21 Nov 2011

CR IP TI ON BS SU

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

Poachers leave trail of dead flamingos in Abdaliya

‘Blasts’ in Damascus as Assad vows crackdown

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THULHIJJA 25, 1432 AH

Flying has never been so good for those who spend

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Chelsea title hopes take another hit from Liverpool

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Amir condemns Assembly attack, won’t dissolve it ‘I appointed the PM, and only I can remove him’

By Dr M Ziad Al-Alyan Deputy Editor-in-Chief

conspiracy theories

Hooligans tarnishing democracy

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

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he whole nation was anxiously waiting for the Amir’s response to the latest incident which took place on Wednesday evening when what was supposed to be a peaceful demonstration on Irada Square organized by the opposition led by MPs Musalam Al-Barrak, Jamaan Al-Harbash, Mubarak Al-Walaan and well-known Salafist Waleed Al-Tabtabaei and many other citizens. All of a sudden, the protest turned into a violent demonstration when light skirmishes started with the police who cordoned off areas where demonstrators did not have access. The protesters started provoking the police and hurled things at them. Gradually, the peaceful demonstration turned into a riot.

Of course, the honorable gentlemen thought that it is part of democracy to storm parliament and breaking its doors. In a gangster-style behavior, the MPs and their followers messed around Abdullah Al-Salem Hall, opening desks, sitting in the chairs and playing with the gavel. While watching the news on TV and seeing how they broke into parliament, I felt like I was at a football match and was surrounded by hooligans.

They stole the gavel and said it would appear back in 2020. What a funny joke! Protesters said they would return the gavel when things in the country have turned to their liking. Are we dealing with a hide-and-seek game and kids or are we talking of mature gentlemen who the nation vested trust in to represent them? If this is the behavior of our parliamentarians, how do I trust the future of Kuwait in their hands?

I like the justification one of the MPs has given that it is normal to break into the parliament. He said that in England in 1890, the people barraged parliament to stop corruption. I wonder if this gentleman realizes that we are in the year 2011 and what took place in England happened over a century ago. His excuse is worse than his mistake.

I am happy that the whole of Kuwait rejected what these popular MPs have done. In my opinion, the MPs committed a mistake they will regret all their life. Maybe they were taken in by euphoria and the crowd cheering but they did not expect that they would be condemned by the whole of Kuwait.

Condemnation came from all strata - MPs, children, people on the streets. Everybody in Kuwait agrees that protest is something but breaking and damaging the house of democracy will be rejected regardless of who has done it.

We are all backing our Amir in his wise decision that legal action should be taken against whoever dares to break the rules and laws of the country and tarnish our democracy.

Max 31º Min 20º Low Tide 01:37 & 13:40 High Tide 07:12 & 20:18

KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah meets editors-in-chief of local dailies at Seif Palace yesterday. — KUNA

Deadly clashes in Cairo’s Tahrir Sq CAIRO: Deadly clashes broke out in Cairo’s Tahrir Square for the second day running yesterday, kicking off a violent countdown to the first elections since Hosni Mubarak’s downfall. Egyptian police and military forces used batons, tear gas and birdshot to clear central Cairo’s Tahrir Square of thousands of protesters, reporters said. Heavy clashes pitted the demonstrators against riot and military police who chased them away from entrances to the square and blocked the road leading to the interior ministry, the scene of clashes throughout the day. Security forces later withdrew from the square but the situation remained fluid, the reporters said.

“Three people have died of asphyxiation during the clashes,” Abdallah Abdelrahman, who heads a field hospital in Tahrir Square, told AFP. A funeral procession for one of the victims in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria erupted into clashes with police, who fired volleys of tear gas at the mourners, the official MENA news agency reported. In the canal city of Suez, troops fired live bullets into the air to stop protesters from storming a police station in the city centre.

Protesters also took to the streets in nearby Ismailiya, according to a security official.

Continued on Page 13

CAIRO: A protester gestures during clashes with Egyptian riot police near the interior ministry yesterday. — AP

KUWAIT: HH the Amir yesterday said he will not dissolve the National Assembly despite the storming of the parliament last week by anti-government protesters and opposition MPs. Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, in a meeting with editors-in-chief of local dailies, condemned the events that took place on what he called a “Black Wednesday”. “This is very abnormal for Kuwait.

We heard swearing and insults and language we have never heard before targeted towards the government and the prime minster,” he said. “Yet we accept it all in the name of democracy. But what happened on Wednesday was unacceptable. That day was a black day.”

Sheikh Sabah reiterated only he had the right to replace the prime minister. “I am responsible for appointing the prime minister and I’m the only one responsible for removing him. People have the freedom to express their views on the government and the premier, but to give orders or make demands, this I won’t accept.” He said even he wanted to remove the PM, “after hearing these demands, I will not do so”.

“We did not use any force against the people,” Sheikh Sabah said, adding that he did not like to see Kuwaiti blood being spilt. He said 40 people have been referred to the public prosecution, and these include MPs. “No one can accept this kind of rhetoric. We like freedom, but freedom has its boundaries,” the Amir said, “but Continued on Page 13

Oppn, pro-govt rallies to be held in one place Barrak challenges Khorafi

By B Izzak KUWAIT: The interior minister has beefed up security preparations by mobilising almost all its forces as the opposition’s and prime minister’s supporters plan to stage rallies opposite the National Assembly at the same time today. There were reports earlier in the day yesterday that the opposition might cancel its rally, the first after last Wednesday’s protest which was followed by the storming of the Assembly, which has raised political tensions in the country to new heights.

The opposition held a series of meetings, the most important on Saturday night that lasted until the early hours of yesterday. It was attended by around 18 MPs and was supposed to have issued a statement yesterday but MP Faisal AlMislem said it was postponed until today.

The opposition plans to also hold another rally on Wednesday to press for the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and dissolving the Assembly and holding fresh elections.

Outspoken opposition MP Musallam Al-Barrak meanwhile threw a serious challenge to Assembly Speaker Jassem AlKhorafi and the Assembly office for deciding to take legal action against people involved in the attack on the Assembly last week. Al-Barrak said that he holds full responsibility for guiding the youth activists to storm the Assembly building following the rally and that “he is prepared for whatever action Al-Khorafi and the Assembly office take as long as the issue

KUWAIT: MP Musallam Al-Barrak addresses the media at the National Assembly yesterday . — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat will eventually go to the court”.

The lawmaker called on all the youth activists who might be called for interrogation to say that it was Al-Barrak and other MPs who led them to the Assembly building. Al-Barrak said that all the opposition now wants is for the prime minister to face the grilling scheduled for Nov 29 over overseas transfer of public funds and the bank deposits scandal involving around 16 MPs. Al-Barrak and other opposition MPs have made it clear that if the prime minister accepts to be grilled over the corruption allegations next week, the opposition will halt public rallies and gatherings.

Continued on Page 13

After Gaddafi son, spy chief captured Saif al-Islam to be tried in Libya

Abdullah Senussi

Saif al-Islam

TRIPOLI: Muammar Gaddafi’s spymaster Abdullah Senussi was arrested yesterday, Libyan officials announced and said that the dead dictator’s son captured the previous day would face trial in Libya. Ignoring world pressure, Libya’s interim rulers insisted that Saif al-Islam, Gaddafi’s one-time heir apparent, would be tried inside Libya rather than at the International Criminal Court at The Hague. World powers, fearful that Saif would not be given a fair trial after his father was felled by a bullet to

the head after being captured exactly a month ago, are urging Libya to work with the ICC. The court wants to try the 39-yearold for crimes against humanity allegedly committed by Gaddafi’s forces in crushing antiregime protests in February.

But the NTC insists that Saif will face trial at home. “The decision is that he will be tried by Libyan courts. It is a question of national sovereignty,” NTC vice chairman and official spokesman Abdel Hafiz Ghoga told Continued on Page 13

KUWAIT: Protesters wearing prison jumpsuits demonstrate outside the US Embassy in Bayan yesterday demanding the release of Kuwaitis Fayez AlKandari and Fawzi Al-Odah still being held at Guantanamo Bay without charges. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

LOCAL

Workshop to help reduce traffic related deaths Road safety ‘a joint responsibility’

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: The Ministry of Interior is currently hosting a four-day workshop on ‘National Traffic and Transport Strategy 2010-2020’ at the Holiday Inn Hotel. It’s being held under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmed Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Interior. The event will coincide with the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims which will conclude on Nov 23. The Assistant Undersecretary for Traffic Affairs at the Ministry of Interior Maj Gen Dr Mustafa Al-Zaabi delivered a welcome speech praising the role played by participants. “This is an annual workshop held every year in which many international experts participate. The traffic situation is important. All related institutes should cooperate to find the important solutions and reduce losses in lives and finance,” he said.

Suheir Al-Shawa, representing the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) stated that the relations between the United Nations and the Traffic Department in Kuwait goes back to the year 1968. “The national project aims to improve traffic between the years 2010 to 2014. The campaign aims to protect the lives of people, and this should be a joint responsibility.

Kuwait has presented a ground breaking solution.”

Soud Al-Naqi, Assistant Undersecretary for the Road Engineering at the Ministry of Public Works noted that road accidents cause a lot of casualties. “The Ministry of Public Works is closely cooperating with the Ministry of Interior to solve roads accidents and traffic.” Eissa Al-Enezi from the Kuwait Engineers Association said that the deaths caused by car accidents have reduced in 2010, compared to previous years according to official traffic statistics. “To reach better results and work toward decreasing death cases, more efforts should be made to prepare studies on car accidents. The statistics also show youngsters account for 60 percent of victims. Our Association pledges its complete support to National Traffic and Transport Strategy 2010-2020,” he explained.

Prof Dr Kim Jraiw- Technical Director of the Strategy Project and expert with the United Nations and International Development banks addressed a presentation titled: National Traffic and Transport Sector Strategy 2010-2020.

“We seek to implement sustainable transport system in Kuwait, which will be discussed with all the authorities and institutions. This includes the transport sector and was approved by the Cabinet. Kuwait is the first country to prepare this strategy in May,” he pointed out.

Dr Jraiw also stressed on some issues, including the importance of transport system, requirements of sustainable transport which began in the 1990s, problems of transport sector in developing countries, causes of infrastructure projects’ technical failures. He highlighted problems like emission of noxious substances and congestion, “These are problems from which most countries suffer. There is a local, regional, and international commitment to implement the strategy. As part of implementing this strategy, we need to train 3,000 policemen and 500 engineers by the year 2015,” Dr Jraiw added.

He also cited some traffic statistics. “The first road death took place in London in 1896. Today 1.3 million deaths are registered per year around the world, in addition to 60 million who are injured. It’s expected that the deaths will grow in the Middle East by KUWAIT: Some of dead flamingos pictured after the incident.

Poachers leave a carnage of dead flamingos in Abdaliya

Maj. Gen. Dr. Mustafa Al-Zaabi

Prof. Dr. Kim Jraiw 68 percent. In Kuwait, this statistic has reduced: 460 lost their lives in traffic accidents in 2006. Whereas 374 died in 2010. We aim to lessen this number even more,” concluded Dr Jraiw.

KUWAIT: The Kuwait Society for the Protection of Animals and Their Habitat (K’S PATH) received a distress call on Thursday from one of their partner companies, Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) reporting that poachers had broken through the fencing surrounding the Abdaliya Nature Preserve and had massacred 11 flamingos. Two more were left to die. The KOC employees who reported the incident were horrified that the nature preserve, a joint project between KOC and the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR), had been broken into. K’S PATH response staff members were on the scene within 45 minutes to rescue the surviving birds and to collect and document the dead. The two living birds were brought directly to the Royal Animal Hospital, which acts as the K’S PATH veterinary medical partner. Dr Jill Mullen and her team were ready for the birds when they arrived. Both birds received a thorough examination including x-rays. One bird appeared to have escaped injury but instead exhibited the symp-

toms of severe stress and a condition called capture myopathy. The second did not fare so well. One leg was completely broken and there was one injury from a piece of birdshot. K’S PATH is a non-profit organization that works with all types of animals in Kuwait, from the lowliest forgotten hamster to a Eurasian brown bear and a striped hyena. One of the many challenges they face as an organization is that they never know what animal is going to be in need next.

They therefore maintain a global network of contacts that can be consulted on short notice.

In the sad case of these two flamingos, a quick text message to a program director at Humane Society International led them to Dr Robert Aguilar, a veterinarian with the Humane Society of the United States. Dr Aguilar is a veteran expert in the field of wildlife rescue and rehabilitation who has worked with flamingos throughout his career. Based upon his advice, K’S PATH was able to adapt one of their raptor enclosures to accommodate the flamingos by adding a large children’s pool and

a household mirror. The mirror helps the flamingos feel like they are in a flock environment, which can help to reduce stress.

Additionally, all of the raptor perches and feeding stands were wrapped to prevent injury and the entire 10x4 meter enclosure was covered with sheets to prevent stress caused by the sight of people and other animals. According to Dr Aguilar, wild flamingos are very difficult to keep in captivity, especially if they are alone or even in pairs. The mirrors may help, but much more is needed to save a wild flamingo. K’S PATH appealed to the Kuwait Zoo for help but was told the zoo will only help by taking healthy animals for their collection. In lieu of any government support, K’S PATH can only act within their own network of staff and supporters. Sadly, after three days of desperate efforts, the injured bird succumbed to his injuries.

The surviving bird is finally accepting food, which is a good step. K’S PATH now faces the challenge of getting him standing again through a regiment of physi-

cal therapy and medication. The odds are great, but the K’S PATH team is committed to making every effort to get this bird well and released back into the wild.

But they must stretch all of their meager assets and hope for a miracle. Failure will mean that nothing good whatsoever came out of this terrible act of senseless violence. It also remains to be seen what will be done to prevent future attacks like this one.

Poaching has become an epidemic in Kuwait, and no bird in any location is truly safe, K’S PATH said in a press release yesterday. K’S PATH regularly receives calls and complaints about dead birds, vehicles bristling guns driving around shooting at anything that moves, and every once in a while a desperate plea to save a life. It is truly the responsibility of everyone to protect our birds before their beauty is gone forever. Without protection in the form of law enforcement and prosecution, it will continue to fall upon preserve administrators and K’S PATH to do what they can and try to save as many animals as possible.

British Council holds education exhibition

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: There has been no decline in the number of students applying to universities from the Middle East owing to the Arab Spring uprising, said the British ambassador.

Ambassador Frank Baker made this observation while speaking at a press conference held at the embassy yesterday to announce the launch of the annual British Council UK Education Exhibition [Edukex 2011]. It will be held on Nov 23 and 24.

He noted that although it was too early tell, judging from the visa issuances made, students from Kuwait have not been affected. “We know that the socalled Arab Spring hasn’t taken place in Kuwait. Whether students have been affected in the Middle East, we don’t know and we don’t want to anticipate,” he said. “It’s too early to say but probably, we can collect data by next year [since the Arab Spring began in February]’,” the envoy explained.

The British ambassador expressed happiness at the trust and confidence that a growing number of Kuwaiti students place on British education. “As is often the case with such exchanges, both countries benefit immeasurably.

You heard from our embassy border officer [Paul Dryden], we have been processing at least about 2,000 student visas annually. So roughly, including the English language students and longterm students we’ve got around 8,000 Kuwaiti students currently enrolled into various education institutions,” he revealed.

The annual exhibition to be held at Crowne Plaza Hotel on Wednesday and Thursday, is aimed at raising awareness of the quality of UK education and the extensive choice of courses. More than 40 universities and colleges in the UK will make their presence felt. “UK campuses benefit from the presence of bright, young Kuwaitis, eager to learn,

KUWAIT: British Ambassador to Kuwait, Frank Baker (center) pictured with Rafat Abu Taleb, Andrew Glass, Ala’a Al-Omran and Paul Dryden, during a press conference yesterday. —Photo by Ben Garcia and provide another strong element to Britain’s multi-cultural and multi-faith society. Kuwait benefits from the knowledge its young people bring back from their studies - knowledge that they can utilize to help build Kuwait’s future. One of the things I like most about the educational links between our two countries is the way they reflect the continuing strength of the bilateral relationship shared across the board,” the ambassador added.

Andrew Glass, British Council Director noted that he was particularly struck by inspirational life-changing an experience for students - academically, professionally and personally to be able to graduate from UK universities/colleges.

“They highlight the different philosophies behind the type of study that complements what is done in the home country, friendships, the experience of a different culture, taking English skills to a whole new level and, particularly for postgraduate students. Global networks will serve them throughout their career.

Edukex is a unique chance to speak to the UK universities, to alumni and

British Council experts all in the same place.” All universities attending the Edukex are included in the Ministry of Higher Education’s list of accredited UK universities for undergraduate and postgraduate study. “The education exhibition is the perfect venue to meet a wide variety of UK institutions and compare what’s on offer - all with the guarantee of quality that comes with selecting the UK as an overseas study destination and an opportunity to learn more about how to gain English language skills or take UK qualifications in Kuwait with the British Council.”

The UK Border Agency will also present some useful tips and information about visa requirements for the UK during the two-day event. Ministry of Higher Education, the Kuwait Cultural Office (Embassy of Kuwait in London), and the Kuwait Association of British Alumni (KABA), will also be represented at the venue. The event yesterday was also attended by Rafat Abu Taleb, Assistant Director Projects British Council and Alaa Al-Omran, British Embassy Public Relations Officer.

Corpse found on building’s roof

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: Police received an emergency call stating that a corpse was found on a building’s roof in Bneid Al-Gar. The corpse’s hands and legs had been bound together, suggesting that the crime was premeditated.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the deceased was a 35-year-old

GCC national who was repeatedly stabbed using a sharp metal object.

Families feud A noisy quarrel took place in Sulaibiya police station between GCC nationals and a bedoon. The Jahra security chief dispatched additional forces to break up the fight. A GCC national assaulted a

bedoon girl near her place of residence in Sulaibiya, prompting her relatives to beat up the accused. He approached one of his relatives seeking help and a noisy quarrel began between the two families. Some of the fighters were admitted to the hospital. Police are investigating the case.

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

local Corruption ‘source of all evil’ KUWAIT: A political activist believes that Kuwait is experiencing an ‘extremely critical’ period. The country needs to “follow wisdom before other security measures,” and corruption should be recognized as the source of all evil in Kuwait, opined Nabila Al-Anjari.

“Principles of democratic work are at danger today after being violated by events that took place in the past few days and weeks,” said AlAnjari. She called for a new and different approach to be adopted to contain tensions between the executive and legislative authorities.

Expressing concern about the possibility that the country has entered “a serious phase of sharp sectarianism,” Nabila Al-Anjari Al-Anjari insisted that alignments with different factions “as seen in other Arab countries will not help Kuwait and its democracy.”

The activist questioned the ‘true intentions’ behind selecting names of public gatherings and urged “the silent majority among Kuwaitis to express their opinions in peaceful ways.” Meanwhile, Al-Anjari reiterated that she had previously lodged a complaint with the Public Prosecution Department regarding the suspicious cash deposits case; an action she chose to take as per her belief that “uprooting corruption should be top priority after it reaches a level threatening the country and people’s trust.” The activist hinted that protest movements by opposition groups happen because of flawed mechanisms. Al-Anjari ended her statement by warning against “mimicking events that take place in some other countries,” insisting that violence breeds chaos that jeopardizes reform chances.

US team hosts workshops at Autism Center KUWAIT: The Kuwait Autism Center hosted workshops and other activities for staff members in cooperation with a team of specialists from the University of Colombia, said General Director Dr Sameera Al-Saad. The cooperation between the Center and the American university began in 2006 when the two parties signed a contract according to which a team from the university will visit Kuwait twice a year; once at the start of the school year (between October and November) and the other by the school year’s end (between April Prof Harvey and May).

“The team helps diagnose new cases as well as evaluate students after conducting training sessions during the academic year,” Dr Al-Saad said. Moreover, Dr Al-Saad indicated that the teams’ contributions have been ‘very helpful’ in helping diagnose autistic children and assign the best educational programs. The visiting team will also hold workshops for parents so that they can be trained.

KUWAIT: Iman Ereiqat, Mohammad Ali Al-Kandari, Ton Boon von Ochssee and Dr Adam Abdelmoula are seen along with other dignitaries and attendees at the opening ceremony of the “Training of trainers” workshop at UN House yesterday. —Photo by Joseph Shagra

IOM workshops aim to safeguard workers’ rights, manage migration Kuwait govt working hard to improve labor rights

By Lisa Conrad KUWAIT: Government officials, ambassadors and the press gathered yesterday to inaugurate the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) ‘ Training of Trainers’ workshop at UN House. The program is designed to provide training to law enforcement officials and civil society on protecting temporary contract workers. Iman Ereiqat, Head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Kuwait said in her welcoming speech, “This five-day course will qualify those participating for two years.” She added, “the idea for this stems from our beliefs regarding the importance of investing in human resources, especially since the Gulf is such a popular destination for work.”

The workshop is held in

coordination with the Embassy of the Netherlands, and Dana Ahmed, Policy Officer at the Embassy, told Kuwait Times that it ’s strengthening ties between nations, “These issues are important to us, and they strengthen our ties with Kuwait. Europe is closely tied into human rights issues, and Kuwait’s government has been working hard to improve labor rights.” She added, “High-ranking Kuwaiti officials even came to the Netherlands to see how we handle issues such as trafficking. These workshops make a great change, and help further the changes that are already taking place.”

Mohammad Ali Al-Kandari, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor commented on the addition the workshops would make to the effor ts made so far, “ These

workshops are a continuation of previous training courses that have taken place and will add to our efforts. These steps come as a result of the role that Kuwait plays along with the help of their international colleagues.”

Ton Boon von Ochssee, Ambassador of the Netherlands addressed the gathering, “ There are about 22 million overseas contract workers who live, work and try to earn a living in the Gulf. They save up and send every penny to their families in the hope of sustaining their livelihood and to overcome the poverty and challenges of daily life.” This figure, he added, is on the rise by around six percent per year according to the Human Development repor t. “I t is therefore important that Gulf countries manage programs

and regulations to ensure these workers’ safety, decent working conditions and accommodation.” He said, adding, “Different authorities are to be identified in different ministries. Civil society can actively contribute to the protection of overseas workers. This is by no means a simple task. Active coordination, hands-on knowledge and experience are necessary to ensure the fulfillment of basic needs.”

Adam Abdelmoula, the UN’s Resident Coordinator, said of the Netherlands’ contribution, “These activities could not have come into being without such cooperation. We are thankful for their participation.”

Ambassador Ochssee also told the Kuwait Times that holding regular workshops help with both the learning process and monitoring of pro-

grams. He added, “The first step in making a change is awareness, and the second is regulation. There must be increased transparenc y, especially by agencies many use to secure work in the Gulf. Many of the temporary contract workers are very vulnerable, which is why it’s so important to improve and progress in these efforts.”

