20 Jan 2012

K’S PATH to hold unique dog show tomorrow

17

Serena swats aside Strycova to advance

63

FR EE

6

Pakistani govt bows to top court’s demand

Max 15º Min 02º

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NO: 15334- Friday, January 20, 2012

SAKHIR, Bahrain: Bahrain King Hamad bin Isa AlKhalifa (left) and Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum (right) watch an air display performance during the Bahrain International Airshow yesterday in Sakhir, Bahrain. —AP

Bahrain takes to the skies Three-day International Air Show opens

Local

Teachers’ e-help

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2011

Online forums play platforms for jobs and joy

The private education sector in Kuwait is evolving so much so that the schools have openings for teachers from any man’s land.

But how do the torchbearers of education see the path to and about Kuwait remains a question. Can web forums help?

By Sunil Cherian

D

r Gloria Malagon, a Spaniard working now as the head of the Science department at Kuwait Bilingual School, Jahra had zero idea about how teaching life in Kuwait would look like. After she was recruited she searched the net for ‘information that can really give a taste of a teacher’s life in Kuwait’.

What came to her help was the web forums at various sites that discussed opinions and counter opinions from people of different tastes, toes and temperaments. Dr Malagon, now six months in Kuwait, says she has made it a habit to browse through web forums to get feedback from various voices and to check if the opinions hold true with her Jahra experience. She also consults forums back home for environmental problems, animal health and interactive science experiments. “The problem may be local but the solution is global”.

Web forums, more than ever, are playing the role of brochure, guideline and a platform for give and take opinions. The private education sector in Kuwait is evolving so much so that the schools have openings for teachers from any man’s land. But how do the torchbearers of education see the path to and about Kuwait remains a question. Can web forums help?

“More teachers from Canada, South Africa and the Philippines are expected in Kuwait in the coming years” is a recent comment posted on an online forum. To a question posted on a forum like ‘I’m moving to Kuwait to work as a teacher, how’s life there?’ the answers appear within minutes with multiple choices. Comments, wise or otherwise, like ‘Age no bar, many foreign schools in Kuwait offer good package’; ‘Kuwait is the best place for teachers to make money’ and ‘Life in Kuwait is great with an array of food, frolic and fun’ pop up from nowhere, but in most probability from teachers’ clan who are frequenters of these web-offered forums.

Discouraging observations like ‘think twice before you land in Kuwait, discipline can pose a problem’; ‘Nothing ever gets done by the management’ and ‘the demanding parents can frustrate you more than the naughtiest kid’ also have their place on the forum that grows its pages by counter and anti-counter arguments from personal to peripheral notes. From finding a friend to tutoring possibilities, these forums, operated mostly by individuals, can be second home for expat teachers.

True, online forums can be opinionated and too personalized.

But they are quickest, easiest and simplest information-desk for the aspirers who seek advice, or just want to get the ABCs of the place where they are in. For those wannabe teachers who want to work in Kuwait or who want a change of place within Kuwait, no agony aunts can be helpful as the online forums. ExpatExchange, an online forum for example, discusses topics as varied as apartments in Kuwait, desert camps and cheap furniture ads. ‘More than 50 pages to its credit’, the reviews of ‘the International Schools in Kuwait Page’ says about a famous American school in Hawalli: ‘There’s no creativity from the teachers’ side. They say you’re on your own, it’s a college prep school’. The comment beneath says, ‘That’s a little bit unfair’.

Justlanded.com, another site has an open forum that discusses advises on teaching in Kuwait (www.community.justlanded.com).

To a 49-year old British woman’s question on age restriction in teaching in Kuwait, answers were soothing and seething. Age is not a problem. Some foreign schools like (name mentioned) constantly need teachers. Nationality, more than the degree, is an issue.

What happens when a student asks you to pass him by bribing you or threatening with his wasta. Would you be frustrated or you just get used to it, asks a teacher (name withheld) working at a bilingual school. These forums, she said, diminish problems teachers face when they come to know that someone else also is going through similar experience. Problems shared, problems gone.

School managements’ greed, deterioration in the quality of education and schools as show business centers as well as career development courses, new openings and counseling facilities are discussed on these forums.

Worldtravels.com has a comment posted on its forum www.wordtravels.com/forum/comments.php. to a post that worried about a first teaching assignment in Kuwait. The response read: ‘Tourism is what’s uniting cultures and people in our modern world. Learning and understanding other cultures brings people together.’

Local FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Off the record

A bolt from Mars!

By Sajeev K Peter

sajeev@kuwaittimes.net

S

tar-gazers are looking to replace the old idiom ‘a bolt from the blue’ with a more apt ‘a bolt from Mars,’ in view of the fast-changing space strategies and equations. They cite the example of recent rock attacks on Morocco from certain ‘nefarious elements’ from Mars. Though scientists have confirmed that 15 pounds of rock collected recently in Morocco fell to Earth from Mars, they claim that this ‘phenomenon’ occurred when the Martian meteors took their occasional celestial showers.

They don’t however accept the argument by some naysayers who claimed that the Martians actually started throwing stones at humans in the latest escalation of rivalry between the inhabitants of the two planets.

Remember, this is only the fifth time in history that scientists chemically confirmed the incident of Martian rocks falling on targets on the Planet Earth. Space observers do not anticipate any immediate breaking out of hostilities between the two planets, though the recent incident highlights the escalating tensions between the friendly planets.

Incidentally, this unusual celestial phenomenon has sent shock waves across the international gold markets on planet Earth as scientists and curio dealers scrambled to collect these Martian rock pieces that could fetch them fast bucks. According to reports, meteorite dealer Darryl Pitt charged $11,000 to $22,500 an ounce and managed to sell most of his fortune. At that price, the Martian rock costs about 10 times as much as gold. Gold merchants fear that if the Martian attacks continue, these curios as rarest things on Earth will eventually end the supremacy of the yellow metal on this planet.

Meanwhile, a few space scientists opine that some of the space junk orbiting the Earth might have strayed into the Martian territory and the recent attack would have been a possible Martian response to the violation of their space. According to recent estimates, there are believed to be as many as 500,000 pieces of debris orbiting the Earth including spent rocket

Local Spotlight

Rude neighbor

By Muna Al-Fuzai

muna@kuwaittimes.net

W

hat could be worse than a rude neighbor in a rented building?

How can you share a place with someone who has no sense of respect, dignity or consideration to others’ needs and rights?

Bearing in mind you all pay the same amount of money and nobody else should get more privileges than others.

Forcing to deal with a rude neighbor is really a headache and if you happened to have a flat in a rented place then you could always move out before making hundreds of complains to the janitor and the owner.

In fact it would be good news for the owners to hear the news that you left because of the rude neighbor who will never complain and would seem as a victim and stay in that cursed building for years and years.

Landlords don’t care usually. All they care about is the rent they get and to hear no complaints even if that means you have to move out because there will be always someone to take your place.

I hate landlords who act this way. There are many who are careless, greedy and inconsiderate. Right now a friend of mine is stuck with a very rude European family with kids. They always take others’ parking areas and the noise of their kids is endless and when my friend politely spoke with them about the matter, they ignored him. The chaos became worse. Worse than before. They think of themselves as being perfect.

Well they are not.

I believe if they were real model of the Europeans, they would respect the laws. Isn’t it what they do back home? Isn’t it what all the Europeans get to say and act to make the Arabs feel upset that we don’t respect the laws. Why some of them think when they come to a country like Kuwait that it is okay to break the laws and when someone asks them not to, they become rude? I believe that when you are a guest of a country then you are reflecting the image of your country and its people. I won’t go to their country even if they offer me a free ticket.

bodies, discarded satellites and thousands of spacecraft fragments.

Curiously enough, many of the countries on this planet Earth have shifted their ‘destruction activities’ to outer space following a realization that Earth is no more good for such ‘peaceful purposes.’ Even when countries are seeking to hammer out a code of conduct for space activities, many nations are jostling with each other to fill the outer space with more and more space debris.

There is a phenomenal rise in space junk following the clandestine development of satellite-destroying weapons by certain ‘irre-

sponsible actors,’ some diplomats claim.

The rising number of debris in the orbit and the rocks from Mars have prompted many to consider a curiously alarming scenario. If these debris, whizzing around the planet at thousands of miles per hour, stray into the Earth’s magnetic field, men on the streets will be mere sitting ducks. The situation will be even more startling if the Martians decide to step up their stone attacks on humans. People say a Martian rock-proof jacket and a helmet could very well become a part of our attire of the future. So, watch out for ‘a bolt from Mars’ when you step out!

Local FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

When Mr Right turns out to be Mr

By Velina Nacheva

L

ynn, Anna and Isabel, three divorced women hailing from different corners of the globe who now call Kuwait home, have one thing in common: they built a dream for living happily ever after meeting their soul mates in cyberspace. In an odd twist their dreams for family ended with a broken heart and for Isabel with financial loss.

It all started when Lynn, a 46-year-old expatriate from Eastern Europe with a grown-up son opened an online profile on Netlog, a social-networking site in August. She was showered with messages by five men seeking companionship in life. One admirer, Allan Straus, seemed like the best thing that ever happened to her - an engineer with a good job on an oil rig in the UK, financial independence and a five-year old daughter whom he was raising alone. “He sounded like a

very warm individual who was searching for his soul mate after losing his spouse,” Lynn recalls.

Initially she thought he could have put an upbeat spin on his financial status claiming his father’s lawsuit abroad would rake 800,000 British pounds. Overall, he sounded too good to be true, she says.

In the start, Lynn says, their emails were more mundane and focused on the day-to-day cares but in the nick of time the friendship and her pent-up loneliness were replaced by infatuation. Soon enough he professed his love for her and deleted his profile off Netlog claiming to have found the woman he wanted to grow old with.

Playing the part of a decent family man Allan had a very busy lifestyle: night shifts working on the oil rig somewhere offshore.

Weekends were his daughter time. Lynn was hooked.

This is what made her ignore the red flags. He never asked for a camera chat and did his best to pepper her with questions but never reveal too much about his days.

This was a new sparkle in her solitary life in Kuwait which made her plan a holiday getaway. She completed her paperwork, got a visa for Dubai and prepared her suitcase. Worst of all, she says, I told my family and my close friends about the future which I am going to build with this man. Allan was also busy travelling to complete his father’s business transaction in Malaysia and come back to settle with Lynn.

Her dreams were shattered in a nanosecond when she got Allan’s urgent call from Malaysia. He needed 7,000 British pounds to complete the transactions of his late father before he can start his happy family life with Lynn back in the UK. “It suddenly hit me as he was giving out the ridiculous details of the almost-failed deal that the accent, the business and he himself were all a fake,” Lynn says. “It’s been devastating to realize that you have been lied to,” she said.

Although Lynn never sent any money to Allan she wants to alert others who might face a similar

Wrong entrapment. Since that call Allan has had his UKbased phone switched off and his Malaysian line on voice mail. A series of attempts to get through to him failed. “It was too good to be true,” she says. She admits that not only her heart was broken but so was her faith that one day she will find Mr Right.

A picture of someone who Alan Straus, an online romance scammer, impersonates to swindle money from women. If you happen to know the man in the photo alert him that his photo is being circulated online as a widower looking for a lifetime mate.

Casanova conman on the prowl As she was trying to get over her emotional bruises she found out that a friend of hers, Anna has fallen prey to a bamboozler whose modus operandi was analogous to Allan’s. He, apparently had a similarly devastating emotional impact on Anna. As revealed by her friends, Anna could not sleep, eat or function properly for months after discovering the bitter truth. Before giving her heart away she thought to herself: what could go wrong if she ventured into finding the man of her life in a social networking site quoting statistics that every fifth relationship starts online. So she responded to the request for friendship on a pen pal site. What she thought was a widower in his mid 40s with one child turned out to be a swindler or maybe a group of con artists operating the business of online romance. His plan, hatched for six months was to ask for money to come and meet her in person. Thanks to friends’ advice Anna was left with a broken heart but no financial loss.

This was not the case for the self-proclaimed loner Isabel from North America. “I was hooked from the beginning and now feel embarrassed to even talk to my friends about what went wrong with this online fiance I had,” she says. “I cannot believe that I was scammed for KD300 that was supposed to cover the airfare for him to come and see me,” she says.

How did she get scammed? It happened in a social networking site on a Friday afternoon three or four-months ago. “I was not working and had plenty of time on my hands. The clock on Friday freezes so I was browsing various sites and did a profile on one of them, she recalled. The rest, as they say, is history. “I was lonely and divorced. I needed a little bit of understanding, warmth and dreams fuelled by plans for a bright future together,” she says.

Claiming his love in a heartbeat never seemed strange to Isabel. “Roland looked handsome in the pictures he sent. He had a daughter and he was very warm... but I guess it was all a lie,” she says referring to herself as a victim of an online sweetheart deception. “He gained my trust sweet talking me before committing the crime,” she says. These Kuwait residents are not the sole victims of online Casanovas. According to romancescams.org there were 5,545 online conman who hunted vulnerable individuals last year alone. Such frightening statistics has made Kuwait’s victims come out and speak: “I had no wedding ring for Christmas and no fairytale ending but I want to warn other women to be more savvy in spotting fraudsters if they want to avoid emotional or monetary loss,” Lynn said.

— velina@kuwaittimes.net

Local FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Bark

in the

Park

K’S PATH to hold unique dog show tomorrow

By Ben Garcia

A

Astrix

A

strix is a one-year-old German Shepherd-Saluki mix pup. He is gentle, friendly and likes to observe the world with his charming caramel eyes.

Astrix will be a great companion and loves a good belly rub. To adopt Asterix, meet him at K’S PATH’s Bark in the Park on 21st January 2012 at Mishref Fair Grounds.

re you a dog owner? Would you like to display your dog in a show? K’S PATH (Kuwait Society for the Protection of Animals and Their Habitat) - a nonprofit organization committed to animal welfare and habitat protection - will hold its first-ever dog expo ‘Bark in the Park’ tomorrow, 21st January 2012.

‘Bark in the Park’ will start from 11am to 5pm at the Mishref Fair Grounds. All breeds of dogs are welcome.

“This is a rare opportunity for all the dog owners to come together and be part of the one-day event, to share their experiences and learn something from each other. It will also boost our desire to educate the public with fellow pet owners,” said Ayeshah Al-Humaidhi, K’S PATH Chairman talking with the Kuwait Times over the telephone.

The event is considered a fundraiser fun-filled event for both dogs and its masters. “There will be competitions, games for children and some entertaining programs to add color and excite the visitors,” she noted. Proceeds from the fundraiser will support K’S PATH’s programs in animal welfare, environment and habitat protection.

“It’s a great opportunity for people who love dogs to treat their beloved pets to novel competitions and socialize with other dogs while supporting a worthy cause. We have a range of renowned pet care and F&B vendors participating and we invite Kuwait’s dog-loving community to come out and be part of Bark in the Park.”

Al-Humaidhi expects over a hundred dogs to participate.”We are not accepting registration ahead of time but we know at least over a hundred dogs will be registered on that day. Dogs and their masters can visit the expo on the day of the event and enjoy the fun,” she added.

Competition categories include: Best Child Handler, Most

Dexter

D

exter is an active and friendly two-year-old Labrador. He is curious, loves sniffing around and fetching his favourite toy. Dexter is gentle and will be a great companion to a family with older children. To adopt Dexter, meet him at K’S PATH’s Bark in the Park on 21st January 2012 at Mishref Fair Grounds.

Obedient, Musical Sit, Best Dressed, Temptation Alley, Best Look A Like, Best Veteran, Terrific Pet Tricks, Most Mysterious Heritage, Egg Race, Most Adorable and Sack Race. Fifteen minutes prior to the commencement of each contest, visitors can register their dogs for competition. The event will be a first in Kuwait [for such a competition under their sponsorship] and Al-Humaidhi noted this could be the start of annual dog show event.

Asked whether Kuwaiti public will be ready for such a dog event, she said: “I am sure that many of us here in Kuwait know the very role of dogs as man’s best friend.

There has been a growing awareness about it and as an animal welfare protection group, we are not limited to caring dogs, cats, but all other animals around us. We are basically concerned on their rights being protected and cared for,” she opined.

Al-Humaidhi warned that owners will be responsible for their dogs’ action inside the hall. Dog food booth, dog toys, personal dog care, and dog related products will be on display at the venue. KS PATH would like to thank ‘Bark in the Park’ sponsors: Blue Buffalo Co, Pawsh Boutique and Move One. Dogs and their masters can enjoy display of vendors such as The November Bakery, Popcornopolis, Blue Pitt Bull Kennel, Q8 Bullies Kennel, Kerry A Sellers Photography, Epetome, Kuwait Petography, Organica Fish and Chips, Basic Organic Pet and Feed, Petzone, Royal Animal Hospital, Gloria Jeans Coffee and Animal Care.

Visitors can also bag special door and raffle prizes from Easa Al-Yousifi and Sons, Ethan Allen, Johnny Rocket, Movenpick, Hard Rock Cafe, Baskets made perfect and Alghanim. For a complete list of competitions and their timings, please visit www.kspath.org or email events@kspath.org. You may also call this number: 99084712

Local FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

The hobby that goes skin deep A soapy affair: Mother-son duo get their hands clean with family company

By Sawsan Kazak

T

here is nothing more exciting or interesting than listening to a person speak about something they are absolutely passionate about. Their fascination and enthusiasm can be felt through their knowledge and understanding on the matter. That is exactly what you get when you ask Astrid Al-Hadeedi about soap. A topic most of us don’t give that much attention to, soap and soap making is a hobby that has taken over her life.

Recently, speaking at the Aware Center, AlHadeedi gave a talk on the history of soap making, the process of handmade soap, how mass produced soap is made and the essentials of a good skin care regimen.

“I make soap as a hobby, a hobby that gotten a little out of control,” says Al-Hadeedi of her newly formed company The Soap Box. Being a self-proclaimed terrible salesperson, her son, Yousef Al-Hadeedi, takes care of the marketing and sales aspect of The Soap Box. Homemade soap has been a pastime for five years, but they began officially selling in December, 2011.

Originally a nurse by trade and a married doctor, Al-Hadeedi has always had an interest in healthiness. “I have always had a passion for health and wellbeing. I recently used to teach health and wellness at AUK for six years,” she explains.

The idea came out of the fact that AlHadeedi’s husband had to use harsh detergents while scrubbing up before surgical procedures. He had sensitive skin and this process would completely strip his skin and dry his hands up. She then began to experiment with handmade soaps which ended up helping her husband’s dry hands. The soaps

were then introduced to the family and then to friends and now to the public.

What is soap “Soap is a salt. It is created when you mix something that is very alkaline with a fat. If you mix them together in the right quantities and the right temperature, you get a chemical reaction. This reaction is irreversible and is called ‘saponification’; and that’s where the French word for soap ‘Savon’ comes from,” says Al-Hadeedi.

She adds: “Saponification produces soap and glycerin, and glycerin is the magic product in all handmade soaps. It is the thing that gives the soap its very special and unique quality. It makes this soap look a little like a candle.” The enthusiastie soap maker explains that glycerin is what draws moisture to the skin, that is why dermatologist often recommend it for people with shaped lips or hands in cold weather. “But too much glycerin is a bad thing as it will have the opposite effect. In the industrial process of mass produced soap, the glycerin is extracted and sold separately for more profit than the actual bar of soap; that is how valuable it is to the cosmetic industry,” she explains.

A good soap maker needs to get the exact balance of the alkaline and the fats just right as an imbalance in either direction would not be beneficial to the skin. Al-Hadeedi explains that soaps with a little extra fat can provide extra moisture and nourishment but will not last for a long time, and thus need to be used within a few months of purchase as they will eventually go bad without all the stabilizers.

“This is what I do, I make a conscience effort to always make small tiny batches made frequently, because we are living in the driest, most dehydrating climate anybody can imagine. The air in Kuwait is drying, air-conditioning makes it worst and the dust strips oils out of the skin,” Al-Hadeedi says.

Soapy history

Full line of products offered by The Soap Box

In her talk, Al-Hadeedi touched briefly on the history of soap making in the Middle East region and Europe and its integral part of culture.

“Archeologists have discovered that soap making has been around for more than BC 2800 during excavations in Babylon.

When they dug in that region, they actually found the vats where the soap was made and the direction on how they made it engraved onto the lid of the vats,” she said.

Whizzing through the history of soap, Al-Hadeedi spoke of the soap found in Aleppo, Syria, which is believed to be made over 1000 years ago. She also spoke of the Palestinian soap, known as the Nablusi Soap, which is made primarily with olive oil. She also made reference of the Turkish baths and the soaps they use and their

Newly-made bars of soap on display at the Aware Center integral part in the culture ending with soap in Europe. “By the 15th and 16th century, soap making had spread to Europe and until today, you can see that ‘Savon de Marseille’ (Soap from Marseille) in the market. “I think The Soap Box represents the best of both cultures,” says Al-Hadeedi of her handmade soaps.

Al-Hadeedi briefly covered the process of homemade soap compared to the process being used by the multinational companies and the many reasons mass-produced bar soaps can be harmful to your skin. She explained that most of the products found in the market are a very low cost because the ingredients are not of the best quality and that they have many preservatives and chemicals in them to help them have a long shelflife. These same stabilizers are what can be harmful to the skin.

are the only way to get The Soap Box products, but they wish to expand in the future if all goes well. sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

Rare find “True handmade soap made with real quality ingredients is a rarity these days. It is a real treat for your skin. The reason we don’t have that many successful handmade soap companies is because it is very labor intensive and not very profitable,” Al-Hadeedi says of the state of soap. All the Soap Box products are made with vegetable oils and high quality ingredients; thus safe for vegans to use.

Essential oils are used to scent and add nourishment to the products and not mineral oils.

“We do not use mineral oils or their derivatives as these occlude the skin, creating a thin film on the surface. The Soap Box line also includes body and face oils as well as creams and bars of soap. Al-Hadeedi is currently trying to make the very popular liquid soap and hopes to crack the code soon.

The mother and son duo have been using Bazaars in Kuwait to debut and sell their products. For now, bazaars and orders by phone

Yousef Al-Hadeedi and his mother Astrid Al-Hadeedi. —Photos by Joseph Shagra

Local FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

For investors, Arab Spring dangers remain Political risk consultant sees more upheaval as causes of instability remain

M

aplecroft’s 2012 Political Risk Atlas, which measures some 500 factors relating to exposures and opportunities for businesses and investors, found that nine out of the 10 countries globally showing the fastest rising short-term risk trends are in the Arab world.

They include Algeria, Bahrain Egypt, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Syria and Tunisia. The only non-Arab country is the Ivory Coast. The list includes countries that have undergone a relatively smooth political transition during the first year of the Arab Spring, like Tunisia, as well as others that successfully quelled protests, like Bahrain and Oman. But Anthony Skinner, Maplecroft director responsible for MENA, said the region’s political gyrations are far from over and may emerge in unexpected places.

“The MENA region is particularly dynamic and if we see a slowing down of protests - though certainly not in Syria and Yemen - it does not mean that demands for reform have been quelled,” Skinner said. V The political turmoil represents a fundamental change in the attitudes and aspirations of the region’s people that will not be easy for the region’s veteran rulers to resist with piecemeal reforms, he said. Indeed, Skinner said he prefers to call the phenomenon of the last year the “Arab Awakening” because it better describes the changes occurring in the region.

“An awakening means that people have been able to open their eyes and see what is possible,” Skinner said.

“This is a long-term challenge for autocrats throughout the region. It’s not a dynamic that will be confined to single year. It will persist into 2012 and beyond.” The turmoil of the past year has seen three regimes fall and two more - in Syria and Yemen - edging toward collapse. Analysts are divided about the long-term political and economic ramifications of the upheavals, but for now they have taken a heavy toll in slower economic growth for most MENA countries and declining foreign investment and tourism.

The World Bank said in its Global Economic Prospects report released on Wednesday that gross domestic product for MENA would expand 2.3 percent this year, an increase from 2011 but slower than the global rate of 2.6 percent and half the pace for the world’s developing economies. The 2012 estimate for MENA, the bank noted, assumes that “domestic drag on growth from political uncertainty begins to ease.”

Not everyone is convinced that the Arab Spring is leading the region into anarchy. In a commentary appearing on Al-Arabiya television news website on Wednesday, Hamad Al-Majid, a journalist and former member of the Saudi National Organization for Human Rights, contends that Egypt and Tunisia are rapidly stabilizing.

“The security scene there [in the two countries] can be characterized as cohesive - the lowest degree of stability - but certainly this is much higher than the degree of chaos,” Al-Majid wrote. “Evidence of the ‘coherent’

Elections will lead to better dialogue, says Al-Moemen Candidate seeks new recruitment policy KUWAIT: Hopefully the next elections would create a healthy dialogue within the country in order to fulfill the expectations of Kuwaitis, said first constituency candidate for the next month’s National Assembly elections Sabah Al-Moemen here yesterday.

Al-Moemen said in a press statement that achieving development on all levels required strong will and determination, noting that her

Sabah Al-Moemen

campaign focused on elevating the status of education in the country. Education is the backbone of society, said the candidate, noting that she would work very hard to fight for educational causes and family values. She also indicated that she would work for women rights to achieve social and legal equality with male peers. The elections will be held in Kuwait on February 2, in five constituencies.

Meanwhile, the fifth constituency candidate for Kuwaiti parliamentary elections 2012 Abdullatif Al-Kheder called for a new policy to speed up the recruitment of new graduates into the workforce.

In media remarks, yesterday, he argued that the delay by the Civil Services Commission in employment of young Kuwaitis result in delay of their marriage, which in turn leads to delay in getting their turn for state housing. The government should offer further care to graduates of universities and institutes of applied education, and set plans and conduct accurate studies to link this flow of graduates to the actual needs of the jobs market, both in the governmental and private sectors, the candidate said.

He also called on the government to put an end to price increase which pops out whenever the government increases salaries, especially the prices of basic commodities that every family needs. — KUNA

security status of Egypt and Tunisia can be found in the remarkably successful elections.”

Maplecroft said it identified a particularly combustible relationship between countries that score poorly for corruption and human rights violations but get relatively high marks for “digital inclusion,” meaning access to social media. It said that in countries such as Bahrain and Egypt with a high correlation between the two, will continue to “drive unrest - of varying intensity - in these countries” as people can easily communicate grievances and organize protests, the report said.

Maplecroft said that although Iran has largely escaped the upheavals of the past year, it shares many of the factors that led to regime change in the Arab world and is susceptible to political instability.

“If we see multiply effects of [the opposition] Green Movement, on the one hand, and social frustration for the rest of Iranian population, we could see the regime facing very significant pressure ahead,” Skinner said.

He said Tehran’s aggressive rhetoric toward the West and the Gulf Arab states, including a veiled threat to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz, is an effort to deflect attention away from domestic problems, especially ahead of parliamentary elections slated for March. “The problems of the domestic front are being reflected in the saber rattling,” he said.

Skinner said he is less concerned about the rise of Islamist movements in Arab Spring countries, noting that

the parties that have won elections, including Ennahda in Tunisia and the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party in Egypt, have so far shown themselves to be pragmatic and conscious of the need to revive their countries’ stalled economies.

“If we look at Tunisia and the strength of Ennahda, they portray themselves as similar to Turkey’s AKP, which has been very pro-business,” Skinner said. “The Muslim Brotherhood has been very pragmatic. It, too, is concerned with economic development, growth and growth that trickles down to the masses .... Many of its members are successful businessmen.”

For radical Islamists like Al-Qaeda, the Arab Spring has marked a setback because the mass protests that erupted were led by liberals while at the same time the targets of Islamist wrath, the region’s autocrats, are being removed from power, Skinner said.

Another threat to business and investors that Skinner largely discounts vis a vis the MENA region is so-called resource nationalism, where governments take over energy and other natural resources or demand a greater share of profits. Maplecroft said its resource nationalism hotspots include the oil-rich MENA countries Iran, Iraq and Libya. But in the case if Libya, at least, the only Arab Spring country on the list, Skinner said he remains sanguine. “If we look at the overall trajectory and statements by the NTC [the National Transitional Council], its orientation is largely pragmatic,” he said. — The Media Line

Comoros Speaker hails Kuwait’s support KUWAIT: Comoros Islands Parliament Speaker Bourhane Hamidou said here yesterday that Kuwait has contributed largely in the development of his country in recent years and was always proactive in extending a helping hand, especially to the Comoros.

Kuwait has contributed in developing the Comoros since its independence, and presented substantial aid to the Islands, in reflection of deep brotherly sentiments and solidarity, Bourhane told KUNA. The speaker had the remarks after meeting with Barjas Al-Barjas, the Chairman of Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS).

He noted that Kuwait has established various projects in the Islands in the fields of tourism and banking, expressing his hope of seeing more of these projects in the future.

He affirmed that Kuwaiti-Comoros relations have strengthened under the wise leadership on both ends. He added that his country is eager for more cooperation. The speaker said that in his meeting with the KRCS chairman, he was given a glimpse of the nature of the functions of the society in relief and humanitarian initiatives, both regionally and across the world.

Al-Barjas for his part announced a donation of three fully equipped ambulances for the brotherly Muslim nation by the society. —KUNA

KUWAIT: Comoros Islands Parliament Speaker Bourhane Hamidou with Barjas Al-Barjas, the Chairman of Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS). —KUNA

Local FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Widow caught in car at school parking lot

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A citizen accused an Asian of swindling KD 5000. The citizen reported that the suspect made him believe that he is a car spare parts trader, and asked him to be his partner, and that the profits are over 100%. After the Asian seemed convincing, the citizen was lured into giving him KD 5000 as an investment.

The citizen resorted to the police after the promising business partner disappeared with the investment money. The police are investigating.

Minor attack A citizen who went to police station with his underage daughter, told officers his daughter was taken by a man to a Salmiya flat and attacked. Police are investigating.

School parking lust Mubarak police sent a widow in her fifties along with two young men to detectives after being caught in a compromising position at a Qurain School parking lot.

False impersonators An Egyptian expat told Hawally police that three unknown people robbed him after posing as Ministry of Commerce inspectors. The man who already closed his coffee shop, was ordered to reopen because they wanted to check the ‘Moasel’ (fruit flavored tobacco).

The man obliged and as soon as he opened the shop, they attacked him and took the money. In another case, a citizen reported thieves breaking into his house and stealing cash and belongings worth KD 6000.

Police are investigating.

Business partner wanted Asima Capital governorate detectives are investigating of a case in which an Asian, who works in a finance company, stole KD 50,000. The company alerted the police when an Arab colleague went into a store to collect the money, then was surprised by the car’s disappearance when he returned. When he tried to call his colleague, his phone was switched off. After a brief search, the police found the car but without the man nor money.

Development top priority: Al-Roumi KUWAIT: Development on all fronts and in all domains, especially in the health, education, and social welfare sectors, is “my priority for a better Kuwait”, said second constituency candidate for the 2012 parliamentary elections Dr Samar AlRoumi, yesterday.

Al-Roumi said, in a press release, she would be focusing on further development in education and social welfare as part of her campaign to reach the National Assembly, and once a member.

She pointed out some of the options include new systems for early education and programs that focus on social as well as purely educational aspects of caring for students.

She also touched on the issue of retirees, stressing that they deserve better treatment, adding that she would fight for increasing their salaries and improving services that are most in need of. The elections will be held in Kuwait on February second, in five conDr Samar Al-Roumi stituencies. —KUNA

KUWAIT: Former MP Ahmad Al-Saadoun being greeted by a supporter on Wednesday night. — Photo by Yasser AlZayyat

Saadoun says assembly elections most crucial Corrupt forces fighting last battle: Al-Mislem

By B Izzak KUWAIT: Prominent opposition figure and former MP Ahmad Al-Saadoun has described the forthcoming National Assembly elections as the “most crucial and most dangerous” in Kuwait’s history.

“We are heading for the most crucial and dangerous elections because it comes after youth protests that led to the fall of both the government and the National Assembly”, Saadoun said at the opening of his election campaign late Wednesday.

Saadoun described the youth as the most powerful force which is capable of bringing the downfall of any authority that deviates from its path.

The veteran lawmaker however said that he does not expect the Arab Spring protests to hit Kuwait because revolting Arabs are seeking what Kuwait introduced in 1962, democracy and the constitution. Saadoun rebuked claims by former pro-government lawmakers and their allies that the Kuwaiti opposition aim to take power, insisting that “our

position regarding the ruling family is very clear”.

Speaking at the same rally, former Islamist MPs Faisal Al-Mislem said that forces of corruption are fighting their last battle against the opposition, and called on the former prime minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah not to interfere in the election campaign.

Mislem claimed that voters in the third constituency are fearing from candidates who work for the former premier, some of whom are calling for legalizing the sale of liquor in Kuwait. The former lawmaker, who is contesting from the same constituency, said he will nominate Saadoun for the post of the assembly speaker.

In another development, former deputy speaker Abdullah Al-Roumi, who is seeking re-election from the first constituency, said that legalizing political parties will achieve the elusive political stability in Kuwait. He said that if political parties are allowed to operate and contest elections, candidates will run for programs rather than contesting on individ-

ual basis, which has been the cause behind ongoing crises in the country. The administrative court meanwhile reinstated four candidates who had been disqualified by the interior ministry less than two weeks ago. They include leading Shiite businessman Abdulhameed AlDashti and sarcastic candidate Mohammad Al-Hufaiti.

The court postponed until next Sunday a petition filed by voters challenging the candidacy of long-serving exMP Khalaf Dumaitheer in order to allow the defense lawyer to prepare.

Dumaitheer was convicted by the Court of Cassation on forgery charges and refrained from issuing any sentence against him. The voters said since Dumaitheer was convicted of a crime, he should be barred from running in the elections. Two more candidates meanwhile pulled out of the race yesterday bringing the number down to 334 including 24 women. The number is likely to shrink further before the closing date on January 25.

Prices of vegetables, fruits seen rising

Arab poll observers visit media center

KUWAIT: Deputy Chairman of the Board of Bayan Cooperative Society Emad Al-Barjas cautioned people about a possible price hike of essential commodities.

The prices of basic commodities are expected to go up 20 percent this year as against the 15 percent hike in 2011. “The prices of vegetables and fruits will go up, but we find it strange that the government did not make any serious effort to find a solution to this critical issue.

He said prices of citrus products such as oranges and lemons as well as apricots, berries and vegetable, being imported through the Syrian borders, are on the rise especially that the borders are expected to close due to the worsening political situation in Syria.

He said prices will go up due to the border closure and the fear that the Jordanian products may not be able to meet the demands of Kuwait’s local market or to take advantage of the price situation.

He said the price hike phenomenal has become a bitter fact for the citizens and expatriates and there should be a clear mechanism to control prices and monitor them.

KUWAIT: A delegation from the Arab Network for Democratic Elections visited, yesterday, along with Kuwait Transparency Society the media center of the 2012 National Assembly’s elections.

The purpose of the visit was to get familiarized with the center’s function in facilitating all possible means for journalists to cover the national elections.

The delegation met with the Ministry of Information Undersecretary Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Homoud AlSabah who emphasized that the ministry is committed to insure ‘transparency’ in its media coverage for the elections.

He noted that this International and regional media focus on covering the national elections reflects real interest in getting a closer look in the country’s practices of democracy. On her part, Head of the visiting delegation Etidal Al-Ayaar said that its team includes international observers who are keen in seeing how democracy is being carried out in the state of Kuwait.

She lauded the ‘new and neutral’ approach adopted by the Ministry of information in covering election campaigns and allowing equal opportunities for each candidate to present their election agendas. — KUNA

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Explosion in Somali refugee camp after media visit

Obama rejects Canada pipeline

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Pakistani govt bows to top court’s demand

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DEIR AL-ZOUR: This image from amateur video made available by Shaam News Network on Tuesday purports to show a tank in Deir Al-Zour, Syria. —AP

Arab League considers extension of Syria mission Month-long fact-finding mission expires BEIRUT: Syrian government tanks and armored vehicles have pulled back from an embattled mountain town near Damascus, activists and witnesses said yesterday, but at least nine people were killed by security forces elsewhere as a month-long Arab League fact-finding mission expired. The pullback from Zabadani left the town under the control of the opposition, activists said. The besieged town of Zabadani has witnessed heavy exchanges of fire between army troops and anti-government military defectors over the past six days.

The 10-month uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad has turned increasingly militarized and chaotic as more frustrated regime opponents and army defectors arm themselves and fight back against government forces. The capital has seen three suicide bombings since late December which the government blamed on terrorist extremists. Arab League foreign ministers will consider extending the League’s observer mission in Syria in a meeting Sunday in Cairo, officials said yesterday.

Although the mission expired yesterday, Adnan al-Khudeir, head of Cairo operations room that handles reports by the monitors, told The Associated Press that observers will remain in Syria until a decision is made on Sunday.

According to al-Khudeir, the meeting chaired by

the Qatari foreign minister will discuss a report by the head of the mission Gen. Mohammed Ahmed al-Dabi who is arriving in Cairo from Syria yesterday.

The monitors will remain in 17 different places around Syria until the Arab League makes a final decision, he says. “If there is a decision to extend the mission of the observers, we are ready to send more monitors after training them in three days,” he said, adding that the total number of monitors might reach 300. The mission has been mired in controversy, with the opposition claiming it served as a cover for the regime to continue its brutal crackdown against protesters.

US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland suggested that the observers’ mission might not last indefinitely under the current circumstances. “Despite the best efforts of the Arab League, despite the considerable risks that they’ve put their monitors to, it has not succeeded in getting the Assad regime to meet its commitments,” she told reporters in Washington Wednesday.

An Arab League official said the mission could be extended for another month. Rejecting charges that the observers have been ineffective in reducing violence, he said extending the mission would help the opposition more than the

regime. “The killings are less, the protests increase,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity because no decision has been made.

“The mission’s presence offers assurance to the people because the observers can spot any violations. There is a conviction even among Syria opponents that the extension is better than withdrawal.”

More than 5,400 people have been killed since the uprising erupted last March. Activists reported continued violence yesterday. In Damascus, a Syrian security agent was wounded when a small explosive device tore through his car in the Tadamon neighborhood, a Syrian official said. No other damages were reported from the morning explosion, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give statements.

A military security brigadier, Adel Mustafa, also was killed by soldiers who had defected and refused his orders to shoot at civilians in the Bab Qibli area of Homs, according to the Local Coordination Committees, an umbrella group of activists. The officer had previously overseen many killing and arrest operations, according to the LCC. In Zabadani, activist Fares Mohammad said Syrian forces withdrew Wednesday night to two military barracks on the outskirts.

“There is a cautious calm, but fear of another major assault being prepared against Zabadani,” he told The Associated Press by telephone from the resort town, located alongside the Lebanese border 17 miles (27 kilometers) west of Damascus. The Syrian opposition has on several occasions throughout the uprising gained control of a town or city, but ultimately forces loyal to Assad retook them. It is unusual however for the army to take so long to recapture a town so close to the capital. Mohammed said the siege had eased, although heating oil has not been allowed into the town, where it snowed earlier this week. Military checkpoints surrounding the Zabadani were still in place, he said, while about 100 armed defectors were “protecting” it.

Residents said government mortars had shelled the town on Wednesday, but that too had stopped. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the pullout from Zabadani, saying only two armored personnel carriers were left behind at one of the checkpoints near the town.

Syrian officials issued no comment about the fighting in Zabadani. Activists said at least nine people were killed by security forces across Syria yesterday, including four activists who were ambushed in the northern Jabal al-Zawiya region.—AP

International FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Iran warns region against ‘dangerous’ stance on Hormuz Message addressed to US-backed Gulf Arab oil exporters ANKARA: Iran’s foreign minister warned Arab neighbors yesterday not to put themselves in a “dangerous position” by aligning themselves too closely with the United States in the escalating dispute over Tehran’s nuclear activity. Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, used for a third of the world’s seaborne oil trade, if pending Western moves to ban Iranian crude exports cripple its lifeblood energy sector, fanning fears of a slide into wider Middle East war.

European Union foreign ministers are expected at a meeting on Monday to agree an oil embargo against Iran and a freeze on the assets of its central bank, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said, confirming diplomatic leaks. Saudi Arabia, the world’s No. 1 oil exporter, riled Iran earlier this week when it said it could swiftly raise oil output for key customers if needed, a scenario that could transpire if Iranian exports were embargoed. “We want peace and tranquility in the region. But some of the countries in our region, they want to direct other countries 12,000 miles away from this region,” Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said in English during a visit to Turkey. The remark was an apparent reference to the alliance of Iran’s Arab neighbors with Washington, which maintains a big naval force in the Gulf and says it will keep the waterway open.

“I am calling to all countries in the region, please don’t let yourselves be dragged into a dangerous position,” Salehi told Turkey’s NTV broadcaster. He added the United States should make clear that it was open for negotiations with Tehran without conditions. He referred to a letter Iran says it received from US President Barack Obama about the situation in the Straight of Hormuz, the contents of which have not been made public.”Mr Obama sent a letter to Iranian officials, but America has to make clear that it has good intentions and should express that it’s ready for talks without conditions,” he said.

“Out in the open they show their muscles but behind the curtains they plead to us to sit down and talk. America has to pursue a safe and honest strategy so we can get the notion that America this time is serious and ready.” The United States, like other Western countries, says it is prepared to talk to Iran but only if Tehran agrees to discuss halting its enrichment of uranium. Western officials say Iran has been asking for talks “without conditions” as a stalling tactic while refusing to put its nuclear program on the table.

