges, Hadi told delegates: “I did not take over a nation, I took over a capital where gun shots are continuous day and night, where roadblocks fill the streets. I took over an empty bank that has no wages and a divided security apparatus and army.”

“The national dialogue document (final communique) is the beginning of the road to build a new Yemen,” he said at the Movenpick Hotel on a hilltop on the outskirts of Sanaa where the sessions have been taking place. Yemeni analyst Hatem Bamehrez said Hadi’s task was huge. “If the dialogue took 10 months to complete, then implementation needs enough time and one year is not enough,” Bamehrez said, adding that shifting the major issues for Hadi to deal with later represented “a big danger” to the process.

Security Marring yesterday’s talks, Ahmad Sharafeddin, a Houthi delegate at the reconciliation talks who had served as dean of the law faculty at Sanaa University, was killed when gunmen in a speeding vehicle sprayed his car with bullets in central Sanaa, officials said. They said he died instantly and the gunmen escaped. It was not immediately clear who was behind the assassination, but another Houthi leader, Abdulkarim Al-Khiwani, accused hardline Sunni Muslim militants of carrying out the attack. The Houthi group fought radical Sunni Salafis in northern Yemen from October until earlier this month, when a ceasefire was reached to relocate the Salafis to another city some 250 km away. — Reuters

SANAA: A Yemeni man stands near Ahmed Sharaf Eddin’s damaged vehicle, the top envoy of the country’s northern rebels after he was shot to death in Sanaa, Yemen, yesterday. Yemeni officials say gunmen assassinated Eddin early yesterday in his car in the capital, Sanaa. — AP

PESHAWAR: Pakistani jets and helicopter gunships bombarded suspected Taleban hideouts in a northwestern tribal district yesterday, killing at least 40people, in response to two major bombings targeting the military. The air strikes came a day after a Taleban suicide bomber killed 13 people in a blast near army headquarters-a rare strike close to the heart of Pakistan’s powerful military establishment.

The focus of yesterday’s operation was North Waziristan tribal district, a stronghold for Taleban and Al-Qaeda linked militants on the border with Afghanistan. Among the targets was the home of Adnan Rasheed, a senior Taleban commander who wrote an open letter last year to Malala Yousafzai, the teenage education activist shot by militants, justifying the attack on her. Taleban and military sources said his house was hit but Rasheed himself was later seen alive in the marketplace of Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan.

Military officials said the strikes were based on “confirmed intelligence reports” and some of those killed were linked to highprofile attacks including a bloody double suicide bombing on a church in the northwestern city of Peshawar in September. Jet fighters began pounding targets around 12:30am (1930 Monday GMT), an official said, and were later joined by helicopter gunships. A senior security official told AFP that at least 25 people had been killed.

He said some of the dead were linked to several recent bombings including the Peshawar church and an attack Sunday on paramilitary troops in northwestern Bannu city that killed 26 - the deadliest on Pakistan’s armed forces in recent years. In claiming responsibility for the Bannu attack, the Tehreek-e-Taleban Pakistan (TTP) threatened more strikes to avenge their former leader Hakimullah Mehsud, killed by a US drone in November. But TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid also said the group was “ready for meaningful negotiations” if the government halted US drone strikes and withdrew troops from the tribal areas.

‘No offensive’ The TTP have been waging a bloody campaign against the Pakistani state since 2007, carrying out a number of bomb and gun attacks, often on military targets. The two high-profile attacks on Sunday and Monday marked a bloody return for the militants after a period of relative quiet following Mehsud’s death and the installation of hardline cleric Maulana Fazlullah as his replacement.

Officials said those killed in yesterday’s air raids included “foreigners”-a term that usually refers to Arab or Central Asian fighters-as well as members of the Punjabi faction of the Taleban.

An intelligence official in Miranshah said the airstrikes and shelling were still going on and had forced some residents of the area to flee. As the military mounted their aggressive riposte to the militants, police in Islamabad said they had seized 100 kilograms (220 lbs) of explosives and arrested three people in a raid.

Debate has raged for some time in Pakistan about whether a fullscale military ground offensive should be launched in North Waziristan to rid the area of militants once and for all.

The United States has long pressured Pakistan to do more to wipe out militant strongholds, saying insurgents were using rear bases in North Waziristan to mount attacks on American troops in Afghanistan. A security official insisted yesterday’s air strikes were not the start of an offensive but instead a “retaliatory action”.

Residents of the area said helicopter gunships were continuously hovering in the sky, while jet fighters were making regular sorties.

They said that such sustained bombardment from the air was unusual in North Waziristan.

Independent verification of the casualties was not possible because media and aid workers are not allowed to visit the area.

Separately jet fighters pounded suspected Taleban hideouts in Tirah valley, part of Khyber, another of the seven tribal districts, killing four militants. Tirah, once a stronghold of Pakistani militant groups was retaken by the military late last year though some groups still hold out in parts of the mountainous valley. — AFP

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

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Embattled Turkey PM faces tough talks with EU ANKARA: Turkey’s embattled Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Brussels late Monday, hoping to put his country’s EU accession talks back on track amid upheaval at home over highly contested judicial reforms.

Erdogan’s trip to Brussels-his first in five years-has been overshadowed by a graft scandal and his government’s subsequent mass purge of police and the judiciary, which critics see as a bid to stifle the investigation.

Some 2,000-3,000 supporters of the Turkish prime minister gathered in front of a Brussels hotel as he arrived there, waving Turkish flags in a festive display. The crowd dispersed calmly before midnight, police said, after Erdogan had addressed them. Before boarding his flight to the Belgian capital Erdogan sought to downplay the risk of a crisis with the European Union.

European officials have voiced deep concern about the state of democracy in Turkey and the independence of its institutions after the government, facing its worst crisis since coming to

power over a decade ago, moved to tighten its control on the judiciary in the wake of a vast corruption probe.

Erdogan insisted 2014 would be a “turning point” in Turkey’s relations with the EU, after the resumption of membership talks late last year following a three-year freeze. But he told reporters before leaving that the government would not back down on the plans to reform the top judicial body, the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), and that it would move ahead with a “brave” reform agenda this year.

Earlier in Ankara, new EU Affairs Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Muslim-majority Turkey, which has sought for decades to join the European club, would be pushing in Brussels for a timeline for negotiations to ensure that the process is not “openended.” “ We hope, we wish and we believe that the process concerning the HSYK will not provoke a serious crisis with the EU,” Cavusoglu said, although he conceded that there were

“some difficulties” in aspects of the membership talks.

‘Opportunity to explain reforms’ The sons of three cabinet ministers were detained in a series of police raids in December, along with several business leaders, on an array of allegations including bribery in construction projects, gold smuggling and illicit dealings with Iran. The Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP) government has accused supporters of an erstwhile ally, exiled Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, of acting as a “state within a state” and instigating the probe as a “coup plot” ahead of key elections this year.

“Our visit to Brussels will provide us with the opportunity to explain to our counterpar ts what ’s happening in Turkey in the most accurate and most impartial way,” Erdogan said. “God willing, the game of this treacherous network will be destroyed.” The political ructions, which come on the heels of massive anti-government protests in

June, have also sent Turkish financial markets into freefall and cast doubt on economic forecasts for growth and inflation. The lira slid further Monday to 2.2442 against the dollar and 3.0441 against the euro as markets awaited news from the central bank’s monetary policy meeting yesterday.

Many commentators predicted a difficult visit for Erdogan to the EU headquarters. “Erdogan would have done better to scrap his Brussels visit,” the Taraf daily newspaper said in an editorial. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had said Sunday that all issues were on the table at the EU, adding: “If there is anything that stands contradictory to EU standards, we will listen to this”.

President Abdullah Gul stepped in to resolve the deadlock by pushing for any reforms to the HSYK to be enshrined in constitutional amendments that would require cross-party support.

The European Commission, which has demanded to be consulted on the judicial reforms, said Turkey had sent through a copy of the legislation on

Friday. “This is a very positive gesture,” said a commission source, while refraining from commenting directly on the contents of the bill. Turkey has also come under fire for a series of recent measures that rights groups say reflect an increasingly authoritarian tone from Erdogan and pose a threat to freedom and human rights in the traditionally secular society.

A controversial bill that makes it a crime for doctors to provide emergency first aid without government authorization came into force on Saturday-a measure critics say is designed to prevent treatment of protesters.

Parliament is also debating a bill aimed at introducing curbs on the Internet, sparking an outcry over further moves to clamp down on freedom of speech.

While Turkey first sought to join Europe in 1959, formal membership talks only began in 2005 before hitting several stumbling blocks, including a territorial dispute with member state Cyprus and opposition from heavyweights France and Germany.—AFP

Suicide car bombing kills four in Beirut Al-Qaeda group Al-Nusra claims responsibility

CAIRO: An Egyptian woman holds a poster of Egypt’s Defense Minister, Gen. AbdelFattah el-Sissi, with Arabic writing that reads, “el-Sissi is my president,” and a national flag during a rally in support of el-Sissi, in Cairo, Egypt, yesterday. Supporters of the powerful army chief and defense minister urged Egyptians to turn the third anniversary to 2011 uprising that toppled longtime autocratic president Hosni Mubarak, to a show of gratitude to the general for ousting Islamist president, calling on him to contest elections. — AP

Morsi faces spy trial CAIRO: The trial of Egypt’s deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi and 35 others on charges of espionage in collaboration with Palestinian Hamas movement will start on February 16, judicial sources said yesterday. It is the third Morsi trial for which a date has been fixed and is part of a relentless government crackdown on the ousted leader and his Islamist supporters since his July 3 ouster by the army. If found guilty, the defendants could face the death penalty. Morsi and others including former aides and leaders of his Muslim Brotherhood have been accused of launching a “terrorist” campaign inside Egypt in collaboration with the Islamist movement Hamas and jihadists, the sources said. They are accused “of spying for the international organization of the Muslim Brotherhood, its military wing and Hamas movement, and carrying out terror attacks inside the country against state property, institutions and their employees to spread chaos”, state news agency MENA said.

It said the defendants have also been charged with carrying out terror attacks in collaboration with Lebanon’s Shiite militant movement Hezbollah and the elite Revolutionary Guards of Iran. Morsi, toppled by the military after a single year of turbulent rule, is already on trial for his alleged involvement in the killing of opposition protesters during his presidency. A

second trial on jailbreak charges during the 2011 uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak is set to start on January 28. He is also to be tried separately for “insulting the judiciary”.

A date for that has yet to be set.

Egyptian authorities had been probing Morsi’s alleged links to Hamas during mass jailbreaks in the 2011 uprising, when he and other Islamist prisoners escaped. The spy trial will also see Brotherhood’s supreme guide Mohamed Badie and other top Islamist leaders of the movement in the dock. The spy trial against Morsi and his codefendants is the culmination of accusations that the Muslim Brotherhood was behind violence in Egypt over several years.

Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, is the Palestinian affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood.

It condemned Egypt’s military-installed government’s move in December to designate the Brotherhood as a “terrorist organization”. During Morsi’s short-lived presidency, ties between Hamas and Cairo had flourished. But since July, Egypt’s military has destroyed several hundreds of tunnels used to ferry crucial supplies, including fuel, into the blockaded Strip. The Brotherhood is facing a relentless crackdown from Egypt’s government, which has left more than 1,000 people, mostly supporters of Morsi, killed since July, and thousands more arrested.— AFP

Israel threatens to teach Hamas lesson ‘very soon’ JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday threatened to teach Gaza’s ruling Hamas movement a lesson “very soon” following a surge in militant rocket attacks on the Jewish state. “We foil terrorist attacks when we identify that they are in the making and we respond against those who attack us,” Netanyahu told reporters in Jerusalem at a joint press conference with his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper. “If Hamas and the other terror organizations forgot this lesson, they will learn it again the hard way and very soon,” he said. His warning was issued shortly after Hamas said it had deployed forces in Gaza to “preserve the truce” following an uptick of rocket fire on Israel.

Over the past month, tensions have risen in and around Gaza after more than a year of relative calm following a major Israeli confrontation with Hamas in November 2012. Since December 20, four Palestinians and an Israeli have been killed in violence in and around Gaza, with militant rocket fire sparking retaliatory air strikes by Israel. Army figures show eight rockets have struck Israeli territory since January 1, and another five were intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-missile system, sparking fears that a new confronta-

tion with Gaza militants is looming.

Netanyahu has warned that Israel would not allow the intermittent rocket fire to turn into a deluge. “Security requires constant maintenance which means we don’t accept what I call the ‘drip irrigation’ of rockets without a response that is not the policy of this government,” he told foreign reporters in an address on January 16. “My government’s policy is to respond so we don’t let the drizzle of rocket accumulate into rain, which then develops into a storm. We act.” Earlier, Hamas confirmed its security forces had fanned out along the frontier to put a halt to firing by various militant groups.

“National security forces have been deployed in order to preserve the truce,” Hamas interior ministry spokesman Islam Shawan said, referring to an Egyptian-brokered deal which ended the last major confrontation with Israel in November 2012. Militants fired at least one rocket at southern Israel late on Monday which caused neither casualties nor damage.

Another rocket at the weekend prompted an air strike on Gaza City on Sunday which wounded two Palestinians, one critically, with the military saying it had targeted a senior Islamic Jihad militant who was behind much of the rocket fire.—AFP

BEIRUT: Four people were killed in an apparent suicide car bombing in south Beirut yesterday, in the latest in a string of attacks targeting strongholds of Lebanon’s Shiite movement Hezbollah.

The blast was quickly claimed by Al-Nusra Front in Lebanon, a group believed to be linked to AlQaeda’s Syrian arm, which said it was a suicide attack.

“Four people are dead, and there are 35 injured,” Red Cross spokesman Ayad Al-Monzer said. The official National News Agency said the attack appeared to be a suicide bombing. “Body parts apparently belonging to a suicide bomber were at the scene,” it said. Al-Nusra Front in Lebanon posted a statement on its Twitter account, saying it was behind the attack. “With the help of God almighty we have responded to the massacres carried out by the party of Iran (Hezbollah)... with a martyrdom operation in their backyard in the southern (Beirut) suburbs,” it said.

The blast took place on the busy Al-Arid Street in the Haret Hreik neighborhood, which had been targeted by a suicide car bombing in early January. An AFP photographer saw troops and Hezbollah security men deployed as firemen worked to put out the flames and health workers took the injured to hospitals. The blast is the sixth in a string targeting areas considered strongholds of Hezbollah since the group announced it was sending fighters to support President Bashar Al-Assad’s troops in neighboring Syria. It is the third to hit the group’s strongholds in a month. Less than a week ago, a car bomb exploded in Hermel in the eastern Bekaa valley, killing three people. That attack was also claimed by Al-Nusra Front in Lebanon. And on January 2, a suicide car bombing claimed by the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) hit the street targeted yesterday, killing five people. While the attacks appear to be targeting the powerful Hezbollah, those killed have all been civilians.

Lebanon violence spiraling Lebanon has suffered a spike in violence since the war in Syria broke out, with the frequency of attacks rising in recent weeks.

Tensions have also led to frequent battles in the northern city of Tripoli between Sunni and Alawite residents. Assad, an Alawite, is battling a Sunni-dominated uprising. Yesterday, one person died of wounds suffered in the latest clashes in Tripoli, and four Lebanese soldiers were injured, a security source said.

BEIRUT: A Lebanese army soldier passes next to a burned car at the site of an explosion in a stronghold of the Shiite Hezbollah group, in a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, yesterday.

A car bomb ripped through a Shiite neighborhood in southern Beirut yesterday, killing several people and setting plumes of smoke over the area in the latest attack targeting supporters of the militant Hezbollah group in Lebanon. — AP A day earlier, six people were killed in clashes between the Sunni Bab Al-Tebbaneh and Alawite Jabal Mohsen districts. Targeted attacks have also struck opponents of Hezbollah and Damascus. On Friday, a day after the Hermel car bomb attack, eight people were killed in crossborder shelling of the Sunni frontier town of Arsal.

And on December 27, moderate Sunni politician Mohammed Chatah, known for his opposition to Syria’s regime, was assassinated in a massive car bombing in central Beirut that also killed seven others. The March 14 alliance to which Chatah belonged blamed his killing on Hezbollah and Assad’s regime. Salman Shaikh, director of the Brookings Doha Centre think tank, said the security situation in Lebanon was trending badly. “What should worry people is this frequency, the short time period between each bombing,” he said. “We’re going to continue to this kind of event for quite some time, unfortunately,” he warned.

Lebanon was dominated by Syria for nearly

30 years until its troops withdrew under pressure in 2005, and it continues to be deeply affected by events in its larger neighbor. The Syria conflict has contributed to a nine-month political impasse over forming a Lebanese government, with the anti-Damascus March 14 movement and Hezbollah unable to reach a deal. Yesterday, key March 14 figure and leader of the Future bloc Saad Hariri said he was rescinding his bloc’s previous refusal to join a government with Hezbollah.

“I have made this decision (to accept forming a government with Hezbollah) for the sake of Lebanon’s interests, rather than my own,” Hariri said. The overture has raised hopes that a new government could be in the works, which Shaikh said “may provide some antidote” to the violence inside Lebanon. “It would, I hope, illustrate that the main parties are not interested in this kind of thing... and that the finger points more to the Syrian side, whether it’s the Syrian regime or Sunni extremists fighting against it,” he said.—AFP

Iraq presses Qaeda offensive, UN warns of more displaced BAGHDAD: Iraqi forces pressed an assault on Al-Qaeda-linked fighters holding parts of a city west of Baghdad yesterday as the UN warned of an “exponential rise” in displaced or stranded families. Violence elsewhere in the country, meanwhile, left five people dead, bringing to nearly 700 the number of people killed in nationwide unrest this month, fuelling fears Iraq is slipping back into the all-out conflict that left tens of thousands dead in 2006 and 2007.

Diplomats have urged Baghdad to foster political reconciliation to undercut support for

militants, but with elections looming in April, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki and others have taken a hard line and focused on wideranging security operations. An Al-Qaeda-linked group has called for its fighters to “creep towards Baghdad”, and a top Iraqi official has said anti-government fighters who have claimed control of parts of one city and all of another have enough firepower to “occupy” the capital.

Iraqi security personnel, including soldiers, policemen and SWAT forces working with pro-

NAJAF: Mourners pray over coffins draped with Iraqi flags for Iraqi soldiers killed by al-Qaeda militants in Anbar province during their funeral procession inside the shrine of Imam Ali in Najaf, 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of Baghdad, Iraq, yesterday. —AP

government tribal fighters continued to assault key neighborhoods of Ramadi yesterday in a bid to wrest back control from gunmen who have held the areas for more than three weeks. They suffered casualties, however, with a dozen security personnel and armed tribesmen wounded by snipers during clashes in the central Ramadi neighborhoods of Malaab and Dhubat, a police major and Doctor Mohammed Fanoos from the city’s hospital said.

Fallujah, a former insurgent bastion a short drive from Baghdad, was still in the control of the Al-Qaeda gunmen, however, with residents of the city telling AFP on Monday that they were tightening their grip at the expense of tribal sheikhs. Both Ramadi and Fallujah lie in Anbar province, a mostly-Sunni desert province west of Baghdad along the border with Syria. The United Nations warned yesterday of “an exponential increase in the number of displaced and stranded families,” with more than 22,000 families having registered as internally displaced.

The UN said the actual figure was likely to be higher, as not all those who fled had registered.

It said of those who had left, most had found refuge elsewhere in Anbar, but some had gone as far afield as the northern Kurdish region.

Violence in the restive cities of Mosul and Baquba, both north of Baghdad, meanwhile left five people dead, security and medical officials said. UN chief Ban Ki-moon and other diplomats have called for the Shiite-led authorities to address long-standing grievances in the disaffected Sunni minority, and officials have made some concessions.— AFP

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

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US Midwest in deep freeze again WASHINGTON: A fast-moving cold front will plunge the US Midwest into a deep freeze today and dump up to a foot (30 cm) of snow on parts of the East Coast, forecasters said. In Washington, federal government offices were closed, the Office of Personnel Management said in an early morning email. There was no precipitation in the capital at the start of the morning rush hour.

The cold front will drop temperatures below freezing as far south as northern Florida. The high in and around Minnesota and the St Lawrence Valley will not top zero Fahrenheit (-18 Celsius) during daylight hours, forecaster AccuWeather said. “Travel conditions will deteriorate with slippery roads and flight delays expected to unfold even in areas that avoid heavy snow,” AccuWeather said.

The cold front across the eastern half of the country could drop up to 2 inches (5 cm) of snow from the Dakotas to the Ohio Valley. The snow will increase as the cold air

picks up moisture near the Atlantic coast, AccuWeather said. The mountains of Virginia and West Virginia will likely get up to 6 inches (15 cm) of snow. Other sites near the mid-Atlantic and southeastern New England coast could get 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) through today. For parts of the region, the snow could be the heaviest of the winter. Washington could see the most snow since January 2011, when about 5 inches (12.7 cm) fell, AccuWeather said.

The National Weather Service said the cold air would produce snow downwind from the Great Lakes. The polar front will be something of a repeat of the cold snap that gripped much of the United States at the start of the year. Cold and snow snarled air and road travel, shattered temperature records and contributed to at least nine deaths. In the middle of the cold front on Monday, Grand Marais, Minnesota, recorded -17F (-27C), the lowest temperature in the United States outside Alaska, the weather service said. — Reuters

HENDERSON: Henderson County Sheriff’s deputies cover the scene after a car slid off state road 136 west and overturned into a drainage ditch, yesterday morning, in Henderson, Ky. Snow and wind brought hazardous winter conditions to a large swath of Kentucky yesterday, creating a slow, messy morning commute and previewing a drop in temperatures to the single digits and teens as the week wears on. — AP

Venezuela, worried by murder rate, takes aim at soap operas Maduro blames soap operas for crime

PYONGYANG: This picture taken by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Monday shows US citizen Kenneth Bae (L), jailed in North Korea for more than a year, being interviewed by local and foreign reporters at the Pyongyang Friendship Hospital in Pyongyang. Bae appealed to go home at a brief news conference in Pyongyang on January 20, reports said. — AFP

US to send envoy to North Korea to free missionary SEOUL: The United States has offered to send a special envoy to North Korea to win the release of a jailed missionary, but signaled that any meaningful talks with Pyongyang will require it to give up its pursuit of nuclear weapons. Kenneth Bae, 45, has been held for more than a year by the North, which has convicted him of trying to overthrow the state and sentenced him to 15 years hard labor. Bae, a Korean American, was paraded in front of a group of foreign and local reporters on Monday and asked Washington to help him get home, the North’s state news agency and foreign media based in Pyongyang reported.

“We hope this decision by DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) authorities to allow Kenneth Bae to meet with reporters signals their willingness to release him,” a US official, speaking on condition of anonymity said. “We have offered to send Ambassador King to Pyongyang to secure Bae’s release,” the official added, referring to US North Korean rights envoy Robert King.

“We have asked the North Koreans this, and await their early response,” the official added. An attempt by King to secure Bae’s release last August was rejected by Pyongyang.

It was not immediately clear why the North Korean authorities had allowed the event at Pyongyang Friendship Hospital, Bae’s second media appearance since his arrest in 2012 when he led a tour group into the country. North Korea’s state KCNA news agency reported Bae himself had asked to hold the press conference. Bae’s sister in the United States said in a statement that while her brother appeared in decent health during the news conference, he was “distressed” and likely “worn down physically and emotionally” after 15 months of imprisonment.

Terri Chung, who lives in the Seattle area, also apologized to North Korea, pleading for her brother’s release and for US officials to step up clemency efforts on his behalf. “We understand that Kenneth has been convicted of crimes under DPRK laws. Our family sincerely apologizes on Kenneth’s behalf,” Chung said, adding: “We humbly ask for your mercy to release my brother.” Bae’s son Jonathan urged Washington to respond to the plea. His father’s words “obviously mean that Washington has not done enough”, Bae told Reuters by phone. —Reuters

CARACAS: President Nicolas Maduro has a new villain as he campaigns to bring down Venezuela’s spiraling crime: TV soap operas. He accuses the telenovelas of spreading “anti-values” to young people by glamorizing violence, guns and drugs. The criticism follows attacks last year by Maduro on violent video games and the Hollywood movie “Spider-Man.” On Monday night, his vice president, Jorge Arreaza, met with broadcast and pay TV operators to review the prime time lineup, warning that they could be in violation of a 2004 law mandating “socially responsible” programming. The two sides will meet in a week with the aim of drafting an agreement on meeting those obligations.

It’s unclear whether the government will take steps to restrict programming or impose harsher rules on telenovelas, which are hugely popular across Latin America. Analysts say arm-twisting is unlikely to reduce Venezuela’s high homicide rate, which the United Nations ranks as the fifth worst globally, and they warn that Maduro’s campaign could be used as an excuse to further gag media criticism of the government. “It’s a smoke screen to distract attention away from the real causes” of violence and crime, said Roberto Briceno Leon of the Venezuelan Observatory of Violence, which estimates the country’s murder rate has quadrupled in 15 years of socialist rule.

Pressure on the government to crack down on crime heated up this month after former Miss Venezuela Monica Spear and her ex-husband were shot to death by robbers, with their 5-yearold daughter looking on. The double slaying shocked even

Priests’ abuse files go public CHICAGO: Thousands of pages of documents showing how the Archdiocese of Chicago handled the sexual abuse of children by priests were made public yesterday, providing the broadest look yet into the details of what the church knew and did - or didn’t do about the scandal. The archdiocese, one of the largest and most influential in the US, handed over last week more than 6,000 pages of documents to victims’ attorneys, who said they will show that the archdiocese concealed abuse for decades, including moving priests to new parishes where they molested again. The disclosures involving 30 priests were made as part of legal settlements with abuse victims, and are similar to disclosures made in other dioceses in the US in recent years that showed how the Roman Catholic Church shielded priests and failed for many years to report child sex abuse to authorities. Chicago officials said most of the abuse occurred before 1988 and none after 1996.Cardinal Francis George, who has led the archdiocese since 1997, released a letter to parishioners on Jan 12 in which he apologized for the abuse and said releasing the records “raises transparency to a new level.” He also stressed that much of the abuse occurred decades ago, before he became archbishop. He said all of the incidents eventually were reported to civil authorities and resulted in settlements with victims. “I apologize to all those who have been harmed by these crimes and this scandal, the victims themselves, most certainly, but also rank and file Catholics who have been shamed by the actions of some priests and bishops,” George wrote.

The archdiocese has paid millions of dollars to settle sexual abuse claims, including those against Father Daniel McCormack, who was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty in 2007 to abusing five children while he was parish priest at St. Agatha Catholic Church and a teacher at a Catholic school.

The next year, the archdiocese agreed to pay $12.6 million to 16 victims of sexual abuse by priests, including McCormack.

Files on McCormack will not be among those released; they have been sealed by a judge because of pending court cases, said Chicago attorney Marc Pearlman, who has represented about 200 victims of clergy abuse in the Chicago area. Pearlman said he and St Paul, Minnesota, attorney Jeff Anderson will rerelease the McCormack documents that they have.

Many of the accused priests are dead, and the documents will include only 30 of 65 priests for whom the archdiocese says it has credible allegations of abuse. Peter Isely, Midwest director for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said it’s important for all Chicago-area Catholics to read the documents. “This is about a part of their story as Chicago Catholics that ... has been systematically hidden,” Isely said. — AP

Venezuelans hardened by rampant bloodshed and put the government on the defensive on an issue that surveys say is the biggest concern among voters. In his state of the union speech last week, Maduro took aim at a popular soap opera, “De todas maneras Rosa,” produced by Venevision.

He accused the nation’s biggest broadcaster of profiting from violence by celebrating the crimes of one of the melodrama’s lead characters, Andreina Vallejo, a psychopathic former beauty queen who fatally poisons her own mother to hide the paternity of her son. “Mama, everybody in the world knows that the relationship between parents and their children is completely accidental,” a smiling Vallejo says as her mother gasps for breath in her daughter’s arms.

Alarming levels of violence Alberto Barrera Tyszka, the creator of several soap operas, said television only reflects the alarming levels of violence present in society and is already tightly regulated for content deemed unsuitable for minors. He said Maduro should turn his attention to the root causes of crime instead. “It’s ridiculous to blame the violence on what’s seen for one or two hours a night on television” said Barrera Tyszka, who also wrote a biography of Maduro’s predecessor and mentor, the late Hugo Chavez.

Briceno Leon, whose group tracks Venezuela’s violence, blamed the country’s bloodshed on the proliferation of illegal firearms, between 9 million and 15 million by the government’s count, as well as the lack of punishment for those who commit

crimes. He said the government has neglected security, viewing it until recently as a concern mainly for its political enemies among Venezuela’s upper classes.

His group estimates more the 24,000 people were slain last year in Venezuela, pushing the homicide rate to 79 per 100,000 inhabitants. The government disputes those findings, but has blocked access to official crime statistics in recent years. Officials say the rate last year was 39 per 100,000 people, a level that’s still the highest in South America and eight times the US rate.

Reflecting high levels of impunity, Venezuela’s criminal justice system was ranked the lowest in the world in a recently published study on the rule of law in 97 countries by the Washington-based World Justice Project. Maduro may see putting the blame on television as an effective political strategy by focusing attention on the breakdown in societal and family values, a broader problem that can entangle all politicians, regardless of party affiliation, Briceno Leon said.

Barrera Tyszka, the soap opera creator, said the president’s campaign also reinforces government control of the airwaves, providing it with another tool to bully channels whose news coverage it frequently attacks as part of a right-wing conspiracy to destabilize the nation. Media self-censorship is already high after several years of the government imposing multimilliondollar fines and even taking channels off the air for allegedly slanted coverage. “There are almost no guns in Venezuelan telenovelas,” he said. “There are a number of things that aren’t shown for fear of being fined.”— AP

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

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

Rwanda in diplomatic trouble 20 years after genocide KIGALI: As Rwanda marks 20 years since its 1994 genocide, the government is seeking to stress the strides the country has made since those dark days, despite international concern over its hardline leader. Fiercely proud of its legacy, Kigali is displaying a country at peace, enjoying some of the best security on the continent and hailed by global financial institutions for its pro-reform, businessfriendly agenda. But the seemingly hardening stance of strongman Paul Kagame, Rwanda’s president, is casting a shadow over the country’s relations with the outside world.

Accused of backing rebel warlords who recruit child soldiers in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo and suspected of eliminating exiled dissidents, Kagame now appears to be suffering a backlash. On Januar y 1st Patrick Karegeya, a one -time close ally of Kagame turned fierce critic, was found dead in a luxury Johannesburg hotel.

South African police found a bloodied towel and a rope, and said Karegeya might have been strangled.

Critics of the regime immediately pointed the finger at Kigali, and Kagame responded with an ambiguous, hawkish tone. Without mentioning the Karegeya case, the president simply said that “treason brings consequences”. “Anyone who betrays our cause or wishes our people ill will fall victim. What remains to be seen is how you fall victim,” Kagame said.

His comments prompted a surprisingly stiff rebuke from Washington, which had been a staunch supporter of Kagame ever since his rebel army defeated Hutu extremists and ended the genocide of the Tutsi minority in 1994.

“We condemn the murder of former Rwandan government official, Colonel Patrick Karegeya, in South Africa, where he lived in exile,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told a press briefing last week, adding the US welcomes South Africa’s “prompt and thorough investigation” into Karegeya’s death. Psaki also said the US was “troubled by the succession of what appear to be politically motivated murders of prominent Rwandan exiles”, and said

Kagame’s comments were a cause for “deep concern”.

Rwanda ‘won’t be lectured’ The criticism of Kigali comes amid increasing unease in Washington, which had last year suspended some of its aid to Rwanda over its support for the M23, a rebel group based over the border in the resource-rich east of the DR Congo.

Rwanda denied backing the group, but diplomats say it was subjected to intense pressure to back off and the M23 were subsequently defeated.

“The US used to be one of the biggest supporters of the Rwandan president,” said Paul Simon Handy of the South Africa-based Institute for Security Studies (ISS), adding that Washington liked Kagame’s “capacity to manage, to govern, to take Rwanda to the next step.”

“It’s clear that the Obama administration has a completely different approach (to Rwanda) from those of the Clinton and Bush administrations,” Handy said, saying the current administration “seems less inclined to tolerate human rights

abuses”. A European diplomat said there had been a reluctance to criticize Kagame, mainly because of “Western guilt for having failed to prevent the genocide and essentially having stood by and watched” while close to a million of Rwanda’s ethnic Tutsis were slaughtered by Hutu extremists. “You cannot dispute that Kagame has also done a lot of positive things for Rwanda. His record on corruption and economic reforms are an example to the rest of the continent,” said the diplomat, who asked not to be named.

“He’s also brought peace and stability to Rwanda, that’s undeniable. The problem is that there are certain aspects of him that are making us feel, well, deeply uneasy.” But in Rwanda, reaction to criticism is increasingly one of defiance-with the country signaling it does not take kindly to criticism from an international community that stood by and did nothing while the genocide was in full swing.

“It’s not the first time that a US official tries to lecture an African Head of State,” was the response from

Olivier Nduhungirehe from the Rwandan mission to the UN. He added that the US should be more “concerned about AlQaeda” and also let Rwanda deal with “terror ” threats. Rwandan Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo, dismissed the idea of a deterioration in USRwandan relations. “Rwanda and the United States have enjoyed strong ties that cut across the political spectrum, especially after the 1994 genocide .... Of course, as in any relationship, there are ups and downs, but we always manage to work them out,” she said.

Kagame himself also appears unrattled. Asked by the French weekly Jeune Afrique who killed Karegeya, he replied bluntly that the answer was of no importance to him. “For those who ask that question, even though they know perfectly well that this type of individual stood for violence and terrorism, I have this answer: terrorism has a price, treason has a price. People are killed the way they themselves killed,” Kagame told the magazine. “Each man gets the death he deserves,” he said.— AFP

Ukraine spiraling out of control, Moscow warns Navi Pillay calls situation ‘very worrying’

KHARTOUM: Motorists queue up at a petrol station in the Sudanese capital Khartoum yesterday as the country suffers from oil shortages. It is at least the second time since fighting began in the oilfields of South Sudan in mid-December that shortages have hit Khartoum, but officials dismiss any link. — AFP

Pressure mounts on S Sudan to end war JUBA: Regional nations heaped pressure on South Sudan’s warring parties yesterday to reach a ceasefire to end weeks of bitter fighting and atrocities on both sides that have devastated the young nation. Thousands have been killed and half a million civilians have been forced to flee the fighting between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and rebels allied to his sacked deputy Riek Machar.

Deadlocked ceasefire talks in Ethiopia are being mediated by the East African regional bloc IGAD, aimed to broker an end to a conflict where the United Nations reports atrocities including mass killings, sexual violence and widespread destruction.

Fighting has spiraled into ethnic killings between members of Kiir’s Dinka people-the country’s largest group-and Machar’s Nuer.

Many fear conflict on the ground has spiraled out of the control of the politicians who sparked it. Leaders of IGAD, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, are due to hold a one-day summit in Juba on Thursday, South Sudan’s foreign ministry spokesman Mayen Makol said.

“Hopefully it is going to be attended by seven heads of state of IGAD... the key agenda of course is the negotiations in Addis Ababa,” Makol said.

The summit follows a visit Monday by African Union Commission chief Nkozasana Dlamini-Zuma, who demanded both sides end the “senseless killings... and end the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in their country.” A draft IGAD ceasefire accord, seen by AFP and presented to peace delegates meeting in Addis Ababa, notes the “scale of human suffering... with great loss of human life, destruction of property and massive displacement” since fighting broke out on December 15.

The proposal demands an end to “all military actions”, but also specifically highlights that both sides must “refrain from attacks on the civilian population”, including summary executions, use of child soldiers as well as “rape, sexual abuse and torture”. Both sides would have to “freeze their forces” in their positions and create aid corridors, as agencies

warn of a mounting humanitarian crisis in an already deeply impoverished nation.

Pardon or prosecution?

A separate draft deal urges Kiir to pardon and release 11 key political detainees, one of the key sticking points. Kiir, in a presidential address on Monday after government forces wrested back full control of Malakal, the last major settlement under rebel control, said that “presidential pardons and general amnesties shall be part of peace efforts”.

Malakal’s recapture, one of the main battlefields since fighting erupted and the key town in oil-producing Upper Nile, came just two days after government troops celebrated the retaking of Bor, capital of Jonglei state. In Bor, civilians recounted grim stories of how the rebels gang-raped and murdered sick patients in the town’s hospital.

The recapture of Malakal opened up the possibility of a shift in ceasefire talks deadlocked for two weeks, with some suggesting the government had been reluctant to strike a deal while rebels still held urban centers. Kiir on Monday made a direct appeal to his enemy Machar, while still warning those guilty of crimes would be held “accountable for the atrocities they have committed.” “I still call Riek Machar and his group to lay down their weapons and come back and participate in the building of our new nation,” Kiir said.

“Nobody will disown them for what they have done. We have a space in our hearts to forgive him and his people.”

Rebels are reported to remain powerful and in control of large areas of the countryside, and battles continue. IGAD includes Uganda as a key member, whose forces have a taken a key role in the fighting in support of Kiir. Machar has demanded Kampala withdraw all forces, claiming Ugandan fighter jets have tried to kill him. In Addis Ababa, little progress was seen yesterday. “The government was having consultations on the issue of withdrawal of Ugandans,” rebel delegate Hussein Mar Nyuot said. “We’ll hear from IGAD and them on all of this later.”—AFP

Suspect planning Mumbai-style UK attack to walk free LONDON: A terror suspect feared to have been plotting to carry out a Mumbai-style attack in London will be freed from stringent controls on his movement by the end of the month, court papers showed yesterday. The British-Nigerian is one of around six suspects whose restrictions will be lifted in a move that is being challenged by the main opposition Labor party.

The MI5 intelligence service believes there is a chance that the suspect, identified only as CD, could rapidly gain access to firearms, with a “real risk” that he would try to revive plans to mount a terror attack in Britain similar to the massacre in India’s business capital Mumbai in 2008 which left 166 people dead. Court papers show that a judge found there was “every reason” to believe that another suspect would have killed himself along with a large number of other people if a transatlantic airline bomb plot had not been foiled in 2006. Three oth-

er suspects are said to be prepared to travel abroad in order to engage in terror-related activity. Prime Minister David Cameron’s government introduced the court-backed terrorist prevention and investigation measures ( Tpims) in Januar y 2012 to restrict the activities of terror suspects who can neither be charged with a crime nor deported. They replaced more restrictive control orders brought in under the Labor government which left power in 2010. But Tpims are limited to two years, meaning the government is powerless to stop the restrictions being lifted. Without the Tpims, the police and MI5 will have to monitor the men at an estimated cost of £20 million (24 million euros, $33 million) a year. Yvette Cooper, Labor ’s home affairs spokeswoman, was to call yesterday on Home Secretary Theresa May to explain if suspect CD and the other men remain a risk to the public.—AFP

KIEV: Russia yesterday warned the situation in Ukraine was spiraling out of control after a second night of violent clashes between pro-EU protesters and security forces in the centre of Kiev. The clashes raged in the centre of the Ukrainian capital until early yesterday, with demonstrators flinging Molotov cocktails and stones at security forces who hit back with stun grenades, rubber bullets and tear gas.

The situation was tense yesterday morning, with thousands of protesters still facing down a line of armour-clad security forces blocking access to the Verkhovna Rada parliament. A deafening din echoed through the devastated Grushevsky Street as protesters banged sticks on metal canisters. But clashes had paused with some demonstrators even walking up to the police line. The standoff, which has left hundreds wounded, has brought tensions between protesters and the authorities to a new high after two months of rallies over the government’s abandoning of a pact for closer ties with the EU. A new set of laws, which ban nearly all forms of protest in the ex-Soviet country and have enraged demonstrators, were officially published in the newspaper of the Ukrainian parliament after a warning from President Viktor Yanukovych that the violence threatened the entire country. They allow for jail terms of up to five years for those who blockade public buildings and the arrest of protesters wearing masks or helmets. Other provisions ban the dissemination of “slander” on the Internet.

‘Situation out of control’ Clashes on Sunday and Monday, which followed two months of protests, turned an area in the centre of the capital Kiev into a veritable war zone as some 10,000 demonstrators battled security forces. Fireworks and stun grenades lit up the night sky while the deafening drumming of protesters with sticks on metal echoed through the streets. Demonstrators rigged up a giant catapult behind a barricade of burned out police buses in order to better hurl projectiles at the security forces. The violence in a country where the pro-democracy Orange Revolution in 2004 peacefully overturned a rigged presidential poll and forced a new ballot is unprecedented. Russia, which has regarded the pro-EU protests in Ukraine with great suspicion, warned yesterday that clashes between the opposition and police in Ukraine were getting out of control. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the fact that calls by Ukraine’s pro-EU opposition leaders to refrain from violence failed to calm tensions in the capital meant that the situation was becoming explosive. “They show that the situation is getting out of control,” said Russia’s top diplomat. Lavrov described the violent protests as “scary” and an “absolute violation of all European norms of behavior”.

KIEV: People walk past the wreckage of vehicles, torched by protesters, after violent clashes in central Kiev, Ukraine, yesterday. Opposition leader Vitali Klitschko headed for talks with the Ukrainian president yesterday after yet another night of violent street clashes between antigovernment protesters and police. — AP He slammed the EU’s “indecent” support of the protest movement against Yanukovych.

Yesterday, the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay called the situation in Ukraine “very worrying” and said the government should suspend the laws. “I call on the authorities to suspend application of the laws to allow time for a thorough review of their content which must be in full compliance with international human rights standards, in particular Ukraine’s obligations under the treaties it has ratified,” she said in a statement.

‘Threat to all of Ukraine’ Police said 120 policemen sought medical help and 80 were hospitalized. It was not immediately clear how many protesters were injured as many were afraid to seek medical help on fears of getting arrested. At least 35 journalists were hurt in the clashes and some received injuries to their faces and eyes from rubber bullets, according to the latest estimates. In a televised address to the nation, Yanukovych warned on Monday that the violence threatened the foundations of the entire country, which is divided between the pro-European west and the pro-Russian east.

“I am convinced that such phenomena are a threat not only to the public in Kiev but all of Ukraine,” he said, indicating his patience was wearing thin. “I treated your participation in mass rallies with understanding, I expressed

readiness to find ways to solve the existing contradictions.” The opposition led by three politicians including former world boxing champion Vitali Klitschko said it was ready for dialogue but stressed it wanted to hold talks with Yanukovych, not his aides. The government set up a special commission to address the crisis.

Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Viktor Pshonka has warned protesters to halt “mass rioting”, describing it as a crime against the state. The interior ministry added that several dozen people had been arrested for mass rioting. Police have responded to the protesters by throwing stun grenades and occasionally using rubber bullets and tear gas, while the most radical opposition supporters used lasers to blind security forces. Opposition leaders, including Klitschko and Arseniy Yatsenyuk, appeared unable to have any influence on the hard core of radical protesters and stopped short of supporting their actions.

But Ukraine’s jailed former prime minister and opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko came out in support of those clashing with police, saying she would be with them if she could.

“Protect Ukraine and do not fear anything,” she said. “You are heroes.” It was not clear who was behind the radicalization of the protest, which appeared to have been a well-organized move.

Ukrainian media linked the action to a hitherto little-known right-wing youth group called “Right Sector”. — AFP

Monsignor arrested for money laundering VATICAN CITY: A Vatican monsignor already on trial for allegedly plotting to smuggle 20 million euros ($26 million) from Switzerland to Italy was arrested yesterday in a separate case for allegedly using his Vatican bank accounts to launder money.

Financial police in the southern Italian city of Salerno said

Monsignor Nunzio Scarano had transferred millions of euros in fictitious donations from offshore companies through his accounts at the Vatican’s Institute for Religious Works. Police said millions have been seized and that other arrest warrants were also issued. Scarano’s lawyer, Silverio Sica, said his client merely took donations from people

VATICAN: An undated photo of Monsignor Nunzio Scarano in Salerno, Italy. A Vatican monsignor already on trial for allegedly plotting to smuggle 20 million euros ($26 million) from Switzerland to Italy was ordered arrested in a separate case yesterday for allegedly using his Vatican bank accounts to launder money. — AP

he thought were acting in good faith to fund a home for the terminally ill. He conceded, however, that Scarano used the money to pay off a mortgage.

“We continue to strongly maintain the good faith of Don Nunzio Scarano and his absolute certainty that the money came from legitimate donations,” Sica told The Associated Press. The Salerno investigation was already under way when Scarano, dubbed “Monsignor 500” for his purported favored banknotes, was arrested in June in Rome on the smuggling accusations. Prosecutors say he, a financier and a carabinieri officer devised an elaborate plot to transport 20 million euros in a private jet from Switzerland to Italy avoid paying customs duties. The plot fell apart because the financier reneged at the last minute.

His lawyer has said Scarano in that case was merely acting as a middleman. Prosecutors and the priest’s lawyer say the money involved in both the Swiss smuggling case and the Salerno moneylaundering case originated with one of Italy’s most important shipping families, the d’Amicos. The family, from Scarano’s hometown of Salerno, denied its involvement in a

July 1 statement. They did not respond to an email seeking fresh comment yesterday. No one in the family has been arrested in either case.

Scarano was fired from his job as an accountant in the Vatican’s main financial office and his accounts at the Vatican bank were frozen by Vatican authorities after his arrest.

The Vatican’s top prosecutor said last week that the Holy See had responded to two official requests from Italy for information about Scarano’s accounts, while making its own request to Italian authorities for help in its own money-laundering investigation of him.

Scarano’s arrest in June led to the resignations of the Vatican bank’s top t wo managers and accelerated efforts to make the troubled institute conform to international anti-money-laundering norms. Pope Francis has made reforming the bank a priority and has named a fact-finding commission to look into its activities and legal structure. Scarano’s initial arrest in the smuggling case was reduced to house arrest because of his ailing health. Sica said the prelate would ser ve the new arrest warrant also under house arrest.—AP

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

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

At a popular Kabul restaurant, the front lines of Afghanistan’s war KABUL: For Kabul’s expatriate crowd, a visit to a restaurant in the Afghan capital’s well-guarded diplomatic area was one of the few attractions of living in the war-ravaged nation. Not any more. Last week, a suicide attack by Taleban insurgents at a popular Lebanese restaurant killed 21 people, including 13 foreigners, among them the IMF’s chief representative in Afghanistan and three United Nations workers. It was the deadliest attack on foreign civilians since Afghanistan’s civil war began in 2001.

