5 Feb

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

New traffic cameras calculate average speed

Microsoft’s Gates steps down, new CEO named

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Mourinho’s Chelsea outwit Pellegrini’s stunned City

Actor’s death spotlights US heroin epidemic

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RABI ALTHANI 5, 1435 AH

invest €500m in Italy Letta hails ‘statement of confidence’ during visit

Max 18º Min 8º High Tide 03:20 & 15:44 Low Tide 09:46 & 22:18

By Jamie Etheridge

conspiracy theories

Light in the tunnel

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

I

t was a rather hilarious and amusing grilling of the Minister of Electricity and Water and Public Works Abdulaziz Al-Ibrahim by MP Adel AlKhorafi. It was like theatre. The latter accused the minister of not taking care of the roads which were exposed during the rain. By the way, everybody in the country can see that our roads have many potholes. They are everywhere. And we all saw the gravel which was flying and breaking windshields on the roads.

The nation was suffering while driving. At the end, all we got as an answer was that the two companies who built the roads were suspended. There was a committee formed to investigate the problem. Who made a mistake and where is the monitoring body from the government’s side? Anyone who makes a mistake in Kuwait and if it is proven, we say ‘malesh’. We suspend him. Maybe we see the same company redoing the streets or other projects.

Other projects not everybody can see unlike the streets where we all drive. I will not be surprised if these two companies will soon win another tender.

Whether it is for the streets or other projects, we never hear the wrongdoers’ names. By saying that the two companies were suspended, it means that there was a mistake committed. So is this the penalty that will be imposed on them? Why can’t they be responsible for the damage and redo the streets as per international standards as well as per the requirements of the Public Works Ministry. Don’t we have a set of rules for the projects in Kuwait? Aren’t there certain standards and certifications that are internationally recognized? There should be a supervision committee overseeing this. We do not have to wait for the little rain we have to expose corruption and the way things were done far less than the required measurements.

Most of our projects are under question marks.

As for the electricity that the minister argued was the reason hindering the construction of 34,000 housing units - how long are we going to talk about our electricity or lack thereof? Parliaments come and go and it is always the same issues we face.

How do other countries cope with this? An oilrich country like Kuwait is having excuses that we have shortages and we do not have proper power stations. Are we the size of the US or Europe and the map does not reflect this? Has our population exceeded 100 million or a billion, like in China and India. I know what it is. The industrial power that we have is the size of Germany and is consuming all of our electricity. Or are we becoming the factory of the world, like China, and have started exporting goods around the world?

I am not blaming the minister of electricity. The problem existed before him and will exist after him.

What is with the electricity story? I cannot understand it. Can’t it be solved once and for all? I have been listening to the electricity enigma for the last 30 years. Generations after generations suffer from this problem. More will continue to suffer. Is there a light in the tunnel for Kuwait? Or is there going to be a shortage there too?

KUWAIT: Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta (left) walks with Kuwait’s Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak Al-Sabah at Bayan Palace yesterday. — KUNA

Khorafi grills electricity minister Ibrahim denies allegations of squandering public funds

By B Izzak

KUWAIT: (From left) Nadim Houry, HRW Deputy Middle East Director, Belkis Wille, HRW Yemen and Kuwait Researcher, MENA, and Mohammed Al-Hamidi, Director of KSHR, hold a press conference yesterday. — Photo by Joseph Shagra

KUWAIT: MP Adel Al-Khorafi yesterday grilled Minister of Electricity and Water and Public Works Abdulaziz Al-Ibrahim over allegations of squandering public funds and mismanagement, but the debate ended without submitting a noconfidence motion. The minister surprised everyone by agreeing to debate the grilling in yesterday ’s session although he was allowed to ask for a two-week delay.

In the first grilling after the major

Cabinet reshuffle about a month ago, Khorafi alleged that the minister was not competent to run the affairs of the two ministries and that he arbitrarily scrapped projects at the expense of public funds. The minister denied the allegations, explaining why he delayed some projects, informing MPs the real story about the controversial road paving material that left gravel flying on most roads and shattering vehicles’ windshields. He said that two companies were found at fault and suspended.

Continued on Page 13

HRW raps Kuwait on free speech, bedoons

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Human Rights Watch urged Kuwait yesterday to amend laws that officials are using to crack down on free speech and send people to jail for criticizing HH the Amir. HRW also called on the authorities to fulfil their promises to resolve the decades-old problem of over 100,000 stateless people, or bedoons, who claim the right to citizenship. This was announced by its representatives during a symposium held yesterday at the Kuwait Society for Human Rights in

Internet titans shine light on spy requests SAN FRANCISCO: Internet titans eager to regain the trust of users for the first time on Monday provided insight into numbers of secret requests for user data made by the US government. Disclosures from Google, Facebook and others came a week after US authorities agreed to give technology firms the ability to publish broad details of how their customer data has been targeted by US spy agencies. The agreement came amid litigation from tech giants Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft and Yahoo.

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s sovereign wealth fund, the Kuwait Investment Authority, will invest €500 million in the Italian Strategic Fund (FSI), Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta told reporters in Kuwait yesterday. The Italian premier said that the investments will go into Italian companies, mostly in the industrial sector and will help to “capitalize, re-launch and help Italian enterprises”.

The two countries will create a jointly owned company, with Italy providing 80 percent of the €2.5 billion capital and Kuwait funding the remainder. Although the deal will be finalized in March, Letta said yesterday it would come into effect immediately. “This is a statement of confidence in Italy,” he told reporters. The Kuwait Investment Authority is among the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, with more than $400 billion in estimated assets.

Speaking during a press conference at Bayan Palace following a meeting with HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Prime Minister HH Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak Al-Sabah, the Italian premier said that Italy seeks to help promote stability in the region through a multilateral approach and noted he had a very “fruitful, positive and concrete” discussion with the Kuwaiti leadership. The premier said that Italy will soon mark 50 years of diplomatic ties with Kuwait. There are several Italian firms doing business in Kuwait including Saipem, ABB Italy, Maire Tecnimont, Rizzani de Eccher, Italcementi Group, Bonatti and Fisia Italimpianti.

Letta also discussed with Kuwait’s leadership regional concerns including the instability and conflict in Syria, Egypt, Libya and Tunisia. “We hope to see good and positive steps for the internal dialogue in Egypt and we are optimistic,” the premier said. Letta also said that Rome was concerned about the instability in Iraq and the growing Syrian refugee problem in the region. With regards to Iran, Letta said that Italy follows a multilateral approach and works to encourage Tehran to abide by all UN resolutions and the P5+1 agreements.

Speaking on the sidelines of the press conference, Kuwait’s Ambassador to Italy Sheikh Ali Khalid Al-Jaber AlSabah said that Italy would adopt a plan in June to lift Schengen visa requirements for Kuwaitis that may allow visas on arrival.

The companies have been seeking the right to release figures on vast surveillance of online and phone communications, in the wake of leaked documents from former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden. US officials used the authority of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to ask for information from between 9,000 and 10,000 Google user accounts in the first six months of 2013, and between 12,000 to 13,000 accounts in the six months prior Continued on Page 13

Shuwaikh on the occasion of releasing its 2014 report on Kuwait.

Belkis Wille, Yemen and Kuwait Researcher, MENA, Human Rights Watch, spoke about various human rights offenses in Kuwait, and demanded the amendment of local laws.

“Kuwait’s government should amend national laws that officials are using to crack down on free speech. The government should also follow on promises to comprehensively address citizenship claims of bedoons,” she said.

Continued on Page 13

KUWAIT: MP Adel Al-Khorafi (left) grills Minister of Electricity and Water and Public Works Abdulaziz Al-Ibrahim (right) yesterday. — Photos by Joseph Shagra

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

LOCAL

Union urges authorities to help visa scandal victims Fingerprinting puts expats on blacklist

By A Saleh

KUWAIT: Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta speaking at a press conference in Bayan Palace yesterday.

(Left) Kuwait’s Ambassador to Italy Sheikh Ali Khalid AlJaber Al-Sabah said that Italy would adopt a plan in June to lift Schengen visa requirements for Kuwaitis that may allow visas on arrival.

— Photos by Joseph Shagra

KUWAIT: A top Kuwaiti unionist announced that he has contacted official security authorities in the state in order to find ‘a quick solution’ to a case involving workers whose visit visas were canceled soon after they arrived to Kuwait after police discovered that their visas were issued illegally. “We seek a solution that helps the workers leave Kuwait without arbitrariness or being held accountable for a crime they never committed,” said Abdurrahman Al-Ghanim, the President of the Expatriate Labor Office in the Kuwait Trade Union Federation, in a statement released yesterday and directed to the Interior Ministry.

The Interior Ministry is currently investigating a visa scandal involving a senior ministry official, who according to investigations, issued around 13,000 visas illegally over the course of two years using the help of other ministry officials. In the aftermath of the case, the ministry placed a security block on holders of the suspected visas, but the step was met with criticism from MPs and rights group who said that the expatriates should not be subjected to prosecution of crimes they are considered the victims of.

Al-Ghanim announced his wish to meet Maj Gen Sheikh Faisal Al-Nawaf Al-Sabah, the Assistant Undersecretary for Citizenship and Passports Affairs, in order to discuss the situation of the expatriates “who are listed as fugitives wanted to be fingerprinted and deported”. “The KTUF is working on finding another solution that does not involve fingerprinting and deportation, especially since the visas they obtained carried official stamps and were issued through official channels,” Ghanim said.

Security solutions Fingerprinting puts the expatriates on the blacklist of people who are denied reentrance to Kuwait for violating the state’s regulations. “The KUTF is convinced that Kuwait should not depend only on security solutions to face these kinds of crises,” Ghanim said. “Deportation and fingerprinting is not the only solution to face the problem of marginal labor forces that come to Kuwait. This method damages Kuwait’s worldwide image, which needs to be avoided ahead of the International Labor Organization’s annual convention in June”.

This comes while a senior Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor official announced that the

ministry has no plans to cancel the condition of having the employer’s approval for a worker to transfer to another company. Currently, a worker can transfer to another employer after one year but the employer’s approval is mandatory. The employer ’s approval is not required if an employee completes three years. “There are no current plans to change the current criteria and allow employers to reject employees’ transfer demands after three years of employment,” Assistant Undersecretary for the Labor Sector, Jamal Al-Dousary, announced recently.

Meanwhile, Dousary revealed that the ministry launched investigations over suspicions of forgery in nearly 25 companies. The Minister of Social Affairs and Labor had announced Monday that a ‘serious and ongoing cooperation’ was in place with the Interior Ministry to fight visa traffickers. Visa trafficking is a form of human trafficking in which workers are brought by work permits issued illegally through loopholes found in the sponsorship or ‘kafala’ system that organizes the affairs of the country’s expatriate labor force. While thousands of expatriates were arrested and deported in crackdowns against illegal residents in recent years, little effort was taken to prosecute visa traffickers.

Weather to remain cold this week KUWAIT: Astronomer Dr Saleh Al-Ojairi expected fresh chances of rain to be scarce after rainfall two days ago in most parts of the country. He expected the weather during the week to be relatively cold, as winds will switch to the northwesternly direction and clouds will form periodically.

He asked people not to wear summer clothes until the start of March for youths and the end of the month for the elderly.

He said waves will be high and asked those who are not experienced to stay away from the sea, as winds may pick up speed suddenly most of the time.

Meanwhile, astronomer Khalid AlJamaan said winter in Kuwait and the region in general has reached its halfway stage, and the angle of sunrays has started

to gradually increase in tandem with the drop of night hours.

Jamaan said the angle of sunrays exceeded 44 degrees after being at the lowest level - 37.14 - in December. He said the increase in angle and number of day hours is one of the reasons of relative moderation in temperatures the country witnessed lately.

He said winter is still on according to astronomical calculations, despite the moderate climate during noon, adding that cold waves have surprised us in some years at the end of the winter season, adding that the true cold ends every year by the end of February which is the period of mixing two seasons and a transition period between winter and spring.

KUWAIT: MP Safaa Al-Hashim during the parliament session yesterday. The parliament voted to lift her immunity so she can be questioned by court.

MP Abdelhameed Dashti appreciating Saudi authorities for making it a crime for Saudis to go and fight in Syria.

MP Eng Adel Al-Khorafi using maps during his grilling of Public Works Minister Abdelaziz Al-Ibrahim.

Minister Mohammad Al-Abdallah (left) is seen with Minister AlIbrahim (right) during the grilling session.

No solution for school problems KUWAIT: While the education ministry announced that the passing percentage in the 12th grade for the first term was 85.45 percent for the science branch and 77 percent for arts, the committee leading preparations for next school year did not find any solution to deal with the problems schools are facing.

An educational source said the committee held a meeting Monday and discussed schools’ needs for classrooms, maintenance and water leakage problems. He said ministry undersecretary Mariam Al-Wutaid

emphasized the importance of dealing with all needs, and asked committee members to act so nothing will be left undone.

One of the committee members asked her “is it realistic for you to ask us to avoid any shortages while we do not have maintenance contracts and there are classes without electricity?” Wutaid answered, “I want an urgent report on all shortages and suitable solutions.” Another member told her “we do not have solutions other than increasing the student density in the classrooms and this will bring other problems”. — Al-Watan

New road-monitoring cameras watch motorists’ speeds

Govt affirms MPs constitutional right to interpellate KUWAIT: The government, in its weekly meeting Monday, reaffirmed that interpellation was a constitutional right for every MP but should be within constitutional framework and the statute of parliament.

“Interpellation is a constitutional right for the National Assembly Member to achieve objective parliamentary supervision on the Executive Authority, so exercising it should be within constitutional frameworks and regulations and the statute of the National Assembly,” Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheik h Mohammad Abdullah Mubarak Al-Sabah said in a statement after the cabinet meeting, chaired by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak AlHamad Al-Sabah.

The government made its position as it discussed an interpellation by MP Adel AlKharafi against Minister of Public Works and Minister of Electricity and Water.

Meanwhile, the cabinet was briefed by Minister of Finance Anas Al-Saleh on the establishment of companies that would build and develop warehouses and border crossings in Salmi and Abdali.

The cabinet took note of a letter from His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to His Highness the Prime Minister in which he thanked him on his greetings for His Highness the Amir’s Eighth Anniversary in office.

It took note of two letters to His Highness the Amir from UN Secretary General Ban Kimoon and Director General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Graziano da Silva who congratulated His Highness Sheikh Sabah on the successful donors conference for Syria, and thanked the State of Kuwait for its $500 million donation.

The cabinet also reviewed a letter from Algerian Prime Minister Abdulmalek Sallal to His Highness the Prime Minister in which he invited him to visit Algeria.

The government welcomed Monday’s visit of Yemeni President Abd Rabuh Mansur Hadi.

I t also welcomed the I talian Prime Minister Enrico Letta’s two - day visit to Kuwait that would begin Tuesday.

Responding to his being grilled yesterday, Minister of Public Works, Water, and Electricity Abdul-Aziz Al-Ibrahim said that

the issue of road conditions went back many years prior to his taking his post in December 2012. He said once he learned about the problem of flying stones and pebbles on the roads, he quickly formed a committee to address it and in fact a new asphalt mixture was made and tried on two stretches of roads.

Regarding the flooding of streets after a recent hard rainfall last November, he said the rain drainage network had been put in place years before he became minister, yet he thought that it performed well under unusual circumstances since the rainfall last November was abnormally hard and any drainage system would have had a difficult time dealing with it.

O n one of t he top i c of t he gr i l l i ng regarding the nor thern Al-Zoar power plant, he said new legislation was needed to found new shareholding Kuwaiti companies that could build and run new power and desalination plants. He emphasized that his ministry was doing its utmost to execute its duties to the best satisfaction of the public. — KUNA

Seven injured in gas explosion KUWAIT: Point-to-Point roadside cameras on a 10 km stretch of the road leading to the area of Nuaiseeb.

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Interior is trying out a new road-monitoring system using what is known as Point-to-Point roadside cameras, said a ministry official yesterday.

The new cameras will photograph all cars covering a certain prescribed distance by the ministry, and gauge the speeds of these cars, picking out those breaking the lawful speed limits, exposing thus their drivers to penalties set by the ministry, said Abdul-Fattah Al-Ali, undersecretary for traffic affairs at the ministry.

He said this new camera-monitoring system is being experimented with on a 10 km stretch of the road leading to the area of Nuaiseeb. The cameras calculate the speeds of all cars using that stretch and will

separate out the ones surpassing the legal speed limit.

This system will be generalized on all Kuwaiti roads and highways at a later date once it is determined that it works with assured results. Already this system is being applied in such countries as Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in addition to Qatar, and now Kuwait.

Al-Ali said intense traffic campaigns will be launched to stop all those who use their mobile phones and texting during driving.

He said those who do not use the seat belt will be ticketed also. He said campaigns will start on Feb 15, as traffic officers will be found in all intersections and roads to safeguard the lives of motorists and passengers.

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: Seven Asians received burns and wounds when a gas leak caused an explosion in a restaurant in Avenues Mall. They were taken to hospital for treatment.

• A Saudi was arrested in Saad Al-Abdallah area under the influence of drugs.

Hashish and Shabu were found on him.

• An American who works as a mechanic at Kuwait Finance House reported at Fintas police station that his Filipina wife is missing.

• Police found the vehicle that was used in an attempt to pull the ATM machine from a local bank in Salmiya. The car itself was reported stolen earlier.

KUWAIT: Kuwait Airways Corporation completed construction works to increase capacity and provide KAC customers with better services and create suitable working environment for employees. Director of equipment and housing in the company Ahmad Al-Banai said this step comes as KAC seeks development of its service facilities. He said KAC signed an agreement with KGL to provide modern cars for Marheb service customers and those with special needs.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

LOCAL kuwait digest

In my view

Political Islam phenomenon

‘Bad years’ of Iraq are back

Strange... It does not work

By Dr Shamlan Y Al-Essa

By Ramzy Baroud

I

participated in the “Future of political Islam in the Arab world” seminar which was arranged by the Arab Center for Research and Studies for three days. Sixteen research papers were discussed, and a round table was held to discuss future strategies to deal with political Islam movements. The first session was designated to discuss the knowledge map of the political Islam movements in the Arab Spring countries. The second was about the visions of the political Islam movements on building the state and society. The third session was on the experience of political Islam movements in power and ruling.

On the second day, the performance of the Islamic factions in Arab parliaments was evaluated, as the experience of political Islam in Egypt, Morocco and Kuwait. The fifth session discussed the political Islam movements and information, while the last day was for discussing political Islam movements, future horizons and the strategy of dealing with such movements.

There is no room here to discuss the meeting’s research papers, but it can be said that there is a significant increasing interest in Egypt to study the political Islam phenomenon in Egypt, Arab and Muslim world following Egypt’s painful experience with the Muslim Brotherhood. Director of the Arab Center Dr Sayyed Yaseen said the center has more than two million documents on political Islam, and that the center is not the only one interested in this ArabIslamic phenomenon.

He said our differences with the Brotherhood is not about religion, but about modernity, because the brain is the criterion in modernity, not religion, because political freedom is the foundation of social justice and civilized development. He said the religion and politics complex in Egypt and the Arab world is complicated and needs extensive studies.

There is no room here to discuss the meeting’s research papers, but it can be said that there is a significant increasing interest in Egypt to study the political Islam phenomenon in Egypt, Arab and Muslim world following Egypt’s painful experience with the Muslim Brotherhood.

What we are interested in this column is to discuss the most important issues and the questions that were brought up about Egypt and its dealing with the Muslim Brotherhood. What is the vision of Arab and Egyptian academics on the political Islam phenomenon? There were more questions than answers during the conference - some asked if there is a future for political Islam, especially after resorting to violence? The political Islam movements which started as peaceful and evangelical ended with using violence and terror. Why? Others asked did the Islamic experience succeed in any Arab country? And they referred the reasons of failure to those groups’ non-belief in others and did not cooperate to achieve economic development and prosperity. Many core questions were asked about the relationship of political Islam with the authority. There are several Islamic movements that differ in their methods and understanding - what brings them together? Is the talk about the establishment of an Islamic state that includes all possible just dreams and illusions? What brings together Muslims in Asia, Africa, America and Europe? It is true that they have the same ideology, but is ideology for achieving the sought-after Islamic does loyalty to ideology cancel loyalty to the country? What is certain is that there is no value for a theory regardless of its nature if it did not have an opportunity to be applied in practice.

Did the Islamic movements carry out their Islamic role?

There is a big difference between theory and practice. Did the Islamic movements that claim Islamic representation place Islam at the service of the authority, or did it elevate Islam by applying Islamic ethics in serving the authority, or was Islam used to reach certain goals and purposes?

All those present agreed that democracy is very important to our countries, and it is not possible to relinquish it, but when Egypt faces terrorism, we all must check with ourselves how can democracy, security, stability and economic prosperity be achieved while violence and terror continues? —Al-Watan

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Development

Al-Anbaa

kuwait digest

Taking taxes from state

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

K

uwait is in need for immediate and revolutionary decisions to save the country from imminent national bankruptcy. The decisions must address the root causes of the problem and avoid focusing on its branches. Our problem is that there are people who are unaware of or too sedated by the oil boom to realize the fact that our productivity is zero. We consume what oil revenues generate, and those revenues alone will eventually not be enough to meet the increasing consumption pattern that the oil boom conditioned us on.

Kuwait has no productive individuals, and without production there will be no income that replaces or goes in parallel with oil revenues. The national labor force is generally unproductive.

Even merchants, who some people demand that the state starts taxing them, are considered a burden on the state, just like state employees.

Everyone takes a scoop from the rentier spending.

The difference is that some people use a bigger scoop, and some others take more scoops than the others. But in general, everyone lives on the state’s spending and feeds off the same depleting resource.

That is why I believe that taxes, whether taken

from state employees or merchants, will be useless.

It is simply because everyone lives off of the state’s funds, and taking income taxes means taking taxes from the state itself. It would be much easier to just cut out-of-control spending on people instead of taking with the left hand what is given in the right one - especially when the giving hand is always stronger and faster.

The main solution clearly lies in creating nonoil income resources so that when those resources are taxed, the state’s treasury will actually receive income. If taxes are taken from those who live on the oil income, the state would be taking back some of what it already spent. In the past, and before the discovery of oil, people used to be productive, and the state used to collect taxes and fees from Kuwaitis and non-Kuwaiti merchants.

Production, mutual benefits and trade generated incomes that allowed the state to collect taxes and fees.

Today, there is no production other than the production of oil which is already owned by the state. Therefore, collecting taxes or fees from anyone will in the end add nothing to the state’s budget. —Al-Qabas

kuwait digest

The amorphous passport

By Ahmad Al-Sarraf

F

ellow columnist Iqbal Al-Ahmad complained in a recent column that the print on her passport’s cover has completely been erased despite the fact that the passport is only five years old. She wrote about how embarrassed she was while an airport officer in a foreign county flipped over her passport that carried no country’s name or emblem multiple times. Coincidently, a similar incident happened with me at Istanbul airport on the same day in which her column was published. After failed attempts to identify the passport, which included checking both covers multiple times, the officer - who probably was new at his work - eventually had to ask me what my nationality was. When I told him I was Kuwaiti, he suggested that I put a sticker on my passport with ‘Kuwait’ written on it the next time I travel. Note that my passport is relatively newer compared to Iqbal’s!

When Rudolph Giuliani first became mayor of New York City (he served two terms from 1994 to 2001), he immediately announced plans to pay large attention to fighting petty crimes in the world’s largest city. He said that he would not focus during the early stage on fighting mafia, following up with murders or give better efforts in pursuing drug traffickers. Instead, he would focus his efforts to stop those who spit on the street, who throw litter in public, who break traffic

laws, who spary graffiti on building walls and train carriages, etc.

His idea was that those who commit petty crimes today will grow up to become tomorrow’s worst criminals. He said that once he finishes fighting petty crimes, he will move to fight big criminals. Eventually, his plan worked like magic.

New York today has become one of the best and cleanest cities in the world after it was considered at one time to have the highest criminal rate among the world’s largest cities.

If the Interior Minister in Kuwait held accountable a senior official who announced 3 or 4 years ago that the state’s stock of passports had ran out due to an error in the ordering time; if he punished prison guards who smuggle cell phones to inmates; if he ignored mediation attempts and sacked police officers who fail to commit to their duties, we would not have officers today who forged tens of thousands of visit visas and made millions out of them.

If the person responsible for the bad quality printing of the Kuwaiti passport was punished, his comrades would not have stolen more than 1,200 liquor bottles - as rumored from the supposedly well-guarded Interior Ministry warehouses. But it seems that the more we complain, the more corruption increases. —Al-Qabas

in my view

Respect Arab aspirations

By Sabira Jawhar

S

o US President Barack Obama plans to hit the apology tour by coming to Saudi Arabia in March to have a confab with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah. Syria and Iran will be on the list of topics and I don’t envy Obama so much when he gets an earful from the Saudis about his inaction in Syria and making Iran his new BFF. Obama has plenty of fence mending to do with his complete disregard for the Syrian government’s crimes against humanity and its engagement with Iran, which has been sowing dissent in the Gulf region for decades.

The US government’s abandonment of its traditional Middle East allies that have done nothing but pledge support to the US needs a thorough review.

We get it, though. The US has been the world’s policeman since the end of World War II: Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon (in the 1980s with disastrous results for the US military), Panama, Afghanistan and Iraq (again, with disastrous results), not to mention the countless skirmishes in between to keep rogue states in line. But quitting the job cold turkey has its consequences and leaves countries that have been dependent on America’s military might for protection and security vulnerable with few options.

We get it that following Afghanistan and Iraq that the US has no appetite for putting more boots on the ground in the Middle East. Yet it’s alarming that recently discovered photographic evidence that the Assad regime has been routinely engaged in atrocities against the civilian population have gone unpunished, while at the same time Middle Eastern countries are watching Russia establish a strong foothold in the region. And if you think that Russia cares what happens to Assad, think again. Russia’s

priority is the amount of influence it can wield and Assad just happens to be the tool for that influence.

But the United States is taking huge risks by abandoning the interests of Saudi Arabia by putting too much emphasis on its lessening reliance on Saudi oil and the fact that America is the top destination for investors, surpassing China in 2013. America’s confidence in leaving

But the United States is taking huge risks by abandoning the interests of Saudi Arabia by putting too much emphasis on its lessening reliance on Saudi oil and the fact that America is the top destination for investors, surpassing China in 2013.

Saudi Arabia to fend for itself, albeit ill advised, has some rationale. Last year, the US surpassed Saudi Arabia as the biggest oil producer as shale has led to the biggest oil boom in US history. However, it still falls behind Saudi Arabia and Russian in total crude oil production by about 3 million barrels per day.

Although America’s dependence on Saudi oil ebbs and

flows in the world of geopolitics depending on its relationship with the oil-producing Iran, the thaw in US-Iran relations promises a lifting of sanctions and a renewed flow of Iranian oil to the West. Consider these political changes with the overall declining reliance of Saudi oil (oil demand by the West has steadily declined or remained static since 1980). Today, it is believed that North and Central America are now producing or nearly producing an estimated three-quarter of its oil needs.

After an 82-year trouble-free relationship with Saudi Arabia for the US to tell the Gulf it’s time to go it alone is dangerous thinking - oil or no oil. An unchecked Iran, with its meddling in the Eastern Province, Bahrain, the UAE, Syria and Iraq is only the beginning of unchecked aggression against the Gulf countries. We have witnessed the unbridled sectarian violence spread across the Middle East following the US withdrawal from Iraq, its pending withdrawal from Afghanistan now vulnerable to the Taleban, and the crisis after the fall of longtime US ally Hosni Mubarak.

If the US does not hold Iran accountable for its campaign of intimidation and unrest, then the Middle East will become bloody with sectarian wars from North Africa to the Levant and beyond. If the US thinks it feels the enmity of the region now for its failure to find a resolution to the Syrian, imagine what’s to come in the next decade. There is something seductive to the United States about renewing its friendship with Iran after the humiliation of the 1979 hostage crisis. The need for closure on this sad chapter in American history is understandable, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of Saudi Arabia and its neighbors.

s US Secretary of State John Kerry hurried to his helicopter ready to take off at the end of a visit to Iraq last year, it was becoming clearer that the Americans have lost control of a country they wished to mold to their liking.

His departure on March 24, 2013 was the conclusion of a “surprise” visit meant to mark the 10th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq. Ten years prior, the US had stormed Baghdad, unleashing one of the 20th century’s most brutal and longest conflicts. Since then, Iraq has not ceased to bleed.

Kerry offered nothing of value on that visit, save the same predictable cliches of Iraq’s supposedly successful democracy, as a testament to some imagined triumph of American values. But it was telling that a decade of war was not even enough to assure an ordinary trip for the American diplomat.

It was a “surprise” because no amount of coordination between the US Embassy, then consisting of 16,000 staff, and the Iraqi government, could guarantee Kerry’s safety.

Yet something sinister was brewing in Iraq. Mostly Muslim Sunni tribesmen were fed up with the political paradigm imposed by the Americans almost immediately upon their arrival, which divided the country on sectarian lines.

The Sunni areas, in the center and west of the country, paid a terrible price for the US invasion that empowered political elites purported to speak on behalf of the Shiites. The latter, who were mostly predisposed by Iranian interests, began to slowly diversify their allegiance.

Initially, they played the game per US rules and served as an iron fist against those who dared resist the occupation.

But as years passed, the likes of current Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, found in Iran a more stable ally: Where sect, politics and economic interests seamlessly align. Thus, Iraq was ruled over by a strange, albeit undeclared troika in which the US and Iran had great political leverage where the Shiite-dominated government cleverly attempted to find balance and survive.

Of course, a country with the size and history of Iraq doesn’t easily descend into sectarian madness on its own.

But Shiite and Sunni politicians and intellectuals who refused to adhere to the prevailing intolerant political archetype were long sidelined - killed, imprisoned, deported and simply had no space in today’s Iraq - as national identity was banished by sect, tribe, religion and race.

Currently, the staff of the US Embassy stands at 5,100 and American companies are abandoning their investments in the south of Iraq where the vast majority of the country’s oil exists. It is in the south that Maliki has the upper hand. He, of course, doesn’t speak on behalf of all Shiites and is extremely intolerant of dissidents. In 2008, he fought a brutal war to seize control of Basra from Shiite militias who challenged his rule. Later, he struck the Mehdi Army of Shiite cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr in a Baghdad suburb. He won in both instances, but at a terrible toll. His Shiite rivals would be glad to see him go.

Maliki’s most brutal battles, however, have been reserved for dissenting Sunnis. His government is claiming to have been fighting terrorism since day one and is yet to abandon the slogans it propagates. While militant Sunni groups, some affiliated with Al-Qaeda, have indeed taken advantage of the ensuing chaos to promote their own ideology and solicit greater support for their cause, Iraq’s Sunnis have suffered humiliation throughout the years long before Al-Qaeda was introduced to Iraq - courtesy of the US invasion.

Yet something sinister was brewing in Iraq. Mostly Muslim Sunni tribesmen were fed up with the political paradigm imposed by the Americans almost immediately upon their arrival, which divided the country on sectarian lines.

Iraq’s Sunni tribes, despite every attempt at negotiating a dignified formulation to help millions of people escape the inferno of war, were dismissed and humiliated. The likes of former US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was notorious for his targeting of Sunni tribes and mercilessness with any community that in any way supported or tolerated the resistance. Due to strong support by Shiite militias, which served as the core of today’s Iraqi army and Kurdish militias in the north, the resistance was isolated and brutalized.

That history is not only relevant, but it is not history to begin with. It is the agonizing reality. When the last US military column snaked out of Iraq into Kuwait in Dec. 2011, the US was leaving Iraq with the worst possible scenario: A sectarian central government that was beyond corrupt, plus many ruthless parties vying for power or revenge and sectarian polarization at its most extreme manifestation.

Nonetheless, Iraq is still very important to the Americans.

It is perhaps a failed military experiment, but it is still rich of oil and natural gas. Moreover, Iraq is getting richer, the draft of the Iraqi budget for 2014 “anticipates average exports of 3.4m barrels/day (bpd), up 1m bpd from the previous year,” according to the Economist Intelligence Unit. “Radical shifts are certainly on the horizon,” reported Forbes on the future of the oil market. Something is driving speculation and that “something is Iraq.” (Jan. 31) Iraq’s prospected oil production potential “dwarfs everything else,” reported Canada’s Globe & Mail, citing Henry Groppe, a respected oil and gas analyst.

“It’s the thing that everybody ought to be watching and following as closely as possible,” he said.

Drawing its conclusions for the 2012 Iraq Energy Outlook, the International Energy Agency reported that Iraq could be “reaching output in excess of 9m bpd by 2020,” which “would equal the highest sustained growth in the history of the global oil industry.”

And many are indeed watching. Kerry and the US administration are hardly fond of Maliki, for the latter is too close to Tehran to be trusted. But he is Iraq’s strongest man commanding about 930,000 security personnel “spread across the army, police force and intelligence services,” according to the BBC, and that for the Americans must count for something.

However, Iraq’s riches cannot be easily obtained. Sure, the country’s strong parties are comforted by the fact that the army crackdown on Sunni tribes, Al-Qaeda-linked militias and other groups in Al-Anbar and elsewhere is happening outside the country’s main oil field. But they shouldn’t discount just how quickly civil wars spiral out of control. The death toll in 2013 was alarmingly high, over 8,000, mostly civilians, according to the UN. It is the highest since 2008.

Iraq’s “bad years” seem to be making a comeback. This time the US has little leverage over Iraq to control the events from afar. “This is a fight that belongs to the Iraqis,” Kerry said in recent comments during a visit to Jerusalem.

Indeed, with little military and diplomatic presence, the US can do very little. In fact, they have done enough.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

LOCAL

Decrease in number of suicide cases in Kuwait Rate still alarming

KUWAIT: French Ambassador Christian Nakhle visited Kuwait Times and discussed matters of mutual concern with Editor-in-Chief Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan.

Project to generate more power KUWAIT: A source at the Ministry of Electricity and Water said MEW is getting ready to launch a project to add 500 megawatt in Subiyya power station.

He said the project will be presented to the supervisory authorities and carry it out when all approvals are received from central tenders committee and Audit Bureau.

The source said the ministry is working

on increasing its current production which is upto 14,000 megawatt per day, and that the ministry gives current and future projects special interest to go along with construction expansion and increase in number of people. He said the intended project will contribute to providing power to all consumers, and expected it to be awarded in the middle of this year.

KUAIT: Sri Lankan Ambassador C A H M Wijeratne hoisting the flag of his country on the occasion of the 66th independence anniversary yesterday.

KUWAIT: Sixty people committed suicide in Kuwait last year, which is the lowest rate recorded in four years according to official statistics. Despite this, the number of Kuwaitis and expatriates who ended their lives in 2013 is seen to be alarming compared to the size of the population and when measured up to other countries’ rates. The new statistics were reported yesterday by Al-Qabas which quoted an Interior Ministry official with knowledge of official information.

They indicate that 60 suicide cases were recorded in 2013, down from 76 in 2012, while the years 2011, 2010 and 2009 recorded 73, 70 and 63 suicides respectively. The decline in suicides after an increasing trend in the past few years was not seen by the official as a reason to

express relief. “The official numbers indicate that Kuwait has one of the highest suicide rates in the world compared to the population,” the source said.

Meanwhile, sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that 28 of the suicide cases were committed by people aged between 19 and 37, amounting to 45 percent of the total number of suicides. In comparison, 17 cases were committed by people aged between 37 and 53. According to the source, only 10 of the reported cases were committed by women, while the majority of suicides were committed by people with Asian nationalities. In the meantime, official statistics indicate that 65 attempted suicides were reported in 2013 as well.

Information made available by the source

revealed that the majority of cases are motivated by financial, mental or family problems according to the investigations. Furthermore, he added that the majority of suicides were committed by hanging, followed by jumping from a high place, then intentional overdoses and wrist slashing. To address what he described as a ‘social phenomenon’, the sources revealed that the Interior Ministry has programs to improve officers’ negotiation skills and train them properly to deal with cases of suicide attempts.

The average suicide rate in Kuwait reached 1.8 per 100,000 people in 2009, according to the latest World Health Organization statistics.

The Gulf state ranked 95th worldwide and 2nd among Arab countries after Bahrain.

Burgan Bank sponsors Indian Doctors Forum KUWAIT:Burgan Bank recently concluded its main sponsorship of the annual Indian Doctors Forum Mega Cultural Event in launching their new IDF Health Guide for the 3rd consecutive year.

Burgan Bank’s support is a reflection of its mission to educate the public on the rising progress in the field of advanced medicine. This year, the health guide has been published with a fundamental theme entitled ‘Imaging - The Eye of Medicine’.

The event was held under the patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and was attended by Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Al-Jarrah AlSabah as well as the Indian Ambassador, Majed Essa Al-Ajeel, Chairman of Burgan Bank, received a token of appreciation during the event for the bank’s annual support of in publishing the annual health guide.

Taking the lead in highlighting the importance of imaging to all attending doctors during the event, the 2014 health guide by the Indian Doctors forum will contain 38 articles on various imaging modalities used in hospital for diagnosis and treatment of diseases where in 5000 copies will be distributed for free to the community.

The Indian Doctors Forum is an organization of Indian Doctors residing and working across various fields of medicine in Kuwait. The forum is a registered body

with the Indian Embassy which is affiliated to the Kuwait Medical Association, and is one of the largest Indian organizations in Kuwait. It is worth mentioning that Kuwait includes around 700 Indian doctors that practice various kinds of medicine. Burgan Bank’s social responsibility initiatives are about supporting innovation to find creative and sustainable solutions that build credibility and trust in society. The bank will continue to open more chapters in its dedication towards the social fabric of Kuwait through similar sponsorships.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

LOCAL

Western woman held for begging in Kuwait Officer hurt in drug offender chase KUWAIT: A British woman was arrested in Souq Al-Mubarakiya after she approached a ruling family member and asked for money to treat her allegedly sick children, while police later found more than KD 1,000 in her possession. The woman, who is of Iranian origin, approached Sheikha Amthal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on Sunday afternoon, asking for financial help and showed documents which she said indicate that her three children had cancer. The woman was put under arrest for begging - which is illegal in Kuwait - and taken to the Salhiya police station for questioning. Investigations revealed that the woman had arrived in Kuwait on a visit visa to beg, and she managed to collect more than KD 1,000 before she was caught. She was later taken to the Criminal Investigations Department to face charges. Sheikha Amthal had accompanied Sheikh Salman Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah, the Minister of Information and State Minister of Youth Affairs, to attend a festival at the traditional market.

Officer hurt One policeman was injured in a chase while no injuries were reported in a separate incident reported Monday, one day after a similar case left a woman dead and a taxi driver injured.

The first incident began in Nugra where Hawally police went in pursuit of a driver who ignored orders to pull over. The suspect was eventually forced to stop at a roadblock in Messila, and used a knife to attack a policeman before he was placed under control. An amount of hashish and shabu (meth) in addition to drug paraphernalia were found in the suspect’s car.

While the first lieutenant he attacked was taken to a nearby medical facility, the suspect was referred to authorities where investigations

revealed that he is wanted for defaulting on a KD 6,000 payment.

The second car chase started in Jabriya and ended at the UN roundabout where police arrested a bedoon man with possession of hashish and shabu (meth). The man was taken to the authorities to face charges including drug possession and fleeing police. A Filipina woman was killed after a drug addict crashed into a taxi while running away from police using a patrol vehicle he stole on the Second Ring Road. The man reportedly disappeared after leaving the police car in Firdous.

Sulaibikhat magician A Sulaibikhat resident was arrested on charges that include practicing witchcraft and black magic for money over the course of the past four years. The 38-year-old Egyptian man was caught Monday after being lured to a trap in Salmiya by an undercover agent. The arrest happened following investigations in information that reached Kuwait City police about the activity of a man who convinced his clients, mostly females, of his ability to ‘break up’ couples or make certain individuals fall in love with them using sorcery. A woman was sent undercover to the sorcerer and asked him to cast a spell on a man and ruin his marriage by making him despise his wife.

The suspect agreed and demanded KD 800 to complete his mission. The two agreed to meet in a Salmiya restaurant, and the man was soon arrested with possession of the numbered cash that the woman gave him. The man admitted during questioning that he has been practicing his illegal activity for over 4 years. Police headed to the house where the man lived with his family, and found tools used in witchcraft as well as

an amount of heroin. The suspect was taken to the authorities for further action.

Trampoline fall Two siblings were injured after they fell from a trampoline at the Popular Heritage Village in Salmi Monday afternoon. The Kuwaiti boy and girl, aged 6 and 7, where playing on the trampoline when a gust of wind knocked the set off, sending the kids to the ground. The two were taken in an ambulance to Jahra Hospital. The children had accompanied their parents to the site where a traditional festival is currently ongoing.

Failed ATM theft Investigations are ongoing in search for two men who failed to steal an ATM machine using a stolen car in Salmiya Monday morning. According to the police report, the suspects tried to break the machine open but failed, then attempted to tow it with their sports-utility-vehicle but the rope broke. They escaped eventually when the noise they created caught the attention of security at the mall outside which the ATM that they tried to steal was located. Security men gave the car’s descriptions and license plate number to police who arrived at the scene in response to an emergency call. Police discovered that the SUV was reported stolen.

KANDY: Kuwaiti students pictured during their trip to Mount Sigiriya yesterday.

Rain kills sheep One hundred sheep died after a truck lost balance on a slippery road and flipped over at Shuwaikh Port last Monday. Police investigations’ report indicates that a truck was leaving the port with sheep loaded from a container ship, when it slipped on the road wet from rainwater. A total of 100 sheep were counted dead as a result of the accident which left no human injuries. A case was filed.

Kuwaiti students visit Mount Sigiriya KANDY: The third day of a Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development-sponsored trip to Sri Lanka for distinguished Kuwaiti students has taken them to Mount Sigiriya at the heart of the country.Sigiriya, or Lion Rock, is located in the central Matale District, and is a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site.

The 200m high mount is the most visited historical site in the country, and takes a whole hour to climb, on stairs within the rock that include 1,200 steps.

Locals believe that in 477 CE, Kashyapa, the son of King Dhatusena by a non-royal consort, seized the throne from his father, following a coup assisted by Migara, the king’s nephew and army commander.

The rightful heir, Moggallana, fearing for his life fled to South India. Fearing an attack from Moggallana, Kashyapa moved

the capital and his residence from the traditional capital of Anuradhapura to the more secure Sigiriya. During King Kashyapa’s reign (477 to 495 CE), Sigiriya was developed into a complex city and fortress. Most of the elaborate constructions on the rock summit and around it, include defensive structures, palaces, and gardens, dating from this period. The students later visited a nearby village, during which they closely witnessed the heritage and culture of Sri Lanka.

At the village, they enjoyed eating tasty locally made dishes which include an infusion of rice, coconut, and local spices, made for them using traditional tools.

They also experienced riding the so-called Tuc tuc, or mini vehicle - a popular means of transport in various parts of the country. — KUNA

Kuwait donates KD 20,000 to school in Montreal NBK Academy welcomes ninth batch of Kuwaitis KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) recently welcomed the ninth batch of newly hired young Kuwaitis in the NBK Academy. NBK Academy aims to train and develop the professional skills of young Kuwaitis as part of NBK’s strategy to attract and develop national human resources.

NBK organized a special welcoming ceremony for the newly hired employees. The ceremony

was attended by Mazin Al-Nahedh, General Manager, Consumer Banking Group, Emad AlAblani, NBK Deputy General Manager, Human Resources Group and Mohammed Al-Othman, NBK Executive Manager, Consumer Banking Group, along with other NBK officials.

NBK Academy is the first initiative of its kind in the private sector in Kuwait, and is part of

Jordanian Ambassador Mohammed Al-Kayed offers his condolences to Yousuf Bhaisaheb.

NBK’s strategy to attract young Kuwaitis by offering them a range of career and professional development opportunities.

NBK Academy programs run for five months and are specially tailored to provide trainees with theoretical and practical skills covering the different aspects of the banking industry in addition to on job training.

WASHINGTON: Kuwait’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has donated KD 20,000 to a Muslim high school in the Canadian city of Montreal as a part of Kuwait’s continuing support to Muslim communities around the world. A representative of the Kuwaiti embassy in Canada handed over the sum to Financial Manager of the school Samer Al-Majthoub.

For his part, Al-Majthoub expressed gratitude for Kuwait’s and Ministry of

President of the Amiri Protocol Sheikh Khalid Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah (third from left).

Awqaf and Islamic Affairs’ support and donation. He pointed out that the sum will be used to renovate school building and purchase required educational equipment and tools.

In addition to public schools curricula, the Muslim school provides Arabic language and Islamic studies courses to students. Montreal is home to a sizable Muslim population of about 100,000 people. — KUNA

Indian Ambassador to Kuwait Sunil Jain offers his condolences to Yousuf Bhaisaheb

Bohra community receives mourners on Sultan’s death KUWAIT: The representative of the Sultan of Bohras in Kuwait Yousuf Bhaisaheb received mourners in Jabriya who came to express condolences on the death of the Sultan Mohammed Burhanuddin, who passed away on Jan 17.

Sheikh Ali Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah, the Deputy Minister of the Amiri Diwan, represented HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah in offering condolences. President of the Amiri Protocol Sheikh Khalid Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah, Ahmadi

United States Ambassador to Kuwait Matthew Tueller, Representative of the Sultan Ahmadi Governor Sheikh Dr. Ibrahim Alof Bohra in Kuwait Yousuf Bhaisaheb, Sheikh Huthaifa Yousuf and the Iraqi Duaij Al-Sabah writes his concolences Ambassador to Kuwait Mohammed Bahr-ul-olum.— Photos by Joseph Shagra

Governor Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Duaij Al-Sabah, as well as state officials, ambassadors and diplomats were also present.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Huthaifa Yousuf expressed the Bohra community’s sadness on the demise of Burhanuddin who passed away at the age of 102 according to the Islamic calendar. He expressed gratitude to His Highness the Amir, the Kuwaiti government and its people, as well as ambassadors and all mourners who offered condolences on Burhanuddin’s death.

Members of the Bohra community are seen with a mourner.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

Policeman, 7 militants killed in Tunis firefight

Pakistan-Taleban peace talks falter Page 12

PAGE 8

MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, right, and Ahmad Jarba, left, who heads a delegation of the Syrian National Coalition enter a hall for their talks in Moscow yesterday. Russia welcomed the National Coalition’s participation in the Montreux conference on Syria as the confirmation of the coalition’s choice in favour of a peaceful settlement of the Syrian conflict, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said today. — AP

Syria to ship chemical arms, attend talks Thai opposition challenges poll BANGKOK: Thailand’s opposition Democrat Party said it will challenge a disputed weekend ballot in court yesterday, while the Election Commission probed possible campaigning irregularities in a drawn-out political conflict that showed no sign of ending.

In a further blow for caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, China pulled out of a deal to buy 1.2 million tonnes of Thai rice amid a corruption probe, the commerce minister said, adding to the financing problems of a subsidy scheme that had helped win her huge rural support. The Democrats, who boycotted the election, will file two complaints with the Constitutional Court, spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut said. “The first regards the election directly.

We will argue that the election violated the constitution, in particular article 68 which prohibits people from undermining the constitutional monarchy and trying to grab power through unconstitutional means,” he said.

“In a separate petition, we will file for the dissolution of (Yingluck’s) Puea Thai Party for announcing the state of emergency which meant the election could not be held under normal circumstances.” Anti-government protesters have been on the streets since November, saying Yingluck must resign and make way for an appointed “people’s council” to overhaul a political system they say has been exploited by her billionaire brother, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

The protesters, who accuse Yingluck of being Thaksin’s puppet, draw their support from Bangkok’s middle-class and elite, as well as the south. The Shinawatra power base is among the mainly rural poor in the populous

north and northeast.

Yingluck imposed a state of emergency last month to try to control the protests, allowing security agencies to impose curfews, declare areas off-limits and detain suspects without charge. It appears such measures have not been enforced.

Good money after bad Sunday’s election was generally peaceful, with no repeat of the chaos seen the previous day when supporters and opponents of Yingluck clashed in north Bangkok. Whatever the result, it is unlikely to change the dysfunctional status quo after eight years of polarisation and turmoil. The Election Commission said it was looking into complaints regarding alleged abuse of authority by the government during Sunday’s vote.

It is due to meet on Wednesday to discuss problems surrounding the election, including the failure to register candidates in 28 electoral districts after protesters blockaded candidate registration centres in December.