The International Atomic Energy Agency chief said it was his duty to alert the world about possible military aspects to Iran’s nuclear campaign, keeping the heat on Tehran ahead of a rare visit by senior IAEA officials for talks on Jan 29-31. “What we know suggests the development of nuclear

weapons,” he was quoted as saying in comments published in the Financial Times Deutschland yesterday. “We want to check over everything that could have a military dimension.” An IAEA delegation, to be headed by Deputy Director General Herman Nackaerts, is expected to seek explanations for intelligence information indicating Iran has engaged in research and development applicable to nuclear weapons.

Tehran denies wanting bombs, saying it is refining uranium only for electricity generation and medical applications. Salehi said on Wednesday that Iran, the world’s fifth biggest oil exporter, was in touch with world powers to reopen talks that he expected to be held soon. Washington and the EU quickly denied this, saying they are still waiting for Iran to show it wanted serious negotiations addressing fears that it trying to master ways to build atom bombs behind the facade of a civilian nuclear energy programme.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said after meeting Salehi that all sides were willing to resume talks but the time and place need to be settled. “I will tell Ms. Ashton about the talks today,” he told reporters, referring to the EU foreign policy chief who represents the powers on Iran. “We have always said we are ready for dialogue,” France’s Juppe told reporters in Paris. “Ashton has made concrete offers, but sadly until today Iran has not committed transparently or cooperatively to this discussion process.” He added: “It’s for this reason that to avoid an irreparable military option we have to strengthen sanctions.” Iran has wanted to discuss only broader international security issues, not its nuclear program, in meetings with the powers held sporadically over the past five years.

Iranian politicians said Obama had expressed readiness to negotiate in a letter to Iran’s clerical supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “In this letter it was said that closing the Strait of Hormuz is our (US ) ‘red line’ and also asked for direct negotiations,” the semi-official Fars news agency quoted lawmaker Ali Mottahari as saying. Washington declined to comment on whether Obama had written to Khamenei. The stage was set for international oil sanctions against Iran when Obama signed legislation on Dec 31 that would freeze out any institution dealing with Iran’s central bank, making it impossible for most countries to buy Iranian crude.

Diplomats said the EU’s 27 member states were still mulling details such as when an embargo would start. They were looking into a grace period that would end in July to help some debt-ridden EU states that rely on Iranian oil to adjust to a ban.

“On the central bank, things have been moving in the right direction...,” an EU diplomat said. “There is now wide agreement on the principle. Discussions continue on the details.”— Reuters

Bahrain protests greet air show with black smoke M A N A M A : Anti-government protesters in Bahrain have set off pillars of black smoke from burning tires in apparent attempts to embarrass officials on the opening day of the country’s air show. The plumes were visible by people attending the aviation event, which includes American warplanes. Bahrain’s Sunni leaders have welcomed the air show as a sign of stability after

more than 11 months of protests by the kingdom’s Shiite majority, which complains it faces widespread discrimination. The many smoky tire blazes yesterday was a show of resolve by demonstrators in the strategic nation, home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet. The three-day air show includes aircraft such as the US F/A-18 Super Hornet warplane.— AP

SANAA: Yemeni protesters hold the national flags during an anti-regime demonstration against the law of immunity pertaining outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh, demanding the trial for him in Sanaa yesterday.—AP

Yemen amends immunity law, Saleh still protected SANAA: A Yemeni draft law granting immunity to the outgoing president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, from prosecution over the killing of protesters was amended yesterday to limit the protection his aides would enjoy, a minister said. The draft law, which has been heavily criticized by rights groups, the United Nations and Yemeni protesters, will now shield the aides only in “political cases”, Legal Affairs Minister Mohammad Makhlafi told Reuters.

It had previously offered blanket immunity to associates of Saleh, who will still get full protection himself, Makhlafi said, without elaborating on what kinds of cases could be tried.

Under a power transfer plan hammered out by Yemen’s wealthier Gulf neighbors and signed by Saleh in November, the veteran leader was promised legal immunity to help ease him out of office and end months of protests against his 33-year rule.

Rights groups say hundreds of protesters were killed by security forces in the uprising, which was punctuated by bursts of street fighting between Saleh loyalists and their foes. Yemenis angry at the draft law are still taking to the streets calling for Saleh to be put on trial and U.N. human rights chief Navi Pillay earlier this month warned the immunity offer could violate international law.

Discussion of the law in parliament has repeatedly been put off, but Makhlafi said it would now take place tomorrow.

The United States has defended the draft law as the only way to coax Saleh from power, but question remain over

his intentions after he reversed a pledge to leave Yemen before presidential elections in February. Washington and neighbouring oil giant Saudi Arabia are keen for the plan to work, fearing protracted political upheaval will let al Qaeda’s regional Yemen-based wing establish a foothold along oil shipping routes through the Red Sea. Islamist militants this week seized the town of Radda, about 170 km (100 miles) southeast of the capital Sanaa, underscoring those concerns. A tribesman negotiating with the militants on behalf of the government said their leader, Tareq al-Dahab, had refused to withdraw unless a council was set up to run the town according to Islamic law and 15 prisoners suspected of links to al Qaeda were released, including his brother Nabil. Dahab is related to Anwar al-Awlaki, a US citizen whom Washington accused of a leadership role in the Yemeni branch of al Qaeda, and assassinated in a drone strike last year.

The tribesman, Sheikh Saleh alJawfi, said Islamism fighters from Abyan and Shabwa provinces had made their way to Radda to join militant ranks, adding that armed tribesmen were taking up positions in another part of the town. Saleh’s opponents have accused him of deliberately ceding territory to Islamists to prove his argument that only he stands in the way of an al Qaeda takeover in Yemen, from where the global militant network has previously launched abortive attacks. — Reuters

International FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Ex-Israeli intelligence chief: Iran can build bomb JERUSALEM : A former Israeli military intelligence chief says Iran has all the components to build a nuclear bomb, an Israeli newspaper reported yesterday. It was not clear whether Amos Yadlin, who retired in November 2010, was referring to the mechanical elements of a bomb or implying the Iranians have sufficient weaponsgrade uranium, a critical ingredient for bombmaking. Still, his remarks reflect the prevalent view in Israel that Iran is on the cusp of producing a bomb - a view at odds with the American assessment that Iran won’t have bombmaking capabilities for years.

“If the Iranians get together tonight and decide to secretly develop a bomb, then they have all the resources

and components to do so,” Yadlin told Maariv. Israel considers Iran to be the most fearsome of its foes, citing its nuclear program, arsenal of longrange missiles and repeated references to Israel’s destruction. It has been lobbying the international community for years to block Tehran from becoming a nuclear power. Tehran claims its nuclear program is designed solely to produce energy and medical isotopes, not weapons. But a report late last year by the UN atomic energy agency bolstered the Israeli and US contention that Iran wants to manufacture weapons.

On Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Iran has not started to actually make bombs

because that could draw harsher international sanctions and other actions against it. International anxieties over Iran’s intentions have intensified in recent weeks over US and European moves to step up sanctions against Tehran, Iranian threats to shut down a key channel for the world’s oil supply if Iranian oil exports are blocked, and the assassination of the deputy director of an Iranian uranium enrichment site.

In this jittery climate, the US military chief, Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, is due to arrive later yesterday in Israel on his first official visit. Israeli media analysts have speculated he will warn Israel not to launch a military assault against Iran. Israel, which targeted an unfinished Iraqi nuclear reactor in a

1981 airstrike, has said it prefers to pressure Iran through sanctions. But Yadlin, in his interview with Maariv, reiterated Israel’s longstanding position that “the military option must be on the table” as a deterrent.

President Barack Obama seemed to be making the same point when he told Time magazine in an interview extract released on Wednesday, “We don’t take any options off the table in preventing (Iran) from getting a nuclear weapon.”

Israeli Defense Minister Barak said Israel was “very far off” from deciding whether to launch a military strike on the Iranian nuclear program, though he didn’t give a timeline for a decision. —AP

Egypt Brothers mix pragmatism, ideology

RABAT: In this photo provided by a Moroccan media group called “the Unemployed Graduates” and dated Wednesday, a Moroccan protester lies on ground covered with a blanket after setting himself on fire in a demonstration over unemployment in Rabat, Morocco. —AP

Five Moroccans set selves on fire RABAT: Five unemployed Moroccan men set themselves on fire in the capital Rabat as part of widespread demonstrations in the country over the lack of jobs, especially for university graduates, a rights activist said yesterday. Three were burned badly enough to be hospitalized. Once rare, self-immolation became a tactic of protest in the Middle East and North Africa ever since a vegetable seller in Tunisia set himself on fire in December 2010 to protest police harassment, setting off an uprising that toppled the government and sparked similar movements elsewhere in the region.

The Moroccans were part of the “unemployed graduates” movement, a loose collections of associations across the country filled with millions of university graduates demanding jobs. The demonstrations are often violently dispersed by police and in some towns and cities have resulted in sustained clashes. While the official unemployment rate is only 9.1 percent nationally, it rises to around 16 percent for graduates.

Around 160 members of the movement have been occupying an administrative building of the Ministry of Higher Education for the past two weeks in Rabat as part of their protest. Supporters would bring them food until two days ago when security forces stopped them. “The authorities prevented them from receiving food and water, so five people went outside to get food and threatened to set themselves on fire if they were stopped,” said Youssef Al-Rissouni of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights.

Of the three who were hospitalized, two were in serious condition, while the other two just had their clothing singed, he added. Online videos of the incident show at least one person writhing while covered in flames. Photos afterwards showed men with large sections of their skin burned. The online newspaper Goud reported that two of the men had second degree burns and were going to be sent to the Casablanca burn unit. — AP

CAIRO: The Muslim Brotherhood is trying to maneuver its way between its fierce anti-Israel ideology and the realities of governing as it ascends to leadership in Egypt for the first time in its history and faces the key question of how to deal with the country’s peace treaty with the Jewish state. The fundamentalist group’s stance on the accord - opposition but not renunciation - is a telling sign of its broader style of politics. It can play down its hardline doctrine in favor of shortterm pragmatism as it looks to the long term, leaves its options open and engages in a degree of double-talk to pave the way.

The stance could also reflect the group’s own evolution as its new political party, whose members will be the ones actually involved in governing, gradually has to distinguish itself from the hard line of the Brotherhood itself, an 83-year-old organization whose leadership worked for decades in a hive-like secrecy because of state repression. “The Brotherhood is in a real challenge and real crisis. For the first time, they are in power, which forces them to be rational when it comes to foreign policy because any miscalculations might blow their gains,” said Khalil alAnani, an Egyptian expert on Islamic movements.

Brotherhood officials have assured the United States that they will abide by the 32-year-old Camp David accords, a major concern for the Americans, who consider the deal a cornerstone of stability in the region. Revoking the treaty, Israel’s top concern, seems firmly off the table, since it would put the Brotherhood into what it sees as an unnecessary conflict with the West. Instead, Brotherhood leaders say they want to renegotiate some provisions, particularly restrictions on the troops Egypt can station in the Sinai Peninsula. At the same time, they denounce the accord as “unfair” to Egypt and have floated the idea of putting it to a referendum. That may be an attempt to play to the group’s anti-Israeli base, but a referendum would open up the explosive possibility of the Egyptian public rejecting the deal. They also say that the Brotherhood itself will not recognize Israel and that its members will not meet with Israeli counterparts. “Nobody can

force me” to sit with Israelis, a top Brotherhood figure, Mahmoud Ezzat, told The Associated Press in an interview.

He said the Brotherhood would follow the Palestinian Islamic group Hamas in its attitude on the peace process - no direct participation. “Just like Hamas’ way in dealing with Israel, it is elected by the people, it negotiates through mediators.”

“I have the right to act in a way that is consistent with my position without harming the other party,” he said.

Analysts believe that for the short term, the Brotherhood would stay away from ministerial portfolios that involve direct contact with Israel, such as the Foreign Ministry, and rely on an elected president to deal with Israel in the Mideast peace process.

The Brotherhood’s top priority is believed to be to solidify its political domination within Egypt. A confrontation with Israel and the United States over the peace deal could endanger that. The Brotherhood, banned for decades, will be the strongest party in the first parliament since the Feb 11 fall of Hosni Mubarak, after winning nearly 50 percent of the vote in recent elections.

But the group is deeply entrenched in its anti-Israeli ideology and can’t be seen by its supporters to be throwing that away. Like the general Egyptian public, Brotherhood cadres were taught since childhood in the group’s “educational curriculum” that its elders carried arms and fought Israel in 1948 to liberate the land of Palestine. The Brotherhood opposed the peace deal with Israel in 1979 and then-President Anwar Sadat jailed some of its members in retaliation.

“If party leaders were spotted making contacts with Israel, it will cause upheaval inside the group,” said Tharwat Kherbawi, a former Brother. “The Brotherhood fears its base, raised and fed on hatred of Israel. They have been told for decades that any deal with Israel is corrupt.” In 2007, Essam el-Arian, now deputy head of the Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice political party, raised an uproar within the group when he told a newspaper the Brotherhood, if it came to power, was ready to recognize Israel and respect peace deals. In the face of the furor, he said that while the group doesn’t recog-

nize Israel, it must act with “political realism” on Israel once in government.

Last month, officials from the Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party met with several top U.S. officials, including Sen. John Kerry. The group’s website showed rare pictures of the meeting, with party member Saad el-Katatni - now tapped to be the new parliament speaker - shaking hands with Kerry, who patted his shoulder warmly.

Party leader Mohammed Morsi told Kerry that Egypt “respects the conventions and treaties that were signed,” according to a statement by the group. In Washington, the State Department said the administration has received assurances from the Brotherhood respects the accords. The central leadership of the Brotherhood mother organization quickly distanced itself. The group’s deputy leader Rashad Bayoumi denied any assurances were given and vowed Brotherhood members would not sit down with Israel.

“We don’t recognize Israel at all. This is an enemy, an occupier, a rapist and a criminal,” he said. Two weeks later, the group gave a warmer welcome to Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh in his first visit outside the Gaza Strip since the militant group overran the territory in 2007.

He was received at the Brotherhood’s main headquarters by a line of young men and veiled women waving green Hamas flags. The visit suggested the Brotherhood will seek to stronger ties with Hamas, which the Mubarak government generally shunned, even helping Israel in the post-2007 blockade of Gaza.

Haniyeh emphasized the historic link between the groups. Hamas is an offshoot of the Brotherhood, though the Brotherhood disavowed violence in the 1970s. “The Islamic resistance group of Hamas is the Jihad arm of the Brotherhood, it is the Palestinian face,” Haniyeh said. The Brotherhood’s talk of treaty amendments and a referendum appears aimed at showing its anti-Israel credentials - though at the same time, the group is not formally committed to following through. Kherbawi said talk of a referendum is mainly to save face as the Brotherhood works out how to deal with Israel. — AP

International FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Obama rejects Canada pipeline Prez chooses environment over industry SOUTH CAROLINA: Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, speaks at the Personhood USA forum in Greenville, SC, Wednesday. —AP

Gingrich rising in SC, but in time to edge Romney?

SOUTH CAROLINA: Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich is drawing big, enthusiastic crowds and fending off new attacks from GOP front-runner Mitt Romney while reveling in a strong debate performance and a nod from tea party favorite Sarah Palin. But it’s unclear whether the former House speaker’s latest burst of momentum, reflected in both internal and public polling, will be enough for him to overtake Romney in tomorrow’s South Carolina primary. Complicating his effort are two other conservatives - Rick Santorum and Rick Perry - who threaten to siphon his support. Perry was expected to announce yesterday that he is dropping out of the race and endorsing Gingrich.

And now, just two days before South Carolina votes, Gingrich is facing a fresh challenge that could undercut his efforts to cast himself as the strongest conservative challenger to Romney. ABC News said it will air an interview with Gingrich’s second wife on its late-night news program “Nightline.” The network has not indicated what the exwife, Marianne Gingrich, said in the interview, but ABC planned to release excerpts ahead of the GOP debate and “Nightline” itself. In an interview yesterday with NBC’s “Today” show, Gingrich declined to talk in detail about any damage to his campaign that might come from the interview. “I’m not going to say anything bad about Marianne,” Gingrich said, adding that he thought it was wrong for the network to be “intruding into family things that are more than a decade old.” The mere existence of the interview shines a spotlight on a part of Gingrich’s past that could turn off Republican voters in a state filled with religious and cultural conservatives who may cringe at his two divorces and acknowledged marital infidelities.

Marianne Gingrich has said Gingrich proposed to her before the divorce from his first wife was final in 1981; they were married six months later. Her marriage to Gingrich ended in divorce in 2000, and Gingrich has admitted he’d already taken up with Callista Bisek, a former congressional aide who would become his third wife. The speaker who pilloried President Bill Clinton for his affair with Monica Lewinsky was himself having an affair at the time.

Underscoring the potential threat to his rise, Gingrich’s campaign released a statement from his two daughters from his first marriage - Kathy Lubbers and Jackie Cushman - suggesting that Marianne Gingrich’s comments may be suspect given the emotional toll divorce takes on everyone involved. “Anyone who has had that experience understands it is a personal tragedy filled with regrets and sometimes differing memories of events,” their statement said. A CNN/Time South Carolina poll released Wednesday showed Gingrich in second place with support from 23 percent of likely primary voters, having gained 5 percentage points in the past two weeks. Romney led in the poll with 33 percent, but he had slipped some since the last survey. Santorum was in third place, narrowly ahead of Texas Rep. Ron Paul and well ahead of Perry.

Regardless of the South Carolina outcome, Gingrich was making plans to continue to Florida, which holds its primary Jan 31. “There is one candidate who can give you a conservative nominee and only one candidate who can stop Mitt Romney,” Gingrich told an overflow crowd of about 400 at Mutt’s BBQ in Easley on Wednesday. — AP

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama on Wednesday rejected the proposed Keystone XL pipeline from Canada, saying he could not vouch for its safety by a deadline despite intense election-year pressure.

Obama’s political rivals had given him 60 days to make a decision on whether to approve the $7 billion, 1,700-mile (2,700-kilometer) pipeline route through the Great Plains to Texas, forcing him to choose between environmentalists and industry. The Obama administration said TransCanada Corporation could resubmit the Keystone XL project but that officials were not able to assess its plan by a February 21 deadline put into law by the Republican majority in Congress.

“This announcement is not a judgment on the merits of the pipeline, but the arbitrary nature of a deadline that prevented the State Department from gathering the information necessary to approve the project and protect the American people,” Obama said in a statement.

“I’m disappointed that Republicans in Congress forced this decision but it does not change my administration’s commitment to American-made energy that creates jobs and reduces our dependence on oil,” said Obama, who initially hoped to make a decision in 2013. TransCanada quickly said it planned to reapply for a permit. Senior State Department official Kerri-Ann Jones said that the administration would undertake a “completely new review process” for any resubmitted plan.The oil pipeline has turned into a major issue in US politics, with environmentalists waging months of street protests against it and the oil industry funding an advertising blitz saying the project would immediately create shovel-ready jobs amid a weak economy.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper expressed “profound disappointment” in a telephone call to Obama and repeated warnings that he would look to other markets such as China to sell oil.

Harper, a conservative and critic of efforts to curb climate change, voiced

hope for the future of the project “given the significant contribution it would make to jobs and economic growth” in both countries. Mitt Romney, the frontrunner for the Republican nomination to challenge Obama in November, meanwhile called the Democratic president’s decision “as shocking as it is revealing.” “The president demonstrates a lack of seriousness about bringing down unemployment, restoring economic growth and achieving energy independence,” Romney said in a statement as he campaigned in South Carolina.

House Speaker John Boehner, the top Republican in Congress, accused Obama of failing to stand up to his political base “even in the interest of creating jobs.” “President Obama is destroying tens of thousands of American jobs and shipping American

State Department said TransCanada’s stated plans would result in 5,000 to 6,000 US construction jobs for two years but not lead to significant longer-term employment. The pipeline would carry crude oil from Alberta’s tar sands, which emit an unusually high amount of carbon-blamed by scientists for the planet’s rising temperatures and chaotic weather.

Representative Ed Markey, a Democrat and leading US advocate of fighting climate change, said TransCanada could not guarantee the oil would stay in the United States. “This pipeline would have taken the dirtiest oil on the planet, sent it snaking across the Midwest in an already-leaky pipeline, only to be exported to foreign markets once it reached the Gulf Coast,” he said. Anti-Keystone protest leader Bill McKibben, founder of the activist

ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE: President Barack Obama waves as he boards Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md yesterday. —AP energy security to the Chinese,” Boehner said. But environmentalists have raised fears of an accident along the proposed route, which would run through sensitive terrain like the Sand Hills of Nebraska, where residents are widely opposed to the pipeline.

“His decision represents a triumph of truth over Big Oil’s bullying tactics and its disinformation campaign with wildly exaggerated jobs claims,” said Frances Beinecke, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council. In an assessment submitted to Congress, the

group 350.org, said Obama’s decision took bravery. “The knock on Barack Obama from many quarters has been that he’s too conciliatory. But here, in the face of a naked political threat from Big Oil to exact ‘huge political consequences,’ he’s stood up strong,” McKibben said. Damon Moglen, climate and energy director at Friends of the Earth, called the decision “an iconic victory” in the fight against climate change. “The Keystone XL fight was David versus Goliath-no one thought we could win,” Moglen said. —AFP

After finding head, hands, feet, LA police on hunt LOS ANGELES: Los Angeles police were hunting for clues to determine the identity of a man whose body was found in parts over the past two days - first a head on Tuesday, then two hands and two feet on Wednesday - just miles from the towering Hollywood sign. Investigators yesterday searched a hiking trail in the Hollywood Hills for more body parts.

Authorities said the head came from a middle-aged man.

Police believe all the body parts are from the same man but are trying to confirm that. Dog walkers found a severed human head inside a plastic bag Tuesday after two dogs they were walking began playing with an object. When they

shook the plastic bag, a human head fell out onto the ground, according to police Cmdr. Andrew Smith.

The first hand was found as dozens of officers and homicide investigators combed the area. The second hand and both feet were found nearby Wednesday afternoon. No details were immediately available on their condition. The man may have been killed elsewhere in recent days and his body dumped in the park, Smith said.

Wild animals in the park may have other body parts, he said. Smith noted that the area is well-traveled by both cars and hikers. —AP

International FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Qaeda magazine found in Guantanamo jail US NAVAL BASE AT GUANTANAMO BAY: An Al-Qaeda magazine was discovered after being smuggled into Guantanamo prison, a senior US official said Wednesday amid a debate on new rules on mail inspections.

Prison staff found an English-language copy of “Inspire” magazine which used to include such articles as how to make bombs, deputy military prosecutor Andrea Lockhart told a military tribunal hearing.

She did not specify how the magazine, which is published by the AlQaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, was smuggled into the remote US base in southern Cuba nor whether it was discovered during a search of the cells. But Lockhart said new rules on inspecting the mail between lawyers and detainees were brought in on December 27 after its discovery.

“That was the genesis for the baseline review... that it wasn’t working.

And there was material that was getting in, like Inspire magazine that should not have been getting in,” she said. The new rules have been hotly contested by lawyers as a violation of their clients rights. Among the 171 men still held in Guantanamo, some have languished there since the jail was opened 10 years ago this month to house “enemy combatants” detained in the US “war on terror” launched after the 9/11 attacks.

The discussion on the new mail rules took up four hours of debate over two days of a preliminary hearing to fix a trial date for Saudi-born Abd Al-Rahim al-Nashiri accused of masterminding the USS Cole bombing in 2000 in the Yemeni port of Aden. US military officials have

ordered that the Saudi man’s letters and email correspondence be systematically reviewed, which his attorneys have challenged. It is a “violation of the attorney-client privilege,” said Stephen Reyes, one of Nashiri’s military defense lawyers, adding that “at the end of the day it’s got to stop.” Lockhart shot back that there was a need to “balance the needs of defense and the needs to protect the legitimate government interests.”

Judge James Pohl, responding to the concerns, gave the defense and prosecution seven days to offer written arguments. “There’s got to be a new order in a couple of weeks,” he said, calling both sides to a new hearing in April. The trial itself is unlikely to take place for several months.

Nashiri is the first defendant to be

up for trial since President Barack Obama reversed course and ordered military trials to resume at the US naval base in Guantanamo, Cuba.

The 47-year-old Nashiri, wearing his white prison uniform but without handcuffs, listened attentively to a translation of the discussions. Nashiri is accused in the plot to bomb USS Cole, killing 17 sailors and wounding 40 more in Yemen. He is also accused of involvement in an attempted attack against another American warship in Aden, the USS The Sullivans, in January 2000.

US military prosecutors also accuse Nashiri of planning an attack on a French civilian oil tanker MV Limburg in the Gulf of Aden in 2002 that left one Bulgarian crew member dead and caused a 90,000 barrel oil spill. —AFP

Mexico smuggling probe: 4 kids show sexual abuse Children examined by doctors GUADALAJARA: Four of the 10 children seized in western Mexico as part of a child-trafficking investigation involving Irish couples show signs of sexual abuse, a Mexican official said Wednesday. Jalisco state Attorney General Tomas Coronado said the children were examined by doctors but offered no other details.

“There are four children who show signs of having been abused (sexually), perhaps not in a violent way but there are signs (of abuse),” Coronado told reporters. He said he couldn’t elaborate because of the ongoing investigation and didn’t say when the alleged abuse would have taken place.

He said at least 11 Irish couples are involved in the case. Fifteen Irish citizens have already talked to authorities, said Lino Gonzalez, a spokesman for Jalisco state prosecutors. The foreign couples were giving 1,200 pesos, or $188, per week to the mothers since pregnancy, and paying for their medical attention.

Then later the Mexican mothers would also be paid for allowing the children to stay with the couples while the purported adoption process proceeded, Coronado said.

“The great majority of the people from Ireland who have given their testimony have said they thought it was part of the adoption protocol in the state to be paying and that obviously means (someone was making) a profit throughout the adoption process,” Coronado said.

Investigators are trying to determine if the Irish couples “acted in bad faith,” Coronado said, or were being tricked. The Irish Embassy in Mexico said in a statement it’s providing consular advice to the couples involved.

About a dozen state police officers on Wednesday raided a two-story home in a middle class Guadalajara neighborhood that local media said belongs to the lawyers processing the adoptions. The

lawyers apparently advertised in a local newspaper for expectant mothers who wanted to give their children up for adoption.

Prosecutors have said two attorneys who owned the law firm Lopez y Lopez Asociados are being sought in the case.

Coronado wouldn’t identify the lawyers but said they have ignored prosecutors’ requests to talk to investigators. The apparent child-smuggling ring came to light last week when a woman told police that her sister-in-law was trying to sell one of her babies and “renting” the other one. Investigators then detained the 21year-old woman, who led authorities to three other women. Another three women who worked as nannies, the son of one of them and a taxi driver have also been detained, Coronado said.

Authorities seized the 21-year-old woman’s two children, seven children from the Irish couples, and one from the nannies. The children are between two months and two years of age. Agents found that the group was taking the woman’s two children and others to a hotel in Guadalajara where they met with the Irish couples who believed they were going to adopt them. The couples then took the children to the nearby lakeside resort of Ajijic, where they were staying until the adoptions were finished, prosecutors said.

Roy Lahti, president of the condominium association of El Bosque gated community in Ajijic, said some of the couples had been staying there but that they had left. Irish couples in the process of adopting Mexican children had been coming to the community of California-style homes and cobblestone streets for at least three years. They would stay between six and eight months and often the children lived with them, he said. “They were really nice couples, always cordial,” Lahti said. “The community here is shocked.” — AP

WASHINGTON: A pedestrian walks on a snow-covered street, Wednesday in Seattle. As snow started falling on Seattle Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service scaled back the amount expected in western Washington but said it would still be a significant event. —AP

Ice storm blankets Washington SEATTLE: A monster Pacific Northwest storm coated Washington with freezing rain yesterday and brought much of the state to a standstill as the Seattle airport shut down and hundreds of cars slid off roads a day after the region was hit with a major snowfall. The storm claimed at least one life - a child whose body was pulled from an Oregon creek where a car was swept away from a grocery store parking lot. Rescuers also searched yesterday for an adult missing in the creek in the Willamette Valley community of Albany, about 70 miles south of Portland, said fire department spokeswoman Wanda Omdahl.

The National Weather Service used the Emergency Alert System to break into yesterday morning broadcasts with an ice storm warning until noon for the Seattle area and southwest Washington.

Among the concerns were widespread power outages and the threat that structures could collapse under the weight of ice. Authorities are also worried about flooding in the coming days as temperatures warm up. “It’s a very dangerous situation,” with a major impact on roads, said Brad Colman, the meteorologist in charge of the Weather Service office in Seattle.

“We’re expecting a significant impact on power.” Ice closed Sea-Tac Airport and

officials said airlines would likely cancel flights because taxiways remain a problem even as runways are deiced.

Forecasters expect up to 0.4 inch of ice before temperatures rise above freezing by afternoon. The state Transportation Department closed one highway because of falling trees that also took out power lines. Puget Sound Energy reported 70,000 outages at 7 am yesterday, after crews had already brought 46,000 customers back on line since Wednesday.

“It’s like a storm in slow motion that keeps happening again and again,” said PSE spokesman Roger Thompson. The ice follows a huge snowfall on Wednesday.

Nearly a foot of new snow fell in Olympia, Wash., where 11 inches was measured at the airport. The record is 14.2 inches on Jan. 24, 1972. Oregon didn’t receive the snowfall that Washington did - but got plenty of rain. Rising water from heavy rains swept a car carrying at least three people into an overflowing creek in Albany. Two people escaped but at least one child was missing and feared drowned Wednesday night. “The water just got high so fast,” Omdahl said. “It’s a big tragedy.”

Washington State University in Pullman was closed. The University of Washington also cancelled yesterday classes at three campuses, including Seattle. — AP

International FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Murdoch to pay Jude Law, others hacking damages LONDON: Rupert Murdoch’s British newspaper company yesterday agreed to pay damages to 36 high-profile victims of tabloid phone-hacking, including actor Jude Law, soccer player Ashley Cole and former British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott. In the 15 settlements whose financial terms were made public, amounts generally ran into the tens of thousands of pounds (dollars) - although Law received 130,000 pounds (about $200,000) to settle claims against the now-shuttered News of the World tabloid and its sister paper, The Sun. News Group Newspapers admitted that 16 articles about Law published in the News of the World between 2003 and 2006 had been obtained by phone hacking, and that the actor had also been placed under “repeated and sustained physical surveillance.” The company also admitted that articles in The Sun tabloid misused Law’s private information although it didn’t go so far as to admit hacking. In a statement, Law said Murdoch’s tabloids had been “prepared to do anything to sell their newspapers and to make money, irrespective of the impact it had on people’s lives.”

“I changed my phones, I had my house swept for bugs but still the information kept being published,” Law said. “I started to become distrustful of people close to me.” “For me this case was never about money. It was about standing up for myself and finding out what had happened. I owed it to my friends and family as well as myself to do this.” Law was one of 60 people who have sued News Group Newspapers, claiming their mobile phone voicemails were hacked. Other cases whose settlement was announced at London’s High Court yesterday include claims by former government ministers Chris Bryant and Tessa Jowell, rugby player Gavin Henson and Sara Payne, the mother of a murdered girl.

Law’s ex-wife and actress Sadie Frost received 50,000 pounds (about $77,000) in damages plus legal costs for phone hacking and deceit by the News of the World. Bryant received 30,000 pounds (about $46,000) in damages plus costs, while Prescott - a prominent member of the Labour Party - accepted 40,000 pounds (about $62,000). After each statement, News Group lawyer Michael Silverleaf stood to express the news company’s “sincere apologies” for the damage and distress its illegal activity had caused.

The claimants described feeling mistrust, fear and paranoia as phone messages went missing, journalists knew their movements in advance or private information appeared in the media. Frost said the paper’s activity caused her and Law to suspect one another. Henson said he accused the family of his then-wife, singer Charlotte Church, of leaking stories to the press. Other claimants included Guy Pelly, a friend of Prince William, who was awarded 40,000 pounds (about $62,000), and Tom Rowland, a journalist who wrote for one of Murdoch’s own newspapers, the Sunday Times. He received 25,000 pounds ($39,000) after News Group admitted hacking his phone.

In some cases the company admitted hacking into emails, as well as telephone voice mails. Christopher Shipman, son of serial killer Harold Shipman, had emails containing sensitive legal and medical information intercepted by the News of the Word. He was awarded “substantial” undisclosed damages. The slew of settlements is one consequence of the revelations of phone-hacking and other illegal tactics at the News of the World, where journalists routinely intercepted voicemails of those in the public eye in a relentless search for scoops. The wide-ranging scandal prompted Murdoch to close the 168-year-old paper in July, and several of his senior lieutenants have since lost their jobs.

British politicians and police have also been ensnared in the scandal, which exposed the cozy relationship between senior officers, top lawmakers, and newspaper executives at Murdoch’s media empire. A government-commissioned inquiry set up in the wake of the scandal is currently investigating the ethics of Britain’s media - and the nature of its links to police and politicians. The settlements announced yesterday amount to more than half of the phone-hacking lawsuits facing Murdoch’s company, but the number of victims is estimated in the hundreds. Mark Lewis, a lawyer for many of the phone hacking victims, said in an email that the fight against Murdoch wasn’t over. —AP

Croats split over EU ahead of referendum I’m against Croatia entering the European Union: Sabljak RIJEKA: Vedran Sabljak, a shipyard worker in this northern Adriatic port, knows what he thinks about Croatia joining the European Union: A resolute “No.” To gauge just how much the once-elite European club of nations has lost its luster with its debt-burdened economies and bickering leaders, one has to look no further than Croatia, which is holding a EU membership referendum Sunday. “I’m against Croatia entering the European Union,” Sabljak said, as huge cranes in the 3rd of May shipyard helped to assemble a cargo ship on a dry dock.

He said he does not see any advantages to joining a bloc that faces the possible bankruptcy of some members and whose common euro currency is threatened by the European debt crisis. Croatia signed an EU accession treaty last year and is on track to become a member in July 2013, if Croat voters say “Yes” in the referendum and all of the bloc’s 27 states later ratify the deal.

The Balkan nation started negotiating its EU entry six years ago with the strong backing of Germany, but since then the popularity of the bloc has gradually faded, as Croats realized that EU membership would not automatically lead to prosperity. Still, recent polls indicate that a majority - some 56 percent of those who will take part in the referendum - will vote in favor of joining. They hope their country’s troubled economy - burdened by recession, a ?48billion ($61-billion) foreign debt and a 13 percent unemployment rate - will revive due to access to wider European markets and job opportunities that EU membership

should bring. “I would rather be with Germany and France than with Serbia and Bosnia,” said Jadranka Blazic, a lawyer from Zagreb, referring to Croatia’s former compatriots in the Yugoslav federation that broke up in a bloody civil war in the 1990s.

“Maybe the EU is no longer as attractive, and we may be late in joining, but better the European Union than back to some kind of a Balkan union,” the 42-year-old said as she sipped coffee in an elegant cafe in the capital, Zagreb. Many in Croatia - and the rest of the EU - also wonder what is the bloc going to gain from the country that is ripe with corruption and has economic woes that are among the deepest in the Balkans. Even the Croatian leaders, who have launched a campaign for a “Yes” vote, show little enthusiasm when they speak about joining, since it will be just in time to pay for bailouts to for indebted EU countries such as Greece.

“The European Union is neither haven nor hell,” Croatian President Ivo Josipovic said. “We expect to live better, but we can do that only if we use the mechanisms that the EU has to offer.” With its spectacular Adriatic coastline and over a 1,000 islands, the tourism-oriented Croatia has long seen itself as more Western-looking than the other former Yugoslav republics. It is likely to become only the second of the six exYugoslav nations to join the EU, after Slovenia, which enlisted in 2004.

The anti-EU campaigners say their country of just 4.5 million people will lose its identity and have little to say in a union where Germany and France are calling the

shots. And they feel that the war for secession from the former Serb-dominated federation will become meaningless. “Twenty years after we split from Yugoslavia, why would we enter an organization that is breaking apart?” Dean Golubic, an anti-EU activist, asked several hundred right-wing protesters waving checkered red and white Croatian flags reading “I Love Croatia, No to EU” at a recent rally in the capital. “We didn’t wage the war for our national identity, have 15,000 innocent victims, only to give it away to the capitalists,” war veteran Zeljko Sacic said.

Josipovic, the president, tried to alleviate those fears. “Like the other 27 countries, Croatia will not give up its sovereignty by becoming an EU member,” he said.

“Croatia will smartly invest a part of its sovereignty in the most prosperous political and economic community in the world.”

For the shipyard workers in Rijeka, not only their national identity is at stake. The EU has demanded that the Croatian government stop subsidizing and privatize all of its five loss-making ship builders - putting some 12,000 jobs at risk - before it becomes a member. “I think we are rushing to join,” said shipyard worker Niksa Moreti. “Croatia and its shipbuilding industry need time. I am in favor of the EU membership, but at some later point.” Although Croatian officials are likely to repeat the referendum until they get a “Yes” majority, they portrayed Sunday’s vote as decisive, and say the country could lose hundreds of millions of euros (dollars) in accession funds if the Croats say “No.”—AP

Turkey: Tens of thousands mark journalist’s death ANKARA: Tens of thousands of protesters marked the fifth anniversary of a TurkishArmenian journalist’s murder yesterday as outrage continues to grow over a trial that failed to shed light on alleged official negligence or even collusion. Human rights activists placed red carnations on the spot in Istanbul where Hrant Dink was gunned down in broad daylight outside of his minority Agos newspaper office by a nationalist teenage gunman.

The case highlights Turkey’s uneasy relationship with its ethnic and religious minorities, including at least 60,000 Armenian Christians. Many people carried black banners that read: “We are all Hrant, we are all Armenian,” and some chanted “Turkey will be a grave for fascism.” Tens of thousands marched for justice, a call shared by Turkish leaders and leading businessmen who expressed unease over this week’s sentencing of one man, Yasin Hayal, to life in prison for masterminding the killing, while another 17 were acquitted of charges of acting under a terrorist organization’s orders. The court neglected to issue a verdict about a 19th suspect.

“The verdict is tragic and is weighing heavily on the conscience of everyone in Turkey,” Rober Koptas, Dink’s son-in-law and editor-in-chief of Agos, told AP televi-

ISTANBUL: Thousands of people hold placards and a portrait of the slain journalist Hrant Dink during a commemoration ceremony in front of the offices of the Armenian newspaper “Agos” in Istanbul yesterday.—AFP sion in an interview. The gunman, Ogun Samast, was sentenced to nearly 23 years in prison in July by a separate juvenile court. Umit Boyner, the head of Turkey’s influential industrialists’ association TUSIAD, said the court’s decision had “shocked” the public. “What we solidly see in this trial process is that the belief in justice has been shaken and weaknesses in our justice system have been revealed,” he said. Turkey’s leaders have vowed a thor-

ough investigation into Dink’s killing - signaling dissatisfaction with Tuesday’s court ruling by a panel of judges. Dink’s lawyers have said they will appeal the verdict, saying the investigation was flawed because the judiciary had not followed up on evidence alleging officials may have been aware of the plot. Protesters marching past the site of the Jan. 19, 2007 killing carried banners that read: “This case cannot finish like this.”—AP

International FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Amid ‘peace’ residents cite gunfire, rape in Darfur ABUSHOUK IDP CAMP: Almost a decade after government-backed Janjaweed militias began a “genocide” in Sudan’s Darfur, shootings, rapes, looting and arson continue, residents say. But officials are touting a deal signed last year between the government and an alliance of rebel splinter factions as the best hope for peace, and say security is showing signs of improvement.

“Darfur is at a crossroads,” Ibrahim Gambari, who leads UNAMID, the joint African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur, said in a statement on Wednesday. “One direction is toward more peace, more progress, more movement toward early recovery and development; and one side is leaning towards the enemies of peace, the spoilers.” Darfur plunged into uncertainty in December when government forces announced they had killed Khalil Ibrahim, who led the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), once Darfur’s most heavily armed group.

JEM said this week that it is “still active and still able to do what we want”, despite the loss of Ibrahim. The group has not signed the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, which Khartoum inked in Qatar. “I think they still feel bitter about the death of their leader,” said Khalil Adam, of a UNAMID-backed citizens’ liaison group. “The death of Khalil will affect the process of peace in Darfur”, but if the current signatories honor the deal others will join, Adam told reporters during a UN-organised visit to the North Darfur capital El Fasher, and a nearby camp for people displaced by the conflict.

Factions of Darfur’s Sudan Liberation Army headed by Minni Minnawi and Abdelwahid Nur also rejected the Doha deal. Instead, in November they formed with the SPLM-N rebels, based elsewhere in Sudan, a “Revolutionary Front” to overthrow the Khartoum government. JEM said key issues including power and wealth sharing, human rights violations, and the almost two million displaced had not been resolved with the Doha pact. Among its provisions the document, which covers about 100 pages, calls for a truth and reconciliation committee, a national human rights commission, $2 billion in government support for reconstruction and development, compensation for refugees, and affirmative action for Darfuris in government and military service.

“It is a good document” which can create a momentum towards peace, Fouad Hikmat, of the International Crisis Group think-tank, said from Kenya. But he said the agreement faces key challenges including how to bring non-signatories into the process. “That might be a bit complicated,” he said, adding that Darfuris also want evidence of progress on issues including justice and rehabilitation.

“First they have to provide the security. They have to provide some kind of confidence building,” to encourage those displaced by the war to return home, said Ahmed Atim, the bearded chief of Abushouk camp which is home to almost 55,000 people. After eight years, Abushouk resembles not a camp but a village, where people live behind mud-brick walls and donkey carts are the main mode of transport over garbage-strewn sand.