Major international organisations have placed Kabul’s restaurants out of bounds for their staff, possibly making it a turning point for the few thousand diplomats, aid workers and journalists living there.

Even before the strike, there were doubts about the future of international organisations in Afghanistan as concern mounted that with the withdrawal of most foreign troops this year, the security environment would only get worse. “We’ve had tragedies before. But when it happens at this time, you’ve got organisations thinking

India’s court commutes death sentences, sets restrictions NEW DELHI: India’s Supreme Court commuted the death sentences of 15 convicts yesterday in a ruling hailed by rights activists that places new restrictions on executing prisoners in the world’s biggest democracy.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Palanisamy Sathasivam announced that “inordinate and inexplicable” delays in carrying out a death sentence were grounds for commuting a sentence. The decision was in response to a petition from 15 serious criminals, including four associates of a notorious gangster, but will have consequences for a huge backlog of cases.

India has more than four hundred people on death row, but has carried out only three executions in the last decade following an eight-year unofficial moratorium from 2004 to 2012. “Unexplained delay is a grounds for commuting death penalty to life sentence,” the ruling said. The court clarified that delays needed to be “inordinate” and “inexplicable”, but it also said that mental illness such as schizophrenia and the use of solitary confinement could make a convict eligible for a reduced sentence. “No death row convict can be kept in solitary confinement and it is unconstitutional,” it said.

‘Landmark judgement’ Human rights lawyers said that the ruling would again narrow the circumstances under which a death sentence can be carried out. In 1983, the Supreme Court said that death sentences-carried out by hanging-should only be handed down by judges in lower courts if the crime was the “rarest of the rare”. “This is a landmark judgement that will inch India closer to abolishing the death penalty altogether,” Asian Centre for Human Rights director Suhas Chakma told AFP. India would probably continue to execute those prisoners convicted of crimes relating to national security, he said.

“But 90 percent of the others have been convicted of murder and rape, and these people cannot all be executed,” he said. The ruling will likely favour three men convicted over the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who was blown up in 1991 by a woman suicide bomber suspected to have been a Sri Lankan Tamil separatist. It will also be welcomed by Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar, a militant from the northwestern state of Punjab who was convicted over a New Delhi car bombing that killed nine people in 1993. In April last year his appeal to the Supreme Court for clemency on the grounds of mental illness and delays was rejected. But Indian public opinion remains strongly in support of capital punishment with celebrations held in November 2012 when a gunman from the 2008 Mumbai attacks was put to death in the first execution in eight years.

The government also toughened India’s sex crime law last year to mandate the death sentence for the most brutal sex crimes after an outcry over the fatal gang-rape of a student in New Delhi. Chants of “Hang the rapists!” were common during protests held in the aftermath of the attack, which saw a 23-year-old repeatedly raped and left for dead by a gang of five men and a 17-year-old.Four of the attackers were sentenced to death in September last year.

New conditions Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director for Human Rights Watch, called the ruling “an excellent judgement”.

“Since already India uses the death penalty in only the rare of rarest cases, we hope the government will now declare an official moratorium and abolish it all together,” she told AFP. Human rights lawyer Colin Gonsalves said he was “overjoyed” by the ruling which also clarified the procedures in carrying out a death sentence. Convicts should be informed in writing within 14 days when their mercy petition, their last chance of redemption, has been rejected by the president. It also said they should be able to see their family a last time-a privilege denied to India’s last executed prisoner, Kashmiri separatist Afzal Guru, whose wife and son learned of his death in February last year through news reports. —AFP

about their liability and exposure, I wonder what the ripple effects of this one are going to be,” said a senior NATO official, who asked not to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the media. On Friday night, the busiest night of the week, a Taleban militant set off explosives on his person outside the Taverna du Liban restaurant, and two others rushed in behind with automatic rifles, spraying diners with bullets.

The attack is likely to quicken the exodus of foreigners from Afghanistan, but it remains to be seen how deep the impact will be on development projects and aid. The government relies on aid for roughly three-quarters of its budget and its army is almost entirely dependent on foreign money. Donors have pledged more than $16 billion over four years in future aid through to 2016. “What would impact operations ... is if internationals become a target because of the publicity that’s been generated,” said a senior UN official. “That would affect aid delivery.”

Adding to anxiety, President Hamid Karzai has refused to

A divide between expats and Afghans At Finest supermarket, long a draw for expatriates even though it has been bombed in the past, guards at the door were thrown into panic on Monday at the arrival of journal-

ists with cameras, fearing they might contain hidden explosives. The Gandamack Lodge - a restaurant and hotel that is legendary among foreigners in Kabul - was deserted at lunchtime. Staff refused to speak to journalists and the owner did not respond to a request for an interview. A single defiant customer turned up at Sufi Restaurant in the early afternoon and ordered a cup of tea. “I believe if you are afraid in this country, you should leave ... personally, I am not making any changes,” said the customer, Simran Kaur Lohnes, a 42-year-old German who co-founded Afghan Opportunity Business Services, a for-profit organisation that advises firms on tax, legal and other matters.

But Lohnes was gloomy about the future, predicting insurgents would step up attacks ahead of a presidential election in April, potentially giving incumbent Karzai an excuse to keep his grip on power. “If the current establishment can claim for example that there is not enough security ... that might be a reason to simply cancel the elections or postpone them indefinitely,” she said. —Reuters

New Delhi chief minister protests in his own city God is my security: Kejriwal NEW DELHI: For a decade, Arvind Kejriwal has tilted at India’s many windmills. He has led protests and hunger strikes against government corruption. There have been sit-ins demanding public access to government documents and lower electricity rates. But now he is the top official of the Indian capital, an activist suddenly elevated to power. And just a little over a month after his surprise win in city elections, he has launched yet another protest. Even if it’s not always clear what he is demanding. The demonstration has snarled traffic, pushed police to seal subway stations and infuriated commuters. But Kejriwal, whose party saw its fortune lifted in New Delhi’s elections on a wave of populist promises and anti-government rhetoric, is trying to parlay his party’s humble beginnings into national prominence as India heads toward elections later this year. In a country that has been controlled for decades by immensely powerful political machines, but which also deeply distrusts politicians, Kejriwal is selling himself as something different. “I am an anarchist,” he told reporters at a police roadblock a few blocks from the Home Ministry, where he and about 100 followers have been camped since Monday. That ministry controls New Delhi’s police force, which Kejriwal insists should be run by the city government.

Kejriwal, a one-time tax bureaucrat who at age 45 is the youngest chief minister in the city’s history, created and leads the Aam Aadmi, or Common Man’s, Party. He began his tenure by renouncing many of the job’s perks, insisting he was determined to rid the capital of a culture of privilege.

He refused to move into one of Delhi’s sprawling British-era bungalows in the tree-shaded central heart of the city. He disdained the police escorts that help the political elite and top bureaucrats speed through the gridlocked streets.

He banned his officials from using red police lights on their cars, long a sign of power and prestige, and shunned the use of official vehicles, many of them SUVs. Kejriwal himself often drives his own tiny blue Indian-made Maruti WagonR. “In these 20 days we have put a stop to the VIP culture that prevailed in Delhi,” he told reporters over the weekend. While that’s a clear exaggeration - the city still has plenty of official cars awash in police lights - his core supporters do go without them.

He also turned down the usual phalanx of heavily armed bodyguards, saying grandly: “God is my security.” Meanwhile, he has opened the taps for populist perks, cutting the prices for electricity and water. He has not explained how he would make up for the financial shortfall in a city where the infrastructure is in desperate need of repairs.

But why would the leader of New Delhi mount an ill-defined protest that has shut down part of his own city? If the protest lasts much longer, it appears likely there will be some sort of confrontation with authorities. There was a brief scuffle between protesters and police yesterday afternoon.

Upcoming national elections His critics increasingly suspect Kejriwal and the party are more focused on upcoming national elections than on governing the capital. “After the initial euphoria of winning the election and coming to power, they realized that it has hurt their image of being the outsider, the agitator,” said Ashok Malik, a prominent political analyst. “But you can’t be an angry young man and be in government at the same time. It has to be one of the two.”

He suspects Kejriwal wants to be forced from power, whether by the president taking control of the city through what is called “president’s rule,” or by his political allies abandoning the city’s coalition government. That would enable him to again take the role of angry young man, running in the national elections as an outsider forced from power. “They are trying to get out,” said Malik. “Trying to get out with some moral high ground.”

Kejriwal’s protest, meanwhile, has strained Delhi’s woefully inadequate police forces. More than 4,000 police personnel have been deployed at the protest site, officials say. Junior Home Minister R.P.N. Singh canceled the leave of all Delhi police personnel, ordering them back to work. If Kejriwal “is serious about the safety of Delhi, let these cops go back to policing,” Singh said on Twitter. The roots of the protest go back to last week, when Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti, a key Kejriwal aide, marched

Overdose likely cause of death of minister’s wife NEW DELHI: An overdose of anti-depressant drugs likely caused the death of the wife of a high-profile Indian federal minister, according to the results of an autopsy, days after she accused him of having an affair with a Pakistan-based journalist. Junior Human Resource Development Minister and a former top U.N. diplomat Shashi Tharoor’s wife was found dead in a New Delhi hotel room as their apparent marital woes spilled out into the open after she sent out tweets that suggested he was involved with the journalist.

Sunanda Pushkar, 52, probably died because of drug poisoning, two officials said on Tuesday, citing the post mortem report that was submitted to a magistrate leading an inquest into the death on Friday. There was no suggestion as to whether the overdose was deliberate or not.

The report also said there were 15 injuries on Sunanda’s body, but these were described as small and ruled out as a cause of her death. The injuries were on the upper part of the body. The couple were married in late 2010, the third marriage for both of them, and were part of Delhi’s social set, open and unconventional by the standards of Indian politicians.

Under Indian law, a magisterial inquiry is automatic if a woman dies within seven years of marriage.

“The conclusion of the post mortem report was death like-

sign a bilateral deal with the United States that would allow some US forces to remain after 2014. Washington is threatening to pull all of its troops out, leaving Afghanistan’s fledging army to fight the Taleban alone.

Major international organisations clamped strict curbs on their staff this week, banning most from non-essential travel and the use of private guesthouses, including those with armed guards. Restaurants were out of bounds until further notice. The Sufi Restaurant, another popular Kabul dining spot among expatriates, now sits silent and almost deserted. “I wanted to show pure Afghan culture and pure Afghan food to foreigners,” said owner Mohammad Azim Popal. “After this incident, neither foreigners nor locals have come to the restaurant.”

ly due to drug poisoning,” said an official at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences where the autopsy was conducted. The report was handed to magistrate Alok Sharma leading the inquest and another official confirmed the finding. There has been no suggestion of foul play.

Police found used strips of anti-depressant drug alprazolam, commonly known as Alprax, from the Leela Palace hotel room where Sunanda was found dead in her bed. The medicine, used by people suffering from anxiety, sleep disorder and depression is available over the counter in India.

“Very broadly, any medicine can be fatal if taken in large quantities,” Dr Adarsh Kumar, who was part of the team that carried out the autopsy, told Reuters. “It depends on the quantity, the route through which it has been administered, the physical and even the mental condition of the person.”

Tharoor has called for a swift inquiry into the death of his wife, saying he was horrified to read speculative reports about their personal lives. Sunanda said last week she had gone into his Twitter account and posted what she said were intimate messages from Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar to expose a riproaring affair. Tarar hit back saying she would sue Sunanda for calling her a Pakistani spy and denied having an affair with Tharoor. —Reuters

NEW DELHI: New Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, center, is escorted by supporters and security men during a demonstration against the police in New Delhi, India, yesterday. For a decade, Kejriwal has tilted at India’s many windmills. He has led protests and hunger strikes against government corruption. But now he is the top official of the Indian capital, an activist suddenly elevated to power. — AP with supporters into a neighborhood with many African residents and ordered the police to arrest two Ugandan and two Nigerian women, accusing them of selling drugs. But the police refused to make the arrests, saying they had no warrants.

While Bharti has produced no evidence that the women were involved in any crimes, Kejriwal quickly backed him, accusing the police of protecting the city’s drug and prostitution rackets. He then called for the protests, demanding the firing of the policemen who refused to make the arrests. That issue, though, was quickly forgotten.

By yesterday, it wasn’t always clear what was being protested - police corruption? The Home Ministry? - but Kejriwal insisted it would last for 10 days. Even his allies are starting to warn him that he’s running out of time.

“The Aam Aadmi Party needs to make the transition from agitators to administrators,” said broadcasting minister Manish Tewari, whose Congress party is allied with Kejriwal. “If they do not, the very people who have supported them, will then judge them for their escapism and the fact that because they are not able to govern, they are resorting to gimmicks.” — AP

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

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

Australia defends raid on East Timor lawyer THE HAGUE: Australia yesterday defended its agents’ raid on the office of a lawyer for East Timor last month as a legitimate defense of Australian national security.

East Timor is asking the United Nations’ highest court to order Australia to hand to the court documents and data seized in the raid in Canberra pending resolution of a case into the legality of the raid.

The case at the International Court of Justice is the latest step in a high-stakes legal battle between resource-rich and wealthy Australia against its tiny and impoverished northern neighbor over carving up the oil and gas reserves under the sea that divides them.

Australia’s agent to the court, John Reid, told judges the raid was “a lawful and legitimate protection of ... national security.” The case in The Hague was triggered when Australian intelligence raided the office of lawyer Bernard Collaery and a former spy who intended to testify in an arbitration hearing that Australia allegedly bugged the East Timorese Cabinet ahead of sensitive oil-and-gas revenue-sharing negotiations.

Australia argued its raids were justified because the spy’s plan to testify amounted to a possible national security breach. East Timor “seeks to prevent Australia taking steps properly available to us

under domestic law ... to protect ourselves from a threat to security apparently posed by a disaffected former officer,” said lawyer Justin Gleeson.

Lawyers for Australia also said the court does not need to order Canberra to hand over the documents because Attorney General George Brandis already has pledged not to allow the seized information to be used for any purpose other than possible action to safeguard national security.

East Timor has expressed fears that the information in the seized documents could be used in the arbitration case. In that case, at another Haguebased legal institution, the Permanent Court of

Arbitration, East Timor is challenging the validity of a bilateral treaty struck with Australia in 2006 over sharing seabed oil and gas reserves worth billions of dollars.

East Timor argues that the 2006 treaty is invalid because Australia had illegally bugged government offices and listened to confidential discussions relating to the negotiations.

“It is simply unconscionable that one party to negotiations or litigation should be able to place itself by these means in such a position of advantage over the other,” lawyer for East Timor, Elihu Lauterpacht told the court Monday. —AP

Protest-hit Thailand imposes emergency rule Police, soldiers deployed to deal with demonstrations

HONG KONG: In this photo released by Indonesian National Police, Erwiana Sulistyaningsih, left, an Indonesian maid who was allegedly tortured by her employer in Hong Kong, is interviewed by Hong Kong police investigators at a hospital where she is treated in Sragen, Central Java, Indonesia, yesterday. Hong Kong police officers arrived at the hospital yesterday to interview Sulistyaningsih as Indonesia’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono expressed his concern and anger over the alleged brutality. — AP

HK police question maid abuse victim JAKARTA: Hong Kong police interviewed and took DNA samples yesterday from an Indonesian maid allegedly tortured by her Hong Kong employer, seeking evidence in a case that has refocused attention on the vulnerabilities of foreign domestic staff working in Asia and the Middle East.

Indonesia President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono made his first public statement on the alleged abuse, which has triggered protests and much media attention in Hong Kong but not as much in Indonesia. Cases of maid abuse are common, and the government has been responding to nationwide floods and an erupting volcano.”I am angry at the perpetrators of this act and want justice to be done, and I think Hong Kong knows this,” Yudhoyono said in a telephone call to the father of the victim, Erwiana Sulistyaningsih. Reporters were allowed in the room while the telephone call was made.

The case came to light last week after photos circulated among Indonesians in Hong Kong of Sulistyaningsih’s injuries, showing her face, hands and legs covered with scabs and lacerations, and

blackened skin around her feet.

On Monday, Hong Kong police arrested a 44-year-old woman identified as Law Wan Tung in connection with the alleged brutality. A day earlier, thousands of maids and their supporters protested in Hong Kong over the case. The arrested woman was brought back to her apartment yesterday for further investigation.

Four Hong Kong police officers questioned and examined Sulistyaningsih in a hospital on Indonesia’s Java island where she is recovering from her injuries. “Her physical condition was good for the interview,” said senior inspector Eric Chung Chi-ming. “All the information we got from here will be used for our further action.”

There have been dozens of cases of Indonesian domestic workers being treated badly, sometimes killed, while working in Hong Kong, Malaysia and parts of the Middle East. The maids often speak little English and are beholden to the labor agencies which arrange their trips. They often live with the families and are dependent on them for food and medical care, making them vulnerable to possible exploitation. — AP

BANGKOK: Thailand yesterday declared a 60-day state of emergency in Bangkok and surrounding areas to tackle mass street protests aimed at overthrowing the government. The move follows weeks of rallies that have paralysed parts of the capital and sparked several bouts of deadly violence, including grenade attacks and shootings.

“The cabinet decided to invoke the emergency decree to take care of the situation and to enforce the law,” said Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, noting that protesters had prevented officials from going to work.

The decree will come into force from today.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is under intense pressure from demonstrators, backed by the royalist establishment, to step down after more than two months of street protests aimed at ousting her government and installing an unelected “people’s council”.

It was not immediately clear how the government would implement the decree, which enables authorities to ban public gatherings of more than five people and detain suspects for 30 days without charge. Labour Minister Chalerm Yubamrung, who will oversee its implementation, said Thailand would abide by international standards.

“We will not use force. We have no policy to disperse them (the protesters) and we haven’t announced a curfew yet,” he said. National Security Council chief Paradorn Pattanatabut said there were already enough police and soldiers deployed to deal with the demonstrations.

Self-styled ‘shutdown’ He said the decree could be used to ban protest marches. Yingluck has called an election for February 2 but the main opposition party is boycotting the vote. The protesters are trying to disrupt the polls and have prevented candidates from registering in some southern constituencies.

The demonstrators have staged a self-styled “shutdown” of Bangkok since January 13, erecting roadblocks and rally stages at several main intersections, although their number has steadily fallen since the middle of last week.

Dozens of people were wounded and one killed in grenade attacks by unknown assailants on opposition rallies on Friday and Sunday. The incidents,

BANGKOK: Supporters of anti-government protest raise bank notes as donation to hand to Thai antigovernment protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban during a protest march, yesterday, in Bangkok, Thailand. Twin explosions shook an anti-government demonstration site in Thailand’s capital, wounding more than dozens of people in the latest violence to hit Bangkok as the nation’s increasingly bloody political crisis drags on. — AP which each side has blamed on the other, heightened fears of growing unrest before next month’s election. The kingdom has been periodically rocked by political bloodshed since Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck’s older brother, was overthrown by royalist generals in a coup seven years ago. The latest protests were triggered by a failed amnesty bill that could have allowed Thaksin to return without going to jail for a past corruption conviction. The demonstrators accuse the billionaire telecoms tycoon-turned-politician of controlling his sister’s government from his base in Dubai.

Thaksin has strong electoral support in northern

Indonesian jailed for plan to attack embassy

Philippines, rebels upbeat in tackling peace hurdle MANILA: The Philippine government and Muslim rebels said yesterday they were optimistic of clearing the final hurdle to ending a deadly decades-old rebellion, ahead of a fresh round of talks in Malaysia.

The Kuala Lumpur negotiations today will tackle a “normalisation” deal detailing how the rebels will hand over their weapons, and the creation of a security force to police what would be a Muslim self-rule area, they said.

“We are optimistic... we know that the (rebels are) also optimistic and we’re happy that we’re moving faster and moving forward to a final resolution,” Jose Lorena, a junior minister who advises President Benigno Aquino on the talks, told AFP. “Both sides now have a general idea of where they want to go, and it will just be a matter of refining all the details.” This is the last of four powersharing accords that must be agreed between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels, before a final peace deal can be signed.

Aquino hopes to secure a final peace settlement before leaving office in mid-2016. But he warned last month that disarming the MILF would be a “heavy and contentious” issue. MILF vice chairman Ghazali Jaafar was also upbeat about the negotiations.

“There is already an understanding on most of the issues that will be contained in the normalisation annex-I

would say 90 percent,” he told AFP. He said the toughest part would be creating the region’s police force, and detailing how it would interact with the Philippine National Police.

“I would say this would also be difficult because the discussion revolves around the security of the Bangsa Moro people (Filipino Muslims) and other residents of the Bangsa Moro (autonomous region),” Jaafar added.

Muslim groups have waged a rebellion since the 1970s. The insurgency has left some 150,000 people dead and parts of the southern Philippines mired in deep poverty and instability.

Apart from the MILF, many other armed groups operate in the south, including former rebels who had resorted to banditry and terrorism.

The situation has left parts of the southern Philippines mired in deep poverty and instability.

Amid deadly attacks there by other Muslim groups opposed to the talks last year, the two sides signed three other preliminary deals, including splitting revenues and power-sharing between the autonomous region and the national government.

Lorena said a commission of Filipino and foreign experts has been meeting separately over the past few months to advise the negotiators on the creation of a security force for the area. The proposed deal would also govern the deployment of Philippine military forces there, he and Jaafar added. - AFP

Thailand, but he is reviled by many southerners, Bangkok’s middle class and members of the royalist establishment. The emergency decree was imposed in Bangkok in 2010 when two months of mass rallies by the pro-Thaksin Red Shirts sparked violence that left more than 90 people dead and nearly 1,900 injured, ending in a bloody army crackdown.

The military, traditionally a staunch supporter of the anti-Thaksin establishment, has shown signs of reluctance to play a significant role in handling the current protests, saying it wants to remain neutral.

But the army chief has also refused to rule out another coup. — AFP

JAKARTA: Indonesian Air Force commandos evacuate residents from their flooded house in Jakarta, Indonesia, yesterday. Seasonal rains and high tides in recent days have caused widespread flooding across much of Indonesia. — AP

Chinese executed for rape, murder of ‘sex slaves’ BEIJING: Chinese authorities yesterday executed a man who held six women as sex slaves in his basement and murdered two of them, a court official and state media said.

Li Hao, a 36-year-old former clerk, was put to death after being convicted of “murder, rape, illegal detention, organised prostitution and manufacturing pornography for profit”, the state news agency Xinhua reported.

An official at Luoyang Intermediate Court in the central province of Henan confirmed to AFP that “he was executed today”.

In 2009 Li dug a “dungeon” in his basement and confined six women there for periods ranging from two to 21 months, where he “repeatedly raped” them, Xinhua said.

Five were prostitutes whom he tricked into his prison by soliciting their services, and one was selling birth control products, the People’s Daily website reported, adding that Li installed seven metal doors to prevent their escape. The victims ranged from about 16 to 23 in age, and one who was 20 at the time of kidnap became pregnant, it added.

Li also forced three of the women to kill two of the others-one was strangled and

another died after being repeatedly beaten, the reports said. One woman who participated in both murders was sentenced to three years’ prison while the rest were put on probation.

In 2011 Li had his surviving captives make obscene videos online and have sex with customers. He spent two weeks a month with the women while telling his wife he worked nights as a guard, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported in 2011.

Li was caught in September that year after one captive escaped and went to the police.

The case recalled the actions of Austrian Josef Fritzl, who held his daughter Elisabeth as a sex slave in a cramped windowless dungeon for 24 years and fathered seven children with her. He was jailed for life on rape and murder charges in March 2009. Also in Austria, Natascha Kampusch was kidnapped at the age of 10 and held captive in a tiny cellar for eight and a half years until she escaped in August 2006. More recently former US bus driver Ariel Castro hanged himself in his cell in September after being jailed for life for kidnapping and raping three young women he held as sex slaves for a decade. — AFP

JAKARTA: An Indonesian court sentenced an Islamist militant to 71/2 years in prison yesterday for masterminding a plot to bomb Myanmar’s embassy in the country’s capital, while police elsewhere arrested two extremists they said were poised to launch an attack on officers.

The developments highlight the resilience of extremists in Indonesia despite a sustained crackdown by authorities over the last decade that has severely weakened them.

Militants with links to al-Qaida were responsible for a series of bloody and spectacular attacks against Western civilian targets in the 2000s.

Sigit Indrajit was the third person to be found guilty in the foiled attack last year on the Myanmar Embassy, which he and other defendants have said was intended as an act of retaliation against Buddhist-majority Myanmar for attacks there on ethnic Rohingya Muslims.

The attackers had prepared rudimentary explosives and practiced very poor operational security, for example using Facebook to communicate and post threats against the embassy. Nevertheless, the plot has stoked fears in Indonesia and elsewhere in Southeast Asia that violence against Rohingya in Myanmar is energizing extremists, who highlight the sufferings of the Rohingya extensively through online media.

Indrajit, 23, showed no remorse after judges at the South Jakarta District Court sentenced him to 71/2 years for violating anti-terror laws. “I accept this,” Indrajit told The Associated Press when contacted on his lawyer’s cellphone on their way back to jail after yesterday’s trial. “I will continue my fight, my jihad in Allah’s way if one day I’m free.”

Judge Hariono said the plot was Indrajit’s idea.

According to earlier court testimony, the group practiced bomb making at his house and he handled the financing for the attack. Indrajit was captured in May, days after police arrested two other militants on their way to the embassy in downtown Jakarta and seized five homemade bombs from a backpack they were carrying. Other explosive materials were found later at their rented house in southern Jakarta. Two others were arrested months later.

The foiled attack was planned for a few days after the country’s most prominent extremist leader, Abu Bakar Bashir, called from prison for jihad and urged Indonesian Muslims to go to Myanmar to fight. Bashir was the leader of the Jemaah Islamiyah militant network, some of whose members carried out the attacks in the 2000s, including the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings.

The two extremists were arrested by police in Surabaya, the country’s second-largest city, on Monday evening.

Police said in a statement that officers seized bombs and bomb-making equipment from a rented house where the men were staying.‚—AP

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

Assembly OKs e-services law...

UAE convicts 30 for...

Syria talks in disarray...

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large aircraft without announcing the value of the deal. A final signing is expected soon. KAC has already been transformed from a corporation into a company in the process of its privatization ahead of selling around 40 percent of the new company to a strategic investor.

During the session, MPs refused a request by the public prosecution to lift the immunity of MP Faisal Al-Duwaisan in order to be interrogated over a complaint by a local company. Duwaisan had accused the company in statements of dealing with Israel, banned under the law, in a bid to supply the interior ministry with high-tech security equipment for border monitoring.

But the Assembly approved another request to lift the immunity of MP Safa Al-Hashem so she could be interrogated in connection with a complaint by former Islamist MP Mubarak Al-Duwailah who accused Hashem of slander.

In another development, Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Sabah said that “good news” will be announced in the next two weeks over resolving the decades-long problem of bedoons (stateless people). The minister was responding to comments by MP Adnan Abdulsamad who strongly criticized the government for doing nothing to resolve the humanitarian issue, citing the government’s failure to naturalize any bedoon last year although the Assembly had passed a law to grant Kuwaiti citizenship to 4,000 bedoons annually.

The minister said that over the next two weeks, he will hold two meetings with Assembly committees and hoped that a new mechanism or roadmap to resolve the issue will be announced, without revealing the nature of the plan.

Sheikh Mohammad announced that he has formed a high-level committee from the ministry to reevaluate the number of bedoons who have security objections against them.

Abdulsamad said the government has been contradicting itself by calling bedoons “illegal residents” while still employing them in the army and security agencies. He strongly criticized the Central Illegal Residents Agency which has complicated the situation of bedoons rather than facilitating resolving their problem. He warned if Kuwait does not resolve the problem, a solution will be imposed from outside.

MPs also agreed to discuss a number of populist laws in today’s session.

These include demands to raise the housing loan, housing allowance and children’s allowance which the government has rejected, saying the financial cost is very high.

They were also fined 3,000 dirhams, or just less than $820.

The London-based Emirates Center for Human Rights said in a statement after the verdict that the charges were “vague” and “politically motivated.” It said authorities are targeting individuals solely on the basis of their political beliefs. “Unfair and unjust political trials are becoming the norm in the UAE, with defendants having their fundamental rights violated and courts failing to uphold international fair trial standards,” the center said.

Amnesty International described the case as a “charade”.

In its statement issued on the eve of the verdict, the rights group said some of the men on trial had been held incommunicado and in secret detention for up to a year before the trial even began. Others were forced to sign “confessions” admitting their guilt, Amnesty International said, calling on the UAE to end the “downward cycle of unfair political trials marred by a catalogue of human rights violations”. The London-based group said it considered at least three of the defendants - Mohammed Al-Mansoori, Hussain Alhammadi and Saleh Al-Dhufairi - to be “prisoners of conscience”.

A source close to the UAE government told Reuters: “The trial took place in a transparent manner. The proceedings went according to the legal and juridical laws and regulations in the UAE.” The 10 Emiratis who were convicted yesterday are among 61 Islamists convicted by a UAE court in July of plotting to overthrow the government, activists said.

Many of the jailed Islamists are members of the Al-Islah group, which the UAE says has links to the Brotherhood. AlIslah denies any relationship.

Thanks to its state-sponsored cradle-to-grave welfare system, the UAE has largely avoided the unrest that has unseated long-serving Arab rulers elsewhere in the region.

But it has shown little tolerance towards dissent. Dozens of people have been detained since 2011 and most were tried and convicted of planning to overthrow the government. — Agencies

Assad has insisted he may be re-elected and says the talks should focus on fighting “terrorism” - his term for his enemies.

The United Nations, along with co-sponsors Russia and the United States, may at least be relieved if and when the two sides sit down at the Montreux Palace hotel on Lake Geneva. A day of diplomatic chaos on Monday had threatened to scupper the event entirely, after UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon gave a last-minute invite to Iran, Assad’s main foreign supporter. The invitation was withdrawn after a boycott threat from the opposition, Western pressure and Iran’s insistence it had never agreed to the condition Ban set for attendance - that it endorse a previous peace conference, at Geneva in 2012, which called for Assad to make way for a transitional administration.

In Beirut yesterday, a suicide bomber killed four people in a stronghold of Hezbollah, the Iranianbacked Lebanese Shiite militia. It has sent fighters to help Assad, a member of Syria’s Alawite minority, an offshoot of Shiism. At a camp in Lebanon, a Syrian named Abu Shadi said the refugees just wanted a deal to let them return to their towns: “Hopefully they will find us a solution in this conference so we can go back home,” he said. “Find us a solution so that we can go back home. We’re really tired of this.”

It has been 18 months since the previous international peace conference, dubbed Geneva-1, ended in failure, and all other diplomatic initiatives have also proven fruitless. “At best, Geneva 2 will reconfirm agreements made during the first Geneva conference, call for ceasefires, maybe prisoners swap and so on,” said one Western diplomat. “At the same time, those taking part in the talks are de facto giving legitimisation to Damascus. They are talking to Assad’s government on the other side of the table.

“And so the show would go on while Assad stays in

power.”

Speaking on his arrival in Switzerland, Badr Jamous, secretary-general of the opposition National Coalition and member of its negotiating team, told Reuters: “We will not accept less than the removal of the criminal Bashar Al-Assad and changing the regime and holding the murderers accountable.”

The bleak consequences of the war were illustrated starkly in photographs of the emaciated and abused bodies of detainees, released in a report commissioned by London law firm Carter-Ruck, hired by Qatar, a supporter of Assad’s foes. The report, by three senior lawyers who have worked for international war crimes tribunals and three forensic experts, said they believed the pictures and the photographer’s account were credible evidence Assad’s government had systematically tortured and killed as many as 11,000 detainees.

They said they had been shown a cache of 55,000 images, most of which were provided by a source who identified himself as a Syrian police photographer whose job included documenting deaths in Assad’s jails on behalf of the authorities. The man, who sometimes had to photograph 50 bodies a day, had defected with digital copies of the images, and the lawyers believed he was a credible source. “The bodies he photographed since the civil war began showed signs of starvation, brutal beatings, strangulation and other forms of torture and killing,” the lawyers wrote. “In some cases the bodies had no eyes.” One of the authors, Desmond de Silva, former chief prosecutor of a war crimes tribunal for Sierra Leone and one of Britain’s top lawyers, said the evidence documented “industrial-scale killing” reminiscent of Nazi death camps. “Some of the images we saw were absolutely reminiscent of pictures of people who came out of Belsen and Auschwitz,” de Silva said. “It is the tip of the iceberg because this is 11,000 in just one area”. — Reuters

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

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Issues

Old vs New in race for Commission

By Paul Taylor

D

onald Rumsfeld sparked uproar among Europeans a decade ago when he depicted a split over the US-led invasion of Iraq as pitting “Old Europe” against “New Europe”. The US defence secretary was trumpeting the fact that central and east European countries that were about to join the European Union supported Washington’s 2003 military action even though EU founders France and Germany opposed it.

Wounds were still fresh the following year when EU leaders met to nominate a new president of the European Commission, the executive body that proposes and enforces EU laws. Britain, which fought alongside the United States in Iraq, marshalled enough allies to block anti-war Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, the Franco-German choice. Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Manuel Barroso, who backed the war without sending troops, was chosen instead.

A decade later, the race to succeed Barroso is turning into a different sort of battle between old and new Europe. The dividing line is no longer over the Iraq war or loyalty to the United States but about the way Europe is governed. It pits old-style federalists against practitioners of a more inter-governmental approach to running the EU. Two men vying for the top job epitomise the federalist tradition of European integration - JeanClaude Juncker, the veteran former prime minister of Luxembourg, and Verhofstadt, who advocates a United States of Europe.

Both contend that the EU has gone off the rails during the euro zone debt crisis, with big member states seizing power for themselves at the expense of the European Commission, without accountability to the European Parliament or European courts. New crisis management instruments such as the European Stability Mechanism, a rescue fund for euro zone states unable to raise money on the markets, were created outside the EU institutions, giving creditor states a veto with no oversight from the EU legislature. Likewise, the so-called troika of the Commission, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank, which enforces austerity programmes in bailed-out countries, is not subject to any democratic European scrutiny.

Juncker and Verhofstadt want a return to the original community method of governance which gives the Commission and parliament more say, and national governments, national parliaments and national courts less. Both have also supported a bigger central EU budget and opposed a successful drive by Britain and Germany to reduce the bloc’s spending over the next seven years. Their rivals in the conservative and liberal political groups European Commissioners Michel Barnier of France and Olli Rehn of Finland - have been at the heart of EU crisis management and take a more pragmatic view of how Europe works.

Rehn says the EU wasted a decade obsessing over its institutions rather than focusing on badly needed economic reforms before the crisis erupted in 2010. That, he argues, is one reason why so many Europeans are disenchanted now and may vote for anti-European populists or abstain in European Parliament elections in May. Barnier told the French daily Le Figaro his priorities would be practical initiatives to boost industry, build more cross-border infrastructure, extend the EU’s single market and bolster security and immigration policy.

The conservative European People’s Party will choose its standard-bearer for the elections at a congress on March 6-7 in Dublin. The Alliance of European Liberals and Democrats will pick its frontrunner in a secret ballot on Feb 1. Martin Schulz, a German Social Democrat who is president of the European Parliament, has already secured the Socialist group’s nomination and wants to become Commission president. His views on European integration are similar to those of Juncker and Verhofstadt, not least because he has spent most of his political career in the EU legislature and never held national office. Where you sit is where you stand. Unsurprisingly, Schulz thinks parliament should have more control and the Commission should be its natural ally against the member states. He has long accused Barroso of toadying to national capitals at the expense of Europe. It is thus possible that all three main political families will be led into the election by old-style federalists, despite growing public distrust of the EU highlighted in opinion polls and the rise of Eurosceptical populist parties.

Of course, none of these candidates may end up heading the EU executive since it is the European Council of 28 national leaders that picks a nominee, who must then be endorsed by a majority of the 751 lawmakers. No party is likely to come close to an absolute majority, so a coalition involving at least two of the biggest political groups will be required. If the nominee fails to win the required majority, EU leaders have one month to put forward another name. —Reuters

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

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

Rowhani nuke agenda inhibits reforms

By Parisa Hafezi

R

eformists who supported the election of Iranian President Hassan Rowhani last year fear his focus on improving relations with the West will prevent him from pushing for greater political and cultural freedoms at home. His foreign efforts began to bear fruit on Monday with the implementation of a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for some relief from international sanctions, but it came in the teeth of opposition from hardliners in Tehran, the conservative allies of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Some say that by securing Khamenei’s consent to the nuclear deal, Rowhani has depleted his political capital with the man who has the final say on all state matters, leaving nothing for domestic reforms. “It is a tactical flexibility. Khamenei has given Rowhani a free hand only on the nuclear issue, but not beyond that,” said a former senior official on condition of anonymity. “Criticism of the deal by hardliners was part of Khamenei’s strategy, aimed at reminding Rowhani who was the boss and that he needed Khamenei’s support to overcome the resistance.”

Khamenei has been adept at ensuring that no group, even the conservatives, gains enough power to challenge his authority, so Rowhani’s diplomatic triumph is likely to put him on a shorter leash on internal reforms and improvements in human rights. These are “two fields in which nothing has changed”, one gloomy pro-reform politician said. Although Rowhani announced the release of 12 prominent political prisoners before he addressed the United Nations General Assembly in September, rights activists say there has been little else to cheer since he took office in August.

Reformist presidential candidates Mirhossein

Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, whose defeat in 2009 sparked mass protests against what they said were rigged elections, remain under effective house arrest.

They have never been charged. In November, Reporters Without Borders said 10 reformist journalists and bloggers had been detained since June, while another 10 were given jail terms totalling 72 years. The authorities have closed or suspended publication of at least three newspapers in the same period.

“Rowhani should also speak out publicly against serious violations by security and intelligence forces, and act on campaign promises to ease controls on freedom of information, including heavy censorship,” Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, Sarah Leah Whitson, said in a report yesterday. His promises to loosen internet restrictions have not been met.

Access to social media remains officially blocked, though Rowhani and Khamenei have their own Twitter accounts.

Economic Priority Rowhani has argued for patience and moderation in seeking domestic change, and focuses instead on the flagging economy, which will benefit from the easing of sanctions.

That will also play well with the lower-income groups that form the base of Khamenei’s support. Though he commands the army and can count on the loyalty of the elite Revolutionary Guards and the Basij religious militia, which crushed mass protests in 2009,

Khamenei fears economic problems could weaken his position. “The state of the economy is considered a crucial factor for Khamenei. That is why he backed Rowhani’s nuclear policy,” said a relative of Khamenei who asked not to be named.

But Khamenei also continued to give speeches larded with denunciations of “enemies” and “the Great Satan”, words aimed at reassuring hardliners for whom anti-US sentiment has always been central to Iran’s Islamic revolution. Paradoxically, engagement with the international community, which will improve Iranian people’s lives, is likely to cement the hardliners’ grip on power. Rowhani, who has been part of the establishment for decades, has said he wants to bring change after winning a landslide election in June on a progressive platform, but history gives little encouragement.

He is not the first president with a reform agenda to serve under Khamenei, who took over as leader in 1989 from Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

When Mohammed Khatami was in power from 1997 to 2005, Khamenei initially allowed a relaxation of Iran’s strict regulation of social and political freedom, but eventually saw demands for change as a threat. “The supreme leader is likely to have little patience for adventurist behaviour by Rowhani,” said Meir Javedanfar, politics lecturer at the Interdisciplinary Centre in Herzliya.

Little is known about the details of regular weekly meetings between Rowhani and Khamenei, but Karim Sadjadpour, an

Iran expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said Rowhani’s own history suggests there is little reason to suspect he has the stomach to push Khamenei. “Throughout Rowhani’s entire political career, prior to becoming president, whenever there was an opportunity to stand for civil liberties and popular will, he has always sided with the governmental repression,” said Sadjadpour.

No Returns Rowhani will also know that seeking detente with the West has only just begun and will require the continuing support of Khamenei if it is to proceed further. “In terms of foreign policy the current situation is likely to call for more flexibility, meaning more room for manoeuvre for Rowhani. In terms of domestic policy, cohesion and consolidation is needed, and this will mean less room for manoeuvre,” said Javedanfar. That will mean endless frustration for those who hoped for change. “I don’t know much about politics, but I voted for Rowhani to have more freedom. But I only hear empty words,” said university student Azin Ghayumi. “My father says Iran’s image in the world has improved, but why should I care, when I am not connected to the world?” It has also changed the travel plans of dissident exiles who thought of returning under Rowhani. The hope of change is vanishing among the opposition abroad, said one, and more success in foreign policy means more pressure inside the country. Ebrahim Nabavi, a twice-jailed writer and satirist, and Nazak Afshar, who left after being arrested in the 2009 protests, told Reuters last year they planned to return, but they remain overseas. —Reuters

Options narrowing for Yanukovich

By Richard Balmforth

A

t one end of Kiev’s protest zone, just inside a makeshift barricade, demonstrators have set up a mock jail with an effigy of President Viktor Yanukovich sitting in a striped convict’s tunic, his arms raised above him in manacles.

In the past few weeks as anti-government protests have grown in intensity, it has become a common spot for a Sunday outing. Parents send their children to pose for family album snapshots alongside the jailbird. That Yanukovich could be brought down by the present spasm of street violence and face prosecution for his “crimes” in office might be wishful thinking by his most ardent opponents.

Despite two months of unrest after pulling out of a trade deal with the European Union and moving closer to Russia, there is nothing to suggest that the 63-year-old former construction worker is in danger of falling from power. But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday sounded a note of alarm when he admonished European governments for “interfering” in Ukraine’s political crisis, a regular complaint of Moscow. “The situation is spinning out of control,” he said.

Yanukovich appears to be still in charge of the security forces who are holding back from an all-out offensive against protesters. There have been no public defections from his camp and the super-wealthy “oligarchs” who bankroll him have not broken ranks. But nonetheless his options are narrowing as street violence against his rule grows more intense following policy blunders - the latest being the passage of sweeping legislation that bans virtually any form of anti-government protest. In the worst violence that anyone can remember in Kiev, radical protesters have been battling police day and night near the main government building, lobbing cobblestones, fireworks and sometimes petrol bombs, undeterred by the stun grenades and rubber bullets fired back at them.

Three Priests Though a line of three priests kept the two sides apart yesterday in a temporary truce, it seemed only a question of time before violence resumed. With Ukraine in uncharted territory now, Yanukovich is running out of ways to reclaim control of the streets peacefully, having turned his back on compromise and used the promise of talks with the opposition only to play for time. He might even declare a state of emergency backed

by a curfew, some analysts say, though this option was ruled out by a presidential aide yesterday. “There will be no declaration of a state of emergency,” Andriy Klyuev, secretary of the National Council of Security and Defence, told journalists in reply to a question.

“The authorities may be expecting - even accidentally some deaths, which would provide them with a pretext for escalating the conflict. It would be an excuse for decisive action,” said independent analyst Volodymyr Fesenko of the Penta think-tank. Yanukovich took the unusual move on Sunday night of meeting Vitaly Klitschko, the boxer-turnedpolitician who has emerged as the leader of the opposition.

The president later promised to set up talks with the opposition to settle the crisis.

But opposition figures dismissed these as an attempt to buy time and say they will believe Yanukovich’s sincerity only when they see him personally at the negotiating table. “This is Plan B - talks with partial concessions. This is aimed mainly for tactical reasons - to divert the focus of the opposition and drag things out. It’s a support plan,” Fesenko said. Yesterday, Klitschko said presidential aides turned him away from a second meeting with Yanukovich and he returned to the barricades where priests were overseeing a truce between police and protesters. “He (Yanukovich) was in a meeting. I am surprised that this meeting was more important than the confrontation which is going on on the streets and people’s lives are at risk,” he said.

Big Mistake After the initial burst of anger following last November’s Uturn away from Europe and heavy-handed police treatment of student protesters, Yanukovich may have hoped to win over the public after securing a $15 billion aid package from Russia.

But any tangible benefit from Russian aid has yet to trickle down to the Ukrainian public, many of whom feel more sore about losing a European future including visa-free travel to the West. When Yanukovich loyalists in parliament last Thursday rushed through draconian laws against public protest - legislation which could have come from an old Soviet playbook - it was the last straw for protesters whose numbers had until then been dwindling on Kiev’s Independence Square.

“These laws were a police club to hold over protesters and neutralise them. All they did was pour oil on the flames, make the situation sharper and radicalise the protests. These laws

were the biggest mistake of Yanukovich this year,” Fesenko said. With control over the protest movement apparently slipping from the hands of opposition leaders - Klitschko, former economy minister Arseny Yatsenyuk and far-right nationalist Oleh Tyahnibok - the situation is becoming more combustible.

On Sunday, when violent clashes with police erupted, only Klitschko went to the scene to try to persuade masked radicals to withdraw - and he was only partially successful. “The opposition has only limited control now. They have no influence at all over how the activists are now behaving. The ‘field commanders’ (of the protesters) are the ones in charge now,” said Taras Berezovets, head of the Berta Communications thinktank.

Unrealistic Demands Analysts see missteps too from opposition leaders who have been pushing over-ambitious demands for early elections and the dismissal of the government. “They fluctuate between saying they expect dictatorship and then the next day saying they sense victory. Their demands too are unrealistic: calling for early presidential and parliamentary elections is not realistic,” said Fesenko. But the impression is growing that Yanukovich, a hard-to-read politician whose public appearances are becoming more and more rare, could be out of tune with the real threat on the streets.

Berezovets said Yanukovich, whose official movements are largely unknown, relies for guidance only a restricted group of advisers. “He meets regularly with only 6-7 people.

This is a dangerous situation: he has a tight group round him and depends only on their recommendations. He does not see the situation in the round,” Berezovets said. On Monday night, after a day of violence on Kiev streets, Yanukovich appealed for people to distance themselves from the radical protesters and urged “dialogue and compromise”. But he has made no real proposal for national reconciliation or showed any readiness to reconsider policy.