Dana Ahmed reiterated the Ambassador’s comments and added, “The important thing is that small, constant steps be taken. Much has changed since these training workshops began.” She continued, “You cannot just point out where the areas in need of improvement are, you must actually step forward and suggest ways to improve. The Kuwaiti government was already confronting the issue, and now even more progress is being made.”

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

LOCAL

kuwait digest

Local Spotlight

A dialogue between fighters

More money for Kuwaiti teachers

By Yousef Abdullah Al-Enizi

T

he following dialogue presumably took place somewhere in the globe between a Kuwaiti protestor from the Demonstration Yard and peers from one of the Arab spring countries: A.P.: Thanks for your help and support and we do pray to Allah that the Arab Spring’s breeze blows towards your country.

K.P.: Don’t mention it, it’s our duty!

A.P.: I’m sure you suffer like the way we do. We live in graveyards, some of us eat from the trash, those with different opinions are imprisoned, national wealth lie in the hands of a handful of influential people.

K. P.: We are as rebellious as you, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that we have deteriorated health and educational services, it’s the state’s duty to provide them for free. The state is also committed to granting citizens special KD 70,000 loans for housing.

A. P.: How much is that loan worth in our currency?

K. P.: Oh, it will fill an entire sack. We also enjoy unlimited freedom of the press and private satellite TV channels are flourishing.

A. P.: Then, what are you fighting for?

K. P.: For...

A. P.: Do the opposition leaders from your country belong to the impoverished class?

K. P.: ?

A. P.: Well, it seems to me that your opposition groups are not interested in nation-building but rather to settle scores between conflicting sects and blocs, only to defend their own interests and privileges. Some of them have achieved their goals while others are still hungry.

K. P.: Don’t say that, please. We are protestors. If only you would watch us at any of our demonstrations at the Demonstration Yard and listen to our furious speeches.

A. P.: Come on, please. Don’t give those ‘enthusiastic rebellious speeches.’ It makes me sick. We have spent years devouring such speeches. Now tell me, do you hold rallies like we do?

K. P.: Well, our rallies have three to ten thousand demonstrators.

A. P.: How large is your population?

K. P.: We’re a little more than 1.25 million.

A.F.: Dear brother, we have already sacrificed a lot, and are still doing so for the sake of freedom and dignity; our bloods were spilt, our children were killed and torn to pieces, our houses were demolished, we have been displaced from our homes, hit by rockets, planes and tanks on our quest for freedom and democracy. It’s been a ‘Waiting for Godot’ situation for us. Dear brother, if you wish that for your country, we don’t.

K. P.: But we will go on fighting and protesting until we achieve our goals.

A. P: What are they?

K. P.:?

At this point, the Arab fighter stopped talking and gazed meaningfully at the Kuwaiti protestor before walking away. So, we do hope Kuwaiti fighters’ goals will be achieved in a way that ensures more development and prosperity for our nation.

May the Almighty safeguard Kuwait, its leaders and people from all evils! — Al-jarida

kuwait digest

Constitution is in a safe place

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

M

P Ahmad Al-Saadoun warned recently that Kuwait could experience Arab spring-like events in case the country’s Constitution is abused. The veteran lawmaker doesn’t need to be worried because our Constitution has been under protection for a long time, ever since the government cooperated with religious and tribal factions.

The Constitution was ignored for a long time, even during Al-Saadoun’s tenure as Speaker. He overlooked the incident when then chairman of the legislative committee sought the opinion of the Fatwa and Legislation Department regarding drafting an ordinance to formulate legislations. When the Fatwa and Legislation Department became the center for drafting bills instead of the Parliament’s legislative committee, the Constitution began to be ignored. It is exactly in the same manner that Article 40 of the Constitution was overlooked when coeducation was banned in the country.

The Constitution lays down that political conflicts between MPs and the Cabinet be addressed in the Parliament. Al-Saadoun chose to ignore the Constitution when he led a delegation to meet with His Highness the Amir to address a rift with the prime minister. MPs never referred to the Constitution when they passed legislations to restrict cultural and artistic expressions. They voted in favor of an audio-visual law that curtails freedom of expression.

While the Constitution insists on ministerial stability to apply certain conditions based on which grilling motions are filed, we find today that interpellation motions have become impotent, with the stability of state department at risk. The oppositionist blocs chose to compromise on their constitutional right when they complied with the government’s orders to restrict public demonstrations to the Irada Square -violating public freedoms protected by the Constitution.

Al-Saadoun warns against severe consequences that will take place if the Constitution is harmed ever so slightly! What he doesn’t realize is the fact that our main problem is that the Constitution is never touched, and is left on the shelf to gather dust - both by the government and the oppositionist blocs.

Don’t worry, Al-Saadoun. The Constitution has been in a safe place for a long time. Citizens’ hearts and minds don’t count for it. —Al-Qabas

By Muna Al-Fuzai

muna@kuwaittimes.net

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kuwait digest

What development are they talking about?

By Ibrahim Al-Awadhi

I

’m not sure on what basis the government created its KD 37 billion development plan, and how it was passed by the Parliament. What kind of development are they talking about when there is a political turmoil, economic problems and increasing bureaucratic corruption?

Endless political confrontations have cost the country a lot of its financial and human resources. The spotlight has been trained away from development process and now focuses on the demands over which politicians fight over. Those involved in corruption grab a lot of attention, instead of creating a future for our country.

The development plan has no chance of being implemented with the current state of bureaucracy that dominates state departments. It is considered a ‘huge achievement’ to have only one transaction completed, let alone carry out major projects that need multiple procedures to go through before being implemented.

How can a development plan be implemented when it takes more than a year and constant visits to more than seven state departments to obtain a license for a commercial or industrial building ? How can we expect the plan to go smoothly when establishing a new company can take between 45 to 60 days? And that’s in the case of regular companies, so you can only imagine how much time it will take to establish companies that execute

mega projects. The development plan itself doesn’t have suitable legislative basis which can be depended on. Even legislations

How can a development plan be implemented when it takes more than a year and constant visits to more than seven state departments to obtain a license for a commercial or industrial building ? How can we expect the plan to go smoothly when establishing a new company can take between 45 to 60 days? And that’s in the case of regular companies, so you can only imagine how much time it will take to establish companies that execute mega projects.

passed recently to help the development process such as Capital Market Authority, foreign investor and privatization laws, remain ambiguous.

For example, the privatization law is yet to be implemented five years after its enforcement.

Meanwhile, the CMA is suffering from administrational conflicts since establishment.

In the meantime, how can we encourage foreign investors to put their money into projects in Kuwait when the country has a history of several projects which were foiled due to certain problems that in most cases are technical? For example, the government placed a tender for a project to develop the Failaka Island in 2003. Despite spending millions of dinars on feasibility studies, the project was suddenly stopped for reasons unknown, only to be resumed after ten years!

What inspired me write to this column is a news item that a fellow journalist passed on to me, taken from a copy of a local daily dated to 1983.

The report says that the government plans in 1987 to start building a residential city in Subbiya, which would have a 250,000 capacity by 2000. We’re nearing 2012 now and Subbiya remains an arid desert. What I mentioned is only a drop in the ocean. There are projects that face legal issues due to the lack of a flexible legal system. I don’t believe Kuwait’s development plan will be fulfilled. — Al-Rai

kuwait digest

Imperial powers revisit the Middle East

By Mustafa Al-Saraf

T

he old imperialist powers (Britain, France and Italy), in addition to the US, (basic members of NATO) along with Turkey colonized the Arab World for 600 years. The Arab region was the blessed garden from which they obtained all ‘the good things,’ in life. The gateway to the garden was shut during the pan-Arab Revolution, and they were not able to come close to it for some time. The powers overthrew it and returned wearing a new uniform, decorated with all types of colors which baffled the residents, who sang in praise of them. The new era of colonization was ushered in when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. This was the first stage, the powers set up military bases in all the oil-producing countries in the region. With that, they achieved one of their goals, which is to control oil fields.

Today, they are preparing for the second stage to directly control oil wealth in addition to achieving Israeli security to help expand its influence (from the Euphrates to the Nile). And as the NATO entered Iraq with an ‘Islamic look’ this time.

It became difficult for it to take a decision against Syria at the Security Council due to opposi-

tion faced form Russia and China.

Turkey began coordinating with Israel under the supervision of the NATO command, to deploy their forces at the Syrian borders.

Turkey began preparations to receive military support from NATO after deploying (Rocket Shield), and established camps.

Its Prime Minister is worsening matters and is threatening Syria.

The Iraqi tragedy will take place

The new era of colonization was ushered in when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. This was the first stage, the powers set up military bases in all the oil-producing countries in the region. With that, they achieved one of their goals, which is to control oil fields.

again. The NATO will begin with a missile attack, followed by the entry of NATO forces lead by the Turkish and Israeli armies, in addition to troops from the military bases of GCC countries. This way, the oil wells will come under their complete control by claiming that they can be protected against Iranian danger. This way, strategic goal will be achieved restoring colonization.

This matter will be dealt with in a quiet manner, unless the ruling party in Turkey changes, or the economic situation in NATO countries takes a turn for the worst. No one still knows about Egypt ’s political dictator.

Whenever that strategic goal, the region will have to face the East and Far East, particularly China and Russia and this explains their support for Syria.

In the Book of Genesis of the Old Testament that the ancient Jews wrote while in Babylonian captivity, “Israelis must invade other people, especially the people of Canaan (Arabs).

They must, when they are victorious sever the necks of their grown up men with a sword’s edge, and steal their women and children, and take all their money and destroy their homes.” — Al-Qabas

f anyone asks a Kuwaiti teacher about his or her job, they will start complaining about everything: the students, management, parents etc. If queried about the creative ideas suggested to make their work atmosphere more successful, you’d be disappointed to hear ‘no’ as the answer. However, a suggestion to raise salaries would be met with an enthusiastic, yes! So, is money the only factor that motivates someone to take up a teaching job? If that is the case, our education system faces an imminent collapse. I think our educational system will continue to stagnate, with no new ideas or updated tools to make it modern or useful.

I went to school in the seventies. Since then, our kids have been continuing to learn by heart and recite like machines. Many teachers are aggressive and greedy. Some don’t teach students well because they want students to approach them seeking private lessons, which is more profitable. Some take medical leaves without anyone caring to ask about students! The students don’t find syllabuses attractive and large text books contain information that is outdated.

Many have jestingly coined a name for this year as the ‘year of strikes. ‘ It is correct. I have another suggestion - the year of money. The most recent ‘illogical’ salary raise was given to Kuwaiti teachers. Now, I use this word because I wonder if any feasibility studies were conducted on the responsibilities that government school teachers fulfill, bearing in mind the short duration of the Kuwait’s academic year. Is this is the end of rest period? They demand more money without putting in any efforts.

I agree that salary scales should be revised for every job, regardless of nationality. It should be wellevaluated and also must not be granted owing to public pressure. What about expatriates teachers, aren’t they performing the same duties as their colleagues?

I think, we will witness a rise in demand for teaching jobs not because they are inclined towards the nobility of the job but due to the good financial returns it guarantees. They don’t really care about their students or the curriculums ? These do not involve money.

kuwait digest

Enough is enough

By Iqbal Al-Ahmad

I

don’t agree with you, your vision, your methods, your intentions or interests. I don’t feel honored to be represented by you, or to have you as a member in my country’s National Assembly.

Who gave you the right, as a lawmaker, to violate the sanctity of our National Assembly? How dare you break into our House, vandalize it and then speak on our behalf? I and thousands of other Kuwaitis reject you and refuse to be represented by

We might agree with some of your demands, but completely reject your obnoxious, chaotic and self-centered approach. We might agree with the prospect of electing a new prime minister.

A parliamentary dissolution might not be the best approach, and we still insist that our democracy not be violated.

But after what you did, we announce that we no longer want you in our Parliament. you. You don’t have the right to speak on my behalf because I refuse to be represented by someone who adopted your approach. Who are you to misguide people and make it appear as if you are speaking on behalf of all citizens? You and all MPs like you form a minority that insulted Kuwait’s history, Constitution and democracy.

We might agree with some of your demands, but completely reject your obnoxious, chaotic and selfcentered approach. We might agree with the prospect of electing a new prime minister. A parliamentar y dissolution might not be the best approach, and we still insist that our democracy not be violated. But after what you did, we announce that we no longer want you in our Parliament. You don’t represent us and we are not honored to have you as members of our Parliament.

Citizens who share this vision with me form the majority. Unfortunately, we are a silent majority. I have no idea about when it will wake up and make voice heard. Enough is enough. It’s time for the silent majority to wake up and make our presence felt. — Al-Qabas

A

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

Years

local Ambassador’s Message

Kuwait, Oman enjoy excellent bilateral relations

I

t has been known for a long time, that people of different types have shining days that remain in memory for ever, and there are occasions that dwell in the hearts over times, as history writes with gold that shines in the horizon to express ambitions and hopes of a bright Sheikh Salem bin Suhail future. Among Al-Maashani such glorious occasions, the Omani people celebrate each year taking a special place in our hearts as Omani citizens, the 41st National Day of the Sultanate of Oman which occurs on November 18th each year. Oman appears in its joy and happiness to express the will of a great leader who promised to establish a modern country since the early moments of the blessed renaissance, and who exerted great efforts in all fields to achieve this goal, and found loyal people who gave him confidence with great sincerity. Thus progress took place in our dear country as it is also the foundation of development of any country or society.

We, from Kuwait, take this opportunity to congratulate the architect of modern Oman’s renaissance and the symbol of its dignity His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Saeed, and we pray to Almighty Allah to bring back this occasion many years to come while he enjoys good health and long life, and that Omani people enjoy more progress and abundance.

As we thank Almighty Allah for His guidance to

all what took place with His grace in the form of comprehensive development that paved the way for many economic, commercial and industrial projects, that relied on a sound infrastructure, that undoubtedly allowed for what the sultanate is enjoying in the form of educational, cultural, health and social facilities as well as construction development in various cities and villages in Oman.

We as citizens believe that maintaining those achievements must remain the top goal that we all seek, and we must place first and foremost, ahead of any other goal, because what benefit us together, will not benefit anyone of us as individuals. We are also sure that the persistence of the country’s pride will not be achieved without more hard and persistent work, in order to ensure the success of plans that aim at boosting the available capabilities to serve the public interest domestically, and elevates the Sultanate’s regional and international status. This only comes through solidarity between all those responsible be it government or private, and through exchange of opinions, so that each one performs his role.

We, on this occasion, are interested in talking about the internal policy of the Sultanate, particularly the Omani Shura experience and its gradual method, that is adopted to guarantee the natural development. People’s needs and longings towards more participation in decision making are valued, be it through constructive dialogue, which H.M. The Sultan used to do with his subjects during his annual tours of the entire Sultanate, in order to exchange views and listen to popular recommendations.

Through what has been established within the modern country including (Oman Council), which was granted wide ranging authorities this year, the legislative and supervisory fields either in grilling ministers, approving proposed laws or amending

them in addition to proposed economic and social treaties the government intends to sign or join, and in order to make a quality move of national action in the coming period.

Those interested in Oman’s affairs realize that Omanis have an outstanding civilized heritage, and openness to other civilizations, as there are well-known leaders and resources which they utilized well, by relying on the vision of our great leader who determined successful plans and effective programs which the Omanis worked hard on implementing them.

Our celebration of the 41st National Day comes as a reflection of a clear image of what the country enjoys in the form of security and stability, as state laws guaranteed the freedom of expression and participation with constructive ideas.Omani Judiciary has enjoyed independence, and its decisions are accepted, as all are equal in front of the

law and justice as H.M. the Sultan said this is the duty that cannot be overlooked, so that corruption does not get into the government action. The Sultanate has adopted balanced economic policies to preserve what has been achieved despite the crises that are sweeping the world.

The Sultanate is known for adopting a clear foreign policy based on cooperation with all according to the mutual respect principles in order to avoid violence and to attain societies enjoying stability and security. As for the bi-lateral relations with Kuwait, H.M. Sultan Qaboos and H.H. the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad are keen to building a bond based on brotherhood and love, away from formal relationship between countries and people. Kuwait-Oman relations have reached the sought after level in all fields, at the peak of its activity, due to the wise instructions of both the leaders.

Prosecution seeks to hear testimonies on Assembly storming People describe events as “state terror” KUWAIT: The Public Prosecution Department received a formal complaint on Friday about the incident in which the Parliament was stormed by a group of protestors. According to Acting Attorney Dherar Al-Asousy, investigations into the case “would continue non-stop.” “[The Public Prosecution Department] seeks to hear testimonies from officials in the National Assembly on the case,” Al-Asousy stated about the incident in which

the Parliament’s building was vandalized by hundreds of protestors led by opposition bloc MPs. A security official told Al-Qabas that people involved in the incident face four charges: resisting arrest, demonstrating without authorization, storming a public place, and damaging state property.”

The opposition bloc held a meeting on Saturday to discuss the future steps to be taken in the aftermath of Wednesday’s events. MP

Mohammad Hayef announced that Islamist political groups agreed, during a brief meeting, to hold another meeting on Tuesday to discuss the current situation.

Several reactions condemning the Parliament’s storming were made to the local press on Saturday, including a statement signed by diwaniya representatives and academics.

They described the events as ‘state terror.’ The Islamic

Constitutional Movement (ICM) expressed reservation on the incident and labeled it as “a result of frustration at the government’s incompetency.”

MP, Dr Waleed AlTabtabae said that opposition blocs plan to stage a public rally at the Iradah Square today, urging citizens to participate in the event.

The National Action Bloc(NAB) is concerned that Wednesday’s events would hamper investigation efforts in the cash deposits case.

Other sources state that the NAB is going to focus during a seminar held on Tuesday “expressing the point of view of the silent majority in Kuwait who aren’t satisfied with the government’s performance, yet reject the opposition’s way in which dissatisfaction is expressed.”

Officials who prefer to speak anonymously indicate that this approach means that the liberal bloc cannot expect to take part in today’s rally as well as another gathering planned by pro-government MPs. In another development, MP Faisal Al-Duwaisan denied ever referring to Saudi Arabia when he told BBC that some non-Kuwaitis were part of the incident.

“There was a considerable number of Arab, Gulf and bedoon (stateless) individuals among the protestors,” Al-Duwaisan reiterated in a statement made to Al-Rai. “I did say that there are countries bothered by Kuwait’s democracy, but I never mentioned Saudi Arabia.” The Shiite MP said that his statement was misquoted by the opposition blocs “who are trying to point fingers at others after committing heinous acts.”

Separately, officials who took part in the seminar that preceded the Parliament’s storming indicate that the Speaker’s hammer reported stolen following the events “is in safe hands,” reported Al-Rai. The insiders added that the hammer is in the possession of a group of citizens “where it will stay for a long time.

Perhaps after 2020, it will be placed in a museum so that younger generations will always remember Wednesday’s events.”

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

LOCAL

Filipina woman abducted, raped on way to work Govt official busted for DUI KUWAIT: The search for a trio of rapists is still on following the report of a gang rape of a Filipina housemaid who was abducted from Sabah Al-Salem recently as she walked to work. In her statement to police, she explained that as she was on her way, a group of men forced her inside their car and drove her to a remote desert location where they sexually assaulted her. Police are trying to find a lead using the descriptions provided by the victim.

Drunk driving A First Lieutenant in the Ministry of Interior was arrested at the Nuwaiseeb checkpoint where he was caught driving under the influence of alcohol. He had been attempting to cross over into Saudi Arabia.

Sniper at large Police are trying to identify a suspect who shot at a member of the public in Al-Thahar recently. A young man reported being targeted by a sniper, whose location couldn’t be confirmed. Investigations, however, did reveal that the shots were fired from an air rifle. A case was filed pending further investigation.

Divorcee returned Salmiya police officers had to return a divorced woman back to her father’s home because she is under the legal age required for women to leave their family home. Officers were approached by the 20-year-old woman, who was seeking help to move out of her

family’s home. She had been residing in her parent’s house following her divorce. Her father arrived at the police station and rejected her wish to rent an apartment, where she wanted to stay with her child. As she was under the legal age, police placed her back into her father’s custody and she returned to her parent’s home.

Harasser ‘singled-out’ A young man was taken in to custody at a Salmiya mall after he violently resisted apprehension for harassing a female shopper, who, he insists, was also being harassed by many others in the mall. The suspect attacked the mall’s security as soon as police arrived, and was eventually handcuffed and forced inside a patrol car. The suspect insisted during interrogation, however, that he only resisted apprehension because he felt he was targetied among many other young men who had also been harassing the young woman.

He has been charged and kept in custody pending further action.

Fraudster caught A traveler was banned from entering Kuwait after airport officials found that he had previously been deported in a drug case. The man, who is an EU national of Arab descent, was caught out by the electronic fingerprinting system at Kuwait International Airport which alerted officials of his deportation in 1995. It was uncovered that he had assumed

another identity in hopes of re-entering the country. He was immediately deported.

Brothers arrested Police have arrested two brothers who were wanted for a stabbing incident four months ago. They were also wanted for kidnapping and sexual assault. The suspects were nabbed in Hawally after being located following investigations. The pair are accused of stabbing a man following a dispute at an apartment hosting immoral activities. The pair admitted during interrogation that they had used stolen cars to kidnap their victims. They were referred to the authorities pending further action.

Baby smuggling A female citizen was caught at the Nuwaiseeb southern border checkpoint attempting to smuggle her baby into Saudi Arabia by covering him with her abaya. She was arrested, and told police that she had resorted to the trick because she wasn’t carrying any identification for the newborn.

Citizen caught Officers at the same checkpoint were given custody of a Kuwaiti man who was handedover by Saudi authorities after illegally crossing the border. Four employees at the Kuwaiti checkpoint are being investigated under suspicion of smuggling the citizen, who is suspected to be a dual-citizen.

—Al-Watan , Al-Rai

‘Dream’ leaves Shuwaikh port destined to Somalia KUWAIT: As part of Direct Aid’s outstanding charitable work and ongoing efforts, the Turkish ship ‘Dream’ left Shuwaikh por t loaded with the largest shipment of relief supplies. The supplies, which include 4,000 tons of relief items, will be transported to Somalia through the port of Mogadishu, and will be distributed to Muslim brothers who are affected by the scourge of the Somali civil war in the country over a long time period. According to the statement issued by the society, the shipment includes rice, sugar, lentils, cooking oil, powdered milk, dates, flour as well as clothes and water tanks.