Atim said there have been “some reported cases of burned schools”, while others spoke of gunfire.”During the night there is heavy shooting,” said a tea vendor in the market. She quickly back-tracked when a plainclothes government security agent popped up behind her.

“Everything’s fine,” she said. The camp’s youth leader said security has improved somewhat since the Doha agreement. “The problem is only the shooting” and thefts, he said, blaming authorities for the gunfire. “Because the government doesn’t want the IDPs (internally displaced persons) in the camp. They want the IDPs to go back,” he said.

Asked about the gunplay, Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad bin Addullah Al-Mahmud, who chairs a panel monitoring the peace pact’s implementation, said there had been “a quarrel between two persons.” There are also reports of rape, looting and threats toward residents of Abushouk and a neighbouring camp, most of whom are anti-government, said a source familiar with conditions there. “It’s very complicated,” said the source. Darfur’s African rebel groups that rose up against the Arab-dominated Khartoum government in 2003 were confronted by state-backed Janjaweed militia in a conflict that shocked the world and led to allegations of geno cide.—AFP

Explosion in Somali refugee camp after media visit Two people die from attack MOGADISHU: A bomb exploded in a crowded refugee camp in Somalia’s capital yesterday, only minutes after a group of UN officials and international journalists left the site. The blast killed two Somalis. Yasmin Ali, the camp organizer, said one refugee and one Somali soldier died. At least three people were wounded. Journalists from international agencies like The Associated Press, AFP, BBC and the Spanish newspaper El Pais were on a one-day trip to Mogadishu yesterday, one day before the six month mark of the UN ‘s famine declaration in this Horn of Africa country. The blast happened about 20 minutes after the journalists left the camp. There were no senior UN personnel on the trip.

African Union and Somali forces for the most part have forced militants from the Al-Shabab militant group out of Mogadishu, but pockets of resistance remain and the militants continue to carry out strikes like suicide attacks and roadside bombs. “I never thought refugee camps would be targeted,” said Abdi Warsame, a blast victim, as he lay in a Mogadishu hospital.

“It was an intentional attack. Not much can be done against those men,” he said, referring to al-Shabab, “because they penetrated the camp, so no one can stop them. May Allah bring a power that can stop them.” Somalia, which hasn’t had a central government in more than two decades, has long been a dangerous environment for aid groups, the UN and journalists. Foreign journalists typically do not move around Mogadishu unless inside an armored vehicle manned with African Union troops or with a private security team.

The UN declared a famine in Somalia on July 20. Since then, hundreds of thousands of Somalis fled the hardesthit areas of the country for refugee camps in Kenya, Ethiopia and the capital, Mogadishu. The UK government

MOGADISHU: An unidentified man wounded during an explosion inside an IDP camp in Mogadishu, Somalia, rests yesterday.—AP estimates that between 50,000 and 100,000 Somalis died, and a report released Wednesday blamed aid groups and world governments for not responding to the crisis fast enough.

Many of the refugees who spoke to the AP yesterday said that the men from refugee families have returned home to plant crops after seasonal rains fell in south-central Somalia in recent weeks.

One refugee, 25-year-old Deqo Hassan Mohammed, said she would return home with her husband if she can find the $10 fare it would cost to travel there.

“Things are still hard but better than before,” said the mother of five. Another woman, Halima Haji Mohammed Omar, though, said she does not want to go back, because of the presence of alShabab fighters. Omar said al-Shabab tried to conscript her 20-year-old son.

“How can I go back? There is no reason

to back when there is still a war,” said Omar, whose husband has returned to plant crops. “They beat us, they conscripted our children.” Underscoring the danger of violence in Somalia, the aid group Doctors Without Borders said yesterday it is closing its two largest medical centers in Mogadishu after the shooting deaths of two staffers. The group, which is also known by its French acronym of MSF, said the two 120-bed medical facilities treat malnutrition, measles and cholera.

The closure of the two facilities cuts in half the assistance that the aid group is providing in Mogadishu. MSF will continue to provide medical care in other areas of the capital, as well as in 10 other locations in Somalia. Two MSF staffers were killed Dec. 29 by a disgruntled, gun-wielding Somali employee suspected of theft and receiving kickbacks.—AP

Seafarers outraged that captain could jump ship STOCKHOLM: Seafaring tradition holds that the captain should be last to leave a sinking ship. But is it realistic to expect skippers - only human after all - to suppress their survival instinct amid the horror of a maritime disaster? To ask them to stare down death from the bridge, as the lights go out and the water rises, until everyone else has made it to safety? From mariners on ships plying the world’s oceans, the answer is loud and clear: Aye. “It’s a matter of honor that the master is the last to leave. Nothing less will do in this profession,” said Jorgen Loren, captain of a passenger ferry operating between Sweden and Denmark and chairman of the Swedish Maritime Officer’s Association. Seamen have expressed almost universal outrage at Capt.

Francesco Schettino, accused of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and of abandoning his crippled cruise ship off Tuscany while passengers were still on

board. The last charge carries a potential sentence of 12 years in prison.

Jim Staples, a captain for 20 years, who spoke Wednesday from a 1,000-foot (300meter) cargo vessel he was captaining near New Orleans, said captains are dutybound to stay with the ship until the situation is hopeless. When they bail early, everything falls apart. “I’m totally embarrassed by what he did,” he said of Schettino. “He’s given the industry a bad name, he’s made us all look bad. It’s shameful.” Schettino should have remained on board “until the last passenger is accounted for,” said Abelardo Pacheco, a Filipino captain who was held hostage for five months in Somalia and now heads a seafarers’ training center in Manila. “That is the responsibility of the captain, that’s why all privileges are given to him but he has together with that an equal burden of responsibility,” Pacheco said. The Costa Concordia, carrying more

than 4,200 passengers and crew, slammed into a reef on Friday, after Schettino made an unauthorized maneuver. A recording of his conversation with the Italian Coast Guard suggests he fled before all passengers were off, and resisted repeated orders to go back, saying the ship was tipping and it was dark. Schettino reportedly said he ended up in a life raft after he tripped and fell into the water.

He is being held in house arrest as prosecutors prepare criminal charges.

Even if he’s not convicted, it is highly unlikely that he’ll ever command a cruise or cargo ship again because of the damage to his reputation, said Prof. Craig Allen of the US Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. “Some people panic, but a short time later they collect their senses and do the right thing,” Allen said.

“In this case there was more than enough time for the moment of panic to pass. It was abject cowardice.”—AP

International FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

China to again close Tibet during sensitive period BEIJING: For a fifth straight year, China plans to close Tibet to foreign travelers during a sensitive period starting in midFebruary, travel agents said yesterday.

Agent Yu Zhi of the Lhasa Youth Tourist Agency said yesterday the government’s tourist administration in Tibet’s capital had informed agents that foreign travelers would be banned from Feb. 20 to March 30.

Another agent with the China International Travel Agency in Lhasa, who wouldn’t give her name, said she’d been told the ban would end March 20.

The periodic closure of the Himalayan region encompasses the Feb 22-24

Tibetan new year festival of Losar as well as the anniversary of a deadly anti-government riot among Tibetans on March 14, 2008. Tensions are especially high this year following the self-immolations of at least 16 Buddhist monks, nuns and other Tibetans. Most have chanted for Tibetan freedom and the return of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who fled to India amid an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in 1959. While authorities have never explained the rational behind the annual closure, it’s seen as a standard measure based on the assumption that outsiders could either inspire or witness renewed anti-

government protests or other conflicts.

“We haven’t seen a written notice, but it’s the same as previous bans. We were not told about the reasons, but it’s probably because of the Tibetan new year,” said Yu, the Lhasa agent.

In addition to the coming closure of Tibet proper, traditionally Tibetan areas of Sichuan province and other parts of western China where most of the selfimmolations have taken place have been closed to outsiders for months amid a massive security presence. A clerk with the Lhasa Tourist Bureau denied there was a ban, but declined give her name.

Chinese officials often issue orders

regarding sensitive political issues only verbally to allow deniability and maintain the impression of control.

Although Chinese citizens are generally exempt from such closure orders, they have dented China’s hopes to develop tourism into a major economic driver in one of the country’s poorest regions. Many Tibetans resent Beijing’s heavy-handed rule and large-scale migration of China’s ethnic Han majority to the Himalayan region. While China claims Tibet has been under its rule for centuries, many Tibetans say the region was functionally independent for most of that time.—AP

Pakistani govt bows to top court’s demand Gilani’s attorney gets 2 weeks to prepare

DHAKA: Bangladesh Army spokesman brigadier general Muhammad Masud Razzaq briefs the press about a failed attempt to topple the Awami League-led government at the Dhaka Cantonment yesterday.—AFP

Bangladesh military says it foiled coup plot DHAKA: The Bangladesh military said yesterday it foiled a plot by a group of hardline officers, their retired colleagues and Bangladeshi conspirators living abroad to overthrow Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The coup attempt underscored tension between Hasina’s government and elements of the military that has lingered since a 2009 mutiny.

Brig Gen Muhammad Masud Razzaq told a news conference the military has specific evidence that up to 16 current and former Bangladeshi military officers “with extreme religious views” were involved in the “heinous conspiracy.” The plot was instigated by Bangladeshi conspirators living abroad, he added.

Two retired officers - Lt Col Ehsan Yusuf and Maj Zakir have been arrested, Razzaq said, but he did not say when.

Authorities are also looking for another fugitive serving officer, Maj Ziaul Haq, he said. He said Haq fled his post after the arrest of Yusuf and Zakir. In 2009, just two months after Hasina took office after sweeping a general election, Bangladesh border guards mutinied over complaints over pay, perks and promotion prospects. At least 74 military commanders were killed, many of them the commanders of the mutineers.

Military officials were furious with Hasina for not ordering an assault on the compound, but instead ending the standoff by offering an amnesty to the mutineers that was later rescinded. Since then, the military has been pressing for an early trial of the mutineers. Hasina’s government is trying more than 800 border guards on charges of killing, arson and looting in Dhaka. Hundreds who mutinied at locations outside the capital have been tried already and sentenced to prison.

It’s not clear why the alleged coup participants are being described as religious fanatics. Hasina banned Islamic militant groups after taking office in 2009 and has warned in recent speeches that such groups are “conspiring against her elected government.” Bangladesh, a parliamentary democracy since 1990, has witnessed two presidents slain in military coups and 19 other failed coup attempts.—AP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government yesterday bowed to a long-standing Supreme Court demand to debate whether the president enjoys immunity from a past corruption case, a concession that could help defuse a crisis threatening the US backed administration. The government agreed to the demand after the court threatened Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani with contempt charges for failing to reopen a decade-old case against his boss, President Asif Ali Zardari, and forced the premier to make a rare appearance before the judges.

The court gave Gilani’s attorney two weeks to prepare his argument. The period could further reduce heightened tension between the Supreme Court and the beleaguered government, which is also battling the judges and the powerful army over a secret memo sent to Washington last year seeking help in stopping a supposed military coup. Speculation has been rampant that the combined assault could cause the government’s downfall by forcing it to accept calls for early elections. But the government may be heartened by the Supreme Court’s decision not to make any immediate moves to hold Gilani in contempt, a charge that could land him in prison for up to six months and disqualify him from holding office.

The government has long defied a 2009 Supreme Court order to write a letter to Swiss authorities asking them to reopen a corruption case against Zardari that dates back to the 1990s, claiming he enjoys immunity from prosecution while in office. It has also ignored a demand to go before the court to argue the immunity claim, probably because members of the ruling party viewed the court’s actions as a partisan campaign to take down Zardari, who has clashed with Supreme Court Chief Justice Mohammad Iftikhar Chaudhry.

Gilani delivered a nearly 10-minute speech yesterday to the seven-judge bench, which did not include Chaudhry.

The prime minister expressed respect for the court and said he never intended to “ridicule” the judges. He said it was his belief that Zardari “has complete immunity inside and outside the country.” Gilani’s lawyer, Aitzaz Ahsan, did most of the talking for the prime minister during the ses-

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani waves upon his arrival at the Supreme Court in Islamabad, Pakistan yesterday.—AP sion and agreed to formally argue for the president’s immunity before the judges when the hearing resumes on Feb 1.

“I will bow to the court order and will also speak on immunity to satisfy the court that the president has complete immunity,” Ahsan told reporters. Political analyst Hasan-Askari Rizvi said the government’s stance “will definitely contribute to reduce the tension” with the court. But he warned that the judges may still seek to make life difficult for the president.

Security was especially tight during the court session, which was also attended by several of Gilani’s ministers and coalition partners. Police lined the roads in front of the Supreme Court and two helicopters hovered over the building during the hearing.

Supporters and opponents of the government competed for attention outside the court. A group of roughly a dozen women chanted, “Long live Zardari!” while several dozen lawyers shouted slogans in favor of the court chief justice and against the president. Zardari and his late wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, were found guilty in absentia in a Swiss court in 2003 of laundering millions of dollars in kickbacks from Swiss companies

when they were in government. They appealed, and Swiss authorities abandoned the case in 2008 at the request of the Pakistani government. The case was among thousands dropped as a result of an amnesty that allowed Bhutto to return from exile and run for election in 2008.

She was assassinated in 2007 during the campaign.

The Supreme Court declared the amnesty unconstitutional in 2009, leaving those covered by it vulnerable to prosecution. Zardari said recently that the government would never send the letter to the Swiss reopening the case because it would dishonor Bhutto. Many legal experts agree that Zardari does enjoy immunity from the Swiss corruption case while in office, but the judges gave no indication yesterday of where they stood. The government is also at locked in bitter conflict with the army over the secret memo scandal. The army was outraged by the memo, which was allegedly sent by the government, and pushed the Supreme Court to set up a commission to investigate. The government has denied any connection to the memo and opposed the commission, saying the matter was already being probed by the parliament. —AP

International FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Myanmar holds new cease-fire talks with Kachin

TOKYO: East Timor’s President Jose Ramos-Horta, left, shakes hands with Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda prior to their meeting at his official residence in Tokyo yesterday.—AP

US, Filipino forces plan drills near disputed area MANILA: US and Philippine marines plan to hold combat drills at an oil rig in the South China Sea to bolster the defense of such sensitive facilities in a bold move that may provoke protests from China, which claims waters in or near the location. Lt Gen Juancho Sabban, commander of the Philippine military’s Western Command, said yesterday the exercises will be held in March or April off western Palawan province and should not alarm China because these will be done within Philippine territorial waters.

The drills involve US Marines training their Philippine counterparts in defending and retaking oil and gas rigs captured by security threats like terrorists, Sabban said, adding military organizers from both sides did not contemplate on China as an imaginary target when they planned the drills. “We need this special training so we can defend our oil and gas platforms,” Sabban told The Associated Press. “We’re doing it in an actual oil rig. We have many of these oil rigs we need to protect.”

The drills are part of an annual joint military exercises by the longtime defense allies called Balikatan, which aims to improve the capability of the two countries’ forces to respond militarily to threats that include terrorists, pirates and smugglers or deal with natural disasters. The Balikatan or “shoulder-to-shoulder” exercises have mostly been done around the main northern Luzon island in past years but will be held in Palawan for nearly a month starting in mid-March. More than 500 US soldiers and marines, along with their warships and aircraft, will take part in the exercises with about 1,000 Filipino military personnel, Sabban said.

Aside from the combat drills, the military participants will undertake school repairs and medical missions. “It’s an annual exercise and should not cause any concern to China,” Sabban said. Still, the Balikatan exercises may likely invite Chinese protests. Palawan province lies near the Spratlys, a potentially oiland gas-rich chain of islands, shoals, coral outcrops and sand bars being disputed by China and the Philippines, along with Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei. The Spratlys have long been feared as Asia’s next potential flashpoint for conflict.

China, which claims virtually all of the South China Sea on historical grounds, has routinely protested military exercises near the disputed territories. The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to an AP request for a comment. Sabban said the upcoming oil rig drills will be held in Philippine waters northwest of Palawan near an area called Malampaya, site of the country’s largest natural gas field.

The AP has learned that China last year claimed new territory in or near the venue of the planned drills. China protested in July a publicly-announced plan by the Philippine government to explore for oil and gas in waters called “areas 3 and 4,” the nearest point of which lies less than 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Palawan. The Philippines has dismissed China’s claims, arguing the areas were well within the country’s territorial waters and too far off mainland China, Energy Undersecretary Jose Layug Jr has said.

The new areas being claimed by China are not part of the Spratlys. The Philippines has appropriated more funds to protect Malampaya and outlying waters and secure foreign companies exploring for oil and gas, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said yesterday. “What creates uncertainty is this looming threat coming from China,” Abad said.— AP

YANGON: Myanmar’s government and ethnic Kachin rebels met yesterday for cease-fire talks to end several months of armed clashes near the northern border with China, but their preliminary meeting did not make any major breakthroughs. After two days of negotiations, a high-level government team and members of the Kachin Independence Organization agreed to continue talks later and in the meantime to inform the other side before deploying troops, according to an official at the talks who declined to be named. The talks were the latest efforts by Myanmar’s new, nominally civilian government to end the country’s long-running ethnic conflicts, one of many reforms under way after years of military rule.

Stopping ethnic clashes is a key demand of Western governments that are weighing lifting sanctions imposed during the junta’s rule. Last week, the government signed a cease-fire pact with Karen rebels in eastern Myanmar, in a major step toward ending one of the world’s longest-running insurgencies. Other talks are reportedly taking place with the Shan, Karenni and Chin. A prominent Kachin mediator, Rev. Saboi Jum, told The Associated Press that talks were held across the border in Ruili in China’s Yunnan province.

“Too much damage has been done since fighting erupted in June last year.

It is most important to build confidence and trust between each other, and a lot of tension will be reduced if government troops withdraw from the KIO areas,” he said. The next round of negotiations would be held in Myanmar, according to the official who spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to disclose details of the

KACHIN: In this photo taken Sunday, Jan. 8, 2011, soldiers from Kachin Independence Army (KIA) provide security during the annual Manaw traditional new year celebrations in Myitkyina, Kachin State, Myanmar. Myanmar’s government and ethnic Kachin rebels met yesterday.—AP talks.

The Kachin Independence Organization reached a peace deal with the country’s former ruling junta in 1994, but the truce broke down in 2010 after the group rejected a call by the junta to transform its troops into border guards under the government’s leadership. The Kachin have been fighting the government since June, when the army tried to break up some of their militia strongholds. Thousands of ethnic Kachin have fled their homes to avoid the fighting.

Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has described an end to the fighting with ethnic guerrillas as a national prior-

ity, and last month said she would be willing to help with peace negotiations.

The Nobel laureate and former political prisoner sent a letter to the Kachin people expressing compassion, particularly for the women and children who have been uprooted by the fighting, said Saboi Jum. She “expressed her hope that one day the effected population would be able to come home and live in peace,” he said, saying that Suu Kyi’s message “lifted our spirits and we are very happy.” Suu Kyi’s enormous popularity with the poor and disenfranchised majority is expected to propel her to her first seat in parliament during April byelections.—AP

Radiation, rusty metal seen in tsunami-hit reactor TOKYO: Radiation-blurred images taken inside one of Japan’s tsunami-hit nuclear reactors yesterday showed steam, unidentified parts and rusty metal surfaces scarred by 10 months’ exposure to heat and humidity. The photos that were the first inside look since the disaster found none of the reactor’s melted fuel but confirmed stable temperatures and showed no major damage or ruptures caused by the earthquake last March, said Junichi Matsumoto, spokesman for the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co. Radiation appeared on the images as static, or electronic interference with the equipment being used. Some parts that were photographed inside the reactor’s containment vessel are not yet identifiable, and experts are trying to identify them. The photos also showed inner wall of the container heavily deteriorated after 10 months of exposure to high temperature and humidity, Matsumoto said.

TEPCO workers inserted the endoscope - an industrial version of the kind of endoscope doctors use - through a hole in the beaker-shaped container at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant’s No. 2 reactor,

hoping the first look inside since the crisis would help them better assess reactor conditions and make repairs.

High temperatures and radiation leaks had prevented the close-up view until now. Results of the 70-minute operation were mixed. “Given the harsh environment that we had to operate, we did quite well. It’s a first step,” Matsumoto said. “But we could not spot any signs of fuel, unfortunately.” He said it would take more time and a better technology to get to the melted fuel, most of which has fallen straight down into the area that the endoscope could not reach. TEPCO hopes to use the endoscope to look inside the two other reactors that had meltdowns but that also would require customization of the equipment and further reduction of radiation levels. Better assessment will help workers know how best to plug holes and cracks in the containment vessel - a protective chamber outside the core - to contain radiation leaks and gradually work toward dismantling the reactors. Three of six reactors at the Fukushima plant melted down after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami

knocked out the plant’s cooling systems and set off the world’s worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl. TEPCO and nuclear officials have said that melted fuel probably fell to the bottom of the core in each unit, most likely breaching the bottom of the core and falling into the primary containment vessel, some dropping to its concrete floor. Experts have said those are simulation results and that exact location and condition of the fuel could not be known until they have a first-hand observation inside. The probe yesterday successfully recorded the temperature inside the containment vessel at 44.7 degrees Celsius (112 degrees F), confirming it stayed below the boiling point and qualifying a “cold shutdown state,” the stable condition that the government had declared in December despite skepticism from experts. The probe failed to find the water surface, which indicate the water sits at lower-than-expected levels inside the primary containment vessel and questions the accuracy of the current water monitors, Matsumoto said. The government has said that it would take 40 years until the Fukushima plant is fully decommissioned.—AP

Business FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Markets subdued as Greek debt talks remain focus

Kodak files for bankruptcy PAGE 21 PAGE 22

SEOUL: South Korean models pose with a CINEMA 3D Smart TV during a press conference to introduce LG Electronics’ television and the company’s marketing strategy for 2012 yesterday. — AP

Shell, Qatar push for $12.6bn refinery BEIJING: China’s top energy group and its partners Qatar Petroleum and Royal Dutch Shell agreed to push ahead with plans for a $12.6 billion refinery and petrochemical complex in east China which is likely to start before similar rival facilities. China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) said yesterday it and its joint venture partners signed an agreement to cooperate further on the project while Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao was visiting Doha on Wednesday.

“The three parties will cooperate further to push for the implementation of the project. The investment is a major development that will deepen CNPC’s cooperations with a major Middle East resource nation and an international oil company,” CNPC, parent of PetroChina, said in a statement.

The project, which includes a 400,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) refinery and a 1.2-milliontonne-per-year ethylene complex, is one of

several joint-ventures that China, the world’s second biggest energy consumer, hopes will provide the fuel for its expanding economy.

The other projects include ventures between Chinese energy firms and Venezuela’s PDVSA, Kuwait Petroleum International and Russia’s Rosneft. China’s total refining capacity stood at around 10 million barrels per day at the end of 2010. It is likely to add another 3.7 million bpd between 2011 and 2015, industry officials said. The CNPC project, to be located in the east coastal city Taizhou, won initial government approval in June.

Industry experts said Qatar Petroleum and Shell would have to work hard at negotiating a final deal that allows them to take part in the more lucrative fuel retailing.

China is hungry for fuel, but the refining business has long been dominated by state

giants Sinopec and PetroChina and the government still sets fuel prices at the pump. Without full access to wholesale operations and what happens at fuel stations, refiners often bear the brunt of thin or negative margins.

The only success so far is the refinerypetrochemical joint venture between top Chinese refiner Sinopec Corp, US major Exxon Mobil and Saudi Aramco in the southern province of Fujian which took more than a decade to materialize. But experts said CNPC may prove an easier partner than Sinopec and the negotiations are not likely to take decades as CNPC is keen to boost its refining capacity in southern China. “The broad trend won’t changeto limit investors’ access to fuel marketing in favor of state majors,” said Yan Kefeng of Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA). “But to CNPC, this might be slightly

different-the project would mean CNPC is giving its partners chance to grab market share in competitor’s turf.”

CNPC has also partnered Venezuela’s state-run PDVSA for a refinery and petrochemical complex in Guangdong province, under which PDVSA will supply the crude and provide oilfield concessions to CNPC in Venezuela in return for a footfold in China’s vast fuel market. But industry experts say the deal could be caught in the web of sometimes tense diplomatic relations between the United States, China and Venezuela. Sinopec has partnered with Kuwait’s national oil company to set up a similar venture in Zhanjiang city. Industry experts expect negotiations for the final commercial contract to be lengthy as Sinopec could prove to be a tough negotiator and Kuwait Petroleum needs to find a global oil firm to partner with. — Reuters

Business FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Japan oil industry likely to cut Iran imports TOKYO: Japan’s oil industry is likely to cut its purchases of Iranian crude oil in about three months as Tokyo grapples with a new US sanctions law, Akihiko Tembo, president of the Petroleum Association of Japan (PAJ), said yesterday. Tembo, also chairman of the nation’s No 3 refiner Idemitsu Kosan Co, said his company was not in talks with oil producers to buy alternative crude supplies.

Japan is under pressure to cut its oil imports from Iran as a way to secure a waiver from Washington on

the sanctions designed to hamper Iran’s ability to sell oil overseas. Treasury and State Department officials are in Tokyo this week to negotiate how it can contribute to international sanctions on Iran. The two sides held a second day of meetings yesterday.

Sources says Idemitsu buys 10,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil from Iran. Tembo declined to confirm the figures but said the company did not foresee any major impact on its business if Iranian oil imports are disrupted. He said the PAJ and Idemitsu were not

in deep discussions with the government about Iranian issues.

Japan’s refining industry has had no problems with banks over settling Iranian crude payments, Tembo said. Iranian crude imports make up nearly 10 percent of Japan’s total imports. Japan imported 312,000 bpd of Iranian crude in the first 11 months of 2011, down 12.3 percent from the same period a year earlier, trade ministry data shows. The figure is down by more than half from 683,000 bpd in 2003. — Reuters

Saudi seen subdued after Q4 earnings Short-term technical outlook worsens DUBAI: A two-month-old uptrend in Saudi Arabian shares appeared to end this week as fourth-quarter corporate earnings disappointed some investors, so the market may move sideways next week as buying momentum eases. A sharp sell-off on Monday, when the index posted its largest one-day decline in four weeks, followed a set of corporate earnings announcements.

Technically the index now looks weaker; it broke below an uptrend line dating back to mid-November while there was a 14day negative momentum divergence at this week’s peak. Very heavy turnover during Monday’s drop was another negative technical signal. Saudi Basic Industries Corp’s fourth-quarter earnings, announced on Tuesday, were one blow to the market. The world’s biggest petrochemical firm by market value reported a 10 percent drop in quarterly profits as it felt the impact of lower prices globally; analysts had expected a rise of near 30 percent.

“Some results have been a little disappointing, like SABIC, but I think there’s an element of investors being too optimistic in their expectations,” said Paul Gamble, head of research at Jadwa Investments. “In general the results so far have been reasonable.”

The petrochemical index slumped to a near eight-week low on Wednesday; most companies which have reported fourth-quarter earnings in that sector said lower product prices had hit their bottom lines. The banking index also fell sharply this week. Al Rajhi Bank, Saudi Arabia’s biggest Islamic lender, posted a 13.9 percent rise in its fourth-quarter net profit on Tuesday but missed analysts’ estimates marginally.

“People were getting overexcited about results and maybe the coming weeks will be disappointing, but there is support from dividends,” said Farouk Miah, acting head of research at NCB Capital. “Petchems, as expected, have been weak-however banks have also been weaker. Provisioning for them has been higher and operating business has not been as strong as expected.”

Turnover on the Saudi bourse has spiked in recent weeks, taking daily turnover to almost double that of the first few weeks of 2011. The market has traded about 90 billion riyals so far this month, up from 50 billion in the year-earlier period. Analysts say factors such as uncertainty in global markets and political risk in Egypt’s stock market, where Saudis have been heavy investors, may have brought funds back to the kingdom’s bourse.

In the longer term, expectations that the Saudi bourse will be opened to direct foreign ownership could also boost the market; Saudi officials have been exploring the possibility. But some analysts say major bets on a market opening are not yet being taken since the process could take several months once an official decision is made. One cloud hanging over Gulf markets and especially Saudi Arabia is rising tensions between Iran and Western powers over its nuclear projects. This may keep upward pressure on oil prices, which is positive for the Gulf, but is also increasing perceived investment risk in the region. “Unless the rest of the results are very good, I think the market will stay flat for a little while. In addition, Iran and the euro zone will impact sentiment,” said Gamble.

Egypt Investors says Egypt’s stock market risks turbulence in the coming week as the Jan. 25 anniversary of Egypt’s popular uprising approaches; pro-democracy groups have called for a fresh protest on that date against the country’s interim army rulers, and some investors fear violence on the streets. But that

prospect has not stopped a buying trend in the market in recent weeks that has helped to push the index up almost 6 percent since the start of 2012. “With many stocks down 60 to 80 percent from where they were last January, there is really nowhere lower to go,” said Hashem Ghoneim, vice chairman of Pyramids Capital.

“I think we have seen the bottom. There could be some turbulence in the coming week but I think we will get through it okay.”

He said there had been positive signs in the past week that the government was trying to improve the investment climate in Egypt, negotiating to return operating licences to Ezz Steel and some disputed land to real estate firms. “We’re still not sure what the final decisions will be, but they’re going in the right direction,” said Ghoneim. Some foreign investors have taken a fresh look at the Egyptian market in January, traders say, although they have not returned in anything like the numbers seen before the uprising that unseated President Hosni Mubarak last February. A parliamentary election has passed off this month with little disruption. Investors are now waiting to see how well the new assembly works with the army rulers who have pledged to hand over power to civilians by mid-2012. “People want to see the new parliament in effect.

The further forward we go, the more foreign investors will return,” said Ghoneim, while cautioning that Egypt’s strained state finances were still overshadowing the market. Much industrial investment in Egypt has been on hold since the government rejected an International Monetary Fund offer last June of $3 billion in aid. Talks with the IMF resumed this week, and an agreement on aid would probably reduce the risk of a disorderly currency devaluation. Ghoneim said he had been adding to his equity portfolio in the past week, targeting stocks such as Ezz Steel, Maridive and Oil Services, and property developers Talaat Moustafa and Palm Hills. — Reuters

LONDON: British Prime Minister David Cameron gestures as he makes a speech on responsible capitalism and the economy at New Zealand House yesterday. — AFP

British PM pledges to build ‘fairer’ economy LONDON: British Prime Minister David Cameron pledged yesterday to build a “fairer” economy which hands power to individuals and prevents excesses that contributed towards the global financial crisis.Cameron, addressing a press conference in central London, said the current global debt storm provided a crucial platform for reform to create a “socially responsible and genuinely popular capitalism.” The premier added that his ConservativeLiberal Democrat coalition government would cap bonuses for the majority of workers at state-owned banks at £2,000 ($3,100, 2,400 euros) for a second year running. “While our economic challenge starts with dealing with our debts and achieving growth, it mustn’t end there,” Cameron told reporters.”We must aim higher than just coping with the storms that are affecting the international economy.

“I believe that out of this current adversity we must aim to build a better economy, one that is truly fair and worthwhile,” Cameron said. The Conservative leader gave little policy detail but said he would introduce simplified legislation for the creation of cooperatives, in an attempt to boost employee and customer involvement in businesses.The coalition will also introduce new anti-abuse rules to make it harder for big businesses to avoid paying their fair share of tax.—AFP

PHILADELPHIA: In this file photo, a Southwest Airlines aircraft taxies at Philadelphia International Airport, in Philadelphia. Southwest Airlines is making money, even with higher fuel prices, thanks to full planes and rising fares. — AP

Business FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

IMF seeks $600bn in new funds WASHINGTON: The IMF is seeking to more than double its war chest by raising $600 billion in new resources to help countries deal with the fallout of the euro zone debt crisis, but the plan faces roadblocks from the United States and other countries. The United States and Canada said on Wednesday Europe must put up more of its own money to resolve its sovereign debt crisis, raising doubts G20 talks in Mexico this week can lay the ground for a deal on bolstering IMF resources. Japan and South Korea also want Europe to do more and China might insist a number of conditions are met before it supports a boost in IMF resources.

“We continue to believe that the IMF can play an important role in Europe, but only as a supplement to Europe’s own efforts,” a US Treasury spokesperson said. “The IMF cannot substitute for a robust euro area firewall.” Group of 20 deputy officials

meet in Mexico City on Thursday and Friday to discuss boosting IMF resources. Any outcome would need leaders’ signoff. G20 finance ministers meet in late February.

The IMF plan to boost its lending capacity eased worries on financial markets about Europe’s funding difficulties, boosting the value of the euro.

IMF sources said the world faces a $1 trillion financing gap over the next two years if global economic conditions worsened considerably. The IMF’s current lending capacity is about $380 billion. The sources, present at an IMF board meeting on the issue on Tuesday, said the Fund was seeking to raise up to $600 billion to meet those potential financing needs.

Of that, $500 billion would be for lending and $100 billion would be a “protection buffer.”

An IMF spokesman confirmed the Fund was seeking to raise up to $500 billion in additional lending resources.

He said that amount included a European commitment to inject $200 billion into IMF resources. “At this preliminary stage, we are exploring options on funding and will have no further comment until the necessary consultations,” he said. The United States repeated that it would not contribute more resources to the IMF. With a strained budget at home, some US congressional Republicans have threatened to yank $100 billion in US money to the IMF if the funds are used to bail out euro zone countries. The White House is unlikely to want to take the issue on as President Barack Obama seeks re-election this year. “We have told our international partners that we have no intention to seek additional resources for the IMF,” a Treasury spokeswoman said.

“Many countries want the Europeans to move ahead with tougher and clearer measures, which at this moment translates to more

resources to its stability fund,” said a senior Brazilian government source attending the G20 officials’ meeting in Mexico. China’s Foreign Ministry said Beijing stood by G20 commitments to ensure the IMF has ample funds to cope with the financial crisis, but it stopped short of saying the country was ready to put up more cash.

Indeed, China is likely to resist moves to increase IMF resources unless a number of conditions are met, said Xiang Songzuo, vice director of the International Monetary Institute in Beijing, a high-level policy think tank.

He said these would include more voting power for China and other emerging nations, changing the stance of IMF policy more to meet the concerns of emerging countries-such as on stabilising capital flows and exchange rates-and making the mechanism for crisis rescue much more transparent. — Reuters

Markets subdued as Greek debt talks remain in focus Deal aims to reduce Greece’s debt by 100bn euros

KUWAIT: A local investor gazes at the screen at Kuwait Stock Exchange yesterday. — AP

KSE witnesses loss KUWAIT: Main indices at Kuwait Stock Exchange ended in a red zone after yesterday’s session, with the price index reading 5,798.5 points shedding 1.9 points, and the weighted index reading 402.88 points, losing 1.24 points. The trading session saw 3,986 transactions worth KD 27,738,470 with 355,702, 500 shares changing hands.

Sector indices were meanwhile six red and two green, with biggest loss of 27 points suffered by the insurance index and biggest gain of 14.4 points seen in the real estate index. Top gainer share was that of Gulf Franchising Holding Company, while top loser was the Kuwait Insurance Company. —KUNA

Brent rises above $111 on growth hopes, stock draw LONDON: Brent crude oil rose above $111 yesterday as risk appetite improved on hopes the euro zone debt crisis was slowly being resolved and on signs of steadier global economic growth.

European shares rose for a fourth straight session to trade near 5-1/2month highs on signs Greece would reach an agreement with its private creditors on a crucial bond swap deal and that more US banks could post forecastbeating results.

Global stocks as measured by the MSCI index were up 0.35 percent at 312.04, the highest since Oct. 31. Stock markets have been performing well since

the start of the year, bolstered by good economic numbers from the United States and liquidity sloshing around given central banks around the world have been pumping in funds. News the International Monetary Fund was seeking to more than double its war chest by raising $600 billion in new funds was also seen as positive with analysts saying the move would help the IMF tackle the euro zone crisis. Brent futures for March rose $1.01 to a high of $111.67 before easing back slightly to trade around $111.50 by 0940 GMT. US crude oil futures for February was up $1.15 at $101.74 per barrel. — Reuters

LONDON: Financial markets were subdued yesterday as investors awaited developments in Greece’s debt-reduction talks with private creditors, a day after the International Monetary Fund revealed it was looking to get its hands on another half a trillion dollars to help it shore up a fragile global economy. Another successful bond auction from Spain and relief that Germany’s second-largest bank, Commerzbank AG, won’t need to help from shareholders or the government to boost its capital base helped ease concerns over Europe’s debt crisis in the run-up to a raft of US corporate earnings.

However, the main focus of attention in markets remains the negotiations between Greece and the Institute of International Finance, which represents private sector bondholders. Talks are set to continue later, having restarted Wednesday. Greece needs to clinch the agreement quickly to qualify for more bailout loans before it faces a major bond repayment on March 20. Without the money, the country would find it difficult to service its debts and be forced to default, potentially triggering more turmoil in global markets. Last October, Greece’s partners in the eurozone sanctioned a deal whereby Greece’s creditors agree to take a cut in the value of their Greek bond holdings to help lighten the country’s debt burden. The deal with private investors aims to reduce Greece’s debt by 100 billion ($127.9 billion) by swapping private creditors’ bonds for new ones with a lower value. It is a key part of a 130 billion international bailout, the second one for Greece.

Hopes that a deal is being thrashed out has helped shore up sentiment in markets in recent days as has the IMF’s revelation that it aims to raise up to $500 billion to meet its $1 trillion financing needs in coming years. The new money to be raised includes $200 billion that European coun-

tries recently agreed to hand the IMF. “There was a time when the idea that a body like the IMF would need such a huge amount of money to cover such a short period of time would have been taken as bad news,” said Gary Jenkins, an analyst at Swordfish Research. “This is not the first time in this crisis that a big figure has been thrown out there so it will be interesting to see if this time there is any reality behind the number.” As investors awaited more details on the Greek deal and the IMF’s fundraising, market movements were subdued. In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was flat at 5,701 but France’s CAC-40 rose 0.5 percent to 3,281.

Germany’s DAX fell 0.2 percent to 6,344 even though shares in Commerzbank AG rallied around 10 percent after it revealed it could raise ?5.3 billion ($6.8 billion) to shore up its capital base, as demanded by European regulators, without resorting to the state or shareholders. A recent easing in concerns over Europe’s debt crisis has helped the euro clamber off Monday’s 17month low against the dollar below $1.27.

It’s now trading around two cents higher at $1.2881, up 0.2 percent on the day. — AP

BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a meeting of the German Federal Parliament Bundestag yesterday. — AP

Business FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Kodak files for bankruptcy Kodak seeks Chapter 11 protection

JOHANNESBURG: Shoppers look at clothing displayed at the newly opened store of Spanish clothing retailer Zara yesterday.— AFP

S Africa’s middle class, a new target for retailers JOHANNESBURG: A rainbow nation of shoppers poured through the racks of fashion giant Zara’s brand new store, its first in South Africa, where the Spanish chain hopes to tap an increasingly diverse middle class. With deliveries from Spain twice a week, the low-price retailer opened the store in November in a posh shopping mall in South Africa’s commercial hub, Johannesburg, where officials are already smiling over the response. “This is a country with a very significant potential for us,” said Victor Herrero, a representative of the parent company Inditex, the world’s biggest fashion retailer.

“There are 50 million people, and a middle class that’s growing.” “There are many South Africans who travel, and who already know the brand.

They have been to our stores in Europe or the United States,” he told AFP. Zara’s entry to the South African market follows the huge US chain Walmart’s 16.5 billion rand ($2 billion, 1.5 billion euro) takeover of Massmart, a South African retailer with nine wholesale and retail chains with 288 stores in 14 African countries. Both are counting on the growing middle class, as more and more black South Africans overcome apartheid-era economic barriers and join the consumer culture. On the continent overall, a third of the population can now be considered middle class due in part to firm economic growth, more jobs and a developing private sector over the last two decades, according to the African Development Bank.

These 313 million Africans, living above the poverty line but not among the wealthy, are considered a key factor in helping countries boost base growth more on domestic demand and less on exports, an AfDB report said. The more stable African middle class-which spends four to 20 dollars a day-now “is more or less the size of the middle class in India or China”, counting some 120 million people, the report added.

In South Africa, Zara’s store illustrates the trend, with a clientele that is much more diverse than would have been the case a decade ago. “I came here because I know Zara by reputation,” said Sibongile Mazibuko, an accountant who travelled the 35 kilometres (20 miles) from Soweto to check out the new racks. “I am proud they chose to come to South Africa, it shows that our country is finally becoming a country like the others,” she said. Mazibuko’s life is a South African success story, 17 years after the end of white-minority rule and the barriers that prevented blacks from participating in the formal economy.

About 39 percent of South Africans live below the poverty line, fixed at 419 rands ($53, 38 euros) a month. Overall unemployment is mired at around 25 percent, but for the white population, it is closer to six percent. But over the last decade, the government’s Black Economic Empowerment program has helped foster a growing middle class. About three to four million people-or 10 percent of the black population-are now considered middle class.

While the exact estimates vary, experts agree the number is growing and nearing the size of the total white population of 4.5 million, meaning South Africa has doubled the size of its consumer class. That makes a big new market of people who shop in malls, read magazines... and rack up debts. Parts of Soweto are now at the forefront of South African fashion.

“Soweto shows the future of what all townships will look like,” said Njabulo Ngcobo of the marketing department at the University of Cape Town, pointing to the new shopping centers and the satellite dishes that dot the roofs. —AFP

NEW YORK: US camera pioneer Eastman Kodak, which brought photography to the masses over a century ago, filed for bankruptcy early yesterday after years of failing to keep pace with the digital age. “The Board of Directors and the entire senior management team unanimously believe that this is a necessary step and the right thing to do for the future of Kodak,” CEO Antonio Perez said in a statement.