Thailand’s anti-graft agency has accelerated an investigation into Yingluck’s role as head of a rice price-support scheme that has cost taxpayers billions of dollars, leading to China cancelling the deal. “China lacks confidence to do business with us after the National Anti-Corruption Commission started investigations into the transparency of rice deals between Thailand and China,” Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Bunsongphaisan told reporters. He said the government would open a tender to sell 400,000 tonnes of rice from state stocks next week.—Reuters

MOSCOW: Russia offered assurances yesterday that the Syrian government will show up at a new round of peace talks next week and will soon ship more toxic agents abroad for destruction under a deal to eliminate its chemical weapons arsenal.

The statements appeared intended to ease Western concerns about President Bashar al-Assad’s commitment to a peace process that started last month, and to abandoning his chemical arsenal by mid-year under a deal brokered by Russia and the United States. They came as Russia hosted the leader of the Syrian opposition National Coalition for the first time in the three-year-old conflict that has killed more than 100,000 people and spawned mutual recriminations between Russia and the West.

Syria plans to send a large shipment of toxic agents out of the country this month and can complete the removal process by March 1, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said.

“Literally yesterday the Syrians announced that the removal of a large shipment of chemical substances is planned in February. They are ready to complete this process by March 1,” state-run Russia news agency RIA quoted Gatilov as saying.

Moscow, Assad’s most powerful diplomatic backer, has been under pressure to push Damascus to speed up shipments since Reuters reported last week that it had given up less than 5 percent of its chemical stockpile.

The operation was far behind schedule and the deadline for sending all toxic agents out by this week will be missed. US officials accused Damascus

of dragging its feet and Secretary of State John Kerry asked Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov last Friday to put pressure on Assad’s government to accelerate the operation.

“The Syrian government is slowing down the destruction of its chemical weapons ... Bashar alAssad’s government must respect the commitments that it has made,” French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Europe 1 radio yesterday.

Russia has said Western concerns are overblown and rejected accusations that the delays are deliberate, citing security and logistical issues. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Reuters on Monday that Russia remains confident the June 30 deadline for the elimination of Syria’s chemical arsenal can be met.

Geneva talks Despite sharp differences over the conflict in Syria, Russia and the United States have joined forces to initiate peace talks that began last month in Geneva, and in September agreed the plan to eliminate its chemical arsenal after a deadly Aug. 21 poison gas attack on the outskirts of Damascus.

Assad’s agreement to the plan, first proposed by Russia, helped avert potential US air strikes. But the delays have sparked Western suspicion he wants to use the process as a lever in the Geneva talks, which are expected to resume on Monday though the government delegation has not committed to return.

Another deputy foreign minister, Mikhail Bogdanov, said on Tuesday that Russia is certain the

Ukraine oppn wants return to 2004 constitution KIEV: Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovich, battling mass unrest against his rule, faced demands from the opposition yesterday for a constitutional change that would seriously curtail his powers. Yanukovich was still weighing whom he might name as his new prime minister to calm the crisis on the streets - though rumours swirled that he could be considering a hardline ally who at the moment heads his administration.

As the Ukrainian central bank intervened again to stop panic demand for dollars weakening the hryvnia currency, Ukraine sharply criticised EU heavyweight Germany after comments by its foreign minister that sanctions should be used as a threat unless a political solution was found soon to end the crisis.

At least six people have been killed in the past two weeks in unprecedented politically-linked violence in Kiev, whose centre is now a heavily-barricaded fortified protest zone.

Fierce clashes between riot police and squads of radical protesters have prompted global concern that the ex-Soviet republic, a substantial buffer territory of 46 million people between Russia and the EU, might plunge into civil war. Though there has been no violence in Kiev for several days, Western governments have warned Yanukovich that it risks flaring up again unless he can find a compromise with the opposition.

Yanukovich triggered the uprising on the streets last November when he walked away from a trade deal with the European Union in favour of closer economic ties with Russia.

Though his move was rewarded with a $15-billion offer of credits and cheap gas from Moscow for Ukraine’s ailing economy, it provoked outrage among millions of Ukrainians who dream of a European future for their country. — Reuters

government will attend. “We have no doubt that the government delegation will take part in the second round of international talks in Geneva,” Bogdanov told reporters before talks between Lavrov and Syrian opposition leader Ahmed Jarba.

Sitting across from Lavrov at the start of their talks in the Russian Foreign Ministry guest house, with security much tighter than usual, Jarba said the opposition would take part “in spite of the fact that even during the Geneva process murders were continuing with the use of barrel bombs that were dropped on civilians”.

He said that during the first round, which ended on Friday, the government delegation had failed to declare that it would carry out steps laid out in an agreement reached by world powers in June 2012 in Geneva.

That was apparent reference to the June 2012 Geneva Communique’s call for the creation of an interim governing body formed by mutual consent - which the opposition says would mean excluding Assad. The opposition hopes the Geneva talks will lead to Assad’s exit from power through the creation of an interim governing body, while the government wants to focus on fighting “terrorism” and says Assad may seek reelection this year.

Russia says Assad’s exit from power cannot be a precondition for a political solution, but rejects Western accusations that it is shielding the Syrian leader. Lavrov, who had long been seeking to bring Jarba to Moscow for talks, said Russia is working with all sides to aid the search for a solution and has been throughout the conflict. — Reuters

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

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

Kurds from Iraq wage holy war in Syria with one eye on home HALABJA: Twenty-five year old Ako Abd al-Qadir went to wage holy war in Syria vowing to return and conquer all of Iraqi Kurdistan in the name of Islam on the way back to his home town of Halabja.

“God willing, we will come back and trample over your dead bodies until we reach Halabja,” he said, threatening the region’s “infidel” ruling parties in a video made en route to Syria and posted on social media sites. “Just wait and see”.

Ako is one of around 200 young Iraqi Kurds who have joined the ranks of militant Islamists in a conflict that has become a clarion call for home-grown jihadists across the world, keen to prove themselves amid fundamentalist fervour and war.

The trend is alarming for Iraqi Kurdistan, a region that has managed to shield itself from the violence afflicting the rest of Iraq and nearby Syria, and to attract investment from some of the world’s largest oil companies. “Definitely, it’s a big concern,” said a senior official with knowledge of security issues in the Kurdish capital Arbil, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “The danger is that they will be used as cells to mount attacks on targets here.”

Kurdistan is not alone in worrying about jihadi backlash; the roll call of those drawn to the cause of Sunni Islamist rebels battling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is long and diverse - from veterans of Iraq and Chechnya to young men from London and immigrants from Stockholm.

But the autonomous region’s proximity to Syria makes it especially vulnerable. And whilst Kurdistan is used to dealing with external threats, not least along its tightly controlled border with majority Arab Iraq, this one is posed from within. The region suffered its first major bombing in six years last September, which was claimed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) - a Sunni group also active in Syria. Publicly, officials in Kurdistan play down the threat and insist that the region will remain safe, but oil companies operating here are

taking extra precautions.

“We decided to restrict movements to shopping malls and other high-visibility target areas,” said a source at an oil company in Kurdistan. “We’re just going to lower our profile a little bit.”

‘Little Tora Bora’ Famed for its poets and pomegranates, Halabja lies near the mountainous border area between Iraq and Iran, which was once a haven for Sunni militants who formed a group there in 2001 that came to be called Ansar al-Islam.

Ansar al-Islam banned music and forced men to grow their beards in the enclave, named “little Tora Bora” after the Taleban stronghold in Afghanistan where al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden once sheltered. Many of the young Kurds who have gone to Syria come from this area, including Ako, who joined Ansar al-Islam as a teenager. One of the first targets of the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 was Ansar al-Islam. By that time, Ako had left the group and handed himself in to the security services because he felt the game was up, according to his friends. Surviving members of Ansar al-Islam retreated into Iran, but continued to carry out attacks including a twin suicide bombing against Kurdistan’s two ruling parties in 2004 that left more than 100 people dead.

Ako served time because authorities considered him to be a danger to national security. After being released from jail, he married and had a daughter.

He got a job at an electricity generating plant and was working at a tea house in Halabja until the day he vanished last November.

The rest is played out on Facebook. On Dec. 8, he wrote that he had joined ISIL in Syria and posted the group’s black banner on his page. Earlier pictures show him smiling at Halabja’s sports club, and he also posted a whole album of photographs of Barcelona football player Lionel Messi.

Despite Ako’s history with militant Islam, his friends were shocked when they heard he was in Syria. “I was very surprised because when he left Ansar al-Islam his views changed dramatically,” said a friend of Ako’s from school. “Maybe he still had contact with them, or perhaps there is a cell that persuades these youths to go.”

Mosque raids It is not clear whether the young men go to Syria on their own initiative or have been recruited and sent there. Mainstream Islamist parties deny involvement. A committee has been set up by the government to investigate the matter.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs said preachers at the region’s more than 5,000 mosques, who are on the government payroll, were forbidden to incite violence and would be punished if found doing so.

“There is no evidence that any imam has incited people - directly or indirectly - to go to Syria,” Mariwan Naqshbandi said. “We have asked the imams to advise worshippers not to go, but unfortunately they haven’t managed to discourage everyone.” Kurdish security services however raided 11 mosques one night last December in the city of Sulaimaniyah on suspicion they were being used as recruitment centres, seizing identity papers and laptops. They have not disclosed what evidence they found.

Although Kurdistan shares a border with Syria, most of the young men travel there through Turkey, some via Lebanon, and others southern Iraq.

Around 40 have come back to Kurdistan and are now either behind bars because they are considered a threat to national security, or are under close surveillance. “I went there to be killed following the path of Allah,” said one young Iraqi Kurd who returned from Syria because he was convinced the conflict was a western conspiracy to exterminate

the world’s Muslims.

But many believe these aspiring Kurdish jihadists are driven as much by the hardships of life as by their faith. Asked why they thought Ako had gone to Syria, his friends and acquaintances all cited economic pressures, and the fact he grew up an orphan in Halabja, better known as the site of a 1988 chemical weapons attack under Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

The Kurds’ fortunes have since changed, and their region is now Iraq’s most stable and prosperous, but the people of Halabja often complain of neglect. “The KRG (Kurdistan Regional Government) will need to focus on using its oil wealth to increase opportunities for employment and to reduce corruption if it is to address this threat effectively,” IHS Jane’s said in a recent report about militancy in Kurdistan, assessing the risk as “serious”.

Religion vs ethnicity Ako’s jihad lasted less than two months. ISIL announced his “martyrdom” early this year in Syria, killed fighting not Assad’s forces but fellow Kurds, who have taken advantage of the civil war to assert control in the country’s northeast.

Kurds are predominantly Sunni Muslim, but identify overwhelmingly with their ethnicity - the defining factor in a long history of struggle in the four countries across which they are spread: Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria.

ISIL and other Sunni armed groups in Syria have turned their weapons against a Marxist-inspired Kurdish militia that stands in the way of their vision of an Islamic state spanning from Iraq to the Mediterranean. Wearing a black leather jacket over his Kurdish clothes, the young man who did return from Syria said he would have no qualms about fighting his ethnic kin in the name of Islam: “My religion comes before my Kurdishness - I make decisions based on my religion.” — Reuters

Policeman, 7 militants killed in Tunis firefight ‘The operation is over’

SANAA: In this photo provided by Yemen’s Defense Ministry, Yemenis inspect a damaged military bus after it was struck by bomb in Sanaa, Yemen, yesterday. Security officials say an explosion has struck a military bus in the Yemeni capital, killing at least two troops. — AP

Shiite rebels, tribes agree ceasefire in north Yemen SANAA: Shi’ite Muslim rebels and Sunni tribesmen agreed a local ceasefire in northern Yemen yesterday after clashes between the rivals killed about 60 people there last week, tribal sources said.

Tribal sources told Reuters yesterday the truce, mediated by the mayor of the capital Sanaa, stipulated that fighters from both sides withdraw from the area and let the army deploy. The fighting is just one challenge facing US-allied Yemen, where authorities are struggling to shore up control in the face of internal conflicts, poor governance and poverty.

The stability of Yemen, which neighbours top oil exporter Saudi Arabia, is of major concern to the West which is worried about the repercussions of a complete breakdown in security in Yemen, home to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

On Sunday Shi’ite Houthi fighters and their allies from the Hashed tribal federation seized control of al-Khamri, a region in Omran province associated with the powerful al-Ahmar clan, an ally of Salafis, adher-

ents of an austere brand of Sunni Islam.

The latest fighting was the worst since clashes began in October when Houthi rebels, who hold much of northern Saada province on the Saudi border, moved against Salafi forces in Saada’s Dammaj town. The Houthis accused the Salafis of recruiting foreign fighters to attack them.

Underscoring the growing instability in Yemen, a bomb targeting a bus carrying Yemeni soldiers in the capital Sanaa killed two people yesterday, a medical source said. The blast was the latest in a series of security incidents to hit the country in less than a week. Two Westerners have been kidnapped since Friday and three explosions near the French embassy, the defence ministry and the central bank, shook the capital late on Sunday.

“I was far away from the bus and I suddenly saw a big explosion near the side where the driver sits,” said Ahmed, a taxi driver. “Six ambulances arrived and started transporting the soldiers, there was blood spilling everywhere,” he said. — Reuters

Syrian forces hit mosque with barrel bomb, kill 5 BEIRUT: Syrian forces dropped a crude bomb on a mosque that was being used as a school in a rebel-held neighborhood of a key northern city yesterday, killing at least five people, including children, activists said.

The bombing - one of at least seven around Aleppo yesterday - came amid an intensified campaign by President Bashar Assad’s government to take back parts of the city that were seized by rebels in mid2012. Far from the battlegrounds in Syria, Assad’s biggest international ally expressed confidence the government would return to the U.N.-hosted peace talks in Geneva that are trying to find a solution to the conflict.

Russian deputy foreign minister and Moscow’s special envoy to the Middle East, Mikhail Bogdanov, said Tuesday he was sure the Syrian government would take part in the second round of the talks. Syria’s crisis, which erupted as a peaceful uprising against Assad’s rule in March 2011 but descended into an armed revolt and full-blown civil war has killed more than 130,000 people and forced almost a third of the country’s prewar population of 23 million from their homes. “We have no doubts that the government representatives will take place in a second round of talks between the Syrian sides in Geneva,” Bogdanov said in comments carried on Russian news agencies. “We hope that both sides

will continue a patient, constructive discussion.” He spoke following a meeting in Moscow with visiting Syrian opposition group, the Western-backed Syrian National Coalition. Assad’s side has not committed or said publicly whether it would attend the next round, expected on Feb 10.

Religious schools The first round of talks in January failed to secure any meaningful agreement, other than to meet again later this month for more talks. Syria’s opposition points to the air raids, especially the use of barrel bombs - crude devices packed with fuel, explosives and scraps of metal in civilian areas, particularly over Aleppo, as evidence that Assad has little interest in peace.

The mosque targeted yesterday in Aleppo - the Uthman Bin Affan mosque in the Masaken Hanano district - was used as a religious school for children, said activist Hassoun Abu Faisal of the Aleppo Media Center.

He said children were inside when it was hit with a barrel bomb. The Local Coordinating Committees, another activist group, says five people were killed in the strike. It wasn’t immediately clear how many of the victims were children. Abu Faisal said 10 people were killed but conflicting casualty tolls follow such attacks are common. —AP

TUNIS: A firefight between security forces and suspected Islamists holed up in a building in the Tunisian capital left a policeman and seven militants dead, the interior ministry said yesterday.

“Seven terrorists died. A member of the National Guard was killed and another wounded,” a ministry source told AFP. “The operation is over,” the source added. The clash, which began on Monday afternoon and lasted until midmorning yesterday, came as Tunisians prepared to mark the first anniversary tomorrow of the murder of opposition politician Chokri Belaid by suspected jihadists.

Special units of the National Guard surrounded the building in the Tunis suburb of Raoued on Monday after a tip-off that “heavily armed” militants were inside the house, officials said.

The gunmen refused to give themselves up.

Witnesses at the scene said they heard the militants firing automatic weapons, before the security forces announced the “victory” of their operation. The ministry has not yet given details of the identity or affiliation of the gunmen.

Police had closed off access to the area, which lies not far from a popular beach, an AFP photographer reported. Since the 2011 revolution, Tunisia has been rocked by sporadic violence linked to militant Islamists who were suppressed under the regime of ousted strongman Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The authorities blamed the separate killings last year of Belaid and Mohamed Brahmi, another opposition politician gunned down by militants, on Ansar al-Sharia, a radical Salafist group with suspected links to Al-Qaeda.

Death anniversary Also last year, around 20 members of the security forces were killed during operations targeting a group of Islamist militants in the Chaambi mountains on the border with Algeria.

Relatives of Belaid are to hold a press confer-

TUNIS: Tunisian National Guard Special forces storm a house where suspected Islamist militants were hidden in Raoued, near Tunis, yesterday. Tunisia’s police exchanged gunfire with a group of suspected Islamic militants holed up in a house in a suburb near the capital, leaving two militants and a policeman dead, an Interior Ministry spokesman said yesterday. — AP ence tomorrow followed by a candlelit vigil in Tunis to commemorate the anniversary of his death. Activists are also planning a rally on Saturday to mark his funeral one year ago, which turned into a massive rally against the Islamistled government. The murder of Belaid-a virulent critic of the ruling Islamists, who was shot dead outside his home in a Tunis suburb on February 6, 2013 — was a turning point in Tunisia that sparked deadly protests and plunged the country into turmoil.

It set off the worst political crisis since the country’s Arab Spring uprising, compounded by

Brahmi’s assassination several month later, and ultimately forced the Islamist-led coalition to step down under pressure from the mainly secular opposition.

Under a hard-won deal between the two sides, technocrat premier Mehdi Jomaa took office last month at the head of a government of independents charged with leading the North African country to fresh elections later this year.

Jomaa’s swearing-in, and the adoption of a long-awaited new constitution three days earlier, were seen as key steps in getting Tunisia’s transition back on track. — AFP

Renewed Iraq bloodshed kills seven in Baghdad BAGHDAD: Attacks in and around Baghdad killed seven people yesterday as Iraqi forces made steady progress against militants in conflict-hit Anbar province where the government lost key territory weeks ago.

The bloodshed comes after more than 1,000 people were killed in January, the worst monthly death toll in nearly six years, as security forces grapple with frequent attacks and battles in Anbar with anti-government fighters, including those loyal to the powerful Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant jihadist group.

Four bombings in and near the capital killed seven people while Katyusha rockets also hit the heavily-fortified Green Zone in central Baghdad, home to parliament and the US embassy, officials said. A car bomb in western Baghdad ripped through a market and killed four people, while blasts elsewhere in the city killed two others.

Another bombing just north of capital in Taji killed a policeman.

Yesterday, two rockets also exploded in the walled-off Green Zone complex, but caused no casualties. It was unclear what the target of the attack was. It came a day after violence in and around Baghdad killed 28 people. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the latest attacks, but Sunni militant groups including ISIL are typically blamed for violence in the capital. ISIL has also been involved in fighting security forces in Anbar province, a mostly Sunni desert region bordering Syria where militants have for weeks held parts of Ramadi and all of Fallujah, which lies on Baghdad’s doorstep.

Yesterday, security forces took control of several Ramadi neighbourhoods after days of heavy clash-

es in the city, army chief Staff General Ali Ghaidan Majeed told AFP. The defence ministry announced on Saturday that warplanes and artillery had hit a neighbourhood of northern Fallujah, a rare military operation inside the city itself.

A security official told AFP that an assault on the

city was imminent, but a journalist in Fallujah said it was mostly calm on Monday. The army has largely stayed out of Fallujah, a short drive from Baghdad, fearing major incursions could ignite a drawn-out campaign with high civilian casualties and heavy damage to property. —AFP

BAGHDAD: A billboard depicting a member of the Iraqi security forces aiming his weapon against unseen militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), an Al-Qaedalinked group fighting in Iraq and Syria, and with a slogan reading in Arabic ‘the foreigners (or outsiders) will not settle in our land’, is seen in Baghdad yesterday. ISIL has been involved in fighting Iraqi security forces in Anbar province, a mostly-Sunni desert region bordering Syria where militants have for weeks held parts of Ramadi and all of Fallujah, which lies on Baghdad’s doorstep. — AFP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

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

Washington paint store driver kills manager, self School briefly closed as a precaution

A new entitlement?

Right to preschool

VANCOUVER: Police secure the scene of a shooting at a business park in the Fruit Valley neighborhood of Vancouver, Washingtpn on Monday. Police say at least one person was shot just before noon Monday at a Benjamin Moore Paint store in the area. — AP VANCOUVER: A paint company driver fatally shot a company manager and then killed himself Monday at a business park in this southwest Washington city. Police found the manager, Ryan E. Momeny, 45, lying dead in front of the Benjamin Moore Paint distribution center, police spokeswoman Kim Kapp said.

Robert R. Brown, 64, a company driver, was found inside a vehicle in the parking lot, dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Kapp said. Police continue to investigate but are not looking for anyone else in the shootings, Kapp said in a statement late Monday. She did not discuss a motive. No one else was injured in the gunfire just before noon, Kapp said. A nearby school was briefly locked down as a precaution when shots were first reported. The business is in an industrial park next to a state highway. At least four police cars were at the scene hours after the shooting.

In a statement, Benjamin Moore said it was “deeply saddened” by the shooting. “We continue to gather details of what happened, and are working with law enforcement as they conduct their investigation,” spokeswoman Kimberlee M. Bradshaw said. Momeny, of nearby Camas, was a Seattle Seahawks fan who was wearing a Seahawks football jersey on Monday, the day after the team’s Super Bowl victory, The

Oregonian reported. Brian Cote said Momeny gave him a job at the warehouse after he left the Marine Corps in 2007. “He was a great guy - a family man, never swore, clean-cut, respectful of everybody,” Cote told The Oregonian. “I can’t imagine anyone hurting that guy. He was nice to the point where you wanted to ask him, ‘Don’t you ever have a bad day, bro?’”

Cote said he left the company after about six months to study sports medicine. Another Benjamin Moore Paint truck driver, Sergey Sizmin, told The Columbian newspaper he has worked for the company for seven years. “I’m so shocked,” Sizmin said. “Everybody’s friendly, everybody here works nicely together.” Vancouver is near Portland, Ore., on the north bank of the Columbia River. It’s the fourth-largest city in Washington, with a population of more than 161,000.

Kendra Abdich, 24, said she heard two loud bangs at about 11:30 a.m. Abdich, who lives one block from the office park, said workers often load and unload trucks at the businesses, and sudden, loud noises aren’t unusual.

But Abdich said she soon saw several police cars “flying by,” and checked her computer. She saw news reports and realized she lived about 100 yards from the scene. “It’s not normal out here,” Abdich said. “It’s a little scary.” — AP

Michigan escaped prisoner captured IONIA: A convicted killer who peeled a hole in two fences with his hands to escape from a Michigan prison before abducting a woman and fleeing to Indiana was captured Monday evening after a chase, authorities said.

Officials were stunned by the brazen escape Sunday night of Michael David Elliot, who had a record of good behavior during his 20 years in custody. He wore a white kitchen uniform to evade security and blend in with snow at the Ionia Correctional Facility in western Michigan, prisons spokesman Russ Marlan said. Indiana State Police Sgt. Ron Galaviz said Elliot was captured in LaPorte County after a police chase.

That chase began after authorities there got a report of a car stolen from a factory in the city of LaPorte, said sheriff’s Maj. John Boyd. A deputy who happened to be nearby spotted the stolen Chevrolet Monte Carlo “within a few seconds,” Boyd said.

Authorities chased the car through the city and into a rural area of Kankakee Township several miles away, where law

MICHIGAN: This Monday image provided by the LaPorte County Sheriff’s office shows escaped prisoner Michal David Elliot. Elliot, a convicted killer who peeled a hole in two fences with his hands to escape from the Ionia Correctional Facility in western Michigan before abducting a woman and fleeing to Indiana was captured Monday evening after a chase, authorities said. — AP

enforcement used stop sticks to disable the vehicle. Boyd said Elliot tried to flee but was arrested and taken to the LaPorte County Jail, where he was being held without bond. No injuries resulted from the chase, authorities said. The LaPorte County Sheriff’s Department said Elliot faces charges there of motor vehicle theft and resisting law enforcement Marlan said late Monday that Michigan would immediately begin the extradition process. How exactly Elliot was able to get out of the Michigan prison remains unclear. Fences were equipped with motion sensors to alert guards. The fences also carry electric current to shock anyone that touches them.

One-man operation “It appears that did not happen. ... He was not zapped with electricity, and he was not picked up by the motion sensors,” Marlan said. Once outside the prison, Elliot, 40, abducted a woman and stole her Jeep, authorities said. The woman, who was not hurt, escaped late Sunday when he stopped for gas in Middlebury, Ind., some 100 miles to the south. The woman’s red Jeep was found abandoned nearby in Shipshewana on Monday. At least one school was locked down, residents were warned to stay inside and officers went door-to-door in the area. An alert was issued to law enforcement nationwide. The woman told police that Elliot was armed with a box cutter and a hammer and had said he wanted to get as far from the Michigan prison as possible.

“We had dog teams. We had a helicopter from the state police,” said Michigan Corrections Department Director Dan Heyns. “The response was good, but he’d left the area by the time we were mobilized totally 100 percent. It didn’t take him long to get down to Indiana.”

Nothing in Elliot’s record suggested he might escape, said Heyns, who added, “This is entirely a one-man operation.” The woman who was abducted was able to call 911 from a concealed cellphone while Elliott was pumping gas at the store near Middlebury in Elkhart County, Ind., authorities said. She ran to a restroom and locked herself inside. Elliot knocked on the door, but she stayed inside until police arrived.

Elliot was discovered missing from the prison about 9:30 pm Sunday, probably 2 1/2 hours after he escaped by using his hands to create a hole in two fences, Marlan said.—AP

Small plane crashes outside YMCA in Nashville NASHVILLE: A small plane crashed near a YMCA in suburban Nashville on Monday night, killing everyone on board and damaging cars in the Y’s parking lot, authorities said.

Authorities believe four members of the same family were on board the flight, which crashed near the Y in Bellevue, Nashville police said in a statement. They have not yet released the identities of the victims. The flight plan listed four people on board, the Federal Aviation Administration said. No one on the ground was injured, Nashville fire department spokeswoman Kim Lawson said.

The plane was a Gulfstream 690C that departed from Great Bend Municipal Airport in Great Bend, Kan., at 2:45 p.m. and crashed 10 miles south of John C. Tune Airport in Nashville about 5 p.m. The flight was bound for John C. Tune Airport but missed its first approach and was preparing for a second one when the aircraft crashed, Nashville Police said.

Police said the plane hit trees on the right side of the YMCA before crashing into the ground. The wreckage and debris is said to have spread over an area of more than 80 yards. Morgan MacGavin was studying in a Starbucks when the plane crashed, narrowly avoiding the Y’s indoor swimming pool. She said people in the Starbucks ran outside to see a roaring fire and thick plumes of smoke.

“It looked like someone had poured gasoline on a bonfire,” MacGavin said. “It was probably the largest fire I have ever seen in my life.”

No one was injured inside the YMCA, said Jessica Fain, a spokeswoman for the YMCA of Middle Tennessee. She said the center was evacuated. Fain had no idea how many people were inside the gym, but she said the crash occurred during what is normally a peak time at the gym. The plane is registered to an agricultural company located just outside Great Bend. Federal investigators were en route to the scene. — AP

JEFFERSON CITY: Republican governors and lawmakers who now control a majority of state capitols have been pushing aggressively to cut spending and shrink government - with one glaring exception. Many are pumping new money into preschool programs at a rate equaling or even exceeding the Democratic-dominated capitols stereotypically cast as big spenders. The push reflects a conclusion among conservatives that one part of the social safety net deserves more government help, not less. If it continues, the move could be a step toward creation of a new educational entitlement at a time when both parties are concerned about the costs of the current programs, such as Medicare and Social Security.

For the GOP, the spending could have political consequences. Research indicates that pre-school help appeals to blue-collar voters who are important to broadening the party’s base of support.

State funding to help families afford pre-school plunged a couple of years ago because of the lingering effects of the recession. But it has surged back and is now $400 million higher than before the economic downturn, according to a recent report by the Education Commission for the States.

In the 2013-2014 school year, funding rose in 30 of the 40 states that provide preschool aid. The three largest increases occurred in Republican dominated states - a $65 million spending hike in Michigan, nearly $48 million in Texas and about $27 million in South Carolina. Republicans are putting their own twist on the preschool programs.

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence has framed it as a “voucher” for lower-income parents to send their children to the public, private or parochial preschool of their choice. Mississippi has launched its first state-funded preschool program through competitive grants. And Missouri’s Republican-led Legislature, which cut preschool grants while reforming eligibility a couple of years ago, now will be considering whether to triple funding.

Preschool is popular Some state preschool programs are reaching into the middle-class. Michigan, for example, provides free preschool to a family of four earning up to about $59,000.

Preschool is popular “with a bunch of different economic groups” in urban, suburban and rural areas alike, said Michael Griffith, a school finance consultant for the education commission. “So I think that’s the reason why we’ve seen Republican governors and legislatures embrace it as much as we’ve seen the Democratic ones embrace it.”

Fewer than half of the nation’s 3- and 4-year-olds attend publicly funded preschool programs, according to one report. The case for preschool is increasingly being made on economic terms. James Heckman, a Nobel Memorial Prize winner in economics at the University of Chicago, has calculated that the money spent on quality preschool pro-

grams for disadvantaged children generates an annual 7 percent to 10 percent return by boosting their eventual wages and reducing their likelihood of winding up in prison or costly social welfare programs.

At the same time, Republicans, who control the legislatures in more than two dozen states, continue to rein in other social programs. Most are refusing to expand Medicaid, the government health insurance program, as part of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, who faces re-election his year, has asked legislators to pour an additional $65 million into preschool programs for the 2014-2015 budget. That comes despite significant cuts to public universities during his tenure and is aimed at reducing a backlog of lowincome families seeking state preschool aid.

“We’re going to make it a no-wait state for early childhood education,” Snyder said in his recent State of the State address.

Competitive grants South Carolina’s surge in preschool funding extended state-paid, full-day classes for 4-year olds to more than a dozen additional impoverished school districts. The money is expected to boost the number of children enrolled by greater than 50 percent.

In reliably Republican Indiana, which currently has no state preschool program, Pence recently rolled out a preschool “voucher” initiative even while announcing cuts to higher education. Mississippi is funding preschool for the first time by setting aside $3 million for competitive grants this year. Legislative leaders hope to double funding to $6 million in the next budget.

One of the primary sponsors in Mississippi is state. Sen. Brice Wiggins, a freshman Republican from Pascagoula who was a youth court prosecutor.

“I got tired of seeing children going to prison for crimes, and the big thing was their lack of education,” he said.

Mississippi’s efforts pale in comparison with some of the initiatives being proposed by Democrats. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio wants to create a citywide all-day preschool program funded by an income tax surcharge on the wealthy. And all three of Maryland’s leading Democratic gubernatorial candidates are pushing to expand preschool, including one who wants to fund it by legalizing and taxing marijuana. Yet Republican states such as Oklahoma, Florida and Georgia rank among the nation’s leaders in the percentage of 4-year-olds enrolled in state preschool programs.

“At the state level, this is not a cut and dry partisan issue - it’s governors really kind of looking at the data and investing the funds where they know it’s going to do the most,” said Megan Carolan, policy research coordinator at The National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University. — AP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

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

Cut off by floods, British village becomes an island MUCHELNEY: It has been nearly five weeks since the tiny village of Muchelney, which means “great island” in Old English, became marooned by the floods caused by record rainfall in Britain.

The 150 inhabitants of the hamlet in the heart of the Somerset Levels, a marshy plain in southwest England, are becoming seasoned sailors as they take to the water to make contact with the outside world.

But in this historic area as in the rest of the country, criticism of the government’s emergency response is rising like the floodwaters. Heir to the throne Prince Charles was visiting Muchelney on Tuesday to try to boost the spirits of a suffering community.

“Prince Charles can’t change anything, but people are pleased that he’s coming,” said Catherine Denny, a retired school teacher, as she shows off the fres-

coes at the village’s 10th century abbey.

The area is no stranger to flood waters, which once thwarted English Civil War leader Oliver Cromwell’s attempts to destroy its churches in the 17th century, explained Denny.

“It does happen very often, but this time it’s been very long,” she added.

Some 11,500 hectares (28,500 acres) of the Somerset Levels are under water following the wettest January in southern England since 1910. Several other nearby villages are in semi-isolation, barricaded by sandbags for fear of rising water levels.

Another 180 houses were flooded last weekend and emergency teams are on standby with more rain expected today.

With no obvious solution available, British Prime Minister David Cameron’s government faces rising anger from flood victims who say it directs too many resources to urban problems at the

expense of the rural population.

Environment minister Owen Paterson received a hostile reception when he visited the area last week.

Flood party in local church Muchelney, which sits on a small protective hill, became almost completely cut off following heavy rains on January 3. Since then, all access roads have been under water-up to two metres (six feet) in places-and the only way in and out is by boat. Boats piloted by police or rescue workers follow the path of the roads beneath the water. Beside one road, a grey car hastily abandoned by its owner lies submerged, a testament to the flood’s destructive power.

Everyday tasks such as going to work, dropping the children at school and food shopping suddenly became arduous chores requiring a life-jacket.

“It takes two and half hours to get a

pint of milk,” explained local resident Nigel Smith. With no relief in sight, Catherine Denny expects villagers to be holed up in their private fort for “long weeks” to come. “Everybody manages,” she said. “There is a farm shop where you can get vegetables, bread and some meat, people can get out on the boat and bring back some food.”

“We had a flood party in the church on Sunday, where people brought something,” she added. “It brings people together.” But the fate of Muchelney could be the shape of things to come for rural Britain.

The head of Britain’s Environment Agency, Chris Smith, warned this week that the country may have to choose between whether to protect its towns or its countryside from flooding in the future. He said that “building dams is very expensive.” Cameron has promised £4 million ($6.5 million, 4.8 million

euros) to dredge river beds, but most experts believe it will not help. “Retreat is the only sensible policy, if we fight nature, we will lose in the end,” Colin Thorne, professor of physical geography at Nottingham University and a leading flood expert, recently told the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

But Muchelney resident Robin Board said it was a “disgusting” way to treat the countryside. “I grew up here, there was always flooding but never as deep and as long,” he said. “They haven’t dredged for 20 years. They spent £20 million on a bird sanctuary, but they haven’t the money to dredge. “ They prefer birds to humans.

Everybody’s angry about it.” But his fellow villager Smith showed a more British stiff upper lip about the situation.

“Those who have been flooded are pretty fed up, but those who haven’t are mostly bored,” he said. —AFP

Landmark Rwanda genocide trial opens in France Trial expected to last 6-8 weeks

NAIROBI: Foreign journalists hold banners as they march to the Egyptian Embassy to show support to Peter Greste, an Australian journalist who was arrested and detained in Cairo while on assignment for Qatar-based Al-Jazeera network, on December 29, 2013, in Nairobi, yesterday. Greste and two others journalists are accused of spreading lies harmful to state security and joining a terrorist organisation. — AFP

‘Boko Haram’ arrests in Nigeria stoke fears KANO: Nigeria’s Muslims have voiced concern about an apparent increase in religious “profiling” after hundreds of terror-related arrests in the country’s Christian-majority south. Last month some 300 traders from the Muslim majority north of the country were detained in southern Rivers State for allegedly belonging to the banned Islamist group Boko Haram.

Most were later released Elsewhere, 84 apprentices were sent back to Katsina State, also in the north, after being held on suspicion of militant links as they undertook a training course in Imo, southeastern Nigeria.

In January 2012, the police in southeastern Enugu State arrested 25 hunters from northwestern Zamfara state on an annual hunting expedition to the forests, holding them for a month. Again, they were suspected of Boko Haram links after 19 hunting rifles were found. The insurgency by Boko Haram in Nigeria’s north is the country’s top security issue, and there are fears in the south that it could spread.

But an apparent rise in suspicions against all Muslims has prompted warnings about splitting the country further along religious and ethnic lines, as well as inter-communal violence. Solomon Dalung, a law lecturer at the University of Jos in north central Nigeria, said the police and security forces were “profiling... citizens from a particular geo-political region”. Current events were “taking a pattern of pre-civil war indices”, he added, drawing parallels with the situation before Nigeria’s three-year civil war.

The 1967-70 conflict came after the attempted secession of the mainly Christian Igbo in the southeast and followed religious, ethnic, cultural and economic tensions with northern Hausa Muslims. Some one million people died in the fighting, mostly from starvation and disease. Mutual suspicions and resentment persist between north and south.

‘Dirty politics’ Nigeria goes to the polls next year to elect a new president and parliament, prompting observers to see politics as a factor in the arrests.

Dalung said the arrest and detention of the traders was a deliberate plan to curtail the “expansion of the political frontier” of Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi.

Amaechi is locked in a struggle with President Goodluck Jonathan over the spoils of oil revenue and the implementation of federal government programmes in the oil-rich Niger Delta State. The row prompted Amaechi to defect from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party to the opposition with four northern governors opposed to Jonathan’s apparent plan to seek re-election next year.

The governors believe Jonathan has reneged on a promise to serve only one term and that by running again he will break an unwritten party rule to rotate the candidate between north and south.

The arrests are “all intended to intimidate the northern Muslims to whittle down Amaechi’s numerical support, which is augmented by the northerners in his state,” said security analyst Abdullahi Bawa Wase.

“All you need to qualify as Boko Haram in the (southeast) is to wear a beard and put on a kaftan. “All this is happening against the backdrop of dirty politics in Nigeria ahead of 2015 elections.” Politics is also believed to have played a part in the arrest of the Katsina apprentices to put pressure on Imo governor Rochas Okorocha. He represents the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and was educated in the north. Khalid Aliyu, the secretary-general of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) — the umbrella body of Nigerian Muslims-said they were tracking the situation with a view to possible legal action.

“Unpopular politicians” were using religious conflict “to sow the seed of discord and disharmony among the citizenry for selfish political motives”, he added.

Aliyu and Dalung warned of potentially devastating consequences if the situation continued. “There are more Igbos in the north than there are Muslim Hausas in the south all together,” Aliyu said. “It could result in a repeat of the events leading to the civil war if the north decides to go for tit-for-tat.”

Dalung agreed: “This act of profiling must be stopped immediately because it is a spell that can escalate national confusion within a very short span of time.” —AFP

PARIS: The landmark trial of a former Rwandan army captain charged with complicity in the genocide that left 800,000 dead opened yesterday in Paris, the first of its kind in France.

The trial of Pascal Simbikangwa-who denies all accusations against him is being closely watched in France, which has long stood accused of failing to rein in the Rwandan regime at the time of the 100-day genocide in 1994.

The 54-year-old defendant appeared in court in a wheelchair after a 1986 car accident that left him a paraplegic. He faces life in prison.

Arrested in 2008 on the French Indian Ocean island of Mayotte, he is accused of inciting, organising and aiding massacres during the genocide, particularly by supplying arms and instructions to militia who were manning road blocks and killing Tutsi men, women and children. “I was a captain in the Rwandan army then in the intelligence services,” Simbikangwa, a small, bald man wearing a brown jacket and white tracksuit bottoms, told the court in a brief opening statement.

After his arrest, France refused to extradite him to Rwanda, as it has done in previous cases, and decided to try him under laws that allow French courts to consider cases of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in other countries. The trial is expected to last six to eight weeks and, in a rare case for France, will be filmed, with recordings available once the case is concluded. Rwandan Justice Minister Johnston Busingye welcomed the opening of the trial. “It is history being made. We have always wondered why it has taken 20 years... it is late, but it is a good sign,” he said.

Simbikangwa acknowledges being close to the regime of Hutu president Juvenal Habyarimana, whose assassination on April 6, 1994, unleashed the genocide, in which most of the victims were members of the minority Tutsi community.

Massacres But he denies participating in or organising

two days before her death. “ We received a complaint about the fraudulent relationship from police in South Africa. We tracked him for a while, then we closed in,” EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwujaren said.

He stressed the Nigerian commission only had power to investigate the alleged fraud committed on its territory but would cooperate with South African police on any extradition request.

Fake online romances are common form of advance fee fraud in Nigeriagenerically called “419 scams”, after the section in the penal code. Authorities say they have become more popular as the classic emails promising impossibly good business deals become less effective. — Reuters

massacres. He was initially charged with genocide and crimes against humanity but the charges were downgraded to complicity.

His lawyers have attacked the prosecution’s case as being based purely on unchallenged witness accounts. In a statement released prior to the opening of the trial, Alexandra Bourgeot and Fabrice Epstein said Simbikangwa was being made a “scapegoat” for the genocide on the approach of its 20th anniversary.

But Simon Foreman, a lawyer who represents civil parties in the case, said the charge of complicity “in no way diminishes the responsibility” of Simbikangwa, whom he described as “a cog in a mechanism operated by others”.

Alain Gauthier, chairman of the group of civil parties in the case (CPCR), said the opening of the trial was a “big relief.” “We have denounced the role of France enough times, now we will see what justice says,” he said yesterday.

The charges against Simbikangwa are connected to incidents in the Rwandan capital Kigali and his native Gisenyi region in the northwest.

Prosecutors abandoned an attempt to also implicate him in an April 1994 massacre at Kesho Hill in Gisenyi, because witness accounts of his role only came in years later and were marked by contradictions. About 1,400 Tutsis were killed at Kesho, many of them in a church where women, children and the elderly had taken refuge. — AFP

Hero or traitor? Pope’s aide in Polish controversy WARSAW: Poles are divided between praise and condemnation of John Paul II’s secretary for publishing the late pope’s personal notes against his last will and testament. John Paul ordered the notes burned after his death and put his trusted confidant, the Rev. Stanislaw Dziwisz, in charge of the task. To everyone’s

Nigerian arrested in $90,000 romance scam LAGOS: Nigerian authorities have arrested a 28-year-old man suspected of defrauding an Australian widow in a fake online romance, a year after she was found dead during a trip to South Africa where she intended to meet him.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it had arrested Orowo Omokoh on Jan. 28 on suspicion of conning 67-year- old Jette Jacobs out of $90,000 after they met on an Internet dating site.

Jacobs, a grandmother, flew from her home in Western Australia to meet Omokoh in South Africa last February, but died four days later under circumstances still being investigated by South African police.

Omokoh had arrived in the country

PARIS: This court sketch made yesterday in Paris shows Pascal Simbikangwa, a former Rwandan army captain charged with complicity in the genocide that left 800,000 dead, on the first day of his trial, the first of its kind, in France. The trial of Pascal Simbikangwa — who denies all accusations against him — is being closely watched in France, which has long stood accused of failing to rein in the Rwandan regime at the time of the 100-day genocide in 1994. — AFP

COMO: In this May 4, 1996 file photo, Pope John Paul II, right, is helped by his personal secretary, Stanislaw Dziwisz, as he arrives in Como, northern Italy, for a two-day visit.

Poles are divided between praise and condemnation of Pope John Paul II’s secretary over publishing the beloved pontiff’s personal notes against his last will and testament.

John Paul ordered the notes burned after his death and put his trusted confidant, Dziwisz, in charge of the task. — AP

surprise, Dziwisz, now a cardinal, said recently that he “did not have the courage” to destroy the notes and is having them published as a precious insight into the inner life of the beloved pontiff, who will be declared a saint in April.

The book - “ Ver y Much in God’s Hands.

Personal Notes 1962-2003” - comes out in Poland today. Criticism so far has outpaced praise. “What kind of hyena would disregard the last will of a dead person?” wrote Maksymilian Przybylo in an Internet posting.

The book contains religious meditations that Karol Wojtyla recorded between July 1962 and March 2003 - spanning a period in which he went from being a bishop in Poland to a globe-trotting superstar pope.

The decision to publish does not go against papal infallibility, which contrary to popular belief applies only to matters of church doctrine. Still some are expressing shock that a trusted aide would disobey the orders of the pope, especially on a matter as sacred as a will.

“A bishop who should be giving us good example is instead showing a lack of subordination toward his superior,” Anna Romejko, a student at the Catholic University of Lublin, said in an online post.

There have been other cases in history in which executors defied instructions of famous people to destroy their work. Russian novelist Vladimir Nabokov’s son Dmitri published his father’s unfinished work “The Original of Laura” - which Nabokov had left instructions to burn and justified the act by saying he didn’t want to go down in history as a “literary arsonist.”

Dziwisz was prepared for accusations of betrayal.

He was John Paul’s personal secretary and closest aide for almost 40 years in Poland and at the Vatican, where he was said to have actually taken charge in the pope’s waning years.

After John Paul’s death in 2005 at age 84, he was made Archbishop of Krakow, in southern Poland, where he is building a museum memorial to the Polish pope. Proceeds from the book are to go to the memorial.

“I had no doubt,” he said recently. “These notes are so important, they say so much about the spiritual side, about the person,

about the great pope, that it would have been a crime to destroy them.” He noted the despair of historians after Pope Pius XII’s letters were burnt.

Respected church commentator, the Rev. Adam Boniecki, wrote in a Polish Catholic weekly that he was at first “surprised in an unpleasant way” by Dziwisz’s decision, but after reading the book “I am grateful to him for having taken the risk of following his own conscience and not being a meticulous formalist.”

Some ordinary worshippers were also supportive. “I express thanks to Cardinal Dziwisz for keeping such a great treasure for all the Catholics in the world,” said Angela Neik, weighing in on the lively Internet debate. “I’m ordering the book today.”

Lawyers in Poland are not sure whether Dziwisz broke the law by disobeying the will which explicitly said: “Burn my personal notes.”

There is scant tradition in Poland of having will executors so the rules are not clear-cut. Jacek Stokolosa of the Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka Law Firm said that without studying the entire will he was not even sure whether Dziwisz was an executor under Polish law.

The entire hard-cover book of some 640 pages, with photos of the pope and of the notebooks’ pages, contains deeply religious, compact, sometimes cryptic ideas or trains of thought that spring from citations from the Bible. It will make inspiring reading to priests, theologians and philosophers, but may prove hermetic to the general reader.

The Rev. Jan Machniak, who wrote the preface, told The Associated Press that the book is intended for readers who need to bring order into their life, or need guidance in their own spiritual growth.

The book may be more surprising for what it does not contain: reference to world events and the collapse of communism in John Paul’s native Poland, which the pope played a critical role in bringing about.

Two brief remarks about sinful priests, registered in March 1981, perhaps gain new significance under the flood of pedophilia cases against Roman Catholic clergy. The pope noted that if sin is an act against God and faith, then “sin of a chaplain is especially so.” — AP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

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

Delhi govt moves to scrap power distribution licences NEW DELHI: The government of India’s capital, Delhi, has asked the region’s power regulator to scrap the licences of electricity distribution companies if they fail to supply power to the city. The request is the latest muscle-flexing between the newly elected Aam Aadmi Party, which leads the government in Delhi, and two power distribution companies, BSES Yamuna Power Ltd and BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd, run by billionaire Anil Ambani’s Reliance Infrastructure Ltd.

It comes two days after state-run power producer NTPC Ltd said BSES Yamuna Power, which sells electricity in the central and eastern parts of the city of about 16 million people, must clear its dues or else supplies would be cut from Feb. 11.

The row could result in an outage of up to 10 hours a day, exacerbating the problems of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, elected in part on a promise of cutting electricity tariffs for millions of Delhi’s voters. Citing lower tariffs and a

shortfall in revenues, BSES Yamuna Power has already expressed its inability to pay state-run power generation companies.

Delhi’s power secretary, Puneet Goel, said in a letter to the power regulator on Monday that if the distribution companies continued their stand, the regulator “may not have an alternative but to suspend their licences immediately”.

“Extensive blackouts in the capital city of the country due to financial difficulties of the these two (companies) is not accept-

able,” Goel said in the letter. In the event of the licences being revoked, “suitable officers” would be appointed to administer the distribution companies and keep power switched on, Goel said.

The companies said the matter had not been discussed in board meetings.

“We are deeply committed to the consumers of Delhi, and have served them for over 10 years and reduced power losses to the tune of nearly 35,000 crores rupees (350 billion rupees) which have

accrued as savings to Delhi Govt,” a spokesman for BSES Yamuna said in a statement.

Reliance Infrastructure runs the distribution companies, with the Delhi government holding a 49 percent stake.

Kejriwal, a former anti-corruption activist, in December asked the state auditor to look into the accounts of power distribution companies to see if they were profiteering. The companies have challenged the move in court. — Reuters

Rights slam Philippine mayor for murder threat MANILA: Human rights activists in the Philippines expressed outrage yesterday at a mayor who told a parliamentary inquiry he would happily murder an alleged criminal, warning his threat fuelled the country’s infamous culture of impunity.