The statement pointed out that such

remarkable achievement has been achieved, thanks to Allah Almighty, through the coordination of Kuwait Women Convoys Group, which coordinates between Direct Aid and IHH. The statement said: Everything which we aspired was achieved with the assistance of authorities, which contribute most effectively and play a very big role. With Kuwait Ports Authority support which plays its full part to facilitate all required procedures to complete this task, we were able to easily obtain necessary permits and select the appropriate ship dock. The authority also agrees to work 24 hours without interruption to complete loading the relief supplies, as soon as

possible. As a result, the workers took only one week to finish loading. Kuwait Flour Mills and Bakeries also transpor ted the humanitarian aid to the port by a large fleet of trucks that did not stop during the loading process. In addition, Agility Public Warehousing Company offers free 1500square-foot warehouse to store supplies, to support and contribute to the great humanitarian campaign. The representative of Kuwait Women Convoys Group said, “Dream is expected to arrive in Mogadishu within 15 to 20 days.” Finally, Direct Aid called for more constructive cooperation and coordination between humanitarian and relief organizations to help all poor people in Africa.

KUWAIT: Some of the marine flora found in Kuwaiti waters.

Diving team compiling marine flora database KUWAIT: Kuwait Diving Team is compiling a database of all information possible on marine flora found in Kuwaiti waters where the seabed is made of rock, head of the team Walid Al-Fadhil said yesterday.

Al-Fadhil said the great support by the political leadership to team activities aimed at preser ving te state’s marine environment greatly enhances drive and motivation among members.

The team, he pointed out, is documenting locations where flora are found, their type, state, properties such as size and color, as well as other crea-

tures with which they interact or upon which they are co-dependent.

The members work to shed light on means to maintain the best conditions possible to enable flora to thrive, and to maintain the health of the Kuwaiti marine environment in general.

The members also cooperate with researchers in all state bodies and other institutions who are look ing more deeply into any components of the Kuwaiti marine environment, and there is a need for much more research and attention to this field in Kuwait, he stressed. — KUNA

Focus on Rio de Janeiro ‘Apex-Brasil’ woos Kuwaiti investors

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: Several business investment opportunities were offered to Kuwaiti investors yesterday at the Brazilian Embassy during a one-day investment promotion seminar. The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency known as ‘Apex Brasil’ presented various business opportunities available to Kuwaitis from oil and gas, shipyard industry, automobile, research and development.

This year’s promotion focused on Rio de Janeiro, the capital business center of Brazil. “ The center of business has always been in Rio de Janeiro and we wish to invite Kuwaiti investors to take advantage of the great chance. We have more than the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics to offer,” said Luis Carlos de Carvalho, Chief Adviser for I nternational Trade and Investments.

He pointed out that less than 10 percent of $102 billion worth of contracted investments were associated with World Cup and

Olympics investments. “The vast majorit y [of the $102 billion worth contracted investment] are in various investment opportunities available in oil and gas sectors, shipyard industry, automobile, research and development,” he stressed.

“We want to deliver the message especially to Kuwaiti investors that Rio is a privilege destination. We have several concrete projects on the works right now and our foreign investors can take advantage of it. Our federal government fully supports and will protec t foreign investors,” Carvalho promised.

As the ninth largest economy in the world and the largest in Latin America, Brazil today enjoys stable economic growth even as many countries in the world are experiencing an economic slump. “ We have a solid economic base with growth in GDP and foreign reserves of over $230 billion-the largest in the world. In 2010, we recorded seven percent growth in our economy

although it slowed down this year, but we are very optimistic and have the best advantage among other countries,” he beamed.

Carvalho asserted that strong domestic market had somehow propelled their economic superiority amidst the global economic downturn. “With a population of 192 million, and the fact that many are moving from lower income to middle and upper income segments will boost our country’s domestic spending,” he added. He also took pride in his country’s macroeconomic structure, as well as its vast natural wealth. Trade value bet ween Kuwait and Brazil stands at $600 million, the embassy’s business attache revealed.

Apex-Brasil promotes investment opportunities to attract foreign direct investors. They operate satellite offices in Dubai, Cuba, Belgium, China, Russia, Rwanda and the United States. It supports internationalization of Brazilian private and public companies.

KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait - Omariya branch, organized a lecture for students of Al-Omariya Girls’ High School. Branch Manager Haifa Al-Dousary explained the benefits of saving money from a young age, and services that the bank provides to young customers like the @Tijari account.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

US soldiers mark last Thanksgiving in Iraq

Pope celebrates mass in voodoo heartland Page 9

Page 10

MADRID: Spain’s leader of the opposition conservative Popular Party Mariano Rajoy talks to the press after casting his vote for Spain’s general election yesterday in Madrid. —AFP

Spain’s right heads for win MADRID: Bowed by unemployment and spending cuts, Spaniards went to the polls yesterday, all but certain to hand a thundering victory to the right and topple yet another debt-laden eurozone government.

The rain-sodden general elections in the eurozone’s fourth largest economy looked set to punish the ruling Socialists and could sweep the right to its biggest win since the end of dictatorship in 1975. “Spain stakes its future,” headlined the conservative daily ABC over a picture of opposition Popular Party leader Mariano Rajoy and his wife walking with their dog.

“Spain chooses a government to confront the crisis storm,” blared the front page of the leading centre-left daily El Pais. Rajoy, 56, has a lead of about 15 percentage points over the Socialists, the latest polls showed, enough for an absolute majority in parliament and a free hand to reform.

“I am ready for what the Spaniards want,” said Rajoy, accompanied by his wife, as he cast a ballot in Madrid. Voters, who will choose 350 members of the lower house Congress of Deputies and 208 members of the Senate, fumed over an economic crisis that pushed the number of unemployed close to five million.

But some were also war y of Rajoy, who has promised even deeper spending cuts in a bid to tackle a jobless rate of 21.5 percent and reassure the markets. Octavio Arginano, a retired 67-yearold factory worker, said he voted for the right for the first time in his life. “My son has been unemployed for over a year, my daughter earns just 600 euros ($800) a month looking after young children,” he said as he left a polling station in the Madrid neighbourhood of Lavapies.

“There has to be a change although I am not sure anyone knows what to do to get us out of this situation.” If the polls are right, Spain would become the last of the so-called periphery eurozone nations to ditch its government this year, after the debt crisis toppled rulers of Ireland, Portugal, Greece and Italy. The ruling party’s candidate, Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, 60, cast his vote in Madrid and urged the 36-million-strong electorate not to shun the polls. “Spain is at a historic crossroads,” he told reporters.

Some voters were disillusioned, however. “I am going to cast a blank ballot,” said 46-year-old schoolteacher Fernando Javier Alvarez, sheltering under an umbrella at a voting station in a school in southern Madrid.

“The (Socialist Party) PSOE made five million people unemployed and lied to us about the economic crisis,” said Alvarez. “All the parties of the left and right reflect the same ideals.” Though considered uncharismatic even by many of his supporters, Rajoy has galvanised support by promising a break from the past to fix the economy and create jobs. He vowed to make cuts “everywhere”, except for pensions, so as to meet Spain’s target of cutting the public deficit to 4.4 percent of gross domestic product in 2012 from 9.3 percent last year.

Analysts say the victor, who will be sworn in from December 20, must quickly impose reforms to reassure world markets about Spain’s determination to repay its debts. Spain’s risk premium-the extra interest rate investors demand compared with safe-haven German debt-shot to a euro-era high of more than 500 basis points in the days ahead of the vote.

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero’s government enacted unpopular austerity measures last year, cutting public sector wages by an average 5.0 percent, freezing pensions and raising the retirement age from 65 to 67. A nationwide protest movement erupted in May 2011 to vent anger over the high jobless rate and political corruption. Hundreds of “indignant” protesters rallied in Madrid in the days before the election.

Turnout by the early afternoon was just under 38 percent, about two and a half points lower than at the same point in voting in the 2008 election, the interior ministry said. — AFP

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

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

Palestinian ‘dean of prisoners’ marries sweetheart RAMALLAH: “While in prison, I dreamt that I would one day build a big, international library in Palestine, just for children,” said Nael Barghouti on his wedding day. Just one month ago, he was released from Israeli prison after having served over 33 years behind bars for taking part in a “commando operation” which killed an Israeli soldier, making him the longest serving Palestinian prisoner.

In his West Bank home town of Kobar, where his face is drawn or plastered on nearly every wall, thousands of people came to greet and congratulate him during a traditional lunch of lamb and rice served on his wedding day. Some gave him gifts, others money donations. “I am being welcomed not as a person, but as an idea, a symbol for Palestinians,” the 54-year-old said. Barghouti was arrested on 4 April 1978 at the age of 21, and was sentenced to life in prison. Though in Israel he is not a known figure, nor was the

operation he participated in particularly notorious, for Palestinians he is a symbol of sacrifice, and determination.

And everyone has heard of him.

He said he was shocked to see how much the West Bank had changed since the 1970s but was impressed to see how much political awareness had grown. “The world has changed and developed so much since I was gone.

But the longer the occupation lasts the worse things are,” he said.

Barghouti was released in a prisoner swap deal between the Islamist Hamas movement and Israel that freed Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in exchange for more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.

About 5,000 Palestinians remain in Israeli jails.

Barghouti, whose name was left out of many previous prisoner exchange deals because Israel refused to release him, was released based on a Hamas demand to free veteran prisoners.

Barghouti became known as the

dean of prisoners, but he prefers to be called “Abu An Nur” (the father of light).

At the time of his arrest, Barghouti was a member of the armed wing of the Fatah movement. But in prison, he became more religious, and joined the Islamist Hamas movement.

On his release, he was seen waving green Hamas flags. “My nationalistic goals remain the same despite the fact that my political affiliation has changed,” he said. Fatah and Hamas have been bitter rivals since 2006 when Hamas violently seized the Gaza Strip from Fatah causing a rift in Palestinian society.

Political prisoners go to jail representing their respective political parties, and a change of political affiliation is unheard of. But Barghouti emerged as a figure who is well respected by both parties. Palestinians say that he embodies the possibility of obtaining a long sought after Palestinian national unity. “Today is a Palestinian national

celebration, and not just Nael’s wedding,” said his cousin Ahmad. He never met him before his release, but has heard stories of him since he was a child. “I am extremely happy that a long, unjust chapter in his life and the history of Palestinians has ended,” he said, standing in a large crowd of men waiting for the groom.

Soon after, Barghouti, middle aged but never married, arrived carried on a man’s shoulders. A large crowd surrounded him, cheering, singing and dancing. His bride and longtime sweetheart Eman Nafe, 47, wearing a white dress and full makeup waited inside, surrounded by her family and hundreds of women. For years the only contact they had with each other were letters and messages exchanged through family members.

Nafe was herself imprisoned for 10 years in Israel, and was released in 1997. She was accused of attempting to plan a suicide operation in the city

of Jaffa. “Our unique experience joins us and means that we understand each other more than anyone else would,” she said.

Both of Barghouti’s parents died while he was jailed. His closest remaining relative is his younger sister Hanan, who was 12 when he was detained, and his older brother Omar, who has been in Israeli prison for the past 23 years. Holding up two gold bracelets, Hanan addressed the hundreds of people in the wedding hall and said: “My mother held on to these two gold bracelets so that one day she may give it to Nael’s bride, but she couldn’t. But I am so happy to bring them to her now,” she said, her blue eyes watering. “ The idea that Nael would be released from prison and he and I would be together gives the Palestinian people hope that we could all be free and happy,” Nafe told the guests, as they made their way to the dance floor. — Reuters

Iran parliament to review ties with UN nuclear body Lawmakers look at level of cooperation with IAEA

EAST JERUSALEM: Broadcaster Eyal Raz, right, and technician Nasser Abu Hadwan, left, work in the studio of the “All for Peace” radio station in east Jerusalem, yesterday. Israel has ordered the shutdown of a dovish IsraeliPalestinian radio station. — AP

Israel shuts down dovish radio station JERUSALEM: Israel has ordered the shutdown of a dovish Israeli-Palestinian radio station, officials and the station’s operators said yesterday. The station and other critics said the move was politically motivated, and part of a broader assault on democracy by conservative forces in the government.

Some members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition have pushed forward a series of measures recently that critics say are aimed at stifling opponents. Among the proposed legislation are attempts to block most foreign funding for dovish nonprofit groups, lowering the threshold for politicians to file libel suits against the media, and a push to shift control of Supreme Court appointments from an independent panel to parliament.

Conservative lawmaker Danny Danon boasted that he had helped close the “All for Peace” radio station. Danon, a member of Netanyahu’s Likud Party, claimed the Communications Ministry shuttered the station at his request, after he claimed it “incited” against Israel.

“A radical leftist station that becomes an instrument of incitement must not be allowed to broadcast to the broader public,” Danon said. Operators of “All For Peace” radio said they complied with a shut-down order issued last week. Israel’s communications ministry confirmed it issued the order, and said the station was broadcasting into Israel illegally.

The ministr y, headed by a Likud Cabinet minister, said in a statement that

the station’s Hebrew-language broadcasts inside Israel were “economically damaging local radio franchisees.” It did not mention the issue of incitement.

Mossi Raz, the Israeli director of the station, said that it transmits from the West Bank where it is not subject to Israeli law.

He told Israel Radio that the station, which has been operating since 2004, would go to court in Israel to try to get back on the air.

Raz also said the ministry had never questioned the legality of the station’s operations in the past, and that the Israeli Government Press Office has issued press cards to the station’s journalists. The string of moves against Israel’s dovish left wing has drawn heavy criticism of the government, and there have been signs that the government may be backing down. On Sunday, an official in Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister oppose a bill that would allow lawmakers to veto Supreme Court appointments. Conservatives say the court has a liberal bias.

He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to publicly discuss Netanyahu’s position. Israeli journalists also oppose the tightening of a libel law that critics say would put a major chill on investigative reports. The closure of the radio station “joins a wave of legislation and other measures against a free press in Israel that very much worries anyone who cares about Israeli democracy,” said Danny Zaken, the head of the Israeli journalists’ association. — AP

TEHRAN: Iran’s parliament will review relations with the UN nuclear watchdog over its latest report that said the Islamic state’s nuclear activities appeared to have military dimensions, speaker Ali Larijani was quoted as saying yesterday.

The 35-nation governing board of the International Atomic Energy Agency passed a resolution on Friday voicing “increasing concern” about Iran’s nuclear programme after an IAEA report saying Tehran appeared to have worked on designing an atom bomb.

Iran says it is enriching uranium only for a planned network of civil nuclear power stations, not nuclear weapons, and has rejected IAEA director Yukiya Amano’s report as politicised. “(Parliament’s) national security and foreign policy committee has been appointed to review the manner of (Iran’s) cooperation with the agency and relations with it,”

Larijani said, according to the student news agency ISNA. Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has played down talk of Iran withdrawing from the IAEA or the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) that has become louder since the report, saying Tehran’s response would be “one of patience and vigilance”.

“Westerners like to push us towards a hasty reaction and they like to hear that Iran says it would withdraw from the NPT,” Salehi said on Wednesday.

But Larijani said lawmakers would consider whether Iran should offer less cooperation to the IAEA. “ If the agency acts within the framework of the charter we will carry out our responsibilities, but if the agency wants to deviate from its responsibilities then it should not expect the cooperation of others,” he said.

Iran permits limited, regular IAEA inspections of its declared nuclear installations but does not observe the agency’s Additional Protocol allowing for short-notice checks of sites not declared to be nuclear, including research and development facilities. Russia and China signed up to the resolution calling on Iran to clarify questions over its atomic activities “to exclude the existence of possible military dimensions”, but they have resisted pressure from Washington for more UN sanctions.

Iran has said the resolution had strengthened its determination to push ahead with the nuclear programme. “Iran’s parliament announces explicitly that such loud and shallow stonewalling by America and the West would never deter the Iranian nation from pursuing nuclear technology,” Larijani said. —Reuters

Tension in Jordan after arms sale suspect dies

MANAMA: Sheik Ali Salman, leader of the largest Bahraini Shiite opposition group, second left, sits with other opposition leaders during a press conference yesterday, in Manama, Bahrain, including Radhi al-Mousawi of the liberal AlWa’ad society, third left, and Fadhel Abbas of the National Democratic Assemblage, second right. — AP

Dozens hurt as Bahrain police attack funeral DUBAI: Bahrain’s security forces attacked a funeral procession in a Shiite village on the outskirts of the Bahraini capital Manama injuring dozens of people, the opposition said in a statement yesterday.

Al-Wefaq, the largest Shiite opposition group, said “dozens were wounded” when security forces Saturday “brutally” attacked a funeral procession for a 16year-old boy killed a day earlier after being struck by a police car.

The Al-Wefaq statement gave no further details of the incident but it accused the security forces of “raiding” several other Shiite villages on Saturday. The authorities say the boy’s death was an “accident” caused when a police vehicle swerved out of control and struck him.

According to Al-Wefaq, Ali Yussef Baddah was killed in the Al-Jufair suburb of Manama after midnight on Friday, adding that police were out on the

streets to break up a protest. Police, meanwhile, said at least two people were injured in clashes in the city of Issa on the outskirts of Manama, according to a statement released late Saturday by the official state news.

The statement said Saturday’s injuries occurred when police intervened to stop a group of 25 people trying to block a main avenue. Tensions remain high in Bahrain where the Sunni monarchy earlier this year crushed pro-democracy protests, spearheaded by the majority Shiites, with the help of troops from other Gulf states, such as Saudi Arabia.

Twenty-four people died during the month-long crackdown, according to official figures from Manama. The opposition says 40 people were killed. An independent commission is due to release Wednesday a report on the violence. —AFP

AMMAN: Angry relatives of a Jordanian who died in detention last week blocked a road to neighbouring Syria yesterday, accusing authorities of killing him after he allegedly helped Syrians buy arms.

“We blocked the international road from (the border town) Ramtha to Syria to protest against an autopsy report and to demand a trial for the killers,” Fathi Zubi, brother of Najem, 20-year-old taxi driver, who died in prison on Wednesday night, told AFP. “We will continue our protests until the the killers are identified,” said Zubi, whose family belongs to one of the largest tribes in northern Jordan. Zubi said his uncle, who is a physician, “attended the autopsy and said the cause of death was asphyxiation.”

“According to my uncle, my brother was strangled.

He did not hang himself as the report claimed,” he added. Residents in R amtha, a town nor th of Amman, confirmed to AFP that the road has been blocked by large rocks and burning tyres.

Police spokesman Mohammad Khatib played down the incident, saying, “around 30 people blocked road.” “ The situation is currently being addressed by MPs, senators and others who are in talks with Zubi’s family,” Khatib said.

On Thursday, protesters in Ramtha torched the governor’s offices, the courthouse and a police car before a riot squad broke up the demonstration using tear gas. A Jordanian official, on condition of anonymity, said that day: “Najem took two Syrians, who had arrived in Jordan a few days earlier, to an arms dealer.

His mother insisted yesterday “my son Najem had a clean record.” “He was supposed to get a new job in the Civil Defence Department later this week. I do not understand why he was arrested,” she told AFP. Meanwhile, the Jordan Football Association decided to hold a national league match in Amman instead of Ramtha, “for security reasons.”

Several residents of Ramtha, which lies across the border from the restive Syrian city of Daraa, often smuggle clothes, food and other goods across the frontier. But border controls have been stepped up since the outbreak of a deadly anti-regime revolt in Syria in March. —AFP

Ahmadinejad’s press adviser sentenced

BAGHDAD: A US soldier walks near military armored vehicles before making his journey home at the Camp Victory Complex that is set to close in Baghdad, Iraq. — AP

TEHRAN: The Iranian president’s press adviser has been sentenced to a year in prison on charges of “publishing materials contrary to Islamic norms,” the official IRNA news agency reported Saturday. Ali Akbar Javanfekr has also been banned from journalism activities for three years, IRNA said.

Javanfekr is just the latest of dozens of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s political backers to be targeted by hard-line opponents.

This appears to be part of an internal power struggle over influencing upcoming elections for parliament, slated for March, and for president in 2013.

Javanfekr wrote in an official publication that the practice of women wearing a head-to-toe

black covering known as a chador was not originally an Iranian practice but was imported. This was considered offensive by hard-line Iranian clerics. The court sentenced him to six months for publication of materials and pictures “contrary to Islamic norms” and another six months for writings against Islamic norms, IRNA said.

Javanfekr has 20 days to appeal the sentence.

His lawyer, Abdollah Nakhaei, said the verdict is unfair and that he will definitely appeal it. The verdict came hours after authorities banned the pro-reform Etemaad daily for two months for publishing the text of an interview Saturday with Javanfekr, in which he criticized conservative opponents of Ahmadinejad for the arrest of dozens of the president’s allies over the past

months. Authorities made no mention of the interview. Instead, they said the paper was ordered closed on charges of insulting officials and “spreading lies.” Though Ahmadinejad himself is a hard-liner, he and some of his allies have come under attack over political disputes in recent months from the same conservatives who brought him to power.

Iran experienced a wave of newspaper closures during a confrontation between reformers and hard-liners during the 1997-2005 tenure of former reformist President Mohammad Khatami. The judiciary has shut down more than 120 pro-reform newspapers and jailed dozens of editors and writers on vague charges of insulting authorities since 2000. — AP

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INTERNATIONAL

Pope celebrates mass in Benin Delivers spiritual road map for Africa

COTONOU: Pope Benedict XVI celebrates a mass at the “Friendship Stadium” in Cotonou yesterday. Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Benin on November 18, marking his second visit to Africa in a heartland of voodoo and warning against “unconditional submission” to the laws of the market and finance. —AFP

Somalia’s Shebab vow to defeat Ethiopian forces NAIROBI: Somalia’s Islamist Shebab rebels warned Ethiopia yesterday they would “break the necks” of their troops inside Somalia, a day after several hundred soldiers crossed into the war-torn country. “Soldiers of our enemy, the black colonialists of Ethiopia, made some movements into our region on Saturday, but they do not scare us,” said Sheikh Yusuf Ali Ugas, the insurgent group’s commander for the Hiran region.

“We will break the necks of the invaders. ... Our troops are ready for anything, if the Ethiopian enemy try to attack us,” Ugas added, speaking on the Al-Qaedalinked group’s radio Al Andalus. Convoys of Ethiopian troops in lorries and armoured vehicles entered southern and central Somali regions, local elders said Saturday, although Addis Ababa has denied all reports.

“We shall defeat them and fight them any way we can,” Ugas said. “The Ethiopian attack is a plan to oppose the implementation of Sharia law in Somalia by the enemies of our Muslim nation.” Small numbers of Ethiopian forces have been reported operating in Somali border regions in the recent past, but witnesses said the scale of troop movements was far larger this time.

Troop convoys were also reported have entered the south of Somalia after crossing through Kenya, which shares borders with both nations. “I have seen as many as 20 trucks full of Ethiopian soldiers entering Somalia,” said Idris Kasim, a resident of the Kenyan-Somali border village of Bulahawa. Another convoy of 15 trucks were reported to have crossed nearby.

The numbers of troops reported suggest that Addis Ababa could be making its first large-scale incursion since it invaded Somalia in 2006 with US backing. It pulled out three years later after sparking a bloody uprising against its forces and failing to restore order in its lawless neighbour, which has lacked a functioning government for two decades.