“Our goal is to maximize value for stakeholders, including our employees, retirees, creditors, and pension trustees.

We are also committed to working with our valued customers,” he added. The company said it had sufficient liquidity to continue operating normally and paying employees during Chapter 11 bankruptcy process, and said its foreign subsidiaries were not subject to the proceedings.

The Rochester, New York-based company, which dates back to 1880s, was a pioneer in popularizing the cameras, slide projectors and home videos that preserved the memories of generations of Americans. But it has struggled in the age of digital cameras, and years of poor performance had already forced it to lay off 47,000 employees and close 13 manufacturing plants since 2003.

“Now we must complete the transformation by further addressing our cost structure and effectively monetizing non-core IP assets,” Perez said. “We look forward to working with our stakeholders to emerge a lean, world-class, digital imaging and materials science company.”The bankruptcy filing places the jobs of Kodak’s 19,000 remaining employees in question. At its height in the 1980s, it had 145,000 workers. Earlier this month the New York Stock Exchange told Kodak-once one of the fabled 30 Dow Jones blue chips-that it faced delisting from the exchange if it could not get its stock price back above $1.00 per share.

It was dropped from the prestigious Dow Jones Industrial Average of 30 top US companies in 2004.

In its heyday Kodak shares topped

NEW YORK: In this undated file photo, an unidentified Kodak technician displays image sensors embedded on a silicon wafer at Eastman Kodak Inc. — AP $80 in 1996 — just at the outset of the digital photo revolution that eventually freed consumers from the need to buy Kodak film, once a virtual monopoly in the US market. Kodak’s books have been awash with red ink for years. The last time it reported a net profit was a small gain in 2007. Officially established by inventor George Eastman in 1892, Kodak developed handheld “Brownie” cameras that were sold at popular prices and furnished the film that would keep consumers pumping profits into the company for decades. Three generations of Americans and many in other countries learned to snap their own pictures with Brownies, at a time when the company was lauded as one of the top US innovators-the Apple or Google of its time. And “Kodak Moment”-the company’s advertising catchphrase for its filmhas been embedded deep in the US vernacular. NASA lunar orbiters in the 1960s brought back some of the earliest

images of the moon’s surface on Kodak film, and the first astronauts to walk on the moon documented their historic expedition with a shoe box-sized Kodak camera. Kodak also furnished the film for countless Hollywood movies, including 80 Oscar-winning “Best Pictures,” according to the firm’s website, which said it had won nine Academy Awards of its own for scientific and technical excellence. The company pioneered research into digital photography beginning in the mid-1970s. But it was Asian manufacturers that stole a march in that market in the 1990s as Kodak failed to see the need to break from its old business lines. In September Kodak hired the law firm Jones Day as advisors for restructuring, though many analysts noted at the time that the firm also advises bankruptcies. Kodak had sought to shore up its finances by selling off some of its huge portfolio of patents, including in digital imaging. — AFP

Australian jobless rate steady at 5.2% SYDNEY: Australia’s unemployment rate remained steady at 5.2 percent in December, data showed yestrday, but economists said the jobs market was weakening and raised the likelihood of an interest rate cut. It came in the same as the revised November figure and compared to a consensus forecast of 5.3 percent.The Australian Bureau of Statistics said the number of people employed fell by 29,300 to 11.4 million last month, although much of the losses were in the part-time sector while full-time jobs rose 24,500 to 8.051 million. The participation rate, or people actively seeking work, was 65.2 percent, compared with 65.5 percent in November.

HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham said: “The data shows that unemployment has been on a slow grind for some time now. “I think this is still consistent with the Reserve Bank of Australia cutting interest rates next month, which is what we expect to happen.” Australia’s cash rate is 4.25 percent, having been slashed by 25 basis points in both November and December.”With the participation rate falling and employment also falling, it does look as though the labour market is still softening,” Bloxham added. The

government has said it expects unemployment in mid-2012 to be 5.5 percent, compared with a peak of 5.8 percent at the height of the global financial crisis.

Though it hovered near the five percent mark for more than a year the jobless rate has inched up in recent months, stoking fears that the economy is losing momentum, particularly outside the key resources sector. Bill Shorten, the minister for employment and workplace relations, said the jobless figures showed Australia was doing better than most nations. But Shorten, standing in as treasurer while Wayne Swan is on holiday, added that it highlighted the need to support struggling industries in the country’s two-speed economy. “We see the impact of a two-speed economy in some sectors that have traditionally been large employers, such as retail and manufacturing, that there is pressure on jobs numbers,” he said. “We do see growth in the mining sector and in the health sector, but it’s certainly a two-speed economy. “Job growth is slowing in Australia. The mining boom is certainly helping in the short term but it is leading in part to a two-speed economy,” he added. — AFP

Business FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Trouble spots of 2011 to woo back tourists MADRID: Tunisia, Egypt and Japan are working hard to lure back visitors who steered clear of their countries last year due to civil unrest and an earthquake, officials said at a world tourism fair.

Popular revolts in Tunisia and Egypt ousted long-term rulers but also scared off tourists from the popular north African sunspots, while Japan’s earthquake and tsunami in March and a subsequent nuclear alert had the same effect. Their representatives at the FITUR fair in Madrid that opened Wednesday said they were holding out for better times in 2012. “We are starting from nothing, so anything more will already be a success for us,” said Leila Tekaia, a representative of Tunisia’s tourism authority in Spain.

“We have lost 30 to 40 percent of tourists. The Spanish market is the one that has caused us the most difficulties. It has fallen 60 percent” as Spaniards have turned instead to the Canary Islands or

Turkey, she said. Tourism in Egypt took a battering as protests on Cairo’s Tahrir Square and clashes between protestors and security forces were beamed around the world during an uprising against former president Hosni Mubarak. “We have lost 90 percent of our work and let go 40 percent of our staff,” said Gihan Hamed, director of specialist Egypt travel agency Galaxia Tours. Egypt’s tourism ministry said tourism to the land of the Pyramids was down by a third last year.

“On July 1 we will have a new president and we would like to think this will mean a return to normal. That is the theory. We will see,” said Hamed. “We tell people that our daily lives are not affected, that Tahrir Square is very small and Cairo is very big,” she added. “I live there with my two sons of nine and 11. If they are safe there, that means that tourists can come back.” Japan meanwhile suffered as tourists were scared off by the

earthquake and alarm over damage to the Fukushima nuclear plant. It saw visitor numbers fall by 29 percent up to November, according to provisional figures. “I imagined it would be like this, about 30 percent less, just after the earthquake,” said Koichi Miyazawa, head of the Japan tourism bureau in Paris, adding that tourism accounts for about five to seven percent of Japan’s gross domestic product.

“We are doing a campaign on the best season in Japan-spring,” he added. “We hope we can make a recovery to the point of 2010, but the reality is very severe.” The number of visitors to Europe surged in 2011 as civil conflicts drove many tourists away from sunspots in the Middle East and North Africa, the Madridbased United Nations World Tourism Organization said on Monday. The number of visits to North Africa declined by 12 percent and those to the Middle East

fell eight percent compared to 2010, while worldwide the number of international tourist arrivals grew by 4.4 percent to 980 million in 2011. Libya, where dictator Muammar Gaddafi was toppled and killed in October, and Syria, scene of a bloody crackdown against dissent in recent months, did not have stands at FITUR, which runs until Sunday with 200,000 visitors expected. Signs of hope are appearing in Tunisia, its tourism representative Tekaia said, however. A year on from the coup that toppled leader Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, she is seeing group bookings pick up again.

“We are in an ideal condition now.

We now belong to the club of democratic countries. We share the same values of justice, human rights and freedom of expression,” she said. “Now our job is to work on our image. We have to win back people’s confidence and reassure them.” — AFP

Spain passes key bond test France sells 7.9bn euros of mid-term bonds

NEW YORK: In this file photo, a Morgan Stanley billboard is displayed in Times Square. Morgan Stanley lost $275 million in the fourth quarter yesterday, a sharp contrast to its gain of $600 million a year ago. — AP

British court okays eviction of Occupy London protesters LONDON: The High Court in London on Wednesday approved a bid by authorities to evict anti-capitalist protesters from outside St Paul’s Cathedral in the British capital’s financial district. The activists-who have been camped outside the landmark since October 15 after taking their lead from protesters in New York’s Wall Street-said they would appeal against the decision later yesterday.

The City of London Corporation, the local authority for the financial district, started legal action against the protest camp in November.It argued there was an “overwhelming” argument for the court to force the protesters to leave, saying the camp had attracted crime, dented local trade and inconvenienced worshippers. The protesters, around 40 of whom gathered outside the High Court for the ruling, had argued that freedom of expression was a liberty which must be protected by the courts. Dozens of the activists stood on the steps of the famed cathedral, chanting: “We are the 99 percent.”

“We are Occupy London and we are not defeated,” one protester shouted through a loudhailer. Around 100 tents remain pitched around St Paul’s, which in October was forced to close for the first time since World War II after officials said the camp was blocking access for visitors. After considering arguments presented during a five-day hearing in December, High Court Judge Keith Lindblom on Wednesday granted orders for possession and injunctions against the protesters.

Their lawyer, John Cooper, said they would appeal later yesterday. “They will be appealing tomorrow against this judgment,” he told reporters outside court, surrounded by protesters. “This is an important judgment that marks the start of an analysis of the extent of public protest in this county.”

Tilly George, 19, who has been staying at the camp, said she was disappointed but not surprised at the decision. — AFP

MADRID: Spain passed its biggest test of market sentiment so far this year yesterday, selling far more longerterm debt than expected as the government pressed ahead with efforts to tackle its problems with the help of a European Central Bank backstop. In Paris, France also drew strong demand at its first bond auction since Standard and Poor’s stripped the country of its AAA credit rating. Spain’s first 10-year bond offering since mid-December raised 3 billion euros at a yield of 5.403 percent, broadly in line with analysts’ expectations.

The yield was down more than 150 basis points from a previous sale of the bonds in November, offering some measure of the progress Madrid and euro zone policymakers have made in easing the pressure on its finances. In all, the Treasury sold 6.6 billion euros ($8.46 billion) of bonds maturing in 2016, 2019, and 2022, far more than the 4.5 billion targeted. Bid to cover rates on the issues ranged from 2.0 to 3.2.

“Neither the (2016) nor the 10-year benchmark offered any concession ahead of today’s tap and the solid demand is a clear sign that market interest for EMU (euro zone) periphery has clearly picked up,” said Annalisa Piazza, market economist at Newedge Strategy in London. Other euro zone sovereign debtors have leapfrogged Spain to become more prominent targets for investors, but it remains in the market’s sights.

Spanish sovereign yields rose after the auction, with 10-year paper up 9 bps higher at 5.28 percent and the 10year Spanish/German yield spread also widening 9 basis points to 347 basis points. Credit Agricole rate strategist Peter Chatwell said he expected that trend to reverse during the day “as the fact is this is another auction which exceeds the target amount.” Spain has easily sold shorterdated debt in recent weeks, aided by the European Central Bank flooding banks with cheap three-year loans and

buying Spanish and Italian debt regularly on the market.

But while banks were willing to reinvest the three-year loans over a similar or shorter timescale, finding buyers for 10-year paper was considered a sterner test. In Paris, the national debt management agency sold 7.965 billion euros of medium-term

bonds at the top of a target range of 6.5-8.0 billion. It received bids for 18.9 billion euros.

S&P’s downgrade on Friday was largely anticipated by the market and has had little impact on French yields in the secondary market and in a short-term bill auction on Monday. — Reuters

PONT-EVEQUE: France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy (right) holds an iron as he visits a factory of the Groupe SEB, a leading worldwide manufacturer of small domestic appliances and cookware yesterday. — AP

Business FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Zimbabwe workers ignore strike call HARARE: Workers in Zimbabwe’s capital Harare largely ignored a call for a one-day strike over pay and conditions, as business continued as usual at government offices yesterday. The main union for government employees had urged workers to stay at home as part of their call for a $538-dollar (420-euro) monthly minimum wage, medical insurance and an allowance for workers based in rural areas.But one education ministry worker, who asked not to be named, told AFP: “We are working as usual. Everyone in my department is at work.” People queued as usual and were being served at the passport office complex, where gates opened early. Officers were receiving applications for passports or issuing processed ones.

An AFP correspondent saw classes in progress at

government schools while at the magistrate’s court in the capital, an inquest into the death of former army chief and liberation forces commander Solomon Mujuru went into its fourth day. Union spokeswoman Tendai Chikowore said the workers want across-theboard pay rises including a raise from $200 to $538 (155 euros to 420 euros) a month for the lowest-paid government workers.

The union would decide on its next course of action depending on the government’s response, she added. Civil servants, particularly teachers, nurses and doctors, have been striking on and off for better salaries since 2007.The situation came to a head in 2008, when staff shortages forced state hospitals to close some units and teacher strikes left only 50 days

of classes in the whole year. Zimbabwe’s economy has begun recovering after a decade-long downturn, following a power-sharing agreement by long-time rivals President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in the wake of failed 2008 polls.

But ghost workers are a problem throughout the civil service: about a third of government’s 230,000 employees are thought not actually to exist, according to Finance Minister Tendai Biti. So much of the current salary payments are being claimed fraudulently by people using fictional aliases. Biti, a Tsvangirai ally, has insisted the cash-strapped government cannot afford to pay higher salaries. Mugabe has accused the minister of deliberately sabotaging the government by refusing the increases. — AFP

Economy dominates as GOP race heats up ‘Our economy has fallen flat, who’s to blame?’

MIAMI: Property manager Nancy Leon knows all too well the effects of Florida’s dismal economy. People can’t pay their condominium association fees and fall behind on mortgages or rent. The condo property suffers. Then it has to cut costs, which makes the place less attractive for new residents. A vicious cycle.

“People are really struggling. We see it every day,” says Leon, a 42-year-old Republican who voted for President Barack Obama in 2008 as a symbol of hope and change but now isn’t sure the Democrat should get another term. Yet, she’s not sold on Republican front-runner Mitt Romney or his rivals. Like many other Florida residents, she can’t help but fret: “We are so knee-deep in the economic problems, so far down in the hole, who is going to get us out?” With the Florida Republican presidential primary looming on Jan 31 and Obama coming to the state Thursday to announce a new economic initiative, this is the grim situation in a key campaign battleground: Ten percent unemployment. Rampant home foreclosures. Nearly half the state’s homeowners owing more on their mortgages than their properties are worth. Ten months before the election, Florida’s environment presents a stark challenge for Obama and an opportunity for the eventual Republican nominee in the nation’s largest state with a history of vacillating between choosing Republicans

and Democrats in presidential contests.

Obama carried Florida in 2008 against Republican John McCain, 51 percent to 48 percent.

And, for now at least, Florida voters don’t seem to be abandoning Obama in droves. A recent Quinnipiac University poll showed the president and Romney, the GOP front-runner, in a near-statistical tie in the state in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup.

Reflecting the stakes for the fall even though the GOP hasn’t settled on a nominee, Republicans and Democrats alike have been busy testing lines of argument on the economy. In a recent appearance in West Palm Beach, Romney mentioned almost nothing about Florida-specific issues such as offshore oil drilling and US-Cuba relations, focusing instead on criticizing Obama and promoting his own economic plans. Campaign mailers sent to Florida Republicans echoed the strategy.

“Our economy has fallen flat. Who’s to blame?” asks one mailer. Another proclaims that Romney is the strongest to lead the country out of economic turmoil, arguing this: “With conservative leadership, America can be first in the world in job creation again.” Romney is in a strong position heading into Saturday’s primary in South Carolina after back-to-back victories in Iowa and New Hampshire. Entrance and exit polls from both states showed that voters overwhelmingly

NEW YORK: Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday, Jan 18, 2012. Wall Street is opening slightly higher. — AP

bought Romney’s argument that he is the strongest Republican to take on Obama in the fall on voters’ No 1 issue: the economy.

Romney’s rivals - former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Texas Rep. Ron Paul - trailed on those measures and are fighting to keep their bids alive through the Florida primary. Obama, for his part, planned a trip Thursday to Walt Disney World outside Orlando to outline a new strategy to boost travel and tourism.

“He’s pursuing every avenue possible here to tackle what he thinks is our most important challenge which is growing the economy, creating jobs, positioning the American economy to compete and dominate in the 21st century and this is another indication of that effort,” said White House press secretary Jay Carney. For Obama, the economic numbers are daunting in Florida, a state critical to his re-election chances: The November unemployment rate of 10 percent was good news because it was the state’s lowest since May 2009. But it’s much higher than the national 8.5 percent jobless figure. About 926,000 Floridians were out of work in November. More than 2 percent of all Florida housing units were involved in foreclosure last year, according to the RealtyTrac foreclosure listing service. That translated in December to one in every 360 units, placing Florida at No 7 among states with the highest 2011 foreclosure rates. And 2012 is forecast to be even busier.

Florida is third in the number of homes with “upside down” mortgages, at 44 percent of all mortgaged properties, according to the CoreLogic real estate data firm. That works out to slightly less than 2 million Florida homes where the owners owe more than the properties are worth. For many people whose home is by far their biggest investment, the housing problem is believed to be dragging down confidence and the state’s recovery as a whole. Said Mark Fleming, chief economist at CoreLogic: “This overhang is holding back the recovery of the housing market and the broader economy.”It’s all causing indecision - if not confusion - among Florida’s pivotal swing voters. Hollywood resident Phillip James, 48, is a libertarian-leaning independent who says he cannot support Obama. “I think he has just broken too many promises,” James said. —AP

CYPRUS: Passengers wait for their flights at Larnaca international airport. Air traffic controllers in Cyprus will walk off the job for four hours to protest a two-year government worker wage freeze and other deficit-reduction measures. — AP

Economists pan idea of new US gold standard WASHINGTON: As Republican presidential hopefuls entertain calls to fix the value of the dollar to the price of gold, a panel of leading economists on Wednesday roundly panned the idea of a return to the gold standard. A poll of nearly 40 bipartisan economists showed no support for the idea that pegging the currency to the price of gold would lead to a more stable US jobs market or keep prices in check.

Asked by University of Chicago whether a return to the gold standard would lead to price-stability and employment outcomes that “would be better for the average American,” 100 percent of respondents said no. Republican candidate Ron Paul has long advocated a return to the gold standardwhich was abandoned by the United States in 1971 and decades before by the rest of the world-but his competitors have also warmed to the idea. Campaigning in South Carolina on Tuesday Newt Gingrich called for a “gold commission” to look at how to get back to “hard money,” according to CNN. Even that less than full-throated support was not shared by poll respondents.

“A gold standard regime would be a disaster for any large advanced economy. Love of the (gold standard) implies macroeconomic illiteracy,” said Chicago Booth’s Anil Kashyap.

“Eesh. Has it come to this?” responded Austan Goolsbee, former top economist to Barack Obama and now a Chicago professor, expressing his strong disagreement. Other objections were more specific. “Since gold has supply and demand dynamics of its own, for reasons unrelated to its use as a store of value, Americans would exposed to risk,” said Caroline Hoxby of Stanford University. — AFP

Business FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

TOKYO: Finance Minister Jun Azumi and US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner attend a press conference in Tokyo. Japanese central government officials pledged to buy less Iranian oil in a nod to Washington’s campaign to sanction Iran over its nuclear program. — MCT

China holds the key as tension flares Iran vow to close Hormuz keeps Mideast on tenterhooks

M

ost days, the announcement of an $8.5 billion joint venture oil deal between Saudi Arabia and China wouldn’t raise eyebrows. Riyadh, after all, is China’s largest supplier of oil. But with the United States pushing for an oil embargo against Iran, China’s third-largest oil provider, the calculus has changed.

China is emerging as a key test of whether the West and its allies will be able to squeeze Tehran into slowing its nuclear program. The role China will play in the US-led effort is still far from clear, but the United States and others are watching Beijing’s moves closely for clues about its intentions.

As the biggest importer of Iranian oil — some 20 percent of Iran’s output — China has great sway over American plans. Its decision to accept, partially agree to or spurn the push for new economic curbs on Tehran will be crucial to Washington’s efforts to starve Iran’s economy as punishment for the country’s alleged attempts to develop a nuclear weapon.

For years, and in private, US diplomats have been working quietly to achieve just that outcome. McClatchy Newspapers reported last May that secret diplomatic cables obtained by WikiLeaks document how the State Department pressed Saudi Arabia to step up its oil exports to China in a bid to weaken rival Iran’s foreign oil sales and Tehran’s sway over Beijing. It worked, because by 2010 Saudi Arabia had become the top oil supplier to China.

It was possible partly because Saudi crude is similar in composition to Iranian oil. “In this case, the Saudis could do a lot of the offset of the cessation of sales by Iran,” John Kilduff, a

veteran energy analyst with Again Capital in New York, said in a recent interview.

But it’s not just a question of Saudi supply to China. Europe, South Korea and Japan need to replace Iranian oil, too. “It’s pretty clear that the big buyers ... are relatively dependent on Iranian oil,” Kilduff said.

Earlier this month, the European Union and Japan, Iran’s second- and third-largest oil customers, signaled willingness to reduce their Iranian oil orders. When and how they do that, however, remains unclear. The EU and Japan combined bought more than 30 percent of Iran’s exports in the first half of last year.

The EU announcement was expected to be formalized Jan 23 at a meeting of ministers, but news reports suggest that the embargo could be delayed by six months to allow nations more time to find replacement oil sources. During a visit last week by Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, Japan committed to begin reducing its oil imports from Iran. Soon after Geithner departed, however, Japan

began giving conflicting accounts of what it had agreed to do.

China’s public actions were the opposite of the EU’s and Japan’s. Chinese officials were widely seen to have rebuffed efforts by Geithner to get them to sign on during his trip to Beijing last week. China often has criticized American pressure on Iran as unproductive. State-run media slammed US sanctions — announced last Thursday — against a Chinese firm that exports gasoline to Iran.

But Prime Minister Wen Jiabao’s presence in Saudi Arabia — a bitter rival of Iran — spoke otherwise. It raised at least the possibility that Beijing was pondering whether it could offset Iranian oil with supplies from Arab countries should Tehran become a complete financial pariah.

There’s been no official word along those lines from the Chinese government or state media. “We should note that Premier Wen’s visit was arranged a long time before this crisis,” said Li Guofu, the director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the China Institute

China is emerging as a key test of whether the West and its allies will be able to squeeze Tehran into slowing its nuclear program. The role China will play in the US-led effort is still far from clear, but the United States and others are watching Beijing’s moves closely for clues about its intentions.

of International Studies, a Foreign Ministry research center.

In a telephone interview Monday with McClatchy Newspapers, Li was cautious about drawing any connection between Wen’s presence in the Persian Gulf and the standoff between Iran and the West.

“Premier Wen’s visit is within the interests of China,” Li said.

Wen’s six-day trip, which began over the weekend, marks the first visit to Saudi Arabia by a Chinese premier since 1991, and the first ever by a premier to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. All three Arab nations sit across the Persian Gulf from Iran.

Tensions have flared in the Gulf, with Iran threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which much of the region’s oil exports pass. Iran is angry about new US sanctions that bar any financial firm that does business with Iran’s central bank from accessing the US financial system.

Pentagon chief Leon Panetta has warned Iran that he intends to ensure safe passage of oil. Oil prices have risen sharply in January on fears of supply disruptions. During Wen’s trip, China’s state Sinopec oil company reportedly inked a joint venture agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Aramco worth at least $8.5 billion that gave the Chinese company a 37.5 percent stake in an oil refinery in the Red Sea port of Yanbu. The operation, slated to begin by 2014, is to process some 400,000 barrels of crude a day.

The Dow Jones financial news wire, however, quoted the chairman of Sinopec at the signing Saturday as saying that his company hadn’t requested any additional crude oil from Saudi Arabia. — MCT

Opinion FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Egypt army’s invisible hand Its vast business interests hold economy in tight grip, deter it from ceding power

An Egyptian worker fills a customer’s car tank at a petrol station in Cairo on Jan 16, 2012. — AFP

By Joseph Mayton

M

ahmoud Yussif runs a mobile phone shop here in the Egyptian capital. He fields customers in rapid-fire succession explaining his products thoroughly, answering questions quickly and efficiently, and locating in seconds a cellphone or anything else in his small but crowded shop. Started five years ago, it’s a prosperous business but a very small one. Yet even a tiny store like Yussif’s isn’t beyond from the long business arm of Egypt’s army. The owner of the space that he rents is a general, who has also his creditor, and between those two roles takes a big chunk of the store’s profits. “I don’t own the shop itself,” Yussif told The Media Line as the afternoon rush hour frenzy of customers comes to an end. “The owner of the space, who really just gave me a loan, takes 20 percent of my earnings every month.”

The unnamed general dabbles in real estate and lending as a private sideline. But it illustrates the extent to which Egypt’s army is engaged in business as the owner and operator of a vast empire of factories, tourist resorts and real estate developments. No one knows the extent of the Egyptian military’s economic holdings because successive authoritarian regimes have made sure it was kept secret.

But since the military came to power in Egypt as the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) almost a year ago after a popular uprising ousted President Hosni Mubarak, the armed forces role in business has come under increased scrutiny. For people like Yussif, the grip of the army-dominated economy’s invisible hand has also become tighter. “They haven’t let me sell any SIM cards without their first being registered, which has hurt business because the ones from former clients were cheaper. I get calls weekly to know how my shop is going,” he says.

Concrete information on the extent and holdings of the army’s business operations is difficult to come by. The armed forces are secretive but have portrayed themselves and the government generally as poor and hemorrhaging money. In the case of the government, that is certainly the case, but in the case of the army that is

less evident. In one of the most unusual intragovernment transactions of the year, the military loaned the central bank $1 billion to help support the sagging Egyptian pound last month. The transaction not only pointed up the relative wealth of the two institutions but also the extent to which the army has access to money beyond the reach of the civilian authorities to whom it is supposed to be reporting.

Amr Hamzawy, a political analyst and newly elected member of parliament, estimates that the military controls as much as a third of Egypt’s economy. Paul Sullivan, a US National Defense University professor and expert on Egypt’s military, told Time magazine last year that the military accounts for some 10 percent to 15 percent of the economy. Mohamed Kadry Said, a retired general and a military analyst for the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo, puts the figure at 8 percent of gross domestic product, a seemingly small percentage but, in Egypt’s $180 billion economy, one that puts the annual turnover of Egyptian Army Inc. at more than $14 billion.

As Egypt moves on its rocky road toward democracy, observers say the army’s efforts to preserve its business interests are likely to be a major barrier. More democracy will almost certainly entail more accountability and perhaps a direct assault by the country’s civilian politicians and economic reformers on the military’s economic power and privileges. Many doubt that the generals will relinquish power so quickly.

Among those is Mohamed ElBaradei. who announced over the weekend that he had dropped out of the presidential race, saying he saw no hope that the election due by the end of June would bring a real end to the military’s rule.

“They use their businesses to maintain their power now more than ever. They own restaurants and tourism companies, so for the leadership today, stability and crushing the opposition to their rule is paramount to maintaining their wealth,” Ahmed, a former general who asked that his name not be used, told The Media Line.

Army-owned factories first sprang up in the 1820s to produce uniforms and small arms as Muhammad Ali, the founder of modern Egypt,

sought to transplant Western technology to the country. The army’s role expanded when Gamal Abdul-Nasser created a state-dominated economy in the 1950s and 1960s.

The military’s businesses enjoyed another spurt of growth after the 1979 peace treaty with Israel led to a smaller army and the need to find jobs for demobilized soldiers. In 2008, as bread riots exploded across the country, the government ordered the giant network of army bakeries to supply hungry consumers. The military in Egypt “has a long history of running business, and they are stronger economically than any other institution in the country”, the former general says. “Don’t be fooled by their power, it is now political and economic and they like it this way.”

The reach of the military’s wealth and influence over business extends beyond its formal holdings to a vast cadre of retired officers who move into influential positions in government and companies. “Retirement here in Egypt from the military is never final,” the retired general says. According to Jane’s, the Egyptian military’s budget is some $5 billion annually, supplemented by $1.3 billion of American financial aid - far more than the country receive in economic assistance - as well as more in the form of budgets for joint training and excess military hardware. But Ahmed says the army’s spending is probably higher, thanks to revenues gleaned from its far-flung business. “It’s a fine line between what is legal and what is not, because there are no laws here that prevent the government, the military and others from owning and running businesses at the same time,” the former general says.

As an institution, the armed forces own and run much of the food industry, including plants manufacturing olive oil, milk. bread and bottled water - all of which are subsidized by the very government they are in charge of. They also run a number of cement factories, gas stations and refineries, clothing and kitchen facilities, vehicle production - one local newspaper reported the military is in partnership with Jeep to produce Cherokees and Wranglers - as well as resorts and hotels.

Since February last year, the role of the mili-

tary and business has become more visible and controversial. All these industries, says economic analyst Gamal Abdel-Salam of CS Securities in Cairo, lead to a conflict of interest. “The military runs all these companies, factories and tourist destination spots, and now is in charge of the government, so it means they are giving money out and supporting industry that in essence they are already in charge of,” he says.

Topping it off, military businesses are free from government oversight and are not required to pay taxes, which Abdel-Salam says means that as the government gets poorer, “the military and its leaders are getting wealthier, so why would they want to leave power if they are winning on all sides?” Abdel-Salam contends that the generals “see an opportunity to push forward without fear of government oversight, because they are the oversight and that is why they are silent on their role in the economy.”

Yussif, the shopkeeper, says he sees the military controlling all aspects of society, from political to the everyday functioning of businesses with a tighter grip than the former Mubarak regime. “At least before there were places that they couldn’t get to and didn’t control, but now, if you argue or fight for your rights, they can arrest you and charge you with crimes against the government,” he says. “I don’t like it. My friends don’t like it.” He recounts the story of a fellow shop owner who was sent to jail because he refused to continue paying the officer a share of the profits. “It had been 10 years and their contract was supposed to be finished,” says Yussif. “It’s a tough time we live in.”

Overcoming wealth and power in Egypt may be difficult to achieve, even if a new constitution - which the military wants to ensure contains no oversight over its budget and income - is established in the next few months. Indeed, for the former general the revolution that toppled Mubarak is starting to look like the one that toppled King Farouk in 1952 and inaugurated nearly six decades of military rule.

“What we are seeing,” he says, “is Egypt’s military taking a very Soviet-style approach to things and one we have seen before, in the 1950s with Nasser and look how that turned out for the country.”— Media Line

A

y

e niv rsar n

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Years

www.kuwaittimes.net

Actress Elizabeth Banks attends a special screening of "Haywire" hosted by the Cinema Society at the Landmark Sunshine Cinema on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012 in New York. —AP

Te c h n o l o g y FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Leaner and meaner Ultrabooks dominate electronics show - but who needs them?

I

f you believe the hype coming out of the world’s largest electronics show this week, your life will just not be complete until you get your hands on a sleek new ultrabook. From Dell to HP, from Lenovo to Samsung and from Intel to Microsoft all the big guns of the tech world are raving about these new products as though they had just reinvented the wheel. So what’s all the fuss about? A new category of sleek laptop computers that weigh less, start up faster, last longer and of course costs a lot more than that trusty old device you’ve been lugging around in your backpack for the last several years.

An estimated 75 new ultrabooks were put on show this week at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, according to Intel, the world’s largest maker of computer chips which is behind the recent fad. But the real catalyst was Apple Inc, whose slimline MacBook Air, released in 2008, made every other computer look ugly in comparison. Apple’s hugely successful iPads, not to mention the iPhone and its Android rivals, have also cut into the sales of computer makers, and forced them to realize they have to jazz up their products if they want to stay in business.

PC sales figures released Wednesday by research firm Gartner highlighted the problem, as fourth quarter sales declined by 1.4 per cent from the holiday period a year earlier, with particular weakness in mature markets like Japan, the United States and western Europe. The problem is that most consumers appear happy to browse the web and watch videos with their existing laptops - and see little reason to upgrade.

“Expectations of a healthier economic

outlook in North America could not stimulate consumer PC demand in that region,” said Mikako Kitagawa, Gartner’s principal analyst. He pointed out that even the introduction of ultrabooks could not stimulate demand: “They didn’t seem to draw consumers’ attention.” Intel hopes to change that with a 300-million-dollar ad campaign to support what it has dubbed a “new era in computing.” To qualify as an ultrabook, Intel says the slimline laptops must weigh less than 1.4 kg, be no more than 21 mm

thick, use flash drives for quick activation and boast battery life of at least five hours.

According to Intel some 75 models meeting these specifications are being introduced at CES. Most of these will run on Intel’s Ivy bridge processor and will hit the market in June, featuring nifty features such as Smart Connect which periodically wakes a system from sleep to update your e-mail, calendar, social media. Among the most talked about models on the showroom floor at CES was HP’s 1,400-dollar

Envy Spectre 14 which sports a new tougher kind of Gorilla Glass on both the screen and exterior for a dazzling look.

Even more innovative is Lenovo’s IdeaPad Yoga, whose full touchscreen has a 180-degree hinge, allowing the laptop to turn itself into a tablet. It’s probably the best example of a tablet/laptop hybrid to date but since it only works with Windows 8 it won’t be available before the end of the year, and even then it will scare most people off with a sticker price of around 1,300 dollars. Many of the other ultrabooks on show fail to stand out from their competitors, leading the laptop analyst from PC Mag, Eric Grevstad, to complain of “ultrabook overload.”

“Are ultrabooks the second coming of the laptop, or just a desperate, futile attempt to fend off the tablet revolution and maintain some relevance in the mobile market for more traditional PCs?’ asked PCWorld’s Tony Bradley. There’s no doubt that ultrabooks represent an improvement on what’s currently available. But many observers doubt that they offer enough advantages to justify their premium and reignite the flagging PC market. “Intel is trying too hard to invent something that’s just the natural evolution of laptops,” said Kevin C Tofel of the tech website GigaOm. “Its branding of Ultrabooks is more about solving Intel’s problem - less reliance on its devices - than solving a consumer problem.” — dpa

Relationships FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Cathy Gendreau, 51, divorced last year after 26 years of marriage, poses for portrait in Apopka, Florida. —MCT

When marriages get L

ucie Elmer’s life follows the familiar trajectory of her generation: marriage at a young age, divorce and remarriage. The second marriage lasted 28 years, and when it ended a couple of years ago, Elmer joined the legions of other baby boomers who are raising the divorce rate among those in their 50s and 60s. “Even though I was a very independent person, when it came to being divorced at this age, now it’s just you,” said Elmer, 54, of Orlando, Florida. “It’s frightening and exciting.”

While the overall divorce rate in the United States has declined, divorce among those aged 50 to 64 has spiked. What once was considered unusual - older people getting divorced - is now becoming commonplace.

“Historically we thought, ‘Older people, they don’t get divorced,’” said Susan L Brown, codirector of the National Center for Family & Marriage Research at Bowling Green University in Ohio. “Now one in four people getting divorced is over the age of 50. In 1990, it was less than one in 10.”

Brown’s research found that the divorce rate for those 50 to 64 increased from 6.9 divorces per 1,000 marriages in 1990 to 12.6 in 2009. At the same time, the overall divorce rate in the United States dropped from 18.95 to 17.92. Metropolitan Orlando, Florida’s divorce rate for aging baby boomers is about

half the state’s rate for those 50 to 64 - 6.25, compared with 12.2. The lower rate likely reflects the area’s large Hispanic population, which tends to have fewer divorces, Brown said.

The increase in more people getting divorced later in life is the continuation of the pattern of divorce and remarriage among the baby-boom generation and the life-cycle transition that takes place upon retirement. Retired couples often face difficulties in adjusting to a life together that doesn’t include work.

Spouses who once defined themselves by what they did at work can experience an iden-

transition. Bad marriages can be made worse. If one or both of the spouses experienced divorce in the past, they are more at risk to divorce later in life, Brown said. The divorce rate for aging boomers is twice as high for those who were previously divorced than those who were on their first marriage.

Lucie Elmer’s first divorce when she was young proved to her that she could survive a second divorce in her 50s. It wouldn’t be easy, but she knew what to expect. “It’s a roller coaster, but the roller coaster does level off,” she said. Elmer says she has no intention of ever remarrying, but as she ventures into the

half her husband’s retirement in the divorce but struggles to keep up with the payments.

She admits the house feels a little empty at times. “It’s lonely,” said Gendreau, 51, of Apopka, Fla. “I still have our big, old, beautiful house, but I’m working my butt off to keep it.”

Gendreau, who works several jobs, including as a tutor and financial adviser, said she never thought too far ahead while married but is now focused on her 12-year-old son - the youngest of her four children - and a better life ahead as she reaches retirement. “I’m going to work as hard as I can for as long as I can so I can enjoy my old age,” she said. And though many older men may be looking for wives to take care of them in their old age, some women don’t want - or need - that responsibility. Elmer sees herself in a committed relationship in her future, but not as a wife. “I see myself as single, but with a significant other, someone you can do things with,” she said. “It could be dinner; it could be travel; it could be the arts festival.”

That scenario - lots of old people, single or living together but not married - raises serious issues as to who will take care of them when they do become ill and infirm. Traditionally, care for the elderly has been the duty of the spouse. “If, historically, most older adults have been married and have a spouse to provide care, increasingly that is not going to be the case,” Brown said. “If we don’t have that spouse present, then it becomes a challenge for society.” —MCT

Aging baby boomers boost divorce rate among older tity crisis once they stop working. Meanwhile, spouses accustomed to being alone most of the day must adjust to having somebody else around, disrupting their routines.

And sometimes retirement simply means two people who have been married for a long time must reintroduce themselves to each other. “You really have to redefine together what your understanding of retirement is like and then talk about how the two of you together are going to make that happen,” said Toby Weber, 64, a Leesburg, Florida, “retirement coach.”

Good marriages survive that retirement

world of dating again, she finds men her age are often looking for someone younger.

“They’re still looking for Barbie,” she said.

For those looking to remarry later in life, the pool of potential mates increases for men because the ratio of women to men increases with age. For women, it becomes harder to find a potential husband. There are other issues as well. Late-life divorce can be financially devastating, with the woman qualifying for half the man’s retirement savings. Remarriage also raises concerns over estates and inheritances among the couple’s children.

Cathy Gendreau said she got the house and

FOOD FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Everyday cooking

By Sawsan Kazak

I

t seems with these cold ‘winter’ nights, many people have been getting sick. And one of the oldest remedies for the common cold is vitamin C. Oranges are the quintessential vitamin C fruits. But just eating oranges all day can get boring. The following recipes include the refreshing taste and therapeutic powers of oranges.

Send your suggestions to: sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

s t c fa

N

Fu n

avel oranges are named that because of the belly-button formation opposite the stem end. The bigger the navel in an orange, the sweeter it will be.

When is an orange green? When it’s a Valencia!

Sometimes warm weather causes the skin to regreen, or reabsorb chlorophyll, giving it a greenish color. But it will still taste great.

Eat oranges and stay young! Oranges are high in antioxidants, which neutralize the effects of free radicals, unstable oxygen molecules in your body, believed to cause aging and some diseases.

Moro oranges are also called blood oranges! But don’t worry.

That’s just because the pulp is bright red. They’re really a sweet treat.

After chocolate and vanilla, orange is the world’s favorite flavor.

Christopher Columbus brought the first orange seeds and seedlings to the New World on his second voyage in 1493. (www.sunkist.com)

Creamy orange shakes 5 scoops vanilla ice cream 5 cups orange juice 1/4 cup milk 1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate Orange peel for garnish

I

n blender, combine ice cream, orange juice, milk, and orange juice concentrate and blend until mixture is smooth and frothy.

Pour into 2 tall glasses. Garnish with orange peel, if you like.

FOOD FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

orange chicken

Chinese

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken 1 egg 1 1/2 teaspoons salt white pepper oil (for frying) 1/2 cup cornstarch , plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/4 cup flour 1 tablespoon gingerroot , minced 1 teaspoon garlic , minced 1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red chili pepper 1/4 cup green onion , chopped 1 tablespoon rice wine 1/4 cup water 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil Orange Sauce 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 1/2 tablespoons water 5 tablespoons sugar 5 tablespoons white vinegar 1 orange, zest of

P

lace chicken pieces in large bowl. Stir in egg, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon oil and mix well.Stir cornstarch and flour together. Mix flour mixture and egg mixture. Add chicken pieces, stirring to coat. Heat oil for deep-frying in wok or

deep-fryer to 375 degrees. Add chicken, small batches at a time, and fry 3 to 4 minutes or until golden crisp. (Do not overcook chicken). Remove chicken from oil with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; set aside. Clean wok and heat 15

Winter orange salad

T

o prepare vinaigrette, combine first 7 ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Set aside. To prepare salad, combine orange sections, romaine, red leaf lettuce, and spinach in a large bowl. Add onion and cheese. Pour vinaigrette over salad mixture; toss gently to coat.

en, stirring until well mixed. Stir water into remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch until smooth and add to chicken. Heat until sauce is thickned. Stir in sesame oil and orange zest if desired. Serve over jasmine rice.