With the centre of Ukraine’s capital city a “no-go” area to security forces, pressure is mounting on Yanukovich to take some decisive step to keep onside with his constituency in the largely Russian-speaking east of the country. His popularity ratings have plummeted since the onset of the crisis in November and any more serious missteps in handling matters will seriously threaten his chances of securing a second term in office in Feb 2015. —Reuters

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

S P ORTS

Razzaq out of T-20 squad

SA president defends team

FA charge Anelka over salute

KARACHI: All-rounder Abdur Razzaq was the only notable omission when Pakistan named their 30-man preliminary squad on Monday for the Twenty20 World Cup in Bangladesh.

The 34-year-old, who has played 265 ODIs and 32 T20 internationals, was dismayed by his exclusion. “It is disappointing but I am not giving up on my career as I still feel I can play for another two years and I am feeling fit as ever,” he told Reuters. Razzaq featured in Pakistan’s T20 series against South Africa last month but had to return home early due to fitness problems.

The selectors kept faith with pace bowlers Umar Gul and Muhammad Irfan despite the duo also suffering from recent fitness issues. Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal, who has not played for the national side since last June, has also been recalled. The World Cup will take place from March 16 to April 6. Preliminary list: Muhammad Hafeez, Ahmad Shahzad, Sharjeel Khan, Shahzaib Hasan, Nasir Jamshaid, Khurram Manzoor, Shoaib Malik, Sohaib Maqsood, Umar Akmal (wicketkeeper), Haris Sohail, Yasir Arafat, Yasir Shah, Hammad Azam, Kamran Akmal (wicketkeeper), Shahid Afridi, Zohaib Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir, Muhammad Irfan, Umar Gul, Junaid Khan, Bilawal Bhatti, Anwar Ali, Asad Ali, Ehsan Adil, Muhammad Talha, Saeed Ajmal, Zulfiqar Babar, Raza Hasan, Abdul Rehman, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper). —Reuters

CAPE TOWN: South Africa’s president Jacob Zuma has rallied to the defence of the national football team after the country’s sports minister called them “useless” and a “bunch of losers”.

Bafana Bafana were booted out in the first round of the 2014 African Nations Championship (CHAN) after they lost 3-1 to Nigeria in Cape Town, a fourth tournament failure in 12 months for beleaguered coach Gordon Igesund. That led to a furious outburst from sports minister Fikile Mbalula at a press conference on Monday, calling on the country to “forget this generation of players” and build a new team.

However, Zuma, who has clashed with Mbalula in the past after the latter openly backed deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe in the African National Congress’s leadership race in 2012, disagreed with his minister.

“We’re well aware that some people are criticising the way the national team played against Nigeria. Some want the team disbanded. It has improved greatly and needs our support,” Zuma said on local radio station SAFM later that day.

“The current coach knows what he’s doing. He’s great at his job. The fact that the team lost, that doesn’t mean anything as other teams lost as well.”

The CHAN tournament is a competition for quasi-national teams, made up of home-based players only, which South Africa is hosting.

The issue of the performance of the national team in what is a low-level Confederation of African Football (CAF) competition has taken a political slant in an election year in South Africa. —Reuters

LONDON: The English Football Association charged Nicolas Anelka yesterday for making a “quenelle” salute after scoring for West Bromwich Albion against West Ham United in the Premier League last month. The gesture is widely regarded as being antiSemitic and the FA charged the former France international under Rule E3 for ‘making an abusive and/or indecent and/or insulting and/or improper gesture.’ In a statement on their website (www.thefa.com), the FA added: “It is further alleged that this is an aggravated breach, as defined in FA Rule E3, in that it included a reference to ethnic origin and/or race and/or religion or belief.” Anelka, 34, who has denied he used it in any derogatory way, has until 1800 GMT tomorrow to respond to the charge which carries a minimum five-game ban.

Whether the FA find him guilty or not, the gesture has already had repercussions. West Brom’s shirt sponsor Zoopla, a property market search engine co-owned by Jewish businessman Alex Chesterman, announced on Monday they would not be renewing their three million pounds ($4.93 million) shirt sponsorship at the end of the season because of Anelka’s actions.

“Zoopla has been reviewing its position over the past few weeks in light of the actions of striker, Nicolas Anelka, during the match against West Ham over the Christmas period and has decided to focus its attention on other marketing activities after this season,” the company said in a statement. —Reuters

Leafs see off Coyotes

KNOXVILLE: Notre Dame guard Kayla McBride (21) drives against Tennessee guard Andraya Carter (14) in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game. — AP

Notre Dame defeat Tennessee KNOXVILLE: Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw wanted to see how her undefeated team would respond to a test. She got just the answer she wanted.

Kayla McBride scored 22 points to lead five players in double figures Monday as the second-ranked Fighting Irish erased an early 12-point deficit in an 86-70 victory over No. 11 Tennessee. Before Monday, Notre Dame (17-0) hadn’t trailed by more than seven points all season. “ We’re veterans,” McGraw said. “I thought we’re going to learn a good lesson, win or lose. It’s going to help us down the road, prepare us for the ACC, (playing in) a great crowd, a hostile environment. We hadn’t really seen anything quite this big this year. I thought it was just a great opportunity for us to see where we are.”

Since losing the first 20 games in this series, Notre Dame has beaten Tennessee four straight times by an average margin of 17 points. Notre Dame continued its recent mastery of Tennessee by outscoring the Lady Vols 45-24 in the second half.

After getting off to a sizzling start, Tennessee shot 8 of 32 and committed 12 turnovers in the second half. Tennessee (144) has led at halftime in each of its last three losses.

“It feels like this team is very sensitive,” Tennessee coach Holly Warlick said. “We want it so much that it’s almost detrimental to us. We want it so badly. I would love to see how we’d play when everybody’s clicking on all cylinders. It would really be a lot of fun, but that’s up to me, to put them in positions and to get them ready for the next game.”

Michaela Mabrey and Natalie Achonwa each scored 15 points for Notre Dame, which hit 10 of 20 3-pointers. Madison Cable had 12 points and Jewell Loyd added 11. Mabrey and Cable helped Notre Dame’s bench outscore Tennessee’s reserves 36-16.

Meighan Simmons scored 23 points and shot 10 of 14 for Tennessee (14-4). Isabelle Harrison had 13 points and 16 rebounds.

Ariel Massengale had 14 points, all in the first nine minutes.

Notre Dame entered the night leading the nation in field-goal percentage (.517), 3-point percentage (.436) and assists per game (22.4) while racing to the secondfastest start in school history, behind the 2000-01 national championship team that

opened 23-0. Tennessee, on the other hand, had dropped three of its last seven games and was struggling to find its footing.

Yet it was Tennessee that looked like the team on a roll in the early going. “I thought at halftime we were lucky to be down five,” McGraw said.

Tennessee grabbed a 42-30 lead by beating the hot-shooting Irish at their own game. Tennessee shot 55.9 percent (19 of 34) overall and went 5 of 6 from 3-point range in the first half against a Notre Dame team that hadn’t allowed any opponent to make more than 44.9 percent of its shots all season.

Notre Dame committed three turnovers in the first 90 seconds of the game and had to adjust to playing without Loyd, who picked up two fouls in the first 5 ½ minutes of the game and sat out the rest of the first half. Loyd entered the night averaging a team-high 17.3 points per game. But the Irish never panicked. “We’ve been through so much — three (straight) Final Fours,” said McBride, who had seven assists to go along with her 22 points. “We’ve been in these types of environments with NCAA tournament games. We just had to calm everybody down and execute our game plan.”

Sure enough, Notre Dame regained the momentum once Tennessee cooled off.

After making 19 of its first 28 shots, Tennessee missed 17 of its next 18 attempts to allow Notre Dame to claw back into the game. Tennessee missed its last six shots of the first half and started the second half by shooting 1 of 12. Notre Dame pulled ahead 49-48 when Taya Reimer capped a 14-2 run that started late in the first half by converting a three-point play with 15:27 remaining. After Tennessee briefly regained the lead, Notre Dame sank a trio of 3-pointers on a 9-0 spurt that gave the Irish a 58-51 advantage.

Simmons sank a 3-pointer that cut Notre Dame’s advantage to 60-56 with 10:09 remaining, but the Irish scored the next 13 points to put the game away.

“We’re going to be all right,” Massengale said. “We’ve just got to find out what it’s going to take for this team to play 40 minutes of basketball. In the first half, we seriously played the best basketball we’ve played all season. We’ve got to be able to sustain that for 40 minutes.” —AP

Ireland’s Earls extends Munster deal LONDON: Munster’s Keith Earls became the latest Ireland international to avoid the lure of foreign club rugby by signing a new contract with Munster yesterday. The 26-yearold back, who has scored 12 tries in 39 tests since his Ireland debut in 2008, has signed a new central contract with the Irish Rugby Football Union that will see him stay at Munster until at least 2016.

A versatile performer, who can play on the wing or in the centres, Earls is reported to have rejected offers from clubs in both England and France to remain loyal to Munster. “I’m delighted to sign a new IRFU contract and to continue representing my province,” Earls said.

“This Munster team has shown it has what it takes to compete with the best in Europe and I look forward to playing my role in bringing further success to both Munster and Ireland.” IRFU chief executive Philip Browne added: “Keith is a proven finisher and has shown guile and determina-

tion throughout his rugby career for both Munster and Ireland.”

Earls’s decision follows the IRFU’s success in persuading fellow internationals such as Paul O’Connell and Sean O’Brien to continue their careers in Ireland, although Test flyhalf Jonathan Sexton did join Paris-based Racing Metro at the start of this season.

And it is understood that Ireland backrow Jamie Heaslip, whose contract is up at the end of the current campaign, remains a target for one of France’s leading Top 14 clubs.

However, Ireland have largely been successful in ensuring their best players continue to remain with home clubs. It is a situation in marked contrast to that in Wales where, without an established central contract system, the likes of Mike Phillips, Jamie Roberts and Dan Lydiate have all opted for club careers in France, with more Welsh players set to follow in their footsteps. — AFP

GLENDALE: Jonathan Bernier stopped 39 shots as the Toronto Maple Leafs had another big scoring night to beat the Phoenix Coyotes 4-2 Monday for their first five-game winning streak in seven years.

Phil Kessel had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to six games for Toronto, which last won five straight from Jan. 27-Feb., 2007.

Jake Gardiner and Nazem Kadri each had a goal and an assist, and Carl Gunnarsson scored his first goal in nearly a year.

The Maple Leafs have 20 goals during their winning streak. The Coyotes sent a flurry of shots at Bernier after falling behind 3-0 and matched a team record by scoring a power-play goal in eight straight games when Mike Ribeiro scored early in the third period. Antoine Vermette also scored a short-handed goal for Phoenix, which had numerous near-misses.

SHARKS 3, FLAMES 2 Joe Pavelski scored two goals to move into a tie for the second most in the NHL this season and lift San Jose over Calgary.

Pavelski scored on a deflection in the first period and on the power play in the second to give him five goals in his past two games and 18 in the past 20 to tie Anaheim’s Corey Perry with 27 on the season. Washington’s Alex Ovechkin has 35.

Tommy Wingels also scored and Antti Niemi made 21 saves for the Sharks, who returned home from a perfect three-game road trip with a win over struggling Calgary to open a preOlympic stretch of eight games out of 10 at home.

Jiri Hudler and Kevin Westgarth scored for the Flames, who have lost four straight games and 11 of 13. Karri Ramo made 24 saves.

PANTHERS 5, PENGUINS 1 Drew Shore scored twice for the first multigoal game of his career as Florida ended Pittsburgh’s club-record 13-game home winning streak.

Jonathan Huberdeau, Dmitry Kulikov and Shawn Matthias also scored for the Panthers, who beat Pittsburgh for the second time in three meetings this season.

Scott Clemmensen stopped 35 shots in his first start in three weeks, ending Florida’s twogame losing streak. Matt Niskanen scored the only goal for the Penguins, who lost at home for the first time since Nov. 13. Marc-Andre Fleury made 23 saves, losing for only the fourth time in his past 37 starts at Consol Energy Center.

UNIONDALE: New York Islanders’ Kyle Okposo (21) shoots the puck past Philadelphia Flyers goalie Ray Emery (29) to score the final goal in a shootout of an NHL hockey game. — AP BLUES 4, RED WINGS 1 Magnus Paarjarvi, Barret Jackman, Kevin Shattenkirk and Jay Bouwmeester scored as St. Louis beat Detroit to snap a two-game skid.

Alex Steen added two assists and Jaroslav Halak made 22 saves for the Blues. Gustav Nyquist scored for Detroit. Jimmy Howard stopped 22 shots before being replaced by Petr Mrazek midway through the second period because of a lower-body injury. Mrazek made 13 saves.

ISLANDERS 4, FLYERS 3 Kyle Okposo scored the game-leveling goal from a power play late in regulation and then netted the winner in the shootout to lift New York to a rare win over Philadelphia.

The Islanders used a dominant third period to erase a 3-1 deficit and force overtime. Brock Nelson made it a one-goal game at 8:16, and Okposo tied it with 2:58 left in regulation on a lunging push with his stick after the puck struck his skate. The goal was confirmed by video replay.

Frans Nielsen and John Tavares also scored in the four-round shootout against Ray Emery, who made 40 saves through overtime.

Anders Nilsson turned aside Vincent Lecavalier and Sean Couturier in the tiebreaker to help the Islanders avoid a four-game, seasonseries sweep versus the Flyers. Tavares also scored a power-play goal in regulation for the Islanders.

PREDATORS 4, STARS 1 Roman Josi had a goal and an assist to lead Nashville over Dallas. Nick Spaling, Shea Weber, and Mike Fisher also scored for Nashville, which has won three of four. Cody Eakin scored for Dallas, which has lost of nine of 10.

BRUINS 3, KINGS 2 Brad Marchand continued his recent hot scoring stretch with a pair of goals, lifting Boston over Los Angeles. Marchand, who also had two in Boston’s shootout loss in Chicago on Sunday, has scored six in his past four games. Torey Krug had the other goal for the Bruins, who won at home for the 11th time in 13 games. Boston’s backup goaltender Chad Johnson made 21 saves. Willie Mitchell and Jeff Carter scored for the Kings and Jonathan Quick stopped 20 shots.

Los Angeles has lost two straight, but collected points in six of eight (4-2-2). — AP

Jamaican bobsledders hit Sundance before Olympics PARK CITY: This year’s Sundance Film Festival has featured two former presidential candidates, rap stars, male strippers and rescue dogs. So why not the Jamaican Olympic bobsled team?

The group appeared at the festival on Monday to promote their trip to Sochi for the Winter Olympics and seek some much-needed cash. When the team was approved entry this month, Jamaican officials said they didn’t have the money to travel to Russia to compete. Coach Wayne Thomas said some funding has flowed in, but the team is still in need.

“What we really need now is money to buy the equipment, specifically the runners,” Thomas said of the skates attached to the bobsled. “The runners that we are using are very close to illegal right now.”

When asked what the deadline was for the cash, he joked, “Yesterday.” So the team decided to head to Sundance to raise awareness, hoping that some celebrities with deep pockets might want to contribute. “We’re here to let people know that we are here and still in need of funding,” Thomas said, adding jokingly, “And also to see some stars.”

“Only lady stars,” said pilot Winston Watt, as the team broke into laughter. For some at Sundance, seeing the Jamaican bobsled team was like catching a glimpse of the movie stars who have packed Park City for the festival. The team attracted attention and happily posed for eager picture-seekers in between bites at the pop-up MorningStar Veggie Burger Bar, which has been providing free veggie burgers and other food for moviegoers. It was just one of their pit stops on Main Street as they tried to draw attention to their need for funding.

They’ll get an even bigger spotlight when they travel to Sochi next month. The Caribbean island nation’s entry to the Winter Olympics in 1988 caused a huge media stir and inspired the movie “Cool Runnings.” This year’s team says that members of the 1988 team have offered advice.

The athletes have been training since last summer and have been in Wyoming for practice in icy conditions. “Despite being from a tropical country, we don’t think of lots of obstacles,” said Wayne Blackwood, a brakeman. “ We stay

focused.” “We just want to go up there and do our best,” said the team’s other brakeman, Marvin Dixon, who will hold the flag for Jamaica during the opening and closing ceremonies.

They don’t see themselves as a novelty act in the Olympics, but real competitors. “I’m one of the best brakemen in the world right now,” Dixon said matter-of-factly.

Blackwood said they would be comparable to other nations excelling in the bobsled competition if they had better equipment. “That’s what we want, equipment — and we are up there

Jamaican bobsleigh team

with them,” he said, The Jamaican delegation has to be in Sochi on Feb. 4. They say they’re not concerned with security despite bombings in Russia last month that left several dead.They also expressed tolerance for gay athletes, who will compete in Sochi despite last year’s implementation of a law banning homosexual “propaganda” among minors.

Russia’s crackdown on gays had led some to call for a boycott of the Games there. “For me, you is you, I am me. You be yourself, I’ll be myself,” Dixon said. — AP

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

S P ORTS

NYC and NJ prepare for Super Bowl NEW YORK: Workers hung in harnesses, putting the finishing touches on a sponsor’s billboard high above Broadway. A few blocks north, in Times Square, a three-story stage festooned with Fox Sports logos towered over the crossroads of the world. Below, the pedestrian plazas stayed relatively calm and uncrowded - for now - beneath blinking ads, most of which referenced the Super Bowl as New York spent a mellow MLK Monday preparing to host the biggest event in sports.

The Feb. 2 championship game, between Seattle and Denver, is still almost two weeks away, and while there will be all sorts of events surrounding the game throughout the metropolitan area of nearly 20 million, the anticipation hasn’t quite started to spike yet. It takes more than a big ballgame to get New York City excited.

New Jersey, too, where everyone’s still steamed up over allegations that top aides to Gov. Chris Christie orchestrated traffic jams in a northern New Jersey town, Fort Lee, by blocking off lanes to the George Washington Bridge.

Unintentional traffic jams are a concern every day in the region, let alone with an influx of visitors expected and a big game day crowd anticipated at the Meadowlands sports complex.

Crowding in Times Square is always a given, too.

To the point that New Yorkers make a point of avoiding the area at all costs.

But on Monday - with most people off from work for the Martin Luther King holiday and the Broncos and Seahawks basking in their conference championships back at home - most of midtown was calm. One pocket of energy could be found in Macy’s, where a temporary NFL store is set up to sell tiny Statues of Liberty splashed with Super Bowl logos, NFL shield hats in various colors, helmets in every size from “big enough to protect a golf ball” to the real thing, and virtually anything else NFL-related.

Next week is when Broadway turns into a fan fest, concerts happen in all five boroughs - as well as New Jersey, where the game will actually be played - and LeBron James and the Heat take a rare undercard role when they visit Madison Square Garden and the Knicks.

Monday afternoon, though, workers and security guards outnumbered customers. Imani Williamson tossed a miniature football in the air to

herself and beamed at visitors as they entered Macy’s. When it gets busier later, her job will be to greet fans, ask where they’re from, and make them feel welcome. Asked if she had seen any crowds yet, the 22-year old ringer on temporary Super Bowl duty said “No, not yet.” Deeper in the store, Julie Maner commanded a well trafficked corner where whimsical, cartoonish Super Bowl posters by pop artist Charles Fazzino were on sale. She has

NEW YORK: Large signs advertising the Super Bowl are seen along Times Square. Preparations for fan venues and activities for the upcoming Super Bowl are starting to appear along several blocks of Broadway, part of which has been dubbed ‘Super Bowl Boulevard’. —AP

gone to every Super Bowl since the 2003 game in San Diego representing the artist.

Usually, she says, she has a booth at the NFL Experience, a fan expo that has been modified for the New York game. Most of that event’s activities will be relocated to Broadway as par t of the league’s “Super Bowl Boulevard” sending retailers indoors to Macy’s.

Maner wasn’t sure if that would help or hurt sales, but she will have more days to sell the posters, 3D decorated helmets and other works by Fazzino - some of which cost almost as much as game tickets. On Monday, she had just sold a poster to a German couple who wanted a souvenir before returning home, but was expecting to do most of her business next week. “The out-of-towners don’t come until next week,” Maner said. “I don’t know if it’s going to be busier than usual or lighter than usual.”

A lot of that could hinge on the weather. A winter storm was in the forecast for Tuesday night, followed by high temperatures below freezing. If the weather is more pedestrian friendly next week, crowds could come out in force on Broadway.

When the “Boulevard” opens, it’ll feature a concert stage, a place for fans to try kicking field goals, a toboggan run, a ticket exchange for buying and selling game tickets and (of course) sponsor comeons. That won’t be open until Wednesday, though.

On Monday, the signs of the big game were fewer and farther between. Two visitors from Montreal sat outside Macy’s front entrance in chairs, shopping bags at their feet. One of them, Patricia Souza, described herself as a fan of her hometown Alouettes from the CFL, but planned to watch the Super Bowl. She said she knew the Super Bowl was coming to New York even as they planned their trip. Her friend, who would only give her name as Melissa, hadn’t noticed the hype yet. “I had no idea,” she said. — AP

Gerrans wins 1st stage of Tour Down Under

Win a trip to 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil with ABK courtesy of VISA KUWAIT: Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait announces the launch of its 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil promotion in collaboration with Visa, offering its customers the chance to win a trip to Brazil. With the special FIFA World Cup edition Visa Gold Prepaid Travel card, ABK customers will get the exclusive chance to travel to Brazil and attend the quarter-final or semi-final matches courtesy of Visa.

The special edition card comes in celebration of the FIFA World Cup and will only be available until the 30th of April 2014. All the cardholder has to do is spend on the card and get the chance to enter 3 draws to win quarter-final and semi-final packages (each for two persons) that include air-tickets to Brazil, hotel accommodation and match-tickets. In

addition, cardholders also earn Emirates Skywards Miles for every 1 KD spent locally or overseas on the card, exclusively with ABK. Stewart Lockie, GM Retail Banking stated, “ABK is pleased to announce that every special FIFA World Cup edition Visa Gold Prepaid Travel cardholder will have a chance to win a trip of a lifetime and experience firsthand the most eagerly anticipated sporting event of the year.” Lockie added, “We are pleased to again deliver, for our valued customers, a unique offering in collaboration with Visa International and Emirates.”

So go ahead, use your ABK special FIFA World Cup(tm) edition Visa Gold Prepaid Travel card and win packages to watch the matches live in Brazil.

ADELAIDE: Australian rider Simon Gerrans outsprinted Germany’s Andre Greipel to win the opening stage of the Tour Down Under yesterday, taking an emphatic step toward winning the opening event of cycling’s ProTour season for a third time.

A demanding climb up Mengler’s Hill 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) from the end of the 135-kilometer (84-mile) stage from Nurioopta to Angaston took several of the top sprinters out of contention. Greipel stayed near the lead and seemed set for his 15th stage victory in Australia when he hit the front early on the uphill sprint the finish.

Gerrans, who won his home tour in 2006 and 2012, was able to chase Greipel down thanks to a strong leadout from his Orica-GreenEDGE teammate Daryl Impey.

“It was a tough climb. I thought it might have taken the sting out of Greipel’s legs a little bit,” Gerrans said. “I left my sprint really late and there was also a head wind. I just had to get by him.”

Australian Steele von Hoff finished third in yesterday’s stage, while Diego Ulissi of Italy was fourth and Maxime Bouet of France fifth.

Gerrans also picked up a time bonus on the stage which, he said, might be crucial. “Every year this race is won and lost by just a matter of seconds,” he said. “Every second counts and you just have to take every opportunity that comes up.” Greipel is also a two-time winner of the tour, winning on general classification in 2008 and 2010, and is a master of the sprint finishes that have often been the staple of the season-opening event. He had to settle for second place, as he did in Sunday’s tour prelude in downtown Adelaide in which he was narrowly beaten by compatriot Marcel Kittel.

A lead group of about 50 riders including

ADELAIDE: Bernhard Eisel (center) of Germany leads the peloton during stage one of the Tour Down Under cycling race. — AFP Tour de France winner Cadel Evans went clear of the peleton after Mengler’s Hill. Europcar teammates Yukiya Arashiro of Japan and Bjorn Thurau of Germany attacked on the descent and opened a small lead but were caught one kilometer (half-a-mile) from the finish. Australians William Clarke and Neil Van Der Ploeg joined in the first breakaway and led for most of the stage.

They broke clear of the peleton after two kilometers (1.2 miles) and led by up to 3 minutes, 35 seconds. But the peleton was always confi-

dent of gathering them in and they were eventually caught at the 119-kilometer (74- mile) mark. Mengler’s Hill then splintered the peleton, but Gerrans and Greipel were able to remain close enough to the lead to dictate the finish. A total of 138 riders from 23 countries began the stage through the Barossa Valley wine-growing region. The stage had been in doubt as late as Monday because of bushfires in South Australia state but the fires were contained and the stage was able to go ahead as planned. — AP

Cricket to be run by India, England and Australia?

Jason Dufner

Dufner gears up for Qatar Masters DOHA: From two golf tournaments in Hawaii this month, Jason Dufner picked up $314,000 in prize money and bronchitis and pneumonia.

More than a week and 13 time zones later, the US PGA Championship winner is feeling better, which is why he’s in Doha for the Qatar Masters starting today.

In his first appearance in the European Tour event last year he tied for ninth, and enjoyed the desert course. “I didn’t do much practicing last week at home, trying to get healthy,” Dufner said on Tuesday. “I am feeling considerably better.”

The Qatar Masters is the first overseas event of the year for the American, who intends to use his passport more this year.

He’s playing in the Dubai Desert Classic next week for the first time, and lined up the China Open after the Masters in April.

“I played a handful of European events last year, including here in Qatar and the Perth International in Australia, so I hope travelling will translate into some good

results,” he said. “I am looking this year to play four to six events and maybe eight this year. “I might be stepping out of my comfort zone a bit but I think it’s fun.

“Travelling the world as I have started to do recently, and playing in different countries and on different golf courses I hope will all help me figure out how to be a better pro.

“You look at the old time players, Nicklaus, Player and Trevino travelled all over the world winning many, many tournaments. We are a little spoilt in the States given the schedule we play and the purses we play for but this way I get to see the world. It’s a win-win situation for me.”

Meanwhile, Darren Clarke, who made his pro debut in 1990 when Dufner was 13, will tee up in his 500th European Tour event. “When it was mentioned to me the other day this is my 500th event, I couldn’t remember if I’ve played 300, 400 or 600,” Clarke said. “It’s nice to be honored but then it also just shows I’m old.” — AP

SHARJAH: India, England and Australia would have near complete control over international cricket in major changes being considered by the game’s governing body to possibly come into play next year.

A 21-page document from the International Cricket Council’s influential financial and commercial affairs committee proposes that a new four-member executive committee be set up, with three of the places taken by the rich and powerful India, England and Australia boards.

They will decide on the fourth member.

The “Position Paper” also recommends the troubled Test Championship which was set for introduction in 2017 be scrapped and the limited-overs Champions Trophy be retained in its place. A promotion-relegation system to establish a reduced eight-country top tier for test cricket from 2015 is suggested instead, but with India, England and Australia, the socalled big three, immune from relegation because of “the importance of those markets and teams to prospective ICC media rights buyers.” The paper sets out a business model where India would receive the largest portion of ICC revenue, followed by England and Australia, and says that cricket should be run more as a “meritocracy” - effectively where those who raise the most money control the finances, irrelevant to how the big three perform on the field.

“As part of the process, the leading countries of India, England and Australia have agreed that they will provide greater leadership at and of the ICC,” the proposal document said, although it’s uncertain if the ICC itself or the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket Australia are leading the reforms.

Officials from the BCCI, ECB and CA report-

edly first presented the document to other countries at a meeting this month, with ICC officials even having limited knowledge of the proposals.

The ICC said it would not comment on the proposals until they are discussed by its board at the end of this month. They will be considered and could be put to a vote at the ICC meeting on Jan. 27-29 in Dubai. While the paper recognizes some realities, including that India is by far the dominant country because of the money it raises from its billion-strong cricket-mad population, and is followed distantly by England and Australia, the changes also threaten to undermine smaller cricket countries.

South Africa, which has the top-ranked test team but not the financial clout of the other three, was the first country to express public opposition to the proposals because they hadn’t followed the correct procedure of consultation within the ICC. Cricket South Africa said on Monday the proposals were therefore “fundamentally flawed.” The Pakistan Cricket Board said it was seeking guidance from the country’s prime minister over the proposals, which it called “important matters of national interest.” Sri Lanka sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage reportedly described the report as “a serious challenge to the Sri Lanka cricket setup.” Zimbabwe Cricket head Peter Chingoka declined detailed comment but said “It’s just a proposal.” The overall angle of the document is that cricket, especially test cricket, is often not financially viable outside of the big three countries.

Instead of the Test Championship, the two lowest-ranked of the 10 test-playing nations currently Bangladesh and Zimbabwe - would

be relegated from the format next year and have to fight their way back up to the top division through the four-day Intercontinental Cup and then a playoff. If a relegated nation doesn’t win back its place in the top tier on the first attempt, it would lose money from the ICC.The proposals do offer associate members Afghanistan, Canada, Ireland, Kenya, the Netherlands and Scotland a chance to play tests through promotion, and a test cricket fund would give money to Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and West Indies.

Along with conceding that the Test Championship is likely doomed, the “working group” which put together the proposals also recognized that limited-overs cricket continues to pay for the five-day game, which is struggling to make money outside major contests like the Ashes series.

In future, test series would be bilateral agreements between two countries, the paper proposed, moving away from the ICC-controlled Future Tours Program. It gives India, England and Australia greater scope to avoid unprofitable series against smaller teams.

New Zealand Cricket partially backed the new proposals if the current test calendar, which is planned to 2020, is kept. “We must have a test-playing program which sees New Zealand playing all of the major countries in the same sort of cyclical way as we have been doing,” NZC director Martin Snedden said.

“That is a fundamental outcome for us and just about every other country.”

Yet the proposals require India, England and Australia to play only a minimum of three tests and five limited-overs matches - effectively one series - against each of the other teams in an eight-year cycle. —AP

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

S P ORTS

Sochi still scrambling to sell Olympic tickets LONDON: What if they held an Olympics and nobody came? The situation isn’t that bleak, of course, for the Sochi Games. Yet, with less than three weeks to go until the opening ceremony, hundreds of thousands of tickets remain unsold, raising the prospect of empty seats and a lack of atmosphere at Russia’s first Winter Olympics.

There are signs that many foreign fans are staying away, turned off by terrorist threats, expensive flights and hotels, long travel distances, a shortage of tourist attractions in the area, and the hassle of obtaining visas and spectator passes.

“Some people are scared it costs too much and other people are scared because of security,” senior International Olympic Committee member Gerhard Heiberg of Norway told The Associated Press. “From my country, I know that several people and companies are not going for these two reasons. Of course, there will be Norwegians there but not as many as we are used to.” Sochi organizers announced last week that 70 percent of tickets have been sold for the games, which run from Feb. 7-23 and represent a symbol of pride and prestige for Russia and President Vladimir Putin. So what about the remaining 30 percent?

“We are keeping a special quota for those who come for the games, so that they can indeed buy tickets for the competitions,” organizing committee chief Dmitry Chernyshenko said. Chernyshenko said about 213,000 spectators are expected at the games, with about 75 percent likely to be Russians.

“Tickets are being snapped up fast with the most

popular events being hockey, biathlon, figure skating, freestyle and snowboard,” the organizing committee said in a statement to the AP. “With 70 percent of tickets already sold and another ticketing office opening shortly, we are expecting strong lastminute ticket sales and do not envisage having empty seats.” Sochi officials have refused to divulge how many tickets in total were put up for sale, saying the figure would only be released after the games.

However, according to IOC marketing documents seen by the AP, Sochi had a total of 1.1 million tickets on offer. That would mean about 300,000 tickets remained available.

By comparison, 1.54 million tickets were available for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and 97 percent (1.49 million) were sold. For the 2012 Summer Games in London, organizers sold 97 percent (8.2 million) of their 8.5 million tickets.

Heiberg, who chairs the IOC marketing commission, said the Russians have cut down by 50 percent on the number of spectators originally planned for the mountain events for security reasons.

“That means there will be less people and probably less enthusiasm than we had, for instance, in Lillehammer,” he said. “I hope the Russians will fill not only their indoor stadiums but there will be enough people in the stadiums for the Nordic events.”

Heiberg organized the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics, which stood out for the colorful atmosphere generated by passionate Norwegian fans.

Sochi’s ticket sales began in February 2013, a year

before the games. Tickets have been sold on Sochi’s official website on a first-come, first-served basis.

Box offices are now open in Moscow and Sochi. The cheapest tickets go for 500 rubles ($15), the most expensive for 40,000 rubles ($1,200). More than half of all tickets cost less than 5,000 rubles ($150). The average monthly salary in Russia is 30,000 rubles ($890). The one and only authorized ticket office in Sochi was busy on a recent afternoon, with three dozen people lining up at what once was a waiting room at the city’s railway station. Many, however, complained that all the cheap tickets were already gone. “Prices leave much to be desired, but what can you can do?” said Sochi resident Yana Ivolovskaya, who bought two tickets for bobsled for 2,000 rubles ($60). “We’re not going to get another Olympics in Sochi so I thought I should go.”

Fans outside Russia buy tickets from authorized dealers appointed by their national Olympic committees. Attracting foreign visitors has been a challenge amid all the headlines about Russia’s law banning gay “propaganda,” human rights issues and particularly - the risk of terrorism.

Back-to-back suicide bombings killed 34 people last month in Volgograd, about 400 miles (640 kilometers) from Sochi. On Sunday, an Islamic militant group in Russia’s North Caucasus claimed responsibility for the bombings and posted a video threatening to strike the Sochi Games.

CoSport, the official ticket reseller in the United States and six other countries, said the Sochi Games generated “good demand” for tickets and packages.

“We experienced demand at expected levels,” spokesman Michael Kontos said, without giving figures. Flights to Sochi are expensive, and most international travelers have to go through Moscow, with direct flights to Sochi only available from Germany and Turkey. Western travelers must navigate the time-consuming visa process and requirement to obtain a “spectator pass” along with their tickets.

This requires providing passport details that allow authorities to screen all visitors.

“What we are hearing is that the bureaucratic complexity, with spectator passes and visa and so on, is what scares off fans, more than worries about security,” Austrian Olympic Committee spokesman Wolfgang Eichler said.

Jan Serenander, managing director of Jet Set Sports in Norway, cited a lack of tourist attractions in the Black Sea resort. “When Sochi was announced no one had even heard of the place,” he said. “They had to get out their atlases.”

Die-hard winter sports fans, however, will not be discouraged. Orange-clad speedskating fans from the Netherlands are always among the most visible spectators at any Winter Games.

“I expect it to be orange,” Jeroen de Roever, manager of official Duch ticket seller ATPI, said of Sochi’s speedskating venue. “We have been sold out for quite a while.” Associated Press writers Nataliya Vasilyeva in Sochi, Eric Willemsen in Vienna, Matti Huuhtanen in Helsinki, Mike Corder in The Hague and Nesha Starcevic in Frankfurt contributed to this report. —AP

Shiffrin, Ligety lead US ski charge at Olympics

Alex Ovechkin

Ovechkin seeks belated success MOSCOW: For all the riches Alex Ovechkin has accumulated during a glittering ice hockey career, a gold medal and a coveted silver bowl remain firmly beyond the Russian sniper’s grasp.

With a trophy case laden with individual honours, including three Hart trophies as the NHL’s most valuable player, and a $124 million contract with the Washington Capitals, Ovechkin would seem to have plenty to be pleased about.

For all his considerable personal accomplishments, wealth and good fortune, however, his Hall of Fame resume is incomplete, having yet to take his team or country to championship glory.

As the 28-year-old prepares to lead the Russian men’s ice hockey team into battle at the Sochi Winter Games, Ovechkin understands better than most what an Olympic gold medal means to his home land. His mother, Tatiana Ovechkina, an ex-Soviet Russian basketball player, has two Olympic gold medals while Maria Kirilenko, his tennis-playing girlfriend, also knows her way to the podium, capturing a bronze at the 2012 London Summer Games.

Even Ovechkin’s great rival, Pittsburgh Penguins and Canada captain Sidney Crosby, had ticked an Olympic gold and a Stanley Cup off his to-do list by the time he was 22.

“Of course, we talk about it,” Ovechkin told Reuters. “She (his mother) has some memories but back then, it was two different countries. “The USSR and Russia are two different countries. It’s different.

It was Communist back then.”

Taken with the number one overall pick in the 2004 NHL draft by the Capitals, Ovechkin has scored 50 or more goals in four of his eight seasons and the four-time All-Star is almost certain to do so again this campaign. But it is team goals not personal ones that matter now as Ovechkin continues to shape his hockey legacy.

Ovechkin will have many more chances to see his name engraved on Lord Stanley’s famous mug but at 28 and entering his third Winter Games, the opportunity to reach the Olympic summit may never be better than it will be this time on home ice.

“It’s totally different,” shrugged Ovechkin, when asked which he thought would be a greater achievement an Olympic gold or Stanley Cup. “ The Olympics are short one. It’s like 12 days.

“If you’re going to win the Olympic gold medal you have to concentrate for just 12 days.” It is certain to be 12 insanely pressure-packed days for Ovechkin and his team mates as they attempt to reclaim the proud country’s hockey honor. Ovechkin has steered clear of hot button issues - gay rights and terrorism that have hung over the buildup to the Sochi Games but there will be no skating around the heavy expectations that will

dropped on the team’s collective shoulders. Once international ice hockey’s undisputed super power, Russia’s dominance faded following the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Winners of six-of-seven Olympic titles from the 1964 Innsbruck Games to Calgary in 1988, the last traces of Russia’s hockey empire were seen at the 1992 Albertville Winter Games when a “Unified Team” of former Soviet republics took gold.

In the five Winter Olympics since, Russia has had to settle for one silver and a bronze while plunging to an embarrassing low in Vancouver where they slumped to a sixth-place finish.

The tremendous burden to bring down the curtain on the Sochi Games in glorious style by claiming hockey gold on the final day will be no different than the pressure Canada felt four years ago when Crosby scored the golden goal to lift the host nation to victory over the United States.

The Canadian win touched off wild celebrations across the Great White North and no doubt a Russian gold medal would spark the same hoopla across all nine time zones from St Petersburg to Vladivostok. “It’s all about the gold,” conceded Ovechkin. “We have a goal to win the gold medal and we’re going to try to win it.

“I can’t wait. I’m excited and nervous but right now I’m trying not to concentrate about it. “I’m pretty sure it’s going to be really interesting and great fun. Fun and interesting is one part but we have to win.”

No athlete in Sochi will be under greater scrutiny than the fun-loving Ovechkin. In many ways Ovechkin is not just the face of Russian hockey, he is the face of the Sochi Olympics, a proud Russian who was prepared to defy the NHL and risk that $124 million contract to be part of the 2014 Winter Games.

While the NHL waffled on whether it would continue its Olympic participation, Ovechkin had no such hesitation, declaring no matter what the league decided, he had made his own decision and would be in Sochi.

“Nobody can tell me you can’t play for your country,” barked Ovechkin. It was bold threat that did not go unnoticed by Russian Olympic and government officials, who bestowed the honour of being the first Russian to carry the Olympic torch after it was lit in Ancient Olympia to began its 35,000 mile relay to Sochi.

“Probably, yeah,” said Ovechkin when asked if these Olympics mean more to Russia than any other nation. “But every person wants to be there because it’s the Olympic Games. “It doesn’t matter where you go if it’s Russia, Canada, the US or London, it’s the Olympic Games. “You might only have one opportunity in your lifetime.” — Reuters

PARIS: Teen sensation Mikaela Shiffrin and Ted Ligety will lead the US medal charge at the Sochi Olympics, where Aksel Lund Svindal will also seek to cement his status as one of the sport’s best ever male skiers. Ligety was the star of last year’s World Ski Championships, claiming three gold medals in the giant slalom, super-G and super-combined, while Shiffrin became the youngest American, at 17, to win world gold when she scooped the slalom crown.

Their display made up for the absence of teammate and media darling Lindsey Vonn, who sustained a season-ending knee injury in a horrific crash during the opening women’s super-G. The reigning women’s Olympic downhill champion tried to make a comeback this season, but rightly called it a day and opted for further surgery when she realised her knee was not stable enough for the world of competitive skiing.

Organisers, though of course wishing her sporting prowess was on show, will no doubt be breathing a huge sigh of relief that the paparazzi roadshow that accompanies Vonn and boyfriend Tiger Woods will be absent from the Russian hills. In Vonn’s absence, the women’s speed events evidently become a much more open competition, with German Maria Hoefl-Riesch currently atop the World Cup standings in downhill, with Liechtenstein’s Tina Weirather, Swiss pair Marianne Kaufmann-Abderhalden and Lara Gut, Austrian Anna Fenninger and Slovenia’s Tina Maze all well in contention.

All-rounder Hoefl-Riesch, possibly in her last competitive season, will look to add to the slalom and super-combined golds she won in the 2010 Winter Games.

The German also took super-combined gold and two bronzes (downhill and team) in last year’s world champs, with Maze winning the super-G and two silvers (super-combined, giant slalom). Maze also finished fifth in the slalom and seventh in the downhill to underline her incredible all-round skiing abilities, but her form this season has been sketchy, to say the least.

With Hoefl-Riesch’s teammate Viktoria Rebensburg taking giant slalom gold in Whistler four years ago, Germany topped the medals table with three golds, with the Americans amassing a leading haul of eight. The US team, with two golds, three silvers and three bronzes,

Ted Ligety in action in this file photo were buoyed by medal-winning performances by veteran duo Bode Miller and Julia Mancuso.

Miller, now 36 and a five -time Olympic medallist, is the most decorated American skier in history and although his season’s form has been patchy it has been improving, and only a fool would write off his chances of adding to his medal tally in what will be his fifth Winter Games. However, the strapping figure of an “attacking Viking” will likely be standing in his and many other skiers’ way to the top of the podium. Aksel Lund Svindal is the defending Olympic super-G champion, and the Norwegian colossus also shone at the 2013 worlds in Schaldming, where he won downhill gold and super-G bronze, and narrowly missed out on the giant slalom podium.

So far this season, Svindal has won two of four men’s downhills and two super-G races, and if he hits Sochi in good form, beware allcomers. “ There’s no better preparation for the Olympics than winning World Cup races,” the Norwegian said. “I never understood why win-

ning one week makes it impossible to win the next week.

“As a ski racer, shit happens so you better grab the opportunities you get and don’t be picky about what weekend it is because there’s just too much stuff that’s out of your control, whatever you can get, you grab it.”

The men’s slalom also promises to be a real humdinger of an event, with the most competitive top 15 seen in a very long while.

The arrival of France’s Alexis Pinturault as a proper contender to world slalom champion Marcel Hirscher of Austria, with a host of other rival skiers ever ready to push for the podium, is a welcome sight for the sport.

“Right now in the top 15 each of them can win a race and it has changed a bit over the last three or four years, with everything getting closer,” said Hirscher. “For the crowd and the sport and people interested in it it’s a really good thing to have all these rivalries. “For us it is tough, we have to go and push ourselves to our personal limits.” — AFP

Hirano targets superstar White

Ayumu Hirano

PARIS: Japanese teenage sensation Ayumu Hirano is being tipped to challenge the might of the United States at the Olympic snowboarding competition with the sport’s superstar Shaun White in his sights. Snowboarding and freestyle boast more events this time around and in one of those the 15-yearold Hirano will be looking to upset White.

Hirano has already come close once before, finishing second to White, 27, in the X-Games superpipe competition.

Although superpipe isn’t among the Olympic events, Hirano is being tipped to challenge the American in the halfpipe. White was gold medallist in the halfpipe event at the last two Olympics but this time he is going for the halfpipe-slopestyle double, which may give a chance to his main competitors.

In halfpipe, Switzerland’s Iouri Podladtchikov and Hirano are expected to be his main challengers. Hirano was just 14 when he won his X-Games silver medal last Januar y and he did that despite a heavy crash during the competition. His fall was so bad that it cracked his helmet, but Hirano just dusted himself down and got on with becoming the youngest ever X-Games medallist.

“I knew how big an event X-Games was and I knew that after this X-Games, it would lead to something more for my career, so I decided to just compete,” Hirano told USA Today.

It is just such fearless determination that makes him a major challenger to White. But also on his side is his tiny frame.

Hirano stands at just five feet one inch and weighs a mere 120 pounds (54kg). His size is a distinct advantage as

it allows him to stay in the air longer to perform his tricks. For his part, White is aware that he is taking on a big ask in going for both halfpipe and slopestyle gold. There is only one day of rest between the two competitions but the sports’ poster boy is confident. “I’m one of the only guys doing both. Juggling the two has been out of hand,” he told NBC. “It’s really demanding to switch gears and do both, but I’m doing it, I’m making my way.”

In the women’s freestyle skiing competition, China’s Li Nina will be looking to make it third time lucky in the aerials.

She took silver at the last two Games in her favored event and at 30, this may be her last chance to step onto the top level of the podium.

She was injured during much of 2013 and missed a large part of the World Cup season, but she came back to win World Cup events in China and Canada.

Her main competition will come from compatriot Xu Mengtao, the 2013 world champion. Xu, 23, finished sixth at the last Olympics but since then has reached impressive levels of consistency and performance, winning 12 World Cup events and finishing in the top five in 21 out of 22. Of course, both will have to try to overcome the reigning champion, Australia’s Lydia Lassila. Despite having a child a year after her success in Vancouver, she has still managed a top 10 finish in eight out 11 World Cup events since her Olympic gold.

Perhaps the biggest favorite of all, though, will be American Hannah Kearney in the moguls. The gold medallist in Vancouver, her dominance since then has been remarkable, winning 32 World Cup mogul races. — AFP

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

S P ORTS

Champagne’s honesty gets campaign off to rocky start LONDON: FIFA presidential candidate Jerome Champagne’s opening election address was going smoothly until he told reporters at the launch of his campaign he did not think he would win if Sepp Blatter ran against him.