But Ethiopian foreign ministry spokesman Dina Mufti on Saturday dismissed the reports outright, saying there were “absolutely no troops in Somalia.” Hardline Shebab insurgents control much of southern Somalia, but are battling both the Western-backed government in Mogadishu and Kenyan troops in the far south, who crossed the border last month to attack rebel strongholds. —AFP

BERLIN: Participants of a “flashmob against racism” lay down white roses and light candles for the victims of right extremism yesterday in front of the Reichstag building housing the Bundestag (lower house of parliament) in Berlin. —AFP

Germany to commemorate neo-Nazi murder victims BERLIN: Germany will hold a memorial service for the victims of a neo-Nazi murder spree, the president of the country’s parliament said yesterday, as a minister vowed to compensate the families of those killed.

The Bundestag lower house of parliament has held talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel and German President Christian Wulff over the most appropriate way to remember the murder victims, parliament chief Norbert Lammert said.

“We are all agreed that there should be an event,” he told Sunday’s edition of the Tagesspiegel. “How such a commemoration should take place depends on the views and expectations of the victims’ families,” he added.

Germany is reeling after the recent discovery of a small farright group believed to be responsible for the unsolved murders of eight men of Turkish origin and a Greek between 2000 and 2006 as well as a policewoman in 2007.

The killings had long been called the “kebab murders” because many of the victims ran snack shops. Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger promised compensation to loved ones and said she was concerned that a probe into neo-Nazi violence might reveal more crimes.

“I fear that at the end of the investigation, we will uncover more victims of xenophobia than we are aware of today,” the minister told the Welt am Sonntag weekly.

“Even if financial help cannot undo the suffering, I will attempt to give the victims’ families a sign of our solidarity with compensation from my budget,” LeutheusserSchnarrenberger said.

In her weekly video message, Merkel described the crimes as “a shame for Germany,” questioning how the group, apparently known to the authorities, could have slipped under the radar to carry out its crimes. —AFP

COTONOU: Pope Benedict XVI celebrated mass at a stadium hosting tens of thousands in the voodoo heartland of Benin yesterday, wrapping up a visit that saw him sign off on a grand vision for his church’s future in Africa.

Some 50,000 people filled the stadium in Cotonou, the economic capital of Benin, a country considered both a centre of voodoo and a bastion of Catholicism-and where the two religions often mix. Officials estimated another 30,000 people watched from outside the stadium, with the pope projected on to giant screens.

Benedict arrived in his popemobile to a joyous welcome from the faithful, many wearing skirts or wraps with his picture. The 84-year-old pope received warm cheers when he took a baby in his arms. Ahead of his arrival, the crowd applauded each time the sun appeared from behind the clouds, some crying out, “Jesus!”

Benedict told the crowd that they should work toward reconciliation in the face of conflict.

“Dear brothers and sisters of Africa, this land which sheltered the holy family, may you continue to cultivate Christian family values,” he said. “At a time when so many families are separated, in exile, grief-stricken as a result of unending conflicts, may you be artisans of reconciliation and hope.” The mass capped a three-day visit by the pontiff to the West African nation, his second trip to the continent, before his departure. On Saturday, he signed off on a roadmap for the Roman Catholic Church in Africa at a basilica in the city of Ouidah, a centre of voodoo, with the Temple of Pythons and its 30-odd snakes just across the street. The document-an apostolic exhortation called “The Pledge for Africa” containing conclusions from a 2009 synod of African bishopsincludes peace, reconciliation and justice as its main message.

He handed the roadmap over to bishops from throughout the continent yesterday. It calls for good governance, the abolition of the

death penalty and denounces abuses, particularly against women and children, while describing AIDS as a mainly ethical problem that requires a medical response. Changes in behaviour are needed to combat the disease, including sexual abstinence and rejection of promiscuity, it adds.

The Catholic Church’s position on AIDS and the use of condoms has long been controversial and carefully scrutinised, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, home to nearly 70 percent of the world’s HIV cases. Benedict singled out those suffering with AIDS or other illnesses during Sunday’s mass, expressing solidarity with them.

The pontiff’s visit to the country has been heavy in symbolism, in a region that served as a major slave-trading centre and coming 150 years after what is considered the evangelisation of Benin by missionaries. Slaves departing from Ouidah and elsewhere took their traditional voodoo beliefs with them and trans-

planted them in the Americas. Benedict’s visit also occurred with the Church facing a major challenge from evangelical movements that have made huge gains on the continent, attracting hundreds of thousands of followers.

At the same time, Africa also has the world’s fastest-growing number of Catholics. In a speech on Saturday, Benedict denounced corruption, warning it could lead to violent upheaval, and called on African leaders not to rob citizens of hope.

“At this time, there are too many scandals and injustices, too much corruption and greed, too many errors and lies, too much violence which leads to misery and to death,” he said at Benin’s presidential palace. “These ills certainly afflict your continent, but they also afflict the rest of the world. Every people wishes to understand the political and economic choices which are made in its name. They perceive manipulation and their revenge is sometimes violent.” —AFP

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

US envoy to meet Abbas on unity govt: Report JERUSALEM: A top US diplomat is to hold emergency talks with Palestinian and Israeli leaders over the next two days regarding plans for a Palestinian unity government, the Israeli newspaper Maariv said yesterday.

A spokesman for the US consulate in Jerusalem confirmed that Deputy Secretary of State William Burns would meet Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas yesterday and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today.

He was unable to provide any other details about the agenda for the talks.

Maariv said the visit was an “urgent” mission ahead of a meeting at the end of

this week between Abbas and Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal that will finalise plans for the implementation a reconciliation deal.

The terms of the implementation have already been hammered out over a series of secret meetings in Cairo, according to Palestinian officials, but will be announced during the AbbasMeshaal summit.

The reconciliation deal signed in May calls for the formation of an interim government of independents that will pave the way for legislative and presidential elections by May 2012. Until now, Abbas’s reported insistence on maintain-

ing his current prime minister Salam Fayyad, who is well-regarded by the international community including Washington, had proved a sticking point.

Fayyad himself has said publicly that he does not want to be an obstacle to the reconciliation process, and Abbas has reportedly agreed to drop him in favour of a consensus candidate. That should allow the long-time rivals to begin implementing the rest of the deal, but has raised concerns among US and Israeli officials.

Israel has criticised Abbas for seeking reconciliation with Hamas, and

Washington-which designates the Islamist group a terror organisationresponded cautiously to the deal when it was signed in May. Maariv said Burns was expected to deliver a strong warning to Abbas that Washington would cut funding to the Palestinians if the government failed to adhere to principles drafted by the international peacemaking Quartet.

The group has said any Palestinian government must renounce violence, agree to abide by previously signed agreements with Israel and accept Israel’s right to exist. Maariv reported, without citing a source, that Egyptian

officials were trying to secure a deal under which the new government would only be required to accept the Oslo Accords. The make-up of the new government has yet to be revealed, but it is expected to consist of unaffiliated technocrats, in a bid to placate both parties and to avoid the loss of international funding. The newspaper said Burns, the number-two ranking official at the US State Department, was being dispatched after Netanyahu warned that Israeli security forces would end cooperation with their Palestinian counterparts if the new government failed to adhere to the Quartet principles. — AFP

US soldiers mark last Thanksgiving in Iraq ‘We’re at the home stretch, ready to go home’

IOWA: Republican presidential candidates talk during the Thanksgiving Family Forum discussion Saturday in Des Moines, Iowa. Republican candidates are taking Iowa by storm as the clock ticks down toward the first US presidential vote, hoping to propel their campaigns with support from the small state’s Christian conservatives. From left are: former Senator Rick Santorun; Texas Governor Rick Perry; businessman Herman Cain; former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. — AFP

Republicans dwell on religious issues DES MOINES: Six Republican presidential candidates showcased their Christian religious beliefs late Saturday as they appealed to the party’s evangelical base ahead of next year’s battle to unseat President Barack Obama. Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum appeared to compete with each other, delivering harsh words about abortion and gay marriage.

Only Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman, two moderate Mormons, stayed away from the discussion held at the First Federated Church here. “Family is defined as one man, one woman; no other definition will do,” insisted Michele Bachmann, who campaigns under the banner of the Christian right.

But even though the positions of these ultraconservative candidates were already known, moderator Frank Luntz, a conservative guru of communications, asked the candidates to speak about religion in more personal terms. Herman stifled a few tears when he talked about his cancer, which he overcame in 2006.

“I will never forget ... walking out of the surgeon office after he just told us,” he said, overcome by emotion. “I will never forget I said ‘I can do this.’” Cain, a pizza mogul who is facing allegations of sexual abuse from several women, admitted to only one personal “failure.” He said he regretted not being present enough at home for his children because of his work as a businessman.

Santorum, a former senator, cried when he told a story about his daughter’s illness. On a lighter note, Texas Governor Rick Perry said he had wanted to be a veterinarian, but eventually chose to become a pilot in the Air Force. He said that he was “lost” after his return home from the military, and only his belief in God helped him get back on track. Asked about moral values, Newt

Gingrich, seen as a specialist for coining the right words, said he did not think “liberty means libertine.” “I don’t think liberty means absence of values,” he added.

Echoing his view, Libertarian conservative Ron Paul said that “liberty doesn’t mean libertine, it means you have choices.”

Building on the same theme, Gingrich blasted the Occupy Wall Street movement, suggesting to its members: “Go get a job right after you take a bath.”

Nearly 3,000 people gathered in the great hall of the church, a huge concrete building on the outskirts of Des Moines, to hear the six candidates.

The candidates’ speeches, their confessions and the lack of squabbling among the debaters delighted the public. “I would have to say that basically it’s nice to know that the contenders are very God based,” Thom Moore, 34, told AFP. “Our country is faced with a situation where we’re losing our Christian background. It’s simply nice to know that they’ll put it in there after having such a jerk as president. I’m not a happy person about Obama.”

Larry and Diane Cox 64 believe the candidates were “great.” “They were intelligent, they were measured,” Diane added. “I just believe that any one of them would be excellent” at the White House. The debate called the Thanksgiving Family Forum was organized by three conservative Christian organizations: FAMiLY Leader, CitizenLink and the National Organization for Marriage.

In contrast, the group Americans United for Separation of Church and State called Saturday’s meeting in Des M o i n e s a “ f u n d a m e n t a l i s t fo r u m .”

Winning in Iowa, which will be the first state to hold a Republican caucus on January 3, is crucial for the candidates. — AFP

VICTORY BASE COMPLEX: US soldiers gathered for an early Thanksgiving dinner yesterday due to an impending switch to field rations at a base near Baghdad, saying they are glad they will soon be going home.

The official Thanksgiving holiday in the United States is later this week, but the last “dining facility,” or DFAC, at the sprawling Victory Base Complex (VBC) on Baghdad’s outskirts closed on Sunday, as US forces prepare to depart. Soldiers and contractors, about 6,600 of whom are still at VBC, dined at tables decorated with colourful paper turkeys and “Happy Thanksgiving” signs hanging overhead.

“We’re going to do the Thanksgiving meal here today instead of on Thursday, because we’re closing out,” said 38-year-old Staff Sergeant Christopher Quimbly, the DFAC manager. “Today on the menu, we have crab legs, turkey, ham, dressing, yams, green beans, rolls, corn bread, mashed potatoes, (and) a variety of deserts,” he said.

“Over 2,000 pounds (almost 900 kilograms) of turkey, over 2,000 pounds of ham” and “probably about 3,000 pounds of mashed potatoes” are being served, he said. But starting with dinner on Sunday, soldiers will have to make do with bagged field rations, Quimbly said.

“I’m thankful for everything here, I’m thankful every day. ... This means a lot. I’ve started off over here, seen this DFAC stood up, and I’m over here when it’s closing down,” he said.

Quimbly, who is married and has two sons and three daughters, said he is “definitely looking forward to getting home.” He arrived for this tour, his fifth, in May 2011.

“I think it’s a good morale boost for everyone,” Specialist Shawna McNeil, a 23-year-old on her first tour of duty in Iraq, said of the

meal. “It’s good for us because we know that time’s dwindling down, it’s not much longer, it’s the last meal-we’re at the home stretch,

“It’s been a really good experience, and they’ve done a really good job,” he said of the meal. “It’s the beginning of closing it down,

BAGHDAD: US soldiers enjoy an early Thanksgiving dinner at the Camp Victory complex in Baghdad yesterday. The official Thanksgiving holiday in the United States is later this week, but the last “dining facility,” or DFAC, at the sprawling Victory Base Complex on Baghdad’s outskirts will close today, as US forces prepare to depart. — AFP ready to go home.

“I think it ’s good for ever yone to be together and have a good meal. I know a lot of people probably miss their families, so just a little something helps out,” she added.

“Seeing that this is the last (cooked) meal for the soldiers here ... it’s a good thing, ‘cause we know we’re moving out,” said 45-year-old Sergeant James Scott, who is on his second Iraq deployment.

and having a new year back home,” he said, adding: “I’m ready to head back to Kentuckyjust get back and relax, and be with the family.” President Barack Obama announced on October 21 that US forces would leave by the end of this year, bringing to a close an almost nine-year war that has left thousands of American soldiers and tens of thousands of Iraqis dead, and cost hundreds of billions of dollars. — AFP

Officials say 32 homes destroyed in Reno fire RENO: Austin and Sarah Hardage’s home is burned to its foundations - the sad aftermath of an early-morning conflagration that raged through an area of southwest Reno. But in a twist that played out time and time again across the 2,000-acre fire, neighboring houses on either side were untouched by flames.

“It’s just amazing - Murphy’s Law,” Austin Hardage said Saturday afternoon. “It didn’t even touch either house on either side. It doesn’t make any sense.”

Their home is among the 32 that were destroyed by the unusual, out-of-season blaze that spread by gale force winds Friday and ripped through the Sierra foothills. Gov. Brian Sandoval was among a number of leaders who opined on Saturday that it was a miracle that scores more homes weren’t lost.

“ This was not only a wild land, urban-interface type fire, it was also a metro fire where we had homes that were actively burning in densely populated areas,” Reno Fire Chief Mike Hernandez said. Many families “had to leave in the middle of the night with very, very limited possessions and they are coming back to devastation, to nothing,” he said. “So our hearts and prayers go out to those families.”

Austin Hardage explained how they awoke to a smoky, orange glow through the windows about 2 a.m. Friday. With flames speeding down the hillside behind the Hardages’ house, they decided to grab some clothes and the pets and flee, joining nearly 10,000 other southwest Reno residents in an evacuation.

“Three computers, two dogs and two rabbits. That’s pretty much all we have now,” Austin

Hardage said, his voice giving way to some tears. “I’m sorry,” he told a reporter. “It hadn’t really hit me until I start talking about it.” The house itself in an upscale gated community near Lakeridge Golf Course .

“It’s all just glass and twisted metal,” he said. A few miles away, Tim Sweeney ended up on the good side of a similar situation. “The house directly south of me burned completely down,” he said. But Sweeney’s house with stucco walls and a concrete tile roof - suffered relatively minor damage when blowing embers got underneath the tiles and started burning in the attic.

“Just about everything around the perimeter of my house is gone,” Sweeney said.

“Luckily, there was no real damage to the house except where they had to cut holes in the ceiling,” he said.

Sweeney, an architect who

has lived there 25 years, said the flames had gotten within 100 feet of his home atop Windy Hill when he “finally had to get out of there.” Reno firefighters showed up about the same time, he said. “Those guys just busted their butts fighting that fire. They first thought they were not going to be able to save it,” Sweeney said. Sandoval said after a helicopter tour of the area Saturday that while the loss of homes was tragic, the 400 firefighters on the lines are heroes for saving more than 4,000 houses that could have burned in the blaze investigators suspect was started by arcing power lines. “When you see something like that, you can’t help but be struck by the awesome and random power of nature,” Sandoval said about the blackened path of the fire that snaked along the edge of the foothills. — AP

Police checks examined following Sydney blaze SYDNEY: The leader of Australia’s New South Wales state ordered a review of criminal checks on nursing home staff yesterday, as a sixth elderly person died following a suspicious inferno at a Sydney residence. A 79-year-old woman died in hospital early yesterday, police said, the sixth aged resident to die after the Quakers Hill Nursing Home went up in flames early Friday in a pre-dawn fire that allegedly was deliberately lit.

Dozens of the home’s mostly infirm residents, some of whom suffered from dementia or were blind, were injured and a number remained in a serious condition, with two women clinging to life and several others gravely ill. A 35-year-old male nurse at the home, Roger Dean, was on Saturday charged with multiple counts of murder over the fire. It was described by Prime Minister Julia Gillard as a “very dark day” for Australians and a “truly horrifying” way to die. Ironically, Dean had been hailed a hero after appearing before news media outside the home as firefighters battled to contain the flames, telling reporters he “just quickly did what I could to get

everyone out”. “The smoke is just overwhelming but, you know, we got a lot of people out, so that’s the main thing,” he told television news crews.

NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell on Sunday ordered a full report into criminal screening processes for nursing home staff and an audit of all the state’s care facilities for the elderly, vowing to take lessons from the tragedy. “I’ve asked for a full report, not only on checks on staff but also the physical structure of nursing homes and retirement villages across the state,” said O’Farrell. But he insisted that while “tragic”, the fire in western Sydney was an “isolated episode”. Police refused to comment on multiple media reports that officers had spoken to Dean about an unrelated matter just hours before the fire erupted, or that he recently left another job at a nearby nursing home following a dispute.

“As the matter is before the courts it’s inappropriate for the NSW Police Force to comment on speculation or any circumstances surrounding the investigation into the fire or the arrest,” a police spokesman said. Forensic and other examinations are

continuing and police said “further charges are expected to be laid at a later date”.

Dean was described by locals as a friendly but quiet man who kept to himself.

“I knew Roger quite well,” said next-door neighbour Peter Arnold. “It’s a surprise that someone so close could do this.” He lived just 500 metres (yards) from the now-gutted nursing home with another man, and had only been work ing there for two months, according to local media reports.

Citing police sources, the Sun-Herald newspaper said Dean was believed to have ignited two separate fires using a cigarette lighter, one in an empty room and another that was occupied, just moments apart.

One worker on duty when the blaze broke out said it was a deeply traumatic experience and the four staff on duty “just went into action and rescued all the ones we could rescue”. “We’re just hoping that all the families understood that we did the best we could,” she told the Sunday Telegraph. A memorial service will be held for the victims on Wednesday at Quakers Hill Anglican Church. Dean is due to appear in court on Thursday. — AFP

SYDNEY: Roger Dean (2nd R) is given oxygen by ambulance staff after a fire engulfed a nursing home for the elderly, killing at least three and seriously injuring eight, near Sydney. A nurse at the home, Roger Dean, 35, was charged with multiple counts of murder over the inferno, described by Prime Minister Julia Gillard as a “very dark day” for Australians. — AFP

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international

In India, Tibet self-immolations test exiled leaders DHARAMSALA: Teenage Tibetan monk Lobsang Rabten fled over the Himalayas to India after a childhood friend set himself ablaze in March to protest against China’s campaign of forced “re-education” at their monastery.

By the time the seventeen-yearold reached the safety of India’s Tibetan exile capital of Dharamsala in October, almost a dozen young monks and nuns had followed his friend Phuntsog’s example. At least six have died. “ There are so many ways to protest, but Phuntsog’s self-immolation was a completely different strategy,” Rabten said, speaking at a refugee reception centre outside Dharamsala where he had arrived days earlier. “It really demonstrates his dedication and sincerity towards freedom.”

The wave of self-burning reveals desperation among Tibet’s youth after 60 years under Beijing’s thumb.

But it is also a moral and policy dilemma for Tibet’s spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and a new generation of exiled politicians. The Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 with hundreds of followers and they set up base in Dharamsala, a town in the Himalayan foothills about 400 km (250 miles) north of New Delhi.

The deaths raise theological questions about non-violence and highlight a long-standing schism between the elderly Dalai Lama’s softly, softly approach to China and activists who want to fight for independence. “It’s almost regular now, I get these kind of updates, this morning I was woken around 7 am by a phone call saying someone, a monk, self-immolated himself,” said Lobsang Sangay, the Tibetan government-in-exile’s prime minister.

A Tibetan in Nepal had set fire to himself that day. Indian born, Harvard educated Sangay is in a tough position under pressure from

his generation of exiles who see no progress from the Dalai Lama’s measured approach to China, but also shouldering a huge responsibility not to inflame tensions in Tibet and risk the lives of his compatriots.

“We do not encourage any protests inside Tibet, because we know the consequences,” he said, but added it was his duty to give voice to men and women who chose such drastic steps. In a sign of increased activism, his government has promoted events in solidarity with a quiet protest movement in Tibet called “White Wednesday.”

Unlike the immolation in Tunisia that sparked the Arab spring revolutions, in Tibet no large-scale uprising has followed. Instead, since 2008, each Wednesday, a day considered auspicious for the Dalai Lama, an unknown number of Tibetans shun Chinese businesses, attend monasteries, wear traditional dress and speak in their own language.

Many of the self-immolators, including Phuntsog, were linked to Kirti, a large monastery in western Sichuan that has emerged as a centre of defiance to China’s controls.

The internet, digital photography and mobile phones have helped the monks get news and videos of the protests to a sister monastery in Dharamsala, sometimes within hours of an immolation.

Rabten was in the county town of Apa the day his friend doused his dark red robes in gasoline and set himself ablaze. Monks fought with police and took the then still-alive monk into the temple.

“All that remained were white traces on the asphalt from the fire extinguishers,” he said of the site where his friend committed suicide.

Rabten, who did not witness the grisly act and says he was not involved, went into hiding, dressing in lay clothes and growing his hair to escape arrest.

“There were plain-clothed police on every corner, there were huge military trucks with armed soldiers and machine guns,” he said. China considers the Dalai Lama a dangerous separatist and hopes Tibetan resistance will fade when the 76-sixyear-old dies. It says it has brought economic growth and education to a backward, feudal society previously ruled by a theocracy.

The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Dalai Lama has for years said he is seeks autonomy and religious freedom in Tibet, not independence.

This “middle way” policy has never convinced Beijing. Many exiles say the fight must be for full independence.

“Immolations, right or wrong?” read one flier announcing a discussion group in Dharamsala, where shaven-headed monks and nuns rub shoulders with backpackers in narrow streets of gabled temples and prayer wheels. This is the question

playing on the minds of the holy men and second generation exiles who are trying to keep an ancient culture alive in their new home.

The burnings add a dark twist to the tale of Tibetan resistance. Some Buddhists say suicide is violence and therefore unacceptable. Others see self-sacrifice for a greater cause as legitimate.

“What the monks do in Tibet is all their own decision, and we don’t feel we are in a position to tell them to don’t do it,” said Kunchok Gyamtso, a senior member of the Kirti monastery in Dharamsala.