Orange 2 cups white sugar 1 cup shortening 2 eggs 1 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed 2 tablespoons grated orange zest 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest 2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 tablespoons butter, melted 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Orange Vinaigrette: * 2 tablespoons sugar * 2 tablespoons minced shallots * 3 tablespoons vinegar * 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice * 1 teaspoon dry mustard * 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil * 1/2 teaspoon salt Salad: * 3 cups orange sections (about 3 large oranges) * 3 cups torn romaine lettuce * 3 cups torn red leaf lettuce * 3 cups baby spinach leaves * 1 cup thinly sliced red onion * 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

seconds over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant; about 10 seconds. Add and stirfry crushed chiles and green onions. Add rice wine and stir 3 seconds. Add Orange Sauce and bring to boil. Add cooked chick-

cookies

1.Cream white sugar and shortening; add eggs and stir. Add sour cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla; stir and set aside. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add little by little to the creamed mixture and stir well. Add 3/4 cup orange juice concentrate, and 2 tablespoons orange zest. Drop onto greased cookie sheets by teaspoonfuls.

2.Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for about 10 minutes. Frost cookies when they are cool.

3.To Make Frosting: Mix together 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, 2 Tablespoons of the thawed orange juice concentrate, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 4 Tablespoons of melted butter, 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar or enough to make frosting of spreading consistency.

cake 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix 1 (3 ounce) package instant lemon pudding mix 3/4 cup orange juice 1/2 cup vegetable oil 4 eggs 1 teaspoon lemon extract 1/3 cup orange juice 2/3 cup white sugar 1/4 cup butter

G

rease a 10 inch Bundt pan. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

In a large bowl, stir together cake mix and pudding mix. Make a well in the center and pour in 3/4 cup orange juice, oil, eggs and lemon extract.

Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl, and beat 4 minutes on medium speed. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook 1/3 cup orange juice, sugar and butter for two minutes. Drizzle over cake.

THEY ARE THE 99!

99 Mystical Noor Stones carry all that is left of the wisdom and knowledge of the lost civilization of Baghdad. But the Noor Stones lie scattered across the globe - now little more than a legend. One man has made it his life’s mission to seek out what was lost. His name is Dr. Ramzi Razem and he has searched fruitlessly for the Noor Stones all his life. Now, his luck is about to change - the first of the stones have been rediscovered and with them a special type of human who can unlock the gem’s mystical power. Ramzi brings these gem - bearers together to form a new force for good in the world. A force known as ... the 99!

THE FASCINATING STORY OF THE 99 Baghdad lies in ruins, destroyed by the marauding armies of Hulagu Khan. The brave librarians of the great Dar Al-Hikma rush to save the glory of the ancient world’s accumulated wisdom, little knowing that centuries later their efforts will bear strange fruit. While the Noor Stones were created to save the library, their power has transcended that task and in our own time has provided extraordinary abilities to an international group of young people, the world’s newest superheroes known as… The 99.

The 99 ® and all related characters ® and © 2012, Teshkeel Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

www.the99.org

Tr a v e l FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Moscow for the visitor can seem tantalizingly overwhelming. The city’s so large it can be difficult to determine what the best things to do in Moscow really are.

Moscow T

ourists, foreigners, and Russians themselves flock to Moscow to see what makes this city pulse. Moscow is busy and fast-paced with its efficient subway system and 11 million people, but it is also steady and reliable with its cultural and historic relics that are still an integral part of the Russian consciousness. Moscow for the visitor can seem tantalizingly overwhelming. The city’s so large it can be difficult to determine what the best things to do in Moscow really are. So, in order to get a taste of what Moscow means to Russia, what should you see if you don’t know where to start?

The Kremlin The Moscow Kremlin is a mustsee for visitors to Moscow and one of the best things to do in the Russian capital city. Once inside, you can visit Cathedral Square, whose historic cathedrals were worshiped in by the tsars and their families. Also on display are the Tsar Bell and Tsar Cannon, two immobile monuments

to the grandeur of Russia past. Don’t forget the Amory Museum, either, which holds precious relics of Imperial stature, such as gold-gilt carriages and silver-threaded royal garments Red Square Just outside the Kremlin is the famous Red Square. There you can watch the changing of the guard at the Eternal Flame or visit Lenin’s Tomb (be prepared to stand in line for more than an hour for an “attraction” that is less impressive than it sounds). If St. Basil’s Cathedral is open, explore it-it is as beautiful on the inside as it is the outside. A final suggestion for Red Square: visit it in the quietude of the evening and experience it without the tourists. It’s magical!

State Tretyakov Gallery The State Tretrakov Gallery has the best collection of Russian art. The likenesses of Catherine the Great and Pushkin will confront you in its galleries. Larger-than-life social com-

Must-See Sights

mentaries from the 19th century will make your skin prickle with their messages. Repin, Vrubel, Kandinsky, Chagall, and many more Russian artists are represented here-open any book on Russian art and most of the significant pieces will be hanging in the Tretyakov. However, a book can’t do these paintings justice!

Izmaylovo Market This is the main souvenir market of Moscow, and here is where you can find all things Russian at all prices. Folk crafts, jewelry, antiques, chess sets, and anything else “Russian” will tempt you in any variety and color. Getting there is easy, too-just look on any metro map and find the Izmaylovsky stop. Once you exit the subway, any passer-by can point you in the direction of the souvenir market.

Old Arbat Street Adam BakerOld Arbat Street is Moscow’s most famous thoroughfare. Old Arbat Street is tourist-oriented, and you’ll be able to find

some not-so-unusual souvenirs here.

You’ll have more than one artist, musician, or juggler vying for your attention, depending upon the season and the time of day. Old Arbat Street is completely pedestrian, which means it’s great for people watching.

Victory Park Moscow’s Victory Park memorializes the Great Patriotic War, otherwise known as World War II. This war took a huge toll on Russia, and elderly Russians are revered for having survived this difficult time. You’ll find WWII memorials all over Russia, but Victory Park is Moscow’s home for these monuments, sculptures, fountains, and obelisks.

Sparrow Hills Get a panoramic view of Moscow from Sparrow Hills. This vantage point allows you to get a good look at the expanse of the city. Perfect for photographs, a romantic moment, or jotting down thoughts in your travel journal.

Pushkin Fine Arts Museum While the Tretyakov Gallery houses Russia’s greatest art works, the Pushkin Fine Arts Museum holds a vast collection of foreign born artists’ masterpieces. If you like Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, and Renaissance art, you’ll enjoy the Pushkin Fine Arts Museum.

Boat Tour of Moscow Adam BakerSay goodbye to Moscow with a boat tour through the city. In summer, boat tours are pleasant and relaxing, and this alternative view of the city is charming.

The towers of the Kremlin, as well as other significant architectural monuments, will peak over the treetops.

Stand on the open-air deck and use your last roll of film to snap pictures of the buildings on the river’s banks. (www.goeasteurope.about.com)

Tr a v e l FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Brusselicious 2012: The top 10 events at the Brussels food festival

T

he French may beg to differ, but for my money the Belgian capital is often a far better place to eat out than its more famous neighbour, Paris. So when the Belgians decide to organise a year-long food festival - Brusselicious - you can be sure that it will reveal some creative haute-cuisine from the city’s outstanding young chefs, as well as being fun, irreverent, surreal, and quirky. There are dozens of events organised throughout the year, with reservations on brusselicious.be already open. Here are my top 10 events.

Sky-high dining The most gastronomic and breathtaking event of Brusselicious is the four-week extravaganza in June that lives up to its vertiginous title - Dinner in the Sky. Just imagine a 22-person dining space, with a Michelin-starred chef in the middle, suspended high in the sky from a towering crane, with guests strapping on safety belts before being allowed to nibble the amuse-gueules. Each week, this float-

miss the chance of presenting at least one over-the-top surrealist event.

From 22 June, and lasting for three months through the summer, the urban landscape of the city will suddenly become the canvas for XXL, an exhibition of gigantic sculptures of Belgium’s favourite foods. Local artists have been given carte blanche to come up with eye-catching designs for giant chocolate bars, brussels sprouts, mussels, pints of beer and of course, a mega cone of frites.

Dinosaur dinner The Museum of Natural Sciences is one of the most innovative and exciting museums in Brussels, and at the heart of this sprawling building is a visually stunning Gallery of Dinosaurs, just as popular with adults as kids. Throughout March, while the Museum will hold an exhibition exploring the five senses, the Dinosaur Gallery will be transformed into a venue for a unique series of meals created to explore our taste, touch, sight, sound and smell.

September, bringing together all of Belgium’s gourmet influences, chefs and producers. Taking over one of the city’s prettiest parks, the Bois de la Cambre, more than 100 marquees will be set up, with visitors having the choice to join cooking classes, watch chefs demonstrating haute-cuisine recipes, sample chocolates, waffles, p‚tisseries, stop off at a wine bar or traditional beer estaminet, and compare experimental molecular dishes with traditional carbonnade de boeuf a traditional beer and beef stew.

Admission and demonstrations are free; guests pay for drinks and food.

Brussels Wine Week While Brusselicious will host a beer festival over the first weekend of

weekend. For a country famed for brewing hundreds of different beers, it can come as a surprise that there are

The chip walk For the Belgians, an old-fashioned “chippy” isn’t a shop or cafe, but rather a fritkot or baraque ‡ frites, a ramshackle street stand where customers huddle and brave the elements all for a cone of chips smothered in mayonnaise. Everyone has their own favourite chip stall, and during November, Brusselicious will be running a fiercely-contested competition to find the best in town. To discover the top 10, follow the Brusselicious “chip walk”.

Brussels’ year-long food festival is as ambitious and wacky as the name Brusselicious - suggests, with events taking place everywhere from a gourmet tram to a restaurant suspended above the city, not to mention a tour of the best frites in town ing restaurant will move to a different emblematic site in Brussels - the Atomium, Parc du Cinquantenaire, Palais Royal and Cambre forest accompanied by a different celebrity chef. The price is expected to be sky high too, in the region of €150pp, but it will unforgettable, so book early.

Gourmet tram Trams trundle all over the centre of Brussels, and one of the flagship Brusselicious events that will run from Tuesday to Sunday every week during the whole of 2012 is a futuristic white gourmet version. During a two-hour trip through the most beautiful parts of the city, guests will be served an haute-cuisine meal created by a legion of Belgium’s two-star Michelin chefs. Not cheap at €75 per person all-inclusive, but still necessary to book well in advance. The tram rolls into action on Valentine’s Day.

Moules frites at Brussels beach Like many European cities, Brussels has embraced the concept of the urban beach pioneered by Paris Plage, where city river banks are transformed each summer into sandy beaches complete with palm trees and deck chairs. The Belgian capital does not boast a grand river like the Seine, and instead has to make do with the Quai des Peniches, alongside a gritty industrial canal. But the Belgians make up for this lack of glamour with their infectious enthusiasm for partying, so as long as the sun decides to come out during the month of July, Bruxelles Les Bains will be a fun venue with one enormous dining table for hundreds of people laid out with steaming cauldrons of succulent mussels and plates piled high with chips, everyone’s favourite meal - moules frites, for around €25 a head.

Brusselicious XXL Brussels is always eccentric, as befits the home of Magritte, and the organisers of Brusselcious couldn’t

Brusselicious Festival Flagged as the showcase event of this gastronomic year, the Brusselicious Festival will run from 6-9

and chenin to riesling and gewurztraminer, while reds are mainly limited to gamay and pinot noir. Belgian winemakers have also made a big impression when they have taken over estates in France, Italy and Spain.

All these diverse vintages can be tasted during wine week at dozens of locations around town, from wine bars, cellars and restaurants, to stalls in the Grand Place.

September, a far more offbeat event is Brussels Wine Week from 28 May-3 June - which is really more of a long

also vineyards dotted around the Belgian countryside, producing quite reasonable whites, from chardonnay

A slow food week From 17-23 September, Karikol, the city’s Slow Food Convivium, organises a week-long celebration of sustainable, carbon-zero cuisine and biodiversity under the banner Bruxelles Potagere, or “Brussels, the vegetable garden”. Farmers from the surrounding countryside will bring in their products for tasting sessions, organic markets, picnics and gourmet promenades are on the agenda, while 70 chefs will come up with slow foodinspired menus for their restaurants.

Foodie Films Running throughout the whole year of Brusselicious, the city’s Cinematek will run two different movies a month, each themed to a different aspect of a gourmet meal, beginning with aperitifs and appetizers in January and ending with desserts in December. The season kicks off with Who is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? on 12 January.

Entrance will be €12, which includes a tasting session at the end of the movie. —Guardian

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Books

Years

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Book review

H

ow do you write an instant book about something as fast-moving and diffuse, as half-finished and unpredictable, as historically pivotal or, possibly, trivial, as the sudden surge of protest around the world since 2010? The most upto-date pages of this slim, ambitious volume are dated 26 October 2011 - almost three months ago; a small eternity in some of the feverish and ongoing political stories it covers.

Even the use of the present tense in the title is a risk. The protest wave has had its lulls: in recent weeks, the Occupy movement in London and New York, for example, has begun to seem a little becalmed. One day, these lulls will turn out to be terminal.

Revolutions, if that is what the protests add up to, as this book passionately argues, can make fools of excited writers as well as complacent politicians.

Paul Mason, as an experienced BBC Newsnight correspondent and the author of one of the best instant books on the financial crisis, Meltdown: The End of the Age of Greed (2009), is shrewd enough to accept - or at least to seem to accept - the limitations of this volume at the outset.

“This book makes no claim to be a ‘theory of everything,’” he writes with disarming, conversational directness on page two. “And don’t file it under ‘social science’: it’s journalism.” Yet, a page later, he summarises the protests in terms that suggest a much less modest study: “We’re in the middle of a revolution caused by the near-collapse of free-market capitalism,” he writes, “combined with an upswing in technical innovation” - he means mobile telephony and the internet - “a surge in desire for individual freedom and a change in human consciousness about what freedom means.”

The 10 concise chapters that follow alternate - sometimes seamlessly, sometimes more jumpily - between reportage and more analytical sections on the history, economics, technology and philosophy behind the protests. The reportage comes from Egypt, Greece, Britain, the US and the Philippines, a handful out of the dozens of countries affected. Covering himself again, Mason explains: “Some theatres of the conflict have been ignored, simply because I couldn’t get there.”

Is there much value in describing again the demonstrations, encampments and activist movements already covered, seemingly exhaustively, by the traditional and new media over the last two years? The quality of Mason’s observation and storytelling quickly dispels any such doubts. This is from Athens during one riot last summer: “In the side-streets - abandoned by police, shops shuttered - you see isolated individuals, masked, texting; some people are hammering at a piece of marble, breaking it up to make rocks. A few yards away, couples who have been protesting walk hand in hand ... shambling wearily ... Two young

lads take their shirts off, wrap them around their heads and dance in front of a fire they’ve lit ... just out of projectile range they hope - from a platoon of police.”

Such disorder has become so familiar, and yet also remains so dizzyingly at odds with the seemingly steady, semi-tranquilised state of things in much of the west from the end of the cold war until quite recently, that there is great value in the

world or the democracies of the eurozone, Britain and the United States. Yesterday’s upwardly mobile graduates have turned into today’s angry unemployed, he says, with their networking skills intact and suddenly politically potent. The expansion of higher education means that they can no longer be dismissed as an unrepresentative elite, as they often were in the past. And once-obscure theorists of protest have

This is an admirable analysis of recent global protests journalist who can simply make you register how much the world has changed. Yet Mason is also much more sophisticated and thorough than most reporters in explaining exactly how the new protest cultures came into being and developed.

In Egypt, he anatomises the hastily built coalition of slum-dwellers, union activists, unemployed graduates, faith groups and even football hooligans that drove Mubarak from power. When history is being made on the streets of his chosen countries in 2010 and 2011, Mason, it seems, either sees it happen himself, or can always locate the key witnesses and participants. The writing style of this reportage is compact, urgent, present-tense, declarative, addictive. There are one-sentence paragraphs, a hint of machismo in the fondness for military and other muscular metaphors (“why it’s kicking off”), and frequent, breathless digressions that charge off like a breakaway group from a student march. The fast-talking, economically encyclopedic Mason familiar to Newsnight viewers is very much present, but let loose from his BBC shackles.

Towards the climax of a particularly fizzing chapter on the political power of social networking, Mason asks whether the truly empowered citizen envisaged by Karl Marx in the 1840s can, thanks to the internet, exist simultaneously within capitalism and in fundamental conflict with it - the antibanker activist with the Apple Store habit. “I don’t know the answer,” he writes, “but merely to pose the question is exhilarating.”

Occasionally his descriptions of the world’s discontented “youth” (his favoured term) are a little star-struck.

Yet Mason also effectively deploys his less sexy knowledge of modern western business culture and free-market economics, and their possibly fatal flaws. Pithily and authoritatively, he describes how globalisation, assumed by many supporters and critics alike to produce economically vigorous, politically docile societies almost in perpetuity, has in fact since around 2000 increasingly produced societies that are neither, whether in the dictatorships of the Arab

made their way from the margins to the mainstream of academic life. At last year’s London student actions, “Many students were familiar with [Guy] Debord and his situationist movement, for the simple reason that he is taught on every art course.”

Unlike in the 60s, and in subsequent periods of crisis and opportunity for the young and politicised, he says, this time a dire economic situation has coincided with the exhaustion of conventional political ideas and a whole new array of organisational tools for activists. Perceptively, he suggests, protest no longer feels as oldfashioned in the west as it often has done in recent decades, when it still revolved around 19th-century-style activities such as leafleting and massing in public places to hear speeches. Crucially, the new activism goes instead with the grain of modern life: freelance projects, fluid switching between electronic and physical space, informal alliances, little emphasis on hierarchy or ideology.

The historical parts of this argument are

fresh and persuasive, but the technological ones are slightly less so. For a couple of half-chapters, his usual wiry, empirical style gives way to the airier assertions of digital evangelism. Should it really be claimed without reservation, for example, that the smart phone has “expanded the power and space of the individual”? That might come as news to the employee electronically chained to their desk or the protester intimately tracked by police. Elsewhere, there are also a few sections that read more like a diary of Mason’s fascinating assignments than scenes from a global revolution. “A Journey Through Jobless America” and an anatomy of slum life in Manila feel relevant only in the broadest sense, as economic and social context for the political upheavals. The book also touches on phone-hacking and WikiLeaks too briefly to incorporate them convincingly into the overall thesis. Meanwhile, last August’s English riots, and how much their participants, tactics and general atmosphere had in common with the more obviously political street happenings in England and elsewhere, is left tantalisingly unexplored.

Mason does briefly refer to the riots as “uprisings” and “an insurrection”, and emphasises poverty as a cause. From that stance, and his enthusiasm for socialist thinkers and protest in general, he could be taken as a leftwinger. But intriguingly, there are other political currents swirling round this book. “The plebeian groups that kicked things off,” he writes on the concluding page, “possess ... skill, ingenuity and intelligence. Info-capitalism has educated them.”

The failings of the free market - from the malfunctioning of the graduate job machine to the lethal spike in world food prices - may have given the protesters their cause and opportunity, but the free market has also given them some of the means to take political advantage. It is a paradox this book is grown-up enough to examine.

Where do the protest movements go from here? Mason zigzags between euphoria and doom. Sometimes he sees the protesters as all-conquering, the wave of the future; sometimes as confused and vulnerable. Sometimes he portrays the world they are changing as approaching an abyss, like 1914 or 1939, rather than some new plateau of prosperity and social justice.

“Right now the future hangs in the balance,” he writes. I’m looking forward to the updated edition. — Guardian

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Books

Years

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

By Council on Foreign Relations/Foreign Affairs

By Kenneth M Pollack

he New Arab Revolt: What Happened, What It Means, and What Comes Next sets the intellectual stage for understanding the revolutions in the Middle East.

This collection brings together more than sixty articles, interviews, congressional testimony, and op-eds from experts and thought leaders, including Bernard Lewis, Fouad Ajami, Richard Haass, Lisa Anderson, Martin Indyk, Isobel Coleman, Aluf Benn, Dirk Vandewalle, and Nassim Nicholas Taleb. The volume includes seminal pieces from Foreign Affairs, ForeignAffairs.com, and CFR.org. In addition, major public statements

by Barack Obama, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Hosni Mubarak, Muammar al-Qaddafi, and others are joined by Egyptian opposition writings and relevant primary source documents. Even if you have been paying close attention to the extraordinary events unfolding in the Middle East, this book pulls together what is needed to understand the origins and significance of the new Arab revolt, including a special introduction by Foreign Affairs editor Gideon Rose.

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ven the most seasoned Middle East observers were taken aback by the events of early 2011. Protests born of oppression and socioeconomic frustration erupted throughout the streets; public unrest provoked violent police backlash; long-established dictatorships fell. How did this all happen? What might the future look like, and what are the likely ramifications for the United States and the rest of the world? In The Arab Awakening, experts from the Brookings Institution tackle such questions to make sense of this tumultuous region that remains at the heart of US national interests.

By John R Bradley

By James Petras

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he popular uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia have overthrown the public face of the imperial-backed dictatorships in the region, and inspired supporters of popular democracy worldwide. As the Arab revolt spreads from North Africa to the Gulf and deepens its demands to include socio-economic as well as political demands, the Empire is striking back. The ruling military junta in Egypt has cracked down on the prodemocracy movement and looks to its autocratic “partners” in the Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula to drown the civil society movements in a blood bath. While standing by the crumbling dictatorships elsewhere in the region, the United States, France and the United Kingdom raced to intervene when it seemed the revolt had spread to Libya. NATO was deployed, using the UN’s new “responsibility to protect” doctrine authorizing humanitarian intervention. Already NATO intervention has exceeded the UN mandate by bombing the Libyan capital and inflicting civilian casualties. Meanwhile, western governments openly pursue regime change in Libya while seeking to forestall it elsewhere.

These essays chronicle the growing militarization of US policy in North Africa and the

rom the author of the book that uniquely predicted the Egyptian revolution, a new message about the Middle East: everything we’re told about the Arab Spring is wrong. When popular revolutions erupted in Tunisia and Egypt, the West assumed that democracy and pluralism would triumph.

Greatly praised author and foreign correspondent John R. Bradley draws on his extensive firsthand knowledge of the region’s cultures and societies to show how Islamists will fill the power vacuum in the wake of the revolutions.

This vivid and timely book gives an original analysis of the new Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, Yemen, Libya, and Bahrain by highlighting the dramatic spread of Saudi-funded Wahhabi ideology, inter-tribal rivalries, and Sunni-Shia divisions. Bradley gives a boots on the ground look at how the revolutions were first ignited and the major players behind them, and shows how the local population participated in and responded to the uprisings.

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T

Gulf and the historic confrontation between the Arab democratic revolution and the imperial backed satraps; between Libyans fighting for their independence and the Euro-American naval and air forces ravaging the country on behalf of their inept local clients.

Beauty FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

How to make your hair thicker It is suggested that you maintain your hair in healthy condition by following proper routine for hair care and choose the hair care products like hair oils, shampoos, conditioners etc wisely according to your hair type.

B

eing eager to find out how to make hair thicker is but obvious when you are aspiring to grow fuller, healthier hair and prevent hair loss. This is particularly true for individuals having thin textured hair. Given below are some useful hair care tips and suggestions to make your hair thicker.

Your hair care routine and choice of products play a significant role in making your hair thicker and fuller.

Therefore, it is suggested that you maintain your hair in healthy condition by following proper routine for hair care and choose the hair care products like hair oils, shampoos, conditioners etc wisely according to your hair type. You can also apply mousse or hair spray to add body to your hair.

Besides, use therapeutic hair oils like extra virgin coconut oil, castor oil, almond oil etc and invest in light, unscented conditioners and mild, protein-rich, preferably organic shampoos.

Avoid shampoos containing sodium lauryl sulfate. Wash your hair about two to four times in a week to keep them clean and avoid hair problems.

Make sure you do not brush or comb your hair immediately after washing them because your wet tresses tend to break easily. When using a conditioner, focus on applying on it on the ends of hair instead of scalp.

Avoid using heating tools like curling rods, rollers, flat irons etc. Restrict the use of hair dryer as well.

Plus, do not color your hair too often because most of the hair colors contain harsh chemicals that make hair dry and brittle.

Massage the scalp regularly by gently rubbing

your fingers on the scalp in circular motion for about 2-3 minutes. In addition, use hot oil treatments to improve circulation, stimulate hair growth and make your hair strong.

You can use a combination of essential oils by mixing three drops of rosemary oil, three drops of lavender oil, two drops of thyme oil, two drops of cedar wood oil and half an ounce of jojoba oil. A simple mixture of almond oil and aloe vera gel can also be applied for at least half an hour. When washing your hair, try not to use hot water.

In case you are looking for ways on how to make hair thicker naturally then you can make use of different types of hair masks. For instance, prepare a banana hair mask by pureeing two bananas in a blender and adding a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and three tablespoons of mayonnaise in it.

You can also add a few drops of rosemary, thyme or any other aromatic oil in the mixture. Make sure that the mixture has a smooth and even consistency.

Finally, apply the homemade hair pack for about half an hour and then wash it off thoroughly.

Besides, you can simply apply whipped egg on your hair before shampooing; works as an excellent natural conditioner. Similarly, mayonnaise works as a good conditioner for dry hair.

Put about 100 gm henna leaves in 250 ml mustard oil and heat the mixture to let the essence of henna mix in the oil.

Then, cool and strain the mixture. Store it in a bottle and apply it regularly on scalp, at least once in a week to thicken thinning hair. Healthy diet and

eating habits are crucial in making hair thicker and fuller. Therefore, embark on a nutritious diet consisting of a variety of vitamin, mineral and protein rich foods such as carrots, soy beans, tofu, spinach, legumes, green bell peppers, cheese, yogurt, whole grains and other fresh citrus fruits and green leafy vegetables.

Consider taking multivitamins in case you have any nutritional deficiency. Certain types of hair styles also help in making hair look thicker and voluminous. For example, thin textured hair that usually fall limp can be kept short to make them look fuller.

Long hairstyles can make your hair look thinner.

Plus, straight hair can be cut in layers to make them appear thicker.

Moreover, brush your hair with a boar brush as it helps distribute natural oils throughout the hair and makes them lustrous. If you are wondering how to make hair thicker with a brush then just lift the hair outwards from the head while brushing to add volume to your hair. (www.howtomakehairgrowfaster.com)

Beauty FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Foods that help your hair grow faster W

illing to give up unhealthy diet but wondering what food helps your hair grow faster?

As hair is primarily made up of protein, you can very well understand the importance of consuming protein rich foods in making hair grow fast naturally.

Some such protein rich foods for hair growth are soy products, beans, eggs, fish, milk, cheese, yogurt, whole grains, seeds and nuts. Moreover, fresh green vegetables, like spinach, lettuce, lentils, broccoli and legumes are valuable in making hair fuller and thicker.

Spinach, in particular, is a highly beneficial food that helps your hair grow faster because it is loaded with antioxidants and essential vitamins and minerals. In addition, asparagus, mushroom, tuna, salmon and other such niacin or vitamin B3 rich foods help alleviate stress and hence prevent hair loss caused by stress.

Vitamin B3 also helps release energy from the foods you eat. Nonetheless, do not have vitamin B3 in excess or else it can lead to liver malfunction. Besides it is suggested that you take judicious amounts of brewer’s yeast, whole grain cereals, rice, milk, potatoes, chickpeas, lima beans, wheat germ and other vitamin B complex rich foods to promote healthy hair growth.

Biotin and folic acid particularly help your hair grow faster and prevent hair loss.

Further, consume a variety of Vitamin A, C and E rich foods like fresh carrots, peaches, apricots, bananas, avocados, strawberries, kiwi, other citrus fruits, cabbage, cheese, dried beans, Brussels sprouts, green bell peppers, tomatoes, raisins, black currants etc to stimulate faster hair growth.

Moreover, dark green vegetables such as Swiss chard and kale are rich sources of iron that assists in hair growth by carrying oxygen to hair. You can also have onion, garlic, cabbage, asparagus and other sulfur rich foods for nourishment of hair follicles. Simply adding culinary herbs such as parsley, oregano, cumin seeds, coriander leaves, basil, sage etc is also beneficial for hair.

Nuts and seeds like walnuts, cashew nuts, Brazil nut, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, fenugreek seeds and other such foods contain good amounts of zinc, magnesium, selenium and other such minerals that make hair grow fast naturally. For instance, you can easily consume raw sunflower seeds or add ground flax seed in cereals, salads or smoothies. Needless to add, do not have foods that you are allergic to.

You can take multivitamins and nutritional supplements after taking advice from your doctor in case you are suffering from nutritional deficiencies. Moreover, regularly drink adequate amount of water to keep your skin and hair healthy. Hence, take good care of your lustrous locks and have a healthy, well balanced diet consisting of optimum amounts of foods packed with vital hair vitamins to enhance hair growth and revitalize your hair. However, when determining what food helps your hair grow faster, make sure you do not over indulge in that food because eventually, excess of anything is bad. (www.howtomakehairgrowfaster.com)

Rosemary honey hair conditioner T

he extremes of heat and cold we endure throughout winter can make even the greatest of hair look and feel like straw. This nourishing conditioner blends honey for shine; olive oil for moisture and essential oil of rosemary to stimulate hair growth.

1/2 cup Honey 1/4 cup warmed Olive oil (2T for normal to oily hair) 4 drops of essential oil of Rosemary 1 tsp. Xanthum gum (available in health food stores) Place all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour into a clean plastic bottle with a tight fitting stopper or lid.

Apply a small amount at a time to slightly dampened hair. Massage scalp and work mixture through hair until completely coated. Cover hair with a warm towel (towel can be heated in a microwave or dryer) or shower cap; leave on to nourish and condition for 30 minutes. Remove towel or shower cap; shampoo lightly and rinse with cool water. Dry as normal and enjoy shinier, softer and healthier hair the natural way. (www.allnaturalbeauty.us)

Health FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Hyperthyroidism: Symptoms and treatment

H

yperthyroidism is a condition in which an overactive thyroid gland is producing an excessive amount of thyroid hormones that circulate in the blood. (“Hyper” means “over” in Greek).

Thyrotoxicosis is a toxic condition that is caused by an excess of thyroid hormones from any cause. Thyrotoxicosis can be caused by an excessive intake of thyroid hormone or by overproduction of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland. Because both physicians and patients often use these words interchangeably, we will take some liberty by using the term “hyperthyroidism” throughout this article.

disease) and a thyroid scan using radioactively-labelled iodine (which concentrates in the thyroid gland) can help diagnose the underlying thyroid disease. These investigations are chosen on a case-by-case basis.

How is hyperthyroidism treated?

The options for treating hyperthyroidism include:

variables including the underlying cause of hyperthyroidism, the age of the patient, the size of the thyroid gland, and the presence of coexisting medical illnesses.

What’s best for you?

If you are concerned that you may have an excess amount of thyroid hormone, you should mention your

What causes hyperthyroidism? l Some common causes of hyperthyroidism include: l Graves’ Disease l Functioning adenoma (“hot nodule”) and toxic multinodular goiter (TMNG) l Excessive intake of thyroid hormones l Abnormal secretion of TSH l Thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid gland) l Excessive iodine intake What are the symptoms of hyperthyroidism?

Hyperthyroidism is suggested by several signs and symptoms; however, patients with mild disease usually experience no symptoms. In patients older than 70 years, the typical signs and symptoms also may be absent. In general, the symptoms become more obvious as the degree of hyperthyroidism increases. The symptoms usually are related to an increase in the metabolic rate of the body.

Common symptoms include:

l Excessive sweating l Heat intolerance l Increased bowel movements l Tremor (usually fine shaking) l Nervousness; agitation l Rapid heart rate l Weight loss l Fatigue l Decreased concentration llIrregular and scant menstrual flow

In older patients, irregular heart rhythms and heart failure can occur. In its most severe form, untreated hyperthyroidism may result in “thyroid storm,” a condition involving high blood pressure, fever, and heart failure. Mental changes, such as confusion and delirium, also may occur.

How is hyperthyroidism diagnosed?

Hyperthyroidism can be suspected in patients with: l Tremors, l Excessive sweating, l Smooth velvety skin, l Fine hair, l A rapid heart rate, and an enlarged thyroid gland.

There may be puffiness around the eyes and a characteristic stare due to the elevation of the upper eyelids.

Advanced symptoms are easily detected, but early symptoms, especially in the elderly, may be quite inconspicuous.

In all cases, a blood test is needed to confirm the diagnosis.

The blood levels of thyroid hormones can be measured directly and usually are elevated with hyperthyroidism.

However, the main tool for detection of hyperthyroidism is measurement of the blood TSH level. As mentioned earlier, TSH is secreted by the pituitary gland. If an excess amount of thyroid hormone is present, TSH is “down-regulated” and the level of TSH falls in an attempt to reduce production of thyroid hormone. Thus, the measurement of TSH should result in low or undetectable levels in cases of hyperthyroidism. However, there is one exception. If the excessive amount of thyroid hormone is due to a TSHsecreting pituitary tumor, then the levels of TSH will be abnormally high. This uncommon disease is known as “secondary hyperthyroidism.”

Although the blood tests mentioned previously can confirm the presence of excessive thyroid hormone, they do not point to a specific cause. If there is obvious involvement of the eyes, a diagnosis of Graves’ disease is almost certain. A combination of antibody screening (for Graves’

l Antithyroid drugs l Radioactive iodine l Surgery treating symptoms

Treating the symptoms There are medications available to immediately treat the symptoms caused by excessive thyroid hormones, such as a rapid heart rate. One of the main classes of drugs used to treat these symptoms is the beta-blockers [for example, propranolol (Inderal), atenolol (Tenormin), metoprolol (Lopressor)]. These medications counteract the effect of thyroid hormone to increase metabolism, but they do not alter the levels of thyroid hormones in the blood. A doctor determines which patients to treat based on a number of

symptoms to your doctor. A simple blood test is the first step in the diagnosis. From there, both you and your doctor can decide what the next step should be. If treatment is warranted, it is important for you to let your doctor know of any concerns or questions you have about the options available. Remember that thyroid disease is very common, and in good hands, the diseases that cause an excess of thyroid hormones can be easily diagnosed and treated. (www.medicinenet.com)

Health FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Balanced diet: Balanced life T

he key to a healthy balanced diet is not to ban or omit any foods or food groups but to balance what you eat by consuming a variety of foods from each food group in the right proportions for good health.

Fruit and vegetables These should make up about a third of your daily diet and can be eaten as part of every meal, as well as being the first choice for a snack. You should eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day.

Research suggests this can help to protect against cancer, obesity and various chronic diseases such as heart disease. This is because of the unique package of nutrients and plant compounds they contain.

Bread, rice, potatoes and pasta This food group should also make up about a third of your diet and contains the starchy carbohydrates that are the body’s main source of energy.

When selecting products from this food group, choose unrefined carbohydrates over those that have been refined, as they will contain the whole of the grain.

Wholegrain foods are rich in fibre and other nutrients that have many health benefits, and people who consume wholegrains seem to have a reduced risk of certain cancers, diabetes and coronary heart disease.

The final third of the eatwell plate is made up of three groups containing foods that need to be consumed in smaller pro-

portions than the other two principal categories. These food groups also contain nutrients essential to our diet, so it’s important not to leave them out altogether.

er important foods (such as olive oil on salads, a scraping of spread on bread, or a sprinkling of sugar on some tart fruits).

Milk and dairy foods These should be eaten in moderation because of their high saturated fat content, but they’re an important source of calcium, which is essential for healthy bones and teeth. Choose low-fat or reduced-fat versions.

l Eat a variety of foods to obtain all of

doesn’t increase your sense of fullness, so think of ‘down-sizing’ rather than ‘supersizing’ for most foods, except fruit and vegetables.

How to eat a balanced diet

Meat, fish, eggs and beans This food group includes both animal and plant sources of protein, which is a major functional and structural component of all cells. Protein provides the body with between 10 and 15 per cent of its dietary energy, and is needed for growth and repair.

Foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar This group makes up the smallest section on the eat well plate and includes foods that should only be eaten sparingly because, although they’re an important energy source, they contain very few nutrients and are often known as ‘empty calories’. Foods from this group are high in unhealthy components such as saturated fat, trans fatty acids, sugar and salt - all of which are associated with an increased risk of developing certain diseases.

They should only be eaten as occasional treats, or to increase the palatability of oth-

the essential nutrients l Too much as well as too little can be bad for you - balance is required l Everyone’s plate will look slightly different as we all have different requirements depending on our body’s shape and size, and our levels of activity.

Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet The Food Standards Agency’s eight tips for eating well are: 1.Base meals on starchy foods 2.Eat lots of fruit and vegetables 3.Eat more fish 4.Cut down on saturated fat and sugar 5.Try to eat less salt - no more than 6g a day 6.Get active and try to be a healthy weight 7.Drink plenty of water 8.Don’t skip breakfast Portion size In recent years, portions have been gradually getting bigger with the introduction of king-size chocolate bars, bigger bags of crisps and super-sized meals.

Larger packets and plates can encourage us to eat greater quantities of food, which increases our energy intake. Studies have found that consuming additional food

Energy density This is the amount of stored energy in food. Just 1g of fat provides nine calories, which is more than double the calories in 1g of protein or carbohydrate. This means you can feel fuller on fewer calories if you choose the right foods, and in the long term you’re less likely to gain weight.

Healthy living Food is there to enjoy, which is often forgotten amid all the media hype surrounding various food items. Just remember to keep a check on portion size and energy density.

Food habits change slowly, but

l try new foods l join a local cookery club to boost your

culinary confidence l have a positive attitude about food it’s one of life’s pleasures Exercise helps to maintain your body weight by balancing your energy intake (food eaten) with energy output (exercise).

Take small steps if you’re new to exercise - use the stairs instead of the lift at work, get off the bus one stop early and walk the rest of the way, or try to exercise with a friend. (www.bbc.co.uk)

C h i l d re n FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

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alfa-search

Can you ямБnd the hidden words? Each word begins with the letter J. The words may be horizontal or vertical.

JACKAL, JACKET, JANUARY, JAZZ, JELLY, JESTER, JETTY,JEWEL, JOIN, JOKE, JUDGE,

JUDO, JUGGLE, JUICE, JULYJUMP, JUNE, JUNGLE, JUNIOR, JURY.

Spot the difference

C h i l d re n FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

O

The Story of Cinderella

nce upon a time... there lived an unhappy young girl. Unhappy she was, for her mother was dead, her father had married another woman, a widow with two daughters, and her stepmother didn’t like her one little bit. All the nice things, kind thoughts and loving touches were for her own daughters. And not just the kind thoughts and love, but also dresses, shoes, shawls, delicious food, comfy beds, as well as every home comfort. All this was laid on for her daughters. But, for the poor unhappy girl, there was nothing at all. No dresses, only her stepsisters’ hand-me-downs. No lovely dishes, nothing but scraps. No nice rests and comfort. For she had to work hard all day, and only when evening came was she allowed to sit for a while by the fire, near the cinders. That is how she got her nickname, for everybody called her Cinderella.

Cinderella used to spend long hours all alone talking to the cat. The cat said, “Miaow”, which really meant, “Cheer up! You have something neither of your stepsisters have and that is beauty.”

It was quite true. Cinderalla, even dressed in rags with a dusty gray face from the cinders, was a lovely girl. While her stepsisters, no matter how splendid and elegant their clothes, were still clumsy, lumpy and ugly and always would be. One day, beautiful new dresses arrived at the house. A ball was to be held at Court and the stepsisters were getting ready to go to it. Cinderella, didn’t even dare ask, “What about me?” for she knew very well what the answer to that would be: “You? My dear girl, you’re staying at home to wash the dishes, scrub the floors and turn down the beds for your stepsisters. They will come home tired and very sleepy.”

Cinderella sighed at the cat.

“Oh dear, I’m so unhappy!” and the cat murmured “Miaow”. Suddenly something amazing happened. In the kitchen, where Cinderella was sitting all by herself, there was a burst of light and a fairy appeared.

“Don’t be alarmed, Cinderella,” said the fairy. “The wind blew me your sighs. I know you would love to go to the ball. And so you shall!”

“How can I, dressed in rags?” Cinderella replied. “The servants will turn me away!” The fairy smiled. With a flick of her magic wand... Cinderella found herself wearing the most beautiful dress, the loveliest ever seen in the realm.

“Now that we have settled the matter of the dress,” said the fairy, “we’ll need to get you a coach. A real lady would never go to a ball on foot!”

“Quick! Get me a pumpkin!” she ordered.

“Oh of course,” said Cinderella, rushing away. Then the fairy turned to the cat.

“You, bring me seven mice!”

“Seven mice!” said the cat. “I didn’t know fairies ate mice too!” “They’re not for eating, silly! Do as you are told!... and, remember they must be alive!”

Cinderella soon returned with a fine pumpkin and the cat with seven mice he had caught in the cellar.

“Good!” exclaimed the fairy. With a flick of her magic wand... wonder of wonders! The pumpkin turned into a sparkling coach and the mice became six white horses, while the seventh mouse turned into a coachman, in a smart uniform and carrying a whip. Cinderella could hardly believe her eyes. “I shall present you at Court. You will soon see that the Prince, in whose honor the ball is being held, will be enchanted by your loveliness. But remember!

You must leave the ball at midnight and come home. For that is when the spell ends. Your coach will turn back into a pumpkin, the horses will become mice again and the coachman will turn back into a mouse... and you will be dressed again in rags and wearing clogs instead of these dainty little slippers! Do you understand?” Cinderella smiled and said, “Yes, I understand!”

When Cinderella entered the ballroom at the palace, a hush fell. Everyone stopped in mid-sentence to admire her elegance, her beauty and grace.