Champagne delivered a wide-ranging reform programme on Monday but left many wondering whether he had been too honest for his own good.

The 55-year-old appeared to have forgotten all the lessons learned during his years as a French diplomat when he stunned journalists at his media conference. Asked if he thought he could beat incumbent Blatter if the 77-year-old Swiss decided to stand for a fifth term at the elections in January 2015, Champagne replied: “No, I don’t think so.

“He is someone of relevance and we’ll see but it’s a very hypothetical question. A lot of things can happen.” Too honest? An immediate own goal? Only time will tell.

Champagne was then asked why he was running if he did not think he could beat his former FIFA boss, and also whether he would continue his campaign if Blatter decided to stand.

“I don’t know what he will do. I am telling you I am standing but I don’t know what will happen in the next four months,” said the Frenchman.

“Some people say I am ... being manipulated by him but I am not. I am standing here on my own programme and I cannot answer a hypothetical question.”

Champagne is an intriguing candidate because he, in electoral terms at least, is not now part of FIFA, has no direct backing of any national FA and is funding his own campaign. He maintains that by the deadline of January 2015 he will have the necessary support of five FAs, making him eligible to stand. If that does not materialise, at least he would have started a debate for change to run alongside FIFA’s own existing reforms. Champagne is also unique in being a former high-ranking FIFA official who was deputy secretary general between 2002-05 and has worked closely with Blatter inside and outside the organi-

sation that runs world soccer.

Since leaving FIFA four years ago this month, he has worked as a consultant to a number of FAs around the world including Palestine, Kosovo and Cyprus.

His work in those areas has produced tangible results but whether it is possible for anyone to unseat Blatter, who has hinted he will stand for a fifth term after being president since 1998, is open to question.

The Swiss beat then-UEFA president Lennart Johansson to succeed Joao Havelange in 1998, retained office when he beat African confederation chief Issa Hayatou in 2002 and was then given a third term in 2007.

Blatter won again in 2011 when Asian confederation president Mohamed Bin Hammam of Qatar withdrew after being accused of being part of a bribes-for-votes scandal in the leadup to the election.

There is no doubt Champagne’s ideas are well thought out and, if they were to be adopted, would start to redress some of the imbalances in the game.

He wants to embrace technology to assist referees, he advocates an orange card and the use of a sinbin to be used between a yellow and red card, and has called for more transparency in the governance of the FIFA executive committee.

Champagne seems determined to widen the debate to as many stakeholders in the game as possible and has called for an open, democratic election next year.

“The election must not just be a coronation,” he said. “We should have public debates in the congresses of the six confederations and debates on television for viewers and fans to ask questions.

“I want full transparency for this election to push the debate forward.” If he does not think he can beat Blatter, what is the point of him spending his own money on a costly campaign?

Perhaps Champagne is simply eyeing a return to FIFA and another shot at the presidency in the future. He is keeping that card close to his chest but the way the world of football politics works means it is also a possibility. — Reuters

SPAIN: Athletic Bilbao’s forward Ibai Gomez celebrates his team’s third goal during the Spanish League football match against Real Valladolid at the San Mames stadium. — AFP

Bilbao thump Valladolid SPAIN: Ahletic Bilbao climbed back above Villarreal into fourth place in La Liga after Ibai Gomez struck twice in a 4-2 comeback win at home to struggling Real Valladolid on Monday.

Oscar Gonzalez stabbed the ball in from close range to give the visitors a surprise 15th-minute lead at a rain-soaked San Mames and Valladolid goalkeeper Diego Marino kept Bilbao at bay until midway through the second half with a host of fine saves.

The 23-year-old Spain youth international, a product of Villarreal’s academy, was unable to prevent Gomez levelling with a clinical finish from a tight angle in the 65th minute.

Substitute Oscar De Marcos fired Bilbao ahead with a close-range header 10 minutes later before Gomez completed his double in the

82nd with another low strike and Ander Herrera nodded a fourth with four minutes to go.

Valladolid substitute Valdet Rama then lashed the ball into the roof of the net in added time after a powerful run through the home defence.

Bilbao, who visit Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals of the King’s Cup on Thursday, have won nine of their 11 league games at their new stadium this season and drawn two.

Monday’s victory lifted them back above Villarreal, who won 2-0 at home to Almeria on Sunday, into the fourth spot that earns a berth in Champions League qualifying next season.

The Basque club have 39 points from 20 matches and Villarreal are fifth on 37. Real Sociedad, who drew 2-2 at Getafe on Sunday, are sixth on 33 while Valladolid are third from bot-

Preview

Season at stake as United seek League Cup comeback

LONDON: Former FIFA deputy general secretary Jerome Champagne speaks during the Hope for Football press conference on Monday. — AFP

Governments must do more to fight fixing, says FIFA head ZURICH: Footballers who take part in match-manipulation risk losing their careers if caught but those who induce the players and set up the fix do so at almost no risk to themselves, according to FIFA’s head of security Ralf Mutschke.

In the last few years, dozens of players have been banned, many for life, for trying to manipulate matches, often driven to do so in desperation after months of not being paid at all by cash-strapped clubs. Recent cases have involved, among others, the Austrian Bundesliga, English football’s semiprofessional sixth tier and the El Salvador national side, where 14 regular internationals, who have formed the core of the national side for the last decade, received life bans.

“The fixer is moving from one player or referee to the next, and is basically exempt, cannot be prosecuted, but when we know about the players, we ban them from life from football,” said Mutschke. “It’s not a good deterrent for organised crime, for the criminals, and I say clearly, we need the assistance of governments, and the political will to change. “We would like the criminals, the ones bribing the players, to get a stricter sentence to deter them. Currently there is no deterrent, they are moving around, they approaching people, with what we call cold approach. “They have no risk, and that is awful.” Mutschke said governments were, in most cases, “not doing enough.

“In Italy they are doing something, and they have a lot of criminal investigations.

But, in the other parts of Europe, most countries do not have proper laws against match manipulation.

“Look at the Council of Europe, you have an initiative that match manipulation should be penalised, which the governments are not doing,” he said referring to a resolution passed in 2011 which called on governments, sports federations and betting companies to take joint-action against match-fixing.

“This means that when we come from FIFA or a national FA, trying to convince the

police to launch investigations, they say we have no jurisdiction and it is not a priority for us. This is not acceptable.” In one case, a court in Switzerland, FIFA’s host nation, acquitted three players in a match-fixing case, saying there were no obvious victims of bets place online. FIFA president Sepp Blatter described the verdict as “an own goal.”

Mutschke said there had been some signs of governments stirring into action, but it was slow progress. “I know that in Switzerland they are discussing it, and in Germany it’s on the agenda for the coalition...I think there are lot of things under discussion which is good. “But I know you can’t change overnight, it’s not their highest priority.” To further complicate matters, investigations invariably require international co-operation. “They are approaching players here in Europe, but betting fraud is conducted in Asia, so it’s very difficult for a local police force to oversee the entire picture,” said Mutschke.

“If we come in and say, you have to launch an investigation, and that investigation will lead you to South-East Asia, then they say well I have other crime fighting on my table and I don’t think we are going to investigate match-fixing.”

Mutschke emphasised the sport could not tackle the problem alone. “It is not our business, we cannot fight against organised crime,” he said. “I have been fighting organised crime for 30 years and I know how difficult it is and it’s even worse if you have no gun, no jurisdiction to fight the mafia and organised criminals. “People have to understand that it’s a challenge to government and to law enforcement.” For all the difficulties, Mutschke pointed out that only a tiny number of matches were still affected. “I’m still not paranoid, I still enjoy football,” he said. “I do know that percentage-wise, it is very, very little, much less than one percent.

“I’m not going around, watching football saying this is a fix....I’m very relaxed about this.”— Reuters

LONDON: Their Premier League title defence in tatters, Manchester United approach the second leg of their League Cup semi-final against Sunderland today conscious that it could define their domestic season. Sunday’s 3-1 loss at Chelsea left David Moyes’s side 14 points off the pace in the league and having been knocked out of the FA Cup by Swansea City, United need success in the League Cup like never before.

It is a competition that United occasionally treated with disdain under Moyes’s predecessor, Alex Ferguson, but the new manager knows that he cannot afford to pick and choose when the club’s fans are in the doldrums. “We will try and do everything we can to get through,” Moyes told United’s in-house television channel, MUTV. “I want to give the supporters something to cheer about. There has not been an awful lot. I am fully aware of that.”

However, in order to book a likely final date with Manchester City, who lead 6-0 at the halfway stage of their last-four tie against West Ham United, Moyes’s men must overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg.

Including that result at the Stadium of Light on January 7, United have lost four of their five games to date in 2014, and midfielder Michael Carrick says that the players are desperate to get back to winning ways.

“We want to play again as quickly as possible,” he said. “Today is another big game. It is a huge game for us. It is an opportunity to get to a final. You can’t take that lightly.

“We will get over this (losing to Chelsea), dust ourselves down, and be ready again for today.”

Urging the club’s supporters not to desert the team, the England midfielder added: “The fans have been unbelievable, over the last month or so especially. “ Times have been difficult.

Performances have not been that bad actually, but results have been pretty awful for us to take. “We are giving everything at the minute. It is just not going our way. If we all stick together, I am sure it will turn soon.”

Moyes will be obliged to make changes to his back four for the visit of Gus Poyet’s side, with Nemanja Vidic suspended after being sent off at Chelsea and Patrice Evra a doubt after hobbling off early in the second half.

The game will also come too soon for strike pair Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie, who were expected back in training this week after spells on the sidelines.

Sunderland striker Steven Fletcher is a doubt for the trip to Old Trafford as he nurses an Achilles injury. The 26-year-old Scot played for 18 minutes in Sunderland’s 2-2 draw at home to Southampton on Saturday, but Poyet is unwilling to take risks with last season’s top scorer.

“Sometimes you have to think of the player, and I did not want to be responsible for him getting injured by starting him in the game,” the Sunderland manager told local newspaper the Sunderland Echo. “But he came through it OK, and we just have to assess how it will be in the next few days.”

Although they remain in the Premier League relegation zone, Sunderland have markedly improved under Poyet’s stewardship, losing only one of their last 10 games in all competitions.

“We are not afraid of anything,” said goalkeeper Vito Mannone. “It’s a new game again, but the mentality is 0-0 and we need to go to Old Trafford and make it to Wembley.

“You don’t need any pressure to go to Old Trafford. You just need to believe you can make it. Like that, we will perform even better.” A draw will be enough for Sunderland to qualify for a first major final since 1992, but they have avoided defeat only twice on their last 12 visits to Old Trafford.— AFP

Michael Carrick

tom on 16.

“We are on a very good run at home,” Gomez told television broadcaster Cuatro. “We have often fallen behind but managed to turn the game around and that counts for a lot. “The team is in good shape and we are maintaining our intensity for the whole 90 minutes which is very important.”

Elsewhere, third-placed Real Madrid closed within a point of joint leaders Barcelona and Atletico Madrid thanks to Saturday’s 5-0 win at bottom club Real Betis. On Sunday, Barca came from a goal down to draw 1-1 at Levante and Atletico let slip the lead in a 1-1 stalemate at home to Sevilla. Barca and Atletico have 51 points, with the champions ahead on goal difference. — Reuters

The transfer grapevine

By Ahmed Al-Othman KUWAIT: It is the time of year when rumors fly around about an X player moving to a Y team, but it certainly has been a quiet mid-season transfer window. Each club’s hierarchy assesses their performance by having closed door meetings with their side’s manager, directors and scouts. They consider if they should buy a player who’s going to improve them, or an average player for a position they have no backup for. The question is: Who do they buy?

We have seen sides such as Manchester United, AC Milan and Inter Milan going through a rough patch of form since the season commenced, and they are the ones who should be scouting all over Europe looking for new faces. Inter Milan had been strongly linked with a “fan angering” switch between their midfielder Freddy Guarin and Juve’s Mirko Vucinic, only for Inter’s president Erick Thohir to pull the plug at the last minute after the backlash.

Manchester United themselves have been linked with a dozen players as manager David Moyes looks to overhaul his side and build his own starting eleven. He has been under a lot of pressure to dip in the market, but according to him, all the players he’s interested in are not available in this window but in the summer. Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini was Moyes’ only signing last August, but he tried and failed to acquire Cesc Fabregas and Thiago Alcantara, who now play for Barcelona and Bayern Munich respectively. There is a strong rumor going around about his potential bid for Chelsea’s Juan Mata, who quite clearly looks out of favor in Jose Mourinho’s side. Man United need a new creative midfielder and Mata could be the solution to his side’s problems and kick on from there to reach a top four spot they are vying for.

Chelsea have already done their business by recapturing the Serbian they let go three years in Nemanja Matic, a midfielder who was involved in a swap deal with David Luiz. The Blues are a side flooded with all sorts of different midfielders — you could even actually name a full side made up of midfielders! This has been the main reason why Mourinho keeps rotating and has an unfixed starting eleven, and they certainly look unbeatable at the moment.

Liverpool is another side fighting for that prestigious 4th spot, a position that assures you qualification to the Champions League. The rumor that keeps flying around is their interest in Basel attacker Mohammed Salah. The 21-year-old Egyptian is tipped to have a bright future and has been also linked with Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspurs. He shined in the group stages of the Champions League and scored twice in two legs against Chelsea and is now under the radar of many clubs.

Arsenal’s options are keeping their faithful fans’ hands on their hearts. With the long-term injury to Theo Walcott, they have been credited with an interest in Real Madrid’s forward Alvaro Morata. The Spain under-21 international has only started one league game under Carlo Ancelotti, but appeared 10 times from the bench and yet still he’s not interested in leaving the Los Blancos yet, but first team action could be tempting, especially with the World Cup looming on the horizon in June.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

S P ORT S

Snow stores keeping Winter Games on track AUSTRIA: Anyone who’s ever tried holding a snowflake in their hand will know how quickly it melts. Now try storing a mound of snow over the summer, when it’s 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) outside. Fears that Sochi, which hosts the Winter Olympics on February 7-23, could lack sufficient powder for the mountain events due to its mild climate, prompted a massive effort to ensure snow ahead of the Games.

And one of the more baffling methods is snow conservation. The idea is simple: make a pile of snow and keep it until next winter.

In practice, it’s a little more complex. Ramsau am Dachstein, which hosted nordic combined World Cup races last month, attempted it for the first time this year-with great success.

Some 5,000 cubic metres (176,500 cubic feet) of artificial snow were piled high in a corner of the valley in February, covered with 20-30 centimetres (8-

12 inches) of wood chips and two layers of foil-to act as insulation and protect from rain and sun.

By November, over 4,000 cubic metres-or 400 truckloads-of snow remained, enough to make a two- or three-kilometre (1.2- or 1.9-mile) crosscountry track. “It’s a safety net, because there are good winters where you don’t need it, everything’s great. But there are also poor winters,” Elias Walser, responsible for the Ramsau project, told AFP. And when major sports events beckon, “everyone’s nervous, there’s a lot of money invested... and you have to guarantee (a race).” Snow cannons require cold temperatures to operate effectively.

Stored snow on the other hand is more economical and more environmentally friendly: the snow can be produced when the weather is coldest at a fraction of the cost and using less power, and then just set aside. In Ramsau, the 4,000 cubic metres cost about 16,000-20,000 euros ($22,000-27,000), Walser

said. The key is to produce very dry artificial snow, which will maintain its consistency, whereas natural powder would melt and turn into ice.

Thanks to the layers of insulation, Ramsau’s snow even survived temperatures surpassing 30 degrees at 1,135 metres (3,723 feet) altitude last summer.

In neighboring Germany, Klingenthal, which hosted the start of the ski jumping World Cup in November, also stored thousands of cubic metres of snow before the winter.

“Without this snow depot, it would have been impossible to hold the competition,” Marcus Stark, head of the organising committee, told AFP. Reviews from athletes have been generally positive, a good sign for Sochi. “The snow conditions weren’t any different to now,” said Achim Walcher, an Austrian ex-Olympic cross-country skier who tested the Ramsau track. “It was just normal artificial snow, it kept really well over the summer and it was

perfect for skiing.”

Ski jumping World Cup leader Kamil Stoch also landed on “old snow” in Klingenthal without any problem. “Snow is snow. It doesn’t make any difference for us,” he told AFP. “Of course it’s nicer if it’s normal artificial snow, hard and with good grip,” said ski jumping Olympic champion Thomas Morgenstern. “But actually, we couldn’t care less what we land on.”

Ramsau and Klingenthal already plan new depots for next season. The woodchips and foil can be re-used and, theoretically, so could the old snow, which still lies under Ramsau’s cross-country course.

“It could definitely be recycled 10 times in a row,” said Walser. In 2010, Vancouver faced a last-minute lack of snow and scrambled to truck more in for the Olympics. Sochi, with almost 500,000 cubic meters reportedly stored for use in February, looks readycold weather or not. —AFP

Baggies frustrate Everton West Brom 1

Everton 1

LA PAZ: Bolivia’s President Evo Morales holds up the FIFA World Cup Trophy at the presidential palace in La Paz, Bolivia. The trophy has been brought to the country as part of the global FIFA World Cup Trophy tour. — AP

Stadium hosting WCup opener almost ready SAO PAULO: The venue that will stage the opening World Cup game in Brazil in June is almost complete, officials said on Monday, even though work has not restarted on the collapsed roof that killed two workers in November.

“The stadium is 97 percent ready,” said Andres Sanchez, the former Corinthians president who is overseeing construction of the Arena Corinthians. “ We have some things pending because of the accident but we’ve got the all-clear and by the end of the month they will remove the damaged piece. We will hand the stadium over by April 15.”

World soccer’s ruling body FIFA said on Monday it was delighted with the progress made although secretary general Jerome Valcke pointed out the stadium was supposed to be ready last month. “We are very happy with what we’ve seen today,” added Valcke. “A lot of work has been done, a lot of work has still to be done where the accident took place, but we are very confident that all is on track.” The stadium on the outskirts of Sao Paulo is one of the most expensive of the 12 World Cup venues and was one of the last to get started.

Two workers died in November when a crane moving parts of the roof into place toppled over and the delivery date was subsequently put back four months.

The fallen structure, a massive 420-ton

piece of metal tubing, is still where it fell, leaning against one side of a stand.

When asked how the venue could be deemed 97 percent ready when a large part of the roof was still clearly damaged, the stadium’s chief engineer told Reuters the affected area was relatively minor.

“It’s a very small part,” said Federico Barbosa. “Everything else is done or almost done.” The delays at the venue that will stage the opening match between Brazil and Croatia on June 12 is one of the issues affecting the country’s preparations to host the first World Cup in South America since 1978.

None of the six stadiums that were due to be finished in December were ready on time. Six were completed last year and used in the Confederations Cup test event.

Public transport projects in several cities have also been abandoned or scaled back and there is concern new terminals at some airports will not be ready.

Valcke said he would only talk about other venues after visiting them on this his first visit to Brazil in 2014. He travels to Cuiaba later on Monday and then to Curitiba late yesterday.

Valcke flies to Natal today when he will attend the opening ceremony of the Arena das Dunas. He said he would spend a week each month in Brazil until the competition begins. — Reuters

Barca opt to rebuild Nou Camp, not new stadium BARCELONA: Barcelona’s board of directors have rejected the option of building a new stadium and will push ahead with a remodelling of the Nou Camp.

Barca members, who collectively own the club, will be given a chance at the beginning of April to vote on the proposal that would increase the capacity of Europe’s biggest stadium from 98,000 to 105,000 and help increase matchday income, president Sandro Rosell told a news conference on Monday. The project, which also includes the construction of a new indoor basketball arena and various other installations, is expected to cost around 600 million euros ($814 million) and work would begin in 2017 and be completed by early 2021.

Barca plan to take out bank loans worth 200 million euros and expect 150 million from selling naming rights. The rest of the cost would be covered by existing funds.

Matches would still be played while the work, which would see a striking new roof added to the current structure, was carried out.

“It was a difficult decision,” Rosell said.

“The two projects were very attractive but we were committed to put to a refer-

endum a project that was viable from a technical, urban-planning and economic perspective.

“The Nou Camp is part of our collective memory, the biggest stadium in Europe and an icon of the city of Barcelona.

“The option of building a new stadium on a new site has been rejected as the final cost could have saddled the club and its members with debt and tied the hands of future boards of directors,” added Rosell. The plans for the remodelled stadium, which opened in 1957, include building a steeper bottom tier to improve visibility for spectators.

There would be new restaurants with a view of the pitch and so-called “super boxes” and other VIP services. “To maintain our status as leaders we have to take this historic step which will require effort from everyone involved but which will guarantee the comforts that come with a new installation with the latest technologies at the service of its users and athletes,” Rosell said.

“What’s more we will increase the value of our real estate and the capacity to generate additional income without having to sell off assets.” — Reuters

LONDON: Spaniard Pepe Mel’s first match as manager of West Bromwich Albion ended in a 11 Premier League draw with Everton at the Hawthorns on Monday as the controversy engulfing Nicolas Anelka took a new twist.

Diego Lugano’s first goal in English football, a powerful 75th minute header, earned West Brom a share of the spoils after visitors Everton, who would have gone into the Champions League places with a victory, had taken a first-half lead through Kevin Mirallas.

The result saw West Brom move four points clear of the relegation zone and left Everton five in front of reigning champions Manchester United, managed by their former boss David Moyes.

Mel, brought in to replace the sacked Steve Clarke, saw the hours before the match dominated by the latest development in the Anelka ‘quenelle’ gesture row.

Zoopla, West Brom’s shirt sponsor, announced earlier Monday it would not be renewing its multi-million pounds deal in the wake of the furore surrounding former France striker Anelka’s ‘quenelle’ goal celebration against West Ham last month, a gesture regarded as anti-Semitic by many observers.

The ‘quenelle’, popularised by French comedian Dieudonne M’bala M’bala, has been described by critics in France as an ‘inverted Nazi salute’, but Anelka has insisted he was using it merely as “a dedication” to the comic.

On the field, the 34-year-old Anelka made a lively start but failed to get on the scoresheet and was substituted soon after the home side’s equaliser. “I don’t know. I am only head coach,” Mel told Sky Sports when asked about Anelka’s

LONDON: Everton’s Romelu Lukaku attempts an overhead kick during the English Premier League match against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns. — AP situation. “He is a good personality. He needs a goal and he will work for me very well.”

Of the two Spanish managers involved on Monday, it was Everton’s Roberto Martinez who was initially the happier when Mirallas scored four minutes before half-time.

Central defender Sylvain Distin, returning after a three-match injury absence, launched the ball towards Romelu Lukaku. He in turn headed it into the path of Mirallas and his fellow Belgian made no mistake in beating Baggies goalkeeper Ben Foster.

Reflecting on the overall result, Mel said: “For me it was very good. The first half the team - we were too open but the second half we were

compact. “Everton is a team that is very, very strong. Tonight is a difficult match for me and my team. “It’s only the first week. I need to work.

I need my players but the players are angry. For me that’s important.”

Meanwhile former Wigan manager Martinez lamented Everton’s failure to make the most of an encouraging first 45 minutes. “Any point is a good point but we are disappointed with the second-half performance,” he said. “The hardest thing was to get in front and score that goal. A couple of times we got good combinations and got into good places in front of goal. In the second half we didn’t control the game in the way we wanted.” — AFP

Preview

Monaco face former hero in David versus Goliath Cup tie PARIS: The romance of the Cup is very much alive in France, where Monaco’s trip to fourth-tier amateurs Chasselay in the last 32 today will see them come up against one very familiar face.

The principality side, second in Ligue 1, will look to avoid an upset when they meet opponents who are battling to avoid relegation from the French Amateur Championship.

Chasselay are struggling despite the presence in their side of one of the most decorated players in the recent history of French football.

Now 37, Ludovic Giuly enjoyed two spells with Monaco, captaining them on their run to the 2004 Champions League final first time around and then returning for a season in the second division two years ago. In between, the little winger won the Champions League and two Spanish titles with Barcelona, had a spell with Roma and spent three years at Paris Saint-Germain, helping them beat Monaco in the 2010 French Cup final.

After ending his top-level career last year, Giuly returned to his native Lyon and joined tiny Chasselay, his very first club who are coached by Stephane Santini, son of former France boss Jacques Santini.

Together, they are plotting the downfall of Radamel Falcao’s Monaco in a game that will be played at Lyon’s Stade de Gerland rather than at their own modest home, the Stade Ludovic Giuly.

“This is like a jubilee for me. It couldn’t be better. We will try to pull off a shock,” said Giuly, and plenty of other minnows will try to do the same thing.

Lille, who are third in Ligue 1, are preparing for a derby against fifth-tier minnows Croix, who hail from the suburbs of the northern French city.

Meanwhile, in-form Lyon go to fourth division outfit Yzeure, who eliminated Ligue 1 Lorient in the last round, and the holders Bordeaux go to Corsica to face Ile-Rousse. There are also two allLigue 1 ties, with Marseille facing Nice in a southcoast derby that has added importance for both teams given that the French Cup is their only chance of winning a trophy this season. “It is an objective for us because it’s a trophy so we will do everything we can to win it,” said OM coach Jose Anigo ahead of the match at the Stade Velodrome.

The last two Ligue 1 champions also go head to head, with Paris Saint-Germain hosting Montpellier at the Parc des Princes, where the capital club have not lost since November 2012.

Already five points clear at the top of Ligue 1 and through to the semi-finals of the League Cup, PSG are chasing an unprecedented domestic treble and few expect them to have any problems against a struggling Montpellier side, even if they have shown signs of improvement recently. —Reuters

Ludovic Giuly

Dufner gears up for Qatar Masters

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

Baggies frustrate Everton

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Sochi still scrambling to sell Olympic tickets

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MELBOURNE: Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland leaps for a smash to Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their quarterfinal at the Australian Open tennis championship. — AP

Wawrinka dethrones Djokovic in thriller MELBOURNE: Stanislas Wawrinka brought a dramatic end to Novak Djokovic’s quest for a fourth successive Australian Open title in the quarter-finals yesterday when he finally found a way to beat the Serbian in a grand slam fivesetter. The pair held a packed Rod Laver Arena spellbound with four hours of top quality tennis studded with breathtaking rallies before the Swiss emerged a 2-6 6-4 6-2 3-6 9-7 winner to snap a 14-match losing streak against the second seed.

Wawrinka had come close to beating Djokovic in a five-hour epic in the fourth round here last year and another five-set thriller in the semi-finals of the US Open last September - only to fall agonisingly short. The 28-year-old finished the job yesterday, though, riding his thunderous serve and summoning up some brilliant shot making, particularly off his backhand, to claim what could be a career-defining win when Djokovic fluffed a volley.

“He’s an amazing champion, he never gives up. I’m really, really, really, really, really, really

happy,” said Wawrinka, whose path to a first grand slam final is blocked by Czech Tomas Berdych.

“After losing two times against him in grand slam in five sets, I’m really happy to take that one. It’s great for me.” Defeat for Djokovic in his first major tournament under new cocoach Boris Becker ended his run of consecutive grand slam semi-finals at 14, his winning streak in tour events at 28 matches and his unbeaten run at Melbourne Park at 25.

“This is probably the court where I had most excitement in my tennis career,” said the four-times champion. “These are kind of matches that you work for, you live for, you practice for. Unfortunately somebody has to lose in the end. This year it was me. I lost to a better player.”

Czech Berdych came out on top 6-1 6-4 2-6 6-4 in a three-hour arm-wrestle against David Ferrer to reach the last four at the year’s first grand slam for the first time.

Canadian teenager Eugenie Bouchard had earlier kept her poise in the biggest match of

her life to oust Ana Ivanovic 5-7 7-5 6-2 and set up a semi-final against China’s Li Na, who dispatched Flavia Pennetta 6-2 6-2. The highlight of the day was always going to be the final match of the night, though, and Djokovic started in the same vein as in his impressive fourth round victory to claim the first set.

Wawrinka stormed back to take the second and third sets but Djokovic again pounced to claim a break at 4-3 in the fourth, letting out a huge roar before sending the contest into a fifth stanza.

When the Serbian grabbed an early break in the decider, it looked like it might be a case of deja vu for Wawrinka but he lived up to his “Stanimal” nickname by muscling his way back into the contest.

“It was a really tough battle,” said the Swiss.

“Didn’t want to let him win that one. Got a bit lucky there in the last one. He missed easy shots.” Big-serving Berdych has made a habit of steaming through the first week in Melbourne before falling victim to the first top seed he encounters and he made the most of

his kind draw against baseline hustler Ferrer.

After cruising to a two-set lead over the Spaniard, he faltered in the third before finishing off the third seed for his first ever victory on the centre court at Melbourne Park.

“It’s really great feeling,” said the seventh seed. “It’s been a very special match for me. I’m extremely happy to go through.”

Ivanovic had cleared her own path to the final by upsetting world number one Serena Williams in the fourth round but was unable to take advantage against Bouchard.

The Serbian looked on course for a first grand slam semi-final since her 2008 French Open triumph after clinching the first set but Bouchard charged straight back into the contest to tie it up at 1-1 on an Ivanovic double fault. Ivanovic tried to wrest back the momentum but as much as she ramped up her formidable forehand, there was no putting this particular Genie back in the bottle.

“It’s not exactly a surprise,” said 19-year-old Bouchard, the first Canadian to reach the last four in Melbourne. “I always expect myself to

do well. I’m not done. I have a match on Thursday. I’m just looking forward to that.”

Bouchard lost her composure only once, when she was asked in her on-court interview who she would most like to date and declared a liking for pop star Justin Bieber.

Li’s victory was, by contrast, a stroll by the banks of the Yarra River as she blasted her 28th-seeded opponent off the court to reach the semi-finals for the fourth time in five years.

After her victory, Li entertained the crowd on Rod laver Arena with another of the interviews that have made her a firm favorite at Melbourne Park - this time about how she would never smash a racket as she considers them friends.

It was left to her fellow thirtysomething Pannetta to assess the former French Open champion’s form. “I think she’s just improved her game a lot in the last year,” said the Italian, who was 2-2 in career meetings with Li going into yesterday’s match. “She’s really consistent.

Today she was much better than me in the court.” — Reuters

Hawks cool Heat as Pacers down Warriors ATLANTA: Paul Millsap scored 26 points as the Atlanta Hawks overcame LeBron James’ 30 points to beat the Miami Heat 121-114 Monday.

DeMarre Carroll added 19 points and Pero Antic had 17 for the Hawks, who snapped a nine-game losing streak in their series with the Heat. Chris Bosh had 21 points for Miami, which was without Dwyane Wade for the second straight game. Atlanta took its first win over Miami since Jan 2, 2012 and its first home win in the series since Nov. 18, 2009.

Gibson cutting down the middle. The athletic forward then muscled toward the hoop for the winning basket, which was confirmed in a video review by the officials.

Joakim Noah had 17 points and 21 rebounds for Chicago (2020), which has won eight of 10 to get back to .500 for the first time since Nov. 27. D.J. Augustin had a season-high 27 points, and Jimmy Butler finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Nick Young had 31 points for the Lakers, including a tying baseline jumper with 6 seconds left in overtime.

PACERS 102, WARRIORS 94 Paul George scored 23 points, and Roy Hibbert had 14 points and 13 rebounds as the NBA-leading Pacers built a big lead before holding off the Warriors for their fifth straight win.

The Pacers (33-7) went ahead by 20 in third quarter, watched the Warriors whittle the lead to two and then regrouped in the closing minutes to open a five-game West Coast trip with a victory.

David West added 17 points and Lance Stephenson finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists to help the Pacers pull away for good.

Stephen Curry had 24 points and nine assists, and David Lee had 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Warriors, who have lost four of six since their 10-game winning streak.

ROCKETS 126, TRAIL BLAZERS 113 Chandler Parsons scored a season-high 31 points and Dwight Howard added 24 points to help Houston snap Portland’s fivegame winning streak.

The Rockets won their second straight, building a big lead early and answering every time Portland made a run. James Harden added 22 points and had five assists and Patrick Beverley returned from a broken hand to score 17 points. Parsons added 10 rebounds and seven assists while finishing one point shy of his career-high.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 27 points and 20 rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who have won seven of their last 11 games. Damian Lillard added 24 points and Wesley Matthews had 18.

NETS 103, KNICKS 80 Joe Johnson scored 25 points and Brooklyn sent the Knicks to a fourth straight loss, evening this season’s New York rivalry at a game each. Making a triumphant return from London and completing a three-game, three-country road trip, the Nets improved to 7-1 in 2014 and avenged last month’s blowout loss. Andray Blatche had 19 points and 12 rebounds, and Alan Anderson scored 15 points for the Nets.

Carmelo Anthony had 26 points and 12 rebounds for the Knicks, who beat the Nets 113-83 in Brooklyn but were hardly ever in this one. They lost on Martin Luther King Jr. Day for the fourth straight time, the last two both at home to the Nets.

BULLS 102, LAKERS 100 Taj Gibson made a layup at the buzzer in overtime to lift Chicago to victory over Los Angeles. With nine-tenths of a second left, Mike Dunleavy inbounded from underneath the basket and found

CLIPPERS 112, PISTONS 103 DeAndre Jordan had 16 points and 21 rebounds as Los Angeles breezed past Detroit. Jordan made his first seven shots - almost all on dunks. Blake Griffin added 25 points and Jamal Crawford scored 26 for the Clippers, who are 6-2 since losing star point guard Chris Paul to a shoulder injury.

JJ Redick added 20 points for Los Angeles, including two fourpoint plays when the Pistons fouled him beyond the arc.

Rodney Stuckey scored 29 points for Detroit and Josh Smith added 24, but the Pistons got almost nothing from their starting backcourt. Brandon Jennings went scoreless and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored only six points.

MAVERICKS 102, CAVALIERS 97 Monta Ellis scored 22 points and Shawn Marion added 18 as Dallas held off Cleveland’s late rally. Cleveland roared back from a 24-point deficit in the first half and trailed by three with 2.8 seconds remaining, but the Cavaliers were called for a five-second violation

ATLANTA: Hawks’ Paul Millsap (4) drives to the basket in front of Miami Heat power forward Udonis Haslem (40) in the third period of an NBA basketball game. — AP when Jarrett Jack failed to get the ball inbounds. Ellis put the game away with two free throws with 1.1 seconds left.

Kyrie Irving led Cleveland with 26 points. Luol Deng, acquired from Chicago on Jan. 7, scored 20 points in his first home game with the Cavaliers while Anderson Varejao had 18 points with 21 rebounds.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 17 points and DeJuan Blair added 13 for the Mavericks, who had six players in double figures.

PELICANS 95, GRIZZLIES 92 Anthony Davis scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half and grabbed 10 rebounds to help New Orleans beat Memphis and end an eight-game losing streak.

Tyreke Evans added 15 points, 11 in the fourth quarter, and sev-

en assists. Brian Roberts scored 13 points and Eric Gordon finished with 12 for the short-handed Pelicans, who won for only the second time in January. Alexis Ajinca scored 10 points for New Orleans.

Zach Randolph had 23 points and a season-high 20 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who had won five straight. Courtney Lee added 19 points and Marc Gasol finished 14.

WIZARDS 107, 76ERS 99 Bradley Beal had 22 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and Marcin Gortat added 19 points and 11 rebounds, as Washington beat Philadelphia to reach .500 for the fourth time this season.

Washington has lost each of the previous times it reached .500.

On Wednesday against Boston, the Wizards will try to get over .500 for the first time since they were 2-1 on Oct. 31, 2009. — AP

Business WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

Turkey holds rates steady, sending lira to new low Page 22

IEA sees oil use rising as global growth picks up Page 23

MINI unleashes its dark side with new Black Knight edition Page 26

Hollande ties business tax relief to investment Page 25

IMF bumps up 2014 growth projections WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund raised its global growth forecast for the first time in nearly two years yesterday, saying fading economic headwinds should permit advanced nations to pick up the mantle of growth from emerging markets. But the IMF warned richer nations were still growing below full capacity, and it added the specter of deflation to its long list of risks that could derail the nascent recovery. In an update to its World Economic Outlook report, the Fund predicted the global economy would grow 3.7 percent this year, 0.1 percentage point higher than its October projection. It said it sees growth of 3.9 percent in 2015.

Olivier Blanchard, the IMF’s chief economist, said less government austerity and uncertainty, and a healthier financial system, were all allowing growth to speed ahead. “The basic reason behind the stronger recovery is that the brakes to the recovery are progressively being loosened,” Blanchard told reporters on a conference call. The IMF forecast higher growth in advanced economies this year but kept its outlook unchanged for the developing world, where higher exports to rich nations were expected to be offset by weak demand at home.

The United States is likely to be one of the bright spots, after a budget deal in Congress reduced some of the government spending cuts that had weighed on domestic demand. US data last month showed a build-up in business inventories, the most since 1998, helped boost third-quarter GDP, and the IMF expects domestic demand to lift growth to 2.8 percent in 2014.

In its previous forecast in October, it looked for growth of 2.6 percent. The IMF also saw a rosier outlook for Britain, amid cheap credit and greater confidence. It raised its growth forecast to 2.4 percent in 2014 from 1.9 percent in October. It was the largest increase among major economies.

Japan’s prospects also surprised to the upside, as the IMF predicted further fiscal stimulus should help offset some of the impact from a higher consumption tax planned for this spring.

However, the Fund said Japan must focus on consumption and investment to keep growth sustainable, rather than relying on government spending and exports. Japan launched an ambitious economic program last year to shock the economy out of nearly two decades of deflation.

The IMF warned other rich nations now risk the same problem of sluggish price growth, which can happen when economies linger well below their full potential. Disinflation can turn to an economically debilitating deflation if there is a negative shock to economic activity, the IMF warned. A falling spiral of prices would weaken demand by making cash more valuable over time, discouraging consumption. It also increases the burden of debt, a big problem for highly indebted places like the United States and the euro zone. — Reuters

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

BUSINESS

Osisko rejects hostile Goldcorp takeover bid MONTREAL: Canada’s Osisko Mining Corp yesterday rejected a Can$2.6 billion (US$2.4 billion) hostile takeover bid by rival Goldcorp, calling it insufficient.

“The Special Committee and Board of Directors have determined ... that the offer is financially inadequate and not in the best interests of Osisko,” the Quebec-based company said in a statement.

bullion prices fell more than 35 percent from record highs. Osisko said Goldcorp’s offer “significantly undervalues” its “world-class” Malartic gold mine in western Quebec, as well as the rest of its portfolio in North America.

In its January 13 statement announcing its bid, Goldcorp said the offer of 0.146 Goldcorp shares plus Can$2.26 in cash for each Osisko common share (a

Goldcorp responded by maintaining its offer and saying it was “open for acceptance” until February 19 unless it is “extended or withdrawn.” In announcing the bid last week, the Vancouverbased giant proposed one of the biggest mining sector deals in more than a year.

It came as gold companies are struggling to cut costs to stay afloat after

total value of Can$5.95) was a 15 percent premium over Osisko’s closing price on January 10.

Osisko called the 15 percent premium “meager.” In its brief reaction Monday, Goldcorp said the offer actually represented “a premium of 28 percent over the 20-day volume-weighted average share price of Osisko from all trading on Canadian exchanges for the peri-

od ending Januar y 10.”Goldcorp is Canada’s second largest gold company after Barrick, with a dozen mines operating in the Americas and several more in development. Osisko’s main asset is the Malartic gold mine, which started production in 2011. Over its 16-year lifespan the mine is expected to turn out 500,000 to 600,000 ounces of gold per year, according to Osisko. —AFP

Turkey holds rates steady, sending lira to new low CB seeks to tighten liquidity policies ANKARA: Turkey’s central bank kept its key interest rates steady yesterday despite intense market pressure, sending the local currency plunging to new lows.

The bank’s decision had been expected after Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci yesterday ruled out any hike in rates despite the currency’s rapid decline in the face of a deep political crisis.

The bank said in a statement after its monthly policy meeting that it was holding its key overnight rate at 7.75 percent, one-week repurchasing or repo rate at 4.5 percent and its borrowing rate at 3.5 percent. However, the bank’s monetary policy committee also gave itself room for manoeuvre, saying: “Liquidity policies need to be tightened in order to make the inflation outlook compatible with its medium term targets.”

Also the bank said it would make interbank interest rates rise to 9 percent on “additional monetary tightening days”. The lira was quoted at around 2.2548 to the dollar and 3.0505

to the euro shortly after the decision while the Istanbul stock exchange was up 0.94 percent to 66,381.88 points. The central bank has been under pressure from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s embattled government not to raise interest rates in order to boost growth and keep inflation in check.

Instead, it has been using its foreign currency reserves to shore up the currency, selling about $17.6 billion last year. The currency has been on a sharp downward spiral since mid-December when police launched an anticorruption probe that has embroiled members of Erdogan’s inner circle. Most analysts had expected the bank to hold fire on any rate increases after Zeybekci said on Monday that the central bank should not raise rates “because it would be an inconclusive step and put a permanent burden on our economy”.

But London-based Capital Economics said “Today’s move adds to what is already a muddled monetary policy framework and will raise further questions about the credibility of

the central bank.”

It added that “the lira is likely to come under further pressure.” Turkey’s finances, like those of other emerging economies, are also under pressure over the US Federal Reserve move to reduce its monetary stimulus program. While the government has insisted its growth target of four percent for 2014 remains intact, Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan said last week that inflation might be higher than forecast because of the lira’s depreciation.

Turkey’s inflation was registered at 7.4 percent last year and the government had been predicting 5.3 percent for 2014. The bank’s decision coincided with a pessimistic report card on Turkey issued by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The London-based EBRD cut its economic growth forecast for Turkey to 3.3 percent for this year from a previous estimate of 3.6 percent, blaming the impact of its domestic political crisis and tighter US monetary policy. —AFP

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani vendor (left) sells guavas to motorists waiting in a long queue to refuel their vehicles with compressed natural gas in Islamabad yesterday. Pakistan has had an endemic energy crisis for years, characterized by frequent blackouts, which has crippled the economy. —AFP

China’s Iranian crude imports drop 2.2%

China’s Iranian crude imports drop 2.2% BEIJING: China’s daily Iranian crude oil imports fell 2.2 percent to 428,840 barrels per day in 2013, a smaller-than-expected drop than previously forecast due to imports of condensate by an independent firm. The annual cut, though less than expected, is unlikely to have repercussions for China over US sanctions and comes as Washington and the European Union suspended some restrictions after a November deal over Tehran’s nuclear program.

The US State Department has already extended a six-month sanctions’ waiver to China for cutting Iranian oil purchases earlier in 2013, although Washington has said it will still aggressively enforce existing sanctions. Yesterday’s customs data showed that China’s December crude imports from Iran fell 14.5 percent from a year earlier to 507,707 bpd.

For the whole of 2013, China Tehran’s top oil client and trading partner - imported 21.442 million tons of Iranian crude, or 428,840 bpd, data from the General Administration of Customs showed.

That compared with around 27.76 million tons, or an average of 555,200 bpd in 2011, prior to the latest rounds of toughened sanctions.

December’s was down 5.7 percent versus November and the fourth highest daily rate last year, supporting indications that top refiner Sinopec Corp had increased liftings

world powers allows the OPEC member to keep exports at the current reduced levels of about 1 million bpd, less than half the presanctions level.The deal also exempts buyers of Iranian oil, most of whom are based in Asia, from continually reducing purchases to earn a six-monthly waiver granted by the United States from sanctions.

For 2014, China may buy more

since November to top up cuts in previous months.

The cut for the whole of last year was below the 5-10 percent estimated by Chinese oil officials in late 2012, after independently-run petrochemical firm, Dragon Aromatics, had since the second half of 2013 shipped in Iran condensate, a light crude oil as feedstock. A breakthrough agreement in November between Tehran and

Saudi’s Al-Khodari Q4 net profit slips DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah A M Al-Khodari Sons Co said yesterday its fourth-quarter net profit slipped 68.9 percent as earnings at the construction firm continued to be hit by changes to employment law in the Kingdom. Al Khodari made 8.5 million riyals ($2.3 million) in the three months to Dec. 31, versus 27.3 million riyals in the corresponding period of 2012, it said in a bourse filing.

The firm cited increase manpower costs - up 28.4 percent yearon-year - and a 63.8 percent hike in financing costs as some of the reasons for the profit decline. The postponement of an auction of surplus equipment to the first quarter of this year also impacted the bottom line. In late 2012, the Labor Ministry began charging companies a fee of 2,400 riyals for each foreign worker they employed above their number of Saudi staff. The policy is part of efforts to encourage companies to hire Saudi nationals, who are generally more expensive than foreigners.

The firm and other construction companies have also been pressured by other labor policies, such as a quota system for the percentages of Saudis which firms must employ, even as demand for their services grows with the country’s economic boom and heavy infrastructure spending by the government. —Reuters

Iranian oil as state -run trader Zhuhai Zhenrong Corp is negotiating a condensate contract that could raise impor ts to levels unseen since tough Western sanctions were imposed in 2012, Reuters has reported. Total crude oil imports into China, the world’s largest buyer after the United States, rose 4 percent last year, or by 216,880 bpd, more than a third slower than the 340,000-bpd increase in 2012, in line with moderating economic growth. Iran was the sixth largest crude supplier to China in 2013, dropping from the previous year’s fourth position as it was overtaken by Iraq and Oman, each marking an annual growth of 50 percent and 30 percent, respectively. Saudi Arabia, the world’s top crude exporter, exported 53.9 million tons (1.08 million bpd) to China in 2013, barely changed from 2012. Iraq recorded the biggest incremental supply of nearly 160,000 bpd through December, or 50 percent, data showed. Oman rose to rank the third largest supplier to China, surpassing Iraq, up from No.7 in 2012.

That is partly because China bought Oman’s entire exports in July - of 3.3 million tons - to take advantage of attractive pricing and also to cover sharp cuts in Iranian and Kuwaiti imports in June and July, traders said yesterday. —Reuters

agreement in November between Tehran and world powers allows the OPEC member to keep exports at the current reduced levels of about 1 million bpd, less than half the pre -sanctions level. The deal also exempts buyers of Iranian oil, most of whom are based in Asia, from continually reducing purchases to earn a six-monthly waiver granted by the United States from sanctions.