Rodrigo Duterte, a tough-talking politician nicknamed “The Punisher” , issued the warning in the Senate Monday to a businessman being investigated for allegedly controlling a major rice smuggling cartel.

“If this guy would go to Davao and starts to unload (smuggled rice)... I will gladly kill him,” Duterte, the long-time

mayor and political kingpin of the southern city of Davao warned as he took the witness stand.

“I would not hesitate. I would do it for my country.” The man being threatened, Davidson Bangayan, who sat close to Duterte during the Senate hearings, made no expression as the threat was made. He has repeatedly denied being a rice smuggler.

Rights activists said Duterte’s comments reinforced a culture of injustice in the corruption-plagued Philippines, where powerful people feel free to kill or intimidate rivals and critics knowing they are above the law.

MANILA: In this handout photo taken on February 3, 2014 and released by the Philippine Senate, Davao mayor Rodrigo Duterte (R) and Davidson Bangayan (L) looking on during a parliamentary inquiry in Manila. Human rights activists in the Philippines expressed outrage yesterday at a mayor who told a parliamentary inquiry he would happily murder an alleged criminal, warning his threat fuelled the country’s infamous culture of impunity. — AFP

“His statement, made in the halls of an institution that makes laws, encourages this culture of impunity,” the chairwoman of the Philippines’ independent Commission on Human Rights, Loretta Ann Rosales, told AFP. Rosales said her office would attempt to instigate a criminal charge of “issuing grave threats” against Duterte, which is punishable by up to six months in jail. But a prosecutor would have to agree to file the charge, and then the case would likely take many years to complete in the overwhelmed court system.

The Philippines is one of the world’s biggest rice importers and corruption in the industry has long been regarded as a major problem, with millions of dollars at stake in contracts for the country’s staple food.

Duterte, 69, is loved by many of his constituents in Davao, who say that his relentless anti-crime crusade has cleaned the city of major criminal gangs. But groups such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have reported over the years that hundreds of petty criminals, including children, have been summarily executed by so-called “Davao Death Squads” linked to local officials.

Duterte has denied being involved in them, but Human Rights Watch said in a 2009 report that he had openly supported them. Carlos Conde, the Philippine researcher for the New York-based Human Rights Watch, said Tuesday that Duterte’s latest comments showed him to be an “incorrigible human rights violator”.

“He cannot be allowed to get away with these threats. Given his history in Davao, it would be foolish to dismiss all this as an empty threat.” — AFP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani religious clerics and members of Taleban’s negotiating committee, from left to right, Professor Ibrahim Khan, Maulana Sami-ul-Haq, and Maulana Abdul Aziz, answer a question during their press conference in Islamabad, Pakistan, yesterday. — AP

Pakistan-Taleban peace talks falter Confusion, doubt still persists ISLAMABAD: Negotiators for the Pakistani Taleban said yesterday that government representatives had refused to show up for planned peace talks, citing confusion over the militants’ team.

The two sides had been due to gather in Islamabad at 2:00 pm (0900 GMT) to chart a “roadmap” for talks, amid a surge in militant violence and scepticism about the chances of reaching a negotiated peace.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif caused surprise last week by announcing a team to begin dialogue with the Tehreek-e-Taleban Pakistan (TTP), which has been waging a violent insurgency since 2007. Many observers had been anticipating a military offensive against TTP strongholds in Pakistan’s tribal areas, following a bloody start to the year. More than 110 people were killed in militant attacks in January, many of them military personnel.

The head of the TTP’s talks committee, hardline cleric Maulana Sami-ulHaq, said he was disappointed the government team had failed to show up as agreed. “I received a phone call from Irfan Siddiqui who said confusion still persisted because the composition of the Taleban committee has changed from five to three,” Haq said.

Siddiqui is leading the government negotiators. “Citing this reason, he said the government committee

could not come.” AFP were unable to reach the government for an immediate comment.

Bleak hopes Washington has long pressured Pakistan to take action against militants using tribal areas as a base to attack NATO troops across the border in Afghanistan. Talk of a full offensive in North Waziristan rose last month when the air force bombarded suspected Taleban hideouts following two major attacks on military targets.

But no operation was launched and critics accused Sharif’s government of dithering in response to the resurgent violence. Even before yesterday’s abortive start, media held out scant hope for the talks.

The TTP has said in the past that it opposes democracy and wants Islamic sharia law imposed throughout Pakistan, while the government has stressed the country’s constitution must remain paramount.

English-language daily The Nation predicted the “peace talks balloon will burst soon enough”. “The ambiguity and confusion still exists because the political leadership has been extremely hesitant towards taking a clear stand and calling a spade a spade for a change,” it said in an editorial yesterday. The News predicted the process would be “long and excruciating... since neither committee contains any-

one with the authority to make decisions”. The government team consists of senior journalists Siddiqui and Rahimullah Yusufzai, former diplomat Rustam Shah Mohmand and retired major Mohammad Aamir, formerly of the Inter Services Intelligence agency.

The Taleban initially named five negotiators: Haq, Maulana Abdul Aziz, who is the chief cleric of Islamabad’s Red Mosque, Professor Ibrahim Khan of religious party Jamaat-e-Islami, Mufti Kifayatullah of the JUI-F religious party and cricketer-turnedpolitician Imran Khan.

But Imran Khan declined the offer and Kifayatullah’s party withdrew Kifayatullah on Monday, complaining they had not been properly consulted over the talks. Haq urged the government to come to the negotiating table. “We once again invite the government committee to come and talk to us. We will not make anything a point of prestige,” he told reporters.

“We believe that the pressure is now growing on the Prime Minister. He makes sincere offers but later comes under US pressure.”

Haq told AFP on Monday that the T T P h a d s o f a r m a d e n o fo r m a l demands for the talks. In the past the militants have called for their prisoners to be released and for Pakistani troops to be pulled out of the seven tribal areas along the Afghan border. —AFP

Teens charged in death of Australian due in court OKLAHOMA CITY: Three teenagers accused of fatally shooting an Australian baseball player as he jogged down an Oklahoma street, allegedly because they were bored, are expected in court yesterday for a hearing that could reveal details about the case.

Police allege that Chancey Allen Luna and James Francis Edwards Jr., who are both 16, and Michael Dewayne Jones, 18, randomly targeted and shot Chris Lane last summer. Each teenager is charged with first-degree murder.

Lane’s death garnered heavy media coverage in both the US and Australia, prompting the judge to issue a gag order barring anyone involved from talking about the case outside court. That means little information has been released since the 22-year-old Melbourne native was shot in the back and died in August.

But investigators have said Lane was shot while jogging down a treelined street near the home of his girlfriend’s parents in Duncan, about 80 miles south of Oklahoma City. He and his girlfriend had just returned to Oklahoma after visiting Australia, and he was preparing for his senior season playing catcher at East

Central University in Ada, about 90 miles east of Duncan.

A few days after the shooting, Duncan Police Chief Danny Ford said it appeared to be random and that Jones gave a detailed confession to investigators. “ They saw Christopher go by, and one of them said: ‘There’s our target,’” Ford said in August. “The boy who has talked to us said: ‘We were bored and didn’t have anything to do, so we decided to kill somebody.’”

Prosecutors alleged that Luna pulled the trigger while sitting in the back seat of a car being driven

by Jones, and Edwards was in the passenger seat. In a chilling 911 recording released shortly after the killing, a woman tells the operator she saw Lane fall into a ditch as she drove by. “He’s got blood on his back,” the woman said. She later relayed word from another witness, telling the operator: “He’s turning blue. He’s making a noise.” — AP

OKLAHOMA: This combination file photo made with booking photos provided by the Stephens County, Okla., Sheriffs Department, shows, from left, James Francis Edwards Jr., 15, Michael Dewayne Jones, 17, and Chancey Allen Luna, 16, all of Duncan, Okla. The three teenagers have been charged in connection with the killing of 22-year-old Australian collegiate baseball player Christopher Lane, 22. — AP

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

KUWAIT: (Left) The Kuwaiti coastguard arrested six suspected Iranian drug smugglers and seized their boat when it entered the state’s territorial waters, the interior ministry said yesterday. The suspects were detained pending an investigation, the ministry said. (Center and right) A major fire broke out in a Shuwaikh Port warehouse containing cans of paint, according to a security source. Capital, Shuwaikh, Mubarak Al-Kabeer, Salmiya and back-up centers battled the blaze. — By Hanan Al-Saadoun

Internet titans shine light on spy requests Continued from Page 1 to that, according to a blog post by Google. Release of such data was subject to a six-month delay under the terms of an arrangement with the US Department of Justice letting Internet firms be slightly more open about how much information is sought under authority of FISA court orders.

“Publishing these numbers is a step in the right direction, and speaks to the principles for reform that we announced with other companies last December,” Google law enforcement and information security legal director Richard Salgado said in a blog post. “But we still believe more transparency is needed so everyone can better understand how surveillance laws work and decide whether or not they serve the public interest.” Google included the FISA request numbers in a routinely released Transparency Report about efforts by governments to legally obtain data from the California-based Internet titan. Facebook on Monday disclosed it received FISA requests for information from accounts of 5,000 to 6,000 of its more than one billion members in the first six months of last year, and from the accounts of 4,000 to 6,000 of its users in the prior six months. Meanwhile, Microsoft general counsel Brad Smith said in a blog post that FISA orders were used to demand information from between 15,000 to 16,000 accounts of users in the first six months of last year. Yahoo, meanwhile, revealed that in the same time period US officials wielding FISA court authority came looking for information

from 30,000 to 31,000 accounts. The Sunnyvale, Californiabased company was quick to stress that while in the tens of thousands, the number of accounts targeted with FISA requests made up less than one-hundredth of one percent of its global user base.

Apple last week disclosed that in the first half of last year it received 249 or fewer FISA or National Security Letter requests for information about users of services provided by the maker of iPhones, iPads, iPods and Macintosh computers.

Cupertino, California-based Apple said in a written post that information targeted in National Security Letters involved transactional data such as people’s contact information and not content.

Yahoo, Facebook, Google and others promised to routinely update the FISA request figures, and to continue pressing for legal reform to share more information with users.

Currently, Internet firms are allowed only to provide ranges of FISA request numbers and barred from disclosing details regarding what was asked for or from whom. “As we have said before, we believe that while governments have an important responsibility to keep people safe, it is possible to do so while also being transparent,” Facebook legal counsel Colin Stretch said in a blog post. “We will continue to advocate for reform of government surveillance practices around the world, and for greater transparency about the degree to which governments seek access to data in connection with their efforts to keep people safe.” — AFP

Khorafi grills electricity minister Continued from Page 1 They have also been referred for further investigation and legal action.

Khorafi claimed that the minister failed to take sufficient precautionary actions to prevent the problem of flying rocks and also the ministry of public works failed to face the consequences of heavy rains in Kuwait last month. The minister said that the rainfall was much higher than expectations and was between 30 to 66 mm, while the drainage system is capable of handling about 24 mm, adding that this is normal in all countries when they have heavy rainfall Khorafi also accused the minister of exaggerating the power shortage problem in Kuwait and providing false information to the National Assembly while the reality was completely different. The minister however said that what helped the country face any shortages in power supply was the Gulf power grid that is available to any of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states in time of need.

Khorafi said that the minister was impacting the feelings of citizens waiting for housing projects because of the shortage in power supply, adding that around 34,000 housing units were expected to be built in the coming few years and require around 6,800 MW of electricity, while the

minister said he was capable of supplying just 2,930 MW. The minister denied that he provided false information about the power supply and also denied allegations of mismanagement in the two ministries he is running, insisting that all his administrative decisions are taken to serve the interests of the two ministries.

Three MPs spoke in support of the grilling while three others spoke in support of the minister and after the debate was completed, no one filed a no-confidence motion, which means that the grilling is over. MPs passed a number of recommendations primarily calling to hold to account those officials responsible for the deterioration of roads.

Earlier in the session, MPs passed a recommendation calling on the Audit Bureau to conduct an investigation within one month of the $800 million contract between Kuwait Oil Company and Shell. They also voted on a similar request for the Audit Bureau to carry out a probe into the smuggled diesel issue. The Assembly also voted to lift the immunity of MP Safa Al-Hashem at the request of the public prosecution to interrogate her for accusing the prime minister of bribing editors of local newspapers. MPs however refused similar requests to lift the immunities of MPs Saadoun Hammad and Abdulhameed Dashti.

HRW raps Kuwait on free speech, bedoons Continued from Page 1 According to Nadim Houry, Deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, over the past year, officials have escalated prosecution of people critical of the government. “In 2013, the authorities brought cases against at least 29 people who expressed critical views on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, other social media platforms and at protests. Human Rights Watch knows of nine cases in 2012. The government should let Kuwait’s people speak and write freely, “ he explained.

Prosecutors brought most of the cases under the vaguely worded article 25 of Kuwait’s 1970 penal code, which prescribes up to five years in prison for anyone who publicly “objects to the rights and authorities of HH the Amir or faults him.” Prosecutors have also used the vaguely worded article 111, with sentences of up to one year for anyone who “mocks God, the prophets and messengers, or the honor of his messengers and their wives.”

“In July, HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah pardoned all those jailed under article 25.

However, the authorities subsequently brought charges against at least three more people, indicating that the government policy hasn’t changed. In October, the court upheld a 10-year sentence on multiple counts in one such case,” stressed Houry.

Regarding migrant workers, Wille said that the government announced that it intended to reduce the number of expatriate workers by 100,000 every year for the next 10 years, in order to bring the total down by one million.

“Kuwait has since adopted a number of mechanisms facilitating quick, non-judicial deportations in order to reach its goals,” she charged. Wille said that last April, Kuwait implemented a policy of deporting migrants after they had committed their first major traffic violation and that the Ministry of Interior had deported some expatriates for this reason. “In August 2013, the health ministry announced that it would deport any expatriates with confirmed cases of infectious diseases, although Human Rights Watch has not documented any such deportations at the time of writing. These deportations occur without any judicial review,” she said.

“Kuwait has also adopted indirect methods to push migrants to leave. In March 2013, Kuwait adopted regulations requiring expatriates applying for a driving license to be 18 or over, pass a driving test, be a legal resident for at least two years, have a university degree, and earn at least KD 400 ($1,400) per month,” added Wille.

Mohammed Al-Hamidi, Director of the KSHR, considered administrative deportation as illegal act. “The Ministry of Interior should not be allowed to deport any person without having an order from the court after a tri-

al. Such illegal deportation is against all international conventions and treaties that ban such procedures,” he noted.

According to the HRW report, there are at least 105,702 stateless people in Kuwait. “After an initial registration period for citizenship ended in 1960, authorities shifted bedoon citizenship claims to a series of administrative committees that for decades have avoided resolving the claims. Authorities claim that many bedoons are “illegal residents” who deliberately destroyed evidence of another nationality in order to get the generous benefits that Kuwait provides its citizens,” stated Wille.

In March 2011, the government granted bedoons some benefits and services, but some bedoons told Human Rights Watch in 2013 of administrative hurdles to accessing these benefits. And in March 2013, the parliament passed a law to naturalize 4,000 “foreigners” by the end of the year, but as of November, no bedoon had been naturalized. Activists in the bedoon community have said this measure has not benefitted their community, but is being used to grant citizenship to children born to Kuwaiti mothers and foreign fathers,” she further said.

The report also included women’s rights. “In January, Kuwait gave women the right to apply for posts of prosecutors, which until then were only open to male candidates. This will allow women to pursue careers as judges in the future. However, women continue to face discrimination in many other aspects of their lives, and large legal gaps remain in protections for women. Kuwait has no laws prohibiting domestic violence, sexual harassment, or marital rape. In addition, Kuwaiti women married to non-Kuwaiti men cannot give their spouses or children Kuwaiti citizenship. Kuwaiti law does not let women marry a partner of their choice if their father will not grant permission,” explained Wille.

Criticizing the death penalty, Wille noted that on June 18, 2013, Kuwaiti authorities hanged two Egyptian men, one convicted of abduction and rape, and the other of murder charges. It was Kuwait’s second round of executions in 2013, and the first time it had applied the death penalty since 2007.

In the 667-page world report, its 24th edition, Human Rights Watch reviews human rights practices in more than 90 countries. Syria’s widespread killings of civilians elicited horror but few steps by world leaders to stop it, Human Rights Watch said. A reinvigorated doctrine of “responsibility to protect” seems to have prevented some mass atrocities in Africa. Majorities in power in Egypt and other countries have suppressed dissent and minority rights. And Edward Snowden’s revelations about US surveillance programs reverberated around the globe.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

ANALYSIS

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Issues

Year after MP’s murder, Tunisia turmoil abating

By Ines Bel Aiba

T

he assassination of prominent Tunisian opposition figure Chokri Belaid a year ago Thursday ignited a crisis which is only now starting to ease following the adoption of a new constitution. On Feb 6, 2013, Tunisians were stunned to learn of the death of the 48-year-old lawyer and leftist politician who had been a fierce critic of Ennahda, the Islamist party that rose to power after the first Arab Spring uprising toppled a long-ruling dictator. It was the first of two political assassinations last year that fuelled rising unrest and eventually forced Ennahda, a moderate Islamist movement, to step down in January under a deal to end the crisis.

Belaid was gunned down at close range outside his house, with the authorities blaming jihadists from Ansar al-Sharia, a Salafist group allegedly linked to Al-Qaeda that was later designated a “terrorist” organisation. But the group never claimed the attack, and neither the assassin nor the organisers have ever been identified, with only suspected accomplices jailed.

Relatives of the slain politician will hold a press conference Thursday on the state of the investigation, with a candlelit vigil also planned on Habib Bourguiba avenue in central Tunis.

Activists have also called for a demonstration on Saturday, to mark the anniversary of Belaid’s burial, when a general strike brought Tunisia to a standstill and tens of thousands turned out to pay homage to the opposition MP, in what became a mass anti-Ennahda rally. “We don’t know anything (about what really

Chokri Belaid happened). All scenarios are possible,” said Belaid’s widow Basma Khalfaoui, who at the time publicly blamed the ruling Islamists for the assassination. Today she says they are at least guilty of having “hidden” key documents in the murder inquiry. As for the commitment by newly appointed Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa to “uncover the truth and bring all those guilty to justice,” Khalfaoui says she expects strong measures. “We no longer believe in commitments. We will judge by actions,” she said.

Turning point Belaid’s murder was followed by an intensification of violence between security forces and jihadist groups, notably in the Chaambi mountain region along the border with Algeria, where around 20 soldiers and police were killed during operations. The opposition seized upon the murder as proof that Ennahda had failed to contain militant Islamist groups suppressed under former strongman Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, whose January 2011 ouster inspired revolts across the region.

Ennahda’s prime minister at the time, Hamadi Jebali, tried to form a cabinet of technocrats in a bid to end the crisis, but failed to do so in the face of opposition from his party and finally resigned.

Opposition parties were furious at the appointment of interior minister Ali Larayedh to replace Jebali, a choice that deepened political divisions, especially with the assassination on July 25 of another opposition MP, Mohamed Brahmi, also by suspected jihadists. In the wake of Belaid’s assassination, Ennahda’s veteran leader Rached Ghannouchi insisted on his party’s right to continue leading the coalition government. Ennahda, which in October 2011 won Tunisia’s first free election, “will never relinquish power as long as it enjoys the support of the people and the legitimacy of the ballot,” he said.

But last month, under a hard-fought agreement to stabilise the country and end the political turmoil, Larayedh was replaced by his former industry minister Mehdi Jomaa, who was chosen to head a new government of independents and lead the country to fresh elections. The transition followed months of fraught negotiations, strikes, protests and the suspension of the national assembly, which finally adopted the new constitution on January 26, three years after the revolution.

In the view of some Tunisian newspapers, it took two political assassinations and the military coup in Egypt that ousted the Muslim Brotherhood’s president Mohamed Morsi to force Tunisia’s ruling Islamists to strike a deal with the opposition. The Essabah daily said Ennahda had drawn lessons from these events, renouncing its “controlling tendencies” in order to survive the crisis. —AFP

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

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

Shell’s spectacular fall from grace

By John Kemp

“A

ll political lives, unless they are cut off in midstream at a happy juncture, end in failure,” wrote Enoch Powell, a former member of Britain’s parliament who held controversial views on immigration and national identity. Much the same could be said of business careers, as Shell’s former chief executive Peter Voser has learned the hard way. His strategy of continuing to invest in complex megaprojects through the oil industry cycle is now blamed for the company’s recent profit warning and underperformance.

In May 2013, when Voser’s retirement was announced, he was described by Reuters as having been Shell’s “renaissance CEO”. According to my colleague Andy Callus, “his exit from a role he is seen to have excelled in surprised investors, analysts and people inside Europe’s biggest oil company”.

Fast-forward eight months and Voser’s successor stunned the market with a profits warning. “Our 2013 performance was not what I expect from Shell,” Chief Executive Ben van Beurden told investors and promised a more disciplined approach to investment as well as better operational performance and project delivery. It was a remarkably quick fall from grace for both the former chief and the company, though no swifter than many other chief executives and businesses have endured.

From Hero to Failure Speaking to Reuters in May 2013, Voser warned: “You spend capex through the cycle.

Don’t try to read it, don’t slow down. It will cost you more when you want to grow afterwards. “I know a lot of investors and analysts.

They all think they can read the market ... but one thing in our industry is very clear; it takes you five to seven years to recover (from) a

strategic slowdown,” Voser explained. “The market changes its views in three to six months, and you can’t change that fast in our industry.” Just a few weeks after Voser stepped down, Shell has finally succumbed to cyclical pressure. Van Beurden insists the company’s overall strategy is sound, but has promised to cut investment and enhance returns by making hard choices about new projects. Shell’s abrupt turnaround has prompted questions about whether the company’s strategy was mistaken, poorly executed, or if the company was the victim of changed circumstances beyond its control. It has also prompted unflattering comparisons with BP , which emphasised spending discipline much earlier, and is now the darling of analysts and investors.

Sibling Rivalry Contrasting the strategy, leadership, culture and performance of the two Londonlisted oil majors is a favourite pastime of writers about both companies. In the standard caricature, Shell is more conservative, bureaucratic, technology-driven and controlled by engineers. BP is reputedly more entrepreneurial, innovative, risk-taking and controlled by financially focused managers.

The two have regularly swapped places as the favourite of the media and investors over the last two decades depending on which set of characteristics is in fashion.

Legendary Chief Executive John Browne, who played a leading role consolidating the oil industry, pushing into post-communist Russia and building up a formidable oil trading division, made BP the favourite in the late 1990s. But in the wake of accidents like the Texas City refinery explosion and Macondo well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico, BP’s alleged lack of engineering expertise, reliance on external contractors, obsession with short-term financial results, and criti-

cism of its safety procedures, drew adverse comparisons with Shell’s boring but predictably safe operations.

BP suffered a near-death experience following the 2010 Gulf oil spill, and is still paying out tens of billions of dollars in fines and compensation. But Shell too has had its ups and downs. The company’s Pearl gas-to-liquids project in Qatar has proved to be enormously profitable. Shell’s advanced engineering is admired across the industry. And Shell was the first of the major oil companies to exploit the shift from oil to gas. But the company’s misstatement of its proven reserves early in the century landed it with a multi-million dollar fine from stock market regulators and forced the departure of its chairman as well as shocking investors.

Shell has had its own environmental problems in Nigeria. Now it is being severely criticised for overspending.

Similar Returns In practice, the long-term performance of the two companies has been remarkably similar. At times, BP has outperformed its more staid rival, but its shares have also been much more volatile, and the two companies’ performance over the whole period has ended up remarkably similar. If reinvested dividends are taken into account, the total return on Shell’s shares has averaged 8.64 percent per year since 1994, only marginally less than the 8.96 percent return on BP shares. Which company comes out ahead is sensitive to the period chosen for analysis, suggesting underlying performance is basically indistinguishable.

That is not really surprising. Both companies face the same fundamental forces including exploration and development costs, political risks, price risks, and technology challenges. The fact the two companies’ financial performances have been similar over the long

term suggests the fundamentals they have in common are more important than the cultural, strategic and leadership factors that differentiate them. Journalists, financial analysts and investors tend to focus on human factors like strategy, leadership and culture because they make for a more interesting story. But the fundamental factors the two rivals have in common are probably more important in explaining medium and long-term performance.

Fickle Fashions Voser was right to observe that in a capital-intensive industry like oil and gas it makes no sense to keep changing spending and investment plans in response to shortterm demands from investors and analysts.

But he was most definitely wrong to think the market would reward Shell for taking a rational long-term view. Nearly all political, business and financial careers end in failure and recriminations because as they mature leaders become more rigid, less adaptable, and less open to new thinking, and they must live with the consequences of past decisions when circumstances change.

The only leaders to escape with their heroism intact tend to be those who leave early before the external environment shifts.

Voser retired early but he was unlucky to do so just as the industry’s investment climate was turning. Shell’s strategy was not wrong, and it certainly was not worse than BP’s, however it was not well aligned to the prevailing phase of the cycle, and the company did not adapt quickly enough to keep investors and commentators happy. But the cycle will keep on turning. In a few years BP will be out of favour again, and everyone will be writing about how Shell is a much more solid and reliable performer, with a good long-term investment portfolio, and crediting its lucky CEO. —Reuters

French troops fail to stop CAR killings

By Jean-Pierre Campagne

T

wo months after French military intervention in the Central African Republic, French troops and African soldiers have largely disarmed Muslim exrebels in the capital, but major atrocities prevail. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said yesterday that “at the security level, there are signs of pacification. The African troops are gaining strength.

European troops are going to join us.”

French chief of defence staff Admiral Edouard Guillaud has said in Bangui that “the violence has been partly halted” by the 1,600 French soldiers who deployed on December 5 alongside the 5,500 troops of an African peacekeeping force (MISCA).

But the French and African troops operate largely in the capital, where the Red Cross last week reported finding 30 bodies in three days, while the Muslim-Christian bloodletting continues in the interior. A priest in the town of Boda, 100 km west of Bangui, on Monday told AFP that his parish was sheltering 1,500 people after heavily armed Muslims killed 75 Christians. In Bangui, foreign troops have largely neutralised the mainly Muslim fighters of the Seleka alliance that seized power in March 2013 and launched a campaign of killings, torture, rape and looting against the Christian majority.

Asked on Monday whether the time had come to also round up and confine the Christian vigilante groups formed in response to the Seleka attacks, Guillaud replied that “in Bangui, it’s not only Muslim civilians who are killed. There are atrocities by both sides.” Little by little, MISCA contingents, backed by French troops, have start-

ed to move into dangerous areas where Christian “anti-balaka” (anti-machete) militia target the remaining Muslim population, AFP reporters have seen. But the foreign military presence has yet to stop killings, as in the capital’s Miskine district where Burundian soldiers have a hard time preventing daily attacks on the last Muslims to

forces has unleashed unprecedented animosity between the impoverished country’s religious communities, leading the United Nations and the United States to warn that conditions are ripe for a potential genocide.

The main anti-balaka base known as “Boeing”, on the edge of a displaced people’s camp housing 100,000 people near

Democratic Republic of Congo MISCA peacekeepers soldiers patrol in a street in Bangui yesterday. —AFP stay in their houses and shops, unwilling to join hundreds of thousands of displaced people.

Camp rife with weapons Months of a reign of terror by Seleka

Bangui airport, is rife with weapons, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW). “They have a thousand grenades, loads of rifles,” HRW’s Peter Bouckaert said.

General Francesco Soriano, commander of France’s Operation Sangaris, recently

told AFP that his men had seized more than 4,000 knives, clubs and machetes and “hundreds of rifles” from both former Seleka fighters and the Christian vigilantes.

The general denied taking sides. “In Boali (90 km north of Bangui), we arrived at the height of a massacre and we have stayed there since,” he said. French troops arrived in mid-January and saved hundreds of Muslims for anti-balaka forces.

French Minister for Relations with Parliament Alain Vidalies said in Paris Tuesday that lawmakers will vote on February 26 on prolonging the mandate of Operation Sangaris beyond the four months stipulated by the constitution.

Between now and the vote, a parliamentary delegation will visit the CAR to assess the situation on the ground, Vidalies said, amid growing opposition fears that the soldiers may become bogged down. On Saturday, African Union nations met in Addis Ababa to raise funds for MISCA. Ethiopia pledged $500,000, while South Africa promised one million dollars. The EU has for its part offered 500 troops and $150 million in support for security and an electoral process.

But in the meantime, most of the country remains out of the control of international forces. At Sibut (180 km north of Bangui), ex-Seleka forces agreed to be placed in barracks when French and African troops arrived, but instead the former rebels took advantage of a tremendous storm overnight on Saturday to flee. Paris now appears to be counting on a UN mission. “There is a peacekeeping operation in prospect. Probably as of the summer, the UN will take up the baton,” with 10,000 soldiers, according to Fabius. —AFP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

S P ORTS Bale back in Real squad MADRID: Gareth Bale has recovered from a calf problem and is back in Real Madrid’s squad for the first leg of their King’s Cup semi-final against holders Atletico Madrid yesterday.

The Wales winger’s debut season in Spain has been disrupted by a series of minor injuries after joining from Tottenham Hotspur for a world record fee and he has missed Real’s last two matches after picking up the injury in a La Liga game against Granada on Jan. 25.

“Gareth Bale is available,” coach Carlo Ancelotti told a news conference on the eve of the game at the Bernabeu where Atletico beat Real 2-1 to win last season’s final.

“He has recovered well and has trained well these last two days with the rest of the team,” added the Italian, in his first season in charge after taking over from Jose Mourinho.

“He is in good shape.” Bale’s Real career has been something of a disappointment so far, prompting mutterings about the club’s decision to pay 100 million euros ($135.2 million) for the 24-year-old. Ancelotti said that apart from the injuries, another reason Bale had not settled as quickly as expected was that the protracted negotiations over his move disrupted his pre-season preparations.

“Bale will definitely be much better next season, firstly because he’ll be able to have a normal pre-season and secondly because he’ll be more used to the unfamiliar culture of Spanish soccer,” Ancelotti said. —Reuters

Newcastle director Joe Kinnear resigns LONDON: Newcastle United’s controversial director of football Joe Kinnear has quit seven months into a three-year deal after his second spell at the Premier League club in which they made no permanent signings for the first-team squad.

Kinnear, 67, had come under fire after Newcastle, who were thrashed 3-0 at home by local rivals Sunderland in the league on Saturday, did not buy any new players in the January transfer window and lost playmaker Yohan Cabaye to Paris St Germain.

“Newcastle United can confirm that Joe Kinnear has this evening resigned from his position as director of football with immediate effect,” the north-east club said in a statement on their official website (www.nufc.co.uk).

Kinnear was responsible for attracting talent to the club but strikers Luuk de Jong and Loic Remy, on loan from Borussia Moenchengladbach and Queens Park Rangers respectively, were the only players added to the first-team squad under his watch.

Newcastle, who lie mid-table in the league, failed to sign Clement Grenier from Olympique Lyon as a replacement for Cabaye, who left for a fee that British media said could reach 25 million euros ($33.80 million). —Reuters

Vela rules himself out MEXICO: Mexico forward Carlos Vela has said he is “not mentally and emotionally” ready to play in this year’s World Cup and has told the Mexican FA not to select him for the tournament in Brazil.

Vela’s statement was carried on the Mexico FA’s website (www.femexfut.org.mx) on Tuesday after the 24-year-old, who plays for Real Sociedad in Spain, told them he would not be available for selection. “Vela says he is not 100 percent mentally and emotionally ready,” the statement said.

Mexico coach Miguel Herrera, national team director Hector Gonzalez Inarritu and other FA officials met with the player in Madrid on Monday to discuss his availability but he was adamant he would not change his mind.

Vela, who has played for Arsenal and West Brom in England as well as Salamanca and Osasuna in Spain, has scored nine times in 35 internationals.

He played in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, but fell out with the Mexico FA later that year after he was suspended for six months and fined after being accused of holding a party in a team hotel.

He returned to the national team in 2011 but refused selection for the London Olympics in 2012 when Mexico beat Brazil to take the gold medal. Mexico are in Group A at the June 12-July 13 finals and will face Cameroon, hosts Brazil and Croatia. —Reuters

Red Wings soar over Canucks DETROIT: Justin Abdelkader scored early in the second period and again in the final seconds while Jimmy Howard finished off a shutout that Jonas Gustavsson started for the Detroit Red Wings in a 2-0 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Monday night.

Two Red Wings goalies combined on a shutout for the first time since Oct. 27, 2001, when Manny Legace and Dominik Hasek did it in a 1-0 win at Nashville, according to STATS. Gustavsson started and stopped all eight shots he faced in the first period, but didn’t return to play because of dizziness. Howard had 16 saves and stopped David Booth on a secondperiod penalty shot.

The Canucks had coach John Tortorella behind their bench and for-

performance since Jan. 21. Drew Doughty and Tyler Toffoli also scored, and Jonathan Quick stopped 25 shots in the Kings’ ninth loss in 10 games.

Chicago pulled within three points of Anaheim for the overall NHL lead.

BLUE JACKETS 4, DUCKS 2 Sergei Bobrovsky made 34 saves, Nick Foligno scored twice in the third period and Columbus also got goals from Ryan Johansen and RJ Umberger in a victory over Anaheim.

The Blue Jackets are 11-0-3 since Jan. 6, a stretch that began with a franchise-record, eight-game winning streak. Bobrovsky, last season’s Vezina Trophy winner, is 10-2-0 with a 2.17 goals-against average in his last 12 starts after missing 14 games because of a groin strain.

BLACKHAWKS 5, KINGS 3 Patrick Kane had two goals and an assist, Nick Leddy had a goal and an assist, and Chicago snapped its recent slump with a victory over struggling Los Angeles.

Marcus Kruger scored the tiebreaking goal on a double deflection in the second period for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who had lost five of six.

Bryan Bickell also scored and Corey Crawford made 31 saves as Chicago swept the three-game season series between last season’s Western Conference finalists.

Anze Kopitar had a goal and two assists in Los Angeles’ highest-scoring

AVALANCHE 2, DEVILS 1 Ryan O’Reilly scored a power-play goal 28 seconds into overtime and Colorado rallied to beat New Jersey.

The Avalanche tied the game with 1:47 left in regulation on a goal by PA Parenteau after they pulled goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere with 2:30 remaining.

Devils defenseman Andy Greene was called for a penalty shortly after Parenteau’s goal, and the man advantage carried into overtime. O’Reilly ended it by tipping Matt Duchene’s pass by goalie Cory Schneider for his 21st of the season, giving Colorado its fourth straight win.

It marked the third straight game in which New Jersey has given up a late goal to force overtime. The Devils have lost their last two. Ryan Carter scored in the first period for New Jersey.

Giguere finished with 27 saves.

Mathieu Perreault and Ryan Getzlaf scored for the Ducks, and Frederik Andersen stopped 29 shots. The Ducks are 4-5-0 since Jan. 15 and have two games left before the Olympic break.

FLYERS 5, SHARKS 2 Matt Read, Michael Raffl and Claude Giroux scored in a span of 2:45 early in the third period to erase a onegoal deficit and lead Philadelphia to its first win over San Jose since 2000.

Mark Streit and Jacob Voracek also scored and Steve Mason made 20 saves for the Flyers, who had 11 losses and two ties in the series since beating the Sharks on Dec. 21, 2000.

Sharks rookie Matt Nieto scored twice in the first period for his first career multigoal game, but that lead was erased in a flash early in the third period when Antti Niemi was sent to the bench as San Jose lost for the fourth time in five games.

The Sharks have just four goals in those five games. Philadelphia set a franchise record with its 10th win of the season when trailing in the third period.

PENGUINS 2, SENATORS 1 James Neal scored at 3:05 of overtime to give Pittsburgh a victory over Ottawa. Neal netted his 18th of the season and scored his first goal in nine games for the Penguins, who won for the 16th time in 17 home games and are 23-4 at Consol Energy Center.

Pittsburgh also avoided back-to-back regulation losses for the first time since dropping three straight in early November.

Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson stopped Robert Bortuzzo from the slot in overtime, but the rebound popped out to Neal, who dragged the puck around a Senators defender before dumping a shot past an out-ofposition Anderson and into an empty net.

Ottawa’s Stephane Da Costa and Pittsburgh’s Brian Gibbons scored in the first period. Marc-Andre Fleury made 24 saves for his league-leading

OILERS 3, SABRES 2 Matt Hendricks’ short-handed goal 57 seconds into the third period lifted Edmonton over Buffalo in a matchup of the NHL’s two worst teams.

Justin Schultz and Jeff Petry also scored for the Oilers, and David Perron had two assists. Ilya Bryzgalov stopped 42 shots in helping Edmonton snap an 0-5-1 skid against the Sabres dating to October 2003. The Oilers (19-33-6) earned their fourth win in five games and bounced back from a 4-0 loss at Boston on Saturday.

Drew Stafford and Steve Ott scored for the Sabres (15-32-8), who dropped six points behind the Oilers in the overall standings. Buffalo dropped to 4-8-4 in its past 16 games, and 0-4-3 in its last seven at home. Sabres forward Marcus Foligno had a potential tying goal waved off with 10:25 left when referee Gord Dwyer ruled the whistle had blown before the puck went in. —AP

DETROIT: Daniel Alfredsson No. 11 and Joakim Andersson No. 18 of the Detroit Red Wings battle for puck control with Jordan Schroeder No. 45 Vancouver Canucks during the first period of the game. —AFP

ward Henrik Sedin on the ice after both missed six games.

Tortorella was suspended for 15 days by the NHL for his conduct after a brawl in a game against the Calgary Flames. Tortorella went to Calgary’s locker room following the first period, which began with several fights. Sedin had been out since he was unable to finish the Jan. 18 game against Calgary because of an upper-body injury.

30th win. Anderson turned aside 46 shots in a hard-luck loss. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who leads the NHL with 75 points, was held without a point and hasn’t scored a goal in five games, his longest drought since a seven-game slump earlier this season.

NHL results/standings Edmonton 3, Buffalo 2; Pittsburgh 2, Ottawa 1 (OT); Detroit 2, Vancouver 0; Colorado 2, New Jersey 1 (OT); Columbus 4, Anaheim 2; Chicago 5, Los Angeles 3; Philadelphia 5, San Jose 2.

Anaheim San Jose Los Angeles Vancouver Phoenix Calgary Edmonton

Western Conference Pacific Division W L OTL GF 40 13 5 191 35 16 6 170 30 22 6 137 27 21 9 142 26 19 10 159 21 27 7 132 19 33 6 150

Chicago St. Louis Colorado Minnesota Dallas Nashville Winnipeg

34 37 36 29 25 25 27

Central Division 10 14 12 5 14 5 21 7 21 9 23 9 25 5

205 185 167 140 158 142 161

GA 143 139 127 149 164 173 196

PTS 85 76 66 63 62 49 44

161 125 143 144 160 172 166

82 79 77 65 59 59 59

Boston Tampa Bay Toronto Montreal Detroit Ottawa Florida Buffalo

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division 35 16 3 164 32 18 5 162 30 21 6 170 29 21 6 137 25 19 12 146 24 21 11 159 21 27 7 133 15 32 8 107

119 137 176 139 158 178 174 164

73 69 66 64 62 59 49 38

Metropolitan Division Pittsburgh 39 15 2 178 133 80 NY Rangers 30 23 3 145 140 63 Columbus 29 23 4 167 156 62 Philadelphia 28 23 6 157 165 62 Carolina 25 20 9 137 151 59 Washington 25 22 9 164 172 59 New Jersey 23 21 13 133 142 59 NY Islanders 21 28 8 159 191 50 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L).

Seahawks coach says let Seattle kids celebrate Super Bowl win NEW YORK: Pete Carroll returned to college to revive his coaching career but the man who led Southern California to a pair of national titles thinks Seattle should shut its schools for a Seahawks Super Bowl victory party.

The city of Seattle has announced a victory parade through the streets on Wednesday that will culminate at CenturyLink Field, where boisterous fans have given deafening support to the Seahawks and are known as the “12th Man”.

“Heck yeah, they should,” Carroll said on Monday at the Super Bowl follow-up news conference about declaring a school holiday after Seattle’s 43-8 trouncing of the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. “ There’s a big education happening on that Wednesday. They should all show up ... it’s their championship. “In my mind it goes to the kids. I know the adults will take it in in a big way but for the kids, that started a memory of what this is all about and being connected to your team.”

After an unseasonably mild evening for the first outdoor Super Bowl staged at a cold weather site, snow kicked in on cue early Monday morning just hours after the game and before the Seahawks were to head home for a warm reception.

Seattle have been virtually unbeatable in front of their home fans over the last two seasons, losing just once while winning 17 times.

“There’s no fan base that deserves this more. Nobody has worked harder at supporting their team with more passion and love and spirit than ours,” said Carroll.

“Yeah, let’s shut down the darn schools. Let’s have a darn celebration - peacefully and rightfully and in great fashion - but with great music and fun and great enjoyment and creating the memory that everybody deserves.” Carroll, who was fired after one season with the New York Jets and after three seasons with the New England Patriots, hit his stride as head coach at USC. After nine successful years there, he was hired to coach the Seahawks by Seattle’s homegrown billionaire Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft.

SUPER COMMITMENT The exuberant coach brought his high-energy program with him to Seattle and motivated a collection of overlooked players to reach their potential together.

One of them, linebacker Malcolm Smith, who was drafted in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft out of USC by Seattle, won the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player trophy and a new car.

“We kind of came together and said that we would commit ourselves to each other and the greater good of our team,” Smith said on Monday. “It was Seahawks 24/7.

“We just decided that we were going to be committed to this, give 100 percent and see what happens. It turned out great for us,” added the linebacker, who intercepted a Peyton Manning pass and dashed 69 yards for a touchdown and also recovered a fumble.

Carroll said the final score, one of the widest victory margins in a Super Bowl, came as the defense began forcing turnovers “like an avalanche” to bury the NFL record-setting offense of the Broncos. —Reuters

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

S P ORTS

Canada’s man of steel made for Sochi Games SOCHI: Canadian short track star Charles Hamelin endured 11 hours of pain for a back tattoo that embodies his mindset going into the 2014 Sochi Games. It shows his skin shredded to reveal a body made of steel, stamped with the five Olympic rings.

“It is as if I have been made for the Olympics, racing there and winning medals,” he told Reuters on Tuesday at the short track training venue in Sochi.

Hamelin, who said his tattoo was inspired by

by his younger brother Francois, who took up the sport aged five when their mother pushed her three boys to find an outlet for their energy.

“I randomly picked speed skating,” said Francois, who is two years younger. Since then short track has become a family affair. A third brother, Mathieu, also skated and their father became their coach.

At the 2010 Games in Vancouver, Charles and Francois stood side-by-side on the podium, taking gold in the 5,000m relay. Hours earlier,

Charles Hamelin a childhood love of comic-book superheroes, won an Olympic silver medal in the 5,000 meters relay in Torino.

Four years later in Vancouver he improved the 5,000 relay medal to a gold, and also won the 500m individual title. Going into the Feb. 723 Games, he has accumulated eight world titles and is ranked in the world’s top three in the 500, 1,000 and 1,500m.

Hamelin, 29, was introduced to speed skating

Charles had seized gold in the 500m, cheered wildly by his girlfriend Marianne St-Gelais, who won two silver medals in short track in Vancouver.

The video of the couple leaping over a barrier to share a kiss after Hamelin’s 500m medal became a hit on YouTube. “People show it to us a lot,” Hamelin said. “It brings up so much emotion for Marianne and me even when we hear the song that goes with it.”

Four year on, the Canadian Olympic trio appear to be at the top of their game and ready to create fresh memories in Sochi. Francois said his brother was an inspiration.

“He is like a machine. He is always as if he is going into war, as if he is a soldier,” he told Reuters. “My brother is the guy to beat in every distance.”

‘BETTER SKATER’ Hamelin said he has worked hard on strategy in the four years since Vancouver to better control the raw fire that powers him in races, but which has also been known to trip him up.

In the past, if another skater passed him or he felt uncomfortable in his position, he might have wasted precious energy by racing back into the lead.

“I really worked hard ... to make sure I am calm, I don’t do anything stupid or too demanding so I can fight up until the end,” he said after a training session in Sochi.

“I have become a better skater than four years ago in all the aspects of my skating - technically and physically.” If Hamelin wins the 500m in Sochi he will be the first man to win gold over the distance in two consecutive Olympics.

But he is wary of two skaters he calls “his biggest rivals”: US skater JR Celski, who has emerged as the face of the team after Apolo Anton Ohno retired, and South Korean-born Viktor Ahn, who now races for Russia and won three Olympic gold medals under the name Ahn Hyun-soo.

“Those two are awesome skaters,” Hamelin said. “They can lead, they stay in the back and pass, they can play in the pack so you can’t predict what they’re going to do in a race ... when I do win against them the feeling is even better.”

In the relay, the Canadians are up against speed skating powerhouses China and South Korea, an American team led by Celski and the Netherlands.

While Hamelin has been working to stay calm during races he admits he has no control over his nerves when he is on the sidelines watching his brother or girlfriend. “I can’t hold myself,” he added. “I am so much more stressed than when I am racing.” —Reuters

Chan battles rivals, devil on his shoulder

ITALY: In this Feb. 12, 2006 file photo, India’s Shiva Keshavan acknowledges the crowd after finishing his third run of the Men’s Singles Luge at the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games. —AP

Without a flag, Keshavan still honoring India KRASNAYA POLYANA: The names adorning just about every available spot on Indian luger Shiva Keshavan’s speedsuit are written in faint gray letters, barely visible to those even nearby.

They are not insignificant. For the Sochi Olympics, those names are essentially Keshavan’s flag. “If I cannot represent the country,” Keshavan said, “at least I can represent the countrymen.”

India is not officially at the Sochi Games, the nation suspended by the International Olympic Committee after it refused to ban corruption-tainted officials from running for elections. The suspension is expected to be lifted after new elections in the coming days, but likely will not come in time for Keshavan and two other athletes from India - both skiers - to actually represent their country. So instead, they will all race under the Olympic flag in Sochi. And in an effort to find a way to represent his country without a flag, Keshavan offered donors a chance to be listed on his uniform. Some of those who backed his quest for the Sochi Games have their names on the white suit that he will wear on race days.

It’s not the flag he loves. Nothing replaces that. “It is upsetting,” Keshavan said.

“Ultimately, for us, the inspiration is to represent our country. That’s what the Olympics are all about. The main thing has been taken away from us, and for quite a shameful reason, a violation of the ethics code - not just a violation, but a refusal to accept the ethics code until we were suspended.”

By now, Keshavan has shown he can overcome any challenge. First of all, there’s the obvious one - he’s a luger from a country that has no luge track, no luge tradition, barely any real interest in sliding, period. The costs of competing and travel stretch into the tens of thousands of dollars each year. He’s worked with teams and coaches from several other nations along the way, most recently pairing up and trav-

eling with USA Luge.

“He really works well with the team,” USA Luge coach Mark Grimmette said. “We’re really pleased to have him with us. He’s a good guy. Somebody from the International Luge Federation approached me and they said that Shiva was looking for a nation to partner with. To us, it made sense, so we discussed it with Shiv over the summer and it worked out.”

The relationship is a two-way street. The Americans give Keshavan coaching and support. In return, he and his wife have helped teach them yoga.

“He brings a totally different atmosphere to the team,” US men’s luger Chris Mazdzer said. “He’s the most experienced person out of all of us. He is an awesome yoga teacher.

He and his wife, they’re both excellent. They bring us through team yoga two or three times a week. He’s got a great sense of humor and he really meshes well with the team, which is extremely important.”

Keshavan was 16 when he made his Olympic debut, literally half a lifetime ago.

He’s not a medal threat in Sochi; he’s never finished better than 25th at the Olympics, with an average finish of 28.

Medals aren’t why he’s here. They never really have been. His legacy is going to be that of a trailblazer. More children are involved in luge in India than ever before, because of him and his story that includes taking a wheeled sled and training, as it were, on the roads of the Himalayas while weaving in and out of traffic. And if his health holds out, there’s probably a good chance that Olympics No. 6 will await him in South Korea four years from now.

“Once you start sports and you get into the competitive state of mind, you just have to keep pushing yourself,” Keshavan said.

“It’s self-improvement that drives me. I like to keep testing myself. You discover a lot about yourself and how your body can perform under certain conditions. And that gives you lots of satisfaction.” —AP

SOCHI: Figure skating veteran Yevgeny Plushenko is the “talk of the town” following his controversial selection for the Sochi Olympics, but world champion Patrick Chan is more concerned about the threat posed by Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu and Daisuke Takahashi.