“Who can that be?” people asked each other. The two

stepsisters also wondered who the newcomer was, for never in a month of Sundays, would they ever have guessed that the beautiful girl was really poor Cinderella who talked to the cat! When the prince set eyes on Cinderella, he was struck by her beauty. Walking over to her, he bowed deeply and asked her to dance. And to the great disappointment of all the young ladies, he danced with Cinderella all evening.

“Who are you, fair maiden?” the Prince kept asking her.

But Cinderella only replied: “What does it matter who I am!

You will never see me again anyway.” “Oh, but I shall, I’m quite certain!” he replied.

Cinderella had a wonderful time at the ball... But, all of a sudden, she heard the sound of a clock: the first stroke of midnight! She remembered what the fairy had said, and without a word of goodbye she slipped from the Prince’s arms and ran down the steps. As she ran she lost one of her slippers, but not for a moment did she dream of stopping to pick it up! If the last stroke of midnight were to sound... oh... what a disaster that would be! Out she fled and vanished into the night.

The Prince, who was now madly in love with her, picked up her slipper and said to his ministers, “Go and search everywhere for the girl whose foot this slipper fits. I will

never be content until I find her!” So the ministers tried the slipper on the foot of all the girls... and on Cinderella’s foot as well... Surprise! The slipper fitted perfectly. “That awful untidy girl simply cannot have been at the ball,” snapped the stepmother. “Tell the Prince he ought to marry one of my two daughters! Can’t you see how ugly Cinderella is!

Can’t you see?”

Suddenly she broke off, for the fairy had appeared.

“That’s enough!” she exclaimed, raising her magic wand.

In a flash, Cinderella appeared in a splendid dress, shining with youth and beauty. Her stepmother and stepsisters gaped at her in amazement, and the ministers said, “Come with us, fair maiden! The Prince awaits to present you with his engagement ring!” So Cinderella joyfully went with them, and lived happily ever after with her Prince. And as for the cat, he just said “Miaow”! (www.kidsgen.com)

Comics

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

To Yester

Word Sleuth Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

ACROSS 1. Thin fibrous bark of the paper mulberry and Pipturus albidus.

5. Affect with wonder.

10. A white linen liturgical vestment with sleeves.

13. South American armadillo with three bands of bony plates.

14. United States naval officer and historian (1840-1914).

15. A unit of length of thread or yarn.

16. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables.

17. A feeling of intense anger.

18. Light informal conversation for social occasions.

19. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa.

20. A light touch or stroke.

22. A state in midwestern United States.

26. The seventh month of the Moslem calendar.

29. Declare invalid.

33. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

34. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

36. A port town on the Atlantic coast of Portugal southeast of Lisbon.

38. Elegant and stylish.

40. A mature blood cell that contains hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the bodily tissues.

42. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

43. The presence of potassium in the circulating blood.

45. A city in northeastern Ohio.

47. The United Nations agency concerned with atomic energy.

49. Jordan's port.

57. An esoteric or occult matter that is traditionally secret.

59. A diacritical mark (,) placed below the letter c to indicate that it is pronounced as an s.

60. (Old Testament) Adam's wife in Judeo-Christian mythology.

61. English scholastic philosopher and assumed author of Occam's Razor (12851349).

63. Flower arrangement consisting of a circular band of foliage or flowers for ornamental purposes.

64. A unit of absorbed ionizing radiation equal to 100 ergs per gram of irradiated material.

65. Abnormal dryness of the conjunctiva and cornea of the eyes.

66. An associate degree in applied science.

DOWN 1. The basic unit of money in Bangladesh.

2. Someone who copies the words or behavior of another.

3. A metabolic acid found in yeast and liver cells.

4. A peninsula between the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.

5. Before noon.

6. A percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as

by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance.

7. According to the Old Testament he was a pagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel (9th century BC).

8. An angular shape characterized by sharp turns in alternating directions.

9. The compass point midway between northeast and east.

10. Primitive chlorophyll-containing mainly aquatic eukaryotic organisms lacking true stems and roots and leaves.

11. (archaic or Scottish) Faithful and true.

12. A small cake leavened with yeast.

21. An aromatic balsam.

23. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

24. Used of a single unit or thing.

25. Genus of East Indian trees or shrubs.

27. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

28. A correctional institution used to detain persons who are in the lawful custody of the government (either accused persons awaiting trial or convicted persons serving a sentence).

30. A committee in the executive branch of government that advises the president on foreign and military and national security.

31. Herb of the Pacific islands grown throughout the tropics for its edible root and in temperate areas as an ornamental for its large glossy leaves.

32. Group of people related by blood or marriage.

35. Soft creamy white cheese.

37. A room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter.

39. Tropical American trees with palmately compound leaves and showy bellshaped flowers.

41. The cry made by sheep.

44. (trademark) An antacid.

46. Climbing vine native to China.

48. An appearance of reflected light.

50. (Polynesian) An alcoholic drink made from the aromatic roots of the kava shrub.

51. In bed.

52. The persistence of a sound after its source has stopped.

53. Designer drug designed to have the effects of amphetamines (it floods the brain with serotonin) but to avoid the drug laws.

54. Leaf or strip from a leaf of the talipot palm used in India for writing paper.

55. Evergreen trees and shrubs having oily one-seeded fruits.

56. A platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it.

58. (informal) Of the highest quality.

59. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light.

62. A colorless element that is one of the six inert gasses.

Yesterday’s Solution

Lifestyle FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

(From left) Members of staff pose with awards amid waxwork models of film stars British actress Judie Dench, US actor Morgan Freeman, British actress Kate Winslet, US actor Tom Hanks and British actress Helen Mirren at Madame Tussauds in central London, to mark the launch of the Awards Season Party display running from 18th January - 29th February 2012. —AFP

Queen’s ‘little bubble’ keeps friends at bay

:Biographer

Q

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II receives flowers in this December 25, 2011 file photo from wellwishers following the Royal family Christmas Day church service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk, in the east of England. —AFP

ueen Elizabeth II’s friends dare not ask her about her personal feelings because of the wall of privacy around her, according to a US journalist given access to the British monarch’s entourage for a new biography. “Elizabeth the Queen” by Sally Bedell Smith is already a hit on both sides of the Atlantic as Britain starts commemorations for the monarch’s diamond jubilee. Bedell Smith, a writer for Vanity Fair, has produced biographies of Princess Diana, John and Jacqueline Kennedy, and Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Bedell Smith was given tacit approval by Buckingham Palace for her latest project and spoke to advisors, courtiers and relatives of the woman she calls “the most public and the most private person in the world.” In the book, Bedell Smith tells of the queen’s fears over the divorce between her son Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana and many other dramas in her reign. Speaking in New York, the American author and historian said that the queen has devoted friends but because she lives “in her own little bubble and own little world” it is “a different kind of friendship.”

“She tries to be amusing and she gives them very good advice although they are very careful about not being presumptuous and calling upon her for that,” Bedell Smith said. “She is very interested in their families and what is going on. But there is a kind of a scrim in front of her,” said the writer, a contributing editor for Vanity Fair and former New York Times reporter. “They dare not really ask her about her personal feelings and personal life. She keeps a lot of that to herself. One of her cousins told me that when she gets frustrated-there is a weed in Scotland called the sticky willy-she goes out into the fields and pulls it up.” Elizabeth ascended to the British throne on February 6, 1952 after the death of her father King George VI. Mass national commemorations are to be held from June 2-5 across Britain.

The biography reveals the queen’s fears after the 1996 divorce of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. The former archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, says in the book that Elizabeth was worried that her eldest son would give up his place in the line of succession for Camilla, just as King Edward VIII gave up the throne in 1936 to marry his mistress, Wallis Simpson. —AFP

Why is the sky blue?

Kids’ questions parents fear

T

hey range from the easy, like “would a shark beat a dinosaur in a fight?” through the tricky, like “why is the sky blue?” to the near-impossible, such as “how much does the earth weigh?” Kids bombard their parents with questions every day on all manner of subjects and now a survey has found the 10 most feared by the grown-ups. Top of the list: “Why is the moon sometimes out in the day? Others include: will we ever discover aliens? and how do aeroplanes stay in the air? A quarter of British parents find themselves puzzled by their children’s science and maths questions on a daily basis, the survey found.

Researchers found that 26 percent of parents think their children are more knowledgeable about maths and science than they are, with more than half of parents dreading questions about subjects they cannot answer correctly, leaving them frustrated and embarrassed. The study found that a third of parents would actively research to find the answers, whilst many admit they either make up the answers or deflect the question onto their partner. Polling 2,000 parents with children aged 5-16, it found that many parents believe their youngsters’ curiosity for science and maths has been fuelled by educational TV programs.

Many of the parents interviewed wished they had taken more of an interest in maths and science in school and 10 percent of mothers say their limited knowledge is due to the lack of support and encouragement they received in these subjects when they were at school. The survey was carried out for the Big Bang UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair which takes place in Birmingham from 15-17 March.

The 10 most awkward questions: 1. Why is the moon sometimes out in the day?

2. Why is the sky blue?

3. Will we ever discover aliens?

4. How much does the earth weigh?

5. How do aeroplanes stay in the air?

6. Why is water wet?

7. How do I do long division?

8. Where do birds/bees go in winter?

9. What makes a rainbow?

10. Why are there different time zones on earth? —AP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Wahlberg sorry over 9/11 comments

H

ollywood star Mark Wahlberg apologized Wednesday for comments about the September 11, 2001 attacks, in which he claimed he would have overpowered the hijackers. The 40-year-old hard-man actor, whose latest movie “Contraband” topped the north American box office last weekend, said his remarks were “irresponsible” and “insensitive.”

Wahlberg, who was nominated for an Oscar last year for “The Fighter,” made the offending comments in “Men’s Journal,” when asked what he would have done had he been on one of the planes which hit the World Trade Center. “If I was on that plane with my kids, it wouldn’t have went down like it did,” he told the magazine. “There would have been a lot of blood in that first-class cabin and then me saying, ‘OK, we’re going to land somewhere safely, don’t worry’,” added the actor, who was born in a poor working class district of Boston.

In a statement released by his publicist, Walhberg-who was rapper Marky Mark when he was younger-apologized for the comments. “To speculate about such a situation is ridiculous to begin with, and to suggest I would have done anything differently than the passengers on that plane was irresponsible,” he said. “I deeply apologize to the families of the victims that my answer came off as insensitive, it was certainly not my intention,” he added. —AFP

Rascal Flatts preps new album for April 3 release

T

he last time Rascal Flatts recorded an album, the trio ditched dreary Music City in the winter for sunny California. This time around they stayed closer to home when recording new album “Changed.” Well, bassist Jay DeMarcus’ home. “We actually cut the whole thing at Jay’s house, in Jay’s studio,” singer Gary LeVox said.

“We mixed it up and did something a little different.” “Changed” is out April 3 and follows “Nothing Like This,” their sixth straight platinum-selling album and the first with the Big Machine Label Group.

Only three other country acts have matched the band’s streak of million-selling albums. LeVox says the band, which also includes guitarist Joe Don Rooney, believes “Changed” could be Rascal Flatts’ strongest album yet. They hope the Dan Huff-produced record will build on the success of “Nothing Like This,” which spawned their 12th and 13th No 1 singles and a top five hit. “Banjo,” the first single from “Changed,” has been released to radio. “It’s really exciting some of the songs we’ve got set to go,” LeVox said. “It’s probably the most really good, up-tempo stuff that maybe we’ve ever had pitched to us. And we wrote some really good stuff. ... I think it’s musically at even another level.” — AP

Review

Actor Mark Wahlberg arriving at the 83rd Academy Awards Nominations Luncheon. —AP

In this film image released by Relativity Media, Gina Carano and Ewan McGregor are shown in a scene from ‘Haywire.’ —AP

Carano kicks butt in ‘Haywire’ film debut A

straight-up action picture may sound unusual coming from Steven Soderbergh, but as he has demonstrated repeatedly throughout his career, he is keen to experiment with every genre imaginable. And if you look closely at his latest, “Haywire,” you’ll find it reveals glimmers of some of his greatest hits. It is a revenge thriller like “The Limey” (and comes from the same screenwriter, Lem Dobbs). It features a color-coded palette scheme to correspond with each new location in this globe-trotting tale, like “Traffic.” It has a ‘70s-style aesthetic sensibility reminiscent of “The Informant!” It boasts an all star cast like Soderbergh’s “Ocean’s” movies, “Full Frontal” and, most recently, “Contagion.” But at its center is an actress who never had appeared in a major feature film before, like “The Girlfriend Experience” and “Bubble.”

So since we are in the midst of making comparisons, we will just say that “Haywire” feels like minor Soderbergh: zippy, hugely entertaining and wellcrafted as always (since he once again serves as his own cinematographer and editor), but not one of his more important films in the broad scheme of things.

It does, however, mark the auspicious film debut of MMA superstar Gina Carano as special-ops bad-ass Mallory Kane. Carano had never acted before,

and not only did she do all her own stunts, she had to do them in a way that she wouldn’t injure her male co-stars, including Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender and Channing Tatum. Her dialogue delivery may seem a bit stiff, and she has acknowledged that Soderbergh made some tweaks to her voice in post-production, but she has tremendous presence: an intriguing mix of muscular power and eye-catching femininity.

Mallory works for a private contractor that performs secret missions for the US government. Her latest required her and her team to rescue a Chinese journalist who’d been kidnapped and was being held captive in Barcelona. The mission itself (pretty much) went down as planned, but afterward she finds she has been set up. Now, her task is to figure out who has double-crossed her and why. All of this takes place out of chronological order as it hops around between upstate New York, Barcelona, Washington, Dublin, the scrub-brushed buttes of New Mexico and a Mexican beach at sunset. (That last location is one of the most beautiful, with the warm, jagged rocks serving as a striking backdrop for one of the film’s most intense fights.) Mallory tells her story to the poor schmo whose car she has to borrow (played by Michael Angarano) for

escape; it’s intentionally disorienting, but that’s part of the fun.

Among the excellent cast, McGregor plays Mallory’s obviously slimy boss, with whom she shares some sort of her nebulous romantic history. Tatum is her partner on the Barcelona job, who may or may not be trustworthy. Fassbender is the British agent with whom she is asked to team up on a follow-up mission; their scenes smolder with an old-school James Bond sense of glamour and intrigue, as well as danger. Michael Douglas plays Mallory’s government contact and the one person she seems to be able to trust aside from her father (Bill Paxton) who, like her, is a former Marine. And Antonio Banderas is her Spanish connection, a role he plays in almost as cartoonish a fashion as his “Puss in Boots” character.

Regardless of the setting, the opponent or their motives, Soderbergh is smart enough to emphasize Carano’s strengths. He lets the elaborate fight scenes play out, lets us see every kick, punch and body slam, without a lot of needless edits and even without any music. The battles provide their own rhythm, and afterward you may feel as if you’ve been worked over as well. But in a good way. “Haywire,” a Relativity Media release, is rated R for some violence. Running time: 93 minutes. —AP

Four-legged ‘Artist’ co-star eyes Golden Collar

U

ggie the four-legged co-star of silent film “The Artist” is tipped to win his own canine accolade, to go with the growing haul of honors bestowed on the movie in Hollywood. The trick-performing terrier, who saves his master’s life in the black and white film which won three Golden Globes and is hoping for Oscars glory, was nominated Wednesday for a newly-minted Golden Collar award from Dog

Uggie, the dog, from the film ‘The Artist’ poses backstage with the award for Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical during the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards . —AP

News Daily. “We’re thrilled to have Penelope and Uggie announcing the Golden Collar nominees,” the canine news outlet’s boss Alan Siskind said after the launch by Penelope Ann Miller, who plays the wife of silent era star George Valentin.

“It’s an honor to have both of them on stage to let the world know which canine thespians are being formally recognized and acknowledged for their tremendous performances in film & television in 2011,” he added. The 1st Annual Golden Collar Awards ceremony will take place on February 13 in Los Angeles, with red carpet arrivals and a private cocktail reception benefiting Los Angeles area dog rescue organizations and shelters. —AP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Hospital says Brooks’ gift came without obligation

Photo shows country music stars Garth Brooks, right, and Trisha Yearwood leave the courtroom at Rogers County Courthouse, in Claremore, Ok. — AP photos

L

awyers for Garth Brooks and an Oklahoma hospital clashed Wednesday over whether the facility promised to name a women’s center in honor of the country star’s late mother after he made a $500,000 donation. Brooks wants the Integris Canadian Valley Regional Hospital in his hometown of Yukon to return the money, claiming in a lawsuit that hospital administrators reneged on their pledge to name a part of a medical complex after Colleen Brooks. Jurors began hearing arguments in the case Wednesday.

“Some might ask ‘Why didn’t you give the

money back?’ hospital lawyer Terry Thomas said.

“Because it was sent anonymously.” According to Thomas, Brooks and hospital president James Moore never reached a naming rights agreement and that, after the $500,000 gift arrived, Brooks telephoned Moore to say it was from him and to add conditions for its use. “I know you don’t have to, but I hope you’ll name something for my mother,” Brooks said, according to Thomas. Thomas told the lawyers that the hospital agreed to nothing, and even sent Brooks a receipt telling him he had received nothing of value for his contribution.

YouTube plots ‘Your Film Festival’ for users

Y

ouTube is launching a film festival that will play out online and ultimately send 10 finalists to the Venice Film Festival. The Google Inc-owned video site announced yesterday that Your Film Festival will take submissions of short films up to 15 minutes in length between Feb. 2 and March 31. Fifty semi-finalists will be selected by Scott Free Productions, Ridley and Tony Scott’s production File photo shows company. Those 50 films will form a executive producer channel on YouTube: Ridley Scott www.YouTube.com/yourfilmfesti- participating in a press val. There, users will be able to view conference for the film the films and vote for their favorites. ‘Cracks’ The 10 finalists will be flown to during the Toronto the 69th annual Venice Film International Film Festival, where their films will be Festival in Toronto. screened in August. Ridley Scott will lead a jury in selecting a winner, who will receive a $500,000 grant from YouTube to produce a work with Scott Free. “Through this program, YouTube will give filmmakers the opportunity to reach a vast audience, screen their work during the Venice Film Festival and potentially be rewarded in a career-changing way,” Robert Kyncl, global head of content at YouTube, said in a statement. —AP

Photo shows Country music star Garth Brooks, center, shakes hands with Logan Eller, left, and Tod Weiesnbach at Rogers County Courthouse.

But the singer’s lawyer, Lisa Riggs, told jurors the hospital had lured Brooks. She said the hospital deliberately and falsely claimed it would build a women’s center and display Colleen Brooks’ name “like the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles.” “This is not what Garth Brooks had bargained for,” Riggs said. “Over six years after the donation, nothing is named after Colleen Brooks.

“It was a simple deal: $500,000 and mom’s name is on the women’s center,” Riggs told jurors. “In (Brooks’) words, it was an easy deal to get done.” Moore, the trial’s first witness, said

construction of a women’s center has not started.

Under questioning by the singer’s lawyers, he said a women’s center would be more appealing to Brooks than having his mother’s name on an intensive care unit.

“We knew he was very passionate about his mom and we were passionate about women’s issues,” Moore said. Brooks attended the trial with his wife, country singer Trisha Yearwood.

The couple lives near Owasso, a Tulsa suburb, about 130 miles (200 kilometers) northeast of Yukon. —AP

Jennifer Hudson would gain weight for movie role

E

ven though Jennifer Hudson has dropped more than 80 pounds (36 kilograms), the singer and actress said she would have no problem gaining weight for Hollywood if the proper movie role comes her way. “When I do films, it has to be led by something through me - like my passion for it,” Hudson said before a book signing in suburban Atlanta on Wednesday. “I just don’t want to hop into anything. So if I commit myself to something, then it’ll be worth it no matter what character it is.”

Last week, Hudson released her book, “I Got This: How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighed Me Down.” The book touches on how she dealt with her weight issues throughout her career before she lost the extra pounds.

In it, Hudson - who is both a Grammy and Oscar winner - also talked about how she turned down the lead role in the 2009 film “Precious.” The role ended up going to Gabourey Sidibe, who was nominated for an Oscar for playing an obese 16-year-old girl who had an abusive mother, an incestuous father and faced extreme poverty. “I felt it was too graphic for me at the time,” she said Wednesday. “It’s something I didn’t want to do at the time, but I would gain weight in a heartbeat. I have no issues with that at all.” Hudson is a spokeswoman for Weight Watchers and wants to remain physically fit along with her fiance David Otunga, who has recently been wrestling for the World Wrestling Entertainment.

They both want to set an early example of staying in shape for their 2-year-old son. “We really didn’t realize how important health was until we were adults,” she said. “We wanted to make sure we set an example for our son. He’s health conscious, and I

Oscar and Grammy winning performer Jennifer Hudson poses with a copy of her memoir, ‘I Got This: How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighed Me Down,’ Tuesday in Chicago. — AP am health conscious.” Hudson, who first earned fame as an “American Idol” finalist, won a Grammy for her self-titled album and a supporting actress Oscar for her role in “Dreamgirls.”—AP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

upermen strode the catwalk on day one of the Paris menswear shows Wednesday as Mugler sent out sharp, futuristic suits for autumn-winter, worn under giant-shouldered jackets and military-style capes. Best known as Lady Gaga’s stylist, the label’s creative director Nicola Formichetti took “formal, military dress uniforms” as his starting point to explore the idea of male heroes, almost “superhuman” in their proportions. “It is that exaggerated, heroic silhouette, hyper-masculine and formal that we were interested in, and how it transforms men,” he said.

Formichetti and menswear designer Romain Kremer threw open the creative process in preparing the collection, streamcasting the run-up to the show online and inviting feedback from fans.

Higlighting the open process, the first two models stepped out to a pounding dance soundtrack with cameras on harnesses strapped to their bodies. Followed sharp-cut suits in deep red, blue, green or black, that paired tapered pants with cropped jackets, overcoats and military-inspired capes-all round-necked and big-shouldered in a nod to vintage Thierry Mugler designs.

S

Lifestyle FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Models wear creations by Nicola Formichetti, and Sebastien Teigne for Thierry Mugler fashion house’s Men’s fall-winter 2012-2013 collection, presented in Paris, Wednesday.

Sexy ironworkers stepped out bare-chested with long aprons worn over slimline trousers. Natural wools, cottons and leathers were given a plastic, rubber or lacquered finish, while heavy silk jacquard fabrics were reworked as head-to-toe patterns, like on a maroon three-piece suit worn with outsized overcoat. Earlier, a duo of young designers opened the five-day menswear shows, with Japan’s Arashi Yanagawa at the label John Lawrence Sullivan citing David Bowie as a key inspiration for his colorful, dandyish autumnwinter line.

The designer, a former boxer who named his label after a 19thcentury boxing champion, contrasted checks with stripes, shiny with mat fabrics, luminous greens and violets-and also threw the occasional boxing glove or knuckle-duster into the mix. Newcomer Yohan Serfaty showed a collection for his label Y. Project built around leather, suede and sheepskin, with pants cropped at midcalf, roomy boots zipped open at the back, and high zippered collars to keep out the cold.—AFP Models wear creations by Japanese fashion designer Arashi Yanagawa for John Lawrence Sullivan Men’s fall-winter 2012-2013 collection, presented in Paris, Wednesday.

Models wear creations by French fashion designer Yohan Serfaty for Y Project fashion house’s Men’s fall-winter 2012-2013 collection, presented in Paris, Wednesday.

— AP photos

Lifestyle FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

A biography of Joan Jett is one of the over 3,500 books on the shelves at the newly-opened Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Library and Archives in Cleveland.

Rock Hall of Fame opens archives to public Charles Hughes, 29, a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, looks through the Jerry Wexler Collection in the reading room and archives at the Rock Hall Library and Archives.

—AP photos

T With a photo of John Lennon and Yoko Ono reading in the background, visitors check out a book.

he Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opened its new library and archives to the public on Tuesday to give scholars and fans access to the stories behind the music through such “artifacts” as personal letters from Madonna and Aretha Franklin and 1981-82 video of the Rolling Stones tour. The collection, catalogued over the last few years, includes more than 3,500 books, 1,400 audio recordings and 270 videos, and is housed in the new four-story, $12 million building. Thousands more books and recordings and hundreds of videos will be added as previously stored items and new donations are catalogued, said Andy Leach, director of the library and archives.

“We hope to serve music scholars, teachers, students and the general public,” Leach said. “We hope to see all of them here.” Tuesday’s opening of the building on the Cuyahoga Community College campus in Cleveland, not far from the Rock Hall, occurred without a lot of fanfare. The low-key opening allows the public to enjoy the library before a grand opening April 9. The college funded the building, which the library and archives share with the college’s Center for Creative Arts.

The Rock Hall financed construction and furnishings of the interior of its section of the building.

The library also offers photos, albums and covers, oral his-

tories and scrap books. Leach said the Rock Hall has done a great job of telling the story of rock ‘n’ roll. He said he sees the library as bringing the museum more recognition and showing “it to be a serious place of research.” The library collection also includes movie posters, photos and memorabilia related to Alan Freed, the DJ credited with coining the phrase rock ‘n’ roll; a handwritten list by Elvis Presley of songs included in one of his concerts; and personal letters from Mick Jagger. Visitors will not be allowed to check out items, but anyone can use the library reading room to browse through books, listen to audio recordings and watch videos. A smaller archives reading room allows supervised access to certain items.

Steve Waksman, an associate professor of music and American studies at Smith College in Massachusetts, did research at the library prior to its opening for his book on the history of American live music. “It was very useful, with material that I haven’t found anywhere else,” Waksman said Tuesday.

“They had a lot of material regarding the stage sets of music performers from the ‘60s and the ‘70s, such as David Bowie and the Rolling Stones.” Elizabeth Papp Taylor, 53, of Shaker Heights, was at the library opening day. “I’m looking forward to coming back for a look at the archives, but my first visit was exciting,” she said in a phone interview. “It’s very impressive.” — AP

Stars

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Aries (March 21-April 19) Keep your comments low keyed—you may experience a lack of focus this morning. A friend, co-worker or loved one may come to your attention—they have much to say. The yarn they could weave to persuade you to help needs to be reviewed and reviewed again. All of this should end rather smoothly. If the story does not make any sense—move forward. Your more reserved qualities are to the fore and found to be valuable.

This is a great time to reflect and understand your own situation, just how you feel about yourself. Emotions in particular, or the feelings of those around you, may be very clear. You may enjoy a good movie or book or feel like escaping from day-to-day realities for a while. Success in a special relationship is imminent!

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You might feel a bit rudderless at times. Try to avoid making heavy-duty decisions that involve lots of people. Stay out of uncharted waters—the course will be much clearer tomorrow. Once work gets underway you may be more optimistic. Science, philosophy or religion are likely to seem as if they hold the ultimate answers at this time. There is a lot of activity to improve and promote yourself but do not overload your schedule. There are opportunities for you to balance the budget, work on your goals and detect ways to improve the income. Be aware of miscommunications such as lost letters, unconfirmed appointments, misspellings, etc.

You may find someone you meet today is too shifty and sly for your taste; you are not afraid to tell them.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Your planetary ruler works strongly in your life, especially today. Your professional life is improving—your sense of responsibility is strong. There is focus and determination to finish what you have begun this day—you could be working after hours. You have the mental concentration and discipline to work out details that will put an end to old projects. However, situations that call for negotiation should be put on hold for now. Money is a subject you may ponder at this time. The problem with savings and the lack of same continues to haunt you this year. Now is a good time to set aside funds for the thin times. Plan a new budget. Your sense of responsibility is strong and takes over when you visit relatives this afternoon.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) There may be work to do, but you would rather call in sick.

Okay . . . this, however, is not exactly a day to dream impossible dreams. The distance between your ideal world and the real one may suddenly seem oddly insurmountable. As the clever person you are you can encourage yourself to work by creating a goal for your next vacation. Rest early tonight and a change of diet may also give you a positive boost.

Consider having a horoscope chart done and you will see new reasons for creating new and better goals. Continued success on the career level will encourage you to bide your time until you can apply for a change of scenery, be it landscape or office. Your general income will have an opportunity to move up the scale of earnings.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Phone calls from relatives or friends may have you changing your plans for an upcoming weekend. You now may be choosing whether you want to go to a reunion or a sports game or some other big event. If you are in a position of authority at work, you may feel a bit guilty about being preoccupied. You will, however, help several people with your support as well as your ability to pull out the most creative and workable ideas. Personally, money matters continue to be an issue. Get into the habit of asking yourself if you really need an item. There is a definite urge to rid yourself of some of the clutter in your life. If you have not enjoyed a possession in the last two years, it is time to let it go. Expect a sense of support from loved ones.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) There is a major life event now that marks the beginning of more independence. There is increased responsibility and accountability. This is a good time for deep thought and review of self. If you feel that the scales are a little out of balance in your life, whether it is work or personal, take the steps necessary to make changes. This may mean more education, counseling or simply a pen and paper to write out your goals. Do not give in to the restlessness, indecision or worry that may creep in from time-to-time. A plan of action will get you where you want to go, especially if it is intelligently created. Take a little trip, or get outside this afternoon. This evening is a wonderful time to be involved with friends or family in some sort of fun activity.

Libra (September 23-October 22) At work this day, you may find yourself feeling blocked and unable to express yourself, particularly in a group situation. If possible, give yourself plenty of time for decision making. Before you know it, the answer to the most difficult of dilemmas will flash before your eyes. You are particularly good with many different types of personalities and can dive into problem solving before you even realize it. You may worry about the welfare of another and people sense your caring attitude. Any excuse for a get-together to make new friends will be welcome. You and your loved ones are especially close and your desire to nurture and enjoy their company is strong. You may find an indoor sports game, handball, volleyball, etc., is fun this evening.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) It’s ideas that usually count for you. This may be a time when you are expected to produce quantities of work or create results from your research. People look to you for answers. This may mean you are a chemistry teacher or perhaps you have studied a crime scene and know the results. You enjoy the stress of your job and the idea that you know the answers. You may see this as a time for judicious study and attentive work. New technologies and easier, faster ways to find an end result are what you are seeking. Energy and confidence combine to produce leadership and any help you may recruit will get direction and enthusiasm from you.

Something athletic is a good way to transition from work stress to home environment.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Others have probably noticed that you seem to know what others want before they do. Obstacles that are in your way at work this day will be easier to handle than you think. You are learning and growing in your job or profession and you knowledgably and intuitively have an understanding into ways of handling the difficult people or problems successfully. Your concern for others is gratifying. Social work, if you are looking for work, is not out of the question. Psychology and social sciences captivate you and keep you busy either reading or into some sort of continuing education. There are some positive boosts to your income now and you may be encouraged to invest—do not be afraid to ask questions.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) You may find that many people move into a more sensitive self at this time. This can be rewarding or damaging, depending on how you handle it. If you focus on others, your understanding will enable you to fit into any group. This ability is helpful for any job. If, however, you become caught up in your own feelings, you are likely to see only what you want to see. This attitude can cause lots of problems. In any event, save the decisions that require clear logic for another day. Take your time to decide which way you want to go. Remain in the background the rest of this month and keep a watch on your energies to make sure they are in balance. Work, school, business luncheons or dinners—all get a plus for today.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) This is an important year for you, professionally. If you are already in a job that calls for authority, you may find some recognition and rewards coming your way. You feel like blowing your own horn today. Just remember to play on key. You may be in a position to tend to another person’s needs this afternoon and this is where you shine. You need an audience and a good performer can keep it enthralled, no matter what the subject. Good luck—or, as the theatrical adage goes, “break a leg!”

You could be most persuasive and eloquent in speech and communication.

You will be able to enjoy and value your own life situation. While shopping this evening, you will be smart to keep your antennae out for a good buy.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Do not buy into every story you hear—a co-worker may want you to cover or work or find mistakes for him or her. Smile and just say no.

Several people could divide the work and help but one person’s work is too much for one day. This afternoon, marriage and other close relationships give rise to great expectations now. This is a time to enjoy and appreciate your ties to others and to seek and promote harmony in the interaction between people. This evening may be a good time for soft lights and romantic reveries.

You may wish that your loved one were a fairytale prince or princess. First, appreciate him or her as a member of the real world. Second, dress the way you would dress if you really were playing the part . . . it might catch on.

COUNTRY CODES 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 Republic 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 Somalia 00252 South Africa 0027 South Korea 0082 Spain 0034 Sri Lanka 0094 Sudan 00249 Suriname 00597 Swaziland 00268 Sweden 0046 Switzerland 0041 Syria 00963 Taiwan 00886 Tanzania 00255 Thailand 0066 Toga 00228 Tonga 00676 Tokelau 00690 Trinidad 001868 Tunisia 00216 Turkey 0090 Tuvalu 00688 Uganda 00256 Ukraine 00380 United Arab Emirates00976

W h a t ’s O n FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Upcoming events

Launch of TEDxSafat Conference in Kuwaiti version

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mid the huge and over-expected audience, TEDxSafat conference launched its activities in its Kuwaiti Version, sponsored by WAY Communications under the slogan “Ideas Worth Spreading”. TEDxSafat, which is officially accredited from TED International organization in USA, included a group of Kuwaiti leading thinkers and innovators who shared their ideas and experiences that have the potential to make a difference in Kuwait and beyond.

TEDxSafat conference, which was sponsored by Ministry of Information, VIVA as a main sponsor, and the participated sponsors Abyat and & Fox Media, hosted the high-level audience including a large number of seniors from different leading companies in Kuwait, in addition to the remarkable presence of the youth from different nationalities. Of noteworthy mention is the attendance of the Kuwaiti youth, where they believed in the idea of such events that highlight their role in the Kuwait society.

In this occasion, TEDxSafat aimed to create a platform to share ideas and to promote the spread of innovative ideas and new concepts in the society. Way Communications availed the opportunity for talented and creative Kuwaitis to present their ideas and experiences that can make a positive impact on attendance.

The conference was attended by high-caliber speakers who are creative Kuwaitis and owners of the practical experiences of successful ideas that deserve to be spread. The sessions addressed various topics, including global issues, success stories, technology, design, entertainment, science, arts, architecture, and many other remarkable ideas.

The conference commenced with Dr Saad Al-Barrak talk, who addressed a talk on the leading change, talking about the importance of the change in every individual’s life aiming to develop his own competencies and skills by exerting all his efforts to achieve real change, and therefore get the tangible benefit.

“Somalia, No end in sight” was the topic of Dr Ghanem AlNajjar talk, Professor of political science at Kuwait University since he was the UN Independent Expert on Human Rights in Somalia, appointed by the UN Secretary General Kofi Anan from 2001 until 2008. Being one of the founders of Nuqat, Hussa Al-Humaidhi talked about her experience in establish-

ing and implementing private projects turning the dream into one of the most powerful youth projects.

Sulayman Al Bassam was one of the speakers who presented a speech titled “On frontiers: moving beyond what we know”, where he spotlighted on his works that were produced and presented both within the Arab World and at leading venues internationally. He explained to the audience his expertise in making study of his work part of higher education curriculums at various universities including Boston University and The Baghdad Institute of Dramatic Arts, and has been the subject of several PhD Theses within the Arab World and in Europe over the past 5 years.

An active participation from Sheikha Intisar Salem Al Ali AlSabah, who is the founder of a unique publishing house named Lulua, lectured on “how inspirations found me”.

Maha Al-Ghunaim took part in this significant conference talking about the “Passionate at all Times” where she illustrated how passion reflects positively on the final result of the work presenting a perfect job.

“The Game of Life” was the title of Dr Ahmad BouShehri topic, the Faculty member of the Electrical Engineering Department, and the Co-founder of the INC lab (Information, Networks, and Complexity).

TEDxSafat conference talks were concluded by Khaled AlKulaib who is an Entrepreneur, and works in several voluntarily projects. He narrated his story of founding his volunteer project called “Kuwait Oasis”, an endeavor to create oasis’ in Kuwait’s deserts, and therefore achieving the dream of greening all deserts in Kuwait. Al-Kulaib has passed through his lecture many great ideas to the youth on how to start small businesses encouraging them to never hesitate to contribute in developing the country.

It is noteworthy to mention that The WAY Communications hosted TEDxSafat in Kuwait after the success of the Conference of the TED regionally and internationally in various countries around the world, besides it has been hosted in many countries of the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Bahrain, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Ramallah, Muscat, Beirut, Cairo and Baghdad. Moreover, the name TED stands for “Technology - Entertainment - Design” whereby the X means that the event is organized independently.

Announcements Santhwanam anniversary Pioneering Indian voluntary organization, “Santhwanam Kuwait” announces its 11th anniversary-cum-Annual General Body Meeting on Friday, Jan 27 at Abbasiya United Indian School auditorium at 5 pm. The volunteers welcome all expat Indians for the anniversary function.

Cultural programme On the 10th of February 2012, Friday at 3:30 pm. A cultural programme will be staged at the Carmel School Kuwait, Khaitan. This will include a Book Fair and an Art Competition with a Musical Drama (JanatarDak). It is written n Directed by Rafiqul Islam Bulu and organized by the Bangladesh Udjapon Committee Kuwait.

This is an open invitation, All are welcome.

Spring camp The Scientific Center is set to kick off its 2012 Spring Camp on

Sunday, January 29; which features two separate camps each held for a one week period. The event features various activities that include visits to the aquarium and iMAX theater, as well as a ‘behind the scenes’ trip to watch fish and shark feeding process.

Registration in the event is available for children aged between 6 and 12. The activities will take place every day from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm.

Grand cricket tournament IMA Youth Wing is organizing a Grand Cricket Tournament on 3rd February 2012 from 7 am to 5:30 pm at South Khaitan (Opp to Crowne Plaza). Winners will take home attractive Prizes. 27th January is the last date for registration. To register your teams please contact the below persons or register online by visiting our website www.imayouthwing.org Fahaheel - Br. Ayaz Ahmed 65064722, Khaitan - Br. Ibrahim - 94025249, Salmiya - Br. Nawazish - 60364711, Hawally - Br. Salman - 99660183

Infoconnect expo to be held in Kuwait From January 29th till February 4th Infoconnect will be held at the Kuwait International Fair Grounds.

Infoconnect is one of the most professionally organized trade shows in Kuwait, dedicated exclusively to the computer applications and information technology sector. The show ranks high on the popularity count, drawing in a large number of exhibitors as well as qualified business visitors at each of its editions. The line of products put on exhibit at the show is quite extensive and includes computer peripherals, IT security tools, softwa]re solutions, data warehousing systems and a host of other related services and accessories. The show draws in active participation from eminent professionals from both the public as well as the private sectors and the latest innovations and developments in the IT industry are closely looked into here. The show is held over a period of seven days at the Kuwait International Fairground and enjoys large scale media coverage too.

Kuwait Boat Show Kuwait, in the cradle of one of the most ancient and most-contested corners of the world, is best described as a city state. The burgeoning capital, Kuwait City, is like a magnet: indeed it has been attracting Bedouin people from the Arabian interior, in search of a sea breeze and an escape from recurring drought, for centuries. Today the metropolis is still an oasis in a land of desert plains, but rather more of the cultural and epicurean kind. Excellent museums; a corniche ornamented with combed beaches and extravagant restaurants; modern shopping complexes and marinas, and long and lazy retreats at new beach resorts mark the Kuwait City experience. The organizers of the Kuwait International Boat Show expect more than 100 marine companies to display their latest products, boats, yachts, super yachts, electronics, engines and thousands of boating accessories from major marine manufacturers. The Boat Show encompasses more than 120.000 m2 of space, both on land and in water.

Where: Souk Sharq Marina & Water Front Kuwait International Boat Show Timings: 5:30 pm - 10:00 pm Local exhibitors & for more info kindly contact Mr. Abdulla Al Manei (Exhibition Manager): 2538-7100 Ext: 172, 9978-8130, 2539-3872, 2539-8123, 94449102, a.almanei@kif.net International exhibitors & any additional info kindly contact Mrs. Kaya Gabrielcic info@kuwaitboatshow.com Kuwait Bike Show The Kuwait Bike Show is an annual bike show organized by Harley Davidson of Kuwait. The show this year will take place at Marina Mall the most popular shopping destination in Kuwait. The bike show is a competition with different categories, where judgment will be taken on certain points by experts.

Invited participants will include chapters from all over the Middle East. It will be held January 26th 27th.For further info Email: webmaster@hog-kw.com or cmc@harleydavidson-kw.com Comedy-play to be hosted with Indian celebrities The Indian Cultural Society of Kuwait (ICS) proudly presents a new concept comedy-play titled “Mujhse Shaadi Karogi”. The play will star well-known Bollywood film celebrities Bhagyashree and Akshay Ananad for the first time in Kuwait. This latest romantic comedy will also feature other Bollywood actors such as Krutika Sharma, Prairna and Navin Agarwal.

ICS is known for organizing cultural events and wonderful quality entertainment for music lovers in Kuwait! The event will be held on Friday, February 17th at 7pm the American International School (Dr Kamil Al-Rays Auditorium), Near the police station, Maidan Hawally. For more info: 9727-0386, 67030839 Email: ics.kuwait@gmail.com

W h a t ’s O n FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Kuwait University, Shell sign agreement

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uwait University and Shell yesterday signed a sponsorship agreement to establish a new Professorial Chair in Gas for the College of Engineering and Petroleum. The new chair, to be known as the “Shell Natural Gas Chair” will focus on the development of a research and teaching program for the safe and efficient management of the natural gas fields in Kuwait, the conceptual basis for which was initiated by Dr Ali Akbar, the Chairman of Petroleum Engineering Department at Kuwait University, with long standing experience and expertise in the field.