For 2014, China may buy more Iranian oil as state-run trader Zhuhai Zhenrong Corp is negotiating a condensate contract that could raise imports to levels unseen since tough Western sanctions were imposed in 2012, Reuters has reported. Total crude oil imports into China, the world’s largest buyer after the United States, rose 4 percent last year, or by 216,880 bpd, more than a third slower than the 340,000-bpd increase in 2012, in line with moderating economic growth. Iran was the sixth largest crude supplier to China in 2013, dropping from the previous year’s fourth position as it was overtaken by Iraq and Oman, each marking an annual growth of 50 percent and 30 percent, respectively. Saudi Arabia, the world’s top crude exporter, exported 53.9 million tons (1.08 million bpd) to China in 2013, barely changed from 2012. Iraq recorded the biggest incremental supply of nearly 160,000 bpd through December, or 50 percent, data showed. Oman rose to rank the third largest supplier to China, surpassing Iraq, up from No.7 in 2012.

That is partly because China bought Oman’s entire exports in July - of 3.3 million tons - to take advantage of attractive pricing and also to cover sharp cuts in Iranian and Kuwaiti imports in June and July, traders said yesterday. —Reuters

BEIJING: China’s daily Iranian crude oil imports fell 2.2 percent to 428,840 barrels per day in 2013, a smaller-than-expected drop than previously forecast due to imports of condensate by an independent firm. The annual cut, though less than expected, is unlikely to have repercussions for China over US sanctions and comes as Washington and the European Union suspended some restrictions after a November deal over Tehran’s nuclear program.

The US State Department has already extended a six-month sanctions’ waiver to China for cutting Iranian oil purchases earlier in 2013, although Washington has said it will still aggressively enforce existing sanctions. Yesterday’s customs data showed that China’s December crude imports from Iran fell 14.5 percent from a year earlier to 507,707 bpd.

For the whole of 2013, China - Tehran’s top oil client and trading partner - imported 21.442 million tons of Iranian crude, or 428,840 bpd, data from the General Administration of Customs showed. That compared with around 27.76 million tons, or an average of 555,200 bpd in 2011, prior to the latest rounds of toughened sanctions. December’s was down 5.7 percent versus November and the fourth highest daily rate last year, supporting indications that top refiner Sinopec Corp had increased liftings since November to top up cuts in previous months.

The cut for the whole of last year was below the 5-10 percent estimated by Chinese oil officials in late 2012, after independently-run petrochemical firm, Dragon Aromatics, had since the second half of 2013 shipped in Iran condensate, a light crude oil as feedstock. A breakthrough

EXCHANGE RATES Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. 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 Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

ASIAN COUNTRIES 2.728 4.619 2.694 2.168 2.883 222.710 36.600 3.645 6.297 8.647 0.271 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES 75.724 78.024 737.660 754.220 77.333

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 39.850 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 40.369 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.325 Tunisian Dinar 172.450 Jordanian Dinar 401.000 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.905 Syrian Lira 2.023 Morocco Dirham 35.261 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 283.850 Euro 385.750 Sterling Pound 467.500 Canadian dollar 260.170 Turkish lira 127.370 Swiss Franc 312.270 Australian Dollar 250.360 US Dollar Buying 282.650 20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

GOLD 236.000 120.000 62.000

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 253.57 262.97 315.94 387.44 283.25 469.23 2.78 3.644 4.611 2.170 2.890 2.693 77.19 753.89 40.68 403.13 736.63 78.22 75.66

SELL CASH 250.57 263.97 313.94 388.44 286.25 472.23 2.80 3.914 4.911 2.605 3.425 2.790 77.65 755.96 41.28 408.78 743.93 78.77 76.06

2.985 3.880 86.870 47.290 9.625 127.300

Philippine Peso Sierra Leone Singapore Dollar South African Rand Sri Lankan Rupee Taiwan Thai Baht

0.008511 0.000069 0.219253 0.020230 0.001879 0.009418 0.008378

0.006791 0.000075 0.225253 0.028730 0.002459 0.009598 0.008928

Bahrain Exchange Company

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 0.746461 0.037574 0.000078 0.000185 0.396139 1.0000000 0.000139 0.023842 0.001202 0.731241 0.077256 0.075057 0.002175 0.168180 0.130434 0.076300 0.001289

0.754461 0.040674 0.000080 0.000245 0.403639 1.0000000 0.000239 0.047842 0.001837 0.736921 0.078469 0.075757 0.002395 0.176180 0.137434 0.077449 0.001369

Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit Chinese Yuan Renminbi Thai Bhat Turkish Lira

COUNTRY Belgian Franc British Pound Czech Korune Danish Krone Euro Norwegian Krone Romanian Leu Slovakia Swedish Krona Swiss Franc Turkish Lira

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

Selling Rate 283.600 261.685 466.275 386.095 311.250 748.845 77.190 78.745 76.495 399.680 40.678 2.168 4.607 2.687 3.643 6.276 696.580 3.715

Australian Dollar New Zealand Dollar

SELL CASH Europe 0.007379 0.458819 0.005977 0.047415 0.378102 0.041998 0.081904 0.008145 0.039845 0.305450 0.130434 Australasia 0.240776 0.227712

SELLDRAFT 0.008379 0.467819 0.017977 0.052415 0.385802 0.047198 0.81904 0.018145 0.044845 0.314740 0.137434 0.252276 0.237212

Al Mulla Exchange America Canadian Dollar US Dollars US Dollars Mint

0.254129 0.279750 0.280250

0.262629 0.284100 0.284100

Bangladesh Taka Chinese Yuan Hong Kong Dollar Indian Rupee Indonesian Rupiah Japanese Yen Kenyan Shilling Korean Won Malaysian Ringgit Nepalese Rupee Pakistan Rupee

Asia 0.003570 0.045692 0.034512 0.004273 0.000019 0.002647 0.003389 0.000257 0.083257 0.002984 0.002495

0.004170 0.049192 0.037262 0.004674 0.000025 0.002827 0.003389 0.000272 0.089257 0.003154 0.002775

Currency US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal *Rates are subject to change

Transfer Rate (Per 1000) 283.300 386.300 467.500 260.400 4.610 40.670 2.166 3.643 6.285 2.690 754.300 77.150 75.650

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

BUSINESS

Kuwait credit growth likely at 8% in 2013 NBK ECONOMIC REPORT KUWAIT: Credit growth moderated due to a weaker November, but remained on track to record solid growth in 2013. The weaker November gain in credit was not surprising as it followed three months of strong growth. The non-financial business sector was particularly weak during the month while consumer lending growth continued to moderate.

Bank credit was up a modest KD 81 million on the month, with year-onyear growth easing to 7.3 percent.

Despite this, bank credit continued to record its strongest performance since 2010, with a net increase of KD 2.1 billion thus far in 2013. We still expect the year to record growth closer to 8 percent, in part due to base effects from a weak figure in December 2012.

The non-financial business sector experienced a modest month following its very strong performance in October. November’s gain was a smaller KD 41 million, with year-on-year growth slipping to 6.7 percent. Gains in the trade and industry sectors helped offset a drop in the real estate sector (-61 mn). Credit for the purchase of securities saw another good month (+KD 60 million) while the non-

bank financial sector remained in deleveraging mode (-KD 36 million).

Household credit, which continued to see the most rapid growth, saw another relatively weak month adding KD 75 million in November. The figure was lower than the KD 100 million monthly average seen in 2013 to-date.

Growth in household credit eased for a second consecutive month, growing

by a still healthy 15.9 percent.

Private sector deposits added KD 249 million in November. The month saw solid increases in dinar deposits (+KD 370 million), which countered a KD 121 million decline in foreign currency deposits. Private sector deposit growth has outpaced growth in credit in 2013, which has pushed the average loan-to-deposit ratio down to 94 per-

cent compared to 97 percent a year ago.

As a result, broad money supply (M2) expanded by KD 232 million during the month, with year-on-year growth accelerating to 11.1 percent.

The narrower measure (M1) increased

by KD 142 million, but saw growth ease to 18 percent.

Deposit rates on dinar time

deposits remained mostly unchanged though the 1-month deposit rate has been edging slowly higher. The average rate on the 1-month time deposit gained around 0.8 basis points over the last few months to reach 0.565 percent. 3-month and 12-month deposits paid 0.74 percent and 1.12 percent, respectively, mostly unchanged from last month.

IEA sees oil use rising as global growth picks up Rapid rise in US crude production to continue

DAVOS: Participants arrive at the congress center prior to the opening of the World Economic Forum in Davos yesterday. Some 40 world leaders gather in the Swiss ski resort Davos to discuss and debate a wide range of issues including the causes of conflicts plaguing the Middle East, and how to reinvigorate the global economy. —AFP

Hungary cuts base rate to record low of 2.85% BUDAPEST: Hungary’s central bank (MNB) cut its main interest rate to a record low level of 2.85 percent from 3.0 percent yesterday. The cut was the 18th in a row in an easing policy begun in August 2012 — when the rate was 7.0 percent.

But the latest reduction was smaller than in previous months, a midpoint between analyst expectations of a 10 or 20 basis point cut. As in previous months, the MNB said that Hungary’s low inflation and still fragile recovery from a 2012 recession argued in favor of cutting the base rate to historically low levels. “Despite the slowdown in stimulus from the US Federal Reserve, the external environment remains favorable, making room for measured cuts,” it said in a later statement, without explaining why the cut was lower than previous ones. Hungary, a member of the European Union but not of the euro-zone, has recorded three quarters of growth in a row, after enduring its second recession in four years in 2012.

Overall growth for 2013 was forecast at just 1.0 percent however, rising to around 2.0 percent in 2014. Twelve-month inflation, one of the highest in the EU in 2012, meanwhile dropped to a 40-year low of 0.4 percent since December. After Tuesday’s

announcement, the national currency-the forint-gained slightly, to 302.53 to the euro compared to 302.8 earlier, sliding to 302.7 by 1430GMT. The forint however has weakened below 300 to the euro since the start of the year.

Analysts say currency risk was also a factor in the decision to slow the pace of the rate cuts from the previous 25 and 20 basis points. According to analysts, investors have shown concern over the long-running easing policy as well as the impact on emerging economies such as Hungary of the US Federal Reserve’s ‘tapering’ of stimulus.

Daniel Bebesy, an economist with Budapest Alapkezelo (GE Group), said the smaller reduction showed the MNB’s ratesetting Monetary Council was becoming more cautious, but not enough to stop cutting. According to Tamas Pesuth of the Nezopont Institute, Hungary’s monetary easing will continue as long as market conditions allow, despite the MNB’s stated caution, possibly until the base rate reaches 2.5 percent.

Hungary is part of the region of eastern and central Europe which analysts refer to as emerging Europe, and say is now poised overall for steady recovery. — AFP

German investor sentiment stalls, but recovery intact FRANKFURT: Investment sentiment in Germany stalled unexpectedly in January after rising to a seven-year high the previous month, but recovery of Europe’s top economy remains intact, a survey found yesterday. The widely watched investor confidence index calculated by the ZEW economic institute inched down by 0.3 point to 61.7 points in January, ZEW said in a statement.

Analysts had been pencilling in a further increase after the barometer hit its highest level in more than seven years in December. But ZEW president Clemens Fuest insisted the latest reading was no real setback. “Hovering at a high level, economic expectations for Germany have moved sidewards in this month’s survey,” he said.

“For months, the surveyed financial market experts have expected an economic upswing. In this month’s survey the clearly improved assessment of the current economic situation seems to confirm these expectations,” Fuest said. For the survey, ZEW questions analysts and institutional investors about their current assessment of the economic situation in Germany, as well as their expectations for the coming months. The sub-index measuring financial market players’ view of the current economic situation in Germany rose by 8.8 points to 41.2 points in January, its highest

level since May 2012.

Investor sentiment is “still going strong,” said ING DiBa economist Carsten Brzeski.

The strong equity market and the possibility of further action by the European Central Bank “have clearly kept German investors in a positive mood,” the expert said. “The ZEW index has not the best track record when it comes to predicting German economic activity. “However ... over the last years, the current assessment component has become a rather good leading indicator for GDP growth. In this regards, today’s sharp increase of the current assessment component is good news for the economy,” Brzeski said. “The fundamentals of the German economy remain strong. With a solid labor market, higher real wages, the gradual investment pick-up, filled order books and low inventories the German economy seems to be in the starting blocks for a growth acceleration this year,” he added.

Natixis economist Johannes Gareis agreed. “If there is one message to take away from today’s ZEW index, it is that German analysts and investors remain overly optimistic and believe in the robustness of the German economic recovery, which is in line with our scenario of a marked acceleration in economic growth in this year,” Gareis said.— AFP

LONDON: Global oil demand will rise more quickly this year as economic growth in industrialized countries accelerates, absorbing more supply even as US shale oil production reaches record highs, the West’s energy watchdog said yesterday.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) said world oil consumption would increase by 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2014, 50,000 bpd higher than previously forecast. “Global oil demand growth appears to have gradually gained momentum in the last 18 months, driven by economic recovery in the developed world,” the IEA said in its monthly report. “Most OECD economies have by now largely exited the restraints of recession, with strong gains in some countries in the energy-intensive manufacturing and petrochemical sectors.”

Oil demand growth has been boosted by a robust economic rebound in the United States, where the IEA has revised up its 2013 demand estimate by 180,000 bpd to 18.9 million bpd. US oil production is increasing rapidly and is forecast to rise by 780,000 bpd this year, but the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will also have to pump more to

meet increasing demand.

The IEA, which advises most of the largest energy-consuming countries on energy policy, raised its demand forecast for OPEC oil this year by 200,000 bpd to 29.4 million bpd. Last year, political unrest led to a plunge in Libyan exports, at times to less than 10 percent of capacity, and more Iranian barrels disappeared from the market due to sanctions. But OPEC crude oil supply edged higher in December, reversing four months of declines, the IEA said, with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates leading the increase. Libya saw a modest rise, and Iraq was the only member to post a fall.

Iranian supplies contracted by 200,000 bpd last year but edged higher in December as diplomatic activity aimed at halting Tehran’s nuclear activity gained momentum. The IEA said rising US crude production helped balance the effects of supply disruptions among some OPEC countries.

“Most prominent among those shifts was the relentless rise in US crude production, whose 990,000 bpd growth, one of the largest annual gains on record for any country, helped blunt the impact of supply declines elsewhere, notably

Libya and Iran,” the report said. The loss of oil production from Libya and Iran has helped keep a floor under prices, but the increasing US output has limited rises. Brent crude averaged around $108.70 a barrel last year, about $3 less than in 2012, and yesterday traded around $107.

US production growth in 2013 far surpassed the IEA’s own projections, registering the fastest absolute annual supply expansion of any country in the past two decades, the report said.

However, the IEA said the energy industry had absorbed the extra supply through refinery and pipeline expansions and growth in crude rail transport.

“The trend in US production looks set to continue in 2014 and beyond, providing once again the largest changes in the market,” the report said. Demand over the last few months has depleted oil inventories despite rising production, it said. The Paris-based agency said commercial oil stocks in the world’s industrialized nations plummeted in November by 53.6 million barrels, the biggest monthly decline since 2011.

Preliminary data for December suggests a further 42.5 million barrel draw in OECD inventories. —Reuters

Takaful may reshape Oman’s crowded insurance market MUSCAT: Oman has seen the birth of its first Islamic insurance (takaful) firm as two others prepare to enter the market, hoping to gain an edge in the sultanate’s crowded insurance sector. This month Oman’s eighth largest insurer, Al-Madina Takaful, converted itself from a conventional insurer to a takaful company.

Takaful follows religious principles such as bans on interest and pure monetary speculation; risk is pooled among policy holders rather than borne entirely by the company.

Set up in 2006, Al-Madina has accumulated a 5 percent share of the insurance market. It changed its conventional insurance clients to takaful policies after a customer education process, and said it did not experience client exits or other problems. It now hopes its switch to takaful will attract clients who may have shied away from financial products for religious reasons. This could prove important in a market where the top seven firms, out of 23, account for as much as 70 percent of total gross written premiums.

“We have the opportunity of saying something different in the market. It is overcrowded but we have the ‘new’ factor,” Al Madina’s chief executive Gautam Datta told Reuters.

“This gives us an opportunity to grow into areas where we might not have been able to make a dent.”

In the next two years, the firm plans to add up to seven new branches to its network of three, and distribute products via Islamic banks, a practice known as banca takaful, said Datta. Two new firms could soon

follow in Al Madina’s footsteps. One is Takaful Oman Insurance, which completed an initial public offer of shares last month, backed by investors including Kuwait’s T’azur Takaful Insurance.

Takaful Oman projects reaching a 4 percent share of the overall insurance market within five years of starting operations, its IPO prospectus shows. Last February, Oman United Insurance obtained board approval to incorporate a takaful firm of its own, but it has not provided further details of its plans.

Because these two are new takaful firms, rather than conversions of existing ones, their entry could crowd the market further and add to pressure on profitability. “Considerable over-capacity in the Oman insurance industry depresses the market’s overall performance,” said Mohammed Ali Riyazuddin Londe, analyst at Moody’s Investors Service. “The Omani insurance market is fragmented and highly competitive, albeit price competition is arguably less than that witnessed in Kuwait or the United Arab Emirates.”

REGULATION Oman opened to Islamic finance in 2011, introducing an extensive Islamic banking framework at the end of 2012. But the financial regulator, the Capital Market Authority (CMA), has yet to publish its final rules on takaful, while an insurance law is still in the draft stage. The CMA is considering whether to increase the minimum paid-in capital required for firms writing life and non-life insurance to 10 million

rials ($25.9 million) each, said Londe. Currently, firms need to hold 5 million rials of paid-in capital; the new rules would require composite insurers to hold a minimum total of 20 million rials.

“This could lead to some insurers exiting the market and may increase consolidative pressures in the sector.” That fits with the regulator’s desire to see consolidation in both the banking and insurance sectors.

Firms such as Al Madina also face limits on their foreign investments, which are capped at 25 percent of their total investments, and holdings of fixed income securities, which are restricted to 10 percent, said Datta. The CMA has been flexible in granting grace periods to comply with such limits, but a long-term solution will require a deepening of local Islamic capital markets, said Datta. “This is a critical aspect for takaful business viability.” Datta does not expect an immediate change to Al Madina’s market share, but the company projects its assets will grow by 11.9 percent in 2014 to 45.8 million rials, and 12.8 percent in 2015, with a return on capital in the range of 9 percent. The company completed an initial public offer of its shares in November, selling 66.67 million shares at a price of 0.14 rials each; the shares have dropped 2.1 percent since their Dec. 10 listing, underperforming a 6.0 percent rise in the main Oman stock index.

Al-Madina currently only offers general takaful products but it has a composite license and thus plans to develop life products, aiming to introduce them in 2015, Datta said. — Reuters

DUBAI: French Minister for Foreign Trade Nicole Bricq (center) visits the first tram delivered by the French company Alstom to the Dubai tramway project, yesterday in the Emirati city. The 15-kilometre (nine-mile) network is expected to be completed by November 2014. (Right) A general view of the project. — AFP

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

BUSINESS

Gold holds steady below 6-week high SINGAPORE: Gold was holding just below a six-week peak yesterday amid higher equities and worries that physical demand could ease due to the recent rally in prices. Platinum at the same time held near its strongest in 2-1/2 months as labor strikes were set to begin later in the week at top producers in South Africa.

Investors were reluctant to take big positions in bullion a week ahead of a US Federal Reserve policy meeting, when it could announce another cut to its bond-buying stimulus. “Gold is likely to remain pressured in the days ahead ... from traders positioning

for FOMC commencing in exactly a week’s time,” said Joyce Liu, an investment analyst at Phillip Futures. The Fed’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meets on Jan. 28-29. In its last policy meeting in December, the US central bank decided to cut its historic bondbuying stimulus by $10 billion to $75 billion in monthly purchases.

The bond purchases had bolstered gold’s position as a hedge against inflation and a weak economy, pushing prices to an all-time high of $1,920 in 2011.

However, with an economic recovery underway, prices have fallen 35 percent from those peaks.

Spot gold was nearly unchanged at $1,253.60 an ounce by 0722 GMT, not far from the six-week peak of $1,259.85 it touched on Monday. Platinum was at $1,461.49, steady after sharp gains in the previous session that took it to $1,469.50 - its highest since Oct. 31.

The main trade union for South African platinum miners said its members will go on strike from Thursday at the world’s top three producers, hitting over half of global output. South African gold producers have also received notice from the union of the intention to strike.

Gold purchases in China, the biggest buyer of the

metal, have slowed from last week’s levels as gold prices have gained for four straight weeks. Premiums for 99.99 percent purity gold on the Shanghai Gold Exchange fell to about $13 from Monday’s $14, though volumes were higher.

Analysts say Chinese gold imports, the lone bright spot in an otherwise disastrous year for bullion in 2013, look set to fall from last year’s record levels. Three analysts expect at least a 10 percent decline during 2014, though that would still leave China’s imports for the year at the second highest on record. —Reuters

TOKYO: People wait for a traffic signal to change in front of an electronic stock indicator in Tokyo yesterday. Asian stocks rose yesterday after China’s central bank injected extra credit into its financial system, helping to offset concern about slower Chinese growth. —AP

Asia shares rise, Nikkei boosted by weak yen HONG KONG: Asian markets rose yesterday, with Japan’s Nikkei index the standout performer thanks to a weaker yen, as investors moved in for cheaper stocks following the previous day’s sell-off.

With US markets closed Monday for a public holiday, investors shrugged off flat Chinese economic growth figures a day earlier to send China shares higher after the country’s central bank moved to ease fears of a cash crunch. In Tokyo, the benchmark Nikkei rose 0.99 percent, or 154.28 points, to close at 15,795.96, Seoul rose 0.52 percent, or 10.11 points, to 1,963.89 and Sydney added 0.69 percent, or 36.5 points, to finish at 5,331.5.

Hong Kong added 0.45 percent, or 104.17 points, to 23,033.12 and Shanghai climbed 0.86 percent, or 17.06 points, to 2,008.31. Markets mostly sank on Monday after China said its economy-a key driver of regional and global growth-expanded 7.7 percent last year, the same rate as in 2012 which was the slowest since 1999.

Gross domestic product expansion for the October-December quarter also slowed to 7.7 percent from 7.8 percent in the previous three months. The Nikkei enjoyed a pick-up ahead of a two-day Bank of Japan policy meeting that ends today, with some speculation that it will announce fresh measures in its stimulus program.

The yen eased against the dollar and euro, proving support for exporters. In afternoon trade the dollar was at 104.71 yen against 104.10 yen in London late Monday, while the euro fetched 141.72 yen compared with 141.19 yen.

The euro was also at $1.3533 from $1.3563. CLSA equity strategist Nicholas Smith said there were rumors the BoJ might make an announcement on Wednesday regarding its asset-purchas-

ing program.

However, he told Dow Jones Newswires that “any additional easing measures aren’t likely until around the time of the April consumption-tax hike which is when they would be the most effective”.

In Shanghai, shares advanced after the central People’s Bank of China said late Monday that it had provided short-term liquidity to some large commercial banks to avert a cash crunch as investors gear up for a flood of new stock listings that many fear could lead to a share glut. The central bank also injected 255 billion yuan ($41.8 billion) worth of funds into the interbank market yesterday.

In oil trade US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for delivery in February was up six cents at $94.43 a barrel, while Brent crude for March reversed earlier losses to climb 65 cents to $107.00.

In other markets: Taipei fell 0.25 percent, or 21.66 points, to 8,599.9. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co was 0.93 percent lower at Tw$106.5 while leading chip design house MediaTek shed 5.37 percent at Tw$388.0. l Wellington was up 0.64 percent, or 31.18 points, at 4,921.67. Fletcher Building was up 1.46 percent at NZ$9.06, and clothing retailer Hallenstein Glasson Holdings surged 7.1 percent on bargainhunting to close at NZ$3.48. Chorus ended down 4.9 percent at NZ$1.465. l Manila closed 0.23 percent higher, adding 13.64 points to finish at 6,019.24.

Philippine Long Distance Telephone climbed 2.52 percent to 2,762.00 pesos, BDO Unibank was 2.21 percent up at 73.90 pesos and Metropolitan Bank was 0.98 percent higher at 77.40 pesos. —AFP l

Oil heads towards $108 LONDON: Oil rose towards $108 a barrel yesterday as the International Energy Agency raised its forecast for global oil demand this year, citing accelerating economic growth.

The West’s energy watchdog said world oil consumption would increase by 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) this year, 50,000 bpd higher than it previously forecast. This means supply will be tight, even as US shale oil production reaches record highs, with commercial oil stocks in industrialized nations plummeting in November by 53.6 million barrels, the biggest monthly drop since 2011. “Most OECD economies have by now largely exited the restraints of recession, with strong gains in some countries in the energy-intensive manufacturing and petrochemical sectors,” the IEA report said.

Brent crude rose $1.44 to $107.79 a barrel by 1048 GMT, after dropping to a low of $105.81 in the previous session. It was heading for its highest close since Dec 31, and on track for its biggest daily gain in more than a month. US oil futures gained 27 cents from Friday’s close to $94.64 a barrel. There was no settlement on Monday on the New York Mercantile Exchange due to a US holiday.

Oil also received support from an increase in risk appetite across the market after the People’s Bank of China dumped more than 255 billion yuan ($42 billion) into the financial system, easing concerns about a credit crunch that could hamper growth in the world’s second-biggest economy.

Helping to cap gains, Iran halted its most sensitive nuclear operations under a preliminary deal, raising prospects that the OPEC

member will eventually increase oil exports.

“The Iran situation appears to be making progress, and that is taking some of the geopolitical tension off, but lifting oil sanctions will be the last to happen,” said Victor Shum, vice president of energy consultancy IHS Energy Insight. Now that Iran has fulfilled its initial nuclear commitments under the deal, the six current customers of Iranian oil will be able to maintain purchases at current levels for six months without risk of sanctions.

In one sign of easing, Japan’s main private ship insurer on Monday resumed normal coverage for tankers carrying Iranian oil, an official with the Japan P&I Club said.

A US official said Iran was currently exporting about 60 percent less oil than it was two years ago and would be held to those reduced levels.

Supply worries Helping to support prices were worries of prolonged disruptions from South Sudan and OPEC member Libya. South Sudan’s president said his soldiers had taken back regional capital Malakal from rebels, but insurgents battling the government dismissed that report.

Libya plans to remove protesters who have seized eastern ports vital to oil exports within the next few days, Prime Minister Ali Zeidan said.

Since the summer, a group of heavily armed demonstrators has occupied three eastern oil ports, which together had accounted for 600,000 bpd of exports, to force the central government to give it political autonomy. —Reuters

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

BUSINESS

Hollande ties business tax relief to investment PARIS: President Francois Hollande yesterday tied a promise to ease the tax burden on French companies to their readiness to invest in France and to hiring young and old workers, who have been hardest hit by high unemployment. Aiming to make companies more competitive and cut unemployment now running at around 11 percent in France, Hollande pledged last week to offer some 30 billion euros ($40 billion) of cuts in labor charges and simplify regulations in return for more hiring.

Business groups have opposed fixed hiring targets. In a New Year’s address to business leaders and unions yesterday, Hollande provided further details, saying that companies would have to commit to investing in France and would have to hire as a priority young and older workers in order to qualify for the labor tax break.

“Companies must commit to invest more in France and relocate their activities as much as possible at home,” Hollande said in a speech billed as the official launch of his so-called “responsibility pact”.

The government will hammer out detailed targets in the coming months in talks with unions and business leaders, due to start on Jan 27. Hollande also urged employers and unions to present options by the end of this year on how to improve France’s notoriously brittle industrial rela-

tions. He suggested the creation of staff representative bodies with a say in the running of a company - a move towards German-style Mitbestimmung, or co-determination. The attempt by Hollande to cajole business into more hiring through labor charge cuts is part of what commentators see as a more centrist stance being adopted by the president to revive the euro zone’s second-largest economy. The shift in policy has been overshadowed in the past week by interest in Hollande’s private life following reports of an affair with actress Julie Gayet.

The “responsibility pact” recalls the 1998 “alliance for jobs” which Germany’s Social Democrat ex-chancellor Gerhard Schroeder launched with unions and business in his first term. While that alliance produced only modest results in terms of new employment, analysts have noted that it prepared the way for the more sweeping labor market reforms in Schroeder’s second term, accredited with transforming the German economy.

Business ‘asphyxiated’ Though French businesses cautiously welcome Hollande’s pact, they are wary about getting tied down to specific targets.

Pierre Gattaz, president of employers’ union Medef, said France’s private sector could

create one million extra jobs if given such relief, but insisted that committing individual sectors to specific targets, as suggested

by Hollande last week, was unworkable.

“I am not talking about written commitments,” he told France 2 television. “One million jobs, that is the consequence of the package of measures we expect - and which we expect in 2014, moreover.

Companies are being asphyxiated and terrorized by a political mood that was difficult for them in 2013,” he said. Hollande has said that firms would be completely exonerated from contributions to family benefit funds by 2017 - a volume of tax breaks put at around 30 billion.

However he also suggested the cost of the measures to the government could be partly offset by replacing 20 billion euros of tax credits already promised to companies from this year - in other words, the net new impact of the moves could be as little as 10 billion euros. France has some of the highest state spending and taxes in the world, with public spending currently around 56 percent of national output some 12 points higher than that in Germany - and a total tax burden at over 40 percent of output. French corporate margins are the lowest in the euro zone, according to Eurostat data.

Hollande has said he is ready to find an

extra 50 billion euros worth of cumulative spending cuts over the three years, a move that would slow down the projected rise in spending. He is looking at cuts in France’s complex system of local government and

its vast welfare system. However Gattaz proposed that Hollande go further and completely freeze spending until the end of his mandate in 2017 at a current level of around 1.2 trillion euros. —Reuters

PARIS: French President Francois Hollande, left, shakes hand with French employer’s body MEDEF union leader Pierre Gattaz at the end of a New Year ceremony for employment sector representatives at the Elysee Palace in Paris yesterday. —AP

Norway’s $833bn oil fund eyes riskier bets New govt reviews strategy at fund

JINAN: Villagers gathering to receive their share of one million yuan ($165,000) paid out in year-end bonuses by a tea company at their village in the suburb of Jinan, east China’s Shandong province. The biggest payout amounts to 200,000 yuan as the villagers have been growing tea since 2003. —AFP

Russia to maintain oil output stable in 2014 MOSCOW: Russia will at least keep its oil production at record-high levels this year thanks to strong performance at new fields but there is little chance of significant further gains in output, analysts and officials said.

Russia, the world’s top oil producer, relies on oil export revenues to fill state coffers and keep its economy growing. Output rose 1.4 percent last year to a post-Soviet high of 10.51 million barrels per day (bpd) thanks to greenfields launched a couple of years ago.

But the fields now ramping up production, such as Rosneft’s Vankor deposit in Eastern Siberia, were discovered by Soviet geologists.

Newer discoveries are years away from coming on stream and that will constrain growth potential.

And, although Russia is the world’s secondlargest oil exporter behind Saudi Arabia, its crude surplus is being squeezed by a massive round of refinery upgrades that will cut oil flows abroad.

The Energy Ministry predicts that domestic oil production will be at least unchanged this year, with so-called “old greenfields” such as Vankor or Surgutneftegas’s Talakan fields helping offset declines at older brownfields.

Russia has three times more oil in the ground than the United States, but it stands to lose its lead in production as soon as next year due to the US shale energy revolution, the International Energy Agency predicts.

Reflecting the lack of dynamism, state oil firm Rosneft said it replaced 180 percent of its production in reserves last year. Yet Russia’s largest oil producer plans annual output growth of only 1 percent in the years to come.

Alexander Kornilov, an analyst with Alfa Bank, expects output to add around 1 percent in 2014, thanks to growth at Rosneft’s Vankor and Uvat fields, Talakan and Lukoil’s Caspian Korchagin field.

Three large deposits launched last year, Trebs and Titov in West Siberia, Srednebotuobinskoe in Eastern Siberia and the Arctic Prirazlomnoye - all Soviet discoveries - are expected to add a total of around 16 million tonnes (300,000 bpd) to overall pro-

duction towards the end of this decade.

First oil at all three deposits was delayed and peak production targets revised, making long-term forecasts now less reliable, analysts say. Still, they will support output.

“Rosneft plans to add around 1 percent to its output. Given that it is the country’s largest oil company, Russia will also see moderate growth,” said Andrey Polischuk at Raiffeisenbank.

Surgutneftegas plans to keep its oil output stable at around 1.2 million bpd this year, the company told Reuters, while Lukoil and Gazprom Neft declined to comment. Russia’s next major Arctic field, Gazprom Neft’s Novoportovskoye, is expected to pump its first oil this year at a rate of up to 10,000 bpd, rising sharply by 2020. Other major new fields such as Yurubcheno-Tokhomskoye or Kyumbinskoe are expected to start operations later this decade.

Brownfield watch West Siberian brownfields still account for around 90 percent of Russian output but are likely to start burning cash in just four years due to rising costs as deposits deplete, Renaissance Capital predicts. “Dynamics at brownfields may be worse than expected given still-high taxation and a lack of stimulus to make full use of oil-recovery methods,” said Denis Borisov, director at Ernst & Young’s oil and gas centre in Moscow.

The oil heartland of West Siberia may yet see a renaissance, as it is believed to be home to the world’s biggest technically recoverable “tight” oil resources, the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates. To stem output declines, Russia has offered tax breaks to boost investment in new or remote fields, support production from depleted deposits and create incentives to tap hard-to-recover reserves of tight oil.

Energy Minister Alexander Novak told Reuters last month that breaks should help Russia keep production at a minimum of 10.1-10.2 million bpd in coming years and could lead to an increase to 10.8-11.0 million bpd before 2030. —Reuters

SEOUL: South Korean customers wait in a line to reissue their credit cards at a branch of Lotte Card in Seoul yesterday. Tens of thousands of South Koreans flooded banks and call centres yesterday to cancel credit cards following the unprecedented theft of the personal data of at least 20 million people. —AFP

OSLO: In May 2012 the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund joined US investors BlackRock and Waddell & Reed to buy a $1.6 billion stake in motor racing’s Formula One. The people who had worked on the deal for months were looking forward to celebrating their hard work.

Then they got an email from their boss. Under no circumstances were they to be seen drinking champagne in the VIP tribune at the Monaco Grand Prix. “We have high expectations in terms of ethical standards, also for ourselves,” says Yngve Slyngstad, the head of the fund, which invests $163,000 of oil and gas wealth for each man, woman and child in Norway. “We cannot behave in a way that makes people doubt that we have their best interests at heart,” he said last August. “Our duty as an asset manager is to manage the people’s money, public money. This means there is a particular responsibility on us.”

Norway has a population slightly larger than the state of South Carolina but its governmentrun wealth fund has $833 billion in assets, making it one of the largest investors in the world. It owns 1.25 percent of all the shares worldwide, 2.5 percent in Europe, and it has a unique ethical mandate. That sees it avoid companies such as Walmart, which Norway deemed to have breached “human rights and labor rights.” But the fund is underperforming. Since it started as a sovereign fund in 1998, it has returned an average of just 3.41 percent per year, short of its target of four percent.

Now Slyngstad faces a political test. A new government, in power since last October, is reviewing strategy at the fund, which is officially called the Government Pension Fund Global. To boost returns, the right-wing coalition is reviewing its investment policy and organization and may let it invest in riskier assets. Some commentators worry that could hurt the fund’s ethical focus.

Already, politicians and the media in Norway pay very close attention to the companies the fund invests in: It strives to meet the ethical expectations of five million Norwegians and heeds warnings from global campaigners such as human rights activists, environmentalists, and trade unions. Even Bill Gates has voiced an opinion. At the fund’s head since 2008 is Slyngstad.

The 51-year-old is employed by the central bank and his ultimate boss is the parliament. Until last October, Norway, the world’s number seven oil exporter, was ruled by a coalition led by the centre-left Labor party. Now the centre-right Conservatives are in an alliance with the more radical Progress Party. Progress made reshaping the fund part of its election promise; its leader,

Siv Jensen, says her party “has been fighting Socialism for 40 years”, and she is now finance minister. Change - albeit gradual and consensual - is likely. Some in the Conservatives, whose leader Erna Solberg is Prime Minister, have suggested dividing Norway’s wealth into two competing funds. Others, in Progress, want to break off three smaller funds to focus on renewable energy and foreign aid, and to let Norwegian finance groups manage some of the cash.

“The fund’s investments have to be defendable politically,” says Oeystein Doerum, chief economist at Norway’s largest bank, DNB. Why playing it safe can hurt Norway’s finance ministry determines the broad assets Slyngstad can invest in. Originally that was only government bonds; corporate bonds, stocks and then real estate were added later. An independent council of ethics keeps a blacklist of companies whose shares the fund may not hold. Otherwise, Slyngstad is in charge.

“Slyngstad is clear and loyal, which is very important for the finance ministry,” said Henrik Syse, the fund’s head of corporate governance between 2005 and 2007 and a fund adviser until 2009. Both government parties think the fund should be allowed to pep up its performance by investing in foreign infrastructure. Private equity investments are another possibility. Such assets would be less easy to trade, but could yield more.

Fund commentators such as Sony Kapoor, a senior visiting fellow at the London School of Economics who wrote a critical study of the fund last August, argue that in a changing world, the conservative approach has actually become a liability - the fund places too much emphasis on investing in developed economies.

The fund’s mandate says investments must be balanced geographically: At the end of 2012 about 48 percent was in Europe, 15.5 percent in Asia-Pacific and 35.6 percent in the Americas and Africa. The remainder was in bonds issued by international organizations, which the fund no longer buys.

“The fund’s approach ... has now become a bet on the future of OECD economies being bright,” Kapoor wrote. “This locks in low returns and exposes the fund to concentrated risks of ageing populations and over-indebtedness faced by many mature economies. The fund has inadvertently taken on a lot of risk, for very little return.”

Kapoor says the mandate should be changed so that the fund can take advantage of long-term growth in emerging markets. “Not only will this be good for Norway, it will also enable faster

Unilever sales slowed by emerging markets AMSTERDAM: Consumer goods giant Unilever, maker of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, said yesterday that sales slowed in the fourth quarter due to weakness in emerging markets and are expected to remain muted until later in 2014. The company said “underlying” sales - that is, stripping out the impact of currency effects and new businesses - rose 4.1 percent. While the figure was better than analysts had expected, it was entirely reliant on demand in emerging markets, which slowed.

Developed markets like the US and Europe are not improving quickly enough to benefit the company. “The growth that you see in the United States and some people get excited about is not enough to make a difference” to Unilever, Chief Executive Paul Polman said on a conference call with analysts. He repeated the company’s goal of maintaining margins while growing faster than the markets it competes in, with brands such as Dove soaps, Vaseline, Axe deodorants, Omo laundry detergent, and many others.

For the full year 2013, sales fell 3 percent to 49.8 billion euros ($67.5 billion), mostly due to the strong euro, and net profit was up 9 percent to 5.3 billion euros. Unilever PLC managed to improve its operating margins to 15.1 percent from 13.6 percent. It did not release quarterly profit and loss figures.

The company said demand in emerging markets has been dampened by weaker currencies, and in developed economies it has seen little improvement - despite a rise in economic indicators. The US jobs market has been improving steadily and the European Union emerged from recession last year.

Underlying sales, the figure most closely watched by financial analysts, seeks to strip out the effect of currency movements and the buying and selling of businesses. The 4.1 percent gain was slightly worse than the 4.3 percent the company showed for the year 2013 taken as a whole. —AP

growth in poorer economies and create millions of much-needed jobs,” he says. It’s a line echoed

by Bill Gates, the Microsoft founder turned philanthropist. He has argued that Norway, as one of the richest countries in the world, can afford to help out people in poor countries in Asia and Africa.

The fund is already increasing its exposure to emerging markets. The share of European investments should be reduced to 41 percent gradually, the finance ministry said in 2012. “We invest according to our mandate as defined by the finance ministry,” says fund spokesman Thomas Sevang.

A punctual back-packer People who know Slyngstad, who declined to be interviewed for this story, say he combines a close capacity for detail with a rapid, receptive mind. A bald, goateed Oslo native, he joined the central bank in 1998 from insurance firm Storebrand and was the fund’s head of equities before taking the top job. He has four master’s degrees, competed in the sport of curling for Norway in the 1980s, and earned $970,000 in 2012.

Fund staff say his message about the Monaco Grand Prix is typical of a man who leaves nothing to chance, something which shows in his timekeeping. He presents results every quarter at a regular 10am news conference, held in a cavernous room in the basement of the central bank. At 10:00:00 sharp he begins reading from a press release, in Norwegian and in a fast, low voice.

“He is a bit like a machine gun ... information comes at you very quickly,” Syse said. From time to time, he likes to escape. In his late 20s Slyngstad backpacked around Asia, Latin America and Africa, according to media reports.

In 1990 he retreated for six months to a fisherman’s cabin in Norway’s Arctic north to study the work of the German philosophers Martin Heidegger and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel.

Studying philosophy challenges one’s thinking, he once said. “It was useful to understand how to handle risks today.” He certainly knows pressure: He became the fund’s chief executive in the middle of the global financial crisis, the year of its worst performance. It lost 14.5 percent of its value in the third quarter of 2008.

When Slyngstad took over the fund was already boosting its exposure to risk. It increased the share of assets it could invest in stocks to 60 percent from 40 percent. Critics at the time argued that this was too big a gamble, but it paid off. —Reuters

Fracking’s big benefit may be steadier oil prices CHICAGO/NEW YORK: The US shale revolution promises steadier global energy prices.

Despite a price slide since the year-end, crude volatility is at 20-year lows. There’s more oil around - which may have knock-on effects in the Middle East - and the flexibility of shale wells means drillers can respond quickly to changes in demand.

Brent crude averaged $108 a barrel in 2013, barely changed from $111 the year before despite a sharp increase in supply disruptions. Strife in Libya, sanctions on Iran and other troubles kept an average of 2.6 million barrels per day of oil off the market last year, according to the US Energy Information Administration, up from 1.9 million barrels per day in 2012. Yet oil price volatility, a measure of the severity of daily market moves, recently fell to levels last seen in the early 1990s, according to a Breakingviews analysis. The recent bounty of shale may partly explain this. US production has climbed by 2.3 million barrels a day since the start of 2011 - roughly the entire crude output of Brazil. At just over 4 million barrels a day, shale oil now accounts for about 4.5 percent of total global oil output. Citigroup believes the

United States will add about 1 million barrels a day more production in 2014, mostly from shale. Reduced imports will have an indirect effect on the global market price. If nothing else, new sources of crude are a psychological help to traders after years of worries about tight supply.

Just the flow of shale oil may have helped keep price gyrations in check - so far, producers are pumping as much as possible. But shale basins are also unusually flexible. That may make them important price stabilizers in the future, especially if US policymakers approve substantial crude exports. Wells can be drilled in less than a month, against a year or more for conventional projects, and they require only a fraction of the investment.

US gas producers’ recent moves to cut shale output in response to falling prices shows the way for their oil brethren. In the meantime, Saudi Arabia, currently the world’s swing producer, may adjust its own output to avoid price falls, further reducing volatility. Either way, more stable crude prices should be a boon for companies and governments trying to plan for the future.

—Reuters

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

BUSINESS

Oman Air supports Maktabati reading project MUSCAT: Oman Air has announced its support for a vital mobile literacy project, which supports and encourages Omani children of all ages to improve their reading skills.

The national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman has donated a large number of Arabic and English-language books, including many that have been provided by major Arab publishing houses, to the Maktabati project, which has been established by the Dar Al-Atta Charity Association.

The books were given to Jean Jafar, of the Dar Al-Atta Charity Association, by Dr Khalid Abdul Wahab Al-Balushi, Senior Manager Government Relations and Sustainability for Oman Air, at the airline’s headquarters in Muscat. Dr Al-Balushi was also responsible for coordinating the airline’s contribution to the Maktabati project.

Dr Al-Balushi commented: “Reading feeds the mind and knowledge elevates the spirit, so we are delighted to be supporting the Dar Al-Atta Association’s vital campaign. Children throughout Oman are finding, through the work of the Maktabati project, that the famous Arab poet Al-Mutanabi spoke wisely when he said that ‘the book is the best companion’, and the resulting increase in reading skills within the Sultanate has the potential to make an important contribution to the lives and well-being of future generations, and of the nation as a whole.

“It has therefore been a pleasure for Oman Air to launch a special initiative within our workforce, encouraging staff to participate in this important national project. Under the title of “1000 Stories”, a large number of employees in various departments and stations, both within Oman and internationally, have contributed to the collection of books and stories which will enrich the Maktabati project and help them to achieve their goals.

Jafar, for the Dar Al-Atta Charity Association, added: “We are delighted to receive this donation from Oman Air and we would like to thank the airline and all its employees for their important contribution. The books will help to stock the shelves of our mobile library, which is housed within a spacious, air-conditioned bus and travels the country to provide children of all ages with interesting and suitable reading matter.”

Oman Air’s contribution to the project is being supplemented by donations from other major Omani companies, government departments and private agencies. The Maktabi project is part of a larger campaign launched by the Dar Al Atta Charity Association in 2007, entitled “Let’s read”. The campaign aims to encourage children to love reading and to fill their leisure time with beneficial hobbies. With these aims in mind, the campaign has established small internal libraries at children’s wings in many hospitals, as well as in a number of schools in Oman.

MINI unleashes its dark side with new Black Knight edition Exclusive package now for MINI Countryman, MINI Paceman

Abdulwahab Ahmad Al-Nakib

FASTtelco to unveil great offers at InfoConnect Exhibition 2014 KUWAIT: FASTtelco, the leading Internet Service Provider in Kuwait, is set to participate in the upcoming InfoConnect Exhibition, held at the Kuwait International Fair Grounds in Mishref, from January 26th to February 1, 2014. Considered as one of the most successful in the region due to its large number of participants and attendees, this exhibition is an excellent opportunity for FASTtelco to display its latest collection of creative services and products, as well as a wide range of exciting offers and surprises on exclusive services.