For many young Tibetans in town, the answer is clear-the situation across the Himalayas has reached unbearable levels. Tenzin Chokey is the general secretary of the Tibetan Youth Congress, which has fought for full independence for decades and says the immolations are a clear message the world must do more. —Reuters

Pakistan’s US ambassador returns home amid scandal Politicians get death threat text messages

COLOMBO: Attorney General C.R. de Silva (L) hands over the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse (R) at his Temple Trees residence in the capital Colombo yesterday. Sri Lanka’s probe into its battle with Tamil rebels concluded with a report to the President as media reports said it had called for fresh investigations into alleged war crimes. —AFP

S Lanka war probe calls for new inquiry COLOMBO: A Sri Lankan government probe into the civil war against Tamil rebels has called for further investigations of alleged war crimes committed in the final stages of fighting in 2009, a report said yesterday.

The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), which has been widely criticised as biased by international rights groups, concluded that some evidence warranted a new inquiry, the local Sunday Times said.

The commission was due to hand over its report to President Mahinda Rajapakse later Sunday, but it is not clear when it will be published. The 400-page dossier “will ask the government to investigate incidents that may have occurred during the final stages of the war”, the Sunday Times said, adding that “information points to prima facie evidence but no names named”.

Both government forces and the Tamil Tiger separatists have been accused of war crimes in the months before the rebels were finally wiped out in May 2009, ending decades of warfare on the island.

The LLRC, appointed in May last year, was not mandated to probe war crimes but asked to find out why a Norwegianbrokered 2002 truce failed and to recommend ways to prevent the island slipping back to ethnic conflict.

The Sunday Times said that the LLRC had also described a documentary by Britain’s Channel 4 television alleging to show government troops executing suspected Tamil rebels as a “total fabrication”.

A report in April by a panel commissioned

by UN chief Ban Ki-moon noted “credible allegations” of war crimes committed by both sides. Colombo denied the claims, maintaining that troops did not kill a single civilian. —AFP

Afghans protest against US deal SURKHROD: Around 1,000 people, mostly students, took to the streets in eastern Afghanistan yesterday to protest against plans for a long-term partnership deal with the United States, which they fear could lead to an extended presence of US troops.

Afghan political and community leaders endorsed the idea of a strategic partnership, with some caveats, after a 2,000strong national gathering, or loya jirga, which ended on Saturday. The demonstrators gathered just outside the capital

JALALABAD: A university student of Nangarhar, makes a US flag, as others hold an effigy of US President Barack Obama during a demonstration in Jalalabad, east of Kabul, Afghanistan yesterday. —AP of eastern Nangarhar province and burned an effigy of US President Barack Obama as they protested against the prospect of US troops remaining in Afghanistan.

All foreign combat troops are currently slated to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014, with security nationwide to be handed over to the national police and

army. However, other foreign advisers will remain to work with Afghan forces.

“We are totally against any American presence in Afghanistan, they kill our people in their arbitrary operations,” said university student Mohammad Tahir Qane. Other protesters carried banners and shouted “death to America, death to American slaves”.

One, 22-year-old Gul Khan, said: “We don’t want to be the slaves of Americans forever, our patience is running out. If this pact is signed, we will take to the streets every day.” There were some major qualifications on the jirga’s support for a pact, however. In a declaration made after the meeting, delegates said they opposed a permanent US military presence in Afghanistan and wanted the United States to stop carrying out night raids.

The status of the raids is proving a major obstacle to finalising the bilateral agreement. The raids have caused widespread resentment among Afghan civilians. Many Afghans, including President Hamid Karzai, say they should be stopped or severely curtailed.

However, Western commanders see the raids as one of their most effective weapons as they seek out insurgents who hide among ordinary Afghans. The Taleban condemned the loya jirga in an email sent to media outlets yesterday.

“We believe that (the agreement) was alre ady designed by the Americans and only used the name of loya jirga to announce it,” it said in a statement. The Taleban demand that all foreign troops must leave Afghanistan immediately. —Reuters

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s ambassador to the US returned home yesterday after being summoned to answer questions about his alleged role in a secret memo scandal that could cost him his job and threatens to engulf the country’s president. The controversy centers on a memo that was sent in May to Adm. Mike Mullen, the top US military official at the time, asking for his help in reining in Pakistan’s powerful military after the covert American raid that killed Osama bin Laden in a Pakistani garrison town.

Mansoor Ijaz, a US citizen of Pakistani origin, has claimed that Ambassador Husain Haqqani orchestrated the memo, which has been published in the media and does not include an author’s name. The document has shocked many Pakistanis because it offered to replace Pakistan’s national security hierarchy with people favorable to Washington in exchange for help.

Haqqani has denied the allegations but has offered his resignation to end the controversy. He is expected to meet with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and other senior officials during his visit to explain his position on the scandal.

Ijaz has claimed that Haqqani told him Zardari approved the secret memo, an explosive allegation that could roil Pakistan’s political system if proved true. The president has denied the claim.

Some commentators have called for those involved in the scandal to be tried for treason. The controversy has exacerbated tensions between Pakistan’s shaky civilian government and its powerful army generals. Though Pakistan has a civilian president, the military retains vast political and economic power. It has ruled Pakistan, directly or indirectly, for much of the country’s six-decade existence, and has fiercely resisted attempts by civilian leaders to curb its role.

The memo has fueled political-

ly toxic charges that the government is colluding with the US against the interests of the country and its army. Though Washington pumps huge amounts of aid into the country, the US is highly unpopular here.

on May 2. It asks Mullen for his “direct intervention” with Kayani to stop this.

The bin Laden raid sparked outrage at the US because the Pakistani government was not told about it beforehand. It also

WASHINGTON: In this June 20, 2008 file photo, Husain Haqqani, new Pakistani ambassador to the United States, speaks during an interview. —AP The affair has been whipped up by right wing critics of the government and those close to the military establishment, which doesn’t trust Haqqani.

The memo accuses Pakistan army chief Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kayani of plotting to bring down the government in the aftermath of the bin Laden’s assassination

generated unusual domestic criticism of the Pakistani military because it was not able to stop US commandos from sneaking into the country.

Some analysts have questioned Ijaz’s credibility and suggested the affair is a conspiracy cooked up by the military to embarrass the government or

remove Haqqani. They have pointed out that the fear of a coup is strange since the military was on its heels at the time.

Ijaz, a businessman, first revealed the secret memo in a column in the Financial Times on Oct. 10. He has a history of making claims to be well connected with US politicians. Under the Clinton administration, he said American officials told him Sudan was willing to turn over then-fugitive bin Laden, who was taking refuge there. Ijaz said Clinton National Security Adviser Sandy Berger rejected the deal because he was unwilling to do business with Sudan - a claim that Berger immediately denied.

In Islamabad, about 150 members of Pakistan’s parliament, provincial assemblies and senate have received anonymous text messages demanding that they resign or be killed, the interior minister said.

Two suspects from Larkana district in Sindh province are being held over the threats, interior minister Rehman Malik told reporters on Saturday, after help from the cyber crime wing of the Federal Investigation Agency.

“Threatening SMS were sent... asking them to resign or get killed,” Malik said. Pakistan is battling multiple insurgencies including Taleban and Al-Qaeda-linked networks whose attacks are blamed for thousands of deaths in the past four years including those of several politicians.

An MP from northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that he and colleagues regularly received such threats “by SMS and other means” but that he believed authorities dealt with them well.

“It is a routine, we get so many threats, but our institutions are tackling this issue very well. Many culprits have been arrested in the past for sending threatening messages,” he said. —Agencies

Mega church rises in Karachi KARACHI: Pakistan’s tiny and downtrodden Christian community thought big when constructing its latest church - a domed, three-story building that towers over the sprawling slum it serves and is the largest yet in the violent, Muslim country. St Peter’s of Karachi, which opened its doors this month and can fit around 5,000 people, is a sign of the resilience of a faith that has long suffered from state discrimination and attacks by extremists allied with al-Qaeda and the Taleban.

The church took 11 months to build and cost $3.8 million, raised from local donations and from Roman Catholics around the world, said Father Saleh Diego. It was built on the site of a smaller church in Azam Basti district, a jumble of lanes and simple brick houses that is home to around 15,000 Christians.

“There were so many people here it was not possible for us to accommodate them on Sundays. Some were sitting at the back, some in the corner, some on the terrace,” said Diego. “Now we can pray together, all 5,000 people, worship the Lord and really share and strengthen our faith.”

Pakistani towns and cities are dotted with striking churches dating back to the 19th century, when the subcontinent was ruled by Britain. Newer churches do get built, especially by Protestant and evangelical groups, but

are smaller, single-room affairs.

In some predominantly Muslim countries, such as Egypt and Indonesia, the construction of new churches can trigger tensions and even violence, but those built in Pakistan normally sit in poor Christian neighborhoods like Azam Basti, so they rarely spark protests. Those few that are built in Muslim or commercial areas can expect some problems, said

a Western missionary whose church is about to begin construction of a school and church complex in Punjab province.

“We had some opposition at the start,” said the man, who has lived legally and openly on a missionary visa in Pakistan for many years, but declined to give his name for security reasons. “If we put up a big cross, and we called it a seminary, then we would

KARACHI: In this Nov. 14, 2011, photo, the exterior of the newly built St. Peter’s church is seen in Karachi, Pakistan.

Pakistan’s tiny and underfire Christian community thought big when constructing its latest church — a domed, threestory building that towers over the sprawling slum it serves and is the largest yet in the violent, Muslim country. —AP

expect that the locals would give us some problems. We will do it slowly.”

Christians are often discriminated against in Muslim countries, but in Pakistan they face unique problems.

Most are the descendants of low-caste, “untouchable” Hindus, who converted to Christianity when the region was under British colonial rule. Today, many still do the same work as their ancestors: street sweeping, domestic service or other menial jobs.

They tend to live in ghettos of extreme poverty, often separated from their Muslim neighbors by high walls.

In Pakistan, Christians account for between 3 percent and 5 percent of the country’s 180 million people, split approximately equally between Roman Catholics and Protestants.

There are even smaller numbers of Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists.

St Peter’s is roughly the same size as Karachi’s imposing British-era cathedral, St. Patrick’s. But it can accommodate many more worshippers because they sit on the floor, not on benches as is common in churches visited by wealthier Pakistanis like St. Patrick’s.

The church is a simple rectangular building, adorned with arches and dozens of Gothic spires. Dozens of stained-glass windows depict the sufferings of Jesus Christ, while the walls inside are painted shiny white with large frescos. —AP

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

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

Australia insists China ‘measured’ on US Marines SYDNEY: Australia dismissed suggestions yesterday that China had been angered by plans for a US troop buildup in Darwin, saying its response had been moderate and talks on the issue were “cordial”. The plan to post up to 2,500 Marines in northern Australia by 2016-17 was unveiled by US President Barack Obama during a visit to Canberra last week and immediately labelled inappropriate by Beijing.

But Prime Minister Julia Gillard met with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Indonesia over the weekend and said they had constructive discussions on the issue.

“Our meeting was a cordial one, it was a constructive one. We were looking to the future, it was a forwardlooking meeting,” Gillard told reporters

in Bali. “On the attitude of the Chinese government to these questions, I think that’s best taken from the official statements of the Chinese government through its foreign ministry indicating that they’ve got a focus on peace and stability in the region, and so do we.”

Jakarta also expressed concern over the troop expansion, with Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa warning it could inflame relations and create a “vicious circle of tensions and mistrust”. But while Southeast Asian nations fret over being squeezed between the competing interests of China and the United States, Indonesia at the same time is building up its own military cooperation with US forces.

Gillard said she had also discussed the issue with Indonesian President

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono during bilateral talks in Bali over the weekend.

“President Yudhoyono certainly understands that this is step forward in our defence cooperation with the United States, (that) we are a long-term ally of the United States, that this step forward in our defence cooperation is not aimed at any nation in our region,” she said. They had also discussed how the new arrangement would boost the capacity to meet “regional contingencies including natural disasters” as part of broader discussions about improving disaster readiness and responses, she added. Defence Minister Stephen Smith earlier described China’s response to the troop boost as “quite measured”, moderate and appropriate.

“China, for a long time, has said that it doesn’t believe there should be mili-

tary alliances, but it understands that Australia has a military alliance with the United States,” Smith told Australian television. “My own judgement is that the response -official response from China-has frankly been a measured one. It hasn’t been over the top.

“We continue to make the point publicly and privately to China that there’s no inconsistency between a military alliance... with the United States and a comprehensive bilateral relationship with China.”

Smith said it was very important to divorce commentary on the issue from official responses and that it was “really what they say at the top level” that mattered, not bellicose editorials in state-owned media outlets.

Smith said the deal unveiled by

Obama included greater access for US military aircraft to northern Australia and “in the longer term” expanded ship and submarine visits to the nation’s west coast.

But he dismissed media reports that the two countries were planning a joint Indian Ocean military base on remote Cocos Island, near Indonesia, saying “that discussion has not occurred”.

“Down the track in the future, there may well be some possibility or prospect of greater utilisation of Cocos Island, but that’s well down the track ,” he said. “In the first instance, our Indian Ocean arrangement will be, in my view, greater naval access to our premier Indian Ocean naval base-Sterling Base in Western Australia.” —AFP

Arroyo ‘will not receive fair trial’ Case against ex-Philippine leader was ‘railroaded’ MANILA: Former Philippine president Gloria Arroyo is being “persecuted” and will not receive a fair trial after she was arrested for allegedly rigging elections, a lawyer for her family said yesterday.

Ferdinand Topacio dismissed assurances from President Benigno Aquino that the ailing Arroyo will be treated fairly, saying the government was determined to victimise the ex-president.

“There is a pall of gloom about her because of what has happened. She is being persecuted and it is taking a toll on (her) health,” Topacio told ABS-CBN television.

Topacio said the case against Arroyo was “railroaded” and the former president’s rights were being violated. “They will now pull all stops to prevent our client from getting a fair trial,” he said.

Arroyo, who is confined to a suburban hospital with a rare bone disease, has lost her appetite and is suffering an intestinal infection, he said, adding: “Her condition is not improving at all.”

Arroyo was arrested in her hospital bed on Friday on non-bailable charges of tampering with senatorial elections in 2007 to help a political ally. If convicted, she could face life in jail.

The former president sought to travel abroad last week for medical treatment but the Aquino government blocked her

MANILA: Former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, wearing a head and neck brace, poses following an interview. — AP departure, saying she might flee charges of vote fraud and corruption.

The Supreme Court had ruled on Tuesday that Arroyo could leave the country for treatment but government personnel

blocked the wheelchair-bound former leader at the airport.

Justice department and election officials then speedily prepared the criminal charge which was used to keep her from travelling.

Other corruption charges against her are being prepared but have not yet been filed in court.

Aquino, who returned from an international summit in Indonesia late Saturday, hailed the arrest, saying it was just the first step in a wider campaign against corruption.

“This is just the start of the process,” Aquino said.

“No one should be spared in the search for the truth and in punishing the guilty.”

Another Arroyo lawyer, Raul Lambino, reiterated that motions would be filed with the Supreme Court and other tribunals questioning the legality of Arroyo’s arrest.

Supreme Court spokesman Midas Marquez said the court could still rule that procedures used to charge Arroyo were unconstitutional, nullifying her arrest.

“If that (charge) is adjudged as unconstitutional then of course all the proceedings... would have to be nullified, but again we have to wait for the decision of the court,” he said.

Arroyo, who was in office from 2001 to 2010, was repeatedly accused of vote fraud and massive corruption but efforts to charge her were blocked.

After her term ended, she was replaced by arch-rival Aquino who has sworn to bring her to justice as part of a wider crackdown on corruption. —AFP

Fears for ancient Thai temples as floods recede AYUTTHAYA: The ruined temples of Ayutthaya have survived centuries of tropical heat and rain, but experts fear some have been weakened by Thailand’s devastating floods and may be at risk of collapse. Unusually heavy monsoon rains caused a deluge that swept across much of central and northern Thailand from July, leaving more than 600 people dead and damaging millions of homes and livelihoods. Ayutthaya, around 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Bangkok, was in one of the worst-hit parts of the country and dramatic aerial images last month showed its temples as islands in a vast lake of floodwater. The structures spent weeks swamped by the murky waters and now fresh cracks have appeared in some of the pagodas that dominate the historic capital, a major tourist attraction and UNESCO World Heritage site. As the waters retreat, visitors have been warned not to climb onto the structures in case they collapse.

Chaiyanand Busayarat, director of Ayutthaya Historical Park, estimated at least 650 million baht ($20 million) worth of damage had been done, but said the full consequences of the floods were not yet known. “The monuments’ construction was not designed to carry this much weight (of water). The floods have also softened the ground, making it unstable.

Buildings could sink or, in the worst case, they might collapse,” he told AFP. The waters have receded from much of the centre of the city, although some of the many temple compounds dotted around the historical park site are yet to fully dry out.

Erected at the confluence of the Chao Phraya, Pa Sak and Lopburi Rivers, the Ayutthaya monuments have long been susceptible to seasonal flooding. The old city used to be protected by a network of canals that drained the water away, said a heritage expert for the United Nations cultural body UNESCO, who asked not to be named.

“A lot of those canals have been filled over or have naturally become more shallow over time,” she told AFP. “There is some fear that there might

QINGYANG: In this photo taken on Friday, Nov. 18, 2011, two children stand in front of the Little Doctor Kindergarten whose minibus collided head-on with a truck in Zhengning county in Qingyang city in northwest China’s Gansu province. — AP

School in China that ran overcrowded bus to close BEIJING: The kindergarten that operated a crowded, makeshift bus that crashed, killing 19 children, has closed and a new public school will open at the same location today, state-run media and a city government said.

The bus, originally a nine-seat van, was carrying 62 children and two adults when it crashed head-on with a truck in nor thwest Gansu province on Wednesday. Their teacher and the driver died along with the children, who were between 3 and 5 years old, and all 43 surviving children were injured.

The bus was on its way to the privately run Little Doctor Kindergarten in a rural area that comes under the Qingyang city government. Qingyang city government said in a statement that the kindergarten has been closed, and that the public school opening at the same site will have a 45-seat bus donated by an oil company. It also said that parents of each killed child will receive 436,000 yuan ($68,000) in “compensation and consolation” money.

The city government previously said that police had detained the kindergarten head, Li Jungang, on suspicion of causing a serious accident due to negligence and the truck ’s driver, Fan Jungang, on suspicion of causing a traffic accident. Fan and a second person in the truck were unhurt.

Xinhua News Agency said the Little Doctor Kindergarten had more than 700 children but only four vans whose seats

had been removed so more passengers could be crammed in. The new school will open today, it said.

Such overcrowding on school buses is common in China. Commentators say closures of rural schools have exacerbated the problem, as children are forced to travel farther to get an education.

The city government said Friday it will build 200 public kindergartens in the next three years at a cost of 680 million yuan ($107 million) - throwing in an extra 100 million yuan after Wednesday’s crash in order to accelerate the development of preschool education. China has made a concerted effort to rebuild and improve a public education system that withered with the collapse of centrally planned socialism in the 1990s. Central government spending on education has steadily grown in recent years.

But there are great disparities, with rural areas and small cities like Qingyang chronically short of funds.

The Little Doctor Kindergarten served students mostly from farming families, and many of the parents of the hospitalized children were migrant workers who had left their villages to seek work in cities across China.

The Qingyang government said it aims to make public kindergar tens account for more than 80 percent of kindergartens in three years. Qingyang has a population of 2.5 million - a small city by China’s standards. — AP

Thaksin speaks out after Thai royal pardon reports

BANGKOK: A Thai volunteer, left, pours detergent as others sweep a road during a cleaning drive after floodwaters receded in Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday. The situation has improved dramatically in recent days and cleanup has begun in many areas, though some still face weeks more under water. — AP have been some settling of the foundations of the monuments which could lead to monuments becoming unstable,” she added, following a UNESCO visit to the area on Thursday.

She said it was still unclear how much damage had been caused by the weeks of flooding.

“It is hard to tell at this time whether that’s more than the monuments can withstand or if it is in the range that is tolerable for them.” Ayutthaya, founded around 1350, was one of the capitals of the old kingdom of Siam and at its peak had three palaces and more than 400 temples. After four centuries as the country’s capital, the city fell to Burmese invaders in 1767 and most of it was destroyed. Many of the remaining ruins have been painstakingly restored. At the Wat Phra Ram temple site, Chaiyanand indicated a vertical

crack in one of the brick structures around two metres (yards) long.

“I think this happened during the flood but I have to say that small pagodas like this are not that scary. The big ones one which weigh many tons are the more concern, and much more scary for me,” he said. Of more immediate concern to many in the city is the need to fully reopen to tourists. Receding waters have left large quantities of detritus-everything from plastic bags to shoes to tree branches-strewn across the monument grounds. Suneewan Pudson, 65, one of a band of cleaners busily sweeping an area around the reclining Buddha at Wat Lokayasutharam temple, said she and her colleagues were determined to help return the site to its former glory.— AFP

BANGKOK: Thailand’s fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday played down suggestions that he would get special treatment from his government allies following reports he would be proposed for a pardon.

Thaksin lives abroad to escape a twoyear jail term for corruption, but a cabinet meeting this week reportedly drafted a royal pardon that could allow him to come back without serving his sentence, prompting an angry response from the opposition.

In a letter to his fellow Thais, forwarded by email to AFP by his lawyer Noppadon Pattama, Thaksin spoke of the “rumour” that his name would be included in a list of those proposed for royal pardons next month.

“I trust in the principle that the government will not do anything that will benefit me or any individual specifically,” said the 62-year-old in the letter from Dubai, where he lives. Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 coup, said any action now taken should be “to bring national reconciliation to our country and to overcome the crisis” of Thailand’s current floods, which have killed more than 600 people.

Reports of the pardon came at a delicate time for Prime Minister Yingluck

Shinawatra, who is Thaksin’s younger sister and widely considered his political proxy, as she faces criticism for her handling of the flooding disaster.

Royal pardons are granted each year on King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s birthday on December 5. This year ’s decree, which would need to be approved by the king, would apply to “convicts who are at least 60 years old and are sentenced to under three years in jail”, the Bangkok Post English daily said on Wednesday.

Yingluck, who missed the cabinet meeting at which the draft was allegedly approved, did not deny the reports when asked at a news conference Wednesday. Without mentioning her brother, she said such a decree was “a common process”. Thaksin remains a deeply divisive figure in Thailand and the reports have already sparked street action by both his opponents and allies.