The 31-year-old Plushenko was picked as Russia’s only male skater earlier this month despite failing to win his country’s national championships. “That is the talk of the town,” Chan joked after being reminded that Plushenko was a last-minute addition to the mix.

“It is drama-filled. I mean, who would have thought that after the results at Russian nationals and Europeans that the decision was made to send him?”

Plushenko is certainly a wild card in Sochi.

He has been virtually absent from competition since earning a silver medal at the 2010 Vancouver Games - opting to skip every world championships in the last Olympic cycle and undergoing back surgery.

When he does lace up his boots for Sochi, the Russian showman will find the skating landscape radically changed from his last global outing in Vancouver - when Chan finished 5th.

While four years ago only a few of the men’s challengers attempted difficult quadruple jumps - Evan Lysacek triumphed without in Canada - all the top skaters now do.

Plushenko will have to prove he can still throw himself into the 4-1/2 rotations through the air and stick the landing in Sochi. “Things have changed a lot since the last time we competed so it’ll be fun,” Chan mused.

By contrast, he sounded much more diffident speaking about going head-to-head with Hanyu and Takahashi.

Chan conceded he was locked in a mental struggle to overcome jitters and his own doubts about his ability to beat Hanyu, who out-skated him in the Grand Prix final in Fukuoka, Japan.

“It is like I have a devil on my shoulder,” Chan said.

“It is a constant battle ... thinking about, ‘Oh, am I going to beat them even at my best because I started questioning that as a result of the Grand Prix final.”

DISTRACTIONS Where Plushenko may have an edge as he takes the ice for his fourth Olympic Games is his vast experience at shocking the crowd with a stellar performance under pressure.

But Chan said he does not envy him the challenge.

Plushenko will push his aging body to prove himself not only in the individual skate but the team competition, which is debuting in Sochi.

That means he will effectively have to compete in back-to-back competitions, performing four programmes at the Games because Russia has no other skater to substitute.

“That is a lot of work for a 30-year-old — or how old is he? That is a lot of work so I really admire his perseverance and his determination to get here,” Chan said.

“I would be very distracted having to deal with the controversies and everything,” the Canadian added.

“You can’t teach experience so he has got something more than what many other young Russian skaters have.” Chan should know.

He has struggled not to let nerves get the best of him in the past. While Plushenko, who has a reputation as a “diva”, has yet to show up at a practice session Chan was the first skater to arrive at the Games. He described having the practice ice all to himself for the first few days as a “huge advantage.”

“I ... trained and prepared myself to win a gold medal, but in order to get to that step I need to first do what I have to do on the ice and skate and train everyday to prepare myself to skate a flawless programme,” Chan said. “What I do want to leave here is that taste of a great skate finally where I want it to be.” —Reuters

KRASNAYA POLYANA: Erin Hamlin of the United States completes a training run for the women’s luge singles at the 2014 Winter Olympics. —AP

Lugers take Olympic training runs KRASNAYA POLYANA: Describing the ice as smooth, fast and by all accounts perfectly safe, luge athletes took their first formal training runs of the Sochi Olympics yesterday.

Some sliders took as many as three trips down the track, part of systematic training system where they have the opportunity to acclimate to the course by sliding from lower start positions. That particular method of course-learning has been in place for several years, predating the crash that took the life of a Georgian luger hours before the start of the Vancouver Games in 2010.

“When you’re going down you’re focused, just wanting to make it down shiny side down,” said first-time Olympian Kate Hansen of the U.S., who won the final women’s World Cup race of the season. “It’s surreal. There’s just a lot of people here. Everyone’s willing to help.

Everyone thinks you’re awesome. It’s just a cool, cool thing.”

Many sliders were at the track last fall for an international training week, and just about the entire Olympic field competed in a World Cup event at the facility last year. So for many, Tuesday’s slides were more of a reintroduction to the track than anything else.

“You get comfortable, you get the routine down, how to get to the track, how much time you need, making it as efficient as possible so on race day I’ve done it a few times,” said Erin Hamlin, the 2009 women’s world champion from the U.S.

“The track felt great. It was systematics today and that’s not the most convenient, but it’s nice to get a feel for the track.”

The Sochi track is considered the longest in the world, with three uphill sections - designed to both limit speed and test sliders’ technical ability - among its many nuances.

“It’s a very interesting track because of the three uphill parts,” said Natalie Geisenberger, the reigning world and World Cup champion from Germany. “It’s not typical. It’s new for us. If you make a little mistake, the time is bad.”

Men’s official training begins Wednesday, in advance of their competition Saturday and Sunday. Medals will also be awarded in doubles, women’s singles and for the first time in the Olympic program, a team relay. For Tucker West, another US Olympic rookie, the first day on Olympic ice was a success. He didn’t get pranked.

Longtime US sliding coach Bill Tavares tends to tell first-time Olympic competitors that they need to wear their accreditation on the track while they slide in training, or else they won’t be allowed back to the start of the course. Very few have believed him along the way, and West didn’t fall victim to the tall tale on his first day donning a bib with the Olympic rings.

“It’s above and beyond what I ever expected,” West said. “It still gives me chills to see the rings. Just being around them, sliding under them, it’s really cool.” —AP

SOCHI: United States short track speed skating teammates Jr. Celski (right) and Christopher Creveling run through a training session at the Iceberg Skating Palace. —AP

US short track skaters see Sochi as a new chance SOCHI: American short track speedskaters say they’ve shaken off the negativity of organizational and financial woes and are ready for a fresh start at the Sochi Games.

But one thing they ’re not trying to escape: the shadow of Apolo Anton Ohno, the sport’s biggest star in the US and the reason several on the 2014 teams are on the ice.

“I grew up idolizing this guy,” said J.R. Celski, 23, of Federal Way, Wash., who will race at three distances and on the 5,000meter relay team, hoping to add to the two bronze medals he won at the Vancouver Olympics.

Watching from the broadcast booth Monday at Adler Arena will be Ohno, the most decorated Winter Olympian with eight medals. He is an analyst for NBC Sports.

“There’s not a lot of pressure for me personally,” Celski said. “I’ve looked up to him my whole life and I got a chance to be on a team with him in Vancouver and kind of see how to handle all of this.”

This time around, Celski said he can focus on the details he needs to win - things like his skating technique and preparing for varied ice conditions.

“I really believe that results speak for themselves, so I’m going to go out there and try to do the best I can,” he said. The US short track program has had several challenges since the start of 2012, including

bad results, organizational infighting and the departure of Ohno and Katherine Reutter, who was forced to retire because of injury after winning two medals in Vancouver.

Former coach Jae Su Chun was suspended for two years in 2012 - a term that lasts beyond the Sochi Games - after several team members accused him of verbal, physical and emotional abuse. He denied the allegations.

Jordan Malone, a 29-year-old relay team member from Denton, Texas, said many of the program’s problems had little to do with the athletes themselves.

“A lot of that negative influence is gone now and we’re starting anew and we have a lot to prove,” he said. “We’ve got a really positive team going into these games.”

Emily Scott said yesterday the team has nowhere to go but up after funding cuts and competitive struggles, although the fans are still supportive.

The women’s team didn’t qualify a relay team for the Sochi Games, leading to cuts for the program with funds tied to performance.

“I would say the expectations are the same,” Scott said. “No, we don’t have Apolo or Katherine anymore, but they still paved the way for us.” The program won six medals in Vancouver - two silvers and four bronzes. —AP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

S P ORTS

Sangakkara lifts Sri Lanka with 34th Test century

NEW DELHI: India cricketer Sachin Tendulkar (left) receives ‘Bharat Ratna’ award from Indian President Pranab Mukherjee during an awards ceremony at the Presidential Palace in New Delhi yesterday. —AFP

Tendulkar receives India’s highest civilian award NEW DELHI: Retired cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar was awarded India’s highest civilian award yesterday, the Bharat Ratna, making him the first Indian sportsperson to receive the honor.

Tendulkar, who at 40 is the youngestever recipient, was congratulated by President Pranab Mukherjee during a brief ceremony that saw thunderous applause at the presidential palace.

The cricketer announced his retirement from the game in November, ending his 24year career during which he became the world’s leading scorer in both Test and oneday cricket.

In retirement, he has begun promoting social causes such as sanitation and has

been named a member of the upper house of the Indian Parliament, leading to speculation he might one day enter active politics. In 2008, he received the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second highest civilian award.

At the ceremony Tuesday, he walked up to the dais with folded hands, greeted the president and accepted the award amid a din of camera flash-lights and applause from the audience, which included his family.

CNR Rao, 79, who heads the prime minister’s scientific advisory council, was the other civilian who received the Bharat Ratna this year for his contribution in the field of science. —AFP

Wladimir Klitschko

Klitschko wants to fight again in the US NEW YORK: Wladimir Klitschko knows he has an image problem with fans in the United States, who for the most part pay the heavyweight champion little attention.

He wants to change that, though not at the expense of his decade-long winning streak or his collection of heavyweight titles. “I understand the criticism that the fights are lopsided and kind of boring. I’m getting it,” Klitschko said Monday. “But it’s not so simple.”

Not when Klitschko is matched up with the likes of Alex Leapai, whose only real claim to fame is that he’s the WBO’s mandatory No. 1 challenger. Klitschko will be an overwhelming favorite when he takes on Leapai, a native of Samoa who lives in Australia, on April 26 in in Oberhausen, Germany.

It will be the 25th heavyweight title bout for Klitschko, who has dominated most opponents with his size and reach.

Once again, it will be outside the United States and in Germany, where the heavyweight is extremely popular.

“I’m missing the fans in the US,” Klitschko said in an interview with The Associated Press. “The fan base is huge here and I would love to fight back in the States.”

Klitschko said that could happen after the Leapai fight, when he is expected to meet the winner of a planned fight between contenders Bermane Stiverne and Cristobal Arreola. That fight, which has yet to be signed, was ordered by the WBC

for the title vacated by Klitschko’s brother, Vitali, who resigned the belt to focus on leading the opposition political party in strife-torn Ukraine.

“I want to fight here but I need a broadcaster, either Showtime or HBO, and I need an arena,” Klitschko said. “Of course I also need an opponent who is interesting to fans. I think the Arreola-Stiverne winner could be a good choice.”

The 6-foot-6, 245-pound Klitschko is coming off an easy win over Alexander Povetkin on Oct. 5 in Moscow, a fight where Povetkin was knocked down four times and didn’t win a round. Klitschko was at his dominating best, but his cautious style doesn’t make for action fights and doesn’t win fans.

Klitschko, who has a home in Florida and also spends time in California, was in New York to attend the Super Bowl and draw attention to the situation in Ukraine, where pro-Western protesters have clashed with the government over the lack of democracy in the country.

Vitali Klitschko is a main opposition leader and announced presidential contender, who retired to devote himself to his native land.

“It’s a critical situation that can change in the blink of an eye,” said Klitschko, who was with his brother in Ukraine last week.

“We don’t have democracy and we definitely don’t have a free press. I just hope the democracies of the world see what is going on.” —AP

Mexican boxer dies after knockout MEXICO CITY: A fight promoter says Mexican featherweight boxer Oscar “Fantasma” Gonzalez has died after being knocked out in the 10th round of a match over the weekend.

Canelo Promotions says in a statement that Gonzalez died Monday after suffering “a severe brain injury and brain stem damage” two days earlier. The 23year-old fighter lost consciousness after being knocked out in a bout in Mexico

City and was taken to a hospital.

He was fighting fellow Mexican Jesus Galicia for the World Boxing Council’s Latino Silver championship. It was the second boxing fatality in Mexico in three months.

Francisco “Frank ie” Leal died in November several days after being knocked out by Raul Hirales in a fight at the Mexican Pacific resort of Los Cabos. —AP

CHITTAGONG: Kumar Sangakkara became the leading century-maker among active Test players as Sri Lanka bounced back strongly after a shaky start in the second Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong. The tourists, who won the first Test by an innings and 248 runs in Dhaka last week, recovered from 49-2 to a comfortable 314-5 by stumps on the opening day at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium.

Left-handed Sangakkara was unbeaten on 160, his 34th Test hundred that drew him level with retired Sunil Gavaskar and Brian Lara in the all-time list of century-makers.

The four above them-Sachin Tendukar (51 centuries), Jacques Kallis (45), Ricky Ponting (41) and Rahul Dravid (36) — are also not playing Test cricket.

Sangakkara, a 36-year-old veteran playing his 122nd Test, followed his 75 in the first Test with an impressive innings that has so far contained 19 boundaries and three sixes.

Senior pro Mahela Jayawardene helped close friend and long-time ally Sangakkara put on 178 for the third wicket after Sri Lanka were reduced to 49-2 soon after the first hour. Jayawardene, who compiled an unbeaten 203 in the Dhaka Test, continued his good form with 72 before being leg-before to off-spinner Mohammad Mahmudullah in the final session.

Shakib Al Hasan removed Dinesh Chandimal and skipper Angelo Mathews before stumps as Sri Lanka slipped from 227-2 to 312-5, but were still in a good position after the opening day’s play.

Chandimal said Sangakkara and Jayawardene were an inspiration for the entire team. “They are wily old foxes and an inspiration for all,” he said.

“We can learn so much from them. They work hard during practice and they always talk about cricket even when they are off the field.

“This is not an easy wicket to bat on because the ball came really slow off it. It is important that when you get set, you definitely have to bat throughout the innings. And that is what Sangakkara did.

“We have to get as many runs as possible, because batting will be difficult in these conditions later.” Bangladesh, chasing a series-levelling win, were set for a long haul on the slow pitch after Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat.

But the hosts removed both openers in quick succession just after the drinks break to share the morning session which ended with Sri Lanka on 71-2.

Openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva managed just eight runs in the first eight overs and plodded to 30-0 after 15 when Bangladesh broke through.

Off-spinner Sohag Gazi, who shared the new ball with Al-Amin Hossain, claimed first Test century-maker Silva leg-before for 11.

Left-hander Karunaratne settled in to score 31 but then slashed at a wide ball from Al-Amin and was caught at point. Sangakkara, who reached his half-century by lofting Mahmudullah for a six over mid-wicket, lit up proceedings further with three boundaries in one over from Gazi.

Sri Lanka went into the Test without frontline left-arm spinner Rangana Herath and seamer Shaminda Eranga, who were both ordered to return home due to injuries.

They were replaced by off-spinner Ajantha Mendis and paceman Nuwan Pradeep, the only changes from the side that won the first Test.

Bangladesh brought in batsman Imrul Kayes, allrounder Mahmudullah and left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak in place of Marshall Ayub, Rubel Hossain and Robiul Islam. —AFP

CHITTAGONG: Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara plays a shot during the second Test match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka at The Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong. —AFP

SCOREBOARD Scoreboard at the close of play on the opening day of the second and final test between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Chittagong yesterday.

Sri Lanka first innings Total (five wickets; 92 overs) 314 D. Karunaratne c Mahmudullah b Al-Amin 31 Still to bat: N. Pradeep, A. Mendis, S. Lakmal, D. K. Silva lbw b Gazi 11 Perera K. Sangakkara not out 160 Fall of wickets: 1-39 2-49 3-227 4-294 5-312 M. Jayawardene lbw b Mahmudullah 72 Bowling (to date): Al-Amin 19-4-56-1 (1nb), Gazi D. Chandimal c Kayes b Shakib 27 30-4-98-1, Razzak 4-1-6-0, Shakib 15-1-70-2, A. Mathews b Shakib 5 Mahmudullah 22-2-70-1, Nasir 1-0-2-0, Shamsur K. Vithanage not out 0 1-0-5-0.

Sri Lanka lead two-test series 1-0.

Extras (b-5, lb-2, nb-1) 8

Sharaf, Al Bader triumph KUWAIT: Al Bader struck again in the tournament with a 10 wicket victory over Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS) in the first match played recently at Kuwait Cricket Sulaibiya floodlight Stadium. After winning the toss, WSS elected to bat first in the game but collapsed at just 27 runs as none of their batsmen could score a double figure.

Al Bader’s bowlers (Shaikh Aejaz 3/11 & Yohan 3/12) were in amazing form and totally controlled the game to be in their pockets.

Later Al Bader openers were in a hurry to finish the game as they hit the target of 28 in just 3.1 overs (Mahmood 12 n.o. & Sajid 10 n.o.)

Shaikh Aejaz was declared Man of the Match for the second time in the Tournament which later he decided to share it with Yohan during presentation ceremony. DS Gamini Wijerathne, Group Manager, Falcon Cargo Intl. presented the Man of the Match award and a cash award of USD 25 sponsored by Trans Continental Shipping Ser vices Co. was presented by Rashed, Ex county player The second match of the day was played between Dana Kuwait Shipping (DKS) and Sharaf Shipping. DKS won the toss and elected to bat first. DKS scored 108 for the loss of 9 wickets in their maximum available 20 overs.

Skipper Mohammed anchored at one end and scored 40 runs and tailender Prem supported with 14 n.o. Sharaf’s bowlers were very economical as Faisal leading from the front

who took 4 wickets in his 4 overs supported

by JP Mehta & Murtaza who took one wicket each. While chasing down, DKS bowlers failed to seize the flow of runs and Sharaf touched their target score of 109 in 13.5 Overs with the help of a brilliant half century by Roshan Fernandes (64) and classic batting by their senior batsman Rahul Malhotra (21). (Dileep

3/12 & Romieo 1/15) Roshan of Sharaf was declared man of the Match for his excellent batting display and the award was presented by Ghulam Ali, owner of Royal Star Petroleum and a cash award of USD 25 sponsored by Trans Continental Shipping Services Co. was presented to the Man of the Match by Rashed, Ex County Player.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

S P ORTS

Syracuse sink Notre Dame SYRACUSE: Trevor Cooney has his shooting touch back - just in the nick of time for topranked Syracuse. Cooney scored a career-high 33 points, matching a school record with nine 3pointers, and the Orange beat Notre Dame 61-55 on Monday night in another matchup of former Big East foes.

After struggling to a woeful 25.4 percent (14 of 55) from behind the arc in his first seven Atlantic Coast Conference games, Cooney has hit 11 of 13 in the past two games and was the difference against the Irish as the Orange’s front line

team since the 2011-12 season. Two years ago, the Orange were unbeaten and ranked No. 1 when they went to South Bend, and Notre Dame upset them 67-58.

It was the eighth time Notre Dame had beaten a No. 1 team and turned out to be Syracuse’s lone loss of the regular season.

“That was in the back of my mind,” said C.J. Fair, who had a season-low six points on 2-of-13 shooting after scoring a career-high 28 against Duke. “I didn’t want that to happen again.”

Cooney made sure there was no repeat, hit-

Trevor Cooney in action in this file photo. faltered. “It feels good,” Cooney said. “I kind of got going and guys just found me in good spots.”

Syracuse (22-0, 9-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), which moved to No. 1 this week after its scintillating 91-89 overtime victory over Duke on Saturday night and Arizona’s loss to California, extended its school record for most consecutive wins to start a season.

Notre Dame (12-11, 3-7) has lost seven of nine. Two days after one of the most emotional wins in Jim Boeheim’s 38 years as head coach, Syracuse played its first game as the nation’s top

ting five 3-pointers in the first half as the Orange gained a 13-point halftime advantage, then barely held the Irish at bay in the second half.

“We put ourselves in position to make it interesting,” Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said.

“We came into this game, and especially if you watch what they did to Duke, beating them up in the paint. You really try to take stuff away in the paint. I thought overall with the guys that destroy you in the paint we did a good job. But we couldn’t do a good job on Cooney. Seven of the nine I think we challenged. He was just in

one of those zones, and you’ve got to take your hat off.”

Cooney, 9 of 12 from long range, matched the record set by Gerry McNamara in the 2004 NCAA tournament and equaled by Andy Rautins in 2008 and James Southerland in 2012.

Jerami Grant and Fair, who combined for 54 points against Duke, combined for just 15, while Tyler Ennis found little room in the lane to penetrate and finished with six points and eight assists.

Garrick Sherman led Notre Dame with 16 points, Steve Vasturia had 13, and Pat Connaughton 11, while Eric Atkins had nine on 3of-10 shooting.

Notre Dame closed within 38-32 on a 3-pointer from Atkins with 14:19 to play, but Syracuse responded with seven straight points. Grant slammed home a dunk after his block on Sherman and Fair followed with a slam off a Grant miss. Cooney completed the run with his seventh 3-pointer, which tied his personal best.

The Irish have four long-range threats in Atkins, Connaughton, Vasturia, and Demetrius Jackson, who had combined for 127 3-pointers on the season entering the game, and Notre Dame’s long-range attack came alive in the second half after going 1 of 6 in the first 20 minutes.

Two 3-pointers by Atkins, Vasturia’s threepoint play and a slam dunk by Tom Knight moved the Irish back within 43-40 with 8:41 to go.

Grant responded with a spinning drive through the lane and Cooney hit another 3.

Grant then fed Cooney for a reverse layup and three-point play and Cooney hit his ninth 3 for a 54-44 lead with 4:14 to play. Notre Dame refused to wilt, pulling back to 54-49 on Connaughton’s three-point play at 2:52.

“That’s who this group is,” Brey said. “We haven’t been able to get over the hump and win enough. We’ve been down on the road just about every time, and we come back and give ourselves a chance. I love that about us. If we keep doing that enough, I think we’ll get a couple of them.”

Grant’s layup off a feed from Ennis and two free throws by Ennis boosted the lead back to eight, and the Orange made it interesting when Ennis and Fair each missed the front end of 1and-1s in the final minute. Atkins missed a floater and Connaughton was off on a 3-point attack in the final seconds.

“I had a look and missed, which would have been a really big shot for us,” Atkins said. “That was a huge play. But they played great. They made plays when they were needed.” —AP

OSN to offer live coverage of Sochi Winter Olympics in HD Watch anytime, anywhere only on OSN Play DUBAI: The excitement of the 22nd Winter Olympics, which kicks off on February 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia, will be telecast to audiences across the Middle East and North Africa, live on OSN, the region’s leading pay-TV network.

OSN will telecast the Winter Olympics over 4 channels - OSN Sports 1 HD, OSN Sports 2 HD, OSN Sports 3 and OSN Sports 4. OSN

viewers can enjoy the games in full high definition 1080i with Dolby Digital surround sound providing the best possible viewing experience.

The highly anticipated tournament that features athletes from over 95 countries competing in 15 different sports, will also be available to watch anytime, anywhere on OSN Play,

the region’s first online viewing platform.

OSN Play, which is offered at no additional cost to OSN customers, is designed to ensure viewers don’t miss a single minute of the action, even when they are away from their TV screen.

Andy Warkman, Vice President Sports and Production, OSN, said: “OSN was the official broadcast par tner of the London 2012 Olympics and the Paralymic games and we are extremely proud to be bringing unprecedented coverage of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics to every OSN home in the Middle East and North Africa.

“OSN is committed to bringing our viewers big sporting events and they don’t come any bigger than the Olympic Games. Our coverage will put our viewers right at the heart of the action, and they will have the choice to watch at home in stunning HD or watch when they want through OSN Play.”

OSN has truly underlined its differentials in the pay-TV industry, bringing audiences a wealth of sports entertainment from cricket to golf, rugby, WWE and American football to name a few.

The network continues to enhance its sport portfolio, underscored through the recent launch of OSN Fight Network HD, the region’s first dedicated combat sports channel, covering martial arts, boxing, kickboxing and professional wrestling; and OSN Sports Cricket HD, which guarantees the best in domestic, international, and Indian cricket.

OSN sports fans can plan their viewing easily using OSN’s user friendly Electronic TV Guide. The complete Winter Olympics schedule is also available and can be viewed at www.osn.com. Viewers can also use the OSN DVR HD and OSN Plus HD to record their favorite events and watch what they want, when they want.

Warburton back to lead Wales against Ireland LONDON: Regular captain Sam Warburton will return to Wales’s starting XV for the champions Six Nations international against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday. The back-row forward, who began his comeback from a shoulder injury by coming off the bench against Italy in Wales’s opening 23-15 victory over Italy at Cardiff ’s Millennium Stadium last weekend, replaced Justin Tipuric at openside flanker in the team announced by coach Warren Gatland yesterday. The New Zealander made three changes in all to the side that took the field against the Azzurri, with second row Andrew Coombs replacing Luke Charteris, sidelined because of a hamstring injury, and 101-times capped prop Gethin Jenkins in for Paul James.

Warburton has regained the cap-

taincy from Alun Wyn Jones, the lock who deputised as captain for the injured loose forward in the British and Irish Lions’ decisive third Test victory against Australia in Sydney last year.

Behind the scrum, Lions full-back Leigh Halfpenny is set to win his 50th Wales cap aged just 25 in an unchanged back division. Ireland, 28-6 winners over Scotland in Dublin last weekend, are due to name their side tomorrow.

In last season’s corresponding fixture, the Irish beat Wales 30-22 on the opening weekend in Cardiff, although the Welsh recovered to take the title.

Wales are now bidding to become the first side in the history of the Six Nations’ various guises to win three successive outright championships. “It’s great to bring Sam and Gethin back into the side

and it’s a good opportunity for Andrew Coombs to start as well,” said Gatland in a Welsh Rugby Union statement.

Wales were not at their best against a determined Italy but Gatland said he expected his side, who’ve gone two Six Nations without an away defeat, to improve on that performance at Lansdowne Road. “Last weekend was a good hit out for a lot of reasons, but we still have things to work on and we know how important this game is,” said Gatland. “We haven’t lost an away match in the Six Nations since 2011 and we have to have the belief and confidence that we can do it again this weekend.”

Former Ireland coach Gatland added: “It’s going to be tough, both sides won their opening game, we will have to be physical and take it to them.”

“We feel in most tournaments we get stronger as it goes on and that will need to be the case this weekend.”

Wales team announced yesterday to play Ireland in a Six Nations international at Dublin’s Lansdowne Road on Saturday: Wales (15-1) Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert, Scott Williams, Jamie Roberts, George North; Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips; Taulupe Faletau, Sam Warburton (capt), Dan Lydiate; Alun Wyn Jones, Andrew Coombs; Adam Jones, Richard Hibbard, Gethin Jenkins.

Replacements: Ken Owens, Paul James, Rhodri Jones, Jake Ball, Justin Tipuric, Rhys Webb, James Hook, Liam Williams. —AFP

SPAIN: A basketball and a Naismith trophy are displayed during the FIBA Basketball World Cup official draw for the 2014 World Cup, at the Palau de la Musica in Barcelona. The competition will take place from August 30 to September 14 in Spain. —AP

US to take on Turkey in basketball WCup group BARCELONA: The United States will play Turkey in the group stage of this summer ’s World Cup of Basketball in a rematch of the 2010 final.

The rest of the opposition in Group C looks a lot easier, with the Americans also drawn on Monday to play the Dominican Republic, Finland, New Zealand and Ukraine.

Host Spain, meanwhile, has a tougher Group A with European champion France, Serbia, Brazil, Egypt and Iran. The US will open its title defense on Aug. 30 against wild-card entry Finland, with the Group C games played in the northern Basque city of Bilbao.

The US beat Turkey in the final four years ago, when the tournament was known as the world championship. “We have some tough teams in the group,” said Team USA’s executive director Jim Tooley. “Turkey is very strong. But we can’t overlook anyone. We have learned that from the past.”

The US and Spain are in groups on opposite sides of the bracket, meaning the title favorites can’t meet until the Sept. 14 final.

Group B includes Argentina, Greece, Croatia, Senegal, Philippines, and Puerto Rico. Group D has Lithuania, Angola, South Korea, Slovenia, Mexico, and Australia.

The draw ceremony was held in the picturesque Palau de la Musica Catalana, an emblematic concert hall in Barcelona known for its beautiful Art Nouveau dec-

orations. But the home audience groaned when France was placed in Spain’s path after the hosts had already drawn Serbia and Brazil.

Spain coach Juan Orenga said that the group has “four teams that can fight for a medal,” but that might not necessarily be a bad thing.

“If you face tough adversaries at the start, things can be easier later as you advance,” Orenga said. “But we have to make it through the group.”

The top four teams in each group advance to the knockout rounds to be played in Madrid and Barcelona, with the medal games in the Spanish capital.

Kevin Durant and Kevin Love have said they will return to the team, although the rest of the roster hasn’t been set. Durant was named the 2010 tournament’s most valuable player after leading the US to victory in Istanbul.

“Durant and Love have come out as wanting to be the leaders of the group,” Tooley said. Two weeks ago, Team USA named a 28-man pool it will later use to form 12-man rosters for both the World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games.

“Ever yone on the list is interested,” Tooley said.

The US and Spain have met in last two Olympic finals, with the Americans given a hard test before emerging with two gold medals. Spain, which hopes to count on centers Pau and Marc Gasol, won the world championship title in 2006. —AP

Aamir Sohail

Pakistan appoints Sohail as chief cricket selector LAHORE: Former Pak istan captain Aamir Sohail was yesterday appointed chief selector of the national cricket team and also tasked with developing the game in the country.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said the 47-year-old will act as the head of a four-man selection panel besides being the director of game development. The director role encompasses everything from grassroots to first-class cricket.

Pakistan has not had a chief selector since the Islamabad high court last month suspended all decisions taken by interim cricket board chief Najam Sethi, whose tenure began in July 2013.

Sethi had appointed former captain and wicketkeeper Moin Khan as chief selector. Sohail’s appointment is the first major decision by Zaka Ashraf who was reinstated as PCB chairman in January, eight months after being suspended by the court over dubious elections.

Sohail, an attack ing left-handed batsman who played 47 Tests and 156 one-day internationals for Pakistan and was a major part of the World Cup winning team in 1992 said he will do his best to lift the team. “Pakistan team is doing well in one-day matches and Twenty20 and I will try to further lift that as well as our showings in the Test matches,” Sohail told reporters.

Aamir’s first task will be to select the national squad for the Asia Cup to be held in Bangladesh from February 25 March 8.

Sohail backed Test and one-day captain Misbah-ul Haq. “Misbah has led the team well and I don’t need to defend him,” said Sohail of the 39-year-old Misbah. “We have to work together and powers matter much less to me than solving problems.” This will be Aamir’s second tenure as chief selector, having held the post in 2003. —AFP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

S P ORTS

Jordan into Asian Cup after an incident-packed victory

ITALY: Sampdoria’s Angelo Palombo (left) vies for the ball with Genoa’s Paolo De Ceglie during a Serie A soccer match in Genoa’s Luigi Ferraris Stadium. —AP

Lopez gives Sampdoria derby win over Genoa ITALY: A first-half goal by Maxi Lopez gave Sampdoria a 1-0 win over Genoa in their derby on Monday as they avenged their 3-0 drubbing by their old rivals earlier in the season.

The former River Plate, Barcelona and AC Milan forward fired the winner midway through the first half after playing a onetwo with Eder as Sampdoria continued to pull clear of the danger zone.

The fixture was moved to Monday evening after both Genoa and Sampdoria fans threatened to boycott the match in protest at the original Sunday midday kickoff time.

The boycott was called last week by the hardcore “ultra” fans of both clubs.

Sampdoria are 13th with 25 points, having won four and drawn four out of 10 games since former Serbia coach Sinisa Mihajlovic took charge of the side in November.

Genoa, who have also enjoyed a revival under Gian Piero Gasperini, are two points and two places above their rivals.

Meanwhile, Lazio president Claudio Lotito has received more than 50 death threats since the club sold midfielder Hernanes to Inter Milan at the end of the January transfer window, he said on Monday.

“Yesterday, I received between 50 to 70 to 80 telephone calls from pseudo-fans, in

which they asked me to leave Lazio and made death threats against me,” he told reporters.

“I live under escort,” he added. “The supporters are part of the club but now they have overstepped the mark.” During the news conference, Lotito took a phone call which he said was from another angry Lazio supporter.

“Who’s there?” he said as he answered the call. “It’s a Lazio supporter,” he said, turning to the audience and holding up the phone. “He says I should leave Lazio, as soon as possible.”

“Why don’t you say who is calling?” he said to the caller who then hung up. Lotito was also reported to have received death threats in September after the club failed to sign Turkish forward Burak Yilmaz from Galatasaray.

Lotito said there was nothing Lazio could have done to hold on to Brazil’s Hernanes, a gifted but inconsistent midfielder. “It was Hernanes’ decision to leave, so what could I do? He had an agreement with Inter. If he had stayed, he would have been unhappy.

“He would have stayed here unhappy until June, then gone off to the World Cup, then come back for a few months and left on a free transfer. “If you want to leave, you’ve got to say so.” —Reuters

SINGAPORE: Jordan booked their place at n e x t ye a r ’s As i a n Cu p a n d m a d e s o m e amends for their World Cup heartache with an incident-packed 3-1 win over Singapore yesterday.

In a match which both teams finished with 10 men, the visitors owed their opener to a sly piece of skuldugger y, and then had Singapore’s Baihakki Khaizan sent off for an innocuous nudge.

Ahmed Hayel rose unmarked to double Jordan’s lead in the second half, but there was more drama later when Chinese referee Tan Hai gave the scorer an unmerited red card for a tackle from behind.

Singapore ensured a grandstand finish when they pulled a goal back with six minutes remaining, via Khairul Amri from the penalty spot after a push on Muhammad Safuwan.

But Yousef Rawshdeh came on to score the goal of the night in injury-time to secure second place in Group A for Jordan and a spot at next year’s Asian Cup in Australia.

The victory also helps atone for Jordan’s disappointment in World Cup qualifying, when they reached the intercontinental play-offs only to lose 5-0 on aggregate to Uruguay.

Al Nashama (“the Brave Gentlemen”) had been expected to steamroller Bernd Stange’s bottom-placed Singapore, but they needed a mixture of guile and gamesmanship to take the lead just before half-time. Bawab surprised Singapore by spinning off a two-man wall to curl in a free-kick, but the goal owed much to Hayel’s deliberate trip on Hafiz as the defender charged in to block.

Shortly afterwards, the hosts’ frustrations reached boiling point when Mus’ab Allahham went down far too easily under Khaizan’s challenge, earning the defender a red card.

Barca vice president backs Champions League expansion BARCELONA: Barcelona vice president Javier Faus has called for the expansion of the Champions League as well as the reduction of national top flights by up to four clubs.

UEFA has considered increasing the size of the Champions League proper to 64 clubs from 32 clubs following demands from Europe’s top sides, who see clear financial rewards of facing each other on a more regular basis.

While Atletico Madrid are bucking the trend as they lead La Liga, the growing distance between the rich and the poor in football has been particularly stark in Spain and there has been a lack of competition for Barca and Real Madrid.

“We want to see the Champions League expanded and at the same time national leagues should be reduced from 20 clubs down to 18 or even maybe 16,” Faus told Reuters. However, he believes having just one European league for the big clubs is a step too far.

“We are not in favor of national leagues being eliminated as they are at the centre of fans’ hearts and I can’t imagine that ever happening,” he added.

Part of the reason for the disparity in Spanish football, where many clubs are heavily in debt and have been forced to sell their top players, is the share of television rights.

Unlike the English Premier League and other top divisions where there is collective bargaining, Spanish clubs are allowed to negotiate their own deals with Barcelona and Real Madrid taking home 50 percent of the money.

“It is something that will change. Barca are leading a group of 30 or so clubs that want to have television rights consolidated into a pool like in the UK or Germany so as to have a more balanced distribution and make the league more competitive,” said Faus.

In the past, however, Barca have stated that they are not prepared to make financial concessions. “It is something that would help us all but we shouldn’t forget that the interest in Spanish football around the world is

Matches on TV

because of Barca and Real Madrid,” he added.

“There will be a new distribution within the next year or two and we will have it in place by 2016. “We are continuing to speak to other clubs, the league and the government. We are all on the same page, there are only a few differences.”

MESSI DEAL Faus and Lionel Messi clashed late last year, with the Argentina forward saying the vice president knew “nothing about football” following comments about the player not needing a new deal.

The pair have smoothed over their differences and Faus again sounded a different tune. “In the coming days or months we will arrange a new deal with Lionel Messi,” he said. “He is the best player in the world and so he deserves to be treated that way and paid best.” Last month Sandro Rosell stood down as Barca president over a lack of clarity over Neymar’s transfer deal last year. His successor Josep Bartomeu said the fee was 86.2 million euros ($116.53 million), rather than the 57.1 million previously stated, after including other payments to the player and his family.

While Barca continue to pay off their debt which now stands at 330 million euros and plan a Nou Camp revamp, Faus said they remain competitive in the transfer market and with player salaries despite being up against clubs owned by wealthy foreign investors. “We are one of the last clubs owned by the fans and there are no millionaires, sheikhs or American tycoons behind us. It is difficult and challenging but we are trying to maintain it,” he said.

“We have been on the same line for the past four or so years where we have 50 or 60 million euros to spend each season on transfers and we don’t want to go beyond that.

“The challenge with sponsorship and marketing is not to lose your identity. It is one of our main concerns but at the same time we need to pay top players what they deserve.” —Reuters

United confirm USA tour LONDON: English football giants Manchester United have announced that they will return to the United States for a pre-season tour ahead of the 2014-15 campaign in Europe.

The Premier League champions are due to compete in the International Champions Cup alongside fellow English heavyweights Manchester City and Liverpool.

The friendly tournament will also feature European powerhouses Real Madrid, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Roma and Olympiakos, organisers announced yesterday.

The eight teams will be split into two groups, with the winners of each pool facing off in the final at Florida’s Sun Life Stadium, home of NFL outfit the Miami Dolphins, on August 4.

It is set to be United’s fifth pre-season tour of the United States, long considered one of the great undeveloped markets for football.

Their most recent visit came in 2011, when the club played four American teams and Spanish side Barcelona across three cities.

However, plans for the tour may be altered if United have to take part in the early qualifying stages of the Champions League or the Europa League in August.

Now managed by David Moyes following the retirement of serial trophy-winner Alex Ferguson, United are currently seventh in the Premier League table-seven points adrift of the Champions League places.

“Teams required to qualify for 2014-15 European competition based on 2013-14 domestic league finishing position may be subject to change,” read a statement on United’s website.

United managing director Richard Arnold welcomed the tour, saying: “I’m delighted to announce that the team will be returning to the USA for our 2014 Tour, presented by Aon. “Since the club’s last visit in 2011, the appeal of football in America has grown rapidly. “NBC reported that this season’s Barclays Premier League opening weekend saw the average viewership rise by 78 percent from the 2012-13 season, with Manchester United’s match against Swansea being the most-watched game.

“Manchester United has over eight million followers in the United States and the 2014 Tour presents an exciting opportunity for these fans to get up close to the club they love.”

Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas, Denver, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Miami, Washington DC and another two cities will host the International Champions Cup matches. The schedule for the tournament is due to be announced on February 20. —AFP

SINGAPORE: Jordanian forwarder Thaer Bawab (right) and Singapore’s defender Muhammad Shakir (left) fight for the ball during the AFC Asian Cup qualifier. Jordan won 3-1. —AFP Jordan’s second goal was a gift for Hayel, who stood still in the six-yard box and jumped to head in a corner, but his night was soon over when referee Tai sent him off for his tackle on Safuwan.

Khairul Amri pulled one back from the spot on 84 minutes but Rawshdeh made his case for Jordan’s squad for Australia when he coolly made space and chipped in their third in stoppage time. —AFP

Real seek Cup revenge MADRID: Copa del Rey holders Atletico Madrid return to the scene where they won the trophy last year when they face Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg of their semi-final today.

Atletico ended a 14-year run without a win against their city rivals with a 2-1 victory after extra-time in May. Los Rojiblancos have kept that momentum going this season with another win over Real in their only meeting so far this season in La Liga back in September.

Atletico also became outright leaders in the league for the first time since their double-winning campaign in 1996 with a 4-0 victory over Real Sociedad on Sunday.

However, despite Atleti’s recent upturn in fortunes against Real, captain Gabi is aware of the challenge that faces them to make it back to the final. “It is another opportunity that we have earned ourselves, to play against one of the best teams in the world,” he told the club’s website.

“To play in the final two consecutive years is very difficult to achieve. What this team has achieved until now has been thanks to our sacrifice, courage and union in the dressing room and we will take those qualities into the semi-final.”

Whilst Atletico are in the midst of a 23game unbeaten run, Real themselves have been in fine form of late and are unbeaten in 21 games.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men’s 10-game winning streak was brought to an end on Sunday though as they could only manage a 1-1 draw away to Athletic Bilbao.

Recently crowned Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off in that match for lashing out at Carlos Gurpegi 15 minutes from time, but the Portuguese is set to be free to face Atletico and serve his suspension solely in La Liga.

Ancelotti should also have Gareth Bale at his disposal as the Welshman has returned to training with his teammates after missing the last two games due to a calf injury.

Barcelona are also in semi-final action today as they host Real Sociedad. The Catalans will be looking to put their first defeat at the Camp Nou in the league since April 2012 behind them as they were sensationally beaten 3-2 by Valencia on Saturday.

Brazilian forward Neymar has stepped up his recovery from an ankle injury, but is not expected to be fit in time to take any part in the game.

Otherwise, Barca boss Gerardo Martino has a fully-fit squad to choose from and is looking for a reaction from his side. “When you suffer a defeat the next match is always an opportunity to vindicate yourself,” he said.

“We don’t need to just play well to wipe away what happened against Valencia, but because these 90 minutes will be important for the second leg in San Sebastian.” —AFP

MONACO: Monaco League One football club’s newly-recruited Bulgarian forward Dimitar Berbatov poses with his new jersey during a press conference yesterday at the Louis II stadium. —AFP

Confident Putin pledges ‘hospitable’ Olympics

(Local Timings) Spain Copa del Rey Real Madrid v Atletico 22:00 beIN SPORTS 2 beIN SPORTS 2 HD Barcelona v Sociedad beIN SPORTS 2 beIN SPORTS 2 HD Italian Cup AS Roma v Napoli beIN SPORTS 3 beIN SPORTS 3 HD

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SOCHI: President Vladimir Putin yesterday pledged that Russia would prove a hospitable host of the Winter Olympic Games which open in three days in Sochi amid a litany of concerns about its suitability as a venue. Putin arrived in the Sochi region ahead of Friday’s opening ceremony in typically confident mood, taking top IOC members to meet leopards being bred in the Sochi region as part of a re-introduction programme.

But analysts have said that Putin has staked his personal reputation on the success of the Games, which have been inextricably linked with his name ever since he spearheaded the successful Russian bid in 2007.

The Games have in particular been shadowed

by concerns over the implementation in Sochi of a Russian law against “gay propaganda” to minors, as well as security concerns due to the proximity of the region to the violence-plagued Northern Caucasus.

But Putin assured International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach that all guests would feel comfortable at Russia’s Olympics.

“I want to assure you that we will do everything so that Sochi is a hospitable home for all the participants, for all the guests,” Putin told Bach as he met members of the IOC in Sochi.

“The main task is to make the Sochi Games a celebration for all sport lovers in the world,” Putin added. “We will do everything to hold the

Olympic Games at the very highest level,” he said.

Ecological situation Putin earlier took Jean Claude Killy, the French skiing legend who has been the International Olympic Committee’s pointman for Sochi, and IOC Executive Director Gilbert Felli in his own jeep to a nature reserve above the city.

Russia is working to reintroduce the Persian leopard to the nearby mountains as part of measures aimed at showing that the Olympic Games will benefit and not hurt the environment.

“The ecological situation has improved many times over,” said Putin. “According to some estimates, it has improved by a factor of four.” “There

are questions which always crop up during such huge construction but in general the situation has not worsened but improved.”

However environmentalists scoff at such claims, saying that the Games have irreversibly damaged once virgin environments by the sea and in the mountains.

A Russian court on Monday handed a 15 day jail term leading environmental critic of the Sochi Olympic Games, ostensibly for “swearing” in a public place.

The jailing of Yevgeny Vitishko, a geologist and activist with the group Environmental Watch on the Northern Caucasus (EWNC), was aimed at sidelining him ahead of the opening ceremony, the group said. ‘Why at our Olympics?’ —AFP

Sangakkara lifts Sri Lanka with 34th Test century

Jordan into Asian Cup after an incident packed victory

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

Without a flag, Keshavan still honoring India

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MANCHESTER: Chelsea’s English defender Gary Cahill (top) vies for the ball against Manchester City’s Belgian defender Vincent Kompany (below) during an English Premier League football match. — AFP

Chelsea rob City of home comforts LONDON: Branislav Ivanovic’s first-half cracker and Jose Mourinho’s tactical mastery helped classy Chelsea claim a 1-0 win on Monday at Premier League title rivals Manchester City who failed to score at home for the first time this season.

Chelsea’s battling victory put the Londoners level on 53 points with second-placed City and within two points of league leaders Arsenal after 24 games. It also ended City’s run of scoring in 61 consecutive home league games since 2010.

Ivanovic struck just after the half-hour mark when Ramires’ effort was blocked by Vincent Kompany and fell for the Serbian right back, who let fly first time from the edge of the box and saw his powerful leftfoot shot nestle in the far corner.

City had chances to equalise but Chelsea, who also hit the woodwork three times, were always a threat on the break in an absorbing contest, which was decided by Mourinho’s ability to find the perfect blend between attack and defence.

“We showed a lot of character, and created a lot of chances. We spent a good couple of days working on their strengths and weaknesses - that is typical Jose Mourinho,” Chelsea captain John Terry told Sky Sports. “We have a couple of games at home now to kick on. We must win them as we dropped points against West Ham last week,” he added referring to a frustrating 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge.

Monday’s game was billed as a potential early title decider by some, such has been City’s incredible form and the widely held belief that wily Chelsea are their most likely challengers despite Arsenal having led the race for much of the sea-

son.

In the battle between the team with the best attack and the outfit with the meanest defence in the league, both managers chose a more defensive midfield than usual to try to take charge of the game at the Etihad Stadium.

Centre backs Martin Demichelis and David Luiz were employed in the centre of the park for City and Chelsea respectively and the visitors’ playmaker Oscar was left on the bench but the game started openly with both sides having decent sniffs at goal.

Free-scoring City, without injured Argentine talisman Sergio Aguero, threatened when Alvaro Negredo fired over and Yaya Toure twice went close but David Silva had the best opportunity after 18 minutes when his close range finish squirmed wide.

SHAKY DEFENCE Chelsea continually broke at pace and Ramires tapped the ball into the net with the offside flag raised before having a very good effort saved by Joe Hart after the shaky home defence had fallen away during another foray by the Londoners.

Purists feared the often cautious Mourinho might “park the bus”, an accusation the Portuguese coach has used about sides playing too defensively against his team, but instead the game was easy on the eye. A lively atmosphere in an unusually dry Manchester added to the sense of occasion but there was stunned silence apart from an ecstatic band of away fans as soon as Ivanovic struck the winner having not been tracked by

Silva.

“They scored a beautiful goal, not an easy goal, he hit it from a long way out with the outside of his foot but before their goal we had clear chances to score, so I don’t think there was a problem with the way we played,” City boss Manuel Pellegrini told reporters as he bemoaned injuries in his squad. “We lost today against a good team who played well but I thought we deserved at least a draw but they had the luck to win it,” he said, echoing an accusation Mourinho levelled at City as the mind games gathered pace in the build-up to the match.

Following what turned out to be the only goal, City striker Edin Dzeko blasted over before his opposite number Samuel Eto’o rattled the woodwork from a difficult angle before the interval.

The second half started at a frantic pace with Chelsea again repeatedly worrying the City backline but the hosts were soon up the other end and Toure sent a rasping drive just wide.

Chelsea’s January signing Nemanja Matic then clipped the post with a forceful effort from distance, prompting Pellegrini to send on creative forward Stevan Jovetic in place of Negredo in a bid to wrestle control of the match.

It had little effect and soon it was Gary Cahill’s turn to strike the woodwork for Chelsea as the home crowd, so used to their side scoring 4, 5 or 6, struggled to comprehend events - even against a team managed by one of the shrewdest around.

Silva had two good chances in the last 20 minutes with City always in the hunt but Chelsea held out for a famous win. — Reuters

Thunder see off Grizzlies, WIZARDS ROLL OKLAHOMA CITY: Kevin Durant had 31 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, Serge Ibaka had 21 points and 12 rebounds and the Oklahoma City Thunder continued their home dominance, beating the Memphis Grizzlies 86-77 on Monday night.

Oklahoma City (39-11) had a 10game winning streak snapped Saturday at Washington, but the Thunder moved to 21-3 at home while winning their seventh straight game at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Zach Randolph had 13 points and 13 rebounds and Marc Gasol added 13 points for Memphis (26-21), which lost for the second time in 13 games.