Commenting on this prestigious event, Abdulwahab Ahmad Al-Nakib, Chairman of the Board and Managing Director of Al-Deera Holding, and CEO of FASTtelco stated: “FASTtelco’s participation in this exhibition comes as part of the company’s strategy aimed at reaching out to customers of all ages and fields throughout Kuwait, and providing them with special offerings and promotions as a gesture of appreciation for their loyalty and trust in our company. Our presence at InfoConnect will set a date to unveil the most innovative internet related products, and perfectly tailored internet packages to our loyal customers and prestigious potential ones. We promise is to fulfill our customers’ internet connectivity related needs, and even go beyond their expectations.

On its part, FASTtelco takes high consideration of the InfoConnect Exhibition as it presents an ideal technology platform in order to reinforce its commitment to providing quality services aimed to the potential and existing customers, for they are highlighted as the cornerstone of FASTtelco, and the driver behind its growth. In this perspective, FASTtelco would like to take this opportunity to reconfirm the importance of this exhibition and invite all its customers to attend and visit its booth to witness and enjoy from exciting surprises and exhilarating gifts and to benefit from a series of promotions specifically designed to suit their varying preferences and expectations.

KUWAIT: MINI has pushed the boundaries once more with the launch of the MINI Black Knight Edition which is now available for the Middle East’s best-selling MINI Countryman and the MINI Paceman models. Boasting textured, matte paintwork, this exclusive new edition is set to steal the limelight like a thief in the night.

Inside the cockpit of the MINI Black Knight Edition, music lovers can experience audio technology like never before thanks to the Harman Kardon HiFi system, which features ten speakers that are optimally positioned around the vehicle for flawless sound. The MINI keyless entry feature allows drivers to lock and unlock the vehicle without the need of physically pressing buttons on the key.

Furthermore advanced technologies allow usability of the vehicle without a key in the ignition through the use of a

dedicated ‘Start/Stop’ button. This provides for an increased level of convenience when using the MINI. The MINI Black Knight Edition doesn’t stop there: MINI fans can also take advantage of optional white or red sport stripes, blackened adaptive headlights and light alloy wheels with Twin Spoke Black Burnished or Cross Spoke Crusher Clack finishes depending on the model selected.

Commenting on the arrival of the MINI Black Knight Edition, Sarah Junghardt, Manager MINI of BMW Group Middle East, said, “During 2013 MINI experienced 15% growth across the region. We are therefore very excited to add this new edition to our portfolio and we are confident that it will be popular with our Middle East customers who tend to have a preference towards exclusivity.”

The MINI Countryman and MINI Paceman Black Knight

Edition are available in both John Cooper Works and Cooper S Twin-scroll Turbocharger engine variants across the MINI Importers in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Lebanon, Bahrain, KSA, Qatar & Kuwait Since its launch in 1959, MINI continues to redefine small car design. A car of substance in abundance, MINI enjoys worldwide popularity among all ages and groups. In fact it was the first small car to achieve genuine global success.

MINI not only has a history, it also has its very own personality. A trendsetter in its own right, MINI sets itself apart through its unique interpretation of style and design.

Acquired by the BMW Group in 1994, the MINI brand includes the MINI Hatch, MINI Cabrio, MINI Clubman, MINI Countryman, MINI CoupÈ and MINI Roadster, the MINI John Cooper Works range of models and now the MINI Paceman.

MENACORP launches new ADX offices ABU DHABI: MENACORP, the UAE’s leading investment bank, has on Sunday unveiled its new offices at the Trading Floor of the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) at Al-Gaith Tower, Abu Dhabi. The ADX presence will enable MENACORP to play an active role in energizing the UAE Capital’s stock market while drawing the brokerage firm closer to its customers.

Among the high-profile figures present during the ribbon-cutting ceremony were ADX officials Ghanem Hamad Al-Dhaheri (Deputy Chief Executive Officer for Operations Affairs), Mohammad Hareb Al-Muhairi (Head, Clearing Settlement, Depositary & Registry Dept), Abdulla Salim Mohamed Al-Naimi (Manager, Market Surveillance Section) and MENACORP officials Hamad Ghanem Bin Hamoodah

(Chairman), Khaled Ghanem Bin Hamoodah (Board Member), Khalifa Faraj Bin Hamoodah (representing shareholders), Moncef Ben Hamida (General Manager, Bin Hamoodah Company), Fathi Ben Grira (CEO), Petr Molik (CFO), and Nabil Al-Rantisi (Managing Director Brokerage).

The new offices’ Customer Service and Trading Desk will expand MENACORP’s execution capabilities within the UAE equity markets while supporting the ambitious growth plans of ADX. It will complement activities at MENACORP’s local headquarters in Khalifa Street. The brokerage also has a branch in Dubai Financial Market.

Hamad Ghanem Bin Hamoodah said: “The financial services industry shall play a major role in the diversification of

UAE’s economy. In Abu Dhabi, the ADX is the cornerstone of such diversification thanks to its dynamism and continuous innovation. As the leading financial services firm of the country it is our responsibility to play our part as well. By having offices directly located on the ADX trading floor we can significantly enhance the services rendered to investors and reinforce the renewed trust they have on the UAE markets.”

MENACORP is an award-winning investment bank that aims to emerge as a premier financial services group for the MENA markets. Guided by its philosophy of ‘Values Creating Value,’ MENACORP’s business lines include Investment Banking, Securities Brokerage, Asset Management, Financial Research, and Sharia-compliant Financial Solutions.

Wall St inches up after 2-day dip Abdulqader Obaid Ali

Adnan Zakariya

Protiviti partners with UAE’s IAA for internal audit Seminar in Kuwait KUWAIT: Internal audit practitioners globally are bearing the brunt of dramatically shifting reforms and changes in the business environment, technology and regulatory landscape. The economic environment in Kuwait is no different. With the changing regulatory and business environment, the responsibilities of Internal Auditors are expanding and the focus on Internal Audit function has heightened and their importance as independent advisors to the Board has amplified.

To address the problems and challenges faced by professional auditors of the 21st century, UAE Internal Audit Association (IAA)in conjunction with Protiviti (www.protiviti.com), a global consulting firm is organizing a seminar on Internal Audit at Sheraton Kuwait on January 28th2014.

Abdulqader Obaid Ali, President of UAE Internal Audit Association and Chief of Internal Audit for Dubai World will be the keynote speaker of this event. He will share his personal experiences and lessons learnt during his tenure both as a chief audit executive and an auditee in a seminar presentation while addressing the

current challenges faced by young Auditors. While detailing the intricacies of an audit process, he will also shed light on the necessity of setting up a fraud detection department and whistle blowing system.

In addition, the changing paradigms of internal audit landscape in Kuwait will be discussed in a panel discussion featuring some of the top industry executives. Chief Moderator of this discussion will be Protiviti MD & Head of Banking & Financial Services, Adnan Zakariya, who has been instrumental in developing the Internal Audit & Risk Advisory practice catering to Banking and Financial Services Sector in Kuwait.

Protiviti has been actively engaging the local business community through a series of workshops and business seminars on the practices of Internal Audit and Risk Management, Business Continuity Management, Fraud and Forensics and IT consulting. This exclusive seminar on the changing paradigms of Internal Audit is yet another commitment from the global consulting firm to continue with its knowledge sharing endeavors for the industry.

NEW YORK: US stocks edged higher yesterday, putting the S&P on pace to snap a two-session decline, as gains in the materials sector were offset by declines in a trio of Dow components. The S&P materials index gained 0.9 percent as the best performing of the 10 major S&P indexes, led by a 4.9 percent gain in Dow Chemical to $45.18. Activist investor and hedge fund manager Daniel Loeb has taken a stake in the company and wants it to spin off its petrochemical arm. “Dow Chemical is kind of behind sort of a broader market rise with the idea there is still value, or at least one respected hedge fund thinks there is still some value in a specific stock,” said Rick Meckler, president of investment firm LibertyView Capital Management in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Also adding support to the materials sector was Alcoa Inc, which advanced 4.8 percent to $11.90 after JP Morgan upgraded the stock to an “overweight” from a neutral” rating and boosted its price target to $15 from $9 per share.

But three Dow components fell after reporting earnings, giving back advances made before the opening bell.

Travelers Cos Inc lost 2 percent to $84.75 after the insurance provider posted a more than three-fold rise in fourth-quarter profit.

Fellow Dow components Verizon Communications Inc fell 1.6 percent to $47.58 and Johnson & Johnson lost 2.2 percent to $92.97 as the biggest drag on the S&P 500.

“There is some legitimate concern for investors that good news is factored into existing prices. In terms of earnings, this has been a market of ‘sell on the news,’ because the stocks have run so far, so you really have to surprise on the upside to maintain gains in some of these stocks,” said

Meckler. Verizon said its quarterly revenue rose 3.4 percent, slightly ahead of Wall Street estimates as it added more subscribers than expected at its Verizon Wireless venture with Vodafone Group Plc. JNJ reported quarterly results that came in above Wall Street estimates on sharply higher sales of its prescription drugs and improving sales of its medical devices.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 49.25 points or 0.3 percent, to 16,409.31, the S&P 500 gained 2.49 points or 0.14 percent, to 1,841.19 and the Nasdaq Composite added 13.006 points or 0.31 percent, to 4,210.588. IBM is set to report after the closing bell. For the week, 70 S&P 500 companies are scheduled to report.

According to Thomson Reuters data through Friday, earnings for the fourth quarter are expected to grow 7 percent over the prior year. Of the 45 companies in the benchmark S&P index that have reported, 49 percent topped analyst expectations, below both the long-term average of 63 percent and the 66 percent average over the past four quarters. As the Federal Reserve has embarked on its plan to reduce economic stimulus, investors will closely monitor corporate profits for signs of growth.

About eight companies have issued negative outlooks for every positive one, which would mark the lowest ratio on record should it continue. Forest Laboratories Inc gained 1.3 percent to $69.61, pulling back after hitting $71.84, its highest level in almost ten years. The drugmaker handily beat analysts’ estimates and raised its full-year profit forecast. Delta Air Lines Inc rose 3.4 percent to $32.14 after it reported a higher-than-expected fourth-quarter profit, aided by lower fuel costs. — Reuters

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

technology

Carphone Warehouse sales get 4G boost LONDON: Carphone Warehouse, Europe’s biggest independent mobile phone retailer, beat consensus forecasts for third-quarter revenue growth at its main CPW Group business, helped by growing sales of 4G superfast mobile broadband products.

Mobile operator EE, a joint venture between Frances’ Orange and Deutsche Telekom, launched 4G into Britain in late 2012, while rivals Telefonica’s O2

and Vodafone star ted ser vices in August last year.

Take-up of 4G is being driven by rocketing demand for mobile data. “There is a real willingness for customers to move to 4G and a willingness for them to understand that data usage is going to go up in the future,” Carphone Chief Executive Andrew Harrison told Reuters yesterday.

“This time next year we should be looking at quite a significant deployment

within the market,” he said, noting that growing penetration of 4G was also driving a rise in incremental average revenue per user (ARPU).

Shares in Carphone, up over a quarter in the last year, rose 1.4 percent after the firm said sales at CPW Group stores open over a year rose 3.1 percent in the three months to Dec 28. That was a sixth straight quarter of like-for-like growth. It compared to analysts’ consensus forecast

of growth of 2 percent and second quarter like-for-like growth of 3.6 percent.

CPW UK like-for-like revenue rose 5 percent during the quarter, building on growth of 16 percent in the same period last year. The firm said its Virgin Mobile France joint venture maintained its postpay customer base at 1.33 million, though revenue fell 15.6 percent reflecting a declining overall market.

Carphone reiterated its full-year guid-

ance for headline earnings per share of 17-20 pence, up from 12.3 pence in the 2012-13 year. It also reiterated guidance for pro-forma headline earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of 140-160 million pounds ($230-263 million) for CPW Group.

Carphone shares were up 3 pence at 282.5 pence at 0846 GMT, giving a market capitalisation of about 1.6 billion pounds. — Reuters

In China, US tech firms weigh ‘Snowden Effect’ ‘American IT firms on the offensive’

LG to launch curved smartphone in Europe SEOUL: South Korea’s LG Electronics said yesterday it would start selling its first curved-screen smartphoneseen as a first step to fully flexible products-in Europe next month .

The “G-Flex” was introduced in Seoul in October and will hit stores in some 20 European nations, including France, Germany, Britain and Sweden, the firm said in a statement.

The G-Flex is curved on the vertical axis of the handset, which LG says offers a more immersive viewing experience and fits the contour of the face. LG said the new phonealready available in Asia-would also be introduced in the

United States by the end of March. LG, the world’s fourthlargest smartphone maker, did not provide any pricing details. Curved screens are still at a nascent stage in display technology, which is shifting towards flexible panels that are bendable or can even be rolled or folded.

Handset makers including Samsung have launched curved-screen smartphones recently as they seek to stoke consumer interest in the increasingly saturated market with a new technology. Samsung launched its first curved smartphone-the Galaxy Round-in October to a tepid reception from consumers disappointed by the largely experimental device. — AFP

Canon top among Japanese firms in US patents ranking for 9th consecutive year DUBAI: Canon Middle East announced that its parent company, Canon Inc, world-leader in imaging solutions, again ranked first among Japanese companies and third overall for the number of US patents awarded in 2013, according to the latest ranking of preliminary patent results issued by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services on January 14, 2014.

Canon Inc actively promotes the globalization of its business and places great value on obtaining patents overseas, carefully adhering to a patent-filing strategy that pursues patents in essential countries and regions while taking into consideration the business strategies and technology and product trends unique to each location. Among these, the United States, with its many hightech companies and large market scale, represents a particularly important region in terms of business expansion and technology alliances.

Canon prizes its corporate DNA of placing a high priority on technology. With regard to research and development results, the company actively promotes the

acquisition of patent rights in accordance with the management direction of the Canon Group and technology trends while conducting thorough pre-application searches to raise the quality of applications. Through close cooperation between Canon’s technology and intellectual property divisions, the company aims to improve its technological capabilities while further enhancing its intellectual property rights.

Canon has ranked in the top five patent holders for 28 consecutive years.

Canon is a world-leading innovator and provider of imaging and information technology solutions for individuals and businesses. Canon provides both individual products and complete networked technology solutions for information input, management and output. Its product range is divided between Business Solutions (developing IT products, solutions and services for both the office and professional print environments) and Consumer Imaging (photography, video and digital camera, Laser and Inkjet printers).

BEIJING: Battling a perfect storm of government suspicion and pricing probes in China, US technology companies are having to re-think how they sell hardware and services in the world’s second-biggest economy.

US multinationals, including IBM, Cisco Systems and Qualcomm, are looking to settle price-gouging investigations and restore trust with Chinese regulators in the wake of reports that US government agencies directly collect data and tap networks of the biggest domestic technology companies.

All US IT firms are “on the defensive” in China, said Scott Kennedy, director of the Research Center for Chinese Politics and Business at Indiana University. “They are all under suspicion as either witting or unwitting collaborators in the US government’s surveillance and intelligence gathering activities.”

Former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden’s revelations about US government surveillance may cost US technology firms billions of dollars in lost sales, analysts say. The US cloud computing industry alone may lose as much as $35 billion in worldwide sales over the next three years, the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF), a Washington, DC-based nonprofit think-tank, estimates. “The ability of US companies to sell abroad has been seriously compromised by foreign customer concerns about the relationship between the US intelligence community and the tech sector,” said Daniel Castro, a senior analyst at ITIF. Nowhere is the so-called ‘Snowden Effect’ expected to have greater impact than in China, says Sanford C. Bernstein analyst Toni Sacconaghi. “US technology companies face the most revenue risk in China by a wide margin, followed by Brazil and other emerging markets,” he wrote in a research note this month.

Earnings impact IBM, which reported a 22 percent drop in third-quarter China sales, led by a 40 percent decline in hardware revenues, may be a bellwether for the ‘Snowden Effect’ when it reports fourth-quarter results later yesterday.

Revenue at the Armonk, NY-based company is expected to contract 3.7 percent in October-December from a year earlier, to $28.2 billion, though net profit is seen rising 6 percent to $6.5 billion, according to Thomson Reuters SmartEstimates.

The mutually antagonistic relationship between Washington, DC and

In this image made from video released by WikiLeaks on Friday, former National Security Agency systems analyst Edward Snowden speaks during a presentation ceremony for the Sam Adams Award in Moscow, Russia. — AP Beijing, alongside China’s drive to pro- them from an important source of mote indigenous champions and the political support and business, and deep ties between big US tech firms perhaps put them in violation of the and the government, further compli- (US) Patriot Act or some secret execucate the outlook. On Saturday, China’s tive order.”

Commerce Ministry condemned the IBM may address official concerns $1.1-trillion spending passed by the by rolling out more technologies and US Congress last week for including a services. Last month, IBM announced cyber-espionage review process for it was expanding its enterprise cloud federal purchases of technology from platform into China as part of a $1.2 China. billion global initiative. That followed Cisco Systems, which is locked in a Amazon.com Inc’s announcement commercial battle to sell telecoms that Amazon Web Services would network equipment with Chinese launch its own cloud computing servdomestic competitor Huawei ices in China.

Technologies, reported China orders Amazon said it signed a technical declined 18 percent last quarter, as deal with the Beijing city government top-five emerging market sales and with the government of Ningxia, slumped by more than a fifth. “I’ve an autonomous region, “to help foster never seen that fast a move in emerg- development of a robust IT sector in ing markets,” said Cisco CEO John western China.”

Chambers.

IBM also is reportedly in talks with China’s Lenovo Group Ltd to sell its Quandary For Qualcomm and InterDigital Inc, low-end server business, a move that which face anti-monopoly investiga- “may cool things down,” said Alberto tions by China’s top planning agency, Moel, a Hong Kong-based analyst at the National Development and Reform Sanford C. Bernstein. On Friday, US Commission, related to their patent President Barack Obama proposed licenses for wireless mobile handsets making changes to the NSA, without and networks, the challenges may be addressing the government’s unaugreater. Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs thorized access to company systems said earlier this month the company and technologies.

That may not be enough for US was still in the dark on developments in the China probe, which the company tech firms. “The president’s speech was announced in November. Qualcomm, empathetic, balanced and thoughtful, the leading provider of handset but insufficient to meet the real needs chipsets for 4G networks, reports its of our globally connected world and a earnings on Jan 29. “These firms are free Internet,” said Ed Black, president between a rock and hard place,” said of the Computer & Communications Kennedy of the Research Center for Industry Association, a group that repChinese Politics and Business. “They can resents Google, Microsoft, Facebook, push the U.S. government to stop using Yahoo, and other US firms targeted by them to spy, but that will alienate NSA surveillance. — Reuters

Sales of PCs tumble in Asia on mobile competition: IDC China orders real name register for video uploads BEIJING: Chinese Internet users are now required to register their real names to upload videos to Chinese online video sites, an official body said, as the Communist Party tightens its control of the Internet and media to suppress anti-government sentiment.

The new rule has been implemented to “prevent vulgar content, base art forms, exaggerated violence and sexual content in Internet video having a negative effect on society,” China’s State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) said on its website on Monday.

Online video sites are often a lodestone for comment and critique on social issues in China, with users uploading videos documenting corruption, injustice and abuse carried out by government officials and authorities. Online video sites are extremely popular in China, with 428 million users. Those allowing user uploads include sites operated

by Youku Tudou Inc and Renren Inc. Neither Youku Tudou nor Renren were available for immediate comment. Last year the Communist Party began a heavy-handed campaign to control online discourse, threatening legal action against people whose perceived rumors on microblogs such as Sina Weibo are reposted more than 500 times or seen by more than 5,000 people. Rights groups and dissidents criticised the latest crackdown as another tool for the ruling Communist Party to limit criticism of it and to further control freedom of expression. China has attempted to implement similar realname registration rules, including when buying SIM cards for mobile phones and signing up for Tencent’s WeChat mobile messaging app and microblogs.

However these have proven difficult to implement and easy to avoid for China’s tech-savvy Internet population.

China’s Internet regulation system is mired in bureaucracy and overseen by a number of government agencies, including SARFT, the State Council and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, which can lead to conflicts of interest between these bodies. — Reuters

SINGAPORE: Sales of personal computers fell 10 percent in the Asia-Pacific last year due to sluggish economic growth and tough competition from mobile devices, an industry analyst said yesterday.

International Data Corporation (IDC) said sales of PCs fell to 108 million units in the Asia Pacific outside Japan, marking the region’s first annual double digit decline. “The economic sluggishness in big emerging markets in the region adversely affected buying sentiments,” IDC said.

“On the consumer side, smartphone and tablet distractions spread throughout the region this year, further contributing to the sharp decline in the PC market.” IDC analyst Handoko Andi added that “2014 is expected to remain another challenging year for the PC market as competition will only grow among the devices.”

Chinese PC maker Lenovo retained its top spot last year with a market share of 24.9 percent, although sales fell 9.5 percent year-on-year due to a slump in its home market China, IDC said. US firm Hewlett-Packard was in second place with a market share of 10.5 percent, up from 8.9 percent as sales rose due largely to an education project in India.

Dell was in third spot with a 9.4 percent market share, as sales dipped 2.8 percent on a weaker China market. It was trailed by Taiwan’s Acer and ASUS with a market share of 8.1 percent and 6.9 percent, respectively, according to IDC. The decline in sales was sharpest for the Taiwan PC makers. Sales for Acer fell by a whopping 28.6 percent as the company continued “to struggle with its product strategy,” IDC said. ASUS sales were down by 13.4 percent. — AFP

Sales of personal computers fell 10 percent in the Asia-Pacific last year due to sluggish economic growth and tough competition from mobile devices, an industry analyst said yesterday.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

Happiness ‘key to health’ in old age LONDON: Enjoying life is the key to healthy aging, claim scientists, after finding that happy people are fitter and healthier.

Those who enjoy life walk at a faster pace and are more physically active on a daily basis when they get older compared to unhappy people, scientists found.

Happy pensioners had less trouble getting out of bed, getting dressed or showering. In contrast unhappy people were twice as likely to have health problems like heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, arthritis.

But researchers said it wasn’t simply

because ill health or mobility problems made people miserable.

“The study shows that older people who are happier and enjoy life more show slower declines in physical function as they age,” states Dr Andrew Steptoe of University College London.

“They are less likely to develop impairments in activities of daily living such as dressing or getting in or out of bed, and their walking speed declines at a slower rate than those who enjoy life less. “This is not because the happier people are in better health, or younger, or richer, or have more healthy lifestyles at the outset,

since even when we take these factors into account, the relationship persists.”

Full of energy Researchers from University College London assessed 3,199 men and women aged 60 years or over living in England and examined the link between positive well-being and physical well-being over the space of eight years.

They were divided into three age categories: 60-69, 70-79 and 80 years or over and were asked about their enjoyment of life with a four-point scale.

They rated questions “I enjoy the

things that I do,” “I enjoy being in the company of others,” “On balance, I look back on my life with a sense of happiness” and “I feel full of energy these days.”

Researchers then used personal interviews to determine whether participants had impairments in daily activities such as getting out of bed, getting dressed, bathing or showering. They gauged walking speed with a gait test.

Participants in the 60-69-year bracket had higher levels of well-being as did those with higher socioeconomic status and education and those who were married and working.

People with low well-being were more than three times as likely as their positive counterparts to develop problems in their daily physical activities.

“Our previous work has shown that older people with greater enjoyment of life are more likely to survive over the next 8 years; what this study shows is that they also keep up better physical function.”

“Our results provide further evidence that enjoyment of life is relevant to the future disability and mobility of older people,” said Dr Steptoe “Efforts to enhance wellbeing at older ages may have benefits to society and health care systems.”

Sharp increase in Thai teenage pregnancy Sex education misses the young

MANILA: A mother holds her child as she receives a measles vaccine at the Department of Health headquarters in Manila yesterday. The DOH announced a nationwide campaign against measles, targeting 13 million children aged up to five years old. —AFP

Vietnam reports first bird flu death in nine months HANOI: Vietnam has recorded its first death from bird flu in nine months, according to the country’s Health Ministry, as regional concerns over a potential resurgence of the deadly virus grow.

A 52-year-old man from southern Binh Phuoc province died Saturday after receiving treatment in Ho Chi Minh City, the ministry said in a statement issued late Monday. “His sample... tested positive to the H5N1 virus,” the statement said.

It was Vietnam’s first fatality from the virus since a four-year-old child died in April 2013. Demand for poultry in Vietnam is expected to surge over coming days as families gear up to celebrate the lunar new year festival Tet next week.

Strains of the H5, H7 and H9 avian influenza subtypes have caused human infections, primarily following direct contact with infected poultry.

But experts fear it could mutate into a form easily transmissible between humans, with the potential to trigger a pandemic.

The H5N1 virus has caused 649 confirmed flu cases in humans since it reemerged in 2003, of whom 385 died, according to the World Health Organization

(WHO). Vietnam has recorded one of the highest fatality rates from bird flu in Southeast Asia, with the disease claiming 63 lives so far, WHO said.

Neighbouring Cambodia recorded 13 deaths from the virus last year, as it battled its deadliest outbreak since 2003.

Singapore yesterday issued a travel advisory urging citizens to “maintain vigilance” in areas hit by the H7N9 strain of bird flu, a day after China reported new fatalities from the virus. Cold weather, an increase in poultry production and the mass movement of people ahead of Chinese New Year could increase the circulation of the virus in the coming months, Singapore’s health ministry said. It urged people to avoid close contact with those exhibiting flu-like symptoms and to seek medical attention promptly if feeling unwell.

Local authorities in China’s commercial hub Shanghai on Monday said two people, including a medical doctor, have died from the virus this year. Last year China had 144 cases of H7N9 avian influenza including 46 deaths, according to figures from China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission. — AFP

Honey could treat hay fever, heal wounds LONDON: Honey sales are booming and it’s just overtaken jam as the nation’s favourite spread. Last year Britons spent more than £100million on it. Bees gather nectar, which is a sweet sticky substance exuded by most flowers. Only worker bees, which are all female and live for up to eight weeks, collect nectar. These bees have two stomachs - one for food, the other for transporting nectar, which is mixed with enzymes from glands in the insects’ mouths.

This mix is stored in hexagonal wax honeycomb until the water content has been reduced to around 17 per cent. It’s then sealed with a thin layer of wax, which allows the honey to be stored by the bees until needed. At this stage it’s also ready for harvest.

It’s been calculated that it takes about 27,000 bees to make a jar of honey. In a good season a single hive can produce about 60lb of honey. Bees fly about 55,000 miles (that’s the equivalent of one-and-ahalf times round the world) to make a single pound. During a single collection trip a bee will visit up to 100 flowers. Bees fly at speeds of up to 20mph and beat their wings about 180 times a minute.

The type of honey depends on the flowers and the plants nearest the hive. Crops such as oil seed rape produce a honey that sets hard, whereas garden flowers tend to produce a liquid honey. If the hive-keeper wants to produce a mono-honey (such as orange blossom) the bees are kept well away from other sources of nectar.

Polyflora honeys are made from nectar from different flowers, while blended honeys come from different colonies selected to achieve a specific taste. Honey doesn’t only come from flowers and plants. Bees can also produce honey by gathering the sweet secretions of insects. This type of honey is known as honeydew and is usually dark and strong-tasting.

For centuries honey has been said to possess numerous health benefits. Because

of honey’s very low water content it’s thought to prevent the growth of harmful micro-organisms, while it also contains hydrogen peroxide which is hostile to bacteria. Recent research has involved using honey to treat wounds and burns and combat MRSA. It’s also claimed that eating honey made from local flowers can reduce the symptoms of hay fever. Experts say that a soothing mix of honey and lemon, or a hot toddy also containing a nip of whisky, is just as effective as expensive cough remedies.

Tradition has it that old beekeepers rarely suffer from arthritis and in Russia bee venom is used to treat the condition. China, Turkey and the Ukraine are the world’s top three honey producers. About 100 million tons is produced worldwide every year.

Austria, Germany and Switzerland, where an average of more than 2lb per person is eaten each year, are the biggest consumers.

The world’s most expensive honey, costing up to £65 a jar, comes from hives in a remote part of New Zealand. Manuka honey (named after the flowering bush found on the country’s North Island) is prized for its medicinal qualities and has been championed by celebrities including singer Katherine Jenkins and tennis player Novak Djokovic. Only 1,700 tons a year are produced, leading to cheap honey being passed off as Manuka by counterfeiters.

Cave paintings show ancient man foraging for honey 8,000 years ago. In Roman times taxes were paid using honey. In Greek mythology it was used to nurse the infant god Zeus. It’s not cruel to take honey from hives. It’s estimated that bees can produce two to three times more than they need. It’s been claimed that a single colony of bees could theoretically produce a ton of honey every year. In a colony there is a single queen bee and up to 60,000 honeybees. There are about 85,000 bee colonies in the UK, which is about half the number in the mid-1960s.—Express

BANGKOK: Days away from giving birth and living apart from her family, 16-year-old Ying is one of a growing number of Thai teenagers to fall pregnant every year in a country where sex education is focused on the married. Despite its anything-goes image, Thailand has a conservative streak, meaning that young people are told to abstain from intercourse altogether instead of being educated about using protection, a situation that experts say has driven soaring rates of teenage pregnancy.

Ying, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, did ask her boyfriend to use a condom but “he is a man, he did not listen.

“He used some once I was pregnant, but it was too late,” said the softly-spoken girl, who moved into sheltered accommodation at Bangkok’s Association for the Promotion of the Status of Women (APSW ) when she was six months pregnant. “My parents were afraid I would be embarrassed among my friends, so they told me to stay here,” said Ying, from Pathum Thani province north of Bangkok. She now has no contact with the baby’s father.

The adolescent birthrate has continued to rise for the last eight years, instead of the expected fall, according to Caspar Peek, country representative for the UN’s Population Fund.

“Instead of going down, as you would expect to happen with higher levels of literacy, higher levels of development, money etc, the levels have actually gone up,” he said.

Very conservative According to the United Nations, the birthrate among Thai teenagers was 47 per 1,000 girls from 2006 to 2010 — roughly in line with neighbouring Cambodia, but higher than Malaysia’s 14. Thai health minister Pradit Sintavanarong said there were 130,000 births to teenage mothers in the country in 2012.

But he said the true figure of pregnancies among the under 20s is thought to be double that, with many girls opting for an abortion-a procedure that is illegal in Thailand under almost all circumstances.

“It is an increasingly important problem,” said Pradit, adding that 12 percent of teenage mothers get pregnant a second time before they reach 20. He said society was “very conservative” in Thailand where people “deny” issues of sexual activity among the young. “They think teenagers should not have sex and that’s all,” he said.

Thailand has a low overall birthrate of just 1.5 or 1.6 births per woman, showing that access to contraception is not the problem.

Often uncomfortable It has successfully reduced its birthrate from 6 children per woman 40 years ago with family planning programmes aimed at married couples, said Peek, who added that school teachers were “often uncomfortable” giving sex education classes. To mitigate this-and the reluctance of parents to broach the subject with their children-the Planned Parenthood

Association of Thailand has launched a campaign to educate 80,000 teenagers that will run until June 2014.

“We cannot tell anyone not to have sex, it’s a natural thing. But they should be prepared,” said Somchai Kamthong, the group’s director of information, after giving a talk at a school in Bangkok. About 50 teenagers aged 16 to 19 years old, some with balloons stuffed under their t-shirts, laugh as two of their classmates put a condom on a dummy penis.

“There is an average of two students dropping out of school per semester because they got pregnant,” said Jittrakorn Kanphaka, a counsellor at the 130 pupil college.

Some girls, like Ying, are told to leave by their families because of the stigma of their pregnancy. “Most of them came here because they have nowhere else to go. Their families rejected them,” said the Bangkok APSW shelter’s psychiatrist Kantanick Nirothon. He said many of the boarders at the centre had been raped, often by a close relation.

Like 14-year-old Pook, who clasps her 11day-old son against her chest. “I was raped by my uncle,” she said, matter-of-factly. She has decided not to give up her baby for adoption, but to take some of the courses offered by the centre-which include data processing, embroidery and massage-to help her support her child alone. “My parents do not have money so they told me to study here and take care of the baby at the same time,” she said. —AFP

Gunmen kill three polio workers in Karachi KARACHI: Gunmen killed three health workers taking part in a polio vaccination drive in Karachi on Monday, police said, in the latest blow to efforts to stamp out the disease in Pakistan.

Attackers on motorbikes opened fire on polio teams in two separate incidents in the Qayyumabad neighbourhood in the east of Pakistan’s biggest city.

The attacks came just days after the World Health Organisation warned that Pakistan’s northwestern city of Peshawar was the world’s “largest reservoir” of the polio virus.

Pakistan is one of only three countries in the world where polio remains endemic, along with Afghanistan and Nigeria. Efforts to stamp it out have been seriously hampered by deadly attacks on vaccination teams in recent years.

Infertility rumours The vaccination campaign was suspended in parts of the city as a result of Monday’s attacks, which police said also injured two people.

“The attackers wearing helmets were waiting for the teams on motorcycles,” a police spokesman said. Doctor Seemi Jamali, the head of the government Jinnah Hospital, confirmed to AFP that three bodies and two wounded people were taken to her hospital.

Immediately after the attack, the campaign was suspended in the east of the city and heavy contingents of police were deployed.

Militant groups see vaccination campaigns as a cover for espionage, and there are also longrunning rumours about polio drops causing infertility. According to the World Health

RAWALPINDI: A Pakistani child receives polio vaccination drops from a medical volunteer at a school in Rawalpindi yesterday. Polio is also endemic in Afghanistan and Nigeria, but of the three countries only Pakistan saw a rise in cases from 2012 to 2013, said the global health body. —AFP Organisation, Pakistan recorded 91 cases of biggest public health success stories the counpolio last year compared with 58 in 2012. try only five years ago accounted for half the Last week the country’s neighbour and great world’s polio cases and stands in stark contrast rival India celebrated three years since its last to Pakistan’s faltering efforts to combat the polio case. India’s polio programme is one of its virus.— AFP

Spain blind association puts disabled to work MADRID: After completing high school, 46-year-old Spaniard Ricardo Velesar struggled to hold down a job as a degenerative eye disease slowly robbed him of his sight.

His prospects changed dramatically, however, when he knocked on the door of Spain’s national association for the blind. The organisationknown as ONCE by its Spanish

acronym-put Velesar to work in 1990 selling tickets for its daily lottery and provided him with a seeing eye dog once he became completely blind.

He has earned enough at the job to buy an apartment and support his wife, whom he met through ONCE and who is als blind, and their sixyear-old daughter. “I am very grateful because thanks to the sale of the tick-

MADRID: National Organisation for Spanish Blind People ticket seller Ricardo Velesar sells tickets for its daily lottery from a booth on a square in the center of Madrid this week. After completing high school Ricardo Velesar struggled to hold down a job as he slowly lost his ability to see-until he knocked on the door of Spain’s national association for the blind. — AFP

ets I have been able to raise a family, I have a stable job that is very dignified,” Velesar said as he bantered with a steady stream of clients at his heated sales booth located by a metro exit in Madrid’s bustling Manuel Becerra square.

“I have been able to have a very normal life. I don’t know what my life would be like without ONCE,” added Velesar, who has retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited degenerative eye disease.

He is one of 20,000 lottery ticket sellers employed by ONCE across the country, all of them visually impaired or with some other disability. ONCE was founded 75 years ago with the goal of helping blind people work for a living and not become dependent on public support. It has since expanded its mandate to help people with any type of disability.

Last year, ONCE won the Prince of Asturias Concord prize, regarded as Spain’s Nobel prize, the jury citing its “extraordinary” work, which “enhanced the dignity and quality of life of millions of disabled people in Spain”.

Other international initiatives have followed ONCE’s example, the prize jury added. ONCE finances itself through the sale of tickets for its own lottery which has annual sales of about 1.9 billion euros ($2.6 billion).

Half the money goes to prizes and the rest is spent on providing services ranging from employment to rehabilitation and specialised education.

Great weight Aside from employing ticket sellers, ONCE owns fully or in part 29 firms that hire disabled people and it lobbies businesses to take on workers. Among its companies is a news agency, an industrial laundry, a hotel chain and temp agency that supplies cleaners and security guards to offices.

ONCE created 7,100 jobs for disabled people last year even as Spain’s jobless rate hit 26 percent as the country struggled with the fallout from the collapse of a decade-long property bubble in 2008.

It employs just over 65,000 people in total. “I think we have taken a great weight off of the state administration. We have based our model on being active people, of living from our own efforts,” said ONCE president Miguel Carballeda who began his career at the organisation as a lottery ticket seller. The strategy aims to leverage people’s abilities, “with the idea that we should be valued for what we have and not for what we lack,” he said. ONCE also provides training to help disabled people more employable.—AFP

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

Comet-chasing probe wakes up, signals Earth Three years of hibernation BERLIN: Waking up after almost three years of hibernation, a comet-chasing spacecraft sent its first signal back to Earth on Monday, prompting cheers from scientists who hope to use it to land the first space lander onto a comet. The European Space Agency received the all-clear message from its Rosetta spacecraft at 7:18 pm - a message that had to travel some 800 million kilometers.

In keeping with the agency’s effort to turn the tense wait for a signal into a social media event, the probe triggered a series of “Hello World!” tweets in different languages.

Dormant systems on the unmanned spacecraft were switched back on in preparation for the final stage of its decade-long mission to rendez vous with the comet named 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Systems had been powered down in 2011 to conserve energy, leaving scientists in the dark about the probe’s fate until now.

Because of the time it took Rosetta to wake up, and the long distance between the spacecraft and Earth, the earliest possible hour for a signal to arrive was 6:30 p.m.

“I think it’s been the longest hour of my life,” said Andrea Accomazzo, the spacecraft’s operations manager at ESA’s mission control room in Darmstadt, Germany. “Now we have it back.”

Scientists will now take control of Rosetta again, a procedure slowed by the 45 minutes it takes a signal to travel to or from the spacecraft, he said.

The wake-up call is one of the final milestones for Rosetta before it makes its rendezvous with comet 67P in the summer. The probe will then fly a series of complicated maneuvers to observe the comet - a lump of rock and ice about four kilometers (2.5 miles) in diameter - before dropping a lander called Philae onto its icy surface in November.

The lander will dig up samples and analyze them with its instruments.

Cutting edge Although the spacecraft was launched almost a decade ago, the instruments aboard Rosetta and the Philae lander are still considered cutting edge, said Joel Parker of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. The institute developed a specialized camera called ALICE that can detect different chemicals in the comet.

Rosetta is named after a block of stone that allowed archeologists to decipher ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Scientists hope the space mission will help them understand the composition of comets and thereby discover more about the origins and evolution of

our solar system.

Comets are regarded as flying time capsules because they are essentially unchanged for the last 4.6 billion years. Scientists have speculated that comets may be responsible for the water found on some planets. And like asteroids, comets also pose a theoretical threat to life on Earth.

“Over the millennia, comets have actually affected our evolution,” said Paolo Ferri, head of mission operations at the European Space Agency. “ There are many theories about comets hitting the Earth and causing global catastrophes. So understanding comets is also important to see in the future what could be done to defend the Earth from comets.”

The mission is different from NASA’s Deep Impact, a spacecraft that fired a projectile into a comet in 2005 so scientists could study the resulting plume of matter. NASA also managed to land a probe on an asteroid in 2001, but comets are much more volatile places because they constantly release dust and gas that can harm a spacecraft.

NASA is planning another space rock mission between 2019 and 2021. The agency is looking into sending a robotic spaceship to lasso a small asteroid and haul it close to the moon, where spacewalking astronauts would explore it.— AP

DARMSTADT: A scientist of European space agency ESA stands at an airworthy copy of space probe ‘Rosetta’ in the ESA control center in Darmstadt, Germany. —AP

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

W H AT ’ S O N

SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS

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hat’s more fun than clicking a beautiful picture? Sharing it with others! Let other people see the way you see Kuwait - through your lens. Friday Times will feature snapshots of Kuwait through Instagram feeds. If you want to share your Instagram photos, email us at instagram@kuwaittimes.net

Announcements TIES Center - Where cultures meet he TIES Center is glad to announce that its Winter 2 Arabic language courses continue till Wednesday March 5, 2014. We offer classes for all levels, from beginner to advanced. Our classes are specially tailored to meet the needs and requirements of expats living in Kuwait. You still have the chance to join if you are interested. The TIES Arabic classes are intended for all expats who wish to learn Arabic. Whether you want to Learn Arabic for business or basic communication or simply as a hobby, the TIES Center welcomes you. Throughout the course, the students will learn how to read, write and speak Arabic in a friendly, relaxed and welcoming environment.

TIES Arabic program highlights: Lessons are step by step - ranging from basic to advanced level; Lessons build confidence for speaking, reading, and writing Arabic; Lessons combine language learning with cultural insights; Lessons are specially tailored for expats living in Kuwait. It is an opportunity to interact with other Westerners, who are taking the courses. For more information, please e-mail: Hassan@tiescenter.net .”

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Indian Overseas Congress Fest competitions postponed ndian Overseas Congress, Kuwait to Arts CompetitionsIOC fest 2014 is postponed to April 10-11, 2014 at United Indian School. IOC, once again welcomea 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 contestants 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.

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Maha Quizzer Middle East ITCAA-Kuwait announces the second edition of Maha Quizzer ME - Kuwait, extension of Maha Quizzer, the annual solo quiz conducted by Karnataka Quiz Association (KQA) simultaneously across several Indian cities.

This is a solo open general written quiz contest for participants, irrespective of age, nationality or affiliation.

The quiz is on 31st January 2014, from 2 to 3.30 pm with centers in Salmiya, Ahmadi & J’leeb Shyoukh.

Special prizes for ladies and students. For further details & free online registration log on to http://www.nitcaakuwait.org/mahaquizzer Hurry!!!

Registration open from 20th Dec 2013 to 23rd January 2014.

FOKE elocution competition riends of Kannur Kuwait Expats Association (FOKE) will be conducting a Malayalam Elocution competition for the public as part of the second anniversary celebration of Dr Sukumar Azhikkod Memorial library at FOKE Office in Mangaf.

The event will be held on Friday, January 24 from 3:30 pm onwards. Competition for students between the age group 5 to 8 will be on the subject “My Village” and for junior from 9 year to 12 years will be on the subject “My Country”. Subject for the seniors from 13 years to 17 years is “Mother Tongue”. Elocution competition is also open to adults in which ladies category, subject is “Importance of Women in Pravasi Organizations” and the same for the men will be given at the venue.

‘DPCS Lohri Nite’ - a spectacular fun-filled event in Punjabi style!

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ada vadiya program siga! (a very good program it was!) Khana (food), cultural event, bonfire, Bhangra, Gidda and the Punjabi music the DJ was playing....everything was perfect! Total paisa vasoolji, total! (total value for money!),” replied a DPCS Member animatedly when asked about the event. Another member’s teenage daughter replied when asked what she thought of the ‘DPCS LohriNite’, “Everyone had fun....the entertainment catered to all age groups. Sub josh mein aagaye the (everyone had become over-excited), especially when the DJ started playing Punjabi numbers!” She addedfurther, “....and I love these ethnic Lohri gift hampers, they’re so beautiful!”

The chilly, cloudy evening of January 17th and the picturesque premises of Messilah Beach saw close to 500 people (DPCS Members, their families and friends) who had all come to attend the ‘DPCS Lohri Nite’ - Delhi People Cultural Society’s third cultural event. (Lohri is celebrated marking the end of winter. It is a popular harvest festival celebrated with great pomp and show in Punjab and throughout Northern India) Dressed in their festive finery and donning their festive mood, people sang, danced, ate and enjoyed the evening away in true Punjabi style - with pure, unadulterated, wholesome fun! At the venue, piping hot chai (tea) and pakodas (Indian snacks) were already waiting for them which was indeed a welcome treat on this chilly, winter evening. People began mingling, meeting and greeting friends and relatives.

One could see bonds of love and friendship being rekindled amidst laughter and cheer which reverberated in the air,

adding to the festive fervor.

Soon after, the cultural event commenced with the famous and ceremonious Sikhprayer “IkOnkar Sat Naam” playing in the background. Following on the heels of this famous prayer which set the festive mood, in trooped the professional Bhangra dancers, who with their zestful performance, thoroughly entertained the audience. They were encouraged with frenetic cheers and whistles from the crowd. Bhangra is a traditional Punjabi folk dance performed by the men folk in Punjab.

The beats of the big dhol(drum) rendering music to the Bhangra dancers gave a rustic, village feel - as if one had been transported to a quaint little village in Punjab, amidst Punjabi men and women singing and dancing to the soulful tunes of the dhol! The electrifying mood set by this passionate dance performance was taken to a new level by Jameel Ali - a professional singer who, apart from other songs, sang one of his own compositions.

Ali is a prominent figure and regularly renders his soulful voice for Kuwait television and radio. He has participated in several singing competitions, like the popular Indian show “Antakshari”. Ali gladly obliged the crowd who shouted “once more, once more!” every time he made an attempt to leave the stage. After a few more lovely renditions by Ali, another talented singer, Lavina took center stage and captivated the audience with a couple of popular, foot-tapping Bollywood songs. Lavina, a classically trained singer has also participated in many singing competitions. She was crowned “Voice of

Kuwait” in the “Gulf Voice of Mangalore” competition held in India in 2012.

To keep the enthusiasm going and to get the crowd more involved and excited, the event comperes-Vikas Arora, Sujata Sharma and Shireen Passi Chopra (who are also the DPCS Executive Committee Members) called upon people from the audience to come on to the stage and give a performance - a song, dance, joke, etc.

It hardly took any coaxing from the youngstersand the young talent among the audience was more than keen to ‘rock the stage’, literally and figuratively! One after the other, the littlekids came up on the stage and began performing their respective dances with near-perfection, leaving the audience amazed by their confidence and talent. Like, for instance, the cute little five year old who had the crowdrunning for more with his dance performance on the song “Havan Karengay” from the Hindi film “Bhaag Milkha Bhaag”, and the hero of the film running for the mountains, for we had found his replacement!

The three small girls who danced with perfect moves on a popular Bollywood song were aptly nicknamed “Katrina”, “Kareena” and “Deepika” after they finished to a thunderous applause! And then there was the talented teenager who performed with the grace of a young lady, to a traditional Punjabi folk dance. She finished with a bow to a whistling and clapping crowd. Everyone would agree that they may be ‘little’ ones but they are surely very ‘big’ on self-confidence and talent!