The signing ceremony was formalized in the presence of Prof Abdullatif Al-Bader, President of Kuwait University, Ahmad Atallah, Chairman of Shell Companies in Kuwait, Prof Hasan Al-Sanad, Vice President for Research, Prof Husain Al-Khaiat, Dean of Engineering. Dr Ali Akbar, Chairman of Petroleum Engineering Department, and many other representatives from Kuwait University and Shell Companies in Kuwait.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Abdullatif AlBader, President, Kuwait University, mentioned that Kuwait University added a significant new international dimension to its scientific programs by launching the Research Chair program during 2010, providing basis for attracting world renowned scientists and international experts who could strengthen the institutional scientific foundations through their expertise, experience and caliber. Today, Kuwait University makes a strategic new beginning in this direction, by

entering into a valued partnership with Shell, laying practical grounds for the “Shell Natural Gas Chair” at Kuwait University, to energize scientific research in the sphere of sustainable energy and strengthen institutional potential and capabilities in the natural gas sciences, through advanced research, training and knowledge-sharing.

“I anticipate a new generation of Kuwaiti engineers, nurtured in a scientific environment, developing specialized skills in the field of natural gas.

And assuming key roles in developing and advancing the local gas industry, which is a vital energy resource for the State of Kuwait. With “Shell Natural Gas Chair”, we take our first step in this direction, and express our sincere thanks to Shell for providing our students and researchers with opportunities for raising the spectrum of scientific research in this critical area at Kuwait University.”

Elaborating on the purpose and expectations of’ the “Shell Natural Gas Chair” at Kuwait University, Prof Hasan Al-Sanad, Vice President for Research, said that “our objective is to create an enabling environment that could encourage scientific research in the field of natural gas, a valued energy resource for the state Kuwait. The intent is to bring home the benefit of established scientists in the field of natural gas, by offering a dedicated research chair, which would critically involve them in advancing research in the sphere of natural gas, enriching our capacity and capabilities. Kuwait University looks forward to the

implementations of the “Shell Natural Gas Chair” at the College of Engineering & Petroleum in partnership with Shell.”

Ahmad Atallah, Chairman of Shell Companies in Kuwait said: “This new initiative is part of our ongoing partnership with Kuwait University and in line with our commitment to supporting Kuwait lays the foundations for a sustainable energy future. Natural gas is a critical resource for Kuwait; hence the successful and efficient exploitation of this major resource depends heavily on the use of advanced technology and skilled engineers.

“The Shell Natural Gas Chair will establish a specialized research program in Natural Gas, and will provide a learning platform for young engineers to gain valuable background and knowledge needed to continue the future development and growth of this important industry in Kuwait. Shell is committed to helping the next generation of Kuwaiti engineers to tackle natural gas-related challenges professionally, so that they are equipped with the right skills when they enter the business world.”

Shell’s contribution over three years aims at establishing an academic and research program in Natural Gas Studies. The “Shell Natural Gas Chair” is intended to develop and sustain an internationally recognized research program in Natural Gas Studies, while overseeing the longterm development and delivery of related academic goals at Kuwait University, and its wide recognition in the Gulf region and beyond.

Telugu people pay tribute to NTR

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elugu people, living in Kuwait paid grand tribute to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founder and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N T Rama Rao on his 16th death anniversary Wednesday different places in Kuwait. NTR, a popular Telugu actor, had launched the TDP in 1982 on the slogan of Telugu self-respect and created a record of sorts by coming to power within nine months, ending the single party rule of the Congress. He lived for poor people welfare.

Pravasandra Telugu Dasam organized a meeting of N T Ramarao’s 16th death anniversary in Hawally. Pravasandra TDP President, Mulakala Subbarayudu Naidu and others and others remembered the founder of the party

and his services. Pravasandra TDP president M Subbaraudu, Pravasandhra TDP officials Suresh Babu, Peram Ramana, Pidikiti Srinivas Chowdary, Damu, Perugu Srinu, B Lamipathi, Prakash, Sudarshan, Ch Raja Shekar, V Raja Sekhar, Rama Chandra Naidu, Lady wing leader Jyothy Laxmi, Telugu Lalithakala Samithi President Mohan Babu, Gulfwide Nandamuri fans association President Polineni Santha Ram Naidu, Secretary O Divakar Naidu, Vegi Venkatesh Nadu played a lead role in the event.

Paritala Yuvasena organized the other of N T Ramarao’s 16th death anniversary meeting in Maliya. Ratakonda Laxmipati and others praise the NTR welfare atcvities for poor people and demands Indian government to honor with

Bharat Ratna. Paritala Yuvasena- Kuwait committee members Reddaiah Naidu Chundu, Pattabi Naidu Kaperla, Nagendra Naidu Marathu, Chandra Babu Naidu, Enduri Rajendra Naidu, Manohar Naidu Paidi, Yegi Ravindra Chowdary, Paladugu Sreenivasulu Naidu, Siva Naidu Gandra, Prasad Naidu Chavana, Naresh Naidu Thlapaneni, Ravindra Naidu Manyam, Ramana Naidu Orgunta, Ravindra Naidu Singana,Sreeramulu Naidu Thota, Sannapaneni Babu Naidu,Chandra Naidu Yegi, Kuncham Ravi (Raju), Raghavendra Naidu, Venkatesh Naidu Kakarla, Nagesh Naidu Polina, Jothi Polina, Venkatesh Naidu Polina, Damodhar Naidu Marathu, Suresh Naidu Nallani participated in this event.

Seminar on Swami Vivekananda today

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n the occasion of Swami Vivekananda’s 150th birth anniversary, Vichar Bharati, an affiliate of Seva Darshan Kuwait, will hold a seminar on Swami Vivekananda today (January 20) at the Indian Central School, Abbasiya.

Swami Vivekananda is regarded as the patriot saint of modern India and an inspirer of her dormant national consciousness. His philosophy and vision became the eye-opener for millions across the world. Vivekananda’s unique message still remains as “an unopened gift” to mankind and Vichar Bharati aims to enlighten its members and well wishers with the message of this great visionary. Eminent speakers from the Indian community in Kuwait will deliver speeches on various aspects of Vivekananda’s life.

Suresh V Balakrishnan, HOD, English Department at Bharatheeya Vidhya Bhavan will deliver a speech on Swami Vivekananda and Man-making. Sajeev K Peter, Business Editor, Kuwait Times will speak on the role of Swami Vivekananda in propagating Indian culture and heritage. Dr Srikumar T S, Scientific Consultant, Kuwait Foundation For The Advancement Of Science, will deliver a speech on ‘Swami Vivekananda, the Patriot and the Voice of India.’ Krishno Sarkar (Planning Engineer, KNPC) will talk on ‘Swami Vivekananda - The Role model of the Youth’ while Satyanarayanan S, Electrical Supervisor, Al Julaih Petroleum Company, will speak on Spiritual Perceptiveness of Swami Vivekananda.

For more details and information please contact vbkuwait@gmail.com

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

TV Listings FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

00:50 01:45 02:40 03:35 04:00 04:30 05:25 06:20 07:10 07:35 08:00 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:10 10:35 11:05 12:00 12:55 13:20 13:50 14:45 15:40 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:25 19:20 20:15 20:40 21:10 22:05 23:00 23:55

I’m Alive Animal Cops Philadelphia Wildest India Baboons With Bill Bailey Baboons With Bill Bailey I’m Alive Dogs 101 Animal Cops Philadelphia Monkey Life Wildlife SOS Gorilla School Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild Talk To The Animals The Really Wild Show Breed All About It Extraordinary Dogs Cats Of Claw Hill Dogs 101 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip Snake Crusader With Bruce George Wildlife SOS New Breed Vets With Steve Irwin Animal Cops Philadelphia Wildest India Monkey Life Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild Talk To The Animals The Really Wild Show Dogs 101 Your Pet Wants This Snake Crusader With Bruce George Breed All About It Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 Wildest India Whale Wars Untamed & Uncut

00:20 01:10 01:40 02:35 03:05 03:30 04:00 04:20 04:30 04:45 05:00 05:05 05:25 05:35 05:50 06:10 06:20 06:30 06:45 06:50 07:10 07:20 07:35 08:05 08:35 09:20 09:50 10:20 11:10 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:45 14:15 14:45 15:35 16:25 17:10 17:40 18:10 18:40 19:10 20:00 20:50 21:20 21:50 22:35 23:10 23:55

Casualty Eastenders Doctors Last Of The Summer Wine Keeping Up Appearances The Green Green Grass Balamory Tellytales Bobinogs The Roly Mo Show Buzz & Tell Tweenies 3rd & Bird Nina And The Neurons Balamory Tellytales Bobinogs The Roly Mo Show Buzz & Tell Tweenies 3rd & Bird Nina And The Neurons Last Of The Summer Wine Keeping Up Appearances The Weakest Link Eastenders Doctors Chimp Family Fortunes The World’s Toughest Driving Tests The Green Green Grass Last Of The Summer Wine The Weakest Link Eastenders Doctors Chimp Family Fortunes The World’s Toughest Driving Tests The Weakest Link Last Of The Summer Wine Doctors Keeping Up Appearances The Green Green Grass Doctor Who Survivors Lead Balloon Ideal Live At The Apollo Little Britain The Weakest Link Chimp Family Fortunes

00:40 01:35 02:00 02:25 02:50 03:20 04:10 04:55 05:25 05:50 06:15 06:40 07:30 08:00

Antiques Roadshow What To Eat Now - Summer James Martin’s Brittany James Martin’s Brittany Indian Food Made Easy 10 Years Younger Fantasy Homes By The Sea What To Eat Now - Summer James Martin’s Brittany James Martin’s Brittany Indian Food Made Easy Come Dine With Me What To Eat Now - Summer Cash In The Attic USA

21:25 The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 21:50 Courage The Cowardly Dog 22:25 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 22:50 Cow & Chicken 23:00 Ben 10 23:25 Ben 10 23:50 Courage The Cowardly Dog

ACROSS THE HALL ON OSN ACTION HD 08:20 08:50 09:35 10:20 11:05 12:00 12:50 13:40 16:00 16:45 17:30 18:15 19:00 19:30 19:55 20:25 21:15 22:05

What To Eat Now - Summer Masterchef Australia Masterchef Australia Bargain Hunt Antiques Roadshow Come Dine With Me 10 Years Younger Celebrity Fantasy Homes Fantasy Homes By The Sea House Swap Bargain Hunt Cash In The Attic USA What To Eat Now - Summer James Martin’s Brittany What To Eat Now - Summer Indian Food Made Easy Antiques Roadshow Celebrity Fantasy Homes

00:05 00:30 00:55 01:20 01:45 02:10 02:35 03:00 03:25 03:50 04:00 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:10 06:35 07:00 07:15 07:30 07:55 08:20

Johnny Bravo Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Droopy: Master Detective The Flintstones Johnny Bravo Duck Dodgers King Arthur’s Disasters The Scooby Doo Show Popeye Classics Tom & Jerry Popeye The Jetsons The Flintstones Looney Tunes Pink Panther & Pals Tex Avery Duck Dodgers The Garfield Show Pink Panther And Pals Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing

08:45 09:00 09:25 09:50 10:15 10:40 11:05 11:30 11:55 12:20 12:35 13:00 13:15 13:40 13:55 14:20 14:45 15:15 15:40 16:05 16:30 16:55 17:45 18:20 18:45 19:10 19:35 20:00 20:15 20:40 21:05 21:30 21:45 22:10 22:35 23:00 23:25 23:55

Jelly Jamm New Yogi Bear Show Puppy In My Pocket The Garfield Show Pink Panther And Pals The Scooby Doo Show Tom & Jerry Dastardly And Muttley Top Cat New Yogi Bear Show Puppy In My Pocket Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Bananas In Pyjamas The Jetsons Duck Dodgers Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Garfield Show Pink Panther And Pals The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Puppy In My Pocket Looney Tunes Tom & Jerry The Scooby Doo Show Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-Doo Scooby Doo Where Are You! A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas New Yogi Bear Show Pink Panther And Pals The Garfield Show Dastardly And Muttley Tom & Jerry The Garfield Show Dexters Laboratory

00:40 Samurai Jack 01:05 Samurai Jack 01:30 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack

02:20 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 02:45 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 03:10 Best Ed 04:00 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 04:25 Adventure Time 04:50 Generator Rex 05:15 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 05:40 Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 05:55 I Am Weasel 06:55 Powerpuff Girls 07:45 Angelo Rules 08:00 Casper’s Scare School 08:30 The Amazing World Of Gumball 08:45 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 09:15 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 09:40 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 10:05 Angelo Rules 10:30 Chowder 10:55 Adventure Time 11:20 Eliot Kid 11:35 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 12:00 Ben 10 12:25 Sym-Bionic Titan 12:50 Courage The Cowardly Dog 13:15 I Am Weasel 13:40 Best Ed 14:05 Cow & Chicken 14:30 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 14:50 Eliot Kid 15:15 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 15:40 Ben 10: Alien Force 16:05 Courage The Cowardly Dog 16:30 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 16:55 The Amazing World Of Gumball 17:10 Adventure Time 17:35 Regular Show 18:00 Cow & Chicken 18:25 Bakugan: Gundalian Invaders 18:50 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 19:15 Angelo Rules 19:30 Total Drama World Tour 19:55 Hero 108 20:25 Sym-Bionic Titan 20:50 Adventure Time

00:00 01:00 01:30 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 06:45 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:45 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00 22:45 23:00 23:30

Connect The World Backstory World Sport The Situation Room World Report Anderson Cooper 360 Piers Morgan Tonight Quest Means Business CNN Marketplace Europe Erin Burnett Outfront World Sport Ireport For CNN World Report World Sport African Voices World Business Today CNN Marketplace Middle East Backstory Talk Asia World One Piers Morgan Tonight News Stream World Business Today International Desk World Report News Special World Sport Inside Africa International Desk Quest Means Business CNN Marketplace Africa The CNN Freedom Project News Special

00:15 00:40 01:35 02:30 03:25 04:20 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 07:50 08:45 09:40 10:05 10:30 10:55 11:25 15:30 16:00 16:55 17:50 18:45 19:10 19:40 20:05 20:35 21:00 21:30 Junior 22:25 23:20

Destroyed In Seconds Animal Cops South Africa Dirty Jobs Overhaulin’ Ultimate Survival Mythbusters How Stuff Works How It’s Made Dirty Jobs Mythbusters How Do They Do It? Turbo Specials American Chopper How Stuff Works Cake Boss Border Security Auction Kings Deconstruction Deconstruction Overhaulin’ Ultimate Survival Mythbusters Cash Cab Us Border Security Auction Kings How It’s Made How Stuff Works Cake Boss American Chopper: Senior vs

00:40 01:05 01:35 02:25 02:50 03:15 03:40 04:35 05:00 05:25 06:20 07:10 08:00 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:05 10:35 11:25 12:20 13:15 13:40 14:05 14:55 15:20 15:50 16:40 17:05

The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Colony The Tech Show Bang Goes The Theory Bang Goes The Theory Science Of The Movies How Does That Work?

How Stuff’s Made Man Made Marvels Asia Catch It Keep It Sci-Trek Space Pioneer How Does That Work?

How Stuff’s Made Bang Goes The Theory Bang Goes The Theory Science Of The Movies Man Made Marvels Asia Catch It Keep It The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Sci-Trek How Does That Work?

How Stuff’s Made Space Pioneer The Tech Show Catch It Keep It

How Do They Do It? Turbo Specials Wheeler Dealers

18:00 18:25 18:50 19:40 20:05 20:30 21:20 22:10 23:00 23:25 23:50

The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Man Made Marvels Asia Tech Toys 360 Tech Toys 360 Ecopolis Catch It Keep It How The Universe Works Tech Toys 360 Tech Toys 360 Ecopolis

00:00 KIM POSSIBLE 00:25 Fairly Odd Parents 00:50 Fairly Odd Parents 01:15 STITCH 01:35 STITCH 02:00 REPLACEMENTS 02:25 REPLACEMENTS 02:50 EMPEROR’S NEW SCHOOL 03:15 EMPEROR’S NEW SCHOOL 03:35 STITCH 04:00 STITCH 04:25 REPLACEMENTS 04:50 REPLACEMENTS 05:15 Fairly Odd Parents 05:35 Fairly Odd Parents 06:00 HANNAH MONTANA 06:20 RECESS 06:45 GOOD LUCK CHARLIE 07:05 SUITE LIFE ON DECK 07:30 SUITE LIFE ON DECK 07:55 PHINEAS AND FERB 08:10 FISH HOOKS 08:35 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 09:00 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 09:15 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 09:25 HANDY MANNY 09:40 THE HIVE 09:48 MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH 09:50 Fairly Odd Parents 10:15 SO RANDOM 10:40 HAVE A LAUGH 10:45 HANNAH MONTANA 11:10 Suite Life On Deck 11:35 JAKE & BLAKE 12:00 JONAS 12:25 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 12:45 PHINEAS AND FERB 13:10 SO RANDOM 13:30 SUITE LIFE ON DECK 13:55 SUITE LIFE ON DECK 14:20 SHAKE IT UP 14:55 HAVE A LAUGH 15:00 GOOD LUCK CHARLIE 15:25 PHINEAS AND FERB 15:50 FISH HOOKS 16:10 SHAKE IT UP 16:35 SUITE LIFE ON DECK 17:00 SUITE LIFE ON DECK 17:25 GOOD LUCK CHARLIE 17:50 FISH HOOKS 18:00 GOOD LUCK CHARLIE: THE ROAD TRIP MOVIE 19:35 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 20:00 HANNAH MONTANA 20:25 PHINEAS AND FERB 20:50 SHAKE IT UP 21:15 FISH HOOKS 21:35 GOOD LUCK CHARLIE 22:00 SHAKE IT UP 22:25 SHAKE IT UP 22:50 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 23:15 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 23:35 SONNY WITH A CHANCE

00:20 00:50 01:15 01:40 02:10 02:30 03:00 03:25 03:50 04:20 04:40 05:10 05:35 06:00 06:30 06:50 07:15 07:45 08:00 08:15 08:45 09:10 09:20 09:30 10:15 POOH 10:30 10:45 10:55

SPECIAL AGENT OSO JUNGLE JUNCTION LITTLE EINSTEINS HIGGLYTOWN HEROES JO JO’S CIRCUS SPECIAL AGENT OSO JUNGLE JUNCTION LITTLE EINSTEINS HIGGLYTOWN HEROES JO JO’S CIRCUS SPECIAL AGENT OSO JUNGLE JUNCTION LITTLE EINSTEINS HIGGLYTOWN HEROES JO JO’S CIRCUS JUNGLE JUNCTION HIGGLYTOWN HEROES HANDY MANNY SPECIAL AGENT OSO JUNGLE JUNCTION MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE THE HIVE HANDY MANNY SPECIAL AGENT OSO MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE JUNGLE JUNCTION THE HIVE MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE

TV Listings FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

11:20 11:45 12:10 12:30 12:45 13:10 13:25 13:40 14:05 14:15 14:25 14:50 15:15 15:40 16:05 16:35 16:45 17:30 17:45 18:00 18:10 18:20 18:30 18:45 18:55 19:25 19:35 20:00 POOH 20:05 20:30 20:35 20:50 21:20 21:30 POOH 21:33 21:40 21:55 22:20 22:35 22:50 23:15 23:25 23:40 23:55

IMAGINATION MOVERS LITTLE EINSTEINS IMAGINATION MOVERS JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES LazyTown HANDY MANNY JUNGLE JUNCTION IMAGINATION MOVERS THE HIVE SPECIAL AGENT OSO LITTLE EINSTEINS LazyTown MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES HANDY MANNY THE HIVE SPECIAL AGENT OSO HANDY MANNY JUNGLE JUNCTION THE HIVE THE HIVE HANDY MANNY JUNGLE JUNCTION HANDY MANNY JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES THE HIVE LITTLE EINSTEINS MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE ANIMATED STORIES HANDY MANNY JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES THE HIVE MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE A POEM IS...

JUNGLE JUNCTION MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES SPECIAL AGENT OSO LITTLE EINSTEINS TIMMY TIME HANDY MANNY JUNGLE JUNCTION MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE

00:25 00:55 01:25 02:20 03:15 04:10 05:05 06:00 07:50 08:20 09:15 10:15 12:05 13:05 14:05 14:35 15:00 15:30 16:25 16:55 17:55 18:55 19:55 20:55 21:25 22:25 23:25 23:55

Kendra Style Star E!es E!es 25 Most Stylish Sexiest Extreme Hollywood 50 Cutest Child Stars: All Grown Up Behind The Scenes E! News Awards Fashion Police THS E! News Bridalplasty Keeping Up With The Kardashians Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami Style Star THS Behind The Scenes Scouted E! News THS Dirty Soap Chelsea Lately Awards Fashion Police E! News Chelsea Lately Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami

00:40 01:30 02:15 03:05 03:50 04:40 05:25 06:15 07:10 08:00 08:50 09:40 10:25 11:10 11:35 11:55 12:40 13:25 14:15 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:35 17:20 18:10 19:00 19:45 20:10 20:55 21:20

Dr G: Medical Examiner Ghost Lab A Haunting Kidnap And Rescue Fugitive Strike Force Dr G: Medical Examiner Ghost Lab A Haunting Mystery ER FBI Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Mystery ER Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Murder Shift Mystery ER Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared FBI Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Mystery ER Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn

22:10 Disappeared 23:00 True CSI 23:50 Autopsy: Most Shocking Cases

00:00 00:30 01:00 01:30 01:30 02:00 02:30 02:30 03:00 03:30 03:30 04:00 04:30 04:30 05:00 05:30 05:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 07:30 07:30 08:00 08:30 08:30 09:00 09:30 09:30 10:00 10:30 10:30 11:00 11:30 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 13:30 14:00 14:30 14:30

Departures Superfish Food School Bondi Rescue Super Factories Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet Mega Factories Naked Lentil First Ascent The Best Job In The World World’s Worst Venom David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 2 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 2 World’s Toughest Fixes David Rocco’s Dolce Vita David Rocco’s Dolce Vita World’s Deadliest Animals Departures Megastructures Food School Bondi Rescue Superfish Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet Naked Lentil Super Factories First Ascent The Best Job In The World World’s Toughest Fixes David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 2 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 2 Mega Factories David Rocco’s Dolce Vita David Rocco’s Dolce Vita Hunter Hunted Departures World’s Toughest Fixes Going Bush Geo Sessions World’s Deadliest Animals Earth Tripping Megastructures Travel Madness

15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 19:30 20:00 20:30 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30 23:00 23:30

Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled Hunter Hunted One Man & His Campervan Mega Factories City Chase Marrakech World’s Toughest Fixes Somewhere In China World’s Deadliest Animals Going Bush Geo Sessions Inside Earth Tripping Situation Critical Travel Madness Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled Naked Science One Man & His Campervan Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy City Chase Marrakech Fish Warrior

00:00 Storm Warning-18 02:00 Blood Out-18 04:00 Luster-18 06:00 2012-PG15 08:45 The Librarian: The Curse Of Judas Chalice-PG15 10:15 The Hunt For Red October-PG15 12:30 The Three Musketeers-PG15 14:15 The Librarian: The Curse Of Judas Chalice-PG15 16:00 Across The Hall-PG15 18:00 The Three Musketeers-PG15 20:00 Restitution-PG15 22:00 The Collector-18

01:00 Homecoming-18 03:00 Miles From Nowhere-PG15 05:00 The Boys Are Back-PG 07:00 Mars Needs Moms-PG 09:00 Freakonomics-PG15 11:00 Adventures Of A Teenage Dragonslayer-PG 13:00 Dickie Roberts: Former Child StarPG15

15:00 Home-PG15 17:00 Adventures Of A Teenage Dragonslayer-PG 19:00 Dear John-PG15 21:00 Nine Dead-PG15 23:00 City Rats-PG15

12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 16:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30 23:00

00:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 04:30 05:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 14:00 15:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 23:30

Two And A Half Men Will And Grace Just Shoot Me Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne The Office Raising Hope Happy Endings 30 Rock Perfect Couples The Tonight Show With Jay Leno The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report The Big C The Ricky Gervais Show Family Guy

American Idol Rescue Me Psych In Treatment In Treatment Good Morning America Law & Order: Los Angeles Emmerdale The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View American Idol Law & Order: Los Angeles Live Good Morning America The Bachelor Glee American Idol Drop Dead Diva Damages In Treatment In Treatment

00:00 01:00 02:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

C.S.I. Rescue Me Supernatural Psych C.S.I. The Cape House Psych The Cape The Ellen DeGeneres Show House C.S.I. The Cape The Ellen DeGeneres Show Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior Glee Drop Dead Diva Damages Supernatural

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 18:45 20:30 23:00

The Rig-18 Harry Brown-18 Saw VI-R Bangkok Adrenaline-PG15 Age Of The Dragons-PG15 The Lost Future-PG15 Secret Window-PG15 Age Of The Dragons-PG15 Clash Of The Titans-PG15 Fighting-PG15 Shutter Island-18 The Daisy Chain-PG15

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 PG 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Love And Mary-PG15 Bob Roberts-PG15 The Lizzie McGuire Movie-PG Bubble Boy-PG15 Tom And Huck-PG15 Babe: Pig In The City-FAM Nanny Mcphee And The Big BangBig Fat Liar-PG Love And Mary-PG15 Guarding Tess-PG She’s Out Of My League-18 The Lonely Guy-PG15

01:00 The Taking Of Pelham One Two Three (1974)-PG15 03:00 The Thomas Crown Affair-PG15 05:00 The Sting-PG15 07:15 Witch Hunt-PG15 09:00 Bond Of Silence-PG15 11:00 Parlez-Moi De LA Pluie-PG15 13:00 The Sting II-PG15 15:00 The Moveon.Org Story-PG15 17:00 Stomp The Yard 2: HomecomingPG15 19:00 The Mirror Has Two Faces-PG15 21:00 Moulin Rouge!-PG15 23:15 Combien Tu M’aimes-18

01:00 The Clearing-18 03:00 Planet 51-PG 05:00 Just Wright-PG15 07:00 The Fourth Kind-PG15 09:00 The Open Road-PG15 11:00 Ice Age-FAM 13:00 Knucklehead-PG15 15:00 Winnie The Pooh-FAM 17:00 The Open Road-PG15 19:00 Going The Distance-18 21:00 Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Pt.1-PG15 23:30 The Other Guys-PG15

00:00 Gladiators: The Conspiracy-PG 02:00 In Search Of The Titanic-PG15 04:00 102 Dalmatians-PG 06:00 Gladiators: The Conspiracy-PG 08:00 The Enchanted Mountain-PG 10:00 Ice Age-FAM 12:00 Flicka 2-PG15 14:00 Gladiators: The Tournament-PG 16:00 Zorro And The Scarlett Whip Revealed-PG15 18:00 Ice Age-FAM 19:45 Chronicles Of Narnia: Voyage Of The Dawn Treader-PG 22:00 The Enchanted Mountain-PG

HOMECOMING ON OSN CINEMA

02:00 Howl-18 04:00 Mean Girls-PG15 06:00 Arthur And The Revenge Of Maltazard-PG 08:00 Marmaduke-PG 10:00 Tooth Fairy-PG 12:00 Knight And Day-PG15

14:00 Remember Me-PG15 16:00 Unstoppable-PG15 18:00 The Spirit-PG15 20:00 Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Pt.1-PG15 22:30 Get Him To The Greek-18

01:00 02:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 09:00 10:00 13:00 15:00 15:30 21:30 22:00

Trans World Sport Cricket Twenty20 Trans World Sport Volvo Ocean Race European Challenge Cup WWE NXT Cricket Twenty20 European Challenge Cup Volvo Ocean Race Highlights Live Snooker Volvo Ocean Race Highlights Live Snooker

01:00 01:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 15:00 15:30 21:30 22:00

Futbol Mundial European PGA Tour FIVB Beach Volley Ball FIVB Beach Volley Ball European Challenge Cup Futbol Mundial ICC Cricket World World Cup of Pool World Pool Masters US Bass Fishing European Challenge Cup ICC Cricket World Live Snooker Masters ICC Cricket World Live Snooker Masters

02:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:30 14:00 18:00 20:00

European Challenge Cup World Cup of Pool World Pool Masters US Bass Fishing European PGA Tour World Hockey Futbol Mundial Golfing World European Tour Weekly Live European PGA Tour European Challenge Cup European PGA Tour

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 13:00 14:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 22:00 23:00

WWE NXT V8 Supercars Championship V8 Supercars Championship Speedway Le Mans Series Highlights UFC Unleashed UFC Unleashed WWE NXT WWE Vintage Collection Speedway Intercontinental Le Mans Cup V8 Supercars Championship WWE Experience WWE NXT Horse Racing UFC Unleashed UFC The Ultimate Fighter WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line WWE NXT

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 03:30 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Lock N’ Load With R. Lee Ermey Ax Men How The Earth Was Made Sliced Sliced Ax Men Swamp People Lock N’ Load With R. Lee Ermey Ax Men How The Earth Was Made Sliced Sliced Ax Men Swamp People Lock N’ Load With R. Lee Ermey Ax Men How The Earth Was Made Sliced Sliced Ax Men Swamp People Lock N’ Load With R. Lee Ermey Ax Men How The Earth Was Made Chasing Mummies Pub Dig American Pickers

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Years

Information

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION In case you are not travelling, your proper cancellation of bookings will help other passengers to use seats Airlines LMU JZR PIA JZR JZR ETH THY UAE QTR DHX MSR FDB ETD RJA GFA KAC THY JZR JZR KAC BAW KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR ETD FDB IRA GFA RKM RBG JZR MEA IYE MSR MSR JZR KAC GFA KAC FDB UAL OMA QTR RJA KAC KAC JZR KAC QTR JZR JZR ETD UAE FDB GFA SVA RBG ABY

Flt 1109 185 205 267 539 620 772 853 138 370 612 67 305 642 211 544 770 555 529 416 157 206 53 352 302 332 676 344 855 125 132 301 55 619 213 310 3555 165 404 825 623 610 201 672 219 618 57 982 645 140 640 788 284 257 546 134 561 213 303 857 59 215 510 3557 127

Arrival Flights on Friday 20/1/2012 Route ALEXANDRIA DUBAI LAHORE BEIRUT CAIRO ADDIS ABABA ISTANBUL DUBAI DOHA BAHRAIN CAIRO DUBAI ABU DHABI AMMAN BAHRAIN CAIRO ISTANBUL ALEXANDRIA ASSIUT JAKARTA/KUALA LUMPUR LONDON ISLAMABAD DUBAI COCHIN MUMBAI TRIVANDRUM DUBAI CHENNAI DUBAI SHARJAH DOHA ABU DHABI DUBAI LAR BAHRAIN RAS ALKHAIMAH ALEXANDRIA DUBAI BEIRUT SANAA SOHAG CAIRO DAMASCUS DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI WASHINGTON DC DULLES MUSCAT DOHA AMMAN JEDDAH DHAKA BEIRUT ALEXANDRIA DOHA SOHAG DEIREZZOR ABU DHABI DUBAI DUBAI BAHRAIN RIYADH SOHAG SHARJAH

Time 0:01 0:20 0:25 0:45 0:50 1:45 2:15 2:35 2:40 2:55 3:00 3:05 3:10 3:10 3:15 4:40 4:50 6:00 6:20 6:25 6:40 7:40 7:45 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:10 8:25 8:30 9:00 9:05 9:15 9:20 9:50 9:55 10:40 10:45 11:20 11:55 12:05 12:30 12:55 13:00 13:20 13:25 13:40 13:50 14:05 14:15 14:20 14:40 14:50 15:00 15:00 15:20 15:25 16:10 16:45 16:50 16:55 17:05 17:15 17:20 17:35 17:40

JZR MLR ALK JZR FDB KAC KAC JZR KAC KAC AIC KAC KAC KAC FDB JAI KAC SVA MSR DHX GRF FCX MEA GFA QTR JZR KAC UAE SAI JZR UAL PIA DLH

125 403 227 177 63 542 744 787 674 166 975 102 774 562 61 572 786 506 618 372 81 304 402 217 136 135 502 859 441 239 981 215 636

Airlines UAL LMU AXB BBC AIC DLH PIA KAC ETH THY GRF FDB UAE DHX MSR ETD QTR PHY THY JZR GFA RJA JZR FDB KAC BAW KAC JZR KAC JZR UAE

Flt 981 1110 390 44 982 637 206 283 621 773 94 68 854 371 613 306 139 1003 771 164 212 643 200 54 545 156 671 256 787 560 856

BAHRAIN COLOMBO/DUBAI COLOMBO/DUBAI DUBAI DUBAI CAIRO DAMMAM RIYADH DUBAI PARIS/ROME CHENNAI/GOA NEW YORK/LONDON RIYADH AMMAN DUBAI MUMBAI JEDDAH JEDDAH ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN BAGHDAD RIYADH BEIRUT BAHRAIN DOHA BAHRAIN BEIRUT DUBAI LAHORE AMMAN BAHRAIN KARACHI FRANKFURT

17:45 17:55 18:00 18:15 18:40 18:50 18:55 19:05 19:25 19:30 19:30 19:35 19:40 19:50 20:00 20:10 20:20 20:35 20:45 21:00 21:15 21:20 21:20 21:25 21:35 21:55 22:00 22:00 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:30 23:50

Departure Flights on Friday 20/1/2012 Route WASHINGTON DC DULLES ALEXANDRIA MANGALORE/KOZHIKODE DHAKA AHMEDABAD/HYDERABAD/CHENNAI FRANKFURT LAHORE DHAKA ADDIS ABABA ISTANBUL DUBAI/KANDAHAR DUBAI DUBAI BAHRAIN CAIRO ABU DHABI DOHA BAHRAIN ISTANBUL DUBAI BAHRAIN AMMAN DAMASCUS DUBAI ALEXANDRIA LONDON DUBAI BEIRUT JEDDAH SOHAG DUBAI

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ABY ETD KAC FDB QTR KAC KAC GFA IRA JZR RBG RKM KAC KAC MEA IYE MSR JZR MSR GFA JZR FDB KAC KAC KAC OMA UAL RJA JZR KAC KAC KAC QTR JZR ETD JZR QTR FDB UAE GFA RBG ABY SVA MLR JZR ALK FDB JZR KAC FDB KAC KAC JAI MSR SVA DHX MEA GFA QTR KAC JZR KAC FCX UAE JZR SAI KAC

126 302 117 56 133 617 177 214 618 212 3558 311 541 103 405 825 624 176 611 220 124 58 561 673 785 646 982 641 786 501 743 773 141 238 304 538 135 60 858 216 3556 128 511 404 134 228 64 184 361 62 343 351 571 619 507 373 403 218 137 301 554 205 102 860 502 442 411

SHARJAH ABU DHABI NEW YORK DUBAI DOHA DOHA FRANKFURT/GENEVA BAHRAIN LAR DEIREZZOR SOHAG RAS ALKHAIMAH CAIRO LONDON BEIRUT DOHA/SANAA SOHAG DUBAI CAIRO BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DUBAI AMMAN DUBAI JEDDAH MUSCAT BAHRAIN AMMAN RIYADH BEIRUT DAMMAM RIYADH DOHA AMMAN ABU DHABI CAIRO DOHA DUBAI DUBAI BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA SHARJAH RIYADH DUBAI/COLOMBO BAHRAIN DUBAI/COLOMBO DUBAI DUBAI COLOMBO DUBAI CHENNAI COCHIN MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA JEDDAH BAHRAIN BEIRUT BAHRAIN DOHA MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA ISLAMABAD DUBAI DUBAI LUXOR LAHORE BANGKOK/MANILA

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation available for decent Indian Christian bachelor or couple next to Salmiya garden. Cable TV, landline facility available.

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Sports FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Blackhawks send Sabres to 10th straight road loss Capitals crush Canadiens to top division CHICAGO: Jonathan Toews had two goals, and rookies Andrew Shaw and Jimmy Hayes also scored, as the Chicago Blackhawks handed the Buffalo Sabres their 10th straight road loss, 6-2 on Wednesday. Marian Hossa and Dave Bolland also connected for the Blackhawks, who won their second straight and are 4-0-1 in their last five. Jason Pominville scored both goals for Buffalo, but it wasn’t enough to keep the Sabres from extending the team’s record road-losing streak. Corey Crawford made 25 saves in the win. Buffalo’s Jhonas Enroth stopped 29 shots.

shots, one night after they managed a previous low of 17 in a loss to the New York Islanders, but their new philosophy proved more than enough to earn their fourth win in five games.

“This year, (coach Dale Hunter) is a big believer in being conservative. If you don’t have a play and you’re not 100 percent sure, then live to battle another day,” forward Mike Knuble told reporters. “(Former coach Bruce Boudreau) was a big

division. Neuvirth was making his first start in 11 games but showed little rust even as he faced 17 shots in the final period. The Canadiens (1721-8) remained at the bottom of the Northeast with their fourth loss in five contests. Newly acquired Rene Bourque, playing in his second game with Montreal since being traded from Calgary, faced Washington for the first time since he delivered a hit to the head of Nicklas Backstrom on January 3 to earn a suspension.

AVALANCHE 4, PANTHERS 3, OT At Denver, Ryan O’Reilly scored 3:55 into overtime with a shot that trickled through the legs of Florida goalie Jose Theodore as Colorado rallied to win. Paul Stastny tied it late in regulation, and Peter Mueller scored twice his first goals since April 2010. Mueller has been dealing with concussion-like symptoms the last two seasons, missing all of 2010-11 and a good portion of this season. Stephen Weiss, Marcel Goc and Tomas Kopecky scored for the Panthers, who lost their seventh straight road game. They haven’t won in Denver since Jan. 2, 2003.

DUCKS 6, COYOTES 2 At Anaheim, California, Francois Beauchemin equaled a career high with two goals and Jonas Hiller stopped 25 shots as Anaheim beat Phoenix. Anaheim All-Star Corey Perry had a short-handed goal, and Niklas Hagman, Jason Blake and Matt Beleskey also scored for the Ducks. Lubomir Visnovsky, Andrew Cogliano and Nick Bonino all had two assists. Kyle Chipchura and Daymond Langkow scored for the Coyotes.

CAPITALS 3, CANADIENS 0 An opportunistic offensive performance helped the Washington Capitals overcome the struggling Montreal Canadiens 3-0 on Wednesday to move top of the Southeast Division. The Capitals produced a season-low 16

CHICAGO: Jimmy Hayes #39 of the Chicago Blackhawks battles for the puck with Ville Leino #23 of the Buffalo Sabres at the United Center on January 18, 2012 in Chicago. — AFP offensive guy. Dale’s thing is if we’re good enough defensively you’ll create your chances.”

Mathieu Perreault and Marcus Johansson each scored in the first period and Alex Ovechkin converted his team-leading 19th goal of the year in the second. Goaltender Michal Neuvirth made 31 saves for his second shutout of the season and the Capitals (25-18-2) jumped one point ahead of the idle Florida Panthers in the

Backstrom has not played since. The bad blood from the incident quickly came to the surface as Washington’s Matt Hendricks fought Bourque just 1:15 into the game. “I didn’t want to be dealing with it all game, so I wanted to get it out of the way early,” Bourque said. “As soon as I got on the ice I could hear him calling me and you know what? Just step up to the plate there.” — Agencies

No 14 Texas A&M women overpower Missouri 78-52 COLLEGE STATION: Texas A&M coach Gary Blair didn’t spend any time celebrating his 200th win with the Aggies on Wednesday night. Instead, he was worried about getting his defending national champions to enough wins this season to make sure they get a spot in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, which the school is hosting. “It doesn’t mean anything,” Blair said of the milestone. “Twenty wins this year will mean something to me because I know that I won’t be selling popcorn up top in the first and second rounds. We don’t want to (not make it.)”

Sydney Carter and Adaora Elonu each scored 16 points and No 14 Texas A&M beat Missouri 78-52 to give Blair the milestone victory. It is Texas A&M’s eighth straight win over Missouri (10-6, 0-5 Big 12) and leaves the Tigers winless in Big 12 play. Carter, a senior, applauded Blair’s accomplishment. “It’s big,” she said. “I’ve been with him four years now and it’s nice to see him reach those milestones that he wants to get to and continue to be successful with what he’s doing. We’re just happy for him and proud to be a part of him and the history he’s making here at A&M.” The Aggies were up by nine points early in the second half before going on an 8-0 run to extend the lead to 58-41 with about 10 minutes remaining.

Missouri’s Morgan Eye hit a 3-pointer before

Texas A&M (12-4, 3-2) used a 14-2 spurt, keyed by 3s from Tyra White and Adrienne Pratcher, to push its advantage to 72-46 with about three minutes left. Missouri was led by Christine Flores, who had 13 points. White added 15 points for the Aggies and had six rebounds and five assists. Kelsey Bone helped out with nine rebounds, six points and three steals. Carter said Elonu emerging as another scorer to add to what she and White contribute is important for the team.

“It really helps us out, we need another threat,” she said. “I think with us having balanced scoring and each of us being a threat in each game, it makes us hard to stop. We complement each other because we have such great chemistry.”

BreAnna Brock, who was coming off a career-high 26-point performance in Missouri’s loss to Kansas, added 12 points and had nine rebounds. The Aggies took advantage of 25 turnovers by Missouri which they converted into 39 points. Freshman Kyley Simmons committed 10 of Missouri’s turnovers. “They’re known for their tenacious defense,” Missouri coach Robin Pingeton said.

“We have a young, inexperienced point guard, and they scored 39 points off of turnovers. You just can’t afford to give up that many points off of turnovers.” — AP

NHL results/standings NHL results and standings on Wednesday.