The Grizzlies had won six straight games, the NBA’s longest winning streak entering Monday.

Coming off a remarkable January during which he averaged 35.9

points per game on 54.9-percent shooting, Durant finished 11 of 21 from the field.

WIZARDS 100, TRAIL BLAZERS 90 Washington moved above .500 for the first time in more than four years, accomplishing the feat on its eighth try this season by pulling away in the second half to beat Portland.

John Wall scored 22 points, and Trevor Ariza added 20 for the Wizards, who hadn’t had a winning record since beating the New Jersey Nets to improve to 2-1 on Halloween in 2009. Washington committed six turnovers while forcing 16 from Portland, and Wall and Co. didn’t look back after Kevin Seraphin led a 12-0 run that put the Wizards up by 17 early in the fourth quarter.

Damian Lillard scored 25 points, and LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 to lead the Trail Blazers, who have lost four straight road games.

PACERS 98, MAGIC 79 Danny Granger scored 16 points, Paul George and Lance Stephenson each added 15, and Indiana beat Orlando. Indiana (37-10) won for the second time in three days and maintained its grip on the NBA’s best record. The reeling Magic were led by Arron Afflalo with 20 points and Nikola Vucevic with 16. Orlando (1337) lost for the fourth time in five games and is a league-worst 3-23 on the road.

It wasn’t nearly as easy as it seemed. Orlando cut a 16-point second-quarter deficit to nine at the half, to 60-58 in the third quarter and even

had two chances to tie the score.

But the Pacers answered with six straight points and put away the Magic with an 18-1 run that started late in the third quarter and ended with the Pacers up 86-64 with 7:45 left in the game.

HEAT 102, PISTONS 96 LeBron James came within two rebounds of his first triple-double this season, and Miami on for the fifth time in six games.

James had 24 points and 11 assists, Dwyane Wade scored 30 points and Chris Bosh added 17.

Wade had one of his best performances in an injury-hampered season, shooting 13 for 19 and adding 10 rebounds and five assists in 37 minutes. His point total was his highest since Dec. 18. — AP

La Liga - A Three Horse Race Position 1st 2nd 3rd

Teams Atletico Madrid Barcelona Real Madrid

By Ahmad Al-Othman KUWAIT: Believe it or not, this is the current La Liga table in February as it stands. Who would’ve expected Atletico to be league leaders with three months of football left? Quite astonishingly, this is turning out to be one of the closest La Liga title races in a decade, ever since Valencia won it back in 2004 under the guidance of Rafael Benitez.

Atletico never had the privilege of spending €57 million on Neymar or €100 million on Gareth Bale but they surely believe money doesn’t always buy you success. In fact they sold their most prized asset in the form of Colombian Radamel Falcao to Monaco for €60 million and replaced him with a bargain €5 million signing of David Villa.

With both Real and Barcelona dropping valuable points against Valencia and Bilbao, it was Atletico that made the most of it by thrashing sorry Real Sociedad side 4-0. The Los Colchoneros mourned former Legend Luis Aragones who passed away last weekend in sublime fashion and dedicated their win to the man who managed them on four separate occasions. They squandered the chance to go top two weeks earlier by dropping 2 precious points against Sevilla but this time round they made it count.

Triumphing in 18 games from of a possible 22 was always going to be an incredible feat, and one worth being proud of. Even if they do slump back to 3rd place given everybody’s pre-season predictions, it would still be a great achievement and demanding of some respect. Striker Diego Costa is second to only Cristiano Ronaldo in the top scorers’ chart with 20 goals and ahead of

Points 57 54 54

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, who has shameful 9 goals to his tally. Midfielder Koke and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois have also been performing at a highly consistent level and form the backbone of the Capital side.

Valencia ended Barcelona’s run of 25 consecutive home league wins by inflicting a 3-2 shocking defeat at Camp Nou. It wasn’t what most expected, and surely had you asked any of the Madrid fans, they would have taken a draw before the match. But this is football, a team scores two goals in the final two minutes and wins a championship — that’s what the Premier League taught us in 2012 and the Champions League in 1999. They need their star man Messi firing back to his best and they need him soon.

Pedro and Alexis Sanchez have performed quite well in the absence of the Argentine, but the Messi factor offers confidence and composure to the rest of his teammates.

Real Madrid on the other hand have been through a decent run lately and rectified all their defensive lapses they suffered early on in the season. Gareth Bale has been hampered with constant niggling thigh and calf injuries, and played the full 90 minutes only five times since his move from Tottenham Hotspur. More bad news for Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo could be facing a three-match ban following his sending off during Sunday’s stalemate against Atletico Bilbao, depending on the referee’s official report.

No one can and should write Atletico Madrid off just yet, not after beating arch rivals Real at the Bernabeu early in the season. The two Madrid giants clash today in the Copa del Rey semifinal, which could have mental significance on both sides in their battle to win the La Liga trophy.

Business

Iran urges foreign firms to return to oil sector Page 22 Greece’s 2014 fiscal gap issue resolved Page 23

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

Mercedes-Benz ultimate test drive event Page 26 Page 25

UBS bank reports huge switch back into profit

LAS VEGAS: Workers install the Microsoft display before the opening of the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), in Las Vegas, Nevada. Microsoft announced that Satya Nadella will take over the reigns as CEO succeeding Steve Ballmer who is out effective immediately. — AFP

Satya Nadella to head Microsoft Gates leaves chair role, Thompson named chairman LOS ANGELES: Microsoft has named Satya Nadella, an executive in charge of the company’s small, but growing business of delivering software and services over the Internet, as its new CEO. Company founder Bill Gates is leaving the chairman role for a new role as technology adviser. The software company announced yesterday that Nadella will replace Steve Ballmer, who said in August that he would leave the company within 12 months. Nadella will become only the third leader in the software giant’s 38-year history, after Gates and Ballmer.

Board member John Thompson will serve as Microsoft’s new chairman.

Nadella, who is 46 and has worked at Microsoft for 22 years, has been an executive in some of the company’s fastest-growing and most-profitable businesses, including its Office and server and tools business.

For the past seven months, he was the executive vice president who led Microsoft’s cloud computing offerings. That’s a new area for Microsoft, which has traditionally focused on software installed on personal computers rather than on remote servers connected to the Internet. Nadella’s group has been growing strongly, although it remains a small part of Microsoft’s current business.

“Satya is a proven leader with hardcore engineering skills, business vision and the ability to bring people together,” Gates said in a statement. “His vision for how technology will be used and experienced around the world is exactly what Microsoft needs as the company enters its next chapter of expanded product innovation and growth.” The company said that Gates, in his new role as founder and technology adviser, “will devote more time to the company, supporting Nadella in shaping technology and product direction.”

Safe pick Gates will also remain a member of Microsoft’s board. Analysts hope that Nadella can maintain the company’s momentum in the rapidly expanding field of cloud computing while minimizing the negative impact from Microsoft’s unprofitable forays into consumer hardware. Major rivals in cloud computing include Google Inc, Amazon.com Inc, Salesforce.com Inc and IBM Corp. FBR Capital Markets analyst Daniel Ives said he views Nadella as a “safe pick.” Ives said investors are worried that rivals “from social, enterprise, mobile, and the tablet segments continue to easily speed by the company.” In a note to investors, he said the company’s main need now is “innovation and a set of fresh new strategies to drive the next leg of growth.” Microsoft shares rose 15 cents to $36.63 in morning trading yesterday. Nadella’s appointment comes at a time of turmoil for Microsoft. Founded in April 1975 by Gates and Paul Allen, the company has always made soft-

Satya Nadella new CEO of Microsoft

Bill Gates steps down as Chairman

ware that powered computers made by others first with its MS-DOS system, then with Windows and its Office productivity suite starting in the late 1980s. Microsoft’s coffers swelled as more individuals and businesses bought personal computers. But Microsoft has been late adapting to developments in the technology industry. It allowed Google to dominate in online search and advertising, and it watched as iPhones, iPads and Android devices grew to siphon sales from the company’s strengths in personal computers.

Its attempt to manufacture its own devices has been littered with problems, from its quickly aborted Kin line of phones to its still-unprofitable line of Surface tablets. Analysts see hope

in some of the businesses Nadella had a key role in creating.

Microsoft’s cloud computing offering, Azure, and its push to have consumers buy Office software as a $100-a-year Office 365 subscription are seen as the biggest drivers of Microsoft’s growth in the next couple of years. Both businesses saw the number of customers more than double in the last three months of the year, compared with a year earlier. Those businesses, along with other back-end offerings aimed at corporate customers, are the main reason why investment fund ValueAct Capital invested $1.6 billion in Microsoft shares last year. Last April, the fund urged investors to ignore the declining PC mar-

New Microsoft Thompson

Chairman

John

W

ket - which hurts Microsoft’s Windows business and to focus on the so-called “plumbing” that Microsoft provides to help companies analyze massive amounts of data and run applications essential to their businesses on Microsoft’s servers or their own.

“Satya was really one of the people who helped build up the commercial muscle,” said Kirk Materne, an analyst with Evercore Partners.

“He has a great understanding of what’s going on in the cloud and the importance of delivering more technology as a service.” Nadella is a technologist, fulfilling the requirement that Gates set out at the company’s November shareholder

meeting, where the Microsoft chairman said the company’s new leader must have “a lot of comfort in leading a highly technical organization.”

Born in Hyderabad, India, in 1967, Nadella received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Mangalore University, a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and a master’s of business administration from the University of Chicago. He joined Microsoft in 1992 after being a member of the technology staff at Sun Microsystems.

One of his first tasks will be integrating Nokia’s money-losing phone and services business. Microsoft agreed in September to buy that and various phone patent rights for 5.4 billion euros ($7.3 billion) in one of Ballmer’s last major acts as CEO. That deal is expected to be completed by the end of March.

Partly because of Nadella’s insider status and the fact that both Gates and Ballmer will remain Microsoft’s largest shareholders and for now, company directors, analysts aren’t expecting a quick pivot in the strategy of making its own tablets and mobile devices. Some hope, however, that he will make big changes that will help lift Microsoft stock, which has been stuck in the doldrums for more than a decade.

Since Ballmer took office in Jan. 13, 2000, Microsoft shares are down a split-adjusted 32 percent, compared with a 20 percent gain in the S&P 500.

“We do not want to see a continuation of the existing direction for the business, so it will be important that Mr. Nadella be free to make changes,” Nomura analyst Rick Sherlund wrote in a note Friday. — AP

Shares drop on global woes MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS DUBAI: Most Middle East shares fell yesterday as signs of a slowdown in the US economy caused anxiety on global markets and prompted local investors to book profits, but Dubai’s bourse bucked the trend as shares in construction companies rallied. Saudi Arabia’s benchmark lost 0.4 percent with heavyweight sectors of banks and petrochemical shares weighing.

World shares fell after US manufacturing activity slowed sharply last month, dealing a blow to markets already worried that the US Federal Reserve’s decision to taper its asset purchases would lead to capital flight from emerging markets. “Sentiment is bearish on emerging markets and we’re seeing some of that,” said Asim Bukhtiar, head of research at Riyad Capital. “Investors are looking at international market headlines but there’s also a growing focus on individual stocks.”

Smaller-cap stocks led trading volumes, a usual trend on the market in times of slow local news flow. Bukhtiar said there was a lot of speculative activity on the market in the post-earnings and dividends season, but longer-term investors were adjusting positions for anticipated growth later this year. In Egypt, Cairo’s benchmark index tumbled 1.6 percent, down for a second session since Sunday’s 45-month high. “The profit-taking pressure was apparent on the market today, which had overheated in recent days,” said Ahmed Abu Taleb, assistant vice-president of brokerage at Pharos Securities.

In Qatar, the benchmark lost 0.8 percent, while Abu Dhabi slipped 0.4 percent in its second decline since Sunday’s fiveyear high. Dubai’s bourse, meanwhile, rose 1 percent to 3,812 points as retail buying returned to property-related shares in what was a shorter trading session due to a technical mal-

function. The index gained for a second session in the last five but fell just short of Jan. 29’s 63-month intraday peak of 3,855 points. Shares in builder Arabtec surged 11.1 percent on what traders said was accumulation by a bulk buyer. The company announced a $6.1 billion deal with Abu Dhabi state fund Aabar on Sunday to build 37 new towers.

“Arabtec broke a technical resistance at 4.50 dirhams on heavy volumes to touch the target of 5.0 dirhams - it’s mainly retail trading again,” said Hisham Khairy, head of trading on the institutional desk at MENA Corp. Union Properties rose 2.5 percent.

Retail buying returned mid-session despite a negative global backdrop. Trading was suspended 30 minutes before the normal session-end because of a system malfunction, the bourse said, and the session was not extended afterwards. — Reuters

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

BUSINESS

Iran urges foreign firms to return to oil sector Oil minister meets French delegation TEHRAN: Iran urged foreign companies to return to its oil sector yesterday as a delegation of leading French business people visited Tehran in the hope that Western sanctions may be eased.

In a speech to the delegation, deputy oil minister Ali Majedi said Iran’s latest five-year plan, running from 2010-2015, calls for $230 billion (170 billion euros) worth of investment in its petroleum industry, of which $150 billion would go to upstream activities, according to the official IRNA news agency.

Fifty-five percent of investments would be used to “develop and expand the production of oil and gas fields,” he said in the

speech before dozens of representatives from the French employers’ union Medef. He added that Iran was reviewing its contracts to encourage foreign investment, and that nearly all downstream projects, for refineries and distribution, would be offered on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) or build-ownoperate-transfer (BOOT) basis.

Major oil companies have steered clear of Iran in recent years because of strict Western sanctions aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear activities. But the election of President Hassan Rouhani, a reputed moderate, and the clinching of a landmark nuclear deal in November, have raised hopes of a diplomatic thaw and prompted an increasing num-

February 18. But a senior US official said last month that the easing of some sanctions under the interim agreement “does not mean Iran is open for business”. “Quite on the contrary, the overwhelming majority of our sanctions, and the basic structure of oil and banking sanctions remain in place,” the official said.

Oil giants Total and GDF-Suez have nonetheless sent representatives to Tehran to explore a possible return to the country.

Iran possesses the world’s fourth largest oil reserves and the second largest gas reserves, but its petroleum exports have plummeted more than 50 percent because of the Western sanctions. —AFP

ber of high-level visits by diplomats and business people. Western countries have long suspected Iran of covertly pursuing nuclear weapons alongside its uranium enrichment program, allegations denied by Iran. The agreement reached in November between Iran and the P5+1 — Britain, France, the United States, Russia and China plus Germany-requires Iran to scale back its nuclear activities for limited sanctions relief.

The six-month accord, which took effect January 20, is aimed at buying time for a comprehensive agreement that could see sanctions lifted on the oil and gas-rich country with a population of 76 million people.

The nuclear negotiations are set to resume

“The halal sector is way down the list of priorities for both Islamic and conventional banks in the UK and Europe.”

Trade bridge While halal is most often associated with food, the market for such products extends into other consumer goods such as travel, clothing and cosmetics. Umex will offer its Islamic trade finance service, called Umex Trade Bridge, first in Britain followed by other European markets such as France, Germany, Belgium and Italy. “We will consider other countries where the legal structures are in place to provide such financing.

We can safely say that outside of Europe our next destination will be the UAE (United Arab Emirates).”

Further expansion would be through partnerships or franchise models, Jayanarayan added. Umex Trade Bridge provides Islamic financing facilities for terms of 15 to 120 days, with amounts ranging from 50,000 pounds ($81,500) to a maximum of 250,000 pounds. The principal financing models used are murabaha and wakala contracts, both common Islamic structures, which have been vetted by sharia scholars including Bahrain-based Sheikh Nizam Yaquby and UAE-based Mufti Aziz Ur Rehman.

“For plain vanilla transactions we use traditional Islamic models. Where transactions require complex structures, we will resort to hybrids of Islamic models.” —Reuters

Energy costs push EU factory prices up BRUSSELS: More expensive energy made euro-zone producer prices grow faster than expec ted month- on-month in December, data showed yesterday, but year-on-year prices still fell, pointing to risks of deflation that the ECB will have to address later this week.

Prices at factory gates in the 17 countries using the euro in 2013 were up 0.2 percent in December against November, the EU’s statistics office Eurostat said.

Analysts polled by Reuters expected prices to rise 0.1 percent on the month.

But compared with the same period of last year, producer prices still fell 0.8 per-

cent, even though the pace slowed from a 0.9 percent fall in November.

Changes in producer prices indicate inflationar y pressures early in the pipeline because unless absorbed by retailers, they eventually translate into consumer inflation, which the European Central Bank wants to keep below, but close to 2 percent. Consumer inflation unexpectedly fell in January, raising pressure on the ECB to consider fresh policy action tomorrow to counter deflation risks and suppor t a weak euro zone recover y that may be running out of steam. —Reuters

in brief

DIFC posts double digit growth for 2013 DUBAI: The Dubai International Financial Centre, the top banking hub in the Middle East, said it grew at double-digit rates last year as it attracted more tenants from Asia and other emerging markets. The number of active registered companies operating within the DIFC rose 14 percent to 1,039, while their combined workforce expanded 11 percent to 15,600, it said yesterday. Jeffrey Singer, chief executive of the DIFC Authority, which manages the financial free zone, said the DIFC would focus this year on developing new areas such as Islamic finance, family-owned businesses and commercial links with Africa.

Occupancy rates in core office buildings owned or managed by the DIFC are now close to 100 percent, so more office space is being made available in other buildings that could accommodate as many as 15,000 more workers, the DIFC said.

Deyaar’s profits for 2013 jump DUBAI: Dubai property developer Deyaar reported a surge in its 2013 profit yesterday, as it benefited from completion of stalled projects and the handover of homes to customers. Deyaar, one of the companies worst hit by Dubai’s real estate market collapse of 2008-2010, made a net profit of 154.5 million dirhams ($42.1 million) last year compared with 38.6 million dirhams in 2012. The company did not provide any fourth-quarter figures.

But Reuters calculated, based on previous earnings statements, a quarterly net profit of 67.4 million dirhams against 5.5 million dirhams in the corresponding period of 2012.

One analyst at Naeem Holding had forecast the property firm would make a fourth-quarter net profit of 32 million dirhams.

London-based Umex eyes trade finance for halal sector LONDON: London-based Umex Securities has launched an Islamic trade finance service targeting firms in the halal sector, addressing their limited access to shariacompliant working capital and financing.

Umex aims to tackle a longstanding industry dilemma: halal companies, which produce consumer goods according to Islamic principles, rely mostly on financing from conventional banks despite Islam’s ban on interest payments.

While some banks do offer Islamic trade financing, this tends to focus on large commodity-related deals while neglecting smaller firms, said Mahesh Jayanarayan, chief executive of Umex Capital Markets Group, the parent company of Umex Securities. “Islamic banks, like conventional banks, are paying attention to provide trade finance for big business, but less to SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises). We can safely say that Islamic banks have failed their own backyard.”

Last July, for example, the Saudi Arabiabased Islamic Trade Finance Corp extended $358 million of financing to Jordan for energy and petroleum products. Similar finance has been offered to Egypt, Mali, Tajikistan and Tunisia. Such deals are prompting Islamic and Western banks to ramp up their efforts in Islamic trade finance involving rich Gulf economies. But deals specifically designed for halal firms are rare, causing those firms to resort to short-term money lenders to bridge their working capital needs, said Jayanarayan.

News

LONDON: Underground trains are parked during a 24-hour strike by train drivers over public holiday pay, at Modern depot, south London. Millions of commuters face travel woes as workers at London’s underground transport network, the Tube, prepare to go on strike. —AP

BoE meets as market seeks rate signal the bank rate,” he said.

“Any new guidance is deemed to be a monetary policy action which will require the committee to take a vote. Hence there seems a fair chance that this is announced on Thursday.”

Martin Beck, UK economist at consultancy Capital Economics, agreed that the meeting could alter the focus of forward guidance presented by the Monetary Policy Committee.

“With the unemployment rate likely to fall below 7.0 percent soon, February’s MPC meeting will set the scene for the demise of forward guidance, at least in its current form,” he said.

“Comments by MPC members suggest that the next phase of guidance will not involve reducing the unemployment threshold but instead focus policy on a broader range of labor market indicators.”

Beck added that the bank’s key interest rate would likely remain on hold “for some time yet”, with inflation on a downward path.

Britain’s 12-month inflation slowed to 2.0 percent in December, recent official data showed, touching the lowest level for more than four years. The BoE’s main task is to use monetary policy as a tool to keep annual inflation close to a government-set target of 2.0 percent, to preserve the value of money. Britain’s economic recovery is meanwhile gaining traction, in a boost to Prime Minister David Cameron’s coalition government ahead of next year’s general election. —AFP

LONDON: The Bank of England holds a policy meeting this week, with markets waiting to see if governor Mark Carney will alter guidance on lifting its record-low interest rate. The Monetary Policy Committee is widely expected to keep the BoE’s main interest rate at a record-low level of 0.50 percent. It is widely predicted also to maintain quantitative easing at £375 billion ($613 billion, 454 billion euros), opting against following the US Federal Reserve in tapering stimulus. “While there is no realistic prospect of a change to the bank rate... attention will be focused on whether the committee makes a statement on its interest rate guidance,” said economist Philip Shaw at financial services firm Investec.

Carney took charge of the Bank of England last August and launched a “forward guidance” strategy, under which the BoE will not raise borrowing costs until the unemployment rate falls to at least 7.0 percent. He meanwhile last month dampened talk of a rate hike any time soon after Britain’s unemployment rate fell faster than expected to 7.1 percent, a near five-year low point.

Shaw said the BoE needed to send a clear signal to markets and issue new guidance following its latest two-day meeting that concludes tomorrow. “The unemployment rate has now fallen more rapidly than expected... so the motivation for a quick decision is obvious, namely to avoid the need to have a full debate on an increase in

TAQA to build UAE desalination plant ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi National Energy Company plans to build a water desalination plant in the United Arab Emirates to meet rising demand, the state-owned utility said yesterday. The 30 million gallon per day plant will be built in the emirate of Ajman, producing enough water to supply 250,000 people in the northern emirates, TAQA said in a statement without disclosing the monetary size of the investment. The plant will be owned jointly by TAQA and the Federal Electricity & Water Authority (FEWA) through a long-term water purchase agreement with FEWA, and funded with project finance. Construction is expected to start in early 2015 and commercial operations in 2017, the statement said. Last month a TAQA executive told Reuters that the company planned to grow its water business via new projects and acquisitions across the Middle East and North Africa, as well as in India.

Qatar T-bill yields drop to multi-month lows DUBAI: Yields at Qatar’s monthly Treasury bill auction tumbled to multi-month lows yesterday as banks were awash with funds after the government last month rolled over only part of a huge debt maturity. The volatility underlined how Qatarís money market remains vulnerable to big swings because authorities have not yet introduced flexible liquidity management, although they have said they are moving in that direction. The International Monetary Fund has urged the central bank to start managing liquidity fluctuations more finely through open market operations. The yield on 91-day T-bills plunged to 0.75 percent yesterday, the lowest level since the central bank started to publish auction results in October 2012, from 1.05 percent for 89-day bills last month.

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 2.773 4.533 2.689 2.167 2.836 222.630 36.537 3.643 6.252 8.634 0.271 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES 75.684 77.982 737.270 753.820 77.292

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 40.150 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 40.323 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.324 Tunisian Dinar 177.530 Jordanian Dinar 400.790 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.904 Syrian Lira 2.022 Morocco Dirham 35.025 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 283.700 Euro 383.850 Sterling Pound 467.250 Canadian dollar 255.860 Turkish lira 125.700 Swiss Franc 314.170 Australian Dollar 249.370 US Dollar Buying 282.500 20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

GOLD 240.000 121.000 62.500

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 250.84 259.80 321.17 391.03 282.40 470.62 2.82 3.629 4.516 2.162 2.840 2.682 76.96 751.63 40.55 401.92 734.42 77.98 75.44

SELL CASH 247.84 260.80 319.17 392.03 285.40 473.62 2.84 3.898 4.816 2.597 3.375 2.790 77.42 753.70 41.15 407.57 741.72 78.53 75.84

2.975 3.810 85.730 47.180 9.615 124.860

Philippine Peso Sierra Leone Singapore Dollar South African Rand Sri Lankan Rupee Taiwan Thai Baht

0.006507 0.000069 0.218596 0.019368 0.001898 0.009226 0.008331

0.006787 0.000075 0.224596 0.027868 0.002478 0.009406 0.008881

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 0.746064 0.037270 0.000078 0.000185 0.395926 1.0000000 0.000138 0.024516 0.001140 0.730851 0.077215 0.075017 0.002174 0.172987 0.124977 0.076259 0.001289

0.754064 0.040370 0.000080 0.000245 0.403426 1.0000000 0.000238 0.048516 0.001775 0.736531 0.078428 0.075717 0.002394 0.180987 0.131977 0.077408 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 283.450 258.934 462.920 384.474 314.175 748.450 77.150 78.705 76.455 399.465 40.660 2.165 4.523 2.683 3.641 6.232 696.210 3.795

Australian Dollar New Zealand Dollar

SELL CASH Europe 0.007375 0.458912 0.005854 0.047144 0.376682 0.041093 0.081861 0.008138 0.039189 0.305983 0.124977 Australasia 0.239767 0.223768

SELLDRAFT 0.008375 0.467912 0.017854 0.052144 0.384182 0.046293 0.81861 0.018138 0.044189 0.316183 0.131977 0.251267 0.233263

Al Mulla Exchange Canadian Dollar US Dollars US Dollars Mint

America 0.249565 0.279600 0.280100

0.258065 0.283950 0.283950

Bangladesh Taka Chinese Yuan Hong Kong Dollar Indian Rupee Indonesian Rupiah Japanese Yen Kenyan Shilling Korean Won Malaysian Ringgit Nepalese Rupee Pakistan Rupee

Asia 0.003434 0.045432 0.034446 0.004171 0.000018 0.002686 0.003272 0.000251 0.082544 0.003081 0.002430

0.004034 0.048932 0.037196 0.004572 0.000024 0.002866 0.003272 0.000266 0.088544 0.003251 0.002710

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) 283.150 384.550 462.850 256.950 4.525 40.315 2.164 3.640 6.235 2.685 753.900 77.100 75.600

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

BUSINESS

Transport sector looks to ride natural gas boom LONDON: Natural gas has started to challenge oil as the dominant transport fuel with companies building gas-powered ships and installing networks of service stations on water and land. The expectation of cheaper gas and tighter environmental regulation have created demand for a cleaner alternative to the oil-based fuels that have so far dominated the transport world.

Although European and Asian liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices are currently high, trading at almost $20 per million British thermal unit (mmBtu) in Asia and around $10 per mmBtu in Europe because of booming demand, analysts expect prices to drop substantially later this decade when new production rises.

Germany, Singapore and the Netherlands are among the countries investing in natural gas transport hubs while companies including Royal Dutch Shell, Gazprom and Total, are also devel-

oping LNG fuel infrastructure.

Germany is making its first move into LNG for transport after Bomin Linde LNG signed a deal in January to supply ferry firm AG EMS and it is now building two LNG bunker terminals in Hamburg and Bremerhaven, due to start operations in 2015. “Supplying their ferries with LNG makes AG EMS a pioneer in Germany and sends a clear signal that this lowemission propulsion system has arrived here,” said Ruben Benders, managing director at Bomin Linde LNG. In the Dutch port of Antwerp, Europe’s second largest, the harbor authority says that there are “all kinds of initiatives” through which the use of LNG as fuel for shipping is encouraged. At Rotterdam, Europe’s biggest port, LNG also plays an increasing role in transport as the Gate LNG import terminal has begun supplying local river vessels and port tugs, as well as sending it on for use

in the Baltic Sea where LNG is also seeing a pick-up in the marine sector. In Asia, Singapore has invested in LNG bunkering capacity in anticipation of rising demand from large ships.

Singapore’s motivation to enter the gas for transport sector is driven by the expectation of huge growth in China, currently still a small user of natural gas, but where new regulation is aimed at shifting the power generation sector from coal to gas and the transport sector from oil towards more gas use.

Energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie says global gas demand in the transport sector could grow from under 5 billion cubic metres (bcm) in 2012 to over 160 bcm by 2030, which would be equivalent to two years worth of current British gas demand or around 3 million barrels of oil.

“Gas has traditionally played a niche role in global transport but it is now gar-

nering greater attention,” said Noel Tomnay, head of research at Wood Mackenzie. “Oil and gas price differentials are now making investment in gas re-fuelling infrastructure worthwhile and... increased environmental restrictions on emissions are encouraging wider global uptake.”

Various new regulations on sulfur emissions in the shipping sector will come into place for much of the North and Baltic Sea as well as the US and Canada in 2015, which has driven interest in alternative fuels to diesel.

Trucks and trains In North America, LNG is also gaining traction on land as a shale gas boom has led to a 50 percent drop in US gas prices since 2008, making it competitive with oil in the transport sector. Shell and TravelCenters of America are developing a network of LNG truck fuel stations that

will allow US coast-to-coast LNG-fueled road transport within a few years.

“Gas is cleaner and gas is cheaper - at least for now,” said Bruce Carlton, president and chief executive of the US National Industrial Transportation League, a trade association.

“We are seeing a lot of attention being given to conversions to gas/LNG in the USA... Rail is probably a bit behind, but very interested in it as well,” he said.

Tucker Gilliam of US transport and logistics group Crowley Liner Services, whose firm has ordered two LNG-powered vessels to operate between the US and Puerto Rico, said LNG for transport would gain further traction. “As more is invested in infrastructure to produce and deliver the fuel, there will be greater opportunities for wider scale adoption,” he said. He added that for Crowley, the driving force were “significant environmental benefits”. —Reuters

Greece’s 2014 fiscal gap issue resolved Athens may get a third bailout

NICOSIA: People walking past an ATM as a man withdraws money at a Bank of Cyprus branch in the capital, Nicosia. Banks in recession-hit Cyprus, reeling from a financial crisis, are struggling with non-performing loans that make up nearly half their lending and are hampering efforts to finance a cash-starved economy. — AFP

Budget deficit to drop to $514bn: US report WASHINGTON: A new report released yesterday says the US government’s budget deficit is set to fall to $514 billion for the current year, down substantially from last year and the lowest by far since President Barack Obama took office five years ago.

The Congressional Budget Office report credits higher tax revenues from the rebounding economy and sharp curbs on agency spending as the chief reason for the deficit’s short-term decline. But CBO sees the long-term deficit picture worsening by about $100 billion a year through the end of the decade because of slower growth in the economy over the coming decade than it had previously predicted.

Last year’s deficit registered $680 billion.

Obama inherited an economy in crisis and first-ever deficits exceeding $1 trillion. The 2009 deficit, swelled by the costs of the Wall Street bailout, hit a record $1.4 trillion, while the deficits of 2010 and 2011 both registered $1.3 trillion. The report predicted the economy will continue to rebound this year and grow at a 3.1 percent rate and by 3.4 percent next year. It foresees the jobless rate holding steady at 6.8 percent this year; the most recent nationwide unemployment rate registered 6.7 percent. It predicts the jobless rate remaining above 6 percent through the remainder of Obama’s term. CBO sees the deficit sliding to $478 billion next year before beginning a steady rise years through 2024 that would bring deficits back above $1 trillion a year.

“CBO expects that economic growth will

diminish to a pace that is well below the average seen over the past several decades,” the report said, citing an aging population and decrease in the rate of growth in the labor force. As it has for many years, CBO predicts the stark demographics of the nation’s retirement programs, especially the growth of Medicare, would eventually spark a debt crisis.

Economists say that too-high deficits and debt are a drag on the economy and squeezing out investment and, if unchecked, could eventually precipitate a European-style fiscal crisis.

The agency also predicts that the new health care law will have a dampening effect on employment, in part because of “Obamacare’s” dampening effect on wages, but also because the law’s subsidies would give some people less incentive to work. By 2017, CBO believes there will be 2 million fewer workers. Tuesday’s report comes as Obama and Republicans in Congress are taking a respite in the budget wars that have periodically consumed Washington since Republicans took control of the House in 2011. The declining deficit numbers mean there’s even less urgency to act now. A December budget agreement and last month’s follow-up spending bill promise to buy peace through November’s mid-term elections. Republicans also appear to be taking a less confrontational approach to legislation needed this month to increase the government’s borrowing limit to avoid defaulting on its obligations. — AP

ATHENS/BRUSSELS: Greece and its foreign lenders have largely bridged differences over a potential fiscal gap this year, removing a key sticking point holding up talks to release more bailout funds, two sources directly involved in the talks said yesterday.

The latest review of Greece’s progress under its European Union/International Monetary Fund bailout has dragged on since September in large part due to wrangling over how Athens would plug a gap in this year’s budget, which had been estimated at 1 billion euros. However, that is no longer the main issue in talks thanks to surprisingly strong data on a primary surplus for 2013, two sources involved in the negotiations said. A third official cautioned that it was too early to say the issue had been fully resolved since complete 2013 data is not yet available. Athens expects to report a primary surplus - i.e, not counting debt of 1 billion euros in 2013, but the data will be officially confirmed only in April.

The two sides still need to agree on the terms of bank stress tests, structural reforms and the impact of a court ruling reversing some wage cuts before 4.9 billion euros in rescue loans are disbursed, the sources said. “The picture we have is that the issue of the fiscal gap for 2014 is nearly resolved,” a Greek finance ministry official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

A second official confirmed the assessment, adding that the discussions had now moved to assessing a potential fiscal gap for 2015. Greek officials are hoping a deal with the EU/IMF - talks are now in their fifth month - will be clinched by the end of February, allowing funds to be disbursed in early March. A ruling by a top Greek court that may reverse troika-mandated wage cuts imposed in 2012 on police and the armed forces is complicating the talks, the sources said, as it could blow a hole of up to half a billion euros in its finances.

The troika is also pressing Athens to adopt a so-called tool kit of more than 300 reforms proposed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, aimed at making the economy more competitive and lowering consumer prices. In a departure from the usual practice of lengthy discussions in Athens to seal a deal, senior officials from the trio of EU, IMF and European Central Bank inspectors to Athens are not expected to return to Athens until a deal has already been agreed in principle, three sources close to the talks said. Greece, which teetered close to bankruptcy in 2012, has no pressing funding needs until May, when bond payments

ATHENS: Publisher Stephanos Patakis (right), responds to a question as novelist Takis Theodoropoulos listens during a news conference in Athens yesterday. Leading Greek writers and publishers gathered at a bookstore in central Athens to express their opposition to the proposed lifting of price controls on books sold in the recession-hit country. —AP of 9.3 billion euros are due. It has already been bailed out twice with 240 billion euros from the EU and IMF since 2010 and is expected to need additional funds and debt relief before it can get on its feet again.

Third bailout Athens is likely to get a third bailout from the euro-zone of 10-20 billion euros to keep it going through 2014 and 2015, but there will be no reduction on the principal of the debt Athens already owes to the euro zone, euro zone officials said. German magazine Der Spiegel on Saturday cited a German finance ministry a document which outlined the possibility of a haircut on the money that Greece borrowed from the euro zone or a package of new loans of 10-20 billion euros.

“The amount is quite close,” one euro zone policymaker involved in the talks on Greece said.

“There are different estimates, that’s why such a large spread of between 10 to 20 billion. It’s for 2014-15,” the official said. The IMF, which has contributed to the previous two bailouts, has said Greece was short of 4.4 billion euros in financing

in 2014 and 6.5 billion in 2015.

After the first two bailouts, most of the Greek debt is to euro-zone governments, so a write-off of some of the debt would be a relief and make the country’s debt more sustainable. But this option has never been discussed because several countries, including Finland, the Netherlands or Slovakia would not agree. “A haircut (cutting back) on the principal... remains completely out of the question,” a second euro-zone official involved in discussions on Greece said.

Officials said that while there might be unofficial discussions of a third bailout for Athens in the coming months, official talks could only start after European Parliament elections in May, because the issue was politically sensitive. “Any new package will be officially discussed only after European Parliament elections,” the first official said.

Euro zone ministers may, however, issue a political declaration before the May 22 elections that they would continue to bankroll Greece, leaving more concrete discussions for later, officials said. — Reuters

Strong LNG arm helps to steady BG after warning

NEW YORK: Mathew Martoma (center), accompanied by his wife Rosemary, arrives at federal court for his trial on charges of insider trading yesterday in New York. The former SAC Capital Advisors hedge fund portfolio manager is charged with using inside information to earn his company over a quarter of a billion dollars. —AP

Romania, IMF credit deal on track after fuel tax row BUCHAREST: Romania and the IMF reached an agreement on sustaining a stand-by credit deal, threatened by a row over a fuel tax rise, an IMF official said yesterday.

“Staff level agreement has been reached, the program remains broadly on track,” IMF mission chief Andrea Schaechter told a press conference. The centre-left government decided a 7.0-eurocent excise tax on fuel will be introduced in April, three months later than originally planned, after centre-right president Traian Basescu threatened to block the move.

The delay will generate a gap of 0.1-percent of gross domestic product in public revenues.

But Schaechter said that authorities had pledged to freeze spending of the same amount until July, when a new assessment is

made. “If revenues are stronger, there will be no need for further cuts,” she said, adding the deficit target for 2014 was 2.2 percent.

“Authorities intend to continue fiscal adjustment in 2015, in order to reach Romania’s medium-term budgetary objective of a structural deficit of 1.0 percent of GDP,” Schaechter stressed. The International Monetary Fund also said that Romania’s growth was expected to stand at 2.2 percent in 2014, one of the highest rate in Eastern Europe this year but down from last year’s estimated 2.8 percent.

“2013 was the year of recovery, with the strongest expansion seen by Romania since the crisis, estimated to have outpaced all other countries in the European Union except for Latvia and Lithuania,” Schaechter said.— AFP

LONDON: Asian demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) helped oil and gas producer BG to meet quarterly earnings forecasts yesterday and reassure investors after a profit warning last week.

BG posted fourth-quarter earnings of $1.14 billion and said it was making progress on major growth projects in Australia and Brazil while needing to address problems in Egypt which sparked last Monday ’s warning. It also increased its full-year dividend by 10 percent to 28.75 cents per share.

BG said last week its 2013 earnings would be hit by a $2.4 billion post-tax impairment charge due mainly to turmoil in Egypt, and also downgraded this year’s production outlook. The company warned output would be 11 percent lower in 2014 than analysts were expecting and also cut a 2015 production forecast by as much as 14 percent. “Last week’s production downgrade and pre-release of earnings-guidance was tough to swallow, but with no further surprises in BG’s fourth quarter results ... we see BG on the road to recovery,” Bernstein analyst Oswald Clint said.

He said LNG shipping and marketing operating profit was up 18 percent year on year, 9 percent ahead of his estimate and at the upper range of BG’s guidance.

Shares in the company, which have lost 18 percent of their value since the profit warning eight days ago, traded up 3.1 percent at 1016 GMT, topping Britain’s blue-chip

index. Over the past 18 months, BG has cut its output forecasts three times, including abandoning a goal to produce 1 million boed (barrels of oil equivalent per day) by 2015, and will have posted two straight years of falling production before output growth is restored in 2015.

The company’s earnings for the three months to the end of December were 11 percent higher

than the same time the year before, due in part to lower hedging losses and increased sales of LNG to high-value Asian markets.

BG said that excluding the impairment charge, 2013 earnings came in flat at around $4.4 billion. The company, which counts on Egypt for about a fifth of its production, said in January the government there had not honored agreements

covering its share of gas from fields and as a result it had served socalled “force majeure” notices to affected buyers and lenders - effectively freeing all sides from contract terms due to circumstances beyond their control.

Including the impairment charge, disposals and re-measurements, total 2013 earnings were down 33 percent. — Reuters

BUENOS AIRES: A broker works at the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange in Buenos Aires, Argentina. From Turkey to South Africa to Argentina, emerging markets are being slammed by rising inflation, economic mismanagement and political turmoil. —AP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

BUSINESS

Shares slump as US slowdown joins emerging-market woes LONDON: World shares slumped to near a four-month low yesterday as signs of a slowdown in the U.S. economy aggravated the anxiety caused by a sell-off in emerging markets.

A report showing US factory activity was weaker than expected had caused both the dollar and global equities to fall on Monday.

European investors remained anxious yesterday after another session of sustained selling in Asia. Futures prices pointed to a 0.3 percent rebound for Wall Street later, but a mid-morning attempt at a stabilization failed in Europe. The benchmark FTSEurofirst index fell 0.4 percent and headed for a third day of declines. And Europe looked almost rosy compared with Asia. Tokyo’s Nikkei plunged 4 percent in its worst day since June, cementing its position as the worst performer in developed markets in 2014.

MSCI’s emerging-market index dropped 1.4 percent, putting its losses since late October at almost 12 percent.

“It does look as if developed-market equities are playing catchup with emerging markets,” Societe Generale strategist Kit Juckes said. “The dollar has somewhat run out of steam, and I suspect the focus today may well be on yen strength as well as how much further the equity market falls can go.”

With a flight to safety going on, German government bonds , considered to be one of Europe’s most secure investments, saw prices hit a 6-month high. Debt from elsewhere in the region lost ground. The Australian dollar jumped after its central bank appeared to shut the door on further rate cuts. But the main focus of the currency market remained the US dollar’s contest with the yen.

Two factors were at play. US bond yields fell after the weak data hit the dollar, and the Nikkei’s plunge pushed up the yen. The Nikkei and yen often see-saw: as one goes up, the other goes down.

The US dollar appeared to be recovering, though. It was last up 0.3 percent at 101.27 yen, after hitting its lowest level since November on Monday at 100.77.

Another round of strong UK construction data also left sterling looking spritely at $1.6340. Talk of policy easing by the ECB at its monthly meeting on Thursday held the euro back at $1.3509.

Selloff The stock market sell-off left MSCI’s 45country, all-world index at its lowest since October and saw the VIX, the market’s fear seismograph, jump to its highest since June.

It also boosted the safe-haven appeal of gold. Spot gold was steady on at $1,258.84 an ounce, after gaining 1.1 percent on Monday.

But three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange, a metal highly attuned to global growth, edged down to $7,020. That put it on track for its 10th straight losing session and its longest run of falls in 37 years.

The Nikkei’s 4 percent dive cemented its position as 2014’s worst-performing major market. It has shed 14 percent of last year’s 50 percent boom. By comparison, the U.S. benchmark S&P 500 is down 5.8 percent. The FTSEurofirst 300 fell 3.3 percent.

“With the main European indices down around 7 percent (since peaks), chatter on trading desk is about whether we are in for a ‘10 percent’ correction,” Jonathan Sudaria, a dealer at Capital Spreads in London, said in

emailed comments. “ The bears have a seemingly easy target within reach and the remaining bulls will want to get out of the way.”

Among other perceived safe assets, the yield on benchmark 10-year US Treasury notes stood at 2.602 as US trading loomed. It fell as low as 2.582 percent on Monday, its lowest since Nov 1.

The dollar’s overnight weakness also provided some relief to emerging-market currencies. Turkey’s lira, Russia’s rouble, Hungary’s forint and the South African rand all edged higher. “Experienced emerging market investors would be looking at this sell down with great interest, looking to pick up quality names on the dip, but they are still in the minority for now,” said Erwin Sanft, Standard Chartered’s Hong Kong-based China equity strategist. — Reuters

TOKYO: Pedestrians walk on a street under the heavy snow just after sunset in Tokyo yesterday.

Tokyo stocks plunged 4.18 percent after weak US manufacturing data sent Wall Street and the dollar tumbling, with the headline index shedding 14 percent in a month after a huge rally last year. — AFP

Gold down as dollar steadies, investors remain skeptical LONDON: Gold dipped yesterday, after posting its strongest daily gain in nearly two weeks on Monday, as the dollar steadied and investors assessed that weak US data would not derail the world’s largest economy from its recovery path. Bullion has gained 4 percent so far this year, after a 28 percent drop in 2013, as slowing growth in China and capital outflows from emerging nations hit share markets. Gold, usually regarded as a safe haven, tends to appreciate when riskier assets like equities lose ground, as investors look for alternatives to protect their money.

However, analysts see any rally in the gold price as a selling opportunity, with current global economic concerns not seen as sufficient to derail the US Federal Reserve’s move to taper monetary stimulus. Gold has been lifted by disappointing US economic data yesterday, including a repor t from the Institute for Supply Management showing the sharpest slowdown in growth in new orders in 33 years in January.

“The weak US manufacturing data yesterday gave gold a boost but for now it seems the figure can be explained by the same factor that explained the weak January non-farm payrolls report: the weather,” Macquarie analyst Matthew Turner said. “And until there are more definitive signs this is the start of a new economic slowdown, or any certainty that Fed policy would change course, even if it was, there is going to be no conviction to gold’s upside moves.”

Spot gold was down 0.3 percent at $1,253.70 an ounce by 1055 GMT. It posted its best daily performance in nearly two

weeks on Monday, gaining 1.1 percent, on the disappointing U.S. manufacturing data. US gold futures for February delivery dropped 0.5 percent to $1,254.00 an ounce.

The dollar was up 0.2 percent versus a basket of main currencies, reflecting a drop in the volatility that has accompanied recent turbulence in emerging markets as investors shifted money out to traditional safe havens in the developed world.

European shares slipped, following a fall in Asian markets and the worst drop since June on Wall Street. Market focus will now turn to Friday ’s US non-farm payrolls report, although U.S. durable goods and factory orders scheduled for release later yesterday should also give further clues on the state of the US economy.

With the recent data and emerging market troubles, SPDR Gold Trust, the biggest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, has not seen any outflows in more than a week. Holdings are still near five-year lows as the fund had seen record outflows of more than 17 million ounces last year.

Physical markets were quiet as China, the world’s biggest consumer, was closed for the Lunar New Year holiday.

Spot silver fell 0.2 percent to $19.30 an ounce, after rising 1.2 percent on Monday.

Palladium was up 0.1 percent to $699.50 an ounce, having earlier fallen to its lowest since Dec. 27 at $695.60. Platinum fell 0.3 percent to $1,374.75 an ounce, as wage talks resumed between South Africa’s AMCU miners’ union and the world’s top three platinum producers with hopes to end a nearly two-week strike costing the industry $36 million a day. — Reuters

Oil slips below $106 as growth concerns weigh LONDON: Oil slipped below $106 a barrel yesterday on concerns that weak data from the United States and China, the world’s largest consumers of oil, could slow global growth, although supply problems offered some support. A brief production glitch at the North Sea Buzzard oilfield and a dip in Libyan supplies due to bad weather helped underpin Brent crude oil, which has been hit in recent sessions by a rout in emerging markets and stocks.

Brent, the international benchmark, fell 35 cents to $105.69 a barrel by 1337 GMT after two sessions of losses. US crude futures, known as WTI, were up 28 cents to $96.71 per barrel, bouncing after their largest daily percentage loss in nearly a month as they tumbled with US equities.

“The pressure is still on the downside for Brent. There is still concern about growth in emerging markets. The numbers coming out of the US yesterday caused concern,” said Michael Hewson, analyst at CMC Markets. Signs of slowing economic growth in the United States and China raised concerns about fuel demand, while forecasts of excess supply this year weighed on oil prices.

The US economy has lost steam as manufacturing activity slowed sharply in January on the back of the biggest drop in new orders in 33 years, while construction spending barely rose in December. At the same time factory activity reports have raised concerns about growth in China.

“On Friday and Monday, we had steep falls linked to weak stock markets but it is significant that Brent has not continued to go down the same way and remains in yesterday’s range,” Christopher Bellew, a broker at Jefferies Bache said. “That’s because for oil, unlike stocks, there is also concern about supply in the Middle East and elsewhere and that underpins it...”

Narrowing spread Oil gained support from tighter supply in the North Sea after an output glitch at Buzzard, the largest field that contributes to Forties. The field has restarted and will return to normal levels in days, its operator said. Bad weather also reduced output from Libya on Monday but the National Oil Corporation said loading had restarted and production would return to normal on Tuesday.

The spread between Brent and WTI, hotly traded last year, was hovering around $9 on Tuesday. It fell to $8.06 on Monday, its narrowest since Oct. 18, after news that oil stocks at the US storage hub in Cushing, Oklahoma, were expected to have dropped by more than one million barrels for the first time in five months.

WTI has traded at a steep discount to Brent as wide as $19 as recently as November - due partly to bottlenecks at Cushing over the last three years. But the spread has narrowed from $15 at the start of this year as traders anticipated a new pipeline coming online would relieve the glut at Cushing by draining oil to US Gulf Coast refineries. — Reuters

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

BUSINESS

UBS bank reports huge switch back into profit ZURICH: Swiss bank UBS, in the midst of a refocusing of its activities, reported a huge switch back into profit last year and accelerating performance in the last quar ter, in a statement yesterday.