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Indian Education Exhibition 2014

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ndian Education Exhibition 2014, will be held in Kuwait on the 24 and 25 of January at the Holiday Inn Salmiya. It is a one-stop information event for learning about the variety of professional and vocational courses that NRI and other students can pursue in reputed institutions of higher learning in India.

Students, along with their parents will get an opportunity to personally interact

with college administrators and professors, to know about the variety of educational programs on offer at participating institutions.

The two-day exhibition showcases attractive options available to NRI and other students from Kuwait and beyond, to obtain undergraduate and post-graduate degrees in various disciplines, including medicine, engineering, business man-

agement, marketing and communications, arts and science, hospitality & hotel management and Allied Health Sciences.

Among the exhibitors are over 15 leading and highly reputed Indian educational establishments with more than 75 institutions under them, offering more than 200 programs. Some of the leading participants include Anna University, Manipal University, SRM University,

Hindustan University, Datta Meghe Medical Science University, DY Patil University, KJ Somaiya Group of Institutions, Ramdeo Baba Engg. College, Acharya Institutions, Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, Texila American College, MVJ Institutions and others. All the participating institutes are recognized by the AICTE, UGC and respective government bodies in India.

Adoor NRI Forum meeting on Friday

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door NRI Forum - Kuwait Chapter, the organization for the people from the township of Adoor, who are living in Kuwait, is conducting the General Body meeting on January 24, at 5:15 pm. The venue is Chachoos Auditorium, Abbassiya, which is near the Apsara Bazar and Pulari Fabrics. The organizers are extending a warm welcome to all the Adoorians working in Kuwait, who are originally, from the Municipal township of Adoor and its surrounding Panchayats, to the proposed meeting. For further details, kindly contact 65130143. Transport is also arranged for the meeting from Fahaheel, Mangaf, Abu Halifa and Mahboula. Those who wish to get the transport, please contact.

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

Bishop Moore College Alumni holds ‘Kudumbasangamam’

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ishop Moore College Alumni Kuwait Chapter conducted family Get-together and New Year Celebration at Hi-dine Auditorium Abbassiya. The meeting started with the national anthem. Public Meeting was inaugurated by Dr Susama Easow George by lighting the traditional Lamp. Shaney Cherian presided over the

function. Sam Pynummood, Babuji Bethery & Philip Thomas felicitated on the occasion. Solos were sung by Beena Oommen, Lekha Shyam & George Jacob. The Gettogether was attended by Bishop Moore college members and their families.

All the members introduced themselves and it was a

nostalgic feeling for all those who attended as it brought back old memories. Susamma Mathew, student of 1964 (first batch) also attended the meeting and she was honored by all. A variety of games and various other activities were conducted for the members who added color to the event. The event ended with a grand dinner.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

W H AT ’ S O N

ACK hosts its 2nd Annual English Language Teaching Conference

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he Australian College of Kuwait’s (ACK) English department successfully concluded its 2nd Annual Conference under the theme of “Research-Based Strategies for Teaching Language and Literacy to Arab English as a Second Language Students”, in partnership with the British Council in Kuwait. Gathering a large audience consisting of academics, instructors and researchers, the two-day conference included presentations and workshops from English language educators and second language experts.

Professor Rod Ellis, one of the leading researchers in second language acquisition & teaching and keynote speaker of the conference, stated: “ACK are to be congratulated not just for organising the conference so efficiently but for making it such an enjoyable and warm experience for the conference participants. The conference provided an excellent forum for developing the knowledge and skills of the English language teachers who attended.” ACK would like to thank the attendees and looks forward to conducting the 3rd annual conference in the near future.

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-augcc.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 INDIA

TIES Center cordially invites you to the following events 1-A lecture entitled, “Why is much of the Muslim World underdeveloped? This lecture will take place tomorrow January 23, 2014 at 7:00pm. No one can deny that the Muslim world has been in decline for several centuries, the causes of which go back into history. In the Muslim nation’s early stages, wealth, centers of learning and public works were abundant. What are the factors that led the Muslim World to the change from an ascendant to a defensive posture? Why is the Muslim World among the Third World countries despite its vast human and material resources as well as noble values of Islam? What is the way out of this backwardness for the Muslim World? I (Hassan) will answer all these questions and many more. If you are interested in the topic, TIES Centre is the best place to visit on tomorrow at 7:00pm.

2-Puppet Show to be organized by By Susanne Rechlin on Saturday January 25, 2014 at 4:00pm. The Puppet Kingdom is coming to the TIES Center for the first time. All little (and big) fans of puppets are invited to watch our unique puppet show. Susanne Rechlin is a preschool principal by profession. She likes to see people happy and content... through understanding each other’s differences, and by making those differences work for them instead of against them. She believes that many challenges in a relationship may be overcome by not expecting the other person to behave according to one’s own pattern. If you are interested, TIES Center is the best place to visit on Saturday January 25 at 4:00pm. We are looking forward to putting smiles on all faces!

3-Albanian Cultural Day: The Albanian embassy in cooperation with TIES centre in Kuwait will organize Albanian Cultural on February 13, 2014 from 6:00pm till 8:30pm. The planned activities include a presentation in power point on tourism and culture in Albania, recitations by school children of poems and extracts on Albania and Islam culture in English and Arabic, display of gallery photos of Albania, offering of Albanian traditional food including pies and desserts as well etc. Come and attend these activities because you will enjoy and entertain a Thursday afternoon and learn some interesting things about the Albanian culture and traditions. The activities will be organized in the facilities of Ties Centre in Villa No 67, Street 413, Block 4, Shuhada Area, Kuwait.

Blood donation Zain staff members took part in a blood donation campaign which the company organized at its headquarters building in Shuwaikh as part of its annual Health Week activities. The campaign was done in cooperation with the Kuwait Blood Bank.

KASCO participates in HORECA Cooking Contest

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uwait Aviation Services Company (KASCO) announced taking part in the cooking contest that will take place as part of the 2014 HORECA exhibition. Supply manager Abdulaziz AlBlushi said in a statement yesterday that KASCO chefs prepare to

participate with special presentations, including sculptures made from fruits and vegetables as well as a 3-level wedding cake. More than 150 chefs representing several hotels and restaurants in Kuwait and the Middle East are set to take part in a cooking contest organized

as part of the 2014 HORECA; an exhibition for hospitality and catering organized by the Leaders Group in cooperation with Hospitality Services Company. The event takes place at the Badriya Ballroom in the Jumeirah Hotel from January 27-29, 2014.

Kuwait Scientific Club hosts annual symposium KUWAIT: The Kuwait Scientific Club is hosting the annual symposium of ‘Professional Association of Diving Instructors’ (PADI) today at 6.30pm. This is the first time to be held in Kuwait. During this symposium, the Regional Manager for MENA Mathew Prambella will discuss the development in the diving training and equipments. Also a workshop on diving emergency and accidents will be held during this event.

Greek culinary festival takes off at Courtyard by Marriott Hotel

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ourtyard by Marriott Hotel Kuwait City recently celebrated the launch of its Greek Nights festival at its breathtaking panoramic eight storey Atrium restaurant. The Ambassador of Greece to Kuwait, Dr Theodoras Theodorou, along with a number of VIP guests attended the opening of the festival.

After welcoming the guests, Theodorou highlighted on the need to strengthen the cooperation between Kuwait and Greece, with focus on sharing culinary and educational aspects of both cultures. Guests can indulge in the carefully crafted Greek specialties, by renowned guest Chefs from Chania, Crete, until 24th January from 7:00-11:00pm. For information and reservations, call the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel at 2299 7000.

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: S.No. Type of visa Duration No. of entries Revised Indian Visa fee in KD(*) w.e.f 01.01.2014 (i) Business 5 Years Multiple 63.500 (ii) Business 1 Year Multiple 38.500 (iii) Tourism 6 months Multiple 13.500 (iv) Medical 1 year Multiple 38.500 (v) Student Period As required 24.500 of study (*) In addition, a service charge of KD 3 will also apply for each visa service provided w.e.f 17.12.2013.

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. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF SOUTH AFRICA South African citizens, who are out of the country who are not already registered and wish to apply for registration to vote in the upcoming general elections, are hereby invited to apply for registration.

Registration is open daily during working hours from 08h30 to 15h30 at the SA Embassy at Villa No 3, House No 91, Street 1, Block 10, Salwa.

The last day for registration will be 7 February 2014.

In addition, special registration will take place on Friday, 24 January 2014, from 09h00 to 13h00, for those SA citizens who are not yet registered and cannot come to register during normal working hours.

To be eligible to register at the SA Embassy, a person must: l Be a SA citizen and be 16 years of age and older; l Submit a valid green bar-coded Identity Document, a valid Temporary Identity Certificate (valid for 2 months) or a Smart Card; l Submit a valid SA passport; and l Submit in person the application form, (available from the IEC website or at the Embassy), the identity document and a valid passport.

NOTE: If you are already registered to vote in SA but are now living abroad, you are NOT required to re-register - please check your registration status on www.elections.org.za. For any further enquiries, please phone Tel: 25617988 during working hours or visit the IEC Website at www.elections.org.za. Special Registration Officers at the Embassy are: First Secretary, L van der Walt and Third Secretary, MC Kekae. 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 +965-2227-1673).

5. If you need to change or cancel your appointment, please do so 24 hours beforehand, as a courtesy to other applicants. For more information, please visit the US Embassy website - kuwait.usembassy.gov - as it is the best source of information regarding these changes. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF VATICAN The Apostolic Nunciature Embassy of the Holy See, Vatican in Kuwait has moved to a new location in Kuwait City. Please find below the new address: Yarmouk, Block 1, Street 2, Villa No: 1. P.O.Box 29724, Safat 13158, Kuwait. Tel: 965 25337767, Fax: 965 25342066. Email: nuntiuskuwait@gmail.com.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

TV PROGRAMS 00:25 00:50 01:45 03:25 04:15 05:05 05:30 05:55 06:45 07:35 08:00 08:25 09:15 10:10 11:05 12:00 12:55 13:20 13:50 14:15 14:45 15:15 15:40 16:30 17:30 18:25 18:50 19:20 20:15 21:10 21:40 22:05 23:00 23:55

Steve Irwin’s Wildlife Warriors Animal Cops Houston Mermaids: The Body Found Lions Of Crocodile River Bondi Vet Steve Irwin’s Wildlife Warriors Steve Irwin’s Wildlife Warriors Animal Cops Houston Gator Boys Swamp Brothers Monkey Life Bondi Vet Wild France Growing Up...

Lions Of Crocodile River Animal Cops Philadelphia Monkey Life Swamp Brothers Meet The Sloths Meet The Sloths Outback Rangers Outback Rangers Lions Of Crocodile River My Cat From Hell Wildest Arctic Steve Irwin’s Wildlife Warriors Steve Irwin’s Wildlife Warriors Pandamonium Bondi Vet Steve Irwin’s Wildlife Warriors Steve Irwin’s Wildlife Warriors Hippo: The Wild Feast North America Galapagos

00:00 Eastenders 00:30 Doctors 01:00 Abandoned At Birth 01:50 Life On Mars 02:40 Case Sensitive: The Point Of Rescue 04:15 The Weakest Link 05:00 Balamory 05:20 Charlie And Lola 05:35 The Green Balloon Club 06:00 3rd & Bird 06:10 Poetry Pie 06:15 Balamory 06:35 Charlie And Lola 06:50 The Green Balloon Club 07:15 3rd & Bird 07:25 Poetry Pie 07:30 The Weakest Link 08:15 Last Of The Summer Wine 08:45 Moone Boy 09:15 Eastenders 09:45 Doctors 10:15 Abandoned At Birth 11:05 Tess Of The D’urbervilles 12:00 The Weakest Link 12:45 Last Of The Summer Wine 13:15 Moone Boy 13:40 Eastenders 14:10 Doctors 14:40 Abandoned At Birth 15:30 Tess Of The D’urbervilles 16:25 The Weakest Link 17:10 Eastenders 17:40 Doctors 18:10 Prison, My Family & Me 19:00 One Foot In The Grave 19:30 Absolutely Fabulous 20:00 Stella 20:45 Alan Carr: Chatty Man 21:30 The Office 22:00 The Shadow Line 23:00 The Weakest Link 23:45 Eastenders

00:40 01:10 01:35 02:25 03:10 04:00 04:25 05:10 05:40 06:05 06:30

Cash In The Attic Cash In The Attic Come Dine With Me MasterChef Australia MasterChef Australia The Little Paris Kitchen Fantasy Homes By The Sea Cash In The Attic Cash In The Attic The Little Paris Kitchen Bargain Hunt

07:15 08:00 08:45 09:30 10:20 10:45 11:40 12:30 13:20 14:10 15:05 15:50 16:40 17:25 17:55 18:25 19:20 20:10 20:35 21:30 22:20 23:15

Fantasy Homes By The Sea Bargain Hunt Marbella Mansions Masterchef: The Professionals The Little Paris Kitchen Come Dine With Me Come Dine With Me Gok’s Fashion Fix Fantasy Homes By The Sea Antiques Roadshow Design Star Design Star Bargain Hunt Cash In The Attic Cash In The Attic Antiques Roadshow Marbella Mansions Food & Drink A Taste Of Greenland Come Dine With Me Antiques Roadshow Bargain Hunt

00:30 Bear Grylls: How To Stay Alive 01:20 Swimming With Monsters: Steve Backshall 02:10 River Monsters 03:00 Bush Pilots 03:50 Border Security 04:15 Auction Kings 04:40 American Digger 05:05 How Do They Do It? 05:30 How It’s Made 06:00 Sons Of Guns 07:00 Bush Pilots 07:50 Alaska: The Last Frontier 08:40 Fast N’ Loud 09:30 Border Security 09:55 Auction Kings 10:20 American Digger 10:45 How Do They Do It? 11:10 How It’s Made 11:35 Bear Grylls: How To Stay Alive 12:25 Swimming With Monsters: Steve Backshall 13:15 River Monsters 14:05 Border Security 14:30 Auction Kings 14:55 American Digger 15:20 Finding Bigfoot 16:10 Fast N’ Loud 17:00 Ultimate Survival 17:50 Dirty Jobs 18:40 Bush Pilots 19:30 Sons Of Guns 20:20 How Do They Do It? 20:45 How It’s Made 21:10 Auction Kings 21:35 American Digger 22:00 You Have Been Warned 22:50 Treehouse Masters 23:40 Mythbusters

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 09:35 11:05

The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody Sonny With A Chance Sonny With A Chance Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody Sonny With A Chance Sonny With A Chance Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Austin And Ally Austin And Ally A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm Gravity Falls My Babysitter’s A Vampire Jessie Good Luck Charlie Dog With A Blog Disney Mickey Mouse Shorts Geek Charming Jessie

11:25 11:50 12:15 12:35 13:00 13:25 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:10 17:00 17:20 17:45 18:10 18:30 18:55 19:20 20:05 20:30 20:50 21:15 21:40 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:10 23:35

Wolfblood Suite Life On Deck A.N.T. Farm Austin And Ally Shake It Up That’s So Raven Jessie Good Luck Charlie Dog With A Blog Wolfblood Gravity Falls Jessie Violetta Mako Mermaids Austin And Ally Wolfblood Jessie Good Luck Charlie Dog With A Blog Violetta Jessie My Babysitter’s A Vampire Wolfblood Gravity Falls Shake It Up Austin And Ally A.N.T. Farm Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place

00:00 Chelsea Lately 00:30 The Dance Scene 00:55 The Dance Scene 01:25 Style Star 01:50 Style Star 02:20 E! Investigates 03:15 Extreme Close-Up 03:40 Extreme Close-Up 04:10 THS 05:05 E!ES 06:00 15 Remarkable Celebrity Body Bouncebacks 07:50 Style Star 08:20 Fashion Police 09:15 Scouted 10:15 Married To Jonas 10:40 Chasing The Saturdays 11:10 The Drama Queen 12:05 Fashion Police 13:05 Extreme Close-Up 13:35 E!ES 14:30 Style Star 15:00 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 16:00 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 17:00 The Wanted Life 18:00 E! News 19:00 Fashion Police 20:00 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 21:00 The Drama Queen 22:00 E!ES 22:30 E! News 23:30 Chelsea Lately

00:15 00:40 01:05 01:30 01:55 02:20 02:45 03:10 03:35 04:00 04:25 Feasts 04:50 05:40 06:30 06:50 07:10 08:00 08:25 08:50 09:15 10:05 10:30 11:20 11:45 Feasts

Unique Eats Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Tastiest Places To Chowdown Easy Chinese: San Francisco Charly’s Cake Angels Unwrapped Unwrapped Unwrapped Unique Eats Unique Eats Andy Bates American Street Iron Chef America Chopped Unwrapped Tastiest Places To Chowdown Food Network Challenge Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam Roadtrip With G. Garvin Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Iron Chef America Barefoot Contessa Amazing Wedding Cakes Easy Chinese: San Francisco Andy Bates American Street

THE FOG ON OSN MOVIES HD ACTION

‘Monuments Men’ star Bill Murray wants pot legalized

B

ill Murray has given his highest fans the OK to keep toking away and endorsed the recreational use of marijuana during a recent Reddit AMA session. The former “Saturday Night Live” cast member recognized the “failure” of the government’s expensive War on Drugs while promoting his latest film, “Monuments Men,” in which he plays one of seven unlikely soldiers tasked with rescuing artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves during World War II. Pot wasn’t the only thing on Murray’s mind, though. The elusive actor opened up about why he agreed to make “Garfield,” the disappointing critical reception of “Groundhog Day,” and even debunked a strange story about him that has been floating around for years. Starting with his stance on the legalization of a certain Schedule 1 controlled substance, here are 10 things we learned about prolific comedian.

Here’s how Murray feels “Well that’s a large question, isn’t it? Because you’re talking about recreation, which everyone is in favor of.

You are also talking about something that has been illegal for so many years, and marijuana is responsible for such a large part of the prison population, for the crime of self-medication. And it takes millions and billions of dollars by incarcerating people for this crime against oneself as best can be determined. People are realizing that the war on drugs is a failure, that the amount of money spent, you could have bought all the drugs with that much money rather than create this army of people and incarcerated people.

I think the terror of marijuana was probably overstated. I don’t think people are really concerned about it the way they once were. Now that we have crack and crystal and whatnot, people don’t even think about marijuana anymore, it’s like someone watching too many videogames in comparison. The fact that states are passing laws allowing it means that its threat has been over-exagerated. Psychologists recommend smoking marijuana rather than drinking if you are in a stressful situation. These are ancient remedies, alcohol and smoking, and they only started passing laws against them 100 years ago.”

TODAYʼS SPECIAL ON OSN MOVIES COMEDY HD 12:10 Tastiest Places To Chowdown 12:35 Grill It! With Bobby Flay 13:00 Reza, Spice Prince Of India 13:25 Charly’s Cake Angels 13:50 Siba’s Table 14:15 Barefoot Contessa 14:40 Healthy Appetite With Ellie Krieger 15:05 Food Network Challenge 15:55 Roadtrip With G. Garvin 16:20 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 16:45 Chopped 17:35 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 18:00 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 18:25 Symon’s Suppers 18:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 19:15 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 19:40 Siba’s Table 20:05 Reza’s African Kitchen 20:30 Tastiest Places To Chowdown 20:55 Roadtrip With G. Garvin 21:20 Chopped 22:10 Food Network Challenge 23:00 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 23:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 23:50 Roadtrip With G. Garvin

00:00 Rebuilding Titanic 01:00 Convoy: War For The Atlantic 02:00 Battleground Brothers 03:00 Diggers 03:30 Diggers 04:00 What Would Happen If 04:30 What Would Happen If 05:00 Naked Science 06:00 Untamed Americas 07:00 World’s Toughest Fixes 08:00 Rebuilding Titanic 09:00 Convoy: War For The Atlantic 10:00 Battleground Brothers 11:00 Untamed Americas 12:00 What Would Happen If 12:30 What Would Happen If 13:00 Evolutions 14:00 Untamed Americas 15:00 World’s Toughest Fixes 16:00 Rebuilding Titanic 17:00 Apocalypse: The Second World War 18:00 Battleground Brothers 19:00 Ultimate Survival Alaska 20:00 One Ocean 21:00 Animal Autopsy 22:00 Wild Russia 23:00 Mystery Files 23:30 Mystery Files

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 02:00 Family Guy 02:30 The League 03:00 Raising Hope 03:30 Melissa & Joey 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 Raising Hope 09:30 The Crazy Ones 10:00 Trophy Wife 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 Melissa & Joey 14:30 The Crazy Ones 15:00 Trophy Wife 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 Raising Hope 18:30 How To Live With Your Parents 19:00 Guys With Kids 19:30 Community 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 22:30 Family Guy 23:00 The League 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

15:00 17:00 19:00 22:00 23:00

C.S.I. New York The Ellen DeGeneres Show Twisted Hannibal Sons Of Anarchy

00:00 Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings-18 02:00 Bait-PG15 04:00 Lords Of Dogtown-PG15 06:00 Mission: Impossible II-PG15 08:15 The Fog-PG15 10:00 Burden Of Evil-PG15 11:45 Mission: Impossible III-PG15 14:00 The Fog-PG15 16:00 The Apparition-PG15 17:45 Mission: Impossible III-PG15 20:00 Backdraft-PG15 22:15 London Boulevard-18

00:00 Bob Funk-18 02:00 Hard Breakers-18 04:00 Today’s Special-PG15 06:00 My Dog’s Christmas MiraclePG15 08:00 Toys-PG 10:00 Stop! Or My Mom Will ShootPG15 12:00 Today’s Special-PG15 14:00 The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants-PG15 16:00 Stop! Or My Mom Will ShootPG15 18:00 Celtic Pride-PG 20:00 Slums Of Beverly Hills-18 22:00 Girl Walks Into A Bar-PG15

00:45 02:45 04:15 07:15 09:00 11:00 12:30 15:30 17:30 19:30 21:30

Beneath Hill 60-PG15 A Christmas Kiss-PG15 Treasure Island-PG15 A Woman-PG15 Beneath Hill 60-PG15 Beastly-PG15 Hindenburg-PG15 Love Takes Wing-PG15 The Wild Hunt-PG15 Summer Coda-PG15 Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy-PG15

02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:15 12:00 13:30 15:30 17:30 19:00 PG15 21:00 23:00

Vampire-18 Year Of The Dog-PG15 Dying Young-PG15 The Rainmaker-PG15 Jack The Bear-PG15 StreetDance 2-PG15 Year Of The Dog-PG15 The Crucible-PG15 StreetDance 2-PG15 The Greatest Movie Ever SoldInternal Affairs-18 J. Edgar-18

01:45 03:45 05:45 07:15

50/50-PG15 Saving Grace B. Jones-PG15 Crisis Point-PG15 My Own Love Song-PG15

09:00 11:00 13:00 PG15 15:00 PG15 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

People Like Us-PG15 Dirty Teacher-PG15 When Love Is Not EnoughMadea’s Big Happy FamilyPeople Like Us-PG15 Rock Of Ages-PG15 The Sessions-R Total Recall-18

01:00 Cash-PG15 03:00 Anna Karenina-PG15 05:15 Hotel Transylvania-PG 07:00 Bernie-PG15 09:00 The Three Stooges-PG15 11:00 A Monster In Paris-PG 13:00 Remember Sunday-PG15 15:00 Cirque Du Soleil: Worlds Away-PG 17:00 The Three Stooges-PG15 19:00 The Descendants-PG15 21:00 Midnight In Paris-PG15 23:00 Prometheus-PG15

01:00 Hotel Transylvania-PG 02:45 A Christmas Story 2-PG 04:15 George Harrison: Living In The Material World-PG15 08:00 True Justice: One Shot, One Life-PG15 10:00 Mission: Impossible III-PG15 12:15 Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Dog Days-PG 14:00 Ice Road Terror-PG15 16:00 True Justice: One Shot, One Life-PG15 18:00 Oz The Great And Powerful-PG 20:15 Killing Them Softly-18 22:00 Paranormal Activity 4-18

02:00 02:30 03:00 06:00 07:00 11:30 15:30 16:00 21:30 22:00

Futbol Mundial Inside The PGA Tour Live PGA Tour Cricket ODI Series Highlights PGA European Tour PGA Tour Futbol Mundial Live Snooker Masters ICC Cricket 360 Live Snooker Masters

00:00 NFL Gameday 00:30 Live NFL 03:30 Live NHL 06:30 Futbol Mundial 07:00 NFL 09:30 NFL 12:00 NHL 14:00 Top 14 Highlights 14:30 Darts 17:30 Cricket ODI Series Highlights 18:30 Futbol Mundial 19:00 PGA Tour Highlights 20:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 21:00 NFL 23:30 NHL

01:30 Trans World Sport 02:30 FEI Equestrian World 03:00 HSBC Sevens World Series 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 Snooker Masters 12:00 Futbol Mundial 12:30 ICC Cricket 360 13:00 Golfing World 14:00 Amlin Challenge Cup 16:00 FEI Equestrian World 16:30 FEI Equestrian World 17:00 Futbol Mundial 17:30 Golfing World 18:30 ICC Cricket 360 19:00 Amlin Challenge Cup 21:00 Golfing World 22:00 PGA Tour Highlights 23:00 PGA European Tour Highlights

The most surprising World War II fact “In the hunt for the art, they found hidden in the salt mines where the art was hidden, they found the ENTIRE gold supply of Germany. “ENTIRE. Like they had moved their gold, their Fort Knox, into a mine, and this small group of guys searching for art in a mine, found the gold supply of Germany. And this effectively ended the war because once we announced we had all their gold, no country would sell them any more rubber, no country would sell them any more oil, no country would sell them any more anything. “Is that surprising? I think it’s one of those odd, bizarre facts where you have this dinky group of guys looking for an art heist effectively ends the war in one fell swoop cutting the arteries of the economy.”

Murray agreed to voice the titular fat cat in “Garfield” only because he thought one of the Coen Brothers, Joel, had written the screenplay, but it was actually Joel Cohen (“Cheaper By the Dozen”). “I had a hilarious experience with Garfield. I only read a few pages of it, and I kind of wanted to do a cartoon movie, because I had looked at the screenplay and it said “Joel Cohen” on it. And I wasn’t thinking clearly, but it was spelled Cohen, not Coen. I love the Coen brothers movies. I think that Joel Coen is a wonderful comedic mind. So I didn’t really bother to finish the script, I thought ‘he’s great, I’ll do it.’”

If Murray could go back in time and have one conversation with one person, he would have a nice chat with the founder of genetics, Gregor Mendel. “I kind of like scientists, in a funny way. Albert Einstein was a pretty cool guy. The thing about Einstein was that he was a theoretical physicist, so they were all theories.

He was just a smart guy. I’m kind of interested in genetics though. I think I would have liked to have met Gregor Mendel.

“Because he was a monk who just sort of figured this stuff out on his own. That’s a higher mind, that’s a mind that’s connected. They have a vision, and they just sort of see it because they are so connected intellectually and mechanically and spiritually, they can access a higher mind. Mendel was a guy so long ago that I don’t necessarily know very much about him, but I know that Einstein did his work in the mountains in Switzerland. I think the altitude had an effect on the way they spoke and thought.

“But I would like to know about Mendel, because i remember going to the Philippines and thinking ‘this is like Mendel’s garden’ because it had been invaded by so many different countries over the years, and you could see the children shared the genetic traits of all their invaders over the years, and it made for this beautiful varietal garden.”

Director Jim Jarmusch’s 2005 drama”Broken Flowers” was Murray’s “most fun” movie to act in, and he didn’t think he could ever top the movie once he saw it. “Someone asked “what movie was the most fun to act in” and deleted their comment, so here goes: “Well, I did a film with Jim Jarmusch called Broken Flowers, but I really enjoyed that movie. I enjoyed the script that he wrote. He asked me if I could do a movie, and I said ‘I gotta stay home, but if you make a movie that I could shoot within one hour of my house, I’ll do it.’” “So he found those locations. And I did the movie.

“And when it was done, I thought “this movie is so good, I thought I should stop.” I didn’t think I could do any better than Broken Flowers, it’s a film that is completely realized, and beautiful, and I thought I had done all I could do to it as an actor. And then 6-7 months later someone asked me to work again, so I worked again, but for a few months I thought I couldn’t do any better than that.”

Murray’s oddest experience at a sushi joint “The oddest... well, I was eating at a sushi bar. I would go to sushi bars with a book I had called “Making out in Japanese.” it was a small paperback book, with questions like ‘can we get into the back seat?’ ‘do your parents know about me?’ ‘do you have a curfew?” “And I would say to the sushi chef ‘Do you have a curfew? Do your parents know about us? And can we get into the back seat?’

“And I would always have a lot of fun with that, but that one particular day, he said ‘would you like some fresh eel?’ and I said ‘yes I would.’ so he came back with a fresh eel, a live eel, and then he walked back behind a screen and came back in 10 seconds with a nolonger-alive eel. It was the freshest thing I had ever eaten in my life. It was such a funny moment to see something that was alive that no longer was alive, that was my food, in 30 seconds.”—Reuters

Classifieds WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

Kuwait SHARQIA-1 12 YEARS A SLAVE (DIG) RAZE (DIG) YEVADU (DIG) (TELUGU) BEBE (DIG) (ARABIC) NO FRI RAZE (DIG) BEBE (DIG) (ARABIC) RAZE (DIG)

8:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:30 AM

SHARQIA-2 THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (DIG) FROZEN (DIG-3D) 12 YEARS A SLAVE (DIG) THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (DIG) THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (DIG)

2:00 PM 4:45 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM 12:05 AM

SHARQIA-3 JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) HOMEFRONT (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) HOMEFRONT (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG)

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:15 PM 11:30 PM

MUHALAB-1 HOMEFRONT (DIG) NO FRI BEBE (DIG) (ARABIC) NO FRI YEVADU (DIG) (TELUGU) FRI YEVADU (DIG) (TELUGU) YEVADU (DIG) (TELUGU)

1:00 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 5:30 PM

MARINA-1 JUSTIN AND THE KNIGHTS OF VALOUR (DIG) HOMEFRONT (DIG) JUSTIN AND THE KNIGHTS OF VALOUR (DIG) BEBE (DIG) (ARABIC) BEBE (DIG) (ARABIC) HOMEFRONT (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:30 PM 9:00 PM 11:30 PM

MARINA-2 JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) MR.GO (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) 12 YEARS A SLAVE (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG)

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:45 AM

MARINA-3 THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (DIG) RAZE (DIG) FROZEN (DIG-3D) THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (DIG) RAZE (DIG) THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (DIG)

1:00 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

AVENUES-1 JUSTIN AND THE KNIGHTS OF VALOUR (DIG) JUSTIN AND THE KNIGHTS OF VALOUR (DIG) JUSTIN AND THE KNIGHTS OF VALOUR (DIG) JUSTIN AND THE KNIGHTS OF VALOUR (DIG) YEVADU (DIG) (TELUGU) YEVADU (DIG) (TELUGU) YEVADU (DIG) (TELUGU)

12:45 PM 2:00 PM 2:45 PM 4:45 PM 4:00 PM 7:00 PM 10:15 PM

AVENUES-2 MR.GO (DIG) 12 YEARS A SLAVE (DIG) MR.GO (DIG) 12 YEARS A SLAVE (DIG) 12 YEARS A SLAVE (DIG)

12:45 PM 3:30 PM 6:15 PM 9:00 PM 11:45 PM

AVENUES-3 AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (DIG) AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (DIG) AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (DIG) AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (DIG) AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (DIG)

2:00 PM 4:30 PM 7:00 PM 9:45 PM 12:15 AM

2:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 11:00 PM 1:15 AM

AVENUES-4 JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

12:30 PM 2:45 PM

AVENUES-5 AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (DIG) AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (DIG) THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (DIG)

2:00 PM 4:30 PM 7:00 PM

3:30 PM 3:00 PM 6:00 PM 9:15 PM 2:30 PM 4:45 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM

MUHALAB-3 THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (DIG) JUSTIN AND THE KNIGHTS OF VALOUR (DIG-3D) RAZE (DIG) THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (DIG) RAZE (DIG)

12:30 PM 3:15 PM 5:15 PM 7:15 PM 10:00 PM

FANAR-2 FROZEN (DIG) FROZEN (DIG) THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (DIG) THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (DIG) THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (DIG) FANAR-3 MR.GO (DIG) ZINDA BHAAG (DIG) (PAKISTANI) YEVADU (DIG) (TELUGU) POLICE STORY 2014 (DIG) POLICE STORY 2014 (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED FANAR-4 JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG)

5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM 12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

MUHALAB-2 JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) MR.GO (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG)

FANAR-1 JUSTIN AND THE KNIGHTS OF VALOUR (DIG) BEBE (DIG) (ARABIC) 12 YEARS A SLAVE (DIG) BEBE (DIG) (ARABIC) 12 YEARS A SLAVE (DIG)

JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) FANAR-5 RAZE (DIG) HOMEFRONT (DIG) RAZE (DIG) HOMEFRONT (DIG) RAZE (DIG) HOMEFRONT (DIG) RAZE (DIG)

1:30 PM

2:15 PM 4:15 PM 7:00 PM 9:45 PM 12:15 AM 1:45 PM 4:00 PM 6:15 PM 9:00 PM 11:30 PM

FOR SALE

KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (16/01/2014 TO 22/01/2014) AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (DIG) AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (DIG)

9:45 PM 12:15 AM

360ยบ- 1 THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (DIG) THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (DIG) THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (DIG) THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (DIG) THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (DIG)

12:45 PM 3:30 PM 6:15 PM 9:00 PM 11:45 PM

360ยบ- 2 HOMEFRONT (DIG) HOMEFRONT (DIG) HOMEFRONT (DIG) HATOULY RAGEL (DIG) HOMEFRONT (DIG) HOMEFRONT (DIG)

1:15 PM 3:15 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:30 PM 11:30 PM

360ยบ- 3 FROZEN (DIG-3D) FROZEN (DIG) FROZEN (DIG-3D) FROZEN (DIG-3D) A STRANGER IN PARADISE (DIG) A STRANGER IN PARADISE (DIG)

12:30 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 11:30 PM

AL-KOUT.1 JUSTIN AND THE KNIGHTS OF VALOUR (DIG-3D) HOMEFRONT (DIG) JUSTIN AND THE KNIGHTS OF VALOUR (DIG-3D) THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (DIG) HOMEFRONT (DIG) THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (DIG)

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 10:15 PM 12:15 AM

AL-KOUT.2 RAZE (DIG) MR.GO (DIG) BEBE (DIG) (ARABIC) RAZE (DIG) BEBE (DIG) (ARABIC) RAZE (DIG)

1:15 PM 3:15 PM 6:00 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 1:00 AM

AL-KOUT.3 JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) FROZEN (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

AL-KOUT.4 POLICE STORY 2013 (DIG) 12 YEARS A SLAVE (DIG) VEERAM (DIG) (TAMIL) VEERAM (DIG) (TAMIL) 12 YEARS A SLAVE (DIG)

1:45 PM 4:00 PM 6:45 PM 9:45 PM 12:45 AM

BAIRAQ-1 FROZEN (DIG-3D) FROZEN (DIG-3D) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG)

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

BAIRAQ-2 THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (DIG) RAZE (DIG) 12 YEARS A SLAVE (DIG) RAZE (DIG) THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (DIG) RAZE (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

GMC Acadia, 2012 model, golden color, full options, low mileage 10,000 km.

Phone: 67669382. (C 4623) 22-1-2014 ACCOMMODATION Furnished room with separate bathroom in C-A/C big flat available in Hawally Tunis street near Sadique roundabout behind Commercial Bank, for single executive or couple. Call: 69302121. (C 4624) 22-1-2014 Sharing accommodation available at New Riggae January end onwards, one spacious furnished bedroom neat and clean available with all facilities, phone, coolplex and Internet upon request CA/C building, 1 no common toilet looking for couples without kids or decent executive bachelor nonsmoking and non-drinking.

Location very close to 5th Ring Road, opposite chocolate shop - Dalmatian shop.

Preference for south Indians. Serious persons can contact George: 99072651. (C 4622) 19-1-2014

No: 16054

12:30 PM 3:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:30 PM 9:30 PM 12:15 AM

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

Airlines JAI THY QTR JZR JZR SYR DLH GFA THY UAE ETD JAI JZR OMA MSR QTR FDB THY DHX FDB BAW KAC JZR KAC FDB QTR KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY IRM ETD FDB QTR GFA IRA DHX JZR MEA TMA MSC IRM UAE JZR MSR KAC KAC CLX IYE FDB

Arrival Flights on Wednesday 22/1/2014 Flt Route Time 574 MUMBAI 00:10 772 ISTANBUL 00:45 1084 DOHA 00:55 539 CAIRO 00:40 267 BEIRUT 00:40 1105 DAMASCUS 02:05 637 DAMMAM 01:10 211 BAHRAIN 02:10 764 SABIHA 02:15 853 DUBAI 02:35 305 ABU DHABI-INTL 02:45 576 COCHIN 02:50 555 ALEXANDRIA 02:25 643 MUSCAT 03:05 612 CAIRO 03:10 1076 DOHA 03:45 67 DUBAI 04:00 770 ISTANBUL 05:35 170 BAHRAIN 05:40 69 DUBAI 05:50 157 LONDON 06:40 412 MANILA 06:45 529 ASYUT 06:20 206 ISLAMABAD 07:40 53 DUBAI 07:50 1086 DOHA 07:50 302 MUMBAI 07:55 352 COCHIN 08:10 344 CHENNAI 08:35 362 COLOMBO 08:45 855 DUBAI 08:40 125 SHARJAH 09:00 1186 TEHRAN 09:15 301 ABU DHABI-INTL 09:20 55 DUBAI 09:40 1070 DOHA 09:55 213 BAHRAIN 10:40 603 SHIRAZ 10:45 870 BAHRAIN 11:15 165 DUBAI 11:30 404 BEIRUT 11:55 213 BEIRUT 12:10 403 ASYUT 12:20 1188 MASHAD 12:40 871 DUBAI 12:50 561 SOHAG 12:55 610 CAIRO 13:00 382 DELHI 13:05 522 NAJAF 13:45 792 LUXEMBOURG 13:15 826 SANAA 13:30 57 DUBAI 13:50

QTR MSR KAC SVA IRC KNE GFA KAC KNE KNE KAC QTR UAE ETD RJA SVA JZR JZR JZR ABY GFA RBG QTR FDB KAC KAC JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC GFA OMA FDB MSC JAI ABY ETD AXB MSR DLH ALK MEA ETD UAE KNE GFA QTR FDB JZR AIC JZR JZR

1078 575 790 500 6692 472 221 788 462 460 538 1072 857 303 640 510 777 787 357 127 215 553 1080 63 284 542 177 786 166 774 102 674 618 217 647 61 405 572 129 919 489 606 634 229 402 307 859 480 219 1074 59 135 975 239 185

DOHA SHARM EL SHEIKH MEDINAH JEDDAH MASHAD JEDDAH BAHRAIN JEDDAH MEDINAH RIYADH SHARM EL SHEIKH DOHA DUBAI ABU DHABI-INTL AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA RIYADH JEDDAH RIYADH MASHAD SHARJAH BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA DOHA DUBAI DHAKA CAIRO DUBAI JEDDAH PARIS RIYADH NEW YORK DUBAI DOHA BAHRAIN MUSCAT DUBAI SOHAG MUMBAI SHARJAH ABU DHABI-INTL COCHIN LUXOR FRANKFURT COLOMBO BEIRUT ABU DHABI-INTL DUBAI TAIF BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN CHENNAI AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA DUBAI

13:55 14:15 14:25 14:30 14:35 14:35 15:00 15:10 15:45 15:55 16:05 16:40 16:40 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:55 17:00 17:55 17:25 17:30 18:15 18:40 18:45 18:00 18:05 18:20 18:45 19:10 19:30 19:35 19:25 19:00 19:30 19:55 20:05 20:05 20:10 20:20 20:25 20:35 20:45 20:55 21:10 21:20 21:35 21:40 21:45 21:45 22:00 22:00 22:05 22:30 22:20 23:20

Airlines AIC UAL JAI DLH THY SYR KAC UAE ETD OMA MSR QTR FDB QTR KAC JZR FDB JAI JZR THY GFA THY KAC FDB BAW QTR KAC ABY KAC UAE KAC KAC ETD FDB IRM KAC QTR GFA KAC IRA JZR KAC JZR MEA KAC DHX MSC JZR TMA JZR MSR IRM UAE

Departure Flights on Wednesday 22/1/2014 Flt Route Time 982 AHMEDABAD 00:05 981 WASHINGTON 00:55 573 MUMBAI 01:10 637 FRANKFURT 02:10 773 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 02:55 1106 DAMASCUS 03:05 381 DELHI 03:50 854 DUBAI 03:50 306 ABU DHABI 04:00 644 MUSCAT 04:05 613 CAIRO 04:10 1085 DOHA 04:15 68 DUBAI 04:40 1077 DOHA 05:15 283 DHAKA 05:30 560 SOHAG 06:20 70 DUBAI 06:30 575 ABU DHABI 06:35 164 DUBAI 06:55 765 ISTANBUL-SABIHA 07:05 212 BAHRAIN 07:15 771 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 07:30 537 SHARM EL SHEIKH 08:10 54 DUBAI 08:30 156 LONDON 08:45 1087 DOHA 08:50 787 JEDDAH 09:25 126 SHARJAH 09:40 789 MADINAH 09:45 856 DUBAI 09:55 117 NEW YORK 10:00 521 AL NAJAF 10:05 302 ABU DHABI 10:05 56 DUBAI 10:20 1187 TEHRAN 10:30 175 FRANKFURT 10:45 1071 DOHA 10:55 214 BAHRAIN 11:25 541 CAIRO 11:30 602 SHIRAZ 11:45 356 MASHHAD 11:55 103 LONDON 12:20 776 JEDDAH 12:25 405 BEIRUT 12:55 785 JEDDAH 13:00 521 BAGRAM 13:00 406 SOHAG 13:20 786 RIYADH 13:35 223 AL MAKTOUM INTERNATIONAL 13:45 176 DUBAI 13:45 611 CAIRO 14:00 1189 MASHHAD 14:05 872 DUBAI 14:15

DIAL161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

IYE FDB CLX QTR MSR KAC KAC KNE IRC GFA SVA KAC KNE KNE JZR ETD QTR UAE JZR RJA ABY SVA GFA JZR JZR RBG JZR JZR FDB QTR GFA FDB OMA KAC KAC ABY MSC JAI KAC MSR DHX ALK MEA ETD ETD KNE GFA KAC FDB UAE KAC QTR JZR JZR KAC

827 58 792 1079 576 673 617 473 6693 222 503 773 463 481 238 304 1073 858 538 641 128 511 216 184 266 553 134 554 64 1081 218 62 648 331 361 120 404 571 351 619 171 230 403 308 920 461 220 301 60 860 205 1075 528 502 415

RIYAN MUKALLA DUBAI GIALAM DOHA SHARM EL SHEIKH DUBAI DOHA JEDDAH MASHHAD BAHRAIN MADINAH RIYADH MADINAH TAIF AMMAN ABU DHABI DOHA DUBAI CAIRO AMMAN SHARJAH RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI BEIRUT ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA DUBAI DOHA BAHRAIN DUBAI MUSCAT TRIVANDRUM COLOMBO SHARJAH ASYUT MUMBAI KOCHI ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN COLOMBO BEIRUT ABU DHABI ABU DHABI RIYADH BAHRAIN MUMBAI DUBAI DUBAI ISLAMABAD DOHA ASYUT LUXOR KUALA LUMPUR

14:30 14:30 14:45 14:55 15:00 15:05 15:30 15:30 15:35 15:45 15:45 16:05 16:35 16:40 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 19:40 20:15 20:45 20:55 20:55 21:00 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:10 21:45 21:50 22:10 22:20 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:50 22:55 23:10 23:25 23:30 23:55

34

s ta rs CROSSWORD 436

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) ARIES An authority figure may be making new plans that are confusing to you; you may be a bit restless. Instead of trying to figure out where you fit in the scenario, stop and ask. You are able to cut through the red tape and get at what is beneath and behind.

Stability and permanence satisfy a deep emotional need. This is a good day for dealing with the subtle, sublime and complex matters of life—have confidence. Work on a financial plan today. Music is likely to play a more important role for you than usual now—perhaps this is your hobby. Good eye-hand coordination and a sustained effort make almost any task run well. This afternoon you may feel like exercising or getting out and breathing a bit of fresh air. Emotions are very present but within control.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You have a feeling of optimism before a contest, competition or some other performance type of activity this morning. There is a lot of activity to improve and encourage you this week. Your colors at this time are coral and buff. This week brings opportunities for you to balance the budget, work on your goals and detect ways to improve the income. Now is the best time to enjoy the moment; take a deep breath and look around.

When you feel that you have some doubt about your abilities, create a sense of self-confidence—you can do anything, once you set this in your mind. Your appreciation of family and friends is heartwarming. Young children love to have you read to them. Your expression of love brings a wonderful feeling of inner peace.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. The smallest multiple that is exactly divisible by every member of a set of numbers.

4. A sheath for a sword or dagger or bayonet.

12. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

15. A period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event.

16. A member of the Finnish people living in Karelia in northwestern European Russia.

17. The longer of the two telegraphic signals used in Morse code.

18. A historical region on northwestern India and northern Pakistan.

20. (voodooism) A spirit or supernatural force that reanimates a dead body.

21. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

22. Combined or joined to increase in size or quantity or scope.

23. An associate degree in nursing.

24. Covered with beads of liquid.

26. Fastener consisting of a resinous composition that is plastic when warm.

30. Located farther aft.

31. Annual to perennial herbs of the Mediterranean region.

35. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables.

38. A switch made from the stems of the rattan palms.

39. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa.

43. Prong on a fork or pitchfork.

44. (Babylonian) A goddess of the watery deep and daughter of Ea. 45. A city in southern Turkey on the Seyhan River.