His “Red Shirt” supporters said they were rallying this weekend in their northeastern strongholds in favour of the decree, while hundreds of nationalist “multi-coloured shirts” protested against the pardon in Bangkok on Friday. Thailand’s influential and anti-Thaksin “Yellow Shirt” movement is also planning to demonstrate in the capital today. — AFP

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

Years

NEWS

‘Blasts’ in Damascus as Assad vows crackdown

DAMASCUS: Pro-Syrian regime protesters carry a huge portrait of Syrian President Bashar Assad during a demonstration to show their solidarity with the president yesterday. — AP BEIRUT: Loud explosions rocked the Syrian capital yesterday, and activists said it was a rare attack on a government building, as the country’s defiant president vowed to pursue his bloody crackdown on dissent. Beyond reports of loud blasts at daybreak, details of the explosions could not be confirmed. The Free Syrian Army, a group of military defectors, claimed they hit the Damascus headquarters of the ruling Baath party with several rocket-propelled grenades. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said unknown gunmen on motorcycles threw first a stun grenade and then fired RPGs at the Baath party headquarters, hitting the outside wall of the building. Two other grenades missed the target, it said.

Syria has placed severe restrictions on the work of journalists in the country, making independent confirmation difficult. Foreign Minister Walid Al-Muallem said the reports of an attack were “absolutely baseless”. But at a news conference, he thanked a Syrian journalist for clarifying that the explosions heard in the area were the result of a stun grenade, indirectly acknowledging that some kind of attack had taken place. Witnesses said the party headquarters appeared intact and reported no significant security deploy-

ment around it. If true, the Damascus attack on the Baath Party’s main building would signal a significant shift in the eight-month revolution against President Bashar Assad, bringing the violence that has hit much of the rest of the country to the heart of the Syrian capital, which has so far been relatively untouched.

In Cairo, the Arab League rejected Syrian amendments to a peace plan to end the crisis, saying the changes would alter the plan’s essence. Last week the body reaffirmed its suspension of Syria and gave it three days to comply with the plan, which calls for the withdrawal of the regime’s tanks from the streets, the release of political prisoners and a halt to attacks on civilians. The 22-member organization did not give details of Syria’s proposed amendments. It said in a statement yesterday that Damascus’ proposals were unacceptable because they introduce “drastic changes” to the mandate of an observers’ mission the league wants to dispatch to Syria to ensure the implementation of the peace plan.

Al-Muallem told reporters the proposed Arab League observers mission placed “impossible conditions” and gave excessive authority to the observers in a way that violated

Deadly clashes in Cairo’s Tahrir Sq Continued from Page 1 Egypt’s cabinet held crisis talks for several hours before moving en masse to the headquarters of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) for another meeting, state television reported. Throughout the day, sporadic clashes erupted near the interior ministry on the outskirts of Tahrir Square, which was covered by clouds of tear gas and littered with stones and glass.

The windows of the main campus of the American University in Cairo, which overlooks Tahrir Square, were shattered and stores were shuttered. “The marshal is Mubarak’s dog,” read freshly scrawled graffiti in the square.

At least a dozen of the protesters’ tents, along with blankets and banners, were set ablaze by police after nightfall and a pall of black smoke rose over the square as the sound of gunshots rang out. Protesters initially ran away in panic while being chased by army soldiers and police, hitting them with clubs. But they later regrouped at the southern entrance of the square next to the world famous Egyptian museum and began to walk back to the square. Both sides then began pelting each other with rocks.

Yahya El-Sawi, a 21-year-old university student, said he was enraged by the sight of riot police beating up protesters already hurt in an earlier attack by the security forces. “I did not support the sit-in at the beginning, but when I saw this brutality, I had to come back to be with my brothers,” he said. Many of the protesters had red eyes and coughed incessantly. Some wore surgical masks to ward off the tear gas. A few fainted, overwhelmed by the gas.

Two people were killed and hundreds injured in clashes between police and protesters on Saturday night, sparking fears of disruption in the first elections since the end of Mubarak’s 30-year-rule. Phased polling is due to start on Nov 28. In makeshift hospitals set up in mosques around Tahrir Square, demonstrators received treatment for tear gas inhalation and for injuries from rubber bullets and birdshot. The health ministry said 750 people were injured in the clashes in the square. Some 40 policemen were injured, the interior ministry said.

On Saturday, protesters chanted slogans against the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces which took power from Mubarak and demanded the ouster of Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, his long-time defence minister who heads the SCAF. Mohsen Al-Fangari, a member of the council, insisted elections would go ahead as planned and that the authorities were able to guarantee security. “We will not give in to calls to delay the elections. The armed forces and the interior ministry are able to secure the polling stations,” Fangari told a talk show on Egyptian satellite channel AlHayat.

Several prominent political figures and intellectuals, including former UN nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei, earlier issued a call for a delay to the legislative polls. They submitted a new transition roadmap which would see an elected constituent assembly draft a constitution and then a presidential election held, to be followed by parliamentary polls. The recent street protests saw the return of anti-riot police, the branch of the interior ministry most used by the Mubarak regime in its crackdown against protesters but rarely deployed since. “Down with Tantawi,” hundreds of demonstrators cried in Tahrir Square.

On Saturday, medics announced the deaths of Ahmed Mahmoud, 23, who sustained a bullet wound to the chest in Cairo, and Baha Eddin Mohammed Hussein, 25, hit by a rubber bullet in Alexandria as protests spread. Police seized the square only to be beaten back by protesters who triumphantly retook it later, chanting “The people want to topple the field marshal” - Tantawi. Friday had seen tens of thousands of people pack Tahrir for a rally to demand that the army transfer power to civilian rule. The military says it will hand over power after a presidential election, which has yet to be scheduled.

In Germany, Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle appealed for calm. “ The latest news from Cairo and Alexandria has filled me with great concern. I call on all sides to refrain from any violence,” he said in a statement issued by his office. “The Egyptian people have in recent months continuously pressed for democratic progress in their country.

This must not now be put in jeopardy.” — Agencies

Amir condemns Assembly attack...

Continued from Page 1 what took place on Wednesday has made people hate democracy”.

Sheikh Sabah also said that it is totally within the rights of the government to refer grillings to the constitutional court, “and this also happened during the days of (former three-time Assembly Speaker Ahmad) Saadoun”, referring to the veteran opposition lawmaker who opposes such moves by the government. “We have reached a stage where our country is in a tight spot.

Unfortunately, these people don’t think of Kuwait and don’t have the best interests of the Kuwaiti people at heart,” the Amir rued.

On the deposits scandal that is raging in the state, Sheikh Sabah said all cases have been referred to the court. “Why don’t you wait for the ruling?” he asked, guaranteeing “justice will be served regardless of who the guilty parties are”. He urged the editors to avoid incitement, and hoped “these words are heard by the owners of TV channels too”.

Sheikh Sabah was asked why

doesn’t he dissolve the Assembly now, since parliament was dissolved in the past for far less serious incidents. But the Amir insisted parliament will not be dissolved, as he did not believe this is the solution.

“The same faces will come back.

This parliament should run its full four-year course,” he said. “This will also give time for new hopefuls to prepare for the next polls to serve their nation in a better fashion. We want new highly educated, highly motivated people to run for parliament.”

Syria’s sovereignty. He denied Damascus sought to restrict the observers’ movement within the country but said Syria wanted to be informed of the groups’ travels in order to offer security protection. “The observers, if they come, will have freedom of movement,” he said. “We have nothing to hide.

They should see the killings, the massacres and the crimes being carried out against our people and security forces.”

An Arab League official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief reporters, said the Syrian government was required to implement the peace plan in its entirety. Arab League deputy secretarygeneral Ahmed bin Heli said Arab foreign ministers will discuss developments in Syria at their regular meeting on Thursday.

In an interview with Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper, Assad vowed to crush “militants” who he says are massacring Syrians. “The role of the government is to fight those militants in order to restore stability and to protect civilians,” he said, repeating warnings that foreign military intervention in Syria would “shake the entire Middle East.”

Yesterday, activist groups said at least three people were killed by security forces - two in the flashpoint central city of

Homs and one in northern Syria. Syria’s uprising against Assad, although largely peaceful, has grown more violent and militarized in recent weeks, as frustrated protesters see the limits of peaceful action. Army dissidents who sided with the protests have also grown bolder, fighting back against regime forces and even attacking military bases, raising fears of a civil war in Syria.

The UN says more than 3,500 people in Syria have been killed in the crackdown since the start of the uprising in midMarch. Assad, in the interview, said more than 800 Syrian officers and security forces were killed.

Assad told the newspaper he feels “pain and sorrow” for the bloodshed but insisted the solution was to eliminate the militants he blamed for much of the violence. The Assad regime maintains the protesters are following a foreign agenda to isolate and weaken Syria.

Assad, who took over from his late father, Hafez, in 2000, said there would be parliamentary elections in February or March, after which there would be a new government and new constitution. “That constitution will set the basis of how to elect a president ... the ballot box should decide who should be president.” — AP

After Gaddafi son, spy chief captured Continued from Page 1 reporters. Interim justice minister Mohammed AlAllagui earlier told AFP Gaddafi’s son would be tried in Libya “because local justice is the rule and international justice is the exception”. “We have the necessary guarantees for a fair trial, especially after the amendment of a law that guarantees the independence of the judiciary as regards the executive,” he said.

On Saturday, the ICC said Libya must hand Saif over but held out the prospect of a trial in Tripoli. ICC spokesman Fadi Al-Abdallah told AFP Libyan authorities were obliged to cooperate with the ICC and surrender him to the court as required by the UN resolution on Libya. “If they want a trial in Libya, they must submit a request for dismissal and procedures in Libya must be conducted on the same charges as those contained in the warrant of the ICC,” Abdallah added. Asked about the ICC’s comments, Allagui said: “We will reach agreement with the ICC, in conformity with the laws in force.”

After three months on the run, Saif was caught in Libya’s far-flung Saharan south early on Saturday in a trap set by a Zintan brigade of militiamen loyal to the new regime. Ex-spy Senussi was captured in the south yesterday, officials said. Bashir Uweidat, who heads the southern Wadi Shati military council, said Senussi “did not put up any resistance” and was arrested by former rebels in his sister’s home in the Al-Guira region. Ghoga confirmed the arrest of Gaddafi’s brother-in-law, who is also wanted by the ICC. The court issued warrants on June 27 against Saif, 39, Gaddafi and Senussi on charges of crimes against humanity. In particular, it accused Senussi, 62, of being an “indirect perpetrator of crimes against humanity of murder and persecution based on political grounds” committed in Benghazi from Feb 15 until at least Feb 20.

Senussi has been described by the ICC as “one of the most powerful and efficient organs of repression of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime”. He is also wanted in France where a Paris court sentenced him in absentia to life in 1999 over an attack on a French UTA airliner a decade

earlier that killed 170 people.

World powers have repeatedly urged Libya’s new rulers to respect international norms in dealing with prisoners amid reports of abuse, and are now urging the NTC to cooperate fully with the ICC. Russia’s special representative for Africa, Mikhail Margelov, clearly articulated international concerns. “We are happy that this time the new authorities in Libya did not resort to summary justice for Saif al-Islam,” he said after Saif was flown to Zintan.

Zintan military council chief Osama Juili said Saif would be held there until a new transitional government, expected to be announced within days, decides his fate. “At the moment, he is being held in Zintan. We are going to guarantee the treatment of prisoners under international law.”

More details about Saif’s capture emerged yesterday, with one Zintan brigade member expressing surprise at his courage. When they were ambushed, Saif and the five people with him in a two-car convoy “did not realise at first what they were dealing with,” said Ahmed Amer. “They were afraid at first to be shot, but we must acknowledge that Saif al-Islam surprised us with his calmness and courage.” Saif and his men were armed with little more than “Kalashnikovs, light automatic rifles and grenades,” he said. Senussi also had only personal weapons on him when captured.

Libya’s interim prime minister Abdel Rahim al-Kib said on Saturday that Saif would be given a fair trial. “I reassure our people and the world that Saif, and those with him, will be given a fair trial in which international rights and norms will be guaranteed,” Kib said. The head of the Zintan brigade which arrested Saif said he was captured at overnight Friday in the Wadi al-Ajal district, near Awbari in Libya’s south, Al-Ajmi Al-Atiri said. “We received a tip-off from one of Saif’s bodyguards. He told us he was thinking of fleeing to Niger,” Atiri told reporters. News of Saif’s capture was greeted with celebratory gunfire in Libya’s major cities and Senussi’s arrest was described as a “victory” by the interim defence minister. Libyan television channel AlAhrar broadcast footage of Saif heavily bearded and with three fingers of his right hand bandaged. Atiri said the injuries came in a NATO air strike. — AFP

Oppn, pro-govt rallies to be held in one place Continued from Page 1 The lawmaker charged that AlKhorafi and the Assembly have become a tool in the hands of the prime minister.

Separately, Al-Khorafi and members of the Assembly office were received by HH the Amir yesterday.

MP Ali Al-Omair said the Amir called on MPs to keep Kuwait united and preserve the country. Al-Omair also said that the Assembly chamber will remain closed until the interior min-

istry informs the Assembly that it has finished taking fingerprints of people who stormed it. The public prosecution has already opened an investigation into the case and is expected to start interrogating people believed to be involved including several MPs. Islamist opposition MP Khaled AlSultan yesterday said that pro-government MPs and circles are deliberately “inflating” the storming of the Assembly for “political motives” and are purposely ignoring the causes and events that led to the action. A

number of diwaniyas and about 140 academics, the overwhelming majority of them Shiites, issued separate statements strongly criticizing the storming of the Assembly calling the action as barbaric and those who did it as anti-democracy. But chiefs of the main bedouin tribes in the country have reportedly refused to meet to issue a similar statement after many of them refused the idea and wanted a more comprehensive statement to include all developments.

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

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Issues

Obama leaves Asia, US stays

By Stephen Collinson n a week-long Pacific odyssey, President Barack Obama tweaked an irked China’s tail and sent Asia an unequivocal message that the United States wants to shape the region’s future. He flew home Saturday after having taken in a trio of summits, weighted America’s military punch by announcing a new US Marines force in Australia, and vowed to stoke flickers of reform in Myanmar.

He also declared that a budget crunch in Washington would not see America’s military and diplomatic clout in the region short-changed. “Let there be no doubt. In the Asia-Pacific of the 21st century, the United States is all-in,” Obama said.

His journey to Hawaii, Australia and Indonesia highlighted a US power shift from a decade of war to what he sees as America’s destiny in dynamic Asia. “I think that we have seen implementation here of a critical, strategic, reorientating in policy by the United States - a rebalancing,” said Obama’s national security advisor Tom Donilon. The dominant theme of Obama’s travels was the growing US rivalry with China.

The two nations are economically interdependent, and have found limited common ground on issues like North Korea and Iran. But they increasingly squabble on currency, trade and even maritime security. China reacted angrily to US lectures that as a “grown-up” economy it must obey the “rules of the road”, and for now can only aspire to a new pan-Pacific trade pact that gathered pace at the APEC summit in Hawaii. Obama insisted that the United States does not “fear” China, does not want to contain it, nor deny it the benefits of its rise. But China warned him not to “politicise” trade nor “interfere” in South China Sea territorial disputes.

Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations who directs American studies at Beijing’s Renmin University, told AFP that US strategy would inevitably be seen inside China as an attempt to marginalize the country. “The Chinese government and leaders have expressed their sincerity to the United States many times, have welcomed the United States joining the East Asia Summit, and do not crowd out the interests of the United States,” he said. “But what is regretful is that this goodwill has not had a positive response.”

Washington is seeking to build a regional economic and security “architecture” in Asia to resolve disputes and promote rules-based trade. It hopes such a model could eventually prompt China to reshape its definition of its own national interest on issues like intellectual property standards and currency policy. The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact, the East Asia summit in Indonesia’s Bali which Obama was the first US president to attend, and evolving ties with the Southeast Asian bloc are the building blocks of that strategy. So are US garrisons in South Korea and Japan and prowling US Navy carriers.

Ernest Bower of Washington’s Center for Strategic and International Studies said the TPP could be a “world-class” pact which eventually “compels China to abandon its attempts to seek its own model for integrating Asia”. But so far, China sees only encroachment. A Xinhua news agency commentary Saturday warned the Pacific Ocean belongs to all countries sharing its shores, not just the United States, and called for a “reliable partner”, not an American “arbitrator”.

China plays a longer geopolitical game than harried US presidents who face four- or eight-year political clocks, so its considered response to Obama’s trip may be slow to emerge. But it has the advantage of geographic proximity and its own cards to play, with vast investment, trade and political influence with its neighbours.

The White House hopes to maintain momentum in Asia by reaching a deal on the terms of the TPP with its partners next year - but deadlines in world trade talks tend to slip. — AFP

I

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Obama gets little pushback on Asia trip

By Ben Feller n assertive President Barack Obama got much of what he wanted during his Asia-Pacific trip because the results didn’t depend on negotiating with the world. He mostly just announced them. Obama expanded the US military presence in southeast Asia, sent tough signals to China in its backyard, ordered his top diplomat on a breakthrough mission to Myanmar and presided over the jobs-creating sale of Boeing planes to an Indonesian airline company. It was a trip on his terms, unlike the dynamic he has with the US Congress. Obama might as well have borrowed his mantra of “We Can’t Wait” a slogan from his re-election campaign and applied it to his foreign agenda.

Still, Obama returns home without any firm commitments from Russia or China over stiffer penalties against Iran over its disputed nuclear program.

Obama insisted that the three countries were unified on preventing a nucleararmed Iran and he said in general terms that they would figure out the next steps together. The president has few lasting images to show from the nine-day trip, which was ending Sunday with his return to the White House. One was the scene aboard a docked aircraft carrier in San Diego, where Obama saluted veterans and watched a college basketball game.

But much of his time was spent in summit ballrooms, without defining moments of diplomacy or much engage-

A

ment with local citizens. Far from Washington, Obama had few domestic distractions on his nine-day trip. That allowed him to stay on his message of trade, security and human rights. The region was eager for America’s presence and influence, often as a counter to China’s might. So Obama held more sway and ran into less visible pushback, except for bristling from the Chinese. The White House was careful not to promise too much from this trip all along, making its goals all that much more possible to achieve.

This was not, for example, the Middle East, where Obama’s many attempts to pull the Israelis and Palestinians back together have left him little to show. It did not hurt that Obama had home-field advantage for about half the time he was away. The United States hosted the yearly Asia-Pacific economic forum for the first in about 20 years. For the site, Obama chose Hawaii, the American foothold in the Pacific and his birthplace.

When he made time to squeeze in a political fundraiser outside Honolulu, Obama saw longtime friends and acknowledged the bias for “the hometown kid”.

In Hawaii and across Australia and Indonesia, the goal was to show a deep US commitment to the fastest growing part of the world. It is a message with major implications. For example, which region may suffer from coming US defense cuts (not Asia) and how the Obama administration sees a way out of

economic stagnation (definitely Asia).

Getting the relevance of that message through to voters at home was another matter. Obama had stretches without much news and competed for media coverage with the Penn State child sex abuse scandal and the politics of the 2012 election.

To the degree Americans saw Obama on the world stage, he looked comfortable and confident. That was surely a picture the White House enjoyed. Compare that with Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry’s “oops” debate moment when he forgot that the Energy Department was one of the agencies he wanted to eliminate or Herman Cain’s bungling of a basic question about Libya in a videotaped interview. Right before this trip came Obama’s visit to France for a meeting of the world’s major economies. There, Europe was the driver and Obama seemed secondary.

Not the next trip. In Hawaii, Obama announced at least a framework of a deal for a new Pacific trade zone with eight other countries. Then Japan, Canada and Mexico showed interest. Asked often about China, he offered familiar assurances that the U.S. wants to China to grow without containment, but he did so while admonishing the rising Asian giant.

Obama sent a message to China about its military buildup, following earlier signals from US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. When Obama

said the United States is a Pacific power, China was listening. That was especially true when Obama ordered Marines to start setting up a hub of operation in Australia. As the president put it: “We will preserve our unique ability to project power and deter threats to peace.”

That declaration came after he had already challenged China to show more maturity in its economic relations with other nations. “That requires them to take responsibility, to understand that their role is different now than it might have been 20 years ago or 30 years ago, where if they were breaking some rules, it didn’t really matter, it did not have a significant impact,” Obama said. “Now they’ve grown up, and so they’re going to have to help manage this process in a responsible way.”

By the final stretch in Indonesia, where Obama joined East Asian leaders to talk about matters of disaster responses and security on the open sea, he had one more move to make. He announced that he was sending Clinton to Myanmar to take stock of a fledgling reform movement after years of brutal repression. The US had not made such an overture to Myanmar, also known as Burma, in decades, and Obama didn’t need any legislative approval to seize what he called an historic opportunity. “Millions of people may get the chance to live with a greater measure of freedom, prosperity, and dignity. And that possibility is too important to ignore,” he said. In other words, he won’t wait. — AP

Saif arrest poses challenge for new Libya

By Peter Apps he capture of Muammar Gaddafi’s son Saif al-Islam ties up an awkward loose end for Libya’s new rulers, but disputes over what to do with him could severely strain the country’s fledgling systems and structures. Saif al-Islam, once held up as a potentially progressive future leader of Libya and face of its rapprochement with the West, was seized in the desert and flown to the western mountain town of Zintan. In the short term, his capture is seen perhaps offering a useful distraction from the growing problems faced by post-war Libya. But some fear it may simply end up fuelling further division or damage to the reputation of those now in charge.

While Saif al-Islam looked for now to have avoided the brutal fate of his father killed shortly after his capture - it is far from clear what will happen next.

Western states in particular are keen that he be handed over to the International Criminal Court, which indicted him earlier this year for crimes against humanity during the crackdown on protesters. “This may temporarily bring the feelgood factor back to the streets, with most of the recent attention being focused on clashes and divisions between different rebel militias, and protests over pay and the perceived mistakes of the NTC,” said Alan Fraser, Middle East analyst for Londonbased risk consultancy AKE, referring to post-Gaddafi transitional authorities. “(But) what’s for certain is that it will ignite passions that could have the potential to destabilise the reconstruction process. There will be a lot of media attention on this issue and that will likely prevent it from going away.”

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Senior members of Libya’s NTC have said they would rather he was tried in the country, but for now lack any coherent legal system with which to do so. As things stand, it is far from clear whether those in charge in Tripoli have the clout to take control of the prisoner. Zintan was one of the western towns that bore the brunt of Gaddafi’s military wrath during the early days of the conflict. Like many other regions, it now has its own largely autonomous forces that have yet to be brought under the direct control of the NTC. “ This is an acid test of the NTC’s authority,” said Henry Smith, Libya analyst for London-based consultancy Control

Risks. “The capture presents a challenge ... if they want to try Saif then what can they do to make Zintan hand him over.

“They do not have the capacity to use coercive means so do they offer the town the coveted security portfolios in the forthcoming cabinet? If so, then to which of the Zintan militias? They may leave his fate to the Zintanis, but then where does that leave Libya’s embryonic justice system?”