The bank took huge losses from the financial crisis and, in common with Swiss banks in general, is having to adjust to a new Swiss banking climate on many fronts and notably owing to an opening up of Swiss banking secrecy. Last year it made a net profit of 3.2 billion Swiss francs (2.5 billion euros, ($3.38 billion) from a loss of 2.4 billion francs in 2012.

This was partly because the results in 2012 were set back by a fine by regulatory authorities over an international scandal concerning the rigging of the Libor interbank interest

rate. But the bank also began to benefit from a massive reorganisation of its businesses, announced in October 2012. “A year ago, we said we would further adapt our business to better ser ve clients, reduce risk, deliver more sustainable performance and enhance shareholder returns,” Sergio Ermotti, chief executive of UBS, said in a statement yesterday.

Long-term goals “I am pleased to repor t that in 2013 we accomplished all those goals. We finished the year ahead of the majority of our performance targets and will continue to execute our strategy in a disciplined manner in order to ensure the firm’s long-term success.” The UBS wealth management arm posted a 17-percent

increase in pre-tax profit against the outcome in 2012, reaching 2.4 billion Swiss francs.

Its Americas wealth management activities, which are accounted for separately, notched up pre-tax profit of $991 million. Net new money in the group’s wealth management businesses increased to 54 billion Swiss francs. And the UBS investment bank division, at the core of the restructuring program, posted pretax profit of 2.5 billion francs.

UBS, which is the top player in the Swiss banking sector, said its performance accelerated in the fourth quarter, with net profit reaching 917 million francs, a full 59 percent higher than the 577 million recorded in the previous three months. While the first quarter tends to see activity

speed up further in the banking sector, UBS was downbeat about the current market outlook.

“At the start of the first quarter of 2014, many of the underlying challenges and geopolitical issues that we have previously highlighted remain,” it said. “ The continued absence of sustained and credible improvements to unresolved issues in Europe, continuing US fiscal and monetary policy issues, emerging markets fragility and the mixed outlook for global growth would make improvements in prevailing market conditions unlikely.”

But despite the overall environment, UBS underlined that it expected its wealth management business to continue attracting new money. — AFP

ZURICH: The UBS logo is photographed at UBS headquarters in Zurich.—AP

UK banks pay out fraction of swaps mis-selling claims Compensation flowing to small businesses

RUSTENBERG: Striking mine workers gathering outside the Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) Mine in Rustenburg. South African police said they used stun grenades and rubber bullets yesterday to disperse about 3,000 “violent” striking miners in the country’s restive platinum belt. — AFP

S African police disperse 3,000 ‘violent’ miners JOHANNESBURG: South African police said they used stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse about 3,000 “violent” striking miners yesterday in the country’s restive platinum belt. Strikers “carrying dangerous weapons, such as knobkerries and sticks, blocked the road and were threatening to remove non-striking workers at the shaft,” police said in a statement. The incident occurred at Anglo American Platinum’s Khuseleka 1 facility in the country’s north. It marks the first instance of major unrest in the sector-wide strike, now in its second week. “Police were forced to use stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd,” the force said, adding that two protesters aged 52 and 47 were arrested. They face charges of public violence.

The incident will raise fears of a return to violent strikes that have seen dozens of workers killed at the hands of rival unions and the police. Around 80,000 members of the radical Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) downed tools on January 23 calling for a minimum monthly wage of 12,500-rand ($1,100) — almost double their current pay.

Last Thursday the union rejected a three-year deal from Anglo American Platinum, Impala Platinum and Lonmin that offered a roughly seven percent annual increase. South Africa produces 80 percent of the world’s platinum and around 134,000 people are employed in the sector.

Platinum group metals are vital in products such as catalytic converters, computer hard disks and dental fillings.

Government-brokered talks to end the strike-which firms say is costing them as much as $36 million a day-restarted yesterday.

But AMCU has threatened the strike could go on for a month if no agreement is reached. Companies, which have seen their revenues plummet in recent years, are looking for a long-term agreement in the hope of preventing what have become regular stoppages. But they insist drastic wage increases are impossible and claim that the current pay package is more than a basic entry-level wage.

“The wage increases demanded by AMCU are unaffordable by industry, will push more of industry into loss-making territory,” said South African Chamber of Mines economist Roger Baxter.

The strikes are costing Africa’s largest economy $36 million a day in lost production, he told a continental mining conference in Cape Town. Mining labor costs have more than doubled in South Africa in the past two decades, Baxter added. Current wage demands date back to violent mass wildcat strikes in 2012, which resulted in the police shooting dead 34 strikers on one day at Lonmin’s Marikana mine. But industrial action has become “more peaceful” since then, Baxter said, a statement echoed by Mining Minister Susan Shabangu.

“We have restored the rule of law, peace and stability in this industry,” Shabangu told the conference. “These developments debunk the myth that labour laws in South Africa lack flexibility and are only created to protect workers,” she said. —AFP

Rosneft profit soars thanks to booming gas output MOSCOW: Russia’s oil giant Rosneft reported a 51-percent jump in annual profit yesterday thanks to a huge boost in natural gas output that made it the country’s thirdlargest producer.

The state-held firm-the world’s biggest publically-traded oil company by both production and reserves-said its 2013 net income reached 551 billion rubles ($15.6 billion, 11.5 billion euros).

The company said its total hydrocarbon production grew by 80.3 percent thanks to a 132.9-percent leap in natural gas output.

“The 2013 performance has made Rosneft the third-largest gas producer in Russia with increased gas production to 38.17 billion cubic metres,” the company said in a report.

Rosneft attributed its strong natural gas performance to last year’s acquisition of the private Anglo-Russian venture TNK-BP along with the assets of the Itera energy group. Rosneft is run by President Vladimir Putin’s long-time confident Igor Sechin and has long set its sights on cutting into Russian rival Gazprom’s huge advantage in natural gas. The company now plans to also enter the liquified natural gas market by building an LNG plant in Russia’s Far East under an agreement signed in 2013 with

the US super-major ExxonMobil.

Last year “was a transformational year in the company’s history,” Sechin said in a statement. “We are proud to say that on a number of metrics...the company’s results are the best not only in Russia, but also on a global scale.” Sechin added that Rosneft this year is preparing to launch “new major projects” whose details he did not disclose.

Russia’s world-topping crude output hit a post-Soviet record of 523.3 million tonnes (10.51 million barrels per day) last year. But analysts worry that about 90 percent of that production comes from fast-depleting fields in West Siberia that were first developed in the Soviet era. Rosneft said production at new fields in East Siberia now accounted for 19 percent of all liquids-an encouraging statistic that is watched closely by investors because of its importance to future output.

The firm added that output in older fields was improving thanks to new technology made available through tie-ups with ExxonMobil, Italy’s ENI and Norway’s Statoil. Rosneft also said that a recent audit raised its proved hydrocarbon reserves by 74 percent to 33.00 billion barrels of oil equivalent on the basis of standards set by US regulators. —AFP

LONDON: Britain’s biggest banks have so far paid out less than 10 percent of the 3.75 billion pounds ($6 billion) they have set aside to compensate small firms mis-sold interest rate hedging products, data from the financial regulator showed yesterday.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said that 306 million pounds ($500 million) had been paid out by Britain’s biggest four banks - Lloyds Banking Group, Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays and HSBC - by the end of January. That compared with 159 million at the end of December. The mis-selling of complex financial products is one of numerous scandals facing the UK banking sector that range from problems in consumer finance to interest rate rigging in global financial markets. The latest payments come on top of more than 20 billion pounds set aside by the banks to compensate customers mis-sold loan insurance.

The interest rate hedging products were designed to protect smaller companies against rising interest rates but when rates fell, they had to pay large bills, typically running to tens of thousands of pounds. Companies also faced penalties to get out of the deals, which many said they had not been told about. “Redress is now rapidly flowing to small businesses,” Clive Adamson, the FCA’s director of supervision said yesterday.

Daniel Hall, managing director of All Square, which advises companies pursuing claims, said the real issue for banks could be claims for so-called consequential losses,

which have not been factored into the payouts made so far. Those claims would effectively set the clock back to the point before the products were sold and would require banks to compensate not just the direct cost of the mis-sold contracts but any losses that businesses have suffered as a result of leaving the agreements.

“Our estimate of the final bill for consequential losses is double that of direct losses,” Hall said yesterday.

The FCA had ordered banks to begin paying compensation last May after saying there were serious failings in the way they were sold. It said yesterday that all four banks were on track to complete the compensation process within a year of the scheme starting. It urged firms that had not yet agreed to have their case reviewed in the scheme to do so.

There are 18,700 firms that have so far agreed with banks to have their cases reviewed. 2,092 firms had accepted compensation or alternative products, up from 1,040 at the end of December.

In 1,741 of the cases, banks tore up the arrangement and paid cash compensation. In the remaining 351 cases, businesses have been offered alternative products. In 372 cases, the review found no compensation was required. The average payout per offer of compensation stood at 146,000 pounds at the end of January, less than the 152,500 average at the end of December.

The FCA data showed differing rates of progress in dealing with cases between the banks. RBS has told customers the outcome of the

LONDON: British Finance Minister George Osborne (left) greets International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde outside 11 Downing Street in central London, yesterday.—AFP review in 2,429 cases, compared with 1,688 at HSBC, 1,041 at Barclays and 819 at Lloyds. Both RBS and Lloyds have increased the amounts they have set aside for compensation in the past two weeks. RBS has more claims under review than its big three rivals combined. It is assessing 9,039 cases,

compared with 3,315 at HSBC, 3,250 at Barclays, and 1,756 at Lloyds. RBS has set aside 1.25 billion pounds for compensation, less than the 1.5 billion at Barclays, which has made the biggest provision of all the banks. Lloyds has set aside 530 million and HSBC 460 million. — Reuters

Lithuania’s euro entry to upset ECB’s balance of power FRANKFURT: Lithuania’s adoption of the euro next year will change the voting pattern at the European Central Bank, curbing smaller members’ perceived influence and giving more weight to the centre. Taking turns to vote will affect all euro-zone members, but the damage will be more keenly felt in Germany whose oncemighty Bundesbank served as a blueprint for the ECB. It has since seen its influence weaken and support for its stern views on monetary policy diminish during the euro zone debt crisis.

Once national central bank governors, who gather twice a month at the ECB to discuss monetary policy, exceed 18 - their current number they will be divided into groups of smaller and larger economies to ensure efficient decision making. The five largest economies with the biggest financial sectors will share four votes.

These are Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands based on current rankings.

The remaining 14 countries will get 11 votes, but they will get to vote less frequently the more members join the governing council. The system was set by the ECB and European Union leaders as far back as 2003. Only from next year though the numbers could get high enough to

trigger the change. The six members of the ECB’s executive board, which implements monetary policy and runs the everyday business, are exempt from the monthly vote rotation and have permanent votes. These seats have traditionally been occupied by the euro zone heavyweights Germany, France, Italy and until 2012 Spain. At the moment Portugal, Luxembourg and Belgium are also seated at the top table, but their presence is not set in stone.

Minnows slipping Lithuania would fall into the group of the euro zone minnows with a population of around 3 million and a gross domestic product of about 33 billion euros, just over 1 percent of Germany’s economy. It is aiming to become the euro zone’s 19th member next year, following its Baltic neighbours Estonia and Latvia, which joined in 2011 and 2014, respectively. If all goes according to plan and Lithuania gets the green light this summer, Central Bank Governor Vitas Vasiliauskas will start travelling to Frankfurt on a regular basis from next year to help set the bloc’s monetary policy.

It is difficult to say in what state the euro zone

economy will be by then and it is unclear what the reduced influence of the smaller countries will mean for the ECB’s monetary policy stance, but some of the side-effects are already clear.

“You won’t be able to avoid a situation where the market gets very focused on the fact that one particular governor is not going to be voting at a particular juncture,” said Nick Matthews, senior European economist at Nomura.

This could distract from the ECB’s overall policy message. Publishing the policy meeting’s minutes - as it is being discussed at the moment - could be a way to showcase the nature of the debate and to give a voice to those who cannot vote. The council primarily tries to reach an agreement by consensus.

Deutsche Bank senior European economist Gilles Moec said the new pattern may also lead to more public statements from national central banks.

“If you are not voting, even if your vote wouldn’t have changed anything, you probably want to reassert your influence by being bolder in your external communications,” Moec said.

That would add to the cacophony of views, which sometimes confuses markets. — Reuters

Fine provision weighs on SKF yearly profit

MANAGUA: A woman holds coffee beans in a farm at Cuatro Esquinas town, in Diriamba, some 32 km south of Managua. The price of coffee surged to the highest levels for months yesterday because of exceptionally dry weather in Brazil which could crimp harvests in the country, the world’s biggest producer and exporter. —AFP

STOCKHOLM: Swedish ball bearing manufacturer SKF announced yesterday a sharp profit fall in 2013, a year marked by a multi-million provision to cover a potential fine. Net profit dropped by 80 percent to 912 million kronor (104 million euros, $142 million) and revenue fell by 1.5 percent to 63.6 billion kronor, confirming the group’s poor shape. After posting decreasing profit figures for eight months in a row, SKF faced serious losses at the end of last year, due to a three-billion-kronor provision for a potential fine in 2014 for possible infringements of European competition law.

“Profit was heavily impacted in the fourth quarter by the provision for the

expected fine from the European Commission,” chief executive Tom Johnstone said in a statement. The losses in the last quarter of 2013 amounted to 2.04 billion kronor, far above the 1.5 billion kronor expected by analysts polled by Dow Jones. The revenue grew by 10 percent to 16.4 billion kronor in the fourth quarter, beyond the 16.2-billion-kronor forecast by analysts. In 2010, SKF launched a cost-cutting plan which will be completed in 2014, the company said in the second quarter of 2013. SKF, the world’s biggest maker of industrial bearings, has increased its workforce since the end of 2010 by eight percent and currently has 48,400 employees worldwide.—AFP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

BUSINESS

Mercedes-Benz ultimate test drive event Get involved in a luxury driving experience like no other KUWAIT: A R Albisher and Z Alkazemi Co, the exclusive general distributor for Mercedes-Benz in Kuwait, is inviting motoring enthusiasts to register and attend the Ultimate Test Drive event from 6-7 February 2014. The first Kuwaiti Mercedes-Benz test drive of the year promises to impress drivers with the complete line-up of vehicles from the SUV, sedan and coupe ranges, as well as the much sought after high performance AMG division.

The Ultimate Test Drive will be hosted at the Sahara Golf and Country Club from 2 pm until 8 pm on both days.

Registered participants are welcome to join the test drives for a chance to enter a draw and win one of three weekend GL 500 test drives after completing the test drive challenge. Other prizes addi-

tional giveaways will also be handed out.

“We are starting the new year with a bang. The Ultimate Test Drive event will include the entire range of MercedesBenz cars available in Kuwait to give our customers the full automotive brand experience. The test drivers will get to see how unique and outstanding each model is, and appreciate what driving a Mercedes-Benz feels like,” said Michael Ruehle, CEO, Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co. “Last year we focused on the SUV range because of how popular it is in Kuwait, but we received interest in other model ranges to be part of our test drive events, especially for the sedans & coupes and we responded to the requests,” added Ruehle.

A few of the models available at the Ultimate Test Drive event include: G500, ML350, ML500 ,GL500,GLK, EClass, E-Coupe, SLK, SL, CLS 350, A250 Sport, C-Class saloon & coupe, G63 AMG, ML63 AMG & GL63 AMG A.R. Albisher and Z. Alkazemi Co. sales consultants will be accessible to give visitors detailed information about the vehicles and their specifications as well as sales offers and promotions exclusive to Mercedes-Benz Kuwait customers.

For more information about the event, images of the cars, and how to register, please visit Mercedes-Benz Kuwait’s digital portal www.MBKuwait.com/drive. It takes less than one minute to register and the website is accessible from all devices.

Burgan Bank’s brand moves up 43 positions in 500 league Rating re-affirmed as AA

Seventh Heaven at Al-Barari launches in Dubai DUBAI: Connecting the indoor with outdoor living lies at the heart of Seventh Heaven at Al-Barari, a new collection of opulent homes featuring one to four bedroom, sky villas, penthouses, duplexes and garden homes. Seventh Heaven launches the second phase of Dubai’s most coveted estate and homes will be available for purchase from 2 February.

“Seventh Heaven is a continuation of the Al-Barari vision to create a community set in the natural environment. The design of each home has been carefully constructed so that you are always visually connected to the landscape, whether it be at garden or tree line level,” commented Mohammed Zaal, CEO of Al-Barari.

The collection will total 157 elegant homes, including exclusive duplexes, penthouses, sky villas and garden homes, which will have a private pool located on the terrace and access to beautifully manicured gardens if located on the ground floor. Standard homes will range from one to three bedrooms starting from 2000sqft up to 3850sqft and exclusive homes will vary from one to four bedrooms starting from 2970sqft up to 6600sqft, making the Seventh Heaven among the most spacious homes available in Dubai.

The architectural design of Seventh Heaven features stepped layers and trims down as it increases in height, taking inspiration from the rugged mountains that dot the country’s coastline. The distinctive design, created by international architects 10 Design, allows increased airflow across the development, capitalising on AlBarari’s existing microclimate to ensure the continuation of temperatures 2-5 degrees cooler than other developments in Dubai.

Additionally, the architects cleverly designed structural shading to ensure that the homes can enjoy natural light without

being fully exposed to the sun most times of the day. Furthermore, the thermal mass of the building helps moderate temperatures throughout the day. Each home will have two to three aspects, overlooking the iconic Dubai skyline, desert wilderness or tranquil gardens of Al-Barari, yet still maintain the upmost privacy of the residents.

Natural light will illuminate the homes via floor to ceiling glass doors, which can be opened up to extend living space onto the terrace. The flow of natural light into the interior is part of the energy efficient design, which will reduce the need for artificial light.

A natural color palette and materials such as stone and wood help to integrate Seventh Heaven into its surrounding environment and build the intimate relationship between residents and nature. This theme runs through the shared amenities, in particular the lobby, which features vertical planting, marrying the public areas with the surrounding gardens. Other shared facilities include indoor and outdoor pools, gym and community facilities.

Seventh Heaven is secluded enough to transport residents to a botanical retreat, yet only a ten minute drive to the comforts of Downtown Dubai. It extends the established community at the Al-Barari estate, which includes the award-winning AlBarari residences and The Reserve villas as well as Body Language, their signature health and fitness centre, and garden enveloped eatery, The Farm.

Further plans for the Seventh Heaven development include a six-star resort, retail village where daily shopping is done at a floating market, lively bars and dining venues and a creative hub where fashion couturiers, art studios and design labs are nestled, championing the entrepreneurial spirit that Al Barari was founded on.

KUWAIT: Burgan Bank yesterday announced that Brand Finance, the international brand valuation company has re-affirmed Burgan Bank’s brand rating as AA with a positive outlook making it the highest rated banking brand in Kuwait. The brand value has increased to $234 million compared to last year’s value that reached $199 million.

Burgan Bank’s brand ranking has jumped 43 positions in the top 500 banking brands worldwide.

Ratings and values were recently published in “The Banker” maga-

zine, a Financial Times publication, where Brand Finance has featured the world’s most valuable 500 banking brands.

Bashir Jaber, Burgan Bank’s Assistant General Manager - Group Corporate Communications said: “We are pleased with our current brand status and ranking. Our strategic brand management approach proven to be successful, the brand is on a continuous increase in value and has grown 15% from 2012. The AA rating which is making Burgan Bank

Brand the highest rated banking brand in Kuwait reflects the brand strength and contribution to the overall corporate strategy “ “Burgan Bank enjoys an award winning brand platform that reflects its core values of trust, commitment, progression as well as excellence to deliver international best practices throughout its operations,” added Jaber.

The brand was also recognized and awarded “Best Banking Brand in MENA” by the Banker ME for its creative approach towards continuously building its brand name and values, an element that is reflected across all forms of communications including the physical application of its brand concept within branches and channels to provide seamless services to customers. In 2013, Burgan Bank Group was named “MENA - Bank of the Year ” by Acquisition Finance Magazine and “Best Banking Group in MENA” for the second consecutive year by Global Banking and Finance Review The global 500 banking brands, is an annual report published by

BP profits fall in Q4 on weak refining business LONDON: BP reported a sharp drop in fourthquarter profits yesterday partly due to weakness in its refining business, providing more evidence of difficult times across the “big oil” sector.

BP’s results, hit by tough conditions in US refining and partly offset by strong contributions from its stake in Russia’s Rosneft, highlighted the industry’s struggle to increase profits in the face of rising costs.

The world’s fourth-biggest publicly traded oil company yesterday reported underlying replacement cost profit of $2.8 billion for the fourth quarter of 2013, 28 percent lower than the same period a year ago, but ahead of a consensus forecast of $2.7 billion. Exxon Mobil Corp, the world’s largest publicly traded oil company by market value, reported lower-than-expected quarterly profit last week, while Chevron and BP’s European rival Shell both issued profit warnings in January.

Investec analysts said BP’s beat on the consensus for underlying replacement cost profit was partially a result of a lower tax charge during the quarter compared to last year. Bernstein analyst Oswald Clint said on an operational basis, the company missed a consensus target by around 10 percent and its performance would have looked bleaker without the strong performance from its stake in Rosneft.

BP is also dealing with the fallout from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill which killed 11 men and became the United States’ worst offshore environmental disaster. The company said the provision to cover the spill’s clean-up, fines, compensation and legal costs had now risen to $42.7 billion from $42.5 billion last year. Having settled criminal proceedings, BP is two phases into a threestage civil trial, and has an army of lawyers working to push remaining spill fines and penalties into the future.

Refining weak The group has been shedding assets since the 2010 spill, and sold businesses worth $22 billion

in 2013 alone. BP said the fall in its earnings was partly due to its shrinking asset base, but also hurt by difficult conditions in its refining business, which is comparatively much smaller after it sold two major refineries in the US last year. In its refining or downstream business, BP posted underlying pretax replacement cost profit of $70 million in the fourth quarter, compared with $1.4 billion in the same period in 2012.

Costs associated with the start-up of the Whiting refinery, also in the US, and exploration write-offs were partially offset by higher earnings from Rosneft. Rosneft, the state-controlled Russian company into which BP folded its Russian business last year in exchange for a 19.75 percent stake, delivered $1.1 billion of BP’s profits. Shares in BP, which have fallen 2 percent in the year to date, were down 1.6 percent at 466.00 pence by 0957 GMT, lagging Britain’s bluechip index which was 0.2 percent lower.

BP reconfirmed a capital expenditure target of between $24 billion to $25 billion for this year and guided that cash flow would be in line with an earlier announced plan.

“They’re reiterating most of their targets, cash flow and capital expenditure, that’s a positive,” Bernstein’s Clint said. Oil company shareholders, worried about the impact of rising industry costs crimping cash flow and the returns they will receive if oil prices drop, want oil companies to control spending and return spare cash.

BP stole a march on rival Shell last October, by hiking its dividend, scaling back capital spending and promising to return the proceeds of asset sales to investors. In October, the company raised its quarterly dividend and said it would sell $10 billion of assets over the next two years and return most of the proceeds to shareholders.

Shell said last Thursday it would cut capital spending and raise its quarterly dividend by 4 percent.

BP plans to update investors on its plans for the future on March 4. — Reuters

Bashir Jaber “Brand Finance” in association with “The Banker” - a “financial times publication”. Each brand is rated on the basis of a benchmarking study of the brand’s strength, risk and future potential relative to its competitors and a summary measure of the business’s financial strength and delivery.

Jolly Silks Reward cardholders to get triple the points KUWAIT: Jolly Silks, the one stop destination for Silks, and Fashion has announced a special initiative to reward its loyalty card members. During the 15 days promotion period starting from 30th January all Jolly Silks Cardholders will get triple the eligible points on every purchase made at Jolly Silks. Joyalukkas Golden Reward (JGR) and Joyalukkas Exchange Reward (JER) card holders are also eligible to get triple the points on every purchase made at Jolly Silks.

The Jolly Silks reward card offers a host of benefits to cardholders across the Joyalukkas retail ventures ie Joyalukkas Jewellery, Joyalukkas Exchange & Jolly Silks. Customers earn points on purchase and they are entitled to redeem the same at their convenience against purchases based on the points accumulated. “We have created our loyalty card with the single minded objective to reward and offer an extra incentive to loyal customer base.

This specific ‘triple points’ promotion is to celebrate their patronage and support,” said John Paul Joy Alukkas, Executive Director, Joyalukkas Group.

An extra incentive for shoppers is the host of new designs and collections that Jolly Silks has added in-store. The new designs have been chosen from the latest trends in India and have been inspired by some of the foremost designers of fashion and silks clothing there. Jolly Silks also offers the best prices and has created the choice to suite all budgets to make the fashion & silks choices accessible for all shoppers.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

TECHNOLOGY

KUWAIT: Charles Nahas (third from left), General Manager, Microsoft Kuwait, addresses a press conference on the sidelines of the ‘Open Door 2014, along with other Microsoft officials at Regency Hotel yesterday. (Right) A session on IT security at ‘Open Door 2014’. — Photos by Sajeev K Peter

Microsoft Kuwait showcases megatrends in IT industry ‘Open Door 2014’ spotlights latest technology solutions

By Sajeev K Peter KUWAIT: “Information technology is evolving at a rapid pace and Microsoft continues to see development dominated by four main megatrends: mobility, cloud, big data and social networking,” said Charles Nahas, General Manager, Microsoft Kuwait at a press conference held during the ‘Open Door 2014’ event at Regency Kuwait yesterday. Microsoft Kuwait introduced its latest innovative solutions at the event as part of the company’s transformation to a ‘Devices and Services’ organization. “‘Open Door’ is a unique platform to experience all the latest innovation from around the world. It has provided an opportunity for customers and partners to share their experiences as they move towards the cloud technology,” said Nahas said.

Open Door Kuwait is sponsored by Microsoft partners Dell, Zajil, Diyar United Company and Infocenter. Others who attended the press conference included Amir Salah Al-Din, Enterprises and Partners Group Manager, Alaeddin Karim, Public Sector Manager, Abeer Kamal, Microsoft Kuwait Marketing, Maged Talaat, Small and Medium Services, Manager & Partner and Naeem Hamami, Original Equipment Manufacturer.

The annual event included interactive sessions and demonstration pavilions in which Microsoft professionals provided insights into the ways in which Microsoft has been empowering businesses, educators, governments and individuals to make the most out of their key activities.

Transformation In an exclusive interview with Kuwait Times following the press conference, Nahas explained how Microsoft is transforming itself as a ‘Services and Devices’ company. “Today, devices and service are getting closer to customers. We expect our customers to use these devices in every moment of their life, be it a tablet, PC or mobile,” he explained. “The

US may mandate ‘talking’ cars by early 2017 WASHINGTON: US regulators are crafting a rule that would require all new vehicles to be able to “talk” to one another using wireless technology, which the Department of Transportation said would significantly reduce accidents on US roads and alleviate traffic congestion.

A proposed rule mandating so-called vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology should be put in place before President Barack Obama leaves office in early 2017, DOT officials said on Monday.

“When these technologies are adapted across the fleet, the results could be nothing short of revolutionary for roadway safety,” said David Friedman, acting administrator of the DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If a rule is proposed, it would then go through a public comment period that typically lasts about 90 days. The agency would then review the public’s comments or concerns before publishing a final rule.

Mandating the use of technology once thought to be science-fiction will “pave the way for market penetration of vehicle-to-vehicle safety applications,” the DOT said in a statement.

This “V2V” technology allows cars on the road to trade basic safety data, such as speed and position, at a rate of ten times per second. This exchange of information might help avoid or reduce the severity of 80 percent of crashes that occur when the driver is not impaired, NHTSA said.

“Think of all the everyday situations that this technology could help with; when folks pull up to a four-way stop, driving behind a big truck or an SUV that limits your visibility or even making a lane change and a car moves into your blind spot,” US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx told a news conference. This data does not include personal details about the driver or vehicle, the DOT said.

Vehicles or a group of vehicles can be identified through a defined procedure “only if there is a need to fix a safety problem.”

The announcement comes as NHTSA finishes its analysis of data gathered during its year-long pilot program of V2V technology in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

In that program, US officials and the University of Michigan outfitted nearly 3,000 cars, trucks and buses with wireless devices that tracked other vehicles’ speed and location, and alerted drivers to congestion. Those findings, as well as a preliminary estimate of the costs of this technology, will be published in coming weeks.

An industry trade group aligned with auto manufacturers said it is willing to explore the idea but that a lot of questions remain. “Many pieces of a large puzzle still need to fit together,” said Gloria Bergquist, head of communications for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.

“What remains to be addressed is security and privacy, along with consumer acceptance, affordability, achieving the critical mass to enable the ‘network effect’ and establishment of the necessary legal and regulatory framework,” she said. “Automakers have invested significantly in safety technology and systems, and we will review today’s announcement and engage with NHTSA in next steps.” — Reuters

important aspect is its continuity and fluidity of the experience. Microsoft ensures this fluidity with their Windows tablets, Windows PCs or mobiles,” he said. Nahas who joined Microsoft Kuwait as its General Manager, brings a rich experience, having himself led technology, business development and sales in multinational organizations and startups in North America as well as MEA. “If your devices are not connected, their functionality will be limited. But if you are connected to services, you will get enhanced experiences,” he explained from the services point of view.

Nahas said Microsoft’s Xbox delivers 18 billion hours of entertainment. About 48 million members in 41 countries use Xbox for live real time gaming, he said. Similarly, Skype provides two billion minutes of services per day. “Skype is on your smartphone. You use it to communicate with your family or friends,” he said. “SkyDrive has 250 million users who have put 11 billion photos in the cloud to share their pictures.

Similarly, about one billion people use MS Office today. One sixth of the planet today uses MS Office,” he pointed out, elaborating how computer literacy is growing. “There is a huge penetration of technology today. We are really going after the cloud and developing its services for customers for their personal and working experiences,” he said.

storage and secure it in order to avoid any future threat of hacking,” he said.

“In the new burst of communication tools enabled by the Internet, enterprises also can use tools such as Facebook, Twitter or Skype for their businesses purposes. About 35 percent of enterprises in Kuwait have leveraged mobility for their business applications. Interestingly, the younger generation knows well how to use these devices as effective com-

Moving towards the cloud Nahas informed that many Kuwaiti enterprises are moving towards cloud technology to secure their date. “Kuwait has begun to see such instances happening. Today, about 14 percent of organizations in Kuwait use cloud technology,” he said, citing the example Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC) that has deployed cloud technology. “KUFPEC faced a major security threat when hackers targeted some oil companies and hacked into their systems. We helped KUFPEC very quickly to turn around.

They used cloud technology to put their backup and data

Charles Nahas munication tools,” he said. He also spoke about recently acquired Yammer, an enterprise social network that brings together people, conversations, content and business data in a single location. “Over 20,000 organizations around the world are using Yammer today to connect with co-workers, collaborate with team members and make an impact in their workplaces,” he explained. “We want to focus more on the youth and students to ignite technology in Kuwait not only to leverage their study but also to help them think about

their future, generating new innovative ideas of entrepreneurship.

Social networking Elaborating on Microsoft’s initiative to empower the society especially in the field of education, Nahas said it is helping the Kuwait government modernise using technology and e-governance to provide better services to their citizens.

Microsoft Kuwait has trained 6,000 teachers of the Ministry of Education on the usage of technology in education. Under a new initiative called ‘Digigrowz’, it also has trained 12,000 students. Nahas said Microsoft is completing the process of its acquisition of Nokia. To another question, he said the board is actively looking for a successor to Steve Ballmer.

Interestingly, as Nahas spoke, Microsoft Corp named Satya Nadella as its next chief executive officer yesterday.

“Ballmer has led the transformation of the company who has put the company into the devices and services. We are continuing to deliver to our customers in tune with the continuously evolving market trends and challenges,” he added.

Microsoft also presented updates to its cloud portfolio, including Office 365, Azure and Windows Intune. There were demonstrations from its latest Line-of-Business (LOB) and consumer applications designed specifically to meet the requirements of users in Kuwait looking to utilize the creativity, flexibility and mobility of the Microsoft interface.

The demonstration of the Windows 8.1 update was one of the main attractions during the ‘Open Door’, which highlighted the new features on a range of the latest Windows devices allowing users to rediscover cloud connectivity through the One Drive and the updated Windows Store. Promoting the true spirit of personalization, Windows 8.1 advances the vision set forward with Windows 8 and delivers the experiences that people look for in the latest PCs, tablets and other devices to run their favorite modern apps and experience exclusive cloud-connected services.

Lenovo shares plunge 13.82% in HK trade HONG KONG: Shares in Chinese technology giant Lenovo slumped 13.82 percent in early Hong Kong trade yesterday, after it agreed to buy struggling handset maker Motorola from Google for $2.91 billion.

The firm dived to HK$8.67, extending a more than eight percent slump on Thursday before the market closed for the Lunar New year holiday. Wednesday’s deal-which came a week after Lenovo bought IBM’s low-end server business for $2.3 billion-has spooked investors worried about Motorola’s profitability. The benchmark Hang Seng Index fell 2.34 percent in opening trade, following huge losses on Wall Street that were fuelled by weak US economic data.

“People don’t think it will be worth it to pay such a large amount money to acquire Motorola,” Core Pacific Yamaichi research analyst Felix Kwok told AFP. Investors do not think the Motorola brand is strong enough to help boost Lenovo, Kwok said, adding that the handset maker has been on a downward trend for the past two years.

Even under Google, Motorola failed to gain traction in a rapidly evolving smartphone market now dominated by South Korea’s Samsung and US-based Apple.

The US Internet giant’s decision to sell Motorola will leave it will a huge loss after buying the smartphone maker

for $12.5 billion in 2011. Last week’s deal provides Lenovo footholds in smartphone and tablet markets where it is eager to gain traction while acting as a peace offering to Samsung and other partners that make devices powered

by Google-backed Android software.

The deal came just a week after Lenovo said it will buy IBM’s low-end server business for $2.3 billion, giving it a platform to compete in that sector with US giants Dell and Hewlett-Packard.

Lenovo hit global headlines in 2005 after buying IBM’s PC business. It became the world’s biggest PC maker in 2013. — AFP

Best is yet to come, says Zuckerberg SAN FRANCISCO: The 10 years since the founding of Facebook have been an “amazing journey,” but the best is still to come, Mark Zuckerberg says. Zuckerberg, the founder and chief executive of the world’s biggest social network, reflected on the anniversary in a posting yesterday on his own Facebook profile. “ Today is Facebook’s 10th anniversary. It’s been an amazing journey so far, and I’m so grateful to be a part of it,” the 29year-old Zuckerberg wrote.

“It’s rare to be able to touch so many people’s lives, and I try to remind myself to make the most of every day and have the biggest impact I can.”

Zuckerberg said Facebook succeeded because “we just cared more about connecting the world than anyone else. And we still do today. That’s why I’m even more excited about the next 10 years than the last.” He said the first decade was “about bootstrapping this network. Now we have the resources to help people across the world solve even bigger and more important problems.” Zuckerberg said he is often asked if he knew Facebook would become what it is today and he responds, “No way.” “I remember getting pizza with my friends one night in college shortly after opening Facebook. I told them I was excited to help connect our school community, but one day someone needed to connect the whole world,” he wrote.

“I always thought this was important-giving people the power to share and stay connected, empowering people to build their own communities themselves.

When I reflect on the last 10 years, one question I ask myself is: why were we the ones to build this? We were just students. We had way fewer resources than big companies. If they had focused on this problem, they could have done it.”

Zuckerberg made similar comments in an interview yesterday with NBC television.

“It’s so rare to have the opportunity to touch a billion people’s lives... And I really think that the best is yet to come.” On his Facebook page, Zuckerberg said he sees a different role for Facebook in the future. “Today, social networks are mostly about sharing moments. In the next decade, they’ll also help you answer questions and solve complex problems,” he wrote.

The network, which has some 1.23 million users worldwide and has grown into one of the biggest tech-

nology firms, was planning a low-key celebration.

“Just as we do every year, we will have an internal party on Friday afternoon,” Facebook spokeswoman Arielle Aryah told AFP in response to a query regarding the company’s birthday celebration plans.

Facebook broke ground late last year on an expansion to its campus in former Sun Microsystems digs in the Silicon Valley city of Menlo Park. The new West Campus was designed by respected architect Frank Gehry. A Pew Research Center survey released Monday suggests no slowing momentum for the network, even though more than half of US Facebook users said they are turned off by oversharing and didn’t like the fact that they showed up in pictures without giving permission. According to the research firm eMarketer, Facebook has become the second-largest recipient of

digital advertising spending behind Google, and is particularly strong in mobile ads.

Ben Harper at the research firm Socialbakers said Facebook has gotten where it is because of its constant innovation.

“It’s easy to forget that features such as timeline, graph search and business pages haven’t always been there for us to use,” Harper wrote in a blog post.

“For businesses, Facebook has become a platform for reaching and engaging with current and potential new customers,” he said.

“Facebook advertising has powerful targeting options... For users, Facebook has changed the way we interact with friends, family and our favorite brands.

We’re sure Facebook has many more innovations and surprises coming in the near future.” — AFP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

FDA launching anti-smoking campaign aimed at youth Serious health risks

DEXTER: An Oregon State Fish biologist pulls a hand full of Oregon Chub from the waters of a pond near Dexter, Oregon as part of a research project in this April 2008 file photo. — AP

Tiny minnow taken off endangered list GRANTS PASS: A tiny minnow that lives only in Oregon backwaters is the first fish ever taken off US Endangered Species Act protection because it is no longer threatened with extinction.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service was to announce Tuesday that the Oregon chub was recovered, 21 years after it went on the endangered species list. The agency will monitor the fish for nine years to make sure populations continue to grow.

“We’re not saying it won’t need management,” said Paul Henson, Oregon director of Fish and Wildlife. “But they can leave the hospital and get out to be an outpatient.”

Henson was to make the announcement at 10 a.m. Tuesday at a 92-acre property along the McKenzie River outside Springfield owned by the McKenzie River Trust that combines a working farm with habitat protection and restoration.

The fish had practically disappeared from Oregon’s Willamette Valley as the swampy backwaters and beaver ponds it depends on were drained to control flooding and create farms and cities over the past century and a half. Those that survived the habitat loss became easy prey for bass introduced from the East.

Unlike Pacific salmon, the Oregon chub was relatively easy to save because it inhabits small places and does not get in the way of huge economic forces, such as logging, hydroelectric power and farming, said Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist Brian Bangs, who since 2005 has supervised recovery efforts.

River still alive Joe Moll, executive director of the McKenzie River Trust, said the chub’s obscurity made it easier to find solutions because there were none of the high stakes and big egos involved in charismatic species like wolves, grizzly bears and salmon.

“We are better able to look at something that you can put in the hand of a little kid, and just reflects joy with the natural world,” he said. “The recovery of the Oregon chub is a sign the river is still alive. It still has the

processes that things like chub and chinook salmon juveniles evolved with.”

The Oregon chub is a small minnow, typically about 3 inches long, with an olivegreen back, silvery sides and large scales.

They were not described scientifically until the early 1900s, when a researcher found some outside Portland in the Clackamas River drainage, Bangs said. It was the 1970s before anyone really started paying attention.

Recovery plan Before European settlement, the Willamette Valley was a complex system of braided river channels, oxbows and beaver ponds, where perhaps as many as 1 million Oregon chub lived, Bangs said. By 1992, there were only 1,000 fish known in eight locations. Today, there are 180,000 fish at 80 locations.

The recovery plan focused on establishing partnerships with landowners to restore key habitats, breeding and transplanting fish to those places, and getting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to alter dam releases to more closely resemble natural river flows. Private landowners who agreed to have chubs introduced on their property and to follow some guidelines were given safe harbor agreements guaranteeing the presence of the endangered fish would not interfere with their use of the land.

“We managed to figure out a way to provide for the habitat of the chub in some subset of its range in the Willamette Valley in a way that was economically compatible with landowners, agriculture and other commodity-type development,” said Henson, the Fish and Wildlife director.

“Twenty years might seem like a long time (to get it off the endangered list). On the other hand, if you think of the 150 years of habitat modification that went on before, it is pretty darn quick.”

Along with chub, a variety of protected species moved into those restored habitats, including salmon, Western pond turtles and red-legged frogs, Bangs said. —- AP

CORVALLIS: This photo provided by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife shows an Oregon chub at the William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge near Corvallis, Oregon. — AP

Pill camera to screen colon gets approval WASHINGTON: A kinder, gentler approach to one of the most dreaded exams in medicine is on the way: US regulators have cleared a bite-size camera to help screen patients who have trouble with colonoscopies.

The ingestible pill camera from Given Imaging is designed to help doctors spot polyps and other early signs of colon cancer. The Food and Drug Administration cleared the device for patients who have had trouble with the cringe-inducing colonoscopy procedure, which involves probing the large intestine with a tiny camera embedded in a four-foot long, flexible tube. The technology, developed from missile defense systems, uses a battery powered camera to take high-speed photos as it slowly winds its way through the intestinal tract over eight hours. The images are transmitted to a recording device worn around the patient’s waist and later reviewed by a doctor.

While Given’s wireless, image-beaming system may sound like science fiction, it’s actually more than a decade old. In 2001, the company received FDA approval for a similar device used to get a close-up view of

the small intestine. At that time, analysts expected Given’s approach to grow into a direct competitor to traditional colonoscopy. But company studies found that images taken by the mini-camera were not quite as clear as those from the in-office procedure. As a result, the company has pursued a more limited market for its device: patients who have trouble undergoing standard colonoscopies.

Incomplete colonoscopy The FDA on Monday cleared the company’s PillCam Colon for patients who have experienced an incomplete colonoscopy.

Given estimates 750,000 US patients are not able to complete the procedure each year, due to anatomy issues, previous surgery or various colon diseases.

Even with this limited indication, analysts estimate the new pillcam could grow to sales of over $60 million in North America by 2019, with room for expansion as the technology improves. MorningStar analyst Debbie Wang said the company has shrewdly positioned the device as another tool in the gastrointestinal specialist’s kit, rather than a direct competitor. —AP

WASHINGTON: The Food and Drug Administration is using ads that depict yellow teeth and wrinkled skin to show the nation’s atrisk youth the costs associated with cigarette smoking. The federal agency said yesterday it is launching a $115 million multimedia education campaign called “The Real Cost” that’s aimed at stopping teenagers from smoking and encouraging them to quit.

Advertisements will run in more than 200 markets throughout the US for at least one year beginning Feb 11. The campaign will include ads on TV stations such as MTV and print spots in magazines like Teen Vogue. It also will use social media.

“Our kids are the replacement customers for the addicted adult smokers who die or quit each day,” said Mitch Zeller, the director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. “And that’s why we think it’s so important to reach out to them - not to lecture them, not to throw statistics at them but to reach them in a way that will get them to rethink their relationship with tobacco use.”

Zeller, who oversaw the anti-tobacco “Truth” campaign while working at the nonprofit American Legacy Foundation time in the early 2000s, called the new campaign a “compelling, provocative and somewhat graphic way” of grabbing the attention of more than 10 million young people ages 12 to 17 that are open to, or are already experimenting with, cigarettes.

According to the FDA, nearly 90 percent of adult smokers started using cigarettes by age 18 and more than 700 kids under 18 become daily smokers each day. The agency aims to reduce the number of youth cigarette smokers by at least 300,000 within three years.

Control over lives “While most teens understand the serious health risks associated with tobacco use, they often don’t believe the long-term consequences will ever apply to them,” said FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg. “We’ll highlight some of the real costs and health consequences associated with tobacco use by focusing on some of the things that really matter to teens - their outward appearance and having control and independence over their lives.”

Two of the TV ads show teens walking into a corner store to buy cigarettes. When the cashier tells them it’s going to cost them more than they have, the teens proceed to tear off a piece of their skin and use pliers to pull out a tooth in order to pay for their cigarettes. Other ads portray cigarettes as a man dressed in a dirty white shirt and khaki pants bullying teens and another shows teeth being destroyed by a ray gun shooting cigarettes.

WASHINGTON: The federal agency’s new ad campaign featuring yellow teeth to show the costs associated with cigarette smoking. The federal agency said it is launching a $115 million multimedia education campaign called “The Real Cost” that’s aimed at stopping teenagers from smoking. — AP The FDA is evaluating the impact of the campaign by following 8,000 people between the ages of 11 and 16 for two years to assess changes in tobacco-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors.

The campaign announced yesterday is the first in a series of campaigns to educate the public about the dangers of tobacco use.

In 2011, the FDA said it planned to spend about $600 million over five years on the campaigns aimed at reducing death and disease caused by tobacco, which is responsible for

about 480,000 deaths a year in the US. Tobacco companies are footing the bill for the campaigns through fees charged by the FDA under a 2009 law that gave the agency authority over the tobacco industry.

Future campaigns will target young adults ages 18-24 and people who influence teens, including parents, family members and peers.

Other audiences of special interest include minorities, gays, people with disabilities, the military, pregnant women, people living in rural areas, and low-income people. — AP

More support for preschool programs JEFFERSON CITY: Republican governors and lawmakers who now control a majority of state capitols have been pushing aggressively to cut spending and shrink government - with one glaring exception.

Many are pumping new money into preschool programs at a rate equaling or even exceeding the Democratic-dominated capitols stereotypically cast as big spenders.

The push reflects a conclusion among conservatives that one part of the social safety net deserves more government help, not less. If it continues, the move could be a step toward creation of a new educational entitlement at a time when both parties are concerned about the costs of the current programs, such as Medicare and Social Security.

For the GOP, the spending could have political consequences. Research indicates that preschool help appeals to blue-collar voters who are important to broadening the party’s base of support. State funding to help families afford preschool plunged a couple of years ago because of the lingering effects of the recession. But it has surged back and is now $400 million higher than before the economic downturn, according to a recent report by the Education Commission for the States.

In the 2013-2014 school year, funding rose in 30 of the 40 states that provide preschool aid.

The three largest increases occurred in Republican dominated states - a $65 million spending hike in Michigan, nearly $48 million in Texas and about $27 million in South Carolina.

Republicans are putting their own twist on the preschool programs. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence has framed it as a “voucher” for lower-income parents to send their children to the public, private or parochial preschool of their choice.

Mississippi has launched its first state-funded preschool program through competitive grants.

And Missouri’s Republican-led Legislature, which cut preschool grants while reforming eligibility a couple of years ago, now will be considering whether to triple funding.

Some state preschool programs are reaching into the middle-class. Michigan, for example, provides free preschool to a family of four earning up to about $59,000.

Disadvantaged children Preschool is popular “with a bunch of different economic groups” in urban, suburban and rural areas alike, said Michael Griffith, a school finance consultant for the education commission. “So I think that’s the reason why we’ve seen Republican governors and legislatures embrace it as much as we’ve seen the Democratic ones embrace it.” Fewer than half of the nation’s 3- and 4-year-olds attend publicly funded preschool programs, according to one report.

The case for preschool is increasingly being made on economic terms. James Heckman, a Nobel Memorial Prize winner in economics at the University of Chicago, has calculated that the money spent on quality preschool programs for disadvantaged children generates an annual 7 percent to 10 percent return by boosting their eventual wages and reducing their likelihood of winding up in prison or costly social welfare programs. At the same time, Republicans, who con-

DETROIT: In this June 20, 2011 file photo, Gov. Rick Snyder speaks during a news conference in Detroit. Snyder, who faces re-election his year, has asked legislators to pour an additional $65 million into preschool programs for the 2014-2015 budget. — AP trol the legislatures in more than two dozen states, continue to rein in other social programs.

Most are refusing to expand Medicaid, the government health insurance program, as part of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, who faces re-election his year, has asked legislators to pour an additional $65 million into preschool programs for the 2014-2015 budget. That comes despite significant cuts to public universities during his tenure and is aimed at reducing a backlog of low-income families seeking state preschool aid.

“We’re going to make it a no-wait state for early childhood education,” Snyder said in his recent State of the State address.

South Carolina’s surge in preschool funding extended state-paid, full-day classes for 4-yearolds to more than a dozen additional impoverished school districts. The money is expected to boost the number of children enrolled by greater than 50 percent.

‘Voucher’ initiative In reliably Republican Indiana, which currently has no state preschool program, Pence recently rolled out a preschool “voucher” initiative even while announcing cuts to higher education.