47. A design fixed to some surface or a paper bearing the design to be transferred to the surface.

48. A legal document codifying the result of deliberations of a committee or society or legislative body.

49. Any of numerous low-growing cushionforming plants of the genus Draba having rosette-forming leaves and terminal racemes of small flowers with scapose or leafy stems.

51. Fermented alcoholic beverage similar to but heavier than beer.

52. (anatomy) Of or relating to the fauces.

56. A very poisonous metallic element that has three allotropic forms.

57. A cry or noise made to express displeasure or contempt.

59. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

60. The basic unit of money in Bangladesh.

62. An independent group of closely related Chadic languages spoken in the area between the Biu-Mandara and East Chadic languages.

66. A Russian soup usually containing beet juice as a foundation.

70. Used of persons.

71. A member of the Siouan people formerly living in the Missouri river valley in NE Nebraska.

72. Cause to be embarrassed.

75. A island in the Netherlands Antilles that is the top of an extinct volcano.

76. A feeling of intense anger.

78. (Sumerian) Sun god.

79. A town in north central Oklahoma.

80. Read anew.

81. An actor who communicates entirely by gesture and facial expression.

DOWN 1. Type genus of the family Lepadidae.

2. Not carefully or expertly made.

3. A Dravidian language spoken in south central India.

4. Any of a number of fishes of the family Carangidae.

5. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits.

6. A colorless and odorless inert gas.

7. A gold coin of the Byzantine Empire.

8. Being or having light colored skin and hair and usually blue or gray eyes.

9. An anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions.

10. Spiritual leader of a Jewish congregation.

11. A river that rises in Russia near Smolensk and flowing south through Belarus and Ukraine to empty into the Black Sea. 12. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind.

13. A very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk.

14. Of or relating to or characteristic of the Republic of Chad or its people or language.

19. A loose cloak with a hood.

25. Expose to fresh air, as of old clothing.

27. A state in northwestern United States on the Pacific.

28. A United Nations agency that invest directly in companies and guarantees loans to private investors.

29. Manufactured in standard sizes to be shipped and assembled elsewhere.

32. A city in central New York.

33. (astronomy) An indistinct surface feature of Mars once thought to be a system of channels.

34. Administer an oil or ointment to.

36. Any plant of the genus Erica.

37. Of or relating to the African people who speak one of the Bantoid languages or to their culture.

40. A rare silvery (usually trivalent) metallic element.

41. A unit of weight for precious stones = 200 mg.

42. Squash bugs.

46. A doctor's degree in religion.

50. Feeling or caused to feel uneasy and selfconscious.

53. For which money has been paid.

54. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

55. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects.

58. The third compartment of the stomach of a ruminant.

61. Boiled or baked buckwheat.

63. Italian violin maker in Cremona.

64. The oily secretion of the sebaceous glands.

65. A condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people.

67. A strategically located monarchy on the southern and eastern coasts of the Arabian Peninsula.

68. East Indian cereal grass whose seed yield a somewhat bitter flour, a staple in the Orient.

69. Swift timid long-eared mammal larger than a rabbit having a divided upper lip and long hind legs.

73. A room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter.

74. (informal) Of the highest quality.

77. A state in northwestern United States on the Pacific.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

Good fortune will light up your life today. Do not worry if duties at home are not accomplished just now; you may need to be more attentive to a pending project in the workplace. Tension can work against you, exhausting your vitality. If you are single, you may be thinking of reasons why a support system is so important and how you can began to create a support system in the future. If you are married, you might consider trading chores with another so as to help you take a break from your own chores.

Remember to breathe deeply. Search for a neighborhood service to walk your dog or some other service that may be helpful. This way you will be able to free up some time for more productive expressions of your talents or perhaps merely a break.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Your self-esteem is noticeably improved—adding a glow of confidence to your personal expression. You feel more confident in most matters. This could mean working with others on a project or team sports, expressing your talents, giving criticisms or guiding others. You will get the best benefit from your urge to be competitive by involving yourself in some type of team or sports competition. A big surprise is coming to you in the mail—the check is larger than you expected. Now is the perfect time to ask a loved one for some help or guidance with regard to this money. Applying your imagination and creativity in practical ways works to your advantage this evening as you plan on some important changes around your place.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Meeting yourself in another person is the keynote of a new cycle that begins now. Relationships—romantic, business and social—are the arenas where this drama is played. In coming to know the other person, you grow in strength and knowledge—psychological and otherwise. Try to understand that time is not wasted if you are doing something you really like to do, rather than doing something for which you are paid. The therapeutic result from creative endeavors now cannot be measured. Creative works will help to offset negative feelings. You will gain a great deal of satisfaction if you find a subject to absorb. Encouragement from others and the interchange of ideas can spark your energy and create an upbeat frame of mind.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Political projects are easy for you and others are in your court, so to speak.

Ideas of group cooperation and communion could further your career or status. Perhaps you will be president of some club or organization. Real insight into your own inner workings or psychology could surface today and in a manageable form. You may be in the mood for deep and penetrating conversations or thoughts this afternoon. You are in a mood of self-enjoyment and can appreciate your progress. You may see value in or feel love for an older person or someone in authority this afternoon. Connections with people on a grand scale play a big part of your evening. Education, advertising and travel could play a part in the planning of your near future.

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22) This is a lucky day for you. Whatever you set out to do will be a positive in your direction. If your concentration, however, is too focused you could overlook some fun activities. Later today, your input is important regarding a meeting with a senior co-worker. Careful, patience now will be what gets your message across in less time than it would if you fell into the temptation of being abrupt. Security, savings, expenses and cost of living are illuminated now. Read the financial pages of your newspaper carefully for hints about what you can expect at this time. Excellent trends exist for travel. You might talk with fellow travelers and enjoy socializing with others—perhaps neighbors—to compare vacations for future development.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) There is a lot of energy at this time to accomplish a great deal in your professional home. People can depend on what you say as wise and truthful. If you are in the design, counseling or financial profession, you will have a large following. You happily squeeze in new clients or customers and give them your complete attention for an allotted amount of time. You have confidence in your own ability to solve problems and may find yourself quite busy this day. Some intuitive thinking on your part may lead you to work on a difficult relationship in or near your own home this evening. This situation may take small increments of time to be solved, perhaps through a period of trial and error. In the end, you will be pleased with the outcome of your struggles.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You may be learning new ways to express yourself today. A seminar or lecture could be open to everyone and you could take a mate or an adult child.

Mental discipline should come easily as you work to solve a puzzle or quiz. Problems and obstacles that have been puzzling in the past should now find easy explanations. Habits are in a cycle of change; pat yourself on the back for a job well done. The changes you make now could include stopping smoking, or some other vice that is not good for your health. Being on the go and keeping a finger to the winds of change make you feel in touch with the world. Learning and communicating is fun; however, this evening you and your family or friends may deeply enjoy a science fiction or scary movie.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Endurance and dependability satisfy a deep emotional need to be in demand by others. You are happy to be of service but may sometimes wish people would stop asking you to help them. You know you cannot have it both ways for very long without getting frustrated; you will soon find ways to create a healthy balance.

Admire your own successes and begin now to help others become independent. Music is likely to play a more important role for you than usual at this time. If you are a professional musician or another type of artist, you will find yourself enjoying quite a lot of monetary attention this year. Your work will become better and better and you can be quite enchanting. Tonight there is an opportunity for a successful shopping expedition.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) When you entertain, it is as though someone is creating magic. You may soon want to organize a social event. This brings out your well-developed organizational skills. This social event could be the fundraiser you have been looking to create so that your local community will have a defibrillator in each of the sports arenas and gyms in your city. With your determination and professional abilities, you will exceed your goals.

Anything leftover can be put in a teddy bear fund for children. If you run a family business, this is the type of offering your family can do together to help accomplish this for your community. As your career responsibilities increase this year, so does the stress; begin now to make wise choices when it comes to food and exercise.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) You may finally see some closure on unfinished business today. Your current situation may demand some reevaluation or otherwise challenge your ideas. Do not be hesitant in getting a consultation on an ongoing project. Unless something is falling apart, now may not be the best time to begin a new project at work or home. Energy, drive and an expansive display of talent are yours to command. It is an excellent time to take a little break for your favorite sport or hobby this afternoon. You may have to restrain the actions of a young person tonight. This person needs to know his or her limitations and it is important for you to make your meaning clear. If you are married, find something pleasant you and your loved one can do together tonight.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Hawally

Al-Madeena

22418714

Al-Shuhada

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Faiha

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Kaizen center

25716707

Rawda

22517733

Adaliya

22517144

Al-Jahra

25610011

Khaldiya

24848075

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Kaifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salem

22549134

Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Qadsiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Gar

22531908

Shaab

22518752

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

lifestyle G O S S I P

Beyonce and husband Kylie Minogue took daughter to White House still has feelings for

Velencoso T

he ‘I Should Be So Lucky’ hitmaker split from the Spanish model in October last year after five years together but she still has feelings for him though she has moved on. She told the Daily Star newspaper: “I was very sad. You come out the other side - being super busy and on the cusp of so many things helps to move on. “It was an amicable separation but I still love Andres - he’s the nicest guy, he’s the coolest guy.” Kylie recently signed up to be a coach on UK TV show ‘The Voice alongside Sir Tom Jones, will.i.am and Ricky Wilson - on ‘The Voice’ and, because Andres was one of the people who convinced her to work on the talent

contest, she feels like he is still “with her” despite their breakup. She added: “He was one of the people saying ‘You have to do ‘The Voice”. I feel like he’s with me a little bit.” The pair are said to have split because the distance between them and their working commitments made it difficult to spend time together. Kylie has been working on her music while Andres - who will star in forthcoming film ‘The End’ - is hoping to break into acting. A source previously said: “They only went out seven times over the last 12 months. “That made them realize how little they were seeing each other. Kylie works relentlessly on her music and touring.

Victoria Beckham eyes better 40th birthday party than Moss

T T

he ‘Drunk In Love’ singer and the rapper introduced their two-year-old daughter to guests at First Lady Michelle Obama’s 50th birthday party in Washington on Saturday (18.01.14). The adults stayed up until 2am on Sunday morning and Beyonce posted a number of photographs on her Tumblr account from the visit. One image shows the family walking up to the White House, while another features the singer, 32, with President Barack Obama’s pet dog Sunny and her daughter standing by a Christmas tree wearing a white tutu outfit. Beyonce later changed into a sparkling gold dress to perform for the First Lady and her guests. It had been

reported that guests - which included Sir Paul McCartney, Jennifer Hudson, Bill and Hillary Clinton and Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg - had been ordered not to post on social media about the event. Party-goers arrived at about 8.30pm at the East Wing of the White House and sipped cocktails in the green, blue and red rooms, as well as the State Dining Room. American singer Ledisi, who is one of Michelle’s favorite entertainers, kicked off the evening before Beyonce performed her hits during a half-hour set.

DJ Cassidy and Stevie Wonder also sang ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)’, before John Legend performed ‘Happy Birthday’ for the First Lady.

he 39-year-old designer is keen to put on a “high quality” spread - which will take place in April after watching the supermodel go all-out on her milestone birthday last weekend. A source said: “She’s not holding back at all. Victoria was actually slightly dreading it before Christmas, but she has since been inspired by Kate Moss.” The former Spice Girl wants to host a bash in London and Los Angeles so that all of her showbiz friends can attend and is planning on spending a hefty £100,000 to entertain her guests. The source explained: “Mossy embraced the milestone birthday last week, and now Posh wants to do the same.” The brunette beauty has already arranged for Gordon Ramsay to prepare the party food, but she’s keen to spend most of her budget on buying posh booze. The source told the Daily Star newspaper: “She wants it to be one to remember with everyone she knows there.

Gordon Ramsay has agreed to organize all the food for her too. But Vic plans to spend most of the party money on high quality alcohol.”

Amber Heard, Depp engaged

Rose McGowan mocks ex-fiance Rodriguez T

he 40-year-old actress who was in a relationship with the ‘Sin City’ director for two years until 2009 claimed the filmmaker ’s planned remake of 1968 futuristic film ‘Barbarella’ ground to a halt because he turned his back on a huge budget as he “doesn’t know” how to work outside of his home state of Texas. Asked during a Facebook Q&A how close the remake - in which she would have starred in the title role made famous by Jane Fonda - came to being made, she said: “We had $80 million to shoot it in Germany, but he pulled the plug because he doesn’t know how to shoot outside of Texas.” The director previously claimed he didn’t want to make the movie in Germany because it would mean being away from the five children he has with ex-wife Elizabeth Avellan for too long. He said: “Germany offered us a $70 million budget, which would have been by far the biggest budget I ever would have had for a movie. But I had to shoot it in Germany and post it in Germany. “Nothing against Germany, but I have five kids and I was like, ‘God, I don’t know if we can do that. I don’t know if I can be away that long.’

T

he 27-year-old actress is said to have recently got engaged to the 50-year-old actor - who has children Lily-Rose, 14, and Jack, 11, with former partner Vanessa Paradis - and friends say the couple couldn’t be happier together. An insider told People magazine: “She’s a great match for him and his individuality. She’s a free spirit. “They couldn’t be happier.” The couple sparked speculation they were engaged last week after Amber was seen sporting a black pearl and diamond ring on her engagement finger but friends claimed the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ star had actually proposed several weeks ago. A source said: “The proposal happened a while ago. She just didn’t wear the ring.”

Another added: “It happened on Christmas Eve (24.12.13). Amber really took her time to make up her mind. “She turned him down before she said yes. So she waited and was thinking about it for a long time.” Amber and Johnny first met when they starred together in 2011’s ‘The Rum Diary’ but didn’t get together until after the breakdown of his 14 year relationship with Vanessa. The couple have been notoriously private about their relationship, but made a rare public appearance together on January 11 at the Art of Elysium Gala in Los Angeles.

Justin Bieber caught allegedly peeing his initials into snow

Lamar Odom says he is not

T

he ‘Believe’ hitmaker treated himself to a weekend of snowboarding with his friends in Aspen, Colorado, last week after his home was raided by police, but it appears the pop star didn’t manage to completely stay out of trouble during his trip. According to TMZ, the 19-year-old hunk was travelling in a motorcade on Sunday (19.01.14) when he jumped out at the side of a private road in an affluent area and urinated “JB in the snow”, while surrounded by his bodyguards. The troubled star had his mansion in Calabasas, California, searched by officers last Tuesday (14.01.14) after he was accused of a vicious egg attack on his neighbor. It was claimed last week that police found drugs and drug paraphernalia - including two large cookie jars filled with marijuana “strewn all over” Justin’s house during their raid. However, officers didn’t seize any of the items because they were primarily looking for video equipment and it is likely a search of jars and other items would have exceeded the remit of their search warrant. Meanwhile, Justin’s family has been urging him to seek help in rehab for his alleged use of recreational drugs and behavioral issues.

to blame for Khloe’s feeling

Kanye turns to religion, sex to get through tough times

T

he ‘New Slaves’ rapper has had to deal with backlash and negative publicity throughout his career due to his outspoken nature, and while he admits to certain way of coping, he’s careful not to overindulge. When asked about how he dealt with the fallout from his interruption of Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the 2009 MT V Video Music Awards, he told Interview magazine: “Well, I don’t have an addictive personality, so that means that I can lean on what might be someone else’s vice just enough to make it through to the next day. “You know, just enough religion, a half-cup of alcohol with some ice in it and a nice chaser, and then ... a lot of sex. And then I’d

make it to the next week.” Kanye, 36, also defended the video for his song ‘Bound 2’, which featured him riding a motorcycle with his fiancee Kim Kardashian posing suggestively in front of him, set to a deliberately false multicolored backdrop, saying people take him too literally. He said: “I think all that stuff around it is just that: controversy. I think people are afraid of dreams, and that video is one of the closest things to the way that dreams look and feel, or the way joy looks and feels, with the colors... “I think the controversy comes from the fact that I don’t think most people are comfortable with their own dreams, so it’s hard for them to be comfortable with other people’s dreams.”

T

he reality star talked about the breakdown of her marriage to the basketball player last year which came amid allegations of him cheating and using drugs - on last night’s (19.01.14) episode of ‘Keeping Up With the Kardashians’, but he reportedly doesn’t feel he should accept responsibility. A source told Hollywoodlife.com: “He never asked her to feel that way or put her life on hold to help him. He went about his business and wanted to be left alone.

He needed space to do whatever he wanted to do and he did so away from Khloé so he wouldn’t hurt her.” Lamar, 34, is said to be worried how he will be portrayed on the show following his split from Khloé, which saw her file for divorce in December. A source said: “The last thing Lamar needs in his life is to be portrayed as a schmuck. Khloé has assured him that it won’t be bad, but how can it not be? Lamar is afraid that his drug use and cheating will be addressed on the show. “At the same time, he is trying to make a career comeback and he thinks this is going to hinder and hurt those efforts.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

lifestyle G O S S I P

John Travolta’s first ever solo

Heidi Range is

enjoying her thirties

flight ‘memorable’

T

he ‘Wild Hogs’ actor is a pilot and committed aviation enthusiast - who owns four jets and famously has his own runway to the front door of his estate in Florida - and says he will never forget the thrill of the first time he flew a plane by himself. Speaking at the 11th annual Living Legends of Aviation awards at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles, John told BANG Showbiz: “The best day of flying was probably my first solo. Every first, you know, my first solo my first jet licence, every rating after that.

They were all highlights for me.” John used to have five private planes - a customized Boeing 707, three Gulfstream jets and a Lear jet - but he donated one G-2 Gulfstream executive jet to the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame in 2012 in memory of his son, Jett, who tragically died after suffering a seizure during a break to the Bahamas in 2009.

John - who was awarded the Living Legends Ambassador of Aviation award in 2007 - also has son Benjamin, three, and daughter Ella, 13, with wife Kelly Preston.

Keira Knightley tired of her characters dying in movies T

he 28-year-old actress appeared on the red carpet for the European premiere of her latest film, ‘Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit’ at the Vue cinema in London’s Leicester Square and said she chose to appear in an action film because it was more “fun” than some of her recent roles, which have included ‘Never Let Me Go’, ‘A Dangerous Method’ and ‘Seeking a Friend for the End of the World’. She told BANG Showbiz: “I got to the end of ‘Anna Karenina’ and I sort of realized that I’d either been dying in every film or something horrific was happening to me in every film, and I wanted to do something where that didn’t happen. “I wanted goodies and baddies ... this is a piece of wonderful, totally pure Hollywood entertainment, which I fancied.

And then I did two more movies - one called ‘Can a Song Save Your Life’ and one called ‘Laggies’ - that are just incredibly positive and fun.” Also walking the red carpet this evening (20.01.14) were director Kenneth Branagh, Gemma Chan, Amy Willerton, Elyar Fox and the film’s main star, Chris Pine, who said he was thrilled to take on the role of US special agent Jack Ryan, previously portrayed on-screen by Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck and Alec Baldwin.

T

he Sugababes star - who celebrated turning 30 last year with a birthday trip to Rome, Italy - insists she isn’t worried about getting older as she now feels more confident in her own skin.

Asked how she feels about being 30, she said: “I’m loving it. You get a bit more comfortable with yourself don’t you?” The blonde beauty - who says her current relationship with property developer Alex Partakis is “going great” - is currently starring in a touring production of ‘Happy Days: A New Musical’, which is based on the popular US sitcom. Though Heidi has found appearing on stage a “challenge”, she has quickly got to grips with the process because of her dance background. She told Britain’s Hello! magazine: “You’re putting yourself out there for people to comment on what you’re doing. It’s all a challenge, especially with it being a new show. But I trained as a dancer when I was younger so in a way it’s a bit like getting back on a bike.”

Carey Mulligan says marriage has made her more ‘secure’

Harry Styles flirting Bruce Jenner is ‘happier’ with a mystery brunette

not living with wife Kris

T

he couple split in October last year with Bruce staying in Malibu, California, while Kris lives at the family home in Calabasas, and on last night’s (19.01.14) episode of reality show ‘Keeping up with the Kardashians’ viewers saw the tense meeting where he told her he wasn’t coming back. Bruce told Kris: “We both have to admit that the energy between us seems to be better when we are apart right now. “We have been together for 23 years and it seems to be now that we are doing better being apart and seeing each other here and there. “I have already called the real estate agent and extended the lease.” Surprised, Kris, 58, told him: “Don’t you think we should have talked about that?” Bruce responded: “I just did it, I just can’t see myself going back to be honest with you. “We both seem to be doing better with our space. I am not looking to get divorced or anything but having our space is kinda nice. “Why should we feel pressure from the media and public opinion to define our marriage?” Kris - who has daughters Kendall, 18, and Kylie, 16, with Bruce - became teary, but agreed with her husband. She said: “We have to define our marriage the way we want it to be. I have thought about this for a long time and wondered where this is all going and I think we both just need to be happy, I really do. Isn’t that the bottom line? Life is so short.”

T

he One Direction hunk arrived at the film festival in Utah, US, to support his friend Zach Braff’s new film ‘Wish I Was Here’ this weekend and was seen cosying up to the woman at the Grey Goose Bungalow 8 pop-up after party. A source told E! News: “Harry came to the party with a group of people, he was with three guys and two girls - one of the girls was a brunette and one was a blonde. They were all sitting together in a corner booth laughing and having a good time. “As the night went on, I could see Harry flirting with the brunette. At one point it was just the two of them canoodling in the corner ....they were really into each other.” The source added that while they seemed friendly and flirty, nothing romantic happened between Harry and the mystery woman. Harry, 19, is thought to be dating reality TV star Kendall Jenner, 18, although they have both denied they are in a relationship on a number of occasions, despite being seen on dates and even going on a skiing holiday with each other. They were last seen at a concert by ‘Hotel California’ rockers Eagles in Los Angeles on Friday night (17.01.14), although they left separately.

T

he 28-year-old actress wed Mumford & Sons singer Marcus Mumford in 2012 and she says being settled in her personal life has made her “more confident” with her career. Asked how marriage has changed her, she explained: “I think I’m more settled and more secure than I’ve probably ever been, and more confident and excited about the work choices that I make.” The ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’ star struggled with life in the spotlight after she was nominated for an Oscar in her 2009 breakthrough movie ‘An Education’, but she has become more relaxed over the years.

She told the Guardian newspaper: “I didn’t really have as much fun as I should have done. I found it’s all a bit terrifying. Now I don’t get so nervous about standing on a red carpet and going to parties; I just get it done, whereas I used to be crippled by fear. Standing in front of a photographer was a nightmare. “Now, as of last week, I’ve done a talk show where I wasn’t totally freaking out. My publicist said, ‘This is the first time you haven’t been completely terrified and you were all right.’ Usually I’m weird.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

lifestyle

‘Sleepy Hollow’ star teases finale ‘revelations’

B

ritish actor Tom Mison, who plays Ichabod Crane on the Fox series “Sleepy Hollow,” predicts fans are in for a sleepless night. Mison said in a recent interview that in the two-hour Season 1 finale, “There will be so many revelations and so many shocks that you’ll want to stay up and scream at a wall and probably hit your head against a wall and so many surprises that you’re gonna kick yourself that you didn’t see some of these coming.”

It might sound dramatic, but the actor said he believes the fans will be surprised because of clues they likely missed along the way. “ The seeds have been sewn throughout the season, clues as to what’s coming, and as far as I know nobody’s really guessed anything,” Mison said.

“Sleepy Hollow ” is described as a retelling of the Washington Irving short story but set in the modern day.

Ichabod has awoken two centuries after being killed in the Revolutionary War. He must adjust to this new time period, battle the headless horseman and prevent the looming apocalypse.

“There’s nothing else like it really,” Mison said. “If you’re a fan of procedurals then you’ll like it. If you’re a fan of horror then you’ll like it.” Plus it’s funny, especially as Ichabod tries to get comfortable in the 21st century. One especially humorous scene features him pouring his heart out to the OnStar voice in a car. The cast and crew are on hiatus before Season 2 begins filming, and Mison said he can’t wait to return to work.

“After a very, very strenuous hardworking season it’s so nice that I haven’t left it thinking, ‘I need to go and lie down,’” he said. “Instead it’s that I can’t wait to find out

what’s going to happen.” “Sleepy Hollow” is the 31-year-old actor’s first job in America. His work on the show has received praise from critics and put him on various 2013 lists of rising stars and actors to watch. When asked whether he feels as though he’s on Hollywood’s radar, he’s embarrassed but admits, “You’re certainly aware of doors being opened.” “I wish I’d come to American sooner,” he said. “Everyone’s been delightful. Yes, I think it’s safe to say ‘Sleepy Hollow’ has changed my life. It’s delightful.” — AP

English actor and star of the FOX network series ‘Sleepy Hollow,’ Tom Mison poses for a portrait, in New York. — AP

Mary Lambert is last resort for ‘Same Love’

I

(Left to right) Actors Pierre Boulanger, Emily Browning, Hannah Murray, and Olly Alexander pose for a portrait during the 2014 Sundance Film Festival at the Getty Images Portrait Studio at the Village At The Lift in Park City, Utah. — AFP

Sundance — No improvement for women behind the camera

T

hough women continue to find more success (and work) in the independent space - where they can generate their own work, particularly on the documentary side - there has been no overall change in the number of female directors and producers at Sundance over the past decade, a new study commissioned by the Sundance Institute and Women in Film Los Angeles found.

More than 40 percent of the documentary directors and producers with films screening at last year’s festival were women; that number falls to less than 30 percent when all festival films are considered. However, “examining female participation at the Festival as directors and producers from 2002 to 2013 revealed no meaningful change over time,” the study found.

The two organizations collaborate on an initiative to achieve gender parity, promoting opportunities for female filmmakers and encouraging Hollywood to end its bias towards male directors.

They offer a mentorship program, financing help and a large network of allied organizations. This study is based on the examination of female participation in the festival’s lineup and

conversations with industry executives. “Our collaborative initiative has furthered the dialogue around the importance of women behind the camera,” Sundance Institute executive director Keri Putnam said in a statement.

“We are grateful to the researchers and allied organizations in lending their analysis and expertise to help us identify the most productive next steps to address existing challenges.”

Sundance continues to help aspiring female filmmakers with its labs, where 42.6 percent of fellows are women. Yet the numbers slide when it comes to women whose movies screen at the festival, as 28.9 percent of creators working behind the camera on 82 US films at last year’s festival were women. There are myriad reasons for this disparity, and the initial report identified obstacles such as financial barriers and male-centric social networks. — Reuters

V

Basically all of our jobs in Los Angeles have left, so that issue is moot unless we can bring the industry back.”

Tax subsidies are the problem, Rand and others claim, but they’re also focused on drawing attention to an ongoing effort to impose tariffs on films that benefit from incentives. According to a recent study by the DC law firm Picard, Kentz & Rowe that Lay commissioned so-called countervailing duties can be levied by the government to alleviate the damaging effects that foreign tax incentives can have on the domestic production of certain goods. In the past they have been imposed on everything from steel to shrimp.

To that end, Lay, Rand and others have formed a group called ADAPT (Association of Digital Ar tists, Professionals and Technicians) that will continue to explore a legal recourse for fighting foreign subsidies. They hope that the Oscars demonstration can also serve as a way to familiarize the visual effects community with their work and their cause.

“The idea is to return the visual effects industry to a place where it is a stable and secure business,” Scott Squires, a visual effects supervisor, said. He noted, however, that despite job losses and destroyed businesses, many artists are still hesitant to take action. “There’s a certain number of people that are unemployed and may be more open to speaking out about it, but some people, who are out of work feel that there’s even more of a need to keep their noses to the grindstone and not upset a potential employer,” Squires said. “There’s still a fear factor.”— Reuters

came out in early December. You can probably tie the two together,” he said of “Brave,” which reached its peak at No 26 last week.

Lambert, who is openly gay, said having her first mainstream song be about a topic that’s close to home and nominated for a top Grammy at the same time is a blessing.

She said it also has encouraged her to be honest in her own music. She released an EP, “Welcome to the Age of My Body,” in December and it features a spinoff of “Same Love” called “She Keeps Me Warm” a refrain from the original track. Lambert

Mary Lambert

signed to Capitol Records and will release a full-length album this year. She plans to sing about topics from female empowerment, fat shaming and domestic violence.

“I think people are figuring out there’s no formula anymore. The things that used to work for record companies don’t necessarily work,” she said.— AP

Sting and Paul Simon rehearsing for a tour

Visual effects protest planned for the Oscars isual effects workers are planning a demonstration in Los Angeles next month to protest foreign tax subsidies they argue are destroying their industry, TheWrap has learned. The event is being billed as the March in March and will be tied to the Oscars. It comes after a similar grass-roots protest drew more than 400 people at last year’s Academy Awards. “We’re trying to focus on the destructive impact of the subsidies race,” Daniel Lay, who writes the influential blog VFXSoldier, told TheWrap.

“We want to broaden it to include musicians and grips and others who are being drastically effected. It’s great that there’s an Oscar party going on, but a lot of us are being hurt by this subsidy.” Last year, protestors were motivated to picket because Rhythm & Hues, the Oscar-winning visual effects company behind “Life of Pi,” had just filed for bankruptcy. Its financial problems came on the heels of the failure of roughly a half dozen companies such as Digital Domain, Asylum Visual Effects and CafeFX. The visual effects industry in California has been decimated as cities such Vancouver and London have begun to offer lucrative post-production tax subsidies and incentives that lure major projects such as “ The Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Star Wars Episode VII” outside of the United States. Organizers say they are encouraged by the amount of interest in this year’s protest and note that more than 100 people on Facebook currently say they will attend.

Plans are still in their early stages, but will likely entail gathering on March 2nd at some spot on Hollywood Boulevard east of where the stars will glide down the red carpet outside the Dolby Theater.

Last year, visual effects artist Dave Rand hired a plane carrying a banner that read “Box Office + Bankrupt = Visual Effects vfxunion.com.” Rand said he’s not certain he’ll charter a plan again. “The march is going to be a less angry demonstration we don’t want to be disruptive or disrespectful to the Oscars,” Rand said. “We want this one to be more focused.

n just six hours, Mary Lambert’s life changed drastically. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis had written and produced a song called “Same Love,” but they needed a special hook to finalize the emotional track.

Like the rap duo, Lambert is from Seattle, though she had never met them before. “I was sort of a last resort,” said Lambert. “It was a match made in heaven.” Lambert was given “about two or three hours” to write the song’s chorus and then record it the same night in front of the breakthrough newcomers, who were instantly impressed by the soft singer.

“They loved it. It was like this beautiful minute of silence after I sung the chorus,” she recalled. Others love it, too - including members of the Recording Academy.

“Same Love” is nominated for the coveted song of the year at Sunday’s Grammy Awards, pitting the rap song supporting gay love and acceptance against No 1 smashes from Katy Perry, Bruno Mars, Lorde and Pink.

“Same Love” didn’t top the charts - it peaked at No 11 on the Hot 100 - but it sold 2 million copies and helped propel Macklemore & Ryan Lewis to even greater heights. The duo is nominated for seven awards, including best new artist and album of the year for “The Heist.” “We’d probably all agree that the nomination for song of the year for ‘Same Love’ in particular is quite meaningful for us, in what the song has turned out to be and (what it) means to people,” said Zach Quillen, manager for Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. “We regard it as our highest accomplishment,” he said.

The Grammys also will celebrate another song about gay pride Sunday with Sara Bareilles’ “Brave,” which she wrote to encourage her friend to come out of the closet. It’s nominated for best pop solo performance and appears on her third album, “The Blessed Unrest,” which is up for album of the year. Keith Caulfield, Billboard’s associate director of charts, said “Brave” could be getting a boost because of its Grammy nominations. “It does seem like something happened since the Grammy nominations

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ting and Paul Simon are rehearsing for their upcoming tour, a couple of longtime friends and neighbors preparing to take turns singing some of each other’s biggest hits. It was Simon’s idea for the tour, hatched when he came downstairs in their New York apartment building to ask if Sting would be interested. Of course, Sting told him, having first heard Simon & Garfunkel when he was a 15-year-old in England. “He’s the master,” Sting said Monday, speaking by satellite from New York. “If I ever wanted to emulate a literary and literate songwriter, then Paul Simon would be the person I would go to.”

They have started the process of selecting the set list for the tour, which opens Feb 8 in Houston. Sting said Simon has asked him to sing “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” and Sting asked if they could include

“America.” “Paul had a long partnership with Art Garfunkel for many, many years, and it’s not my job to impersonate Art,” Sting said. “He has one of the most iconic, beautiful voices in the history of rock ‘n’ roll. But my job is to interpret and honor the notes and the lyrics that have been written, and I will be me. But I’m delighted to sing songs from that canon.”

Simon is eager to sing Sting’s songs “Fields of Gold” and “Fragile.” “I think the gentler side of my repertoire interests him,” Sting told the Television Critics Association while promoting his PBS special, “Sting: The Last Ship,” airing Feb. 21 on “Great Performances.”

The two men, separated by a 10-year age difference, first sang together at a charity benefit in New York last year. Sting said he was surprised by how well his voice blended with that of the 72-year old Simon.

“He will pick up something of my energy, and I’ll pick up some of his,” he said. “Again, it’s a learning experience.” At times, they’ll blend their respective bands, the specifics of which are still being worked out.”It may evolve into a big bash, sort of battle of the bands, if you like,” Sting said. “With musicians of that caliber, when you stick them on the same stage, they all raise their game, and there’s a little bit of competitive spirit, but a great deal of understanding and sensitivity. I think it’s going to be fantastic.”— AP

Music helps elderly remember: Movie at Sundance

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(Left to right) Co-producer Razan Ghalayini, director Greg Barker, and documentary subject Maryam Al-Khawaja pose for a portrait during the 2014 Sundance Film Festival at the Getty Images Portrait Studio at the Village At The Lift in Park City, Utah. — AFP

t won’t cure dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, but music can nevertheless help sufferers “wake up” their memories, reveals a moving documentary presented at the Sundance Film Festival. “Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory,” the debut feature film by Michael RossatoBennett, follows the efforts of one man to convince Americans of the benefits of music on people with dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Dan Cohen, founder of the non-profit organization Memory & Music, arms himself with headphones and music players as he shows-to the surprise of care-givers-how patients locked in silence and lost in the maze of dementia seem to find some memories and feelings when they hear the music they love. With the cameras watching on, many patients begin to talk, smile, sing and even dance, as their families look on stunned.

“It’s not a cure,” stressed Rossato-Bennett, whose film went on show at the independent film festival in Utah, the United States, at the weekend. “And there is no way to get (back) these memory cells that have been destroyed.” But he says music has the ability to penetrate into the recesses of the brain less affected by dementia, which affects five million Americans. Cohen’s vision when he founded Memory & Music was a simple one: to bring a better quality of life to the elderly through music.

The fate of the elderly and infirm is one Rossato-Bennett shows an intense passion for.

“We live in a time, in a culture, where we’re not really sure how much we care about humanity anymore,” he said at Sundance, which runs until January 26 in Park City. “We know we care about industry, progress, commerce. But maybe elders are no longer useful. We’re done with them.” He added: “Humanity is at a turning point. With our technology, we’re gods. “I really think we need to rethink almost everything and we’ll have to, eventually. If we are creating global warming, at some point, we can’t ignore it. If we are overfishing our oceans, at some point we can’t ignore it.

“If our elders are not having a human life, at some point we cannot ignore it. So we will change. “In 10-15 years in the US, we’re gonna need to double the beds in nursing homes if we do it that way. We can’t do it. We can barely afford what we have now. Double would literally bankrupt this country. People are gonna have to live at home longer, that’s the only solution. “When you have Alzheimer’s or dementia, the world becomes overwhelming, you can’t differentiate what’s happening outside and inside, you can’t do it.” — AFP

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

lifestyle

Schiaparelli makes whimsical couture comeback in Paris S

ixty years after Elsa Schiaparelli’s last runway show, the house on Monday made a highly-awaited comeback with an elegant collection studded with whimsy, in a nod to the Italian fashion legend. The long-dormant house was revived on the second day of haute couture fashion week in Paris, which also saw Christian Dior and Giambatista Valli unveil their latest Spring-Summer collections. Between the two world wars the radically bold Elsa Schiaparelli was one of fashion’s most prominent figures and became Coco Chanel’s biggest rival.

She collaborated with her close friend Salvador Dali who painted the lobster on her famous Lobster Dress in 1937 and designed the trompe l’oueil Tears print on a dress shown at her riotous 1938 “Circus Collection” show in Paris.

The designer died in 1973 and the fashion world has been holding its breath to see what the future holds for Schiaparelli since her house was bought by Italian luxury goods tycoon Diego Della Valle in 2007.

Arriving guests trod a carpet in Schiaparelli’s signature shocking pink before passing through a bamboo cage surrounded by cherry blossoms like that which once graced the entrance to the designer’s Paris boutique. Zanini gave several nods to Schiaparelli’s famed flights of fancy-such her famed surrealist shoe hat-with models sporting brightly colored hair, a blue fringe, pointed and twisting hats or a dip dyed bridal veil.

The first model wore a long draping dress in Schiaparelli pink, blue and white with a hand-painted print called “the starry sky”, according to the designer. A masculine suit, with ruffled hem and a beaded striped silk T-shirt dress were both worn with flat, feathered crocodile sandals, adding a touch of “nonchalance”, according to the designer’s notes. Long evening dresses were paired with tailored jackets and high-waisted trousers with elbow-length white gloves in a collection which Zanini said mixed elegance and eccentricity.

The designer took inspiration from “the materials and exclusive prints” used by Schiaparelli, working with Parisian embroiderers, plumassiers-who work with ornamental feathers-and glovemakers to realize the handmade couture items. “It is very beautiful and poetic, very modern... but also very wearable,” said Gaultier, who joined supermodel Elle Macpherson and former French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy at the show.

Models present Schiaparelli creations during the Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2014 collection show in Paris.

A picture shows a selection of Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli’s personal collection which will be auctioned tomorrow by Christie’s.

Dior puts women first in peek-a-boo line Haute couture exists only in Paris, where it is a legally protected appellation subject to strict criteria such as the amount of work carried out by hand, the limited number of pieces and the size of a house’s workforce. Italian designer Giambatista Valli unveiled luxurious mini-dresses in quilted ivory, with exquisitely embroidered cherry blossoms or the bright blue “bleuets” flowers seen throughout the collection.

Two-piece evening gowns clung to the hips and thighs, flaring out to the ground such as one skirt in canary yellow paired with a red embroidered bustier. Large draped bows covered several skirts, some cut away in front and others longer in the back.

For Christian Dior, creative director Raf Simons celebrated the intimate relationship between the woman and the designer in a light and effortless collection which he described as his “most labour intensive ever produced.”

Intricate, delicate embroidery and cutwork in dresses, capes and tuxedo jackets dotted with small holes offered a “peek-a-boo sensual sexuality” throughout as well as three-dimensional, architectural dimension. Simons mostly stuck to a color palette of black, white, ivory and ink blue in his 53 creations which included loose-fitting dresses, varying from off-the-shoulder to strapless, some with plunging V-neckline. Calf-length dresses with billowing skirts were paired with sneakers in what Simons sees a “new insouciance.”

He said he doesn’t want to “force a look” on women and that it is okay to take off your heels, pop on some comfortable shoes and go dancing. “Haute couture became something women were watching... as a spectacle the way you go to theatre. It is not all about the red carpet,” he said. “I also want to feel like you want to wear it... connect it more with the way of living.” American actress Allison Williams from the hugely popular series “Girls”, who joined other celebrities such as Kate Bosworth, said she particularly loved a series of “gorgeous” jumpsuits.

The show took place in an all white room that resembled the inside of a cave, or igloo, in what the designer’s notes described as a Modernist “re-imagining of the intimacy of the female area of the salon”. Dior’s chief executive Sidney Toledano said Simons-in his fourth season for the house-and his modern take on the line had helped attract new clients. He told AFP that 2013 was “a record year” for Dior haute couture, with more and more clients coming from Asian countries such as China. — AFP

French singer and former First Lady Carla Bruni Sarkozy (left) and former Australian model Elle Macpherson pose during Schiaparelli Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2014 collection show in Paris.

Amber Heard, Depp engaged

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld (center left) holds the hand of Hudson Kroenig, 5, while model Cara Delevingne wears the wedding gown during Chanel’s Spring-Summer 2014 Haute Couture fashion collection presented in Paris yesterday. — AP

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A bride and bridegroom pose for photographs with a street performer dressed as Spiderman in Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain. The couple was having more informal wedding photos taken by a photographer in the plaza. — AP

orried about the groom getting cold feet?

There’s an insurance policy for that. With the cost of the average American wedding reaching about $26,000, insurers have been selling a growing number of policies to protect against losses from extreme weather, illness and, in one firm’s case, even a sudden change of heart.

Cheryl Winter spent $500 for Hartford-based Travelers Cos Inc to cover her daughter’s $50,000 destination wedding last October in New Orleans, where her biggest concern was a potential hurricane. The weather cooperated, but the limousine never showed up. Her daughter took a taxi cab to the church, and they used the insurance policy to claim the deposit money they couldn’t get back from the limo driver.

“No one wants to be walking in the French Quarter in a long gown and high heels,” said Winter, who lives in the Houston area. The insurance is offered by a small number of US companies.

Insurers declined to provide data on the number of customers beyond saying they are growing steadily. It can cover losses from issues ranging from bankrupt wedding halls to cancelations forced by unexpected military deployments. Travelers says

Exceptional 29.6 carat blue diamond found in S Africa

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29.6 carat blue diamond, one of the rarest and most coveted in the world with a possible price tag of tens of millions of dollars, has been discovered at a South African mine by Petra Diamonds. The miner said the “exceptional” acorn-sized diamond, small enough to fit into the palm of a hand, was unearthed at the Cullinan mine near Pretoria.

The mine, owned by the firm since 2008, was also where the Cullinan Diamond was found in 1905 described as the largest rough gem diamond ever recovered and weighing 3,106 carats. Other notable diamonds found in the mine include a 25.5 carat Cullinan blue diamond, found in 2013 and sold for $16.9 million, and a diamond found in 2008, known as the Star of Josephine, which was sold for $9.49 million. Chief Executive Johan Dippenaar told Reuters the latest blue diamond discovery

A 29.6 carat blue diamond discovered at a South African mine.

could outstrip recent finds.

“By some margin ... this is probably the most significant stone we’ve ever, in terms of blue stones, recovered,” he said.

“The stones in the last year or so are selling well above $2 million per carat. That’s not my quote, that’s updates in the market,” he said ahead of the company’s first-half trading statement. Petra Diamonds is due to release figures on production and sales for the six months to Dec 31 on Thursday, but these will not take into account the find which occurred in January. Analyst Cailey Barker at brokers Numis thought the diamond could fetch between $15 million and $20 million at auction. — Reuters

issues with vendors account for about a quarter of the claims, with most of those related to issues with photographers or videographers.

For Travelers, an insurance giant with annual revenue of $26 billion, the policies will not make or break the bottom line. But the wedding insurance it began selling in 2007 is also a way to connect with a couple who might later think of the company for home insurance and other life milestones. “It could be the beginning of a relationship with a young couple,” said Ed Charlebois, a Travelers vice president for personal insurance. Wedsafe, backed

by Aon, also offers wedding insurance, which differs little from the specialty insurance that firms may offer for other kinds of events and celebrations.

For parents concerned about a relationship souring before the exchange of vows, Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. offers change of heart insurance. It’s been available since 2007, but the program administrator said the fraud rate soared in the early years as policies were bought for couples who were known to be fighting. That coverage now applies only if the bride or groom calls off the wedding more than nine months beforehand.

“Coverage does not exist once you hit the altar,” said administrator Rob Nuccio of RV Nuccio & Associates. “The only ones who were buying it were the ones who knew they would have a claim.”

Kyle Brown, director of the Bakersfield, Calif.based Bridal Association of America, said he recommends wedding insurance, but he estimates policies are taken out for less than half of 1 percent of the more than 2 million weddings held annually in the US. “Nobody likes to think about the bad side,” he said. Winter said some people told her insurance would be a waste of money for her daughter’s wedding, but she read various reviews and decided it was worth protecting the investment. She’s planning to buy a policy for another daughter’s wedding in 2015. — AP

Lohan at Sundance to announce new movie

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ith a film crew capturing every moment, Lindsay Lohan made a high-profile debut at the Sundance Film Festival, announcing a new film and a “fresh start.” The 27year-old, who is attempting a comeback after well-documented battles with drugs and legal troubles, came to the independent cinema showcase Monday to say she will produce and star in a film called “Inconceivable,” set to start shooting in March.

A crew from OWN, which is airing a reality series about Lohan, filmed the actress’s news conference. Reporters were told that if they asked personal questions, they would be escorted out.

Most performers and producers at Sundance have films showing at the festival and don’t come just to announce a planned production - those are usually announced through news releases.

But producer and financier Randall Emmett, who sat beside Lohan, said Sundance is “just a special place for us to announce this film.” He called Lohan “one of the greatest young actresses of her generation.”

Lohan, who emerged from her latest rehab stint last year and remains on probation for a necklace theft and for lying to police about a car crash, said she is grateful to be at Sundance and back in the movie business. “I’ve never had the honor of coming here before ... to bring something to the table, which is starting fresh for me,” said Lohan, smiling broadly. “And I’m filming my Oprah docu-series right now, so I get to that to the people who have been watching that as well.

“It’s a nice change to be back among people that are in the industry that I’ve been in since I was a kid.” She described the film as a psychological thriller about a woman trying to reclaim something she lost, adding that she “related to the character in a lot of ways.” Emmett said Lohan found the script and insisted they make it together. “She read the script, she called, she said, ‘We’re making this movie, are you in or out?’” he recalled.

“I said, ‘I’m in.’”

Lohan will also help select the director and cast the film, he said, adding that he expects a

director to be announced next week. Emmett said moviegoers “are going to really be shocked when they see Lindsay take this role on.”

Lionsgate will release the film, he said. Though Lohan served as an executive producer on her universally panned 2013 film “The Canyons,” her producing role is even larger this time around. “It’s therapeutic for me to throw myself into something that really excites me and something that I love to do so much,” she said. —AP

Actress Lindsay Lohan speaks at the Lindsay Lohan Press Conference at Social Film Loft during the 2014 Park City in Park City, Utah. — AFP