Western human rights groups were critical of the mob justice handed out to Gaddafi senior and to at least one of his sons, and, along with many foreign governments, are demanding Saif al-Islam be better treated. “The authorities will send

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi is seen after he was captured in southern Libya and flown north to the town of Zintan on Saturday. — AFP

an important message that there’s a new era in Libya, marked by the rule of law, by treating Saif al-Islam humanely and surrendering him to the ICC,” said Richard Dicker, international justice director at Human Rights Watch. “His fair prosecution at the ICC will afford Libyans a chance to see justice served in a trial that the international community stands behind.”

Human Rights Watch said there was far too much evidence of extrajudicial killings of former Gaddafi loyalists by opposition fighters as well as mistreatment in custody. Rights group Amnesty International said an immediate transfer to the ICC was the best option for Saif alIslam. “He must be handed over to the ICC, and his safety and rights must be guaranteed,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director. “After what happened after the capture of Muammar and Mutassim Gaddafi, we hold the NTC responsible for preventing similar harm coming to Saif al-Islam al-Gaddafi, so that he can face justice for his alleged crimes in a fair trial with no death penalty.“ But other analysts are unconvinced that handing the most prominent surviving member of the Gaddafi clan over to perceived foreign justice is a viable option for the NTC, keen to avoid any perceptions it might become a Western stooge. A well conducted trial, they say, could actually serve to burnish the NTC’s reputation. But some worry that a chaotic trial -particularly if followed by an execution - could simply reinforce the image of a country largely out of control. Others ponder just how much political damage the well-connected Saif al-Islam might do in the witness box. — Reuters

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

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Trezeguet ends UAE contract DUBAI: French World Cup-winner David Trezeguet terminated his oneyear contract with United Arab Emirates club Baniyas due to a muscle injury that has kept him out of action most of the season.

The newspaper Sport360 said yesterday that the 34-year-old striker agreed to end his contract because he couldn’t deliver on what had been expected from one of the league’s biggest off-season signings.

The club’s interim coach Salem al-Orfi praised Trezeguet’s honesty, noting that he could have kept his mouth shut and continued to collect a paycheck. Trezeguet, who has played for Monaco, Juventus and Hercules in Spain, only featured in the club’s opening league match and a Etisalat Cup match. Trezeguet won the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship two years later, and was a World Cup runner-up to Italy five years ago. He retired from international duty in 2008.

It was unclear whether Trezeguet will retire from all football or consider a move to another club if he recovers. The Gulf is a popular destination for older players like Trezeguet, who are in the twilight of their career. Clubs splash out huge sums - in Trezeguet’s case euro 7 million ($2.4 million) - gambling that the attention the signing brings the club outweighs the injury risk.

Hewitt, Gemmell triumph AUCKLAND: Kris Gemmell beat compatriot Bevan Docherty in the men’s race while Andrea Hewitt won the women’s race as New Zealanders dominated their home leg of the ITU World Cup triathlon series yesterday.

Gemmell posted his fifth win in a World Cup event when he won the men’s elite event - a 1.5 kilometer swim, 40 kilometer cycle and 10 kilometer run - in 1 hour, 59 minutes, 58 seconds. He was one minute, seven seconds ahead of his Kiwi compatriot Docherty, and Australia’s Ryan Fisher finished third to claim his first World Cup medal.

Earlier yesterday, New Zealand’s Hewitt surged away on the run to win the women’s race in 2 hours, 14 minutes and by more than a minute from Japan’s Tomoko Sakimoto.

Mariko Adachi of Japan was third,

14 seconds behind Sakimoto.

Hewitt continued the strong vein of form which saw her win ITU world championship events in Beijing and Yokohama to qualify for the London Olympics and rise to second place on world standings.

She was among the leading bunch after the swim on a chilly Waitemata Harbour and stayed close to the leaders through the hilly 40km cycle course. Hewitt swept to the lead after the second transition and ran away from her rivals on the 10km run around downtown Auckland.

Gemmell and Docherty were also prominent throughout the swim and cycle stages of the men’s race then cleared out from their opponents on the running course which was flanked by thousands of spectators. —AP

Maradona’s mother dies BUENOS AIRES: Diego Maradona was set to arrive home to a national outpouring of grief yesterday after his desperate trip from Dubai to see his dying mother was too late, local media reported. Dalma Franco de Maradona, known to Argentines as Dona Tota, died aged 81 on Saturday in a Buenos Aires clinic where she had been treated several times previously for a heart complaint. The online newspaper elargentino.com said Maradona’s personal doctor had confirmed that Maradona had learnt of his mother’s death during his flight. The news broke midway through the first division match between Independiente and Olimpo in the suburb of Avellaneda and a minute’s silence was observed before the second-half kickoff. Maradona, the eldest of her three sons and her fifth child, was very close to his mother and he had a new tattoo with the words “Tota I love you” put on his back before he moved to Dubai in August to coach UAE club Al Wasl. She is said to have augured a bright life for her son when, at his baptism, a star from one of the church windows was reflected on the floor in front of them. Maradona often recalls the sacrifices she and his father made for the family when they lived in a shanty town on the outskirts of the capital before their eldest son’s genius as a soccer player lifted them out of poverty. — Reuters

Oilers destroy Blackhawks EDMONTON: Edmonton’s Taylor Hall scored a hat trick as the Oilers broke a four-game losing skid in style, routing the Chicago Blackhawks 9-2 in the NHL on Saturday.

Jordan Eberle had a goal and three assists, and rookie Ryan Nugent-Hopkins set up five goals.

Ales Hemsky, Ryan Jones, Ryan Smyth, Tom Gilbert and Shawn Horcoff also scored for the Oilers, with Hemsky bringing up his 400th career point. Patrick Sharp and Dave Bolland had goals for the Blackhawks.

Red Wings 4, Kings 1 In Los Angeles, Pavel Datsyuk scored twice as Detroit snapped a five-game NHL road losing skid with a win over Los Angeles.Niklas Kronwall got the go-ahead score during a power play in the second period, and Justin Abdelkader also scored for the Red Wings, who won on the road for the first time in more than a month.

for Montreal. Price extended his shutout streak to 132 minutes, 30 seconds. It was his 14th NHL regular-season shutout.

Devils 4, Lightning 2 In Tampa, Florida, Martin Brodeur held Tampa Bay scoreless for 51 minutes and New Jersey hung on to beat Tampa Bay.

Panthers 3, Penguins 2 In Sunrise, Florida, Stephen Weiss scored with 3:30 left to give Florida victory, beating Pittsburgh for the first time in six meetings.

Brian Campbell and Tomas Fleischmann also scored for Florida, which won at home for just the third time this season but has outstanding road form. Chris Kunitz and Jordan Staal had goals for the Penguins. Florida took its late lead when Weiss poked in the puck between the goalie’s legs during a scrum in front of the net.

Wild 3, Blues 2, SO In St. Paul, Minnesota, Mikko Koivu scored twice and Matt Cullen netted the winner in the shootout in Minnesota’s win over St. Louis. Koivu tied the game with 1:38 to play with a power-play goal, and then scored in the shootout. Minnesota goalie Josh Harding turned away Kevin Shattenkirk in the tiebreaker.

The Wild’s 27 points are the team’s most through 20 games in its 11 NHL seasons. TJ Oshie and David Backes scored for St. Louis, which has lost four straight road games.

Coyotes 4, Sabres 2 In Buffalo, Radim Vrbata and Paul Bissonnette scored 66 seconds apart in the second period to lift Phoenix over Buffalo.

Vrbata, who also scored into an empty net, tied it 2-2 at 8:35, and Bissonnette connected on a rebound to put Phoenix in front and score for the first time this season.

Shane Doan also scored for Phoenix. Luke Adam and Patrick Kaleta scored for Buffalo.

Maple Leafs 7, Capitals 1 In Toronto, Jonas Gustavsson made a career-high 40 saves but it was Toronto’s offense that overwhelmed struggling Washington. Joffrey Lupul had a goal and three assists, while Phil Kessel added a goal and an assist.

He leads the NHL with 14 goals and 27 points. Matt Frattin scored his first NHL goal, Cody Franson chipped in his first as a member of the Maple Leafs, and Tim Connolly, Tyler Bozak and David Steckel also scored for the hosts.

Brooks Laich scored for Washington, which has won only one of its past seven games. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin was held without a point for the fourth straight game.

Sharks 4, Stars 1 In Dallas, Brent Burns and Logan Couture both scored power-play goals as San Jose extended Dallas’ run of defeats to five games. Antti Niemi stopped 30 shots, while Brad Winchester and Jamie McGinn added even-strength goals for the Sharks.

Dallas, which has hit the skids after an 11-3 start, has scored only once across its past three games. Mike Ribeiro’s goal at 6:22 of the third period ended Dallas’ shutout streak at 194 minutes, 11 seconds.

CHICAGO: Blackhawks’ Bryan Bickell and the Edmonton Oilers’ Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (right) battle for position during the first period of an NHL game. —AP Goaltender Jimmy Howard saved a penalty shot by Anze Kopitar in the second period with Detroit clinging to a 2-1 lead. Mike Richards scored his sixth goal in six games for the Kings.

Jets 6, Flyers 4 In Winnipeg, Bryan Little scored twice early in the first period to set up Winnipeg’s win over Philadelphia.

Dustin Byfuglien had a goal and two assists, and Andrew Ladd, Jim Slater and Nik Antropov also scored for the Jets, who notched their third straight win on home ice. Scott Hartnell had two goals and two assists, and Matt Read also scored twice for Philadelphia, which hadn’t lost in regulation time in nine games.

Canadiens 4, Rangers 0 In Montreal, Carey Price made 17 saves for his second straight shutout, helping Montreal end New York’s sevengame winning streak. Brian Gionta scored twice and Erik Cole and Tomas Plekanec each had a power-play goal and assist

French tennis star accuses Spanish athletes of doping PARIS: Tennis great Yannick Noah accused Spanish athletes of widespread doping in an interview published on Saturday, adding the only way to level the playing field would be to allow everyone to use banned drugs.

The 1983 French Open champion told Le Monde newspaper that French athletes no longer had a chance against their Spanish opponents and said his homeland was wrong to impose such stringent testing on its athletes. “How can a country (Spain) dominate sport from one day to the next?” he asked. “Had they discovered avant-garde training techniques and methods that no one else imagined?”

He said faced with Spanish athletes who were consistently beefier than French ones, the only conclusion was that they must be doping. He offered no other proof. There was an angry reaction from Spain. Toni Nadal, the uncle and trainer of tennis star Rafael Nadal, said Noah’s accusation “not only comes from envy, it comes from a lack of reflection.”

“If he approaches Rafa to say hello, I hope my nephew tells him, in a courteous manner, what he thinks of him, because I believe it is totally incorrect for him to speak of this subject in this way,” Nadal said on Spanish radio station SER. “It surprises me that a person of doubtful reputation like him would dare to speak poorly of Spanish athletes.”

Noah said the buzz in sports circles was

that the only way to win was to stay one step ahead of the capabilities of the antidoping tests. “If you don’t have the magic potion, it’s difficult to win,” he said.

It seemed, he added, as if the Spanish had fallen into the vat, like Obelix, the sidekick of Asterix, the French cartoon heroes who accidentally stumble on a potion that helps them win the Olympics.

But Noah didn’t advocate a crackdown on Spanish athletes; instead, he said France should be more lenient.

“We’re not being treated in the same way as the majority of our adversaries from other countries,” he said. “The best attitude to adopt is to accept doping. And then everyone will have the magic potion.”

Noah’s son Joakim plays for the Chicago Bulls in the NBA, which made his comments all the more surprising to Spanish tennis player David Ferrer, currently ranked No.5. “His son plays in the NBA, where there are not any anti-doping controls,” Ferrer was quoted to say by El Pais newspaper. “Perhaps he is not the most appropriate person to speak about this.”

Pep Guardiola, coach of Spanish football giants Barcelona, said at a press conference Saturday following his team’s win over Zaragoza that Noah “should present his evidence or shut up.” French Minister for Sports David Douillet condemned Noah’s accusations as irresponsible, and said he hoped to introduce a criminal penalty for doping. — AP

Brodeur lost out on a bid to extend his NHL record to 117 shutouts when Martin St. Louis scored from in-close and cut the Lightning’s deficit to 3-1 in the third period.

Brodeur notched his NHL-record 629th career win. Ryan Shannon’s first goal in 15 games got Tampa Bay within 3-2.

Ryan Carter netted for the Devils with two minutes left to complete the scoring. David Clarkson had a goal and an assist, while Dainius Zubrus and Patrik Elias also scored for the visitors. Tampa Bay had its six-game, home-winning streak snapped.

Bruins 6, Islanders 0 In Uniondale, New York, Chris Kelly scored twice as Boston cruised past New York and to its eighth straight win. Tim Thomas turned away 22 shots while Patrice Bergeron, Nathan Horton, Andrew Ference and Zdeno Chara also scored for the Bruins. Thomas has two shutouts this season and 28 in his NHL career. New York was blanked for the fourth time this season. — AP

NHL results/standings NHL results and standings on Saturday.

Winnipeg 6, Philadelphia 4; Detroit 4, Los Angeles 1; Phoenix 4,Buffalo 2;Toronto 7, Washington 1; Montreal 4, NY Rangers 0; Boston 6, NY Islanders 0; New Jersey 4, Tampa Bay 2; Florida 3, Pittsburgh 2; Columbus 4, Nashville 3 (OT); Minnesota 3, St. Louis 2 (SO); San Jose 4, Dallas 1; Edmonton 9, Chicago 2.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL GF Philadelphia 11 5 3 71 Pittsburgh 11 6 3 60 NY Rangers 10 4 3 47 New Jersey 10 7 1 49 NY Islanders 5 9 3 35

GA 58 50 38 50 56

PTS 25 25 23 21 13

Buffalo Toronto Boston Ottawa Montreal

Northeast Division 12 8 0 58 11 7 2 61 11 7 0 64 10 9 1 61 9 8 3 53

51 66 39 68 49

24 24 22 21 21

Florida Washington Tampa Bay Winnipeg Carolina

Southeast Division 10 6 3 56 10 7 1 58 9 8 2 54 8 9 3 58 6 11 3 46

48 56 60 65 68

23 21 20 19 15

Chicago Nashville St. Louis Detroit Columbus

Western Conference Central Division 12 6 3 71 10 5 4 53 10 7 2 48 10 7 1 49 4 13 2 43

67 48 43 41 69

27 24 22 21 10

Minnesota Edmonton Vancouver Colorado Calgary

Northwest Division 12 5 3 47 10 7 2 50 9 9 1 56 9 10 1 55 8 9 1 41

40 45 56 61 47

27 22 19 19 17

Pacific Division San Jose 11 5 1 53 42 23 Phoenix 10 5 3 51 45 23 Los Angeles 10 7 3 49 48 23 Dallas 11 8 0 49 54 22 Anaheim 6 9 4 39 57 16 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L)

Team Warbah wins Red Bull Art Of Motion KUWAIT: Two hundred guests packed into the impressive ballroom of Laila Cinema to enjoy a very special evening that recognized and rewarded the World’s best Free-running and Parkours Athletes that participated in the Red Bull Art of Motion Kuwait.

Team Warbah comprised of Timothy Shieff from the UK, Sergio Cora from Spain, Will Sutton from the UK and Kevin Fluri from Switzerland won the Red Bull Art of Motion in Kuwait after receiving the majority of the Athletes votes. Team Qarouh was second while team Miskan took the third place. 19 years old Vinnie Cor yell from the USA won the Mini Sickest Award after performing a “Roll Bomb”.

The Premiere began with the arrival of the athletes on the red carpet who were received by the press, photographers as well as VIPs from Kuwait. The screening started at 7:30pm with Nico Wlcek introducing the event, the teams as well as the new concept of the event.

The short video clips filmed and created by the five teams were continuously applauded by the audience attending the premiere. The teams voted for their top three video clips and while the results were calculated, the MC brought some of the athletes to the stage for a question and answer session.

Speaking about this incredible and unique event Tim Shieff of Team Warbah

stated: “I am glad that our team managed to win. We all were excited to come to the Red Bull Art of Motion in Kuwait. We didn’t know what to expect from Failaka Island as we knew so little about it. In 36 hours we managed to explore all the island and now I can say we have unforgettable memories from it.”

The Red Bull Art of Motion in Kuwait started on November 16 at 5am and last-

ed for 36 hours. Each team equipped with cameras drove their Minis all the way around Failaka searching for the best shots to film their unique moves.

The two-day competition challenged the participants to navigate the natural obstacles of the historical island of Failaka - demonstrating a captivating blend of free-running, parkour, martial arts and gymnastics along the way.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

sp orts

US win Presidents Cup

LONDON: Montpellier Herault’s French fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc (center) is tackled

by Bath’s British lock Stuart Hooper (left) and British flanker Lewis Moody (right) during their European Cup rugby union match. —AFP

Aussies win Four Nations, send Lockyer out in style LEEDS: Australia sent retiring captain Darren Lockyer out in style, winning the Four Nations title on Saturday by extending its 39-year dominance over England in finals with a 30-8 victory at Elland Road.

After 59 tests, 36 State of Origin appearances and 355 NRL matches, Lockyer’s illustrious career ended in one last glory when he scored the final try after Sam Thaiday, Jharal Yow Yeh, Johnathan Thurston, Greg Inglis had crossed to eclipse England’s resilient, if limited, performance.

“That was pretty special, scoring a try in my last moment. It’s been an enjoyable trip for us,” Lockyer said. “I will miss it, I’d love to keep going forever, but I can’t. It’s been special to my heart playing in England. Win, lose or draw, the atmosphere and the people - it doesn’t get any better.”

England hadn’t beaten Australia in a title match since the 1972 World Cup and not at home in a final since 1959, but spurred on by a parochial, sell-out Leeds crowd of 34,174 the hosts had the Kangaroos rattled in the first half thanks largely to an energetic performance from hooker James Roby.

But though it was Lockyer’s farewell after an international career that began in 1998, the star of the match was Thurston, potentially his heir apparent at five-eighth for Australia.

The halfback was involved in everything, including giving away a first-half penalty try for a high tackle on Ryan Hall, England’s only try.

England struggled to build any pressure early, whereas Australia spent a large portion of the first half in England’s quarter, let down only by poor handling and rushed options.

“We spoke about carrying momentum but Australia proved to be that little bit better than us tonight,” England secondrower Gareth Ellis said. “We didn’t get that many opportunities and we bombed what we got. Against a team like Australia, you need to take your chances. “I don’t know if that was our best performance.”

Thaiday scored in the third minute after Thurston’s chipped bomb was batted back by winger Yow Yeh for center Chris Lawrence to find the second-rower to crash over from close range for a converted try.

Akuila Uate looked to have extended

the lead in the 13th, but England center Jack Reed’s tackle forced the Australia winger to step out before placing the ball down.

Another chance went begging seven minutes later when England fullback Sam Tomkins spilled a spiral bomb from Lockyer, Lawrence collecting the loose ball and going over but the video referee ruling an Australian player offside from the kick.

Australia was made to pay for its prolificacy when England received its penalty try in the 36th. Setting up camp inside Australia’s quarter for the first time in the half, Hall spilled the ball as he went to place it down because of a high tackle from Thurston.

Thurston went some way to making amends by kicking a penalty goal to give Australia an 8-6 halftime lead. Australia center Greg Inglis blindsided Ellis with a big hit at the start of the second half, but the England second-rower epitomized the hosts’ spirit by bouncing back up and looking to square the ledger when possession changed hands.

England squared the ledger scoringwise at 8-8 after Sinfield kicked a penalty from in front in the 52nd. But Australia came right back and almost scored two minutes later when Yow Yeh was forced over the touchline by Roby and Jamie Jones-Buchanan as he went to put the ball down.

Lockyer instigated the crucial try in the 57th, finding Darius Boyd with a long pass to give Yow Yeh an easy run to the line for a 14-8 lead.

That soon became 20-8 when Thurston finished off a bust by prop Paul Gallen up the middle in the 62nd to put the result beyond doubt.

Thurston turned provider six minutes later, stretching the defense out wide before finding Inglis to stroll across the line untouched.

Then came Lockyer’s moment in the spotlight, touching down under the crossbar with time just about up. The fairytale end had a twist, though Lockyer’s conversion from in front striking an upright to bring a wry smile from the Queenslander as the final whistle blew. “It’s on nights like tonight you want to be on the field,” Lockyer said. “I’ve had a great time, I’ve been fortunate to play at this level for a long time and I don’t have any regrets. “Thank you and goodbye.”—AP

Woodward fears for under ‘flawed’ RFU LONDON: Clive Woodward fears England is heading toward “another potential shambles” because the Rugby Football Union remains without a visionary as it seeks a new coach to replace Martin Johnson.

Woodward, who coached England to the World Cup title in 2003, said the RFU has reduced English rugby to a “laughing stock” and is in no position to coordinate the search for a successor for Johnson because there is currently no chief executive in place.

“In sporting terms, it is now life-anddeath time for English rugby,” Woodward wrote in his column in The Sunday Times newspaper. “But I also have the sinking feeling that when the RFU reaches the end of a totally flawed process and announces the new England coach as successor to Johnson, when the chosen one is anointed, people will turn to each and say, ‘You must be joking.’

“There is a real danger of the wrong man being appointed at this vital time in the development of our rugby.” Johnson stepped down on Wednesday, six weeks before his contract was due to expire, following England’s disappointing World Cup in New Zealand where the team was eliminated by France in the quarterfinals ‚Ä” its worst performance in the tournament since 1999.

With no permanent chief executive, coach or even national-team captain following the retirement of Lewis Moody after the World Cup, there is a worrying lack of leadership throughout English rugby.

“What about the morgue that is cur-

rently Twickenham what is the vision for that?” said Woodward, who is not expected to be in the running to replace Johnson as he is currently the director of sport for the British Olympic Association.

“There is nobody who understands elite performance and rugby at the very top,” he added. “Equally disturbing, the same people are going to appoint the next coach.”

Northampton coach Jim Mallinder and ex-Australia coach Eddie Jones are believed to be the leading contenders to take over from Johnson, with former Italy and South Africa coach Nick Mallett ruling himself out of contention this week.

Another potential candidate, Graham Henry, who recently stood down as New Zealand coach after winning the World Cup, has indicated he would prefer a part-time consultancy role with a club.

Woodward, who said he would like an Englishman to land the job, believes the appointment of Johnson ‚Ä” who had no coaching experience prior to taking charge ‚Ä” was always doomed to failure.

“Test rugby is a brutal environment and not one for somebody who has never coached before,” Woodward said of the man who captained England to the world title eight years ago.

“I am happy to repeat that we had a conversation in 2008 about whether he should take the job when he was first offered it. I told him that he would be mad to do so ... He has the qualities to be an outstanding coach, just as good as he was as a player and captain, but even he cannot learn this job at the very top level on the hoof.”—AP

MELBOURNE: Tiger Woods found his putting groove to clinch the Presidents Cup for the United States, who held off a stiff challenge by the Internationals at Royal Melbourne Golf Club yesterday.