Mississippi is funding preschool for the first time by setting aside $3 million for competitive grants this year. Legislative leaders hope to double funding to $6 million in the next budget. —AP

Oil sands pollution much higher than thought WASHINGTON: The amount of harmful pollutants released in the process of recovering oil from tar sands in western Canada is likely far higher than corporate interests say, university researchers said Monday.

Actual levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emissions into the air may be two to three times higher than estimated, said the findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a peer-reviewed US journal.

The study raises new questions about the accuracy of environmental impact assessments on the tar sands, just days after a US State Department report said the controversial Keystone pipeline project to bring oil from Canada to Texas would have little impact on climate change or the environment.

Current, government-accepted estimates do not account for the evaporation of PAHs from wastewater pools known as tailings ponds, which are believed to be a major source of pollution, said researchers at the

University of Toronto.

According to corporate interests which are responsible for projecting their environmental impact, the Athabasca oil sands beneath Alberta, Canada-which hold the third largest reserve of crude oil known in the world-are only spewing as much pollution into the air as sparsely populated Greenland, where no big industry exists.

Lead study author Frank Wania, a professor in the department of physical and environmental sciences, described the corporate estimates as “inadequate and incomplete.”

“If you use these officially reported emissions for the oil sands area you get an emissions density that is lower than just about anywhere else in the world,” he said.

“Only with a complete and accurate account of the emissions is it actually possible to make a meaningful assessment of the environmental impact and of the risk to human health,” he added. —AFP

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

Study links sugar, heart disease deaths CHICAGO: Could too much sugar be deadly? The biggest US study of its kind suggests the answer is yes, at least when it comes to fatal heart problems. It doesn’t take all that much extra sugar, hidden in many processed foods, to substantially raise the risk, the researchers found, and most Americans eat more than the safest amount.

Being in the highest risk category in the study means your chance of dying prematurely from heart problems is nearly three times greater than for people who eat only foods with little added sugar.

For someone who normally eats 2,000 calories daily, even consuming two 12-ounce (340-gram) cans of soda substantially increases the risk. For most American adults, sodas and other sugary drinks are the main source of added sugar.

Lead author Quanhe Yang of the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention called the results sobering and said it’s the first nationally representative study to examine the issue.

Blood pressure Scientists aren’t certain exactly how sugar may contribute to deadly heart problems, but it has been shown to increase blood pressure and levels of unhealthy cholesterol and triglycerides; and also may increase signs of inflammation linked with heart disease, said Rachel Johnson, head of the American Heart Association’s nutrition committee and a University of Vermont nutrition professor.

Yang and colleagues analyzed national health surveys between 1988 and 2010 that included questions about people’s diets. The authors used national

death data to calculate risks of dying during 15 years of follow-up. Overall, more than 30,000 American adults aged 44 on average were involved.

Previous studies have linked diets high in sugar

with increased risks for non-fatal heart problems, and with obesity, which can also lead to heart trouble. But in the new study, obesity didn’t explain the link between sugary diets and death. That link was

SEATTLE: A vendor sells cotton candy at Safeco field during a baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Seattle Mariners, in Seattle. A new study published Monday says diets high in sugar are linked with increased risks for fatal heart disease. — AP

found even in normal-weight people who ate lots of added sugar.

“Too much sugar does not just make us fat; it can also make us sick,” said Laura Schmidt, a health policy specialist at the University of California, San Francisco. She wrote an editorial accompanying the study in Monday’s JAMA Internal Medicine.

The researchers focused on sugar added to processed foods or drinks, or sprinkled in coffee or cereal. Even foods that don’t taste sweet have added sugar, including many brands of packaged bread, tomato sauce and salad dressing. Naturally occurring sugar, in fruit and some other foods, wasn’t counted. Most health experts agree that too much sugar isn’t healthy, but there is no universal consensus on how much is too much.

‘Empty’ calories US government dietary guidelines issued in 2010 say “empty” calories including those from added sugars should account for no more than 15 percent of total daily calories.

The average number of daily calories from added sugar among U.S. adults was about 15 percent toward the end of the study, slightly lower than in previous years.

The authors divided participants into five categories based on sugar intake, from less than 10 percent of daily calories - the safest amount - to more than 25 percent.

Most adults exceed the safest level; and for 1 in 10 adults, added sugar accounts for at least 25 percent of daily calories, the researchers said. —AP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

W H AT ’ S O N Announcements

Australian Flavored Week at The Regency

YMCA to conduct Quiz competition MCA Kuwait is conducting the 2nd Inter Church Bible Quiz on 12th February 2014 at Light House, NECK from 6:30pm. The bible section from which the quiz is going to be covered includes all chapters from the book of Acts, Numbers, Joshua, Luke and Revelation. The first three winners will be presented with ever rolling trophies and certificates. For more details contact: 66862675, 97542985

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IPC courses ake your opportunity to learn and improve your Arabic skills. The Women Section of Islam Presentation Committee will be conducting Arabic language course for non-Arab ladies commencing from March 2, 2014. Offers in basic and advanced level and classes are available on Fridays and Saturdays.

Islamic subjects and Quran classes are also presented in different language. Classes are offered only once a week. Register now! For more information: Rawdah22512257; Salmiya-25733263; Khaitan-24730137; Mangaf-23720931; Jahra-24567714.

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Art & Feast Festival 2014 ozhikode District Association Mahilavedi is organizing Art & Feast Festival 2014, a full day program for ladies and children on February 21, 2014 at Indian Community School, Khaitan from 9:30 am onwards. A variety of art and cookery competitions with very attractive prices for women and children of all ages aim to promote their talents.

The festival will be inaugurated by Gargy Jain, wife of Ambassador of India to Kuwait. The presence of eminent personalities who are involved in the social, cultural and educational fields of Kuwait and the presence of Master Chef Jumanah Kadri who is reputed all over GCC as well as India for her unique and mouthwatering traditional and multinational cuisines, as a judge for the cooking competitions adds attraction to the event.

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n conjunction with the Australian Embassy and Meat & Livestock Australia, The Regency Hotel launched The Australian Food Week with Fatafeat TV celebrity and Meat & Livestock Australia MENA’s corporate Executive Chef, Tarek Ibrahim. For the Australian Flavored Food Week, Chef Tarek was joined with The Regency’s Executive Sous Chef Christophe Buffille and his culinary team to showcase the flair, flavors and style of Australian cuisine.

“We are delighted to, once again, be introducing exciting new developments to our extensive culinary offering at Silk Road Restaurant, through the weekly themed evenings, has broken new ground in Kuwait and, through our friends at the Australian Embassy, we are delighted to be able to present yet another five star variation currently not available anywhere else in Kuwait” said General Manager, Aurelio Giraudo.

Around The Regency’s pools and gardens and overlooking The Arabian Gulf, Australia Week started off on Thursday January 30th with a BBQ. Guests and selected members of the press enjoyed an exclusive menu, with a delicious assortment of appetizers, roast leg of lamb, roasted beef, lamb cutlets, meat pies, crispy beef and fruity desserts. Australia Week runs from January 30th to February 6th.

‘Media and its Challenges’

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edia persons have to prove their excellence by bringing in innovative thoughts and ideas into journalism to become successful, said a wellknown Indian journalist and Malayala Manorma Editorial Director, Thomas Jacob said. Delivering a keynote speech on ‘Media and its Challenges’ at a media conference organized by Malayali Media Forum (MMF), Kuwait as part of its anniversary celebrations on Thursday, Jacob said, “the contemporary media world is quite challenging - putting pressure on journalists to adapt to the emerging trends. At the same time, fast-paced changes in technology are empowering them. With the help of technology, they must strive to excel in their profession.”

Jacob, walking back memory lane, recalled some of the interesting, yet epoch-making events in Malayalam media industry over the last 50 years during his speech. Earlier, Indian Embassy Consular and Chief Welfare Officer B R Upadhyaya, inaugurated the media conference at the Indian Community School auditorium, Khaitan. MMF General Convener Anil P Alex presided over the meeting.

Convener Regi Bhaskar welcomed the gathering while Convener Gafoor Moodadi proposed vote of thanks.

Reshmi Krishnakumar anchored the event. A large number of invited guests from Indian community attended the conference.

NAFO’s career guidance program ‘Jyotirgama - 2014’ a huge success

Souhridavedhi Kuwait organizes farewell party for Panachayil

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ouhridavedhi Kuwait organizes a farewell party for George Panachayil, president of Souhridavedhi and his wife Meera George who is leaving Kuwait for good. George (from Thiruvalla) spent 30 years in Kuwait. He worked in Mubarak Hospital. The meeting was held in Salmiya and was presided by Samkutty George. A memento was presented for his valuable service to Souhridavedhi Kuwait.

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

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yotirgama - 2014, the comprehensive career and higher education guidance program, as planned and organized by NAFO Kuwait, was a huge success. This program supported by Salmiya Indian Model School (SIMS), was opened for students of 9-12 standards of all schools in Kuwait. It had three sessions. The first and second sessions were held on 31st January, 2014, and the third session was held on 1st February, at SIMS. This two day program was inaugurated by Dr PrasanthVasudev, Principal of SIMS. Through his welcome address, NAFO President Dr TS Srikumar sketched out the objectives of the mission dedicated to the younger generation of India.

The second session was opened by NAFO Patron, Vijay Karayil. The program was steered by renowned career and higher education guide, Prof Dr P A Venkitaraman. A total of 550 attendees,

including students studying in eighteen Indian Schools in Kuwait, and their parents benefitted from the program. The huge responses, creative interactions and the intense questions and answer sessions made the program beneficial and remarkable.

More than 500 questions, regarding career and higher education, were raised by students and parents either during the sessions or through NAFO portal - and these questions were classically responded to by Dr Venkitraman through his unique technique of mixing humor and real facts, which the students and parents productively enjoyed. All sessions started with very informative power point presentations

by Dr Venkitaraman.

The presentation covered wide range of areas, such as availability and variety of higher educational courses across a span of subjects in various universities and colleges

in India; opportunities about rider courses; the deadline for applying to various courses; detailed information regarding admission procedures and tuition fees on fresh courses; calendars of entrance examinations to professional courses etc.

Separate exclusive counseling sessions for limited number of students and parents were provided personally by Dr Venkitaraman. Both students and their parents were enthralled and abundantly benefitted by Dr Venkitaraman’s high-class guidance and counseling methods. Several parents highly commented about NAFO’s dedication and commitment for conducting and supporting Indian students with such kinds of valuable educational service oriented programs.

During the wind-up session, Dr Venkitaraman told the Indian students in Kuwait that they are highly talented and should continue to focus on achieving their

dream career through constant hard work, commitment and dedication. He thanked NAFO Kuwait for providing him the opportunity to visit Kuwait. NAFO Vice President, Gopakumar and Treasurer, Pradeep Kumar thanked children and their parents for their positive response, for attending both the sessions and for their creative interactions with Dr Venkitaraman.

Tasty breakfast and lunch during the entire two day program were available at ‘Kitchen Korner’ food stalls on the venue an innovative initiative of NAFO Ladies Wing. This whole mega guidance program was professionally coordinated by a dedicated team comprising NAFO office bearers, Executive Committee members, General committee members led by Vijaykrishnan, Event Convener.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

W H AT ’ S O N

Embassy Information EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Embassy of Australia has announced that Kuwait citizens can apply for and receive visit visas in 10 working days through www.immi.gov.au. All other processing of visas and Immigration matters are handled by the Australian Visa Application Centre located in Al Banwan Building, 4B, 1st Floor, Al Qibla Area, Ali Al Salem Street, Kuwait City. Visit. www.vfs-au-gcc.com for more info. The Embassy of Australia does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visas and immigration matters is conducted by the Australian Consulate-General in Dubai. Email: Info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VIS), immigration.dubai@ dfat.gov.au (Visa Office), Tel: +971 4 205 5900 (VFS), Fax: + 971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). Notary and passport services are available by appointment. Appointments can be made by calling the Embassy on 22322422.

Red Bull athlete Duncan Zuur performs a spectacular show

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ed Bull wakeboarding athlete Duncan Zuur put on a jaw dropping show as he flew off kickers only few meters from spectators.

Zuur (from Netherlands) amused the Kuwaiti audience that gathered along the Marina beach with signature tricks along with backflips and 360 jumps.

Duncan, a multiple Dutch wakeboarding champion, is considered to be one of the top international wakeboarders and one of the most successful to come from Europe. He conducted a workshop for the local scene along with a final show yesterday.

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EMBASSY OF INDIA n accordance with the existing guidelines of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA), a nominal fee of KD 0.500 would be charged separately w.e.f. 27 January 2014 on each item of Attestation Service (except death registration) towards Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF).

All attestation seekers are also advised to prepare & submit each item separately at the counters alongwith the respective usual documents i.e. copy of passport pages containing particulars and a copy of Civil ID to facilitate timely services.

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------------------------------------------------------Holiday Notice he Embassy of India will remain closed on the following dates during the month of February 2014. National Day Of Kuwait - February 25, 2014 - Tuesday and Liberation Day Of Kuwait - February 26, 2014 Wednesday.

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EMBASSY OF SOUTH AFRICA

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Eriko Tsujihara, the wife of Japan’s Ambassador to Kuwait hosted her 4th sushi class at the ambassador’s residence recently. Visitors experienced the making of sushi rolls and enjoyed eating what they made after the class. Tsujihara said she plans to host similar classes in the future. — Photos by Joseph Shagra

outh 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, and the Embassy will be open on 7 February 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: • Be a SA Citizen and be 16 years of age and older; • Submit a valid green bar-coded Identity Document, a valid Temporary Identity Certificate (valid for 2 months) or a Smart Card; • Submit a valid SA Passport; and • 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, Ms 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, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

TV PROGRAMS

00:30 The Weakest Link 01:15 Live At The Apollo 02:00 Alan Carr: Chatty Man 02:45 Him & Her 03:15 Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle 03:50 Moone Boy 04:15 The Weakest Link 05:00 Me Too! 05:20 Nina And The Neurons: In The Lab 05:35 Bobinogs 05:45 Jackanory Junior 06:00 Garth And Bev 06:10 Poetry Pie 06:15 Me Too! 06:35 Nina And The Neurons: In The Lab 06:50 Bobinogs 07:00 Jackanory Junior 07:15 Garth And Bev 07:25 Poetry Pie 07:30 Little Prairie Dogs 07:40 Tough Guy Or Chicken?

08:30 A Farmer’s Life For Me 09:20 The Weakest Link 10:05 My Family 10:35 As Time Goes By 11:05 One Foot In The Grave 11:35 The Weakest Link 12:20 Tough Guy Or Chicken?

13:10 A Farmer’s Life For Me 14:00 Doctors 14:30 Doctors 15:00 Doctors 15:30 Doctors 16:00 Doctors 16:30 The Weakest Link 17:15 Monty Halls’ Island Escapes 18:05 Tess Of The D’urbervilles 19:00 Last Of The Summer Wine 19:30 My Family 20:00 Stella 20:45 New Tricks 21:35 Friday Night Dinner 22:00 Live At The Apollo 22:45 Him & Her 23:15 The Weakest Link

00:10 Cash In The Attic 00:55 Phil Spencer - Secret Agent 01:45 Phil Spencer - Secret Agent 02:35 Fat & Fatter 03:25 Bargain Hunt 04:10 Bargain Hunt 04:55 Fantasy Homes Down Under 05:40 Fantasy Homes Down Under 06:25 Fantasy Homes Down Under 07:10 Fantasy Homes Down Under 08:00 Cash In The Attic 08:45 Fantasy Homes Down Under 09:30 Design Rules 09:55 Design Rules 10:20 Rhodes Across The Caribbean 11:05 Rhodes Across The Caribbean 11:50 The Hairy Bikers Ride Again 12:20 Rachel Khoo’s Kitchen Notebook: London 12:45 MasterChef 13:40 MasterChef 14:35 Fat & Fatter 15:30 Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds 16:15 Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds 17:00 Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds 17:45 Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds 18:30 Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds 19:15 Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds 20:00 The Hairy Bikers: Mums Know Best 20:55 Come Dine With Me: Supersized 22:30 Antiques Roadshow 23:20 Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds

00:30 Gangland 01:30 Psychic Kids 02:30 Psychic Kids

03:30 04:30 05:30 06:30 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 22:30 23:30

09:15 How Tech Works 09:40 The Gadget Show 10:05 The Tech Show 10:30 Scrapheap Challenge 11:25 Scrapheap Challenge 12:20 Scrapheap Challenge 13:10 Scrapheap Challenge 14:00 Scrapheap Challenge 14:50 Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger 15:20 The Gadget Show 15:45 The Tech Show 16:10 Strangest Weather On Earth 16:35 Strangest Weather On Earth 17:00 Europe’s Secret Earthquakes 17:55 Ways To Save The Planet 18:45 How The Earth Works 19:35 Unchained Reaction 20:30 How Tech Works 20:55 How Tech Works 21:20 How The Earth Works 22:10 The Gadget Show 22:35 The Tech Show 23:00 How Tech Works 23:25 How Tech Works 23:50 How The Earth Works

Psychic Kids My Ghost Story The Haunting Of Psychic Kids Curious & Unusual Deaths Curious & Unusual Deaths Curious & Unusual Deaths Curious & Unusual Deaths Curious & Unusual Deaths Curious & Unusual Deaths Curious & Unusual Deaths Snapped: Women Who Kill Snapped: Women Who Kill Snapped: Women Who Kill Snapped: Women Who Kill Snapped: Women Who Kill Snapped: Women Who Kill Snapped: Women Who Kill Snapped: Women Who Kill Deadly Wives I Killed My BFF I Killed My BFF Martina Cole’s Lady Killers Snapped: Women Who Kill Snapped: Women Who Kill Snapped: Women Who Kill Curious & Unusual Deaths Killers Britain’s Darkest Taboos

00:05 Alien Mysteries 00:55 The Unexplained Files 01:45 Weird Or What?

02:35 How It’s Made 03:00 How It’s Made 03:25 How It’s Made 03:50 How It’s Made 04:15 How It’s Made 04:40 How Do They Do It? 05:05 How Do They Do It? 05:30 How Do They Do It? 06:00 How Do They Do It? 06:30 How Do They Do It? 07:00 Fast N’ Loud 07:50 World’s Top 5 08:40 How It‘s Made: Dream Cars 09:05 How It’s Made: Dream Cars 09:30 Gold Rush - South America 10:20 Gold Fever 11:10 Ice Cold Gold 12:00 Destroyed In Seconds 12:25 Destroyed In Seconds 12:50 Destroyed In Seconds 13:15 Destroyed In Seconds 13:40 How It’s Made 14:05 How It’s Made 14:30 How It’s Made 14:55 How It’s Made 15:20 How It’s Made 15:45 Auction Kings 16:10 Auction Kings 16:35 Auction Kings 17:00 Auction Kings 17:25 Auction Kings 17:50 Border Security 18:15 Border Security - Series Specials 18:40 Border Security - Series Specials 19:05 Border Security - Series Specials 19:30 Border Security - Series Specials 19:55 Mythbusters 20:45 What Happened Next?

21:10 What Happened Next?

21:35 Head Games 22:25 Gold Rush - South America 23:15 Gold Fever

00:40 01:30 01:55 02:20 03:10 04:00 04:45 05:30 05:55 06:20 07:10 08:00 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:30 11:20 12:10 13:00 13:50 14:40 Jones 15:30 Jones 16:20 17:10 18:00 18:50 19:40 20:30 21:20 22:10 23:00 23:50 Jones

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00:40 The Colony 01:30 Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger 02:00 Mega World 02:50 Futurecar 03:45 Futurecar 04:35 Futurecar 05:25 Futurecar 06:15 The Gadget Show 06:40 The Tech Show 07:05 How Does That Work?

07:35 How Does That Work?

08:00 How The Earth Works 08:50 How Tech Works

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 PG15 08:00 PG15 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Disappeared Disappeared Disappeared Disappeared On The Case With Paula Zahn On The Case With Paula Zahn On The Case With Paula Zahn On The Case With Paula Zahn Deadly Women True Crime With Aphrodite

The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody Jonas Jonas Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody Jonas Jonas Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Austin And Ally Dog With A Blog A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm That’s So Raven Shake It Up Good Luck Charlie Dog With A Blog Gravity Falls Wolfblood My Babysitter’s A Vampire A.N.T. Farm Ratatouille

My Dog’s Christmas MiracleThe New Guy-PG15 Coneheads-PG Falling Star-PG15 The New Guy-PG15 Delirious-PG15 A Few Best Men-18 Slums Of Beverly Hills-18

DELIRIOUS ON OSN MOVIES COMEDY HD 12:25 12:35 13:00 Fairies 13:25 Fairies 13:50 Fairies 14:15 Fairies 14:40 Fairies 15:10 Fairies 15:35 Fairies 16:00 Fairies 16:25 Fairies 16:50 17:10 17:20 17:45 18:10 18:30 18:55 19:20 19:40 20:05 20:30 20:50 21:15 21:40 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:10 23:35

Prank Stars Dog With A Blog The Adventures Of Disney The Adventures Of Disney The Adventures Of Disney The Adventures Of Disney The Adventures Of Disney The Adventures Of Disney The Adventures Of Disney The Adventures Of Disney The Adventures Of Disney Pixie Hollow Games Toy Story Toons Jessie Dog With A Blog Gravity Falls Wolfblood My Babysitter’s A Vampire Good Luck Charlie Jessie Austin & Ally Good Luck Charlie Dog With A Blog Gravity Falls Shake It Up Austin & 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 20 Acts Of Love Gone Wrong 03:15 THS 04:10 E! Investigates 05:05 Extreme Close-Up 05:30 Extreme Close-Up 06:00 THS 07:50 Style Star 08:20 E! News 09:15 Scouted 10:15 Eric And Jessie: Game On 10:40 Eric And Jessie: Game On 11:10 Married To Jonas 11:35 Married To Jonas 12:05 E! News 13:05 Giuliana & Bill 14:05 Giuliana & Bill 15:00 Giuliana & Bill 16:00 Giuliana & Bill 17:00 Giuliana & Bill 18:00 E! News 19:00 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 20:00 The Drama Queen 21:00 The Drama Queen 22:00 Eric And Jessie: Game On 22:30 Eric And Jessie: Game On 23:00 Party On 23:30 Chelsea Lately

WRATH OF THE TITANS ON OSN MOVIES ACTION

Slums Of Beverly Hills-18 Tough Guys-PG15 Coneheads-PG Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot-

01:00 StreetDance 2-PG15 03:00 The Good Doctor-PG15 05:00 The First Grader-PG15 07:00 Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight-PG15 09:00 StreetDance 2-PG15 11:00 The Good Doctor-PG15 13:00 Love Finds A Home-PG15 15:00 Resistance-PG15 17:00 The Forger-PG15 19:00 Shelter-PG15 21:00 Another Happy Day-18 23:00 Being Flynn-18

True Crime With Aphrodite

6 00:00 00:20 00:45 01:05 01:30 01:50 02:15 02:35 03:00 03:20 03:45 04:05 04:30 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:25 06:45 07:10 07:35 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:05 09:30 09:55 10:15 10:40

00:00 Stone’s War: War Of The Dead18 02:00 Starship Troopers: Invasion-18 04:00 Killer Mountain-PG15 06:00 Meteor Storm-PG15 07:45 Snow White And The Huntsman-PG15 10:00 The Fog-PG15 12:00 Hellboy-PG15 14:00 Snow White And The Huntsman-PG15 16:15 Wrath Of The Titans-PG15 18:00 Hellboy-PG15 20:00 Shank-PG15 22:00 Devil’s Bridge-PG15

Deadly Devotion I Married A Mobster I Married A Mobster Serial Killers Disappeared Killer Kids Deadly Devotion I Married A Mobster I Married A Mobster Serial Killers I Almost Got Away With It Stalked: Someone’s Watching Stalked: Someone’s Watching Stalked: Someone’s Watching Stalked: Someone’s Watching Dr G: Medical Examiner Dr G: Medical Examiner Dr G: Medical Examiner Dr G: Medical Examiner On The Case With Paula Zahn On The Case With Paula Zahn True Crime With Aphrodite

6

6

20:00 Hellboy 22:00 Shank

00:15 Deadliest Journeys 00:45 The Witch Doctor Will See You Now 01:40 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 02:35 The Real Man’s Road Trip 03:30 David Rocco‚Äôs Dolce Vita 03:55 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 04:25 Eat Street 04:50 Bondi Rescue 05:20 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 06:15 Street Food Around The World 06:40 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 07:10 Bondi Rescue 07:35 Bondi Rescue 08:05 When Vacations Attack 09:00 Kimchi Chronicles

09:25 Street Food Around The World 09:55 Street Food Around the World 10:20 Deadliest Journeys 10:50 A World Apart 11:45 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 12:40 Bondi Rescue 13:05 Bondi Rescue 13:35 Extreme Tourist Afghanistan 14:30 Eat Street 14:55 Bondi Rescue 15:25 Banged Up Abroad 16:20 Don’t Tell My Mother 17:15 Banged Up Abroad 18:10 Street Food Around the World 18:35 Deadliest Journeys 19:05 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 20:00 Street Food Around The World 20:30 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 21:00 Bondi Rescue 21:30 Bondi Rescue 22:00 Scam City 22:55 Street Food Around the World 23:20 Eat Street

00:30 Brain Games 01:00 Wild Russia 02:00 Untamed Americas 03:00 Big, Bigger, Biggest 04:00 World’s Toughest Fixes 05:00 World’s Toughest Fixes 06:00 Animal Mega Moves 07:00 The Best Job In The World 07:30 Wild Scotland: The Western Isles 08:30 Brain Games 09:00 Wild Russia 10:00 Untamed Americas 11:00 Alaska Wing Men 12:00 The Two Million Year Old Boy 13:00 That Shouldn’t Fly 14:00 Wild Russia 15:00 Lords of War 15:30 Wild Scotland: The Western Isles 16:30 Nat Geo’s Most Amazing Photos 17:00 Adventure Wanted 18:00 Aftermath 19:00 Salvage Code Red 20:00 Aftermath 21:00 Prehistoric Predators 22:00 Salvage Code Red 23:00 Megacities

00:20 World’s Weirdest Brains And Babies 01:10 Outback Wrangler 02:00 Swamp Men 02:50 World’s Weirdest Extreme Body Parts 03:45 How Big Can It Get 04:40 Brilliant Beasts 05:35 Unlikely Animal Friends 06:30 Animal Intervention 07:25 Caught In The Act 08:20 Fish Tank Kings 09:15 Expedition Wild 10:10 Animal Mega Moves 11:05 Animal Mega Moves 12:00 Shark Men 12:55 The Invaders 13:50 World’s Weirdest: Animal Taboo 14:45 Secrets Of The King Cobra 15:40 Wild Scotland: The Western Isles 16:35 Wild Scotland: The Western Isles 17:30 Secret Brazil 18:25 Animal Mega Moves 19:20 Shark Men 20:10 The Invaders 21:00 World’s Weirdest: Animal Taboo 21:50 Secrets Of The King Cobra

22:40 Wild Scotland: The Western Isles 23:30 Wild Scotland: The Western Isles

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 Saturday Night Live 02:30 Louie 03:00 Arrested Development 03:30 Baby Daddy 04:00 Seinfeld 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Seinfeld 06:00 Raising Hope 06:30 Friends 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Seinfeld 08:30 Seinfeld 09:00 Arrested Development 09:30 That Mitchell And Webb Look 10:00 Two And A Half Men 10:30 Friends 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Raising Hope 12:30 Seinfeld 13:00 Seinfeld 13:30 Friends 14:00 Baby Daddy 14:30 That Mitchell And Webb Look 15:00 Two And A Half Men 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 Last Man Standing 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 Arrested Development 18:30 The Simpsons 19:00 2 Broke Girls 19:30 Two And A Half Men 20:00 Whitney 20:30 Web Therapy 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Saturday Night Live 23:00 Don’t Trust The B In Apartment 23 23:30 Whitney

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 18:00 19:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

C.S.I. New York Helix Banshee House Of Cards The Glades Almost Human C.S.I. New York Burn Notice Made In Jersey Almost Human Helix The Glades Emmerdale Coronation Street Made In Jersey C.S.I. New York Emmerdale Coronation Street Made In Jersey Franklin & Bash Suits Supernatural House Of Cards

00:00 Commando 02:00 Stone’s War: War Of The Dead 04:00 Starship Troopers: Invasion 06:00 Killer Mountain 08:00 Meteor Storm 09:45 Snow White And The Huntsman 12:00 The Fog 14:00 Hellboy 16:00 Snow White And The Huntsman 18:15 Wrath Of The Titans

01:00 03:15 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:15 13:00 PG15 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

7 Days In Havana-18 The Daughter-18 A Kiss Before Dying-PG15 Stealing Bess-PG15 Dreamgirls-PG15 Teenage Paparazzo-PG15 Encounter With DangerThe Perfect Man-PG Teenage Paparazzo-PG15 Nobody Walks-PG15 Being John Malkovich-PG15 Route Irish-PG15

01:00 Drift-PG15 03:00 The Host-PG15 05:15 Tinker Bell And The Secret Of The Wings-FAM 07:00 Bobby Fischer Against The World-PG15 09:00 You Got Served: Beat The World-PG15 11:00 The Wishing Well-PG15 13:00 A Christmas Kiss-PG15 15:00 Wild Card-PG15 17:00 You Got Served: Beat The World-PG15 19:00 The Impossible-PG15 21:00 Pitch Perfect-PG15 23:00 Side Effects-18

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

I Think I Do-PG15 Love’s Kitchen-PG15 A Cat In Paris-PG Surf’s Up-PG Today’s Special-PG15 Nacho Libre-PG Love’s Kitchen-PG15 3 Holiday Tails-PG Today’s Special-PG15 The Expendables 2-PG15 Butter-18 Age Of Heroes-PG15

02:00 03:00 03:30 06:30 07:00 11:30 12:00 16:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:30 23:00

Trans World Sport NFL Game Day Snooker Futbol Mundial PGA Tour PGA European Tour Weekly Live PGA European Tour Live LV Cup Futbol Mundial ICC Cricket 360 Trans World Sport Inside The PGA Tour PGA European Tour Weekly Live PGA Tour Inside The PGA Tour Live PGA Tour

00:30 01:00 01:30 02:00 02:30 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 11:00 11:30 15:00 15:30 18:30 20:30 21:00

Futbol Mundial NFL Game Day ICC Cricket 360 PGA European Tour Weekly PGA European Tour Trans World Sport Futbol Mundial NFL Game Day NHL ICC Cricket 360 Live Cricket Twenty20 Futbol Mundial HSBC Sevens World Series LV Cup NFL Game Day Live NHL

Growing herbs a remedy for Gaza economic woes AL-QARARA: Gaza farmers have begun growing mint, basil and coriander, saying such herbs can serve as a remedy for some of the blockaded Palestinian territory’s economic woes. The economy has struggled since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized control of the coastal strip in 2007, triggering severe restrictions on trade and movement by neighboring Israel and Egypt. More than 70 percent of Gaza’s 1.7 million people receive humanitarian aid, and nearly 33 percent are jobless. Looking for blockade loopholes, five Gaza farmers began growing herbs a year ago, most in greenhouses on land where Jewish settlers used to raise the same crops until Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza in 2005. “The motive ... was to find new products that we can grow here in Gaza and that return a good income and can employ more people,” said farmer Jamal Abu Naja, 47. Output is still small. Over the past year, the Gaza pioneers exported 50 tons, compared to 10,000 tons by their Israeli counterparts and more than 2,000 tons by Palestinian growers in the West Bank.

However, growers in the West Bank and Gaza believe their market share can increase, especially in Europe where several major supermarket chains have stopped buying produce from Jewish settlements in the West Bank’s Jordan Valley, war-won land the Palestinians want for their state. “There are no signs yet of (Palestinian farmers) replacing the Israeli products, but there is a big potential if we expand the sector,” said Mazen Sinokrot, the biggest Palestinian herb grower in the West Bank.

Israel bars virtually all exports from the Gaza Strip, as part of the border blockade, but makes an exception for some fresh produce. Traditionally, Gaza farmers have exported strawberries and carnations, though the cost of growing water-intensive crops and transporting them to Europe has cut deep into their profits. Some argue that cultivating fresh herbs makes more sense economically because they require less water, grow more quickly, cost less to ship and are always in high demand. “This can elevate the Gaza economy,” said Mohammed Abu Ouda, an expert in agricultural development.

Even if herbs offer a new opportunity, Israel’s export policies make it harder for Gaza farmers to make a profit.

Israel only permits the farmers to export abroad, but not to Israel and the West Bank, traditionally Gaza’s main markets.

Gaza’s agricultural exports are trucked through Israel to Jordan and from there flown to far-flung destinations, including Europe, the United States and Russia. Critics say that once goods are allowed out of Gaza after having undergone Israeli security checks, there’s no reason to limit the destinations to which they can be sent.

“Any attempt to develop new industries and markets is wonderful, but the bottom line is that in order to revive the economy people in Gaza need access to external markets, and right now that access is extremely limited,” said Sari Bashi of the Israeli human rights group Gisha. “Europe is not going to be a big money-maker for Gaza in the short or medium term.” Israel has slightly eased its blockade since 2010, but closes its cargo crossing with Gaza - the territory’s only export route - whenever Gaza militants fire rockets toward Israel. At Abu Naja’s farm near the Gaza village of Al-Qarara, gloved workers prepared a shipment of mint and chives to Russia this week. Employees sat around large tables, washing and sorting the herbs. Others weighed them and packed them into cartons. Foreman Suleiman Kahwaje, 60, said he has been growing crops for export for the past 40 years, including on farms run by Gaza settlers and in Israel. —AP

Classifieds WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

Kuwait SHARQIA-1 JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:15 PM 12:45 AM

SHARQIA-2 THE NUT JOB (DIG) THE NUT JOB (DIG) FROZEN (DIG-3D) THE NUT JOB (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG)

12:45 PM 2:30 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

SHARQIA-3 RIDE ALONG (DIG) LABOR DAY (DIG) RIDE ALONG (DIG) LABOR DAY (DIG) LABOR DAY (DIG) RIDE ALONG (DIG)

1:00 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (30/01/2014 TO 05/02/2014) RIDE ALONG (DIG) RIDE ALONG (DIG)

10:45 PM 12:45 AM

FANAR-5 LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG)

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MARINA-1 LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 5:15 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

MARINA-2 LABOR DAY (DIG) HOMEFRONT (DIG) RIDE ALONG (DIG) LABOR DAY (DIG) LABOR DAY (DIG) RIDE ALONG (DIG)

1:00 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

MUHALAB-1 HOMEFRONT (DIG) 2:00 PM LABOR DAY (DIG) 4:30 PM PANDAVULU PANDAVULU THUMMEDA (DIG) (Telugu) 4:00 PM PANDAVULU PANDAVULU THUMMEDA (DIG) (Telugu) 7:00 PM JAI HO (DIG) (HINDI) 7:00 PM LABOR DAY (DIG) 10:00 PM

MARINA-3 FROZEN (DIG-3D) THE NUT JOB (DIG) FROZEN (DIG-3D) THE NUT JOB (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG)

MUHALAB-2 RIDE ALONG (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) RIDE ALONG (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG)

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 5:15 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM

AVENUES-1 FROZEN (DIG) FROZEN (DIG) JAI HO (DIG) (HINDI) JAI HO (DIG) (HINDI) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG)

2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 9:30 PM 12:30 AM

MUHALAB-3 THE NUT JOB (DIG) THE NUT JOB (DIG) LABOR DAY (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG)

1:45 PM 3:45 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM

AVENUES-2 SPARKS (DIG) SPARKS (DIG) SPARKS (DIG) SPARKS (DIG) SPARKS (DIG)

2:30 PM 4:45 PM 7:00 PM 9:15 PM 11:30 PM

AVENUES-3 RIDE ALONG (DIG) RIDE ALONG (DIG) HOMEFRONT (DIG) RIDE ALONG (DIG) RIDE ALONG (DIG) RIDE ALONG (DIG)

2:15 PM 4:30 PM 6:45 PM 9:00 PM 11:15 PM 1:15 AM

FANAR-1 THE NUT JOB (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) THE NUT JOB (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) FANAR-2 LABOR DAY (DIG) FROZEN (DIG) FROZEN (DIG) LABOR DAY (DIG) LABOR DAY (DIG) LABOR DAY (DIG)

1:30 PM 3:15 PM 5:15 PM 7:00 PM 9:00 PM 11:00 PM 1:00 AM 1:15 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

360º 1 THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

FANAR-3 SPARKS (DIG) SPARKS (DIG) SPARKS (DIG) JAI HO (DIG) (HINDI) SPARKS (DIG) SPARKS (DIG)

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 4:45 PM 6:45 PM 9:45 PM 11:45 PM

360º- 2 THE PACKAGE (DIG) THE PACKAGE (DIG) THE PACKAGE (DIG) THE PACKAGE (DIG) THE PACKAGE (DIG) THE PACKAGE (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

FANAR-4 RIDE ALONG (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) RIDE ALONG (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG)

2:15 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM

360º- 3 FROZEN (DIG-3D) FROZEN (DIG) FROZEN (DIG-3D)

HATOULY RAGEL ?CE??? ?C?? (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED AL-KOUT.1 THE NUT JOB (DIG) THE NUT JOB (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 4:45 PM 7:00 PM 8:45 PM 10:45 PM 12:45 AM

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7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

2:00 PM 4:00 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

AL-KOUT.2 THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:45 PM 6:45 PM 9:00 PM 11:00 PM 1:00 AM

AL-KOUT.3 FROZEN (DIG) FROZEN (DIG) RIDE ALONG (DIG) LABOR DAY (DIG) LABOR DAY (DIG) RIDE ALONG (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

AL-KOUT.4 SPARKS (DIG) SPARKS (DIG) HOW I LIVE NOW (DIG) SPARKS (DIG) SPARKS (DIG) SPARKS (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:45 PM 3:45 PM 5:45 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM 11:45 PM

BAIRAQ-1 THE NUT JOB (DIG) FROZEN (DIG-3D) THE NUT JOB (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:45 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

BAIRAQ-2 LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) FROZEN (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) LONE SURVIVOR (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

BAIRAQ-3 LABOR DAY (DIG) RIDE ALONG (DIG) LABOR DAY (DIG) RIDE ALONG (DIG) LABOR DAY (DIG) RIDE ALONG (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

Expats leaving bargain prices king size queen beds, wardrobes bedside tables chest of drawers. TV 42” couch lounge chairs carpet, coffee tables desk, office chair, dining table, chairs, plates, pota pans curtains, washing & tumblodryer machines cooker microwave fridge.

94400865.

5-2-2014 Mitsubishi Galant 2011, silver color, (4 clr), full options, KD 1,950. Tel: 50994848. (C 4632) Nissan Altima 2008, silver color, full options, excellent condition, KD 1,950. Tel: 66729295. (C 4633) 3-2-2014

SITUATION WANTED Indian (Keralite) heavy driver 4-1/2 years experience, visa article 18, transferable, looking for a job. Tel: 55261717. (C 4634) 3-2-2014 MATRIMONIAL

PLAZA ORU INDIAN PRANAYAKADHA (DIG) (Malayalam) 6:30 PM PANDAVULU PANDAVULU THUMMEDA (DIG) (Telugu) 9:30 PM LAILA LABOR DAY (DIG) THE LEGEND OF HERCULES (DIG)

1:00 PM 3:15 PM 5:30 PM

FOR SALE

6:00 PM 8:15 PM

Marriage proposal invited for Kuwait resident, Pakistani Muslim family daughter, age 18 tall smart Hafiza, student BSc. Chemistry, from matching status boy through parents.

Email: contact9132000@gmail.com (C 4631) 29-1-2014

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry aboutthe Civil ID card is

1889988

SITUATION VACANT Required English speaking driver. Contact: 99824597.

(C 4635) 4-2-2014

112 Prayer timings

CHANGE OF NAME I, Asger Ali Vadliwala, holder of Indian Passport No: J4442606, hereby change my name to Ali Asger Vadliwala. Address: Mohammediya Golony Galiyakot Dist. Dungarpur, Rajasthan. Pin 314026.

(C 4630) 28-1-2014

Fajr:

05:14

Shorook 06:36 Duhr:

12:02

Asr:

15:07

Maghrib: 17:29 Isha:

18:48

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

Airlines JAI JZR THY QTR DLH JZR THY ETH GFA THY UAE ETD JAI JZR OMA MSR QTR FDB THY DHX FDB JZR BAW KAC KAC QTR FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY IRM ETD FDB QTR GFA IRA IAW DHX JZR MEA TMA MSC IRM UAE JZR MSR KAC KAC CLX IYE FDB QTR

Arrival Flights on Wednesday 5/2/2014 Flt Route 574 MUMBAI 539 CAIRO 772 ISTANBUL 1084 DOHA 637 DAMMAM 267 BEIRUT 5520 SABIHA 620 ADDIS ABABA 211 BAHRAIN 764 SABIHA 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI-INTL 576 COCHIN 555 ALEXANDRIA 643 MUSCAT 612 CAIRO 1076 DOHA 67 DUBAI 770 ISTANBUL 170 BAHRAIN 69 DUBAI 529 ASYUT 157 LONDON 412 MANILA 206 ISLAMABAD 1086 DOHA 53 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 352 COCHIN 362 COLOMBO 344 CHENNAI 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 1186 TEHRAN 301 ABU DHABI-INTL 55 DUBAI 1070 DOHA 213 BAHRAIN 603 SHIRAZ 157 NAJAF 870 BAHRAIN 165 DUBAI 404 BEIRUT 213 BEIRUT 403 ASYUT 1188 MASHAD 871 DUBAI 561 SOHAG 610 CAIRO 522 NAJAF 382 DELHI 792 LUXEMBOURG 826 SANAA 57 DUBAI 1078 DOHA

Time 00:10 00:40 00:45 00:55 01:10 00:40 02:30 01:45 02:10 02:15 02:35 02:45 02:50 02:25 03:05 03:10 03:45 04:00 05:35 05:40 05:50 06:20 06:40 06:45 07:40 07:50 07:50 07:55 08:10 08:45 08:35 08:40 09:00 09:15 09:20 09:40 09:55 10:40 10:45 11:00 11:15 11:30 11:55 12:10 12:20 12:40 12:50 12:55 13:00 13:45 13:05 13:15 13:30 13:50 13:55

MSR FDB KAC KAC SVA IRC KNE NIA KNE KAC KNE JAV QTR KAC UAE ETD RJA SVA ABY GFA JZR JZR FDB JZR RBG KAC QTR FDB 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 AIC JZR JZR JZR

575 8055 672 790 500 6692 472 253 462 788 460 621 1072 538 857 303 640 510 127 215 777 787 8053 357 553 786 1080 63 542 177 284 166 674 102 774 618 217 647 61 405 572 129 919 489 606 634 229 402 307 859 480 219 1074 59 975 239 135 185

SHARM EL SHEIKH DUBAI DUBAI MEDINAH JEDDAH MASHAD JEDDAH ALEXANDRIA MEDINAH JEDDAH RIYADH AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA DOHA SHARM EL SHEIKH DUBAI ABU DHABI-INTL AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA RIYADH SHARJAH BAHRAIN JEDDAH RIYADH DUBAI MASHAD ALEXANDRIA JEDDAH DOHA DUBAI CAIRO DUBAI DHAKA PARIS DUBAI NEW YORK RIYADH DOHA BAHRAIN MUSCAT DUBAI SOHAG MUMBAI SHARJAH ABU DHABI-INTL COCHIN LUXOR FRANKFURT COLOMBO BEIRUT ABU DHABI-INTL DUBAI TAIF BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI CHENNAI AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA BAHRAIN DUBAI

14:15 14:45 14:00 14:25 14:30 14:35 14:35 15:50 15:45 15:10 15:55 15:55 16:40 16:05 16:40 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:25 17:30 17:55 17:00 17:20 17:55 18:15 18:45 18:40 18:45 18:05 18:20 18:00 19:10 19:25 19:35 19:30 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 22:30 22:20 22:05 23:20

Airlines AIC UAL JAI DLH ETH THY UAE KAC ETD OMA MSR QTR THY FDB QTR KAC JZR FDB JAI JZR THY GFA THY KAC FDB BAW QTR KAC KAC ABY KAC UAE KAC KAC ETD FDB IRM KAC QTR GFA KAC IRA JZR IAW KAC JZR MEA KAC DHX MSC JZR JZR TMA MSR IRM UAE

Departure Flights on Wednesday 5/2/2014 Flt Route 982 AHMEDABAD 981 WASHINGTON 573 MUMBAI 637 FRANKFURT 621 ADDIS ABABA 773 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 854 DUBAI 381 DELHI 306 ABU DHABI 644 MUSCAT 613 CAIRO 1085 DOHA 5421 ISTANBUL-SABIHA 68 DUBAI 1077 DOHA 283 DHAKA 560 SOHAG 70 DUBAI 575 ABU DHABI 164 DUBAI 765 ISTANBUL-SABIHA 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 537 SHARM EL SHEIKH 54 DUBAI 156 LONDON 1087 DOHA 787 JEDDAH 671 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 789 MADINAH 856 DUBAI 117 NEW YORK 521 AL NAJAF 302 ABU DHABI 56 DUBAI 1187 TEHRAN 175 FRANKFURT 1071 DOHA 214 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 602 SHIRAZ 356 MASHHAD 158 BAGHDAD 103 LONDON 776 JEDDAH 405 BEIRUT 785 JEDDAH 521 BAGRAM 406 SOHAG 786 RIYADH 176 DUBAI 223 AL MAKTOUM INTERNATIONAL 611 CAIRO 1189 MASHHAD 872 DUBAI

DIAL161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Time 00:05 00:55 01:10 02:10 02:45 02:55 03:50 03:50 04:00 04:05 04:10 04:15 04:30 04:40 05:15 05:30 06:20 06:30 06:35 06:55 07:05 07:15 07:30 08:10 08:30 08:45 08:50 09:25 09:30 09:40 09:45 09:55 10:00 10:05 10:05 10:20 10:30 10:45 10:55 11:25 11:30 11:45 11:55 12:00 12:20 12:25 12:55 13:00 13:00 13:20 13:35 13:45 13:45 14:00 14:05 14:15

IYE FDB CLX QTR MSR KAC FDB KAC KNE IRC SVA KAC KNE KNE NIA JZR JAV ETD QTR UAE JZR RJA ABY FDB SVA GFA JZR JZR RBG JZR JZR FDB QTR GFA FDB KAC OMA 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 8056 617 473 6693 503 773 463 481 254 238 622 304 1073 858 538 641 128 8054 511 216 184 266 553 134 554 64 1081 218 62 331 648 361 120 404 571 351 619 171 230 403 308 920 461 220 301 60 860 205 1075 528 502 415

RIYAN MUKALLA DUBAI GIALAM DOHA SHARM EL SHEIKH DUBAI DUBAI DOHA JEDDAH MASHHAD MADINAH RIYADH MADINAH TAIF ALEXANDRIA AMMAN AMMAN ABU DHABI DOHA DUBAI CAIRO AMMAN SHARJAH DUBAI RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI BEIRUT ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA DUBAI DOHA BAHRAIN DUBAI TRIVANDRUM MUSCAT 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 15:25 15:30 15:30 15:35 15:45 16:05 16:35 16:40 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:35 17:40 17:50 17:50 17:55 18:05 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 450

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) ARIES Obstacles to self-discipline or to your sense of organization may appear today. Someone could frustrate you in this regard. Do not take things too personally— someone at work is having a difficult time adjusting. Perhaps you can be helpful to the situation if you stop and ask this frustrated person how you can help. You are able to communicate successfully with very few words. You have a lot of creativity when it comes to ideas. This talent is useful as you put your thoughts into words and find ways to show others your appreciation. This evening you easily lighten the mood at home. Your sense of humor and loving ways rub off on everyone and your surroundings are beneficial to rest and relaxation, particularly after such a very busy day.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Stay away from office gossip today; it really does not concern you and will only hinder your growth in the workplace. In teaching, guiding or demonstrating, make sure that you are clearly understood by taking the time to express yourself respectfully.

Ask if there are any questions, so as to clear any misunderstandings. You are able to convince people of anything today, and if you are in sales, you should do quite well.

Independence, as well as anything unusual or different, is valued. You may enjoy working a bit on a hobby or visiting with friends later this afternoon. It may seem there is never any time to do these things and today presents a great opportunity to play. If you decide to move onto the internet, be careful, you could stay too long.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

4. In an unnatural eery manner.

12. A member of the Siouan people living in the Yazoo river valley in Mississippi.

15. A light touch or stroke.

16. A musical composition consisting of a series of songs or other musical pieces from various sources.

17. Of inferior or mixed breed.

18. Electrical conduction through a gas in an applied electric field.

19. Provoke someone to do something through promises or persuasion.

20. Lower in esteem.

22. A soft gray ductile metallic element used in alloys.

25. (Akkadian) God of wisdom.