Washington 3, Montreal 0; Chicago 6, Buffalo 2; Colorado 4, Florida 3 (OT); Anaheim 6, Phoenix 2.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL GF GA PTS NY Rangers 29 11 4 125 90 62 Philadelphia 27 13 4 149 129 58 New Jersey 26 17 2 126 126 54 Pittsburgh 24 17 4 136 117 52 NY Islanders 17 21 6 106 134 40 Northeast Division Boston 29 13 1 156 88 59 Ottawa 26 16 6 149 150 58 Toronto 22 18 5 139 140 49 Buffalo 19 22 5 114 140 43 Montreal 17 21 8 116 126 42 Southeast Division Washington 25 18 2 128 127 52 Florida 21 14 10 115 127 52 Winnipeg 21 20 5 116 133 47 Tampa Bay 18 23 4 126 159 40 Carolina 16 24 8 124 156 40 Western Conference Central Division Chicago 28 13 6 156 135 62 Detroit 30 15 1 149 105 61 St. Louis 27 12 6 116 94 60 Nashville 26 16 4 125 123 56 Columbus 13 27 5 110 149 31 Northwest Division Vancouver 28 15 4 151 117 60 Colorado 25 21 2 124 137 52 Minnesota 22 17 7 106 118 51 Calgary 21 20 6 112 133 48 Edmonton 17 24 4 116 131 38 Pacific Division San Jose 26 12 5 125 100 57 Los Angeles 23 15 9 105 105 55 Dallas 24 19 2 122 129 50 Phoenix 21 19 7 122 125 49 Anaheim 16 22 7 119 140 39

49ers, Giants to play for Super Bowl berth NEWYORK: The San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants both wanted to play each other and the two teams will be granted their wish as they get set for a Sunday showdown with a Super Bowl berth at stake. But it might be a case of “be careful what you wish for” when the quick-strike Giants featuring receivers Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz face a heavy hitting 49ers defense to determine which team advances to the Feb 5 Super Bowl in Indianapolis.

San Francisco tight end Vernon Davis, who had 180 receiving yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner in a 36-32 victory over the New Orleans Saints last week, said he had been pulling for the Giants to beat the Green Bay Packers. New York’s 37-20 win eliminated the top seeded Packers and booked their spot in the NFC title game in San Francisco.

The NFC West champion Niners beat the NFC East-winning Giants when the teams met in San Francisco last November but New York is riding a hot streak with four straight wins and a belief they can ride that momentum to the Super Bowl. “It’s fun when you’re playing good football, when everybody is executing, when the team is playing well together,” said Giants quarterback Eli Manning. “Offense doing our part scoring points, third-down conversions, making big plays. — Reuters

Sports FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

European soccer’s fight against racism not yet won PARIS: For fans of soccer, Feb 1 promises to be a sad day. John Terry, one of the most rugged, fearsome and admired defenders anywhere in the world, a natural leader who captains his club, Chelsea, and his country, England, will appear at a London courthouse to face a criminal charge that he abused a black colleague with a torrent of vile, racially insulting language. Terry insists the whole affair is a misunderstanding. Born and raised in the ethnic melting pot of east London, he has played with or alongside black players all of his sporting life. Yet video from an Oct 23 Premier League match appeared to show him shouting, “You — ——- black ——” at Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand, whose brother, Rio, has long been Terry’s partner in the England defense.

Terry was quick to issue a statement: “People have leapt to the wrong conclusions about the context of what I was seen to be saying.” He vowed to “fight tooth and nail to prove my innocence” at the West London Magistrates’ Court. Still, this and other incidents in England and elsewhere in Europe are raising questions about whether efforts to stamp out racist behavior in the world’s No 1 sport have taken a big step backward after having made so many strides forward in the past decade or more. Have racist fans and players simply been lurking, unrepentant, under the surface, instead of being hounded out? Have soccer authorities, led by world governing body FIFA and its European cousin, UEFA, eased up too early in their often-stated determination to rid the global sport of all forms of discrimination?

“We were winning,” said Steve Rotheram, a British lawmaker who successfully lobbied for a parliamentary committee to take a new look at racism in sports, following the Terry case and others. However, “people have started to ask about institutional racism and, you know, whether or not the sort of improvements that we’d all hoped have happened over the past 20 years are actually embedded.” The inquiry will

start gathering evidence in March.

“We’ve got to be ever vigilant, to make certain that racism doesn’t make a comeback,” Rotheram said in a phone interview. Some countries fight soccer extremists with greater determination than others. Some believe the only effective way to punish and ostracize extremist fans is by punishing their clubs. For others, a long-term solution is to educate fans so they police themselves and no longer tolerate bigots in their midst.

“One of the reasons why the UK and

because they were also your own black players.” Nir Inbar, CEO of Israeli first division team Hapoel Tel Aviv, is a proponent of punishment. At a Dec 28 game, Beitar Jerusalem fans racially abused his Nigerian-born striker, Toto Tamuz. “They were singing, ‘Give Toto a banana,’” Inbar, who was at the game, said in a phone interview. “It is horrible to have racism in a country (where) most of its citizens are Jews. It shouldn’t be here.

Racism is in our dark history. We suffered a lot from racism.” Rather than merely

Chelsea’s captain John Terry Germany, I would say, have been so successful in tackling this problem is through the peer pressure that was exerted toward those fans who were being racist - when people used the logic of ‘Well, how can you abuse the opposition black player when we have black players of our own?’” said Piara Powar, executive director of the FARE network, European soccer’s anti-discrimination group, partly funded by UEFA. “When that became the dominant feeling on the terraces and in the stands that was the start of a dynamic, which, in footballing terms, one couldn’t challenge,” he said in a phone interview. “It was nonsensical to abuse black players

fine Beitar, Israel’s Football Association docked two points from the six-time champion, a significant punishment for a club in danger this season of relegation from the top division. “That’s what needs to happen to tackle racism. That is how supporters understand the lessons, you know?” Inbar said. “Because they did not learn the lesson when the club is getting fined, they say, ‘OK, the club has enough money.’” “If it was up to me, yes, I would use this punishment more often.” In Spain, no club has ever been docked points because of racist chants or behavior by fans. Yet there have been occasions when such punishment might have been warranted. — AP

German League Preview

Bayern to welcome back Schweinsteiger BERLIN: German league leaders Bayern Munich look set to welcome back star midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger for today’s clash against Borussia Moenchengladbach as the Bundesliga resumes after the winter break. Germany star Schweinsteiger has been out since breaking his collarbone in the Champions League win over Napoli at the start of November, but despite sitting out training on Tuesday with a knee injury he is hopeful of playing. Bayern have a threepoint lead at the top of the table, but suffered consecutive defeats in the wake of Schweinsteiger’s injury last November and the star is eager to recapture the form he showed before injury struck. “It looks good for ‘Gladbach, I have no worries, but of course I want to get back to top form quickly,” said the 27-year-old with ‘Gladbach fourth in the league.

“I practiced (on Wednesday). It was quite good. I’m not worried, but I want to be in my best shape when I start the match. “I hope the knee will be getting better and better before today. “I’m very excited. It’s important for us to get a

win and have a good start. “On the pitch you can react and change something, in the stands you can’t. “We want to get back to the form we had before my injury and dominated the opposition. “It’s up to us whether we are under pressure or not. “We have high expectations and it’s important that we work as a team.” Schweinsteiger will be up against ‘Gladbach’s key midfielder Marco Reus, who will play for defending champions Borussia Dortmund next season, and is one of the best midfielders in Germany this season with 10 goals in 15 league games.

Having only avoided the drop after winning last season’s relegation play-off, ‘Gladbach have been a surprise package this term and Schweinsteiger insists Bayern will not take Lucien Favre’s team lightly. “It will not be an easy game. They have some high quality players, not just Reus,” said Schweinsteiger. “There’s (Venezuela midfielder Juan) Arango and (Germany striker Mike) Hanke for instance, but it’s clear the we have a lot more quality in the squad. — AFP

Spanish League Preview

Villarreal search for missing spark MADRID: Villarreal have fallen a long way since losing narrowly to Arsenal in the 2006 Champions League semi-finals and goalkeeper Diego Lopez believes now is the time for the “real men” in the squad to prove their mettle. The team known as “yellow submarine” after their canary-coloured shirts are second from bottom in La Liga with just under half the season gone and face a crucial match at home to fellow strugglers Sporting Gijon on Monday.

They were beaten in all six of their Champions League Group A games this season, scoring just two goals and conceding 14, and their elimination from the King’s Cup at the hands of third-tier Mirandes last month prompted the dismissal of Coach Juan Carlos Garrido and the promotion of B-team boss Jose Francisco Molina to replace him.

As well as the departure of their best player, midfielder Santi Cazorla, to Malaga in the close season, they have suffered a spate of injuries to key players, including first-choice forwards Giuseppe Rossi and Nilmar.

However, there is also a sense of a club in decline, struggling to stay competitive in a league where Real Madrid and Barcelona, the world’s richest clubs by income, take the lion’s share of revenue from audiovisual rights. “The first thing to do is to accept the reality because we are second from bottom and that means we all have to give more, individually and collectively,” Lopez said at a news conference on Wednesday.

“I would like to see a lot more pugnacity,” the former Spain keeper added. “We have a very young squad, with a good atmosphere, but maybe we need a bit more character. “We are living on the edge and we need the real men to stand up and be counted.”

BARCA HIGH The latest round of matches was postponed from the opening day of the season due to a strike called by the players’ union (AFE) over unpaid wages. The games originally scheduled for this weekend are due to be played at the start of May. In between the two legs of their King’s Cup quarter-final tie, leaders Real and secondplaced Barca are at home to Athletic Bilbao and away at Malaga respectively on Sunday.

Barca are on a high after coming from a goal down at Real’s Bernabeu stadium to win the first leg 2-1 on Wednesday and host their great rivals for the return leg at the Nou Camp next Wednesday.

Third-placed Valencia, who host city neighbours Levante in a Cup quarter-final first leg later on Thursday, play at Osasuna on Sunday having slipped seven points behind Barca after last weekend’s 1-0 home defeat to Real Sociedad. Unai Emery’s side were boosted by the news on Wednesday that their Argentina midfielder Ever Banega had agreed to extend his contract until the end of the 2014-15 season. Sevilla coach Marcelino is under pressure ahead of the local Andalusian derby at Real Betis tomorrow.

Sevilla are on a run of three defeats and a draw and have dropped to seventh, putting their bid to qualify for Europe next season in peril, while Betis have climbed to 11th following three straight wins and a 4-2 loss last weekend at Barca. — Reuters

Sports FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Beckham re-joins Galaxy on 2-year deal LOS ANGELES: Former England captain David Beckham will be returning to the LA Galaxy on a fresh two-year contract, the Major League Soccer (MLS) team said on Wednesday.

Beckham’s initial five-year deal ended after the Galaxy won the 2011 MLS Cup and there had been speculation the former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder was considering offers from Paris St. Germain and a number of English clubs. However, Paris St Germain said earlier this month the Englishman would not be joining the big-spending Ligue 1 soccer club due to family reasons.

“This was an important decision for me,” Beckham, 36, said in a statement.

“I had many offers from clubs from around the world, however, I’m still passionate about playing in America and winning trophies with the Galaxy.

“I’ve seen first-hand how popular soccer is now in the States and I’m as committed as ever to growing the game

here. My family and I are incredibly happy and settled in America and we look forward to spending many more years here.”

Beckham joined the Galaxy from Real Madrid in 2007 amid a wave of publicity, signing a league record $6 million a year contract with MLS hoping his high-profile would attract bigger crowds, more sponsors and more mainstream media attention. However, Beckham faced criticism for his decision to travel back to Europe for England commitments and for his loan move to AC Milan in Italy, which ended in a serious injury. An Achilles tendon injury wrecked his contribution to the Galaxy in 2010 and cost him a place in England’s World Cup squad at the World Cup in South Africa. Last year, though, the critics were unable to find any cause for complaint.

Just as he came back from being a public enemy in England after being sent off against Argentina in the 1998

World Cup, eventually becoming English football’s global ambassador, and just as he turned a lean trophy spell in Madrid into a success with a La Liga title for Real, Beckham won over his detractors. He finally won his first league title with Galaxy on Nov 21, the MLS Cup victory over the Houston Dynamo completing another turnaround for one of the game’s most polarizing figures.

The Londoner was second in the league for assists, visibly worked hard in the 26 games he featured in and showed off his dead-ball and crossing ability throughout a season in which the Galaxy were unbeaten at home. “I am thrilled that David has chosen to re-join the Galaxy, especially as he had numerous options where he could continue his career,” Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena said. “I felt that he was one of the best players in all of MLS last season and we could not have achieved the success that we did with-

out him. “We look forward to trying to replicate that success this season with David once again in a Galaxy uniform.”

Simon Fuller, Beckham’s business partner and manager, said there was still much more to achieve in Beckham’s American adventure.

“When David and I discussed making the move from Real Madrid to the LA Galaxy back in 2007, our minds were firmly focused on the massive opportunity of helping to grow soccer in the United States,” Fuller added. “We have made great progress over the past five years in raising the profile of soccer domestically and the MLS on a worldwide stage, and we are encouraged by all the results. “However, clearly this is an ongoing mission and this new deal confirms our commitment to continuing our journey and making sure the world’s biggest sport, soccer, continues to grow in the world’s most passionate sports loving nation, the USA.”— Reuters

Brazil must have beer at WCup: FIFA RIO DE JANEIRO: Beer will sold at the 12 venues of the 2014 World Cup finals, FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke said on Wednesday as he attempted to close all further discussion on a controversial issue in Brazil. Voting on the bill for the World Cup Law has been held up over differences between the tournament hosts and world soccer’s governing body, notably on the sale of alcoholic drinks at sports venues which is banned in Brazil.

The bill was scheduled to have been voted on by the chamber of deputies at the end of last year but it has been delayed by several issues including the sale of beer, with FIFA demanding protection of sponsors’ trademarks.

“Alcoholic drinks are part of the FIFA World Cup, so we’re going to have them. Excuse me if I sound a bit arrogant but that’s something we won’t negotiate,” Valcke said.

“The fact that we have the right to sell beer has to be a part of the Law,” he told the foreign press corps in an interview in Rio de Janeiro, where on Thursday he will hold a meeting with the World Cup local organizing committee (LOC).

Alcoholic drinks have been banned in Brazil’s stadiums since 2003 as part of the Supporters’ Statutes, aimed at preventing violence among hardcore fans at football matches. Alexandre Padilha, health Minister in President Dilma Rousseff’s government, and other members of parliament linked to health matters have put pressure on Congress to maintain the ban in the World Cup Law. One of FIFA’s longest-standings sponsors is the US brewer Budweiser, which belongs to the world’s biggest beerselling group Anheuser-Busch InBev. “Our partner here is in fact a Brazilian company,” said Valcke referring to the local AmBev which is part of AB InBev. Another point of discord between the government and FIFA is half-price tickets for students and senior citizens which is the rule in Brazil. Valcke said this issue would be resolved by creating a special category of tickets worth $25 each with 300,000 available for the group phase to several groups of people including students and the elderly. He said, however, there needed to be strict controls of the people who qualified for these tickets. “It’s unfair if a person who can afford a category one ticket buys a category four ticket. We must guarantee this won’t happen because apparently it’s very easy to obtain a student card here,” Valcke said. — Reuters

MADRID: FC Barcelona’s Lionel Messi from Argentina lies on the ground holding his hand after Real Madrid’s Pepe of Portugal stamped on it during a Copa del Rey quarter final, 1st leg soccer match on Wednesday Jan 18, 2012. — AP

‘Shameful’ Pepe under fire after Messi stamp MADRID: The normally loyal Madridbased sports papers rounded on Pepe yesterday after the Real Madrid defender’s stamp on Lionel Messi’s hand during Wednesday’s King’s Cup quarterfinal first leg defeat by Barcelona. The behavior of Portuguese international, who was playing in an unfamiliar central midfield role, was “shameful” and “intolerable”, Marca wrote in an opinion piece, while As columnist Luis Nieto said he deserved “general condemnation” and should be punished. Pepe, who had been booked for a late tackle on Sergio Busquets, deliberately trod on Messi’s hand about 20 minutes from the end of Barca’s 2-1 comeback win at the Bernabeu in an incident apparently missed by the referee.

His theatrical reaction after tangling with Cesc Fabregas earlier in the second half, when he rolled around clutching his face, also drew criticism.

“Violent, with excessive aggression, play-acting and a long way from what

the behaviour of a footballer in a highlevel match should be,” Marca wrote.

“What’s more, his problem is that he is a repeat offender,” the paper added, recalling an incident at the end of the 2008-09 season when Pepe kicked Francisco Casquero while the Getafe player was on the ground, an action that earned the Portuguese a 10-match ban. “The Casquero episode cannot now be seen as an isolated one but instead must be viewed as the sad reality of a player who goes beyond overexcited.

“Pepe might be an excellent person away from the pitch - and he is - but someone urgently needs to make him reflect and help him to correct these shameful actions.” The outcry over Pepe’s behaviour deflected some of the attention away from Real’s latest failure against Barca, who host their arch-rivals in the second leg on Wednesday. The Spanish and European champions’ victory was coach Pep Guardiola’s ninth

win in 13 ‘Clasicos’ since he took the helm in 2008 and came on his 41st birthday. His only reverse was in last year’s King’s Cup final, when Cristiano Ronaldo netted an extra-time winner in a 1-0 victory.

Real coach Jose Mourinho, who told a news conference Pepe should be punished if the stamp on Messi was deliberate, was also subjected to severe criticism in Marca and As. The former Inter Milan and Chelsea manager’s tactic of allowing Barca to dominate possession and rely on swift counterattacks had proved a failure and should be abandoned, As columnist Alfredo Relano wrote. “Mourinho’s latest pirouette was his worst,” Marca’s Santiago Segurola added. “Spanish football has seen many teams with far fewer resources who have made life more difficult for Barca. And with greater nobility.” Real’s next game is a La Liga clash at home to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.— Reuters

Sports FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Shark adds bite to new-look PGA Tour CALIFORNIA: Greg Norman’s participation at this week’s Humana Challenge in La Quinta, California is one of several signs that the 2012 makeover of the pro-am celebrity event has already achieved success. Previously known as the Bob Hope Classic, the $5.6 million tournament had lost much its luster in recent years and struggled to attract a quality field with many players unhappy with its 90-hole format and some of its venues. This year’s edition, the first held in partnership with the William J. Clinton Foundation established by the former US president, has been cut to 72 holes and boasts world number eight Dustin Johnson and twice champion Phil Mickelson among its entrants.

Also competing is former world number one Norman, who has not played in the event since 1986 and had no plans to return until he received a timely phone call from Bill Clinton.

“He asked me if I would come and play and I said yes,” Australian Norman, popularly known as the ‘Great White Shark’, told reporters at La Quinta on Wednesday while preparing for Thursday’s opening round. “Simple as that.

“We had a very frank conversation about the opportunities and the format and how can the tournament be resurrected and he was obviously leaning towards doing what he’s done.

“The Bob Hope was such an iconic event ... from the celebrities, from the sponsorship stand point, from the people in Palm Springs and this area. We hate to see events like that disappear.” First held in 1960 when golfing great Arnold Palmer clinched the inaugural title, the Bob Hope Classic was a pro-am celebrity event played over five rounds and four different venues. Its list of winners includes heavyweights such as Jack Nicklaus, Billy Casper and Johnny Miller while Bing Crosby, Burt Lancaster, Frank Sinatra and Kirk Douglas have lit up its glittering cast of celebrities over the years. Much has changed, though, since then.

‘A-LISTERS’ WANED Long-time tournament host Bob Hope, a four-handicapper who ranks as one of Hollywood’s greatest golfers, made way for comedian George Lopez and the number of ‘A-list” celebrities waned. The initial rotation of venues - Thunderbird, Tamarisk, Bermuda Dunes and Indian Wells - was entirely replaced by courses more suited to the high-tech equipment and power hitters of the modern game. The Arnold Palmer-designed Classic Club took over from Indian Wells in 2006 but its location in a veritable wind tunnel made it an unpopular venue for many of the players, among them Mickelson who stopped competing in the tournament after 2007. “From a player’s perspective, he (Clinton) was very astute in asking the top players what their opinions were of the event,” said Norman, who will play in the company of Clinton in Saturday’s third round.

“Modifying it (the tournament) is step number one of elevating the structure of getting the name players that you want to get here on a consistent level. It’s a process to build it up.” This week’s event will be staged at just three venues, the Nicklaus Private and Palmer Private courses at PGA West and the hosting La Quinta Country Club. Americans Johnson, world number 11 Matt Kuchar and 15th-ranked Mickelson head the field-all three of them making their first appearances of the year on the PGA Tour. Long-hitting Venezuelan Jhonattan Vegas will defend the title he won last year in a playoff with Americans Bill Haas and Gary Woodland. — Reuters

DUBAI: England’s captain Andrew Strauss (second left) leads his team off the field of play after being defeated by Pakistan yesterday. (Inset) Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal leaps in the air as he celebrates taking the final wicket of England’s batting innings, that of Graeme Swann. — AP

Pakistan rout England DUBAI: Paceman Umar Gul took 4-63 to help Pakistan beat the world’s best Test team, England, by 10 wickets in the first Test inside three days yesterday, gaining a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The 27-year-old fast bowler dismissed Andrew Strauss (six) before lunch and then accounted for Alastair Cook (five) and Kevin Pietersen (nought) in his hostile nine-over first spell on a spin-friendly Dubai Stadium pitch.

Spinners Abdul Rehman (3-37) and Saeed Ajmal (3-42) - his second 10-wicket haul in Tests-supplemented Gul to help Pakistan bundle out England for 160. Pakistan notched the required 15 runs in 3.4 overs to hand England their first defeat in 10 Tests, since losing to Australia at Perth in the 2010 Ashes.

England’s batsmen, wrecked by Ajmal’s career-best 7-55 in their first innings of 192, were again clueless against the spin and played some rash shots as they sought to score runs on the pace of Gul. Jonathan Trott top-scored with 49, but fell to an irresponsible shot, trying to force a short delivery from Gul and being caught by wicket-keeper Adnan Akmal, who finished the match with seven catches. Trott, who passed the boundary of 2,000 runs when he reached 18 in his 24th Test, hit six boundaries during his 111-ball knock but became Gul’s 150th wicket in his 41st Test. Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul Haq admitted he had not expected to win so comfortably. “We didn’t expect that it would come so easily,” he said. “Ajmal put us in a strong position with his seven wickets in the first innings and we batted well to take a good lead.”

Strauss expressed frustration over his side’s abject surrender. “Obviously it’s disappointing to lose in this manner,” he said. “We lost five early wickets and it’s disappointing to bat like this but we are not going to press the panic button and will show resilience in the second match.” England had another disastrous start as Strauss was adjudged caught behind, pushing Gul to the leg side and seeing the ensuing edge well taken by the wicket-keeper. Strauss instantly challenged the verdict but was left to trudge off the field after television umpire Steve Davis of Australia upheld the original decision. Soon after the lunch break, Gul produced a sharp

rising delivery that caught Cook in two minds as the left-hander gloved it to Adnan, who had no trouble in gathering it.

Kevin Pietersen, who has yet to score big on tour, made it 25-3 when he hooked a Gul bouncer straight into the hands of deep square-leg fielder Abdul Rehman, leaving England in more trouble at 25-3. Ajmal then got in on the act when he trapped Ian Bell plumb in front of the wicket for four. Bell wasted England’s second referral as television replays showed he was hit on the back leg, in line with the stumps. Rehman ended a fifth-wicket partnership of 39 by dismissing Eoin Morgan (14) caught behind, while Ajmal trapped Matt Prior to leave England at 87-7. Stuart Broad (17) and Graeme Swann (39) delayed the inevitable by putting on 48 for the eighth wicket before Rehman dis-

missed Broad and Chris Tremlett off successive deliveries.

Ajmal took the last wicket by getting Swann caught, much to the delight of his team-mates and the few hundred people in the stands. In the morning, Adnan had boosted Pakistan’s lead with a gutsy second Test half-century. Adnan scored a careerbest 61, adding another 50 runs after Pakistan resumed at 288-7. Adnan, who hit eight boundaries during his 129-ball knock, put on a 30-run stand for the ninth wicket with Ajmal, who made 12. His previous best of 53 came against Bangladesh in Dhaka last month. Swann had Adnan stumped to finish with figures of 4-107. The second Test starts in Abu Dhabi from January 25, while the third will again be played here from February 3-7. —AFP

SCOREBOARD DUBAI: Complete scoreboard after the first cricket Test between Pakistan and England at Dubai Stadium here yesterday: England 1st innings 192 (M. Prior 70, G. Swann 34; Saeed Ajmal 7-55) Pakistan 1st innings (overnight 288-7) Mohammad Hafeez lbw b Swann 88 Taufiq Umar b Broad 58 Azhar Ali c Prior b Broad 1 Younis Khan lbw b Trott 37 Misbah-ul Haq lbw b Swann 52 Asad Shafiq c Prior b Anderson 16 Adnan Akmal st Prior b Swann 61 Abdul Rehman b Anderson 4 Umar Gul c Morgan b Broad 0 Saeed Ajmal c Cook b Swann 12 Aizaz Cheema not out 0 Extras: (b2, lb5, nb2) 9 Total: 338 Fall of wickets: 1-114 (Umar), 2-128 (Ali), 3176 (Hafeez), 4-202 (Younis), 5-231 (Shafiq), 6-283 (Misbah), 7-288 (Rehman), 8-289 (Gul), 9-319 (Ajmal) Bowling: Anderson 30-7-71-2, Tremlett 21-653-0 (nb1), Broad 31-8-84-3 (nb1), Swann 29.5-3-107-4, Trott 8-2-16-1.

Overs: 119.5 England 2nd innings A. Strauss c Adnan b Gul

6

A. Cook c Adnan b Gul 5 J. Trott c Adnan b Gul 49 K. Pietersen c Rehman b Gul 0 I. Bell lbw b Ajmal 4 E. Morgan c Adnan b Rehman 14 M. Prior lbw b Ajmal 4 S. Broad c Shafiq b Rehman 17 G. Swann c Shafiq b Ajmal 39 C. Tremlett c Hafeez b Rehman 0 J. Anderson not out 15 Extras: (b4, lb1, nb2) 7 Total: 160 Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Strauss), 2-25 (Cook), 325 (Pietersen), 4-35 (Bell), 5-74 (Morgan), 687 (Trott), 7-87 (Prior), 8-135 (Broad), 9-135 (Tremlett) Bowling: Gul 19-5-63-4 (nb2), Cheema 7.2-19-0, Hafeez 2-0-4-0, Ajmal 17.3-4-42-3, Rehman 12-2-37-3.

Overs: 57.5 Pakistan 2nd innings Mohammad Hafeez not out 15 Taufiq Umar not out 0 Total: (for no loss) 15 Bowling: Anderson 2-1-7-0, Broad 1.4-0-8-0 Overs: 3.4 Result: Pakistan won by 10 wickets

Sports FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Wizards break Thunder streak Big Shot Billups lands winning blow for Clippers WASHINGTON: John Wall scored 25 points, Nick Young had 24 and Jordan Crawford added 18 to lead Washington to a 105-102 victory over Oklahoma City on Wednesday, ending the Thunder’s seven-game winning streak and giving the Wizards just their second win of the season. Russell Westbrook scored 36 points and Kevin Durant had 33 for Oklahoma City, which lost for only the third time in 15 games.

During one stretch bridging the second and third quarters, the duo accounted for 21 of the Thunder’s 23 points. Both slowed down after resting at the start of the fourth, missing 11 of 17 from the field.

NUGGETS 108, 76ERS 104, OT At Philadelphia, Andre Miller scored a season-high 28 points and Nene had 20 points and 14 rebounds as Denver outlasted Philadelphia. Miller scored Denver’s last 10 points in regulation and got another big basket in OT. His jumper put the Nuggets ahead 106-104 with 42.9 seconds left. Miller then made a steal on Jrue Holiday’s errant pass to seal the Nuggets’ fourth consecutive win. Thaddeus Young scored 22 points and Evan Turner added 20 for the Sixers.

SPURS 85, MAGIC 83, OT At Orlando, Florida, Tony Parker scored 25 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter and overtime, as San Antonio held on to beat Orlando. Tim Duncan added 17 points and 10 rebounds as the Spurs also snapped a streak of 10 consecutive road losses overall, dating to last season. Dwight Howard had 24 points and 25 rebounds, and Ryan Anderson scored 17, but it wasn’t enough for Orlando to overcome a dismal shooting night.

NETS 107, WARRIORS 100 At Newark, New Jersey, Deron Williams scored 24 points, 11 coming in crucial stretch of the fourth quarter, and had 10 assists and eight rebounds to lead New Jersey to its first home win. The Nets entered the fourth quarter trailing 83-80, then took control with a 12-5 run. Williams had five points in that stretch, including a 3-pointer that made it 105-96 with 3:26 remaining. The Nets held on the rest of the way, going scoreless for almost three minutes. MarShon Brooks had 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Nets, and Kris Humphries had 18 points and 15 rebounds. The Warriors, who had their two-game winning streak snapped, got 30 points from Monte Ellis and 17 from Dorell Wright.

SUNS 91, KNICKS 88 At New York, Steve Nash had 26 points and 11 assists and Shannon Brown hit a crucial 3-pointer as Phoenix ended a fivegame losing streak. Brown and Grant Hill each scored 14 points for the Suns, who bounced back from an embarrassing 118-97 loss to a Chicago team without Derrick Rose a night earlier. They got help with a lucky bounce on Brown’s 3-pointer from the corner that nearly hit the top of the backboard before falling in that gave them a five-point lead with 35 seconds left, and Nash closed it out with six free throws in the last 16 seconds. Former Suns forward Amare Stoudemire scored 23 points for the Knicks, who have lost four straight.

CELTICS 96, RAPTORS 73 At Boston, Rajon Rondo scored 13 of his 21 points in the first quarter and left with a sore right wrist in the third, as Boston cruised past Toronto. Rondo was knocked out of the game after being leveled on a flagrant foul by Linus Kleiza late in the third quarter. Kevin Garnett added 15 points, Paul Pierce had seven assists and reserves Mickael Pietrus and Brandon Bass also made big contributions for the Celtics. Gary Forbes scored 18 points and DeMar DeRozan had 11 for the Raptors.

GRIZZLIES 93, HORNETS 87 At New Orleans, Marc Gasol had 22 points and 12 rebounds to help Memphis win its fourth straight. Mike Conley hit four 3pointers and finished with 18 points and 10 assists for the Grizzlies, who had five players score in double figures while sending the Hornets to their fifth straight loss and 11th defeat in 12 games. Jarrett Jack scored a game-high 27 points and his pull-up jumper got New Orleans as close as 87-85 with 1:28 left, but OJ Mayo’s 20-foot jumper helped the Grizzlies hang on as New Orleans struggled to score or get key rebounds in the final minute

LOS ANGELES: Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (right) puts up a shot as Dallas Mavericks center Brendan Haywood defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game on Wednesday, Jan 18, 2012. — AP

NBA results/standings NBA results and standings on Wednesday: San Antonio 85, Orlando 83 (OT); Denver 108, Philadelphia 104 (OT); Washington 105, Oklahoma City 102; New Jersey 107, Golden State 100; Phoenix 91, NY Knicks 88; Boston 96, Toronto 73; Atlanta 92, Portland 89; Minnesota 93, Detroit 85; Memphis 93, New Orleans 87; Sacramento 92, Indiana 88; LA Clippers 91, Dallas 89. (OT denotes overtime win)

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

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L 10 4 6 8 5 8 4 11 4 11 Central Division 13 3 9 4 6 7 4 9 3 12 Southeast Division 11 4 10 4 9 4 3 12 2 12

PCT .714 .429 .385 .267 .267

GB 4 4.5 6.5 6.5

.813 .692 .462 .308 .200

2.5 5.5 7.5 9.5

LA Clippers LA Lakers Phoenix Golden State Sacramento

.733 .714 .692 .200 .143

0.5 1 8 8.5

San Antonio Memphis Dallas Houston New Orleans

HAWKS 92, TRAIL BLAZERS 89 At Atlanta, Joe Johnson scored 24 points and came up with a key defensive play down the stretch to lead Atlanta to its fourth straight victory since losing All-Star center Al Horford. Atlanta was up 84-80 when a wild sequence went the home team’s way. Jamal Crawford missed on a drive, but Wesley Matthews picked off an outlet pass to apparently give the Blazers another chance. Johnson then hustled up behind Matthews to steal it back, then lobbed to Jeff Teague for a dunk. Crawford, who led the Blazers with 22 points in his return to Atlanta, hit a last-gasp 3-pointer but the Hawks held on.

KINGS 92, PACERS 88 At Sacramento, California, Marcus Thornton scored 17 points as Sacramento rallied from 14 points down in the

Oklahoma City Utah Denver Portland Minnesota

Western Conference Northwest Division 12 3 9 4 10 5 8 6 6 8 Pacific Division 8 4 10 5 5 9 5 9 5 10 Southwest Division 10 5 7 6 8 7 7 7 3 11

.800 .692 .667 .571 .429

2 2 3.5 5.5

.667 .667 .357 .357 .333

0 4 4 4.5

.667 .538 .533 .500 .214

2 2 2.5 6.5

fourth to beat Indiana. Francisco Garcia scored 10 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter as the Kings outscored the Pacers 26-8 in the period. DeMarcus Cousins had 13 points and tied a career-high with 19 rebounds for Sacramento, which shot 30 percent. Darren Collison and Danny Granger scored 16 points each for Indiana.

CLIPPERS 91, MAVERICKS 89 At Los Angeles, Chauncey Billups hit a winning 3-pointer with 1 second left, and Mo Williams made his first seven shots and finished with 26 points off the bench in his return to the lineup as the Clippers stunned defending NBA champion Dallas. DeAndre Jordan had 19 points and nine rebounds for the undermanned Clippers, playing their third game in three days. Dirk Nowitzki and Delonte West each scored 17 points for Dallas. — AP

Sports FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Serena swats aside Strycova American wins her 500th match

MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic of Serbia hits a return against Santiago Giraldo of Colombia in their men’s singles second round match on day four of the 2012 Australian Open tennis tournament yesterday. — AFP

Djokovic, Murray stroll; Roddick out MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray hit top gear yesterday as warhorse Lleyton Hewitt capitalized on Andy Roddick’s retirement to reach the third round. Serena Williams was also at her destructive best with Petra Kvitova the only top seed given trouble on day four. And Hewitt was handed easy passage when Roddick strained a hamstring, ending the clash of the old stagers.

“It’s a nightmare for both of us,” said Hewitt, who was leading the night match 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 when Roddick called it quits. “He stretched something high in his leg and it was hard for me to concentrate at the other end. “You know Andy is hurting and you try to block it out of your mind and it’s hard to do. Without sounding too mean, you try to run him around a lot more.”

The one-time world number one, still battling on despite five major operations in the past four years, now faces another big server in Canada’s Milos Raonic. But the despondent Roddick, who tried to play on after injuring his right hamstring tendon in the second set, said he would probably be out for three weeks.

“You can try to ham and egg it against a lot of guys. But he’s really intelligent. He knew what was going on,” said the American.

“Then you’re out there and you’re wondering, listen, even if this goes your way, you’re not going to play in two days. So it’s a miserable, terrible thing being out there compromised like that. It really sucks.” Djokovic has been in commanding form at the year’s first major as he bids to repeat last season’s astonishing haul of three grand slams among 10 titles, with a 41-match winning streak along the way. And the Serb expended little energy in his 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 hit-out against Colombia’s Santiago Giraldo as he speeds towards an expected semi-final with Murray, his victim in last year’s title match. “I try to not underestimate any opponents in early rounds,” Djokovic said. “Santiago came out early hitting the ball quite flat. But I knew that sooner or later he’s going to drop the rhythm and I just have to hang in there. I’ve done a good job,” he added.

Two-time finalist Murray, whose new coach Ivan Lendl sat swathed in a towel against the evening chill, raced through the first set in just 23 minutes as he beat France’s Edouard RogerVasselin 6-1, 6-4, 6-4. Williams brought up her 500th career win, against Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, to keep up her record of reaching the third round in every grand slam she has entered apart from her debut, in Melbourne in 1998. “It’s fine, I just have really wobbly ankles,” she said, after falling heavily in the last game. “I wasn’t meant to be a ballerina.” Second seed Kvitova had a trickier assignment against Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro, but she kept her frustrations in check to survive a mid-match lapse 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. —AFP

MELBOURNE: Serena Williams said before the start of the Australian Open that even with just two warm-up matches under her belt she was ready for Melbourne. More than ready it seems.

The American, with lattice-work strapping snaking up from her injured left ankle to behind her knee, brushed aside Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-0 64 in just over an hour to reach the third round yesterday. Five-times champion Williams was unable to aim for a hattrick of titles last year due to injury and there were concerns she would not be ready for the season’s first grand slam after pulling out of the Brisbane International with her sore ankle.

After shaking off the rust in the first round against Tamira Paszek, Williams was on song from the outset yesterday, blasting baseline winners past Strycova and racing through the first set in just 22 minutes. Her Czech opponent won her first service game of the second set, eliciting enthusiastic applause from the crowd, but the Williams response was predictable, the 30-year-old winning her next serve to love and breaking Strycova to go 3-1 up. Williams had her first wobble while serving for the match at 5-3, giving Strycova a sniff of hope, and the American looked in trouble when a change of direction left her sitting on the sun-baked court grimacing. But Williams got back to her feet and promptly broke Strycova’s serve to seal the set 6-4 and earn her place in the third round.

Williams, who racked up her 500th match win with the victory, said her ankle was still causing her problems, a potential issue for tougher tests ahead. “It’s fine, I just have really wobbly ankles,” she said in a televised interview. “I wasn’t meant to be a ballerina or anything.” Much has been made of Williams’ fight to stay healthy after a catalogue of injuries kept her off court for most of last year, but the world number 12 said she felt fine and that her tumble yesterday had not exacerbated her ankle issue. “It’s totally fine, it was my good ankle,” she said in the post-match news conference.

“There was no extra pain, it was fine. I twisted it but it’s all taped up, so the

MELBOURNE: Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic hits a return against Serena Williams of the US in their women’s singles second round match on day four of the 2012 Australian Open tennis tournament yesterday. — AFP tape really, really helped.”

Williams, who will play Dominika Cibulkova or Greta Arn in the next round, thought it was “really, really cool” to have reached 500 wins but had no plans to rest on her laurels. “The first thing I asked, of course, ‘Is there anyone that achieved 1,000?’ I guess not. I never will get there either. “Five hundred is a lot of matches to play, let alone to win, so it’s pretty cool.” After Marcos Baghdatis smashed four racquets in a spectacular fit of pique in the third set against Stanislas Wawrinka on Wednesday, Williams was asked if that kind of outburst helped or hindered a player. “I actually used to break a lot of racquets on the court,” said Williams,

whose own fiery temper saw her tarnish the US Open final against Sam Stosur with a sensational outburst at a chair umpire last September.

“I sometimes break them in practice, just not in a match anymore. I think when you’re young it kind of maybe lets out a little frustration. It’s just is a way to express yourself. “I got to a place where I could see how many places I could crack in a racquet. I got five. But it’s definitely not the best way to release your anger. I think the older you get, you realize there’s more different ways.” Williams was in awe when told Baghdatis has smashed four racquets in a minute. “I’ve never done that. That’s impressive,” she added.— Reuters

Kvitova struggles; main rivals cruise MELBOURNE: Second seed Czech Petra Kvitova battled her way into the Australian Open third round yesterday as rivals Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova steamrolled their opponents.

Russia’s Vera Zvonareva and Serbian glamour girl Ana Ivanovic also won in straight sets as the cream continued to rise to the top of the women’s draw.

Two-time grand slam winner Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia was pushed to the limit by young American Sloane Stephens before scraping through 7-6 (8/6), 7-5. France’s Marion Bartoli, the ninth seed, ended Australian interest in the women’s draw, beating Jelena Dokic 6-3, 6-2.

However, Wimbledon champion Kvitova had to survive a second-set meltdown against Carla Suarez Navarro,

who bundled Venus Williams from the tournament in 2009. Kvitova won the first set easily but grew visibly frustrated as she lost the second and had to come from a break down in the third to win 62, 2-6, 6-4. The reigning Wimbledon champion was in great touch in the first set, serving well and breaking the Spaniard twice in a commanding display.

But at the start of the second Kvitova seemed to lose focus, missing easy shots and allowing Suarez Navarro to dictate the points. The Spaniard, one of only seven players in the top 100 with a onehanded backhand, used it to devastating effect to move Kvitova around the court.

Suarez Navarro took the second and broke to go 2-0 ahead in the decider, but Kvitova dug deep and slowly pegged

back the gallant Spaniard, eventually winning a tense encounter in 1hr 47mins. Earlier, five-time champion Williams brushed off fears about her injured ankle as she beat Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-0, 6-4 to record her 500th career win.

The American 12th seed, who pulled out of this month’s Brisbane International after rolling her ankle on court, fell awkwardly in the final game of the match. “It’s fine, I just have really wobbly ankles,” she said. “I wasn’t meant to be a ballerina.” Sharapova lost just one game as she dismantled US qualifier Jamie Hampton 6-0, 6-1. Sharapova, 24, dominated Hampton in all areas, hitting 23 winners to six and making 77 percent of her first serves to her opponent’s 50 percent. —AFP

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012

Wizards break Thunder streak

Page 62

www.kuwaittimes.net

Serena

swats aside Strycova Page 63

MELBOURNE: Serena Williams of the US serves to Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne yesterday. —AFP