26. 100 aurar equal 1 krona.

28. A drug combination found in some overthe-counter headache remedies (Aspirin and Phenacetin and Caffeine).

30. In bed.

32. Make amends for.

33. Large-footed short-winged birds of Australasia.

35. One who works hard at boring tasks.

38. An associate degree in nursing.

39. Sluggish tailless Australian arboreal marsupial with gray furry ears and coat.

42. Regional and archaic.

45. The trait of lacking restraint or control.

47. Lacking in light.

50. A unit of length of thread or yarn.

51. Any of several tall tropical palms native to southeastern Asia having egg-shaped nuts.

53. Brought from wildness into a domesticated state.

55. A chronic inflammatory collagen disease affecting connective tissue (skin or joints).

59. A bachelor's degree in religion.

60. An intensely radioactive metallic element that occurs in minute amounts in uranium ores.

61. A dialect of Chinese spoken in southeastern China.

65. Optical instrument consisting of a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision.

68. (computer science) A measure of how densely information is packed on a storage medium.

70. An abundance of material possessions and resources.

71. Someone who is morally reprehensible.

72. A waste pipe that carries away sewage or surface water.

75. Jordan's port.

76. An overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration.

77. Skintight knit hose covering the body from the waist to the feet worn by acrobats and dancers and as stockings by women and girls.

79. An adult male person (as opposed to a woman).

80. A bachelor's degree in naval science.

81. A famous waterfall in Venezuela.

82. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

DOWN 1. A city in southern Turkey on the Seyhan River.

2. Found along western Atlantic coast.

3. Counting the number of white and red

blood cells and the number of platelets in 1 cubic millimeter of blood.

4. United States engineer and inventor of the gyrocompass (1860-1930).

5. Sheet glass cut in shapes for windows or doors.

6. A tumor of bone tissue.

7. Of or relating to near the ear.

8. A Bantu language spoken by the Chaga people in northern Tanzania.

9. Water frozen in the solid state.

10. A gonadotropic hormone that is secreted by the anterior pituitary.

11. An affirmative.

12. South American wood sorrel cultivated for its edible tubers.

13. A friction match with a large head that will stay alight in the wind.

14. (Greek mythology) One of the mountain nymphs.

21. The sixth month of the Hindu calendar.

23. A coffee cake flavored with orange rind and raisins and almonds.

24. A protocol developed for the internet to get data from one network device to another.

27. Usually elongate cluster of flowers along the main stem in which the flowers at the base open first.

29. A long slender cigar.

31. A minor parish official who serves as an usher and preserves order at services.

34. A Turkish unit of weight equal to about 2.75 pounds.

36. Lighted up by or as by fire or flame.

37. Being one hundred more than three hundred.

40. United States physiologist (born in Germany) who did research on parthenogenesis (1859-1924).

41. Type genus of the Anatidae.

43. A nucleic acid that transmits genetic information from DNA to the cytoplasm.

44. Emblem usually consisting of a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive design.

46. English monk and scholar (672-735).

48. Official record of the pedigree of purebred animals especially horses.

49. Of or relating to the United States of America or its people or language or culture.

52. (computer science) A kind of computer architecture that has a large number of instructions hard coded into the cpu chip.

54. Small crude shelter used as a dwelling.

56. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali metal group.

57. An intersection or crossing of two tracts in the form of the letter X. 58. Yellow-fever mosquitos.

62. Botswanan statesman who was the first president of Botswana (1921-1980).

63. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables.

64. (Hindu) A manner of sitting (as in the practice of Yoga).

66. An article deposited as security.

67. The clock time given by a clock carried on board a spacecraft.

69. Liver or meat or fowl finely minced or ground and variously seasoned.

73. The basic unit of money in Romania.

74. A constellation in the southern hemisphere near Telescopium and Norma.

78. An official prosecutor for a judicial district.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

You draw emotional nourishment and a sense of direction from your friends and social involvement—at work as well as at home. You have an understanding for hypothetical ideas and the ability to present or communicate them to others.

You may find that there is a need for change—a desire to break with outdated patterns from the past. There is a longing for achieving a new attitude and you have a firm intent on reaching your goals. Yes, there are energies stirring that could draw you into a new professional adventure, but it would be good to know the pitfalls from others that have gone before you. Events may line up in your favor and push you into a new financial status soon.

There is time this evening to chat with neighbors and relax with loved ones.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) There could be some fuzzy thinking today—ease up on yourself and when things do not look clear, ask questions. You will find your energies returning to a better level after the noon break. You will need facts and clear information to make good decisions—take your time with regard to business contracts or proposals. This afternoon moves along more smoothly than the morning’s business, and events seem to arrange themselves to your advantage. You will see an improved attitude among family members in your home this afternoon. You feel good! Self-confidence sprinkled with a bit of modesty will get you what you want this evening. The good life and all that is fine and luxurious may be what you desire. You enjoy the company of loved ones tonight.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Investigating, asking questions and performing research are all a part of the process in understanding a mystery. You are intrigued by what is hidden and may find yourself writing mystery books or working in a business that is dependent on the correct answers you find. A time limit is only an occasional problem, so if things get too difficult or boring you can move on to another subject, person, place or thing. As slow and fastidious as your work may be, your playtime is on the other end of the scale. Any water sports, dancing, rock climbing or travel brings great opportunities to express yourself and relax.

Today you will be able to tackle tasks that require real discipline or organization. Tonight you will find yourself in a fun place.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Fatigue can build up in the workplace—make an effort to exercise at the lunch break and you will be delighted to find that you are able to bring your energies back to a good place. There is a great deal of satisfaction in many areas of your life and you are grateful for your work as well as your personal life. Everything seems to be working well. Group activities and business socials can improve your work position.

If a social is not in the works just now, you might suggest a comedy or a dinnertime gettogether once a month. One option could be to invest time in a class that will help you in your work, perhaps proofreading or creative writing. When the time presents itself, get to know your peers. A loved one needs your attention this afternoon.

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22) You may find yourself concentrating deeply on work projects today. This is a good time to make plans, work on contacts and listen, without comment, to the plight of others. Because you tend to have a great deal of energy to burn, you may want to consider this sitting still an exercise in mind and muscle control. If it gets too difficult, you can always discreetly flex your muscles. There is good news concerning travel and transport today. This means that you or someone in your immediate circle could soon become the driver of a new vehicle. Your neighbors are helpful and kind and want to include you in their upcoming get-togethers. You will enjoy some time in socializing and if it is you with the new vehicle, you will have an audience.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Go against what people want to get accomplished today and you will face opposition. Timing is everything—stop, look and listen; then if the conditions are clear, you can jump in and participate. You are more aware, alert and alive as people depend on you to help make a project work. You enjoy working with others and your attitude is positive. Being more in touch with other people gives you a sense of belonging.

Ideas and technologies that change the way people live—not just one person, but many—are a major new focus in your life. Involvement with ideals and idealistic groups enhances your sense of purpose and mission. This evening can be an enjoyable one with your loved one. You could feel real support and harmony at this time.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Any frustrations you find this morning will have a short life around you. You have insight into the possible changes or action that will eliminate whatever problems arise today. Perhaps this can be as simple as moving desks. Make your suggestions privately to a higher-up or an authority figure. They will take your suggestions under advisement—you can go back to your job at hand with more ease. New ways to communicate or an easy manner will make conversations and business exchanges go well. People value your opinion and your ability to make practical decisions. You have a natural sense of what the public wants and clear decisions affecting others could be made now. A sense of support and harmony make this a happy time.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) You will find quite a following. People love to be around you, so much so that it could be hard to carry through on assignments or complete your work. You will be most productive and happy performing on stage or leading a children’s theatre group. You also love sports and may just simply find a multitude of jobs reviewing opening night performances of a full variety of theatrical presentations. The next morning write-ups can be harsh but with your sense of humor, people are forgiving. This is the time to make serious decisions; break away from the tried and true for some new adventure or you stay the course and calm the antics a bit. Believe it or not, the political field can be inviting. You are able to help others rise to the top of the charts.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) There is the danger of foggy thinking and of your being misled or getting too carried away with some plan or idea. Since this foggy thinking is not something you are used to, you will find ways to rise above any difficulties as soon as possible. A lot of mental pressure may exist this afternoon. You are successful at quickly analyzing a business situation. People come to you for answers. This evening you will be involved in another sort of interaction. You are learning to share feelings and experiences with your beloved and this is important for a successful future together. This will bring you close and help you to assuage arguments that come when people are too independent of each other. A deepening of a relationship takes place this evening.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) You can illustrate a new technique or style of working today that will benefit many people. Ideas and thoughts for gaining business opportunities will influence many.

You have a great sensitivity to the needs of others and you are in a good position to communicate within group situations. You may not find as much congeniality in the community this evening as you work toward an agreement that will benefit the neighborhood. This may mean that the empty building down the street could become a special school or elite apartments or a park. You work to bring the citizens together so as to help in the decision making. It is good to have different opinions and you like the static electricity in the air.

Juggling your time is successful; keep up the good work.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 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

Qibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Qibla

22451082

Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Omariya

24719048

N Khaitan

24710044

Fintas

23900322

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist

25665898 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

22618787

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Mousa Khadada

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Kaizen center 25716707

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Dr. Salem soso

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062

Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677

lifestyle

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

G o s s i p

Sheryl Crow

‘destined

to become a mother’

T

he country singer says getting the all-clear from breast cancer in 2007 shortly after splitting from fiance Lance Armstrong made her decide to adopt her sons - Wyatt, now six, and three-year-old Levi - because she realized having a family didn’t have to occur in the conventional way. She told the new issue of Britain’s HELLO! magazine: “I began the adoption process right after I finished my radiation treatment. I always felt like I was meant to be a mom, but I’d been stuck on how I was supposed to do that. I thought the story was supposed to happen in a different way - you fall in love, you get married, you have children. But fortunately I opened my mind to other options. “My story started the day I finished my radiation - what my life became since then. I moved to Nashville, closer to home and many great friends. I adopted my children. [Adoption]

was not about me wanting a man. I wanted children. I finally realized there was no need for me to keep trying to bring a kid into the world when there are already for many great kids in the world looking for their people.” The ‘If It Makes You Happy’ singer - who turns 52 next week - feels blessed that her sons share a strong physical resemblance with her family and believes God has been smiling down on her. Sheryl said: “Both [Wyatt] and Levi have a strong resemblance to my family. I think God has a wacky sense of humor. I waited all these years to be a mom and thought, I’ll take whatever you give me - special needs, mixed race, whatever. And he gives me two incredible boys who look just like me.”

Kevin Jonas

Robert De Niro sad over Hoffman’s sudden death

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he legendary actor has paid tribute to his ‘Flawless’ co-star - who was found dead aged 46 of an apparent drugs overdose - describing him as “gifted” and a “wonderful” actor. He said: “I’m very, very saddened by the passing of Phil. He was a wonderful actor. This is one of those times where you say ‘this just shouldn’t be. He was so young and gifted and had so much going, so much to live for’. My family and I send our deepest condolences to his family.” De Niro was one of many of the actor’s co-stars to express their sadness at his passing. Jeff Bridges, who appeared alongside him in cult bowling movie ‘The Big Lebowski’, said: “I’m so shocked, and so sad hearing of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s death. I enjoyed playing with him on ‘The Big Lebowski’. He was such a wonderful guy, and so damn talented, a real treasure.

My thoughts and prayers are with his family.” And ‘Ides of March’ actor George Clooney said: “There are no words. It’s just terrible.”

is so in love with his baby

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he 26-year-old singer and wife Danielle welcomed baby Alena Rose into the world on the 2nd of January 2014 and the ‘Married to Jonas’ star - who tweeted throughout his spouse’s labor - is smitten with the new arrival. He tweeted: “I’m so in love with her (sic)” Alena’s arrival was particularly meaningful for the Jonas family as Danielle gave birth on Kevin’s grandfather’s memorial. Kevin’s brothers and former bandmates Nick and Joe Jonas had their grandfather on their mind as they spoke of their excitement at the new arrival. Nick tweeted: “My grandfathers memorial was yesterday. Today we welcome a new addition to the jonas family. God is great.

Can’t wait to meet my new niece. (sic)” And Joe wrote: “As one life ends, another begins. Incredibly happy to be an uncle for the first time. Welcome to this world my beautiful niece (sic)” Before Alena was born, Danielle had promised fans her name was “cute” but “different”. She previously said: “The middle name has a lot of meaning, but her first name is ... different enough but not totally out there. It’s cute.”

Harry Styles visits Kendall Jenner family to celebrate 20th birthday

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he ‘Story of My Life’ hitmaker decided to see his new girlfriend at her father Bruce’s £5 million clifftop mansion so they could spend some “quality time together”. A source told the Sunday People newspaper: “Kendall was really keen to make Harry’s birthday a memorable one. “Her dad Bruce owns an incredible clifftop holiday home in California which has amazing views. “The secluded house is perfect for them to spend some quality time together. It’s also ideal for a party with Kendall’s sisters.” The One Direction singer - who is expected to celebrate his birthday again in London later this month - is dating Kendall after a string of other high-profile celebrity flings, but his cousin has claimed he’s not a womanizer. Ben Selley insists Harry has actually had so many romances because he is always “getting dumped”, although he refused to confirm whether his ex-girlfriend Taylor Swift was the one who called time on their relationship. Speaking to The Sun on Sunday newspaper, he said: “IT’s Harry who is getting dumped. Harry is not a horrible guy in romance. He’s not a dumper, he’s a dumpee! “He’s got the biggest heart so the guy wouldn’t have the guts to dump a girl, he’s too nice. Did Taylor Swift dump him? I’m not saying.”

Matthew McConaughey wants roles that ‘scare’’

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he actor, who has been nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of a real-life AIDS victim in ‘Dallas Buyers Club’, made a conscious decision not to take a part in another romantic comedy, after appearing in ‘How To Lose a Guy In 10 Days’ and ‘Failure to Launch’. He told Time Out London magazine: “I’m not going to carry on doing the same thing over and over. I was reading romantic comedies. And I liked them. But I wanted to do something that scares me a little bit. “The first move was saying ‘no’ to scripts. That was six months of ‘no’ and then a year of nothing. And something happened. I gained anonymity and suddenly it became a good idea for William Friedkin [director] to call about ‘Killer Joe’ or Steven Soderbergh about ‘Magic Mike’.” The 44-year-old star admits it was difficult not working for so long but he found comfort in his family, spending time with his wife Camila and their children, 13month-old Livingston, Vida, four, and Levi, five. When asked if he got the jitters not acting, he replied: “A little bit.

But I hunkered down with my wife. And I had a son come into the world. When I got anxious, I could be like: shepherding my newborn son is a great thing to be doing.

Justin Bieber turned away from a string of nightclubs

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he ‘Boyfriend’ singer and his entourage reportedly arrived to his favorite nightspot, 1OAK in New York following the NFL finals on Sunday only to be turned away at the door by owners, who claimed the troubled star is a “hassle” and could tarnish the venue’s reputation with his wild antics. A source told the Confidenti@l column in the New York Daily News newspaper: “While Bieber may be one of the biggest stars in the world, most clubs don’t want the hassle of having him inside anymore. He is radioactive until he stops being so volatile.

No one wants the bad press that follows him everywhere he goes.” Justin - who is facing legal trouble after allegedly hitting a limousine driver in December, and was arrested for driving under the influence (DUI), driving with a suspended license and resisting arrest in Miami last month - was also said to have been turned away from “at least four” Super Bowl parties last night. And his lack of partying success followed on from the previous evening as he had also tried to party with Jay Z at the DirecTV bash at Pier 40 nightclub on Saturday but organizers didn’t want the 19year-old star to attend.

lifestyle

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

G o s s i p

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he single star of US comedy show ‘Kirstie’ - who claimed in 2011 she hadn’t had a serious boyfriend in 10 years - is hoping for a new relationship, but stipulates any man she gets serious about has to be able to match her in the laughter department. She said: “Maybe there will be a new man around the corner, God help him. He’s going to have to have a good sense of humor and make me laugh, too. I can make guys laugh easy, but I need the vice-versa thing going on there.” The 63-year-old actress - who was married to Bob Alley for seven years until 1977 and Parker Stevenson, the father of her children William and Lillie, between 1983 and 1997 - has previously told how she would have had a relationship with Hollywood hunk John Travolta in the 80s if she hadn’t been married at the time, but now she is pleased to call him her best friend.

She said: “When John and I met we instantly loved each other, but the way we love each other has changed, because I was married, and he’s married [to Kelly Preston]. That took some doing. Now, it’s the world’s greatest friendship.”

bankruptcy for 3rd time

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too old for her

every year, whether I’m bankrupt or not.

“We all know I’m not rolling in it but I’m doing my best to get back on top. And praying to win the lotto!” Taylor Swift says Britain’s Prince William convinced her to join him and Jon Bon Jovi on stage for a performance. The trio famously collaborated on the rock band’s hit ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’ - one of the Duke of Cambridge’s favorite karaoke tracks - and she insisted he asked her to join him. She explained: “Jon Bon Jovi got up to perform and he called Prince William out because he’d heard he loves singing ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’ on karaoke nights ... Prince William looked at me and said, ‘I’ll do it if you do it, too’, and then he took my hand.

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Jared Leto’s ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ role partly inspired by grandma

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he 30 Seconds to Mars frontman portrays transgendered AIDS victim Rayon in the award-winning movie and he says his character’s habit of ending her sentences with “Darlin’” was influenced by his grandmother’s way of speaking. He said: “I waxed my whole body and my eyebrows I lost a lot of weight, I changed my voice - the dialect and register it was a pretty intense journey. “[Saying ‘Darlin” at the end of sentences], my grandmother used to do that, she was from the South and there was certainly a bit of grandma in there.” The 42-year-old actor shed a huge amount of weight for the role, but admits once filming ended he found it impossible to tuck into the huge feast he had been dreaming of. Speaking on the Kiss FM Breakfast Takeaway, he said: “When you starve yourself for that long, you cant even eat a tablespoon because you get full. You think you’re going to have this huge meal and then you’re stuffed after a couple of bites and can’t enjoy it, everything is weird, it takes a while to get back to normal. “And you start gorging when you do stretch your stomach a bit. It’s hard to stop eating.”

One Direction to launch cafe chain

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he ‘Kiss You’ hitmakers will reportedly provide a meeting place for crazed fans by setting up a string of coffee shops filled with band memorabilia, and the bid to expand their empire could see the first branch opening in Shibuya, Japan as early as this month. Insiders told the Daily Star newspaper: “The cafes will be very child friendly for younger fans and they’re sure to be stocked up with lots of 1D merchandise. It could become one of the group’s biggest money-spinners if it takes off. Everything linked to One Direction equates to success at the moment.” It’s thought the lucrative new business venture is highly favored by mentor Simon Cowell, who hopes to open a second branch in London, before opening several more in New York, Paris, Berlin and Sydney. The source added: “This could

become the lads’ version of Planet Hollywood. That chain was backed by stars such as Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger when it launched in 1991.” The news come after reports that the boys - Harry Styles, 20, Niall Horan, 20, Louis Tomlinson, 22, Liam Payne, 20, and Zayn Malik, 21 - are predicted to earn £611 million this year following their ‘Where We Are’ stadium tour which kicks off on April 25, in Columbia.

hopes there is a ‘new man around the corner’

Katie Price says Hayler getting

Kerry Katona to file for he Atomic Kitten star is said to owe £5,000 a month to rent her mansion where she lives with fiance George Kay - and friends have suggested she can’t afford the lifestyle she’s still trying to enjoy.

An insider told The Sun on Sunday newspaper: “She lives beyond her means. “She’s negotiated a £50,000 magazine deal for her wedding, but that’s not until the summer.

“She worked on a doomed start-up radio station and money from ITV’s ‘The Big Reunion’ has dried up because the second series has new bands.” Kerry is trying to stay positive, and noted she isn’t the only person who has to be careful with their money after Christmas. While the star admitted she isn’t “rolling in it”, she is still hoping to “get back on top” sooner rather than later. She said: “As with every family after Christmas, money is tight. But that’s

Kirstie Alley

David Beckham to make ‘exciting’ announcement

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he former soccer star - who has children Brooklyn, 14, Romeo, 11, Cruz, eight, and Harper, two, with wife Victoria - is widely expected to confirm he is launching a Major League Soccer (MLS) team and though he wouldn’t directly confirm the reports, he admitted he is looking forward to what the future holds.

Asked what is next for him, he told US TV show ‘Extra’: “I’ve got an exciting announcement coming up next week which I’m really excited about. “A little hint? It involves the MLS and my involvement in the game in America, it involves my ownership of a franchise, something I’m excited about.”

The 38-year-old star also ruled out coaching a team, insisting it isn’t something that has ever appealed to him. He said: “Would I go into coaching? No. I mean, I love coaching kids,

but coaching a professional team has never really interested me but to be an owner would be kind of incredible.”

David was given an option to acquire an MLS franchise at a discounted rate of $25 million when he joined Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007 and is likely to announce the formation of a team in Miami soon. MLS have issued a statement saying: “Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber and David Beckham will make a significant announcement impacting the Miami community. They will be joined by Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A Gimenez.”

he 35-year-old model-turned-businesswoman claims her 26-year-old husband a former stripper - is fast becoming a middle-aged man thanks to his chicken-keeping and motoring hobbies, and joked she might have to trade him in for a younger model.

Speaking to Now magazine, Katie admitted: “He’s very romantic. When we got together he was stripping four times a week and going out. “Now he likes to stay at home and he’s got chickens. He’s even bought himself a 4 by 4 ... He’s getting too old for me! The other day he said, ‘Oh my God, next year you’re going to say I’m too old for you and trade me in for a younger model’, and I said, ‘Yeah you’re right’. “The busty brunette - who has children Harvey, 11, Junior, eight, and Princess, six, from previous relationships and five-month-old Jett with Kieran - has no plans to stop expanding her brood and would consider adoption in future. Katie said: “When the doctor says I can’t have any more, I’ll stop. And then find a surrogate mum and adopt. I don’t think you should plan, so whenever.” While Kieran has given up his part-time stripping job, the reality star doesn’t want him to quit altogether because she enjoys his special skills. Katie laughed: “He keeps changing his mind, but I’d love him to carry on.

He’s a plasterer by trade. It’s brilliant. And he’s got every uniform upstairs, too - policeman, fireman...”

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

lifestyle

Safat Home launches eco-friendly and educational children’s toys

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APE is one of the world’s leading toy manufacturers who support children’s learning and fun by creating innovative and educational play ideas and products with high play value. All HAPE products are designed to focus on traditional play patterns for babies, toddlers and preschoolers.

HAPE has developed a range of toys that combines designs in natural wood with updated and visually appealing colors and designs. The collection varies in design and is value-priced for consumers to purchase more than one piece at a time.

All packaging for HAPE toys lists developmental benefits and play tips - researched from a variety of expert sources - are offered to extend the toy beyond normal play patterns. Parents and caregivers are provided suggestions on how they can enhance playtime. HAPE brands are sold through its network of specialty retail and school supply stores and catalogs in over 40 countries. HAPE brands have won numerous awards from prestigious independent toy testing groups for toy design, quality and safety.

Safat Home offers the latest in contemporary children’s furniture and is proud to introduce this

Sundance favorite ‘Killers’ captured

by Well Go USA

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n a competitive situation following Sundance, distributor Well Go USA Entertainment has picked up North American rights to the Park City at Midnight favorite “Killers,” which was executive produced by “The Raid” director Gareth Huw Evans, TheWrap has learned. Well Go USA, which also acquired “Dead Snow: Red vs Dead” at Sundance, plans a domestic theatrical release date for the fourth quarter of 2014. The Japanese/Indonesian co-production was directed by Timo Tjahjanto and Kimo Stamboel (aka The Mo Brothers), and stars Kazuki Kitamura, Oka Antara, Rin Takanashi, Luna Maya and Ray Sahetapy.

The film was produced by Tjahjanto and Stamboel, as well as Yoshinori Chiba, Shinjiro Nishimura and Takuji Ushiyama. “Killers” follows two serial killers, one Japanese and one Indonesian, as they post their violent crimes online in a psychotic battle for notoriety. It soon becomes clear that they will square off with one another face to face. The deal was brokered by Well Go USA Entertainment president Doris Pfardrescher with XYZ Films’ Nate Bolotin on behalf of the filmmakers. XYZ Films also represents the film’s international distribution rights.

XYZ and Evans will reteam with Tjahjanto on the action thriller “The Night Comes For Us,” which Radius-TWC pre-bought domestic distribution rights to in advance of a scheduled 2015 release. Tjahjanto will direct, while Evans will produce and handle action direction. The two filmmakers previously collaborated on the “Safe Haven” segment of “V/H/S 2.” XYZ Films previously executive produced and handled international sales on the hit action film “The Raid: Redemption,” which was released by Sony Pictures Classics. They are also handling international sales on the recent Sundance competition title “Life After Beth,” which stars Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan, Anna Kendrick and John C. Reilly.

At the European Film Market, XYZ will also be selling Kevin Smith’s horror film “Tusk” and the Maori actioner “The Dead Lands” from director Toa Fraser.

XYZ Films produced and is handling world sales on Evans’ sequel “The Raid 2,” which was well received when it premiered at Sundance last month. The company will also handle sales on Patrik Syversen’s Scandinavian werewolf movie “Party Animal.” XYZ Films is an LA-based film production and sales company founded in 2008 by Bolotin, Nick Spicer and Aram Tertzakian, with partner Todd Brown joining the company in 2009. — Reuters

Comedy ‘Ping Pong Summer’ acquired by Gravitas Ventures

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ravitas Ventures has acquired Michael Tully’s crowd-pleasing ‘80s comedy “Ping Pong Summer,” which recently premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, the companies announced Monday. Gravitas plans to release the film in theaters and on VOD this summer, while Millennium Entertainment is nearing a deal to handle the film’s DVD release later this year. Set during the summer of 1985 in Ocean City, Maryland, “Ping Pong Summer” follows awkward 13-year-old Rad Miracle as he attempts to live up to that name by becoming a master breakdancer, ping pong player and ladies man all before the end of summer break. The film is based on Tully’s own childhood experiences.

Marcello Conte stars as Rad Miracle, while Amy Sedaris, Judah Friedlander, Lea Thompson and Susan Sarandon co-star, with the latter actress playing Randi Jammer, the table tennis Miyagi to Rad’s Daniel-son. “Having been a fan of Tully’s work, both as a filmmaker and as a writer at Hammer To Nail, I was still not prepared for what a truly joyous blast of a film ‘Ping Pong Summer’ turned out to be,” said Gravitas VP of theatrical distribution Dustin Smith. “Anyone (i.e. me) who spent lonely teenage summers dreaming of rapping, breakdancing or even (gasp!) talking to a girl is going to love this movie. Plus, where else are you going to see Susan Sarandon wield a fish like a weapon?”

“I’ve been a fan of Gravitas Ventures since its inception, so when I heard the recent news about their venturing into the theatrical sphere I became quite excited,” said Tully. “In this tricky 21st century market, Gravitas has the intelligence, creativity, and enthusiasm to help make sure our 20th century movie gets seen. Not to mention their funky fresh addition of Dusty Smith to the Gravitas team, which further sealed the deal.”

George Rush produced “Ping Pong Summer” with Brooke Bernard, Ryan Zacarias, Billy Peterson, Jeffrey Allard and Michael Gottwald, in association with Epic Match Media, Compass Entertainment and Nomadic Independence.

Rush and Submarine’s Josh Braun and David Koh negotiated the deal on behalf of the filmmakers, with Gravitas CEO Nolan Gallagher and Millennium’s Tristen Tuckfield handling duties for the distributors. — Reuters

award-winning range of toys. Visit Safat Home today at Al-Rai or at Al-Shuwaikh or any of Cilek showrooms in Shuwaikh at Al-Tilal Complex or in Fahaheel opposite to Al-Kout mall.

‘Gravity’ wins American Society of Cinematographers Award ‘G

ravity” cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki has won his third American Society of Cinematographers Award, picking up the top feature-film prize from the ASC for a film that is also expected to bring the acclaimed cinematographer his first Oscar. Honoring his high-tech accomplishment in working with director Alfonso Cuaron to create and photograph the film’s near-space environment, Lubezki won against an unprecedented field in the ASC’s top film category.

Because of a three-way tie for fifth place, the ASC had seven nominees in the category, more than ever before, with Oscar nominees “Gravity,” “The Grandmaster,” “Inside Llewyn Davis,” “Nebraska” and “Prisoners” joined by “Captain Phillips” and “12 Years a Slave.” Films winning the ASC Award have gone on to win the Oscar slightly less than half the time in the awards’ 26-year history, including four times in the last 10 years. “Gravity” is considered the odds-on favorite at the Oscars; if he wins, it would be Lubezki’s first Academy Award in six nominations. He previously won ASC Awards for “Children of Men” and “The Tree of Life.”

The Spotlight Award, a new ASC honor designed for independent films without major distribution, went to Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski for “Ida.” In the television categories, Jonathan Freeman won for

the “Game of Thrones” episode “Valar Dohaeris” in the one-hour series category, while Blake McClure won for the half-hour series “Drunk Detroit.” Jeremy Benning won the miniseries award for “Killing Lincoln.”

Honorary awards went to Dean Cundey (“Halloween,” “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” Apollo 13”), who received the ASC’s Lifetime Achievement Award; Eduardo Serra (“The Wings of the Dove,” “Girl With the Pearl Earring”), who received the International Achievement Award; and Richard Rawlings, Jr

(“Charlie’s Angels,” “LA Law,” “Paradise”), who received the Career Achievement in Television Award. Writerdirector John Wells (“August: Osage County,” “ER,” “The West Wing”), was given the ASC 2014 Board of Governors Award. The American Society of Cinematographers is not a guild or union, but an invitation-only professional organization of about 350 top cinematographers. The ceremony took place in the Ray Dolby Ballroom at the Hollywood & Highland Center. — Reuters

Disqualified Oscar nominee fires back at the Academy D isqualified Oscar nominee Bruce Broughton hit back at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Monday after his work composing the title track to “Alone Yet Not Alone” was stripped of its nomination last week, calling the decision on the song’s eligibility “stupid and hypocritical.” Broughton, a former governor of the Academy’s Music Branch and head of the branch’s executive committee for four years, got in trouble for illegal campaigning tactics after he emailed voters in the branch to bring attention to the song, the title track to a little-known Christian historical drama that played for one week in Encino but is not scheduled to open until this summer.

However, in an open letter he claims that his tactics were not in violation of any ethical standards, and notes that Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs has conflicts of interest from her work as a film marketing executive on past Oscar contenders.

(Isaacs, a member of the Academy ’s Public Relations Branch, served as a consultant on Oscar campaigns while on the board, but has halted all campaign work while serving as president.)

“If, as you quote the Academy’s rules, ‘it is the Academy’s goal to ensure that the Awards competition is conducted in a fair and ethical manner,’ and my 70 or so emails constitutes a breach of that standard, why could the current Academy president, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, consult on Academy Award nominated projects like ‘The Artist,’ ‘The King’s Speech’ and others with a history as an Academy governor that far exceeds mine and at the same time produce the Governors’ Ball without having that look like a breach of the same stan-

dard?” Broughton writes.

On Saturday, the Academy issued a statement in which it explained that the judging process for the original song category is meant to be anonymous, with voters given a DVD with film clips, along with a sheet listing the names of songs and the movies they come from, but not the names of their com-

Bruce Broughton

posers. In an email sent to at least 70 of the branch’s voters, Broughton allegedly brought attention to the fact that he had co-written entry No 57 on the list of entries, which the Academy said violates its rules. A spokesman for the Academy did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Broughton’s letter. — Reuters

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

lifestyle

‘Frozen’

named Top Animated Film at Annie Awards

‘F

rozen’ was named the Best Animated Feature of 2013 at the Annie Awards, the top awards show devoted strictly to animation. The film won in a field of seven nominees that included all five Oscar nominees in the Best Animated Feature category, and also took awards for directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, voice actor Josh Gad and its production design and music.

As usual in the aftermath of an overhaul of the voting process three years ago, Annies voters from the International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood spread the wealth.

In addition to Disney’s “Frozen,” other films winning multiple awards included DreamWorks Animation’s “The Croods” (animated effects, character design and character animation) and Pixar’s “Monsters University” (storyboarding and editorial).

Studio Ghibli’s “The Wind Rises” won for Hayao Miyazaki’s screenplay.

The films “Pacific Rim” and “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” won for animated effects in live-action films. “Futurama” won the award for top general-audience TV show, while “Disney Sofia the First” and “Adventure Time” won for pre-school and children’s audiences. Other TV productions taking home multiple awards included “Toy Story OF TERROR!,” with three awards including director, and “Disney Mickey Mouse,” which also won three.

The Oscar-nominated Mickey Mouse short “Get a Horse!” won the award for short film, while “The Last of Us” was named the year’s best video game a couple of hours after it won a similar award from the Writers Guild. Overall, the night was a very good one for Disney: The studio won 11 awards

between Walt Disney Animation Studios and Disney Television Animation, while the Disney-owned Pixar won another five.

DreamWorks Animation won three, while 20th Century Fox Television and the Cartoon

Network each won two. Honorary awards were presented to Steven Spielberg, Katsuhiro Otomo and Phil Tippett. The ceremony took place at Royce Hall on the UCLA campus. — Reuters

Dieudonne answers UK ban with ‘quenelle’ to Queen F

A model presents a creation by Aurora Gavino during the second day of the SIMOF (International Flamenco Fashion Show) in Sevilla. — AFP

Japanese singer Utada to wed Italian barman

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ongstress Hikaru Utada is to tie the knot, she announced on her website, with Japanese media saying her intended is an Italian barman eight years her junior. Utada, whose 1999 multi-million-selling debut record, First Love, is one of Japan’s biggest-ever hits, reportedly met her new beau in London. In a message posted on her website, the 31-yearold said: “I’m getting married soon... This is unexpected even for me and makes me chuckle a bit but my partner is an Italian man.”

Utada, who was born in the United States and speaks fluent English, did not reveal her fiance’s name, which she asked be kept under wraps by Japan’s voracious tabloid press, saying he “couldn’t be more of an ordinary man.” “My partner is a sincere, nice man loved by many

friends,” she told fans. The couple are expected to exchange vows in an Italian seaside town on May 23, Japanese media reported.

Utada’s first marriage, to Japanese photographer Kazuaki Kiriya, ended in 2007, with the couple citing differences in future vision and communication problems. Utada said she decided to go ahead with the wedding despite her mother’s death last year in a fall from her 13th storey Tokyo apartment. “When I talked about him in my last conversation with my mother, she was so glad, that I thought ‘I’ve not seen my mother this cheerful in many years.’”

Utada, who records in English and Japanese has achieved commercial success in Taiwan, the Philippines and Thailand, as well as in Britain, France, Germany and North America. — AFP

Reggae singer ‘Bunny Rugs’ Clarke dies at 65 W illiam “Bunny Rugs” Clarke, the husky-voiced lead singer of internationally popular reggae band Third World, died of leukemia at his home in Florida, longtime friends and colleagues said Monday. He was 65. Former bandmate Colin Leslie said the singer died Sunday in Orlando a week after he was released from a hospital following cancer treatment. Clarke worked with the band Inner Circle and top reggae producer Lee “Scratch” Perry in Jamaica before joining Third World in 1976. The next year, the band released “96 Degrees in the Shade,” one of its most popular albums.

The group was signed to Island Records and had hits on British and US charts, including “Now That We Found Love,” “Always Around” and “Reggae Ambassador.” He performed on all of Third World’s records except the group’s debut. Stevie Wonder, who performed on stage with the band at Jamaica’s Reggae Sunsplash

festival in 1981, wrote and produced Third World’s 1982 song “Try Jah Love.”“He was a remarkable talent.

Bunny had a great voice, something even Stevie Wonder admired,” Leslie said.

Clarke and Third World were known for seamlessly fusing reggae with soul and pop music, something they were occasionally criticized for by reggae purists. In a 1992 interview with Billboard magazine, he described the band’s identity this way: “Strictly a reggae band, no. Definitely a reggae band, yes.” Drummer Willie Stewart, who kept the beat in Third World until 1997, said Monday that the fun loving Clarke “loved his art but always had a joke.” In a government statement noting Clarke’s death, Culture Minister Lisa Hanna said: “Bunny Rugs’ voice was distinct. He had a charisma and stage presence that was spellbinding with a smile that was vibrant.” Clarke is survived by his wife and eight children. — AP

rench comedian Dieudonne M’bala M’bala has answered Britain’s decision to ban him from entry by giving Queen Elizabeth II his trademark Nazi-like salute. The comic, who has a string of convictions for hate speech in his homeland, performed the stiff-armed gesture after naming the queen in a rant during a show in the Swiss town of Nyon. Britain’s interior ministry earlier Monday said it had slapped an exclusion order on 47-year-old Dieudonne, who had said he planned to visit his friend, French footballer, Nicolas Anelka on the grounds of public security.

Dieudonne invented the allegedly antisemitic “quenelle” gesture that Anelka used during a goal celebration in December, landing the striker with a charge from English footballing authorities. “We can confirm that Mr Dieudonne is subject to an exclusion order,” a Home Office spokeswoman said in a statement. “The home secretary (Theresa May) will seek to exclude an individual from the UK if she considers that there are public policy or public security reasons to do so.”

British media last week quoted Dieudonne as saying that he was planning to perform a show in Britain and hold a press conference in support of Anelka, a former international on a stint with West Bromwich Albion. The Home Office refused to give further details on the order banning him from Britain. But a British government source said on condition of anonymity: “The reason for the exclusion order is that he was going to come to the UK.” Dieudonne, who also faces accusations of fraud at home, says he is being persecuted by the French authorities.“ So many things have happened over the past year. Just today... Shit, what have I done? I don’t know,” he said during his show in Nyon. His lawyer Jacques Verdier said he did not know if his client had actually intended to go to London. He said that the ban showed British authorities were “nervous” and added that “it’s appalling but nothing surprises us at the moment.” Anelka has been charged by the Football Association, the sport’s governing body in England, after he made the “quenelle” gesture, which critics say is anti-Semitic but Dieudonne insists is anti-establishment.

The striker made the gesture during a goal celebration after scoring against West Ham during an English Premier League match on December 28. Anelka denies the charge, saying

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he is neither anti-Semitic nor racist, and that he made the gesture in support of Dieudonne.

Britain has used exclusion orders on rare occasions in recent years to keep out public figures deemed as having extreme views. People banned include firebrand US pastor Terry Jones and the US anti-Muslim political bloggers Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer, all of whom were planning to attend rallies by the far-right English Defence League.

France has in recent weeks intensified a crackdown on Dieudonne, who has been widely accused of promoting anti-Semitism and has been convicted in France for hate speech and other related offences. The French government in December succeeded in preventing him from starting a nationwide tour of a new show, “The Wall”, because of its perceived anti-Jewish con-

tent. Last week French police seized 650,000 euros and $15,000 in cash during a raid on his house as part of a probe into suspected fraud.

Authorities are currently trying to force Dieudonne to pay more than 65,000 euros in outstanding fines related to his convictions and suspect that the 47-year-old was planning to fraudulently declare himself bankrupt. The “quenelle” is Dieudonne’s trademark stiff-armed gesture that critics say is a disguised Nazi salute but that he defends as a generic “up yours” to the French establishment. Some followers of Dieudonne have been photographed doing the quenelle at sites including Auschwitz, synagogues and outside a Jewish school in Toulouse where a rabbi and three children were shot dead by Islamist gunman Mohamed Merah in 2012. — AFP

In this file picture, controversial French humorist Dieudonne M’bala M’bala gestures as he delivers a speech prior to the premiere screening of his movie “Antisemite” (AntiSemitism) on stage at the “Main d’Or” theatre in Paris. Controversial French comedian Dieudonne M’bala M’bala has been banned from entering Britain, the interior ministry said yesterday, after he reportedly planned to visit to support Nicolas Anelka over the footballer’s use of the “quenelle” gesture. — AFP

‘Desperate Housewives’ Shawn Pyfrom admits drug addiction

apote’ star Philip Seymour Hoffman’s tragic death on Sunday of an apparent drug overdose has inspired former “Desperate Housewives” actor Shawn Pyfrom to open up about his own struggles with addiction. Pyfrom, who played Bree Van de Kamp’s son Andrew on the ABC drama, admits that he’s an alcoholic and drug addict in a post on his Tumblr account, saying that he’s admitting his addictions “against the advise of others.”

The actor, who said that he’s now five months sober and “relatively new” to sobriety, writes in the post that he made his admission to encourage others to conquer their addictions. “I even question whether or not i should publish this, as I type out these words. but if these words can encourage someone to hold on to their life to keep from ever using, or to find the strength to stop; then it’s more important that these words are shared,” Pyfrom wrote. “I’ve considered what’s at stake, for myself, by sharing this - but I find myself without regard for that. I won’t allow my selfish needs to get in the way of potentially reaching another human being’s life.

The actor, 26, said that he “lived for drugs” for several years. “I thought more about using, than I thought about any other ‘pleasures,’” the actor wrote. “I put myself in places i never would have ended up, otherwise, for the sake of getting high. There are countless nights of blacking out, and making poor decisions as a result of my overusing. I wasted the time of valuable people, who worked so hard to pull my career to a higher place, by allowing my addictions to tug me out of their grip.

I worried the people that care about me - my friends - my parents -my siblings - all for the sake of something that I believed I had control over. I didn’t even realize how low drugs and alcohol had pulled me.” Pyfrom concluded his message by writing that he hopes it gives the reader strength to avoid addiction.

“I hope you can save your life,” Pyfrom wrote. Hoffman, 46, was found dead in his New York City apartment. The actor, who had a history of addiction, entered a detox program after suffering a relapse last year. — Reuters

Dieudonne answers British ban with ‘equenelle’ to Queen

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

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Giacometti exhibit explores the power of human body A gallery assistant poses with Alberto Giacometti’s ‘Trois homes qui marchent I’ during a press call in London.

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he striking, skeletal forms of Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti are juxtaposed with corpulent neo-classical and baroque Italian masterpieces in a new exhibition in Rome exploring the evocative power of the human body. Forty Giacometti gems, including his famous spindly “Walking Man” in bronze, have been scattered around the permanent collection at the Villa Borghese Gallery in the Italian capital, dotted in among classics such as Bernini’s “David” or Canova’s “Pauline Borghese”.

The contrast is dramatic: the Swiss sculptor’s works are emblems of fragility, the bones left after the artist has dug flesh and soul away, while the Italian creations draw wonder for their exquisite depiction of flesh-muscles rippling, fingers appearing to leave marks on soft skin.

His 1929 “Reclining Woman Who Dreams” and 1950 “Man Falling” steal away the gazes of viewers from weighty masterpieces such as Bernini’s harrowing 1625 “Apollo and Daphne”. “This is not a competition between the statues, but the chance to look how they differ and what they have in common, notably the representation of the human being, the body,” Anna Coliva, the museum’s director said.

The exhibition’s curator, Christian Klemm, a world expert on the Swiss sculptor, said that Giacometti was “one of the rare modern sculptors to have a very thought-out relationship with the past”, in particular with the ancient Egyptians and their “very stylized, frontal, almost-symmetrical form”. It was during a grand tour in

Italy in 1920 and 1921, from Venice and Rome to Naples and Pompei, that Giacometti had his first encounter with neo-classical and baroque art-to which he added a trip to the Egyptian museum in Florence as well. But, according to Coliva, he quickly understood “the painful impossibility” for modern art to represent humans in a monumental fashion.

Giacometti (1901-1966) created his first “Man Walking” piece in 1946, as a monument in Paris to the victims of the Nazis.

The series of differing “Man Walking” statues which would follow recall “Egyptians coming out of a tomb”, according to Klemm, who said they evoke a sense of great strength despite their feeble forms.

But Giacometti did not slim his figures down just to represent war horrors. He was influenced by existentialism while working in Paris between the two World Wars, and it helped him capture the suffering condition of modern man.

Compared with the opulence and grandeur of the Renaissance, baroque and neoclassical works that surround them, Giacometti’s creations blaze with an inner energy. “Some of Giacometti’s works on show here are over three meters tall, and yet they seem almost transparent compared to the classical statues that surround them,” Coliva said. “Giacometti, Sculpture” runs at the Villa Borghese Gallery in Rome from February 5 to May 25.— AFP

A Sotheby’s employee looks at Alberto Giacometti’s ‘Homme traversant une place un matin de soleil’ during the Sotheby’s Impressionist, Modern & Contemporary Art auctions press preview in London. — AFP photos

A visitor looks at the statue ‘Hands Holding the Void’ of Swiss painter and sculptor Alberto Giacometti, as part of the exhibition of paintings and sculptures ‘Giacometti La Scultura’, at the Galleria Borghese Art Gallery, in Rome.

Actor’s death spotlights heroin epidemic

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The scene outside the apartment building of US actor Philip Seymour Hoffman (inset) after he was reported dead on February 2, 2014 in the Greenwich Village area of New York. The Oscarwinning actor was found dead in his New York apartment of a suspected drug overdose, law enforcement officials said. He was 46. — AFP

he shocking death of Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman from a suspected drugs overdose has spotlighted a growing epidemic of heroin use across the United States, officials warn. Hoffman, a 46-year-old father of three who was considered one of the finest character actors of his generation, was found lying on his apartment bathroom floor with a needle still stuck in his arm. Empty and full bags of heroin were found in the apartment and while the autopsy will confirm the precise cause of death, few expect any announcement other than an overdose. “Heroin is a growing epidemic,” US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) spokesman Joseph Moses said.

US heroin-overdose deaths rose by 45 percent from 2006 to 2010, and the amount of heroin seized each year on the Mexican border was up nearly four times from 2008 to 2012, he said. “First time users are younger than they were years ago and it’s not in the cities anymore, it’s gone into rural areas, into suburbia,” Moses said. Hoffman is now the second high-profile actor in months whose death has been linked to the class A drug.

Cory Monteith, the 31-year-old Canadian star of hit TV series “Glee”, died of an accidental heroin and alcohol overdose in a Vancouver hotel room last July. Renewed heroin use comes years after New York quashed its reputation as the heroin capital of the United States in the 1970s and 1980s, and the opiate became something of a taboo. It

was a city where late rocker Lou Reed wrote “Heroin” in the 1960s. Indelibly tied to the spread of HIV in the 1980s, use of heroin became a taboo as certain death and for its potent addictiveness.

But the DEA says that is changing, thanks to increased production in Mexico, increased smuggling and users increasingly addicted to prescription opiates then swapping to cheaper heroin. It was this progression that Hoffman last year confessed to, telling TMZ that he had relapsed back into heroin following a spell on prescription painkillers after having been clean for 20 years. “Heroin is death. There is no such thing as a good batch of heroin as opposed to a tainted batch,” Moses said. “Unfortunately it takes the death of a very talented actor to bring it home to people... although we’ve been seeing it (heroin use) go up for years,” he added.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health said last September that the number of Americans who had used heroin in the past year had risen from 373,000 in 2007 to 669,000 in 2012. The National Institute of Drug Abuse says 4.2 million Americans have tried heroin at least once during their lives, and 23 percent of individuals who use heroin become dependent. Police have also impounded more and more caches. In New York only last week 13 kilos (33 pounds) of heroin worth $8 million were seized in the Bronx.

Also impounded were hundreds of thou-

sands of glassine bags stamped with brand names such as “NFL” (in a nod to Sunday’s Super Bowl football final), “iPhone” or “government shutdown”. Envelopes reportedly found in Hoffman’s house were marked “Ace of Spades” and “Ace of Hearts,” with New York police now on the hunt for the dealer who sold him the lethal cocktail. “Heroin is pummeling the northeast, leaving addiction, overdoses and fear in its wake,” announced DEA acting special agent in charge James Hunt after the Bronx raid.

Special narcotics prosecutor Bridget Brennan said the seizure should open “everyone’s eyes to the magnitude of the heroin problem confronting us. “We’ve heard from public officials throughout the Northeast of soaring addiction within their own localities,” she said. New Yorkers aged 45 to 54, Hoffman’s age group, are also those experiencing the highest death rate from heroin poisoning, according to the city’s department of health.

The Drug Policy Alliance charity says that of 115,000 people receiving methadone in the United States, 40,000 live in New York. — AFP