The 14-times major champion notched six birdies in a crushing 4&3 win over Australia’s Aaron Baddeley to hand the Americans their fourth straight trophy with a total of 19 points to 15.

“It does feel good. I was hoping it wouldn’t come down to my point,” Woods said in a greenside interview after shutting the door on the 15th with a sublime bunker shot that landed a foot from the pin. “We didn’t get off to a good start early ... We needed to get our point. We went out there and played really well today and put a lot of heat on Badds (Baddeley).”

Woods’s victory was a repeat of 2009, when the former world number one stroked the winning putt against South Korea’s YE Yang at San Francisco to hand the United States their sixth Cup. Leading the Internationals 13-9 going into the final day in sunbathed Melbourne, the U.S. needed only five wins from the singles matches but were made to work hard. The Internationals’ young brigade charged out of the blocks, with Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa a 3&2 winner over Bubba Watson before South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel edged Dustin Johnson 2&1.

Kim Kyung-tae beat Webb Simpson 1-up and Australia’s Geoff Ogilvy finished strongly with a 2-up win over Bill Haas. Hunter Mahan and Nick Watney steadied the U.S.

MELBOURNE: The US team captain Fred Couples (left in front row) and his team celebrate with the Presidents Cup trophy after winning the Presidents Cup golf tournament at Royal Melbourne Golf Course. —AP ship, however, before the old hands took over.

David Toms blasted Australia’s Robert Allenby 7&5 to leave the US needing only two points to win, before Jim Furyk rolled in a fivefoot putt to beat South African Ernie Els 4&3.

“I knew our guys would settle down,” said Couples, who won his second straight Cup over counterpart Greg Norman. “The old standbys at the end worked well.”

Woods credited team mate and renowned putting wizard Steve Stricker for helping him find his touch on the greens having not been able to buy a putt throughout

the tournament.

The 35-year-old finished with a 2-3 record for the tournament having saved his best for last.

Following the American’s bunker shot, Baddeley needed to hole a monster putt to take the match to the 16th but never got close.

Australia’s Adam Scott earlier beat Phil Mickelson 2&1 but Stricker finished the tournament on a winning note for the US, edging Yang 2&1 in the final match. “ The guys stepped up to the plate, very very proud of them for doing that,” said Norman. “My team can hold their heads up extremely high. We’ll take a lot out of this

tournament.”

Couples insisted motivating his players at the scene of the American team’s sole Cup loss in 1998 had not been a problem.

“They don’t really need any kicks in the rear,” he said.

“It’s a team of bombers and good putters. I was never concerned with all of this I heard about, that we’ll never get used to Royal Melbourne in a couple of practice rounds. “ We had some phenomenal scoring in what I think is very tough conditions. But the guys, we are different. They teamed up extremely well.”—Reuters

Luiten bags Johor Open JOHOR BAHR: Dutchman Joost Luiten has now set himself the goal of breaking into the Ryder Cup team after a maiden European Tour success at the rain-affected Iskandar Johor Open in Malaysia yesterday.

The 25-year-old came from four shots behind heading into the third and final round of the 54hole reduced event to win by a stroke with a five-under par 66.

Luiten finished on 15-under par at the Horizon Hills course, becoming only the fourth Dutch golfer to win on the European Tour and first since Robert Jan Derksen in 2005.

“This win takes a lot of pressure off me as I have been close a few times this year and to finally win one and to be close to being inside the top 15 on the Race to Dubai is unbelievable,”

Luiten told reporters. “The first win they say is always really tough but to get that first win is the first step to keep on winning. “I now want to be play in the Ryder Cup and I want to be also playing in the Majors and also get myself into the top-50 in the world. This win is the first step.”

Luiten, who earned a $333,330 for his victory, is set to move just outside the leading 10 European Ryder Cup qualifiers once the points table is adjusted.

Sweden’s Daniel Chopra, the overnight leader, had the chance to force a play-off but he missed his 15-foot eagle putt in a round of 70 for second place at 14-under par.

Triple major champion Padraig Harrington, last year’s winner, finished a further stroke back after a 69. “I was very disappointed with seven

because I hit the ball really nicely and it was really the only bad shot I made all day,” said Chopra of a double-bogey which dented his challenge.

“But it’s a great way to finish the year. It has been a long, hard-working year and it is nice to have this good finish.”

Harrington needed an eagle at the last to get into a play-off but missed the green with his approach shot and then chipped and twoputted for a par. British pair Rhys Davies (65) and James Morrison (69) shared third with Harrington.

“It was disappointing not only to chip-andputt 18 but also 16 but there you go,” said Harrington. “I am happy with my form and where my head was at but still a little disappointed with the result.”—Reuters

Grant KOs Botha in last round

JOHANNESBURG: American Michael Grant (left) is hit

by South Africa’s Francois Botha during their WBF heavyweight boxing title fight. —AP

JOHANNESBURG: American Michael Grant knocked out South Africa’s Francois Botha in the last round of their heavyweight fight to claim the vacant WBF title on Saturday.

Grant dropped Botha with a right hand with 37 seconds left in the 12th round at Montecasino. The 43-year-old Botha dominated from the first bell, nearly finishing the 39-year-old Grant in rounds 7 and 11.

Botha charged in on the taller, leaner Grant and was probably ahead on the cards. But Grant rallied right at the end for a dramatic win to improve to 48-4

with 36 knockouts. Botha dropped to 486-3 with one no-contest.

Despite Botha controlling the pace, Grant lifted himself in the last minute in a desperate finish and his powerful shot put the South African on his back. “I knew I had the strength to knock him out in the 12th round,” Grant said.

He’d lost to Tomasz Adamek by a unanimous decision in March for the WBO and IBF international heavyweight titles. Botha also lost his first shot at the vacant minor WBF belt to Evander Holyfield in 2010. Holyfield eventually relinquished it.—AP

Alesayi grabs victory to share lead Porsche GT3 Cup title race ABU DHABI: Saudi Arabia’s Bandar Alesayi scored an impressive victory in Round 3 of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East at Yas Marina Circuit today to grab a share in the championship lead.

The Porsche one-make series served up some thrilling race action on Formula 1 weekend in Abu Dhabi, and it was Alesayi who stole the limelight with only his second victory in the championship, but one which marked him as a serious title contender this season. Starting second on the grid after Ahmad Al Harthy had dominated the morning qualifying session, Alesayi snatched the lead on the first lap and held on to win by 1.5 seconds from the Omani.

The victory puts him level on points with Prince Abdulaziz Al Faisal, who had started the race as the championship leader but had a tough time holding on to

his third place from qualifying as he came under intense pressure from Belgian driver Stephane Lemeret.

Half way through the 14-lap race, Lemeret, making his debut in the series this season with Dubai-based Al Nabooda Racing, swept ahead of the Saudi, but within moments he was back in fourth place again and eventually had to settle for that.

Saeed Al Mouri, team-mate of Prince Abdulaziz, and Swiss driver Armin Schmid, completed the top six. Finishing seventh overall, Qatar’s Saadon Al Kuwari won the Mobil 1 Trophy for drivers over 45 for the third race in succession after his double success in Dubai last weekend.

Delighted with his win, Alesayi said at the finish: “Ahmad made a mistake and I was able to get past him. It’s the perfect start to the weekend for me.”

Round 3 results 1. Bandar Alesayi (KSA) Alesayi Racing

31:57.991

2. Ahmad Al Harthy (OM) Oman Air Racing

31:59.515

3. Abdulaziz Al Faisal (KSA) Saudi Falcons

32:03.424

4. Stephane Lemeret (BEL) Al Nabooda Racing

32:04.150

5. Saeed Al Mouri KSA) Saudi Falcons

32:21.605

6. Armin Schmid (CH) Team TCE

32:49.976

7. Saadon Al Kuwari (QA)

33:00.723

8. Mark Thomas (CAN)

33:00.972

9. Hannes Waimer (GER) Team TCE

33:11.129

10. Hans Guido Riegel (GER) Haribo Racing

33:11.592

Championship positions after Round 3 1. Abdulaziz Al Faisal (KSA) Saudi Falcons

54pts

1. Bandar Alesayi (KSA) Alesayi Racing

54pts

3. Ahmad Al Harthy (OM) Oman Air Racing

46pts

4. Stephane Lemeret (BEL) Al Nabooda Racing

42pts

5. Saeed Al Mouri KSA) Saudi Falcons

34pts

6. Mark Thomas (CAN)

26pts

7. Sadoon Al Kuwari (QA)

25pts

8. Hannes Waimer (GER)

21pts

9. Clemens Schmid (AUT)

20pts

10. Hans Guido Riegel (GER) Haribo Racing

16pts

Mobil 1 Trophy 1. Sadoon Al Kuwari (QA)

ABU DHABI: Bandar Alesayi celebrates on the podium with Prince Abdulaziz and Al Harthy

60pts

2. Hannes Waimer (GER)

54pts

3. Hans Guido Riegel (GER) Haribo Racing

44pts

4. Fawaz Algosaibi (KSA) ClassicArabia Racing

40pts

4. Rob Frijns (NL)

28pts

6. Manfred Ender (AUT)

23pts

7. Jaber Al Khalifa (BAH)

10pts

7. Alain Muraour (F)

10pts

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

sp orts HOMESTEAD: Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., drives down the front stretch during the NASCAR Ford 300 Nationwide series auto race. —AP

Stenhouse Jr. wins Nationwide Series HOMESTEAD: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. drove dozens of laps as a champion - and didn’t even know it. Stenhouse won the Nationwide Series title long before the checkered flag dropped Saturday at the season finale.

Stenhouse clinched his first championship about 30 laps into the 200-lap race, securing the title when six cars officially dropped out of the 300-mile event at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Stenhouse was running fourth when NASCAR officials announced he had wrapped up the title. He finished second behind Brad Keselowski. Carl Edwards was third, followed by Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin and Elliott Sadler.

Edwards clinched the owner’s title for

Jack Roush, who is looking to become the first owner in NASCAR history to win both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide championships in the same season. Edwards leads Tony Stewart by three points heading into Sunday’s season finale.

Edwards and Stenhouse parked their cars nose to nose and did a double burnout in celebration. Sadler, who started the race 41 points behind Stenhouse, finished second in the season points standings.

Stenhouse knew he held a comfortable lead over Sadler, needing to finished 37th or better to secure the championship a year after earning the rookie of the year honors. As expected, Stenhouse played it safe although his day was far

from trouble free.

The team had communication issues early. Apparently, someone not associated with the team left the push-to-talk button open on a radio, causing problems that eventually got solved by switching channels. Later, with about 70 laps remaining, Stenhouse scraped the wall for the second time.

None of the mishaps did much to dampen Stenhouse’s day. Crew chief Mike Kelley gave Stenhouse the news a little past the halfway point, saying, “All right, man, I got the word. You are the champion.” Kelley knew how many cars were out of the race early and considered telling Stenhouse then. But just as he started the sentence over the radio, he stopped and

said, “Keep doing what you’re doing.”

Stenhouse did.

He ran near the front much of the race.

And he had the lead late until spinning his tires on a restart and getting stuck in some traffic. He nearly ran down Keselowski on the final lap, but came up a few car lengths short.

Stenhouse and Sadler were the only drivers still eligible for the title.

Stenhouse’s guaranteed finishing spot improved just after the green flag as “start and park” cars headed to the garage.

Morgan Shepherd, Fain Skinner, Scott Speed and Matt Carter all drove just a few laps before calling it quits. Josh Wise and Chase Miller followed them a few laps later, making it official. The rest was a mere

formality. Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne finished 11th. Former IndyCar star Danica Patrick crossed the line 32nd after wrecking shortly after a restart with 14 laps to go.

Sprint Cup regulars were ineligible for the Nationwide title. NASCAR officials instituted a new rule this year that prevented drivers from racing for championships in more than one series.

The change was made in hopes of bolstering the identity of up-and-coming drivers in the second-tier series. The series has been dominated by Cup stars, with Keselowski (2010), Kyle Busch (2009), Bowyer (2008), Edwards (2007) and Kevin Harvick (2006) winning the previous five Nationwide titles.—AP

India in line for Test whitewash

HOMESTEAD: Driver Tony Stewart looks at the scoring tower after qualifying for late yesterday’s NASCAR Ford 400 Sprint Cup series auto race.—AP

Edwards on pole for NASCAR decider HOMESTEAD: Championship leader Carl Edwards grabbed pole position for the titledeciding final race of the NASCAR season after posting the fastest qualifying time on Saturday.

Edwards, who produced a quickest lap of 30.78 seconds, headed into the last event of the year with a three point lead over twotime champion Tony Stewart, the only man in the field who could possibly overtake him for the title. Stewart was 15th fastest with a time of 31.15 on the 1.5 mile oval circuit, while Martin Treux Jr and Kasey Kahne were second and third quickest after a session held in gusty winds.

“If anything, this is good for our morale to go sleep easy tonight, but we have to run this race and everything can happen,” Edwards told reporters. The Roush Fenway Racing driver only needed to finish ahead of Stewart late yesterday to secure his first NASCAR title.

The Homestead-Miami Speedway’s design lends itself to plenty of passing but securing pole position gave Edwards another important advantage, the first stall in pit lane, which should enable him to avoid any traffic problems whenever he exits.

“The biggest thing is that pit stall selection. That’s gonna be a big help the whole race. That’s something that’s hard to put a value on,” said Edwards. “We didn’t need to qualify poorly, get a poor pit stall and have some little thorn in our side the whole race, so this

will hopefully help us for the whole race.

“We know we are gonna have a good day on pit road, know we’ll hopefully be able to run out front and not got caught in anything.”

Stewart conceded that winning pole position gave Edwards a slight edge but said he was no less hopeful about his chances in the highly-anticipated showdown.

“Obviously having that first pit box is a huge advantage in this sport, they did a good job qualifying but that pit selection does not guarantee anything,” he said.

“I have had 13 poles in 13 years and won 43 races. We have proven that you don’t have to do it from the pole. It’s definitely a luxury but don’t start etching his name on the trophy just yet.” While Edwards posted the fastest single lap, Stewart believed the practice session times indicated he had problems maintaining his speed and he hoped his own strategy of putting in more race-style sessions in practice would pay off.

“He put up a fast lap but his lap times fell off pretty hard in the one long run that he did,” Stewart said. “That’s why I am really confident that what we did was the right thing.

Our times do not fall off as hard as his did.”

The last five NASCAR titles have been won by Jimmie Johnson with an unprecedented run of victories but he risked missing out on a top five finish for the first time since he joined the series fulltime in 2002.—Reuters

MUMBAI: India will be aiming to complete a 3-0 series whitewash of the West Indies in the final test starting in Mumbai tomorrow, as the team re-asserts itself in the five-day game.

Comfortable victories in New Delhi and Kolkata have put India back in the groove after a 4-0 series hammering by England, which cost India top spot in the test rankings.

It is hoping to reclaim some of that lost prestige against a West Indies side that remains a mere shadow of past great Caribbean teams, and the predictably onesided nature of the series has led to many empty seats in the stadiums.

“We will try our best to win the third test but it’s difficult to predict anything in cricket,” Dhoni said after wrapping up the Kolkata test by an innings and 15 runs. “We will have to see what kind of wicket we get in Mumbai.”

The final test will be held at the Wankhede Stadium, which is likely to offer a livelier pitch than in the preceding two games, where the inexperienced West Indies batting lineup struggled.

“The West Indies are a good side, their bowling line is quite good,” Dhoni said.

“Also, it’s not that they can’t bat. You have seen in the second innings that they have talented batsmen and we are expecting a tough third test.”

The tourists, which lost the opening test by five wickets, was skittled out for a meager 153 in the first innings at Kolkata but came back strongly to score 463 in the second. But the depth in Indian batting won the game, as centuries from Rahul Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman and Dhoni helped pile a massive 631-7 declared and subsequently enforce a follow-on.

Left-hander Yuvraj Singh was the only Indian batsman to struggle and has been dropped after scoring only 66 runs in three innings. He has been replaced by Rohit Sharma in the squad, though there is a better chance of Virat Kohli taking the number six slot. Dhoni acknowledged contributions from his batsmen but also commended the bowling.

“The whole bowling unit looks very balanced. The fast bowlers look very fresh which means they can bowl a lot of overs.

The spinners are also bowling in the same way,” Dhoni said.

India’s spin pair of Pragyan Ojha and Ravichandran Ashwin has been among wickets and new pace bowler Umesh Yadav too has given a spirited display, taking four second innings wickets in the second test.

West Indies batsman Darren Bravo, whose stylish knock of 136 in Kolkata took his team to the brink of avoiding an innings defeat, cautioned that the West Indies knew what to do in the final test.

“Hopefully, if not a victory, it will be a great chance for us as a team,” Bravo said.

“Hopefully we will deliver, hopefully we can come out and counter them.”

Meanwhile, Sachin Tendulkar played down hype over the prospect of notching his 100th international century on his home ground.

“I feel it is just a number, I am not thinking about it,” Tendulkar was quoted as saying in the Mid-Day newspaper. “I know everyone is talking and thinking about my 100th century. I want to be relaxed and let cricket decide its own course.”

Tendulkar has scored 51 test centuries and 48 in one-day internationals, yet the most recent ton came eight months ago, against South Africa in the World Cup.—AP

MUMBAI: India’s Sachin Tendulkar bats during a training session ahead of their third Test cricket match against West Indies. —AP

Telefonica fending off Puma attack ALICANTE: New leaders Telefonica were fending off a counter-attack from riled US rivals Puma yesterday as the two Volvo Ocean Race pacesetters sought a decisive southern advantage on leg one.

The two teams, both racing in latest generation boats from the winning designer of the last two races, have been neck and neck for the first two thirds of the mammoth 6,500 nautical mile (12,000 kilometres) first leg from Alicante to Cape Town.

Spain’s Telefonica finally put

clear blue water between the pair with a tactical move that outfoxed Puma to their east on Friday evening.

Puma skipper Ken Read acknowledged that his rivals had made the better call. “We had our butts handed to us,” is how the American described it in an email from the boat - and since then they have been on the counter-attack.

In 24 hours the Americans have cut the deficit from over 50 nm to 35 and with more than 2,000 still to go there is everything to play for.

All the teams are driving south as fast as they can in a bid to be first to pick up a new cold weather front that should catapult them eastwards to Cape Town.

That should see the fleet moving at maximum speed for long periods during the final week, with a crack at the world monohull 24hour speed record a real possibility.

Team New Zealand, racing in the Spanish boat Camper, are in third spot, 159 nm behind the leaders, with French entry Groupama out of the reckoning over 400 nm back

after a tactical gamble that failed spectacularly in the first week.

The two other boats that started - Chinese entry Sanya and Abu Dhabi - had to pull out of the leg entirely after suffering damage to their boats in horrific weather in the first 24 hours. They are shipping their boats to Cape Town in time for leg two, starting on Dec. 11. The Volvo Ocean Race start has traditionally been crucial, with the winner of the first leg going on to secure overall victory ever since the race went single-class in 1997.—Reuters

Shocking charges, and a rush to judgment NEW YORK: Jerry Sandusky’s protestations of innocence in the Penn State scandal came in a television interview that no first-year law student would ever allow a client to give.

The one issued by Bernie Fine at Syracuse University came in a prepared statement that should give us all some pause. “There should never be a rush to judgment,” Fine said, “when someone’s personal integrity and career are on the line.”

Words to remember in today’s world of instant communication, where verdicts can come quickly in the court of public opinion. One day we don’t know who Bernie Fine is, the next we’re searching for his picture among the FBI’s most wanted at the local post office.

Whether the longtime assistant to Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim is guilty of anything, I don’t know.

Syracuse City Police are looking into

child molestation allegations made by two former ball boys about him, and he was placed on administrative leave by the school.

It’s different with Sandusky. There are grand jury charges, a report that will make your stomach curl and at least eight alleged victims.

The rush to judgment, though, can work both ways. Loyalty and friendship come into play, and the instinct is to circle the wagons and defend at all costs.

That’s what happened at Penn State, where university president Graham Spanier’s first reaction to charges against two of his underlings in the Sandusky case was to declare his full confidence in them. They were gone the next day, and a few days later Spanier joined them in the unemployment line.

I’m not suggesting Boeheim is going anywhere, though Joe Paterno was ousted with such speed that anything is pos-

sible. But within hours of the allegations being made public, Boeheim had chosen his side by declaring that he’s never seen or suspected anything suspicious about a coach he has known for more than 40 years. “I’m not Joe Paterno. Somebody didn’t come and tell me Bernie Fine did something and I’m hiding it. I know nothing,” Boeheim told The PostStandard in Syracuse. “If I saw some reason not to support Bernie, I would not support him. If somebody showed me a reason, proved that reason, I would not support him. But until then, I’ll support him until the day I die.”

With that, the lines are drawn. You’re for him or against him; yet police have barely started looking into the allegations. The problem is the person you think you know so well might not be that person at all.

As Boeheim insists he’s no Paterno, there’s a long way to go in the legal

process before anyone can say Fine is a Sandusky.

What child abuse experts will tell you, though, is that predators are often authority figures who work in a position of trust with children. That certainly includes coaches at all levels, from your neighbor coaching a soccer team to world-class coaches in any sport.

Whoever it is, they leave a trail of ruined childhoods and difficult lives. And there seems to be no shortage of them out there. Former boxer Sugar Ray Leonard struggled for four decades with the memory of an advance made by one of his coaches, drinking heavily and using cocaine for years to mask the pain.

He finally unburdened himself in a book, though he still grew emotional when I talked to him about it earlier this year.

Earlier this week, the man who coached the 1984 US women’s Olympic team was banned for life by USA

Gymnastics and had his place in the federation’s Hall of Fame revoked after two former gymnasts said he sexually abused them when they were teenagers in the 1980s.

And in July, USA Swimming acknowledged it already had banned 46 officials and coaches for life, mostly for sexual misconduct, and had a second list of people who are under suspicion.

It’s a dirty, dark secret in sports, and it’s been going on for a long time in a lot of different places. The charges levied in Happy Valley were both shocking and disgusting, but, other than their high profile, weren’t a lot different than charges filed in courts every week somewhere around the country.

That doesn’t mean we should automatically assume guilt every time someone levels an accusation. But we do all need to be more vigilant to try and keep it from happening again.—AP

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

S P ORT S

Oklahoma, Oregon suffer defeat Alabama and Penn State advance

KNOXVILLE: Tennessee running back Tauren Poole (28) leaps for a touchdown in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game against Vanderbilt. — AP

Indonesia top Games table JAKARTA: Indonesia topped the Southeast Asian Games medals table yesterday, as hype around their football final with rivals Malaysia peaked after a report that the visitors may seek a police escort to the match.

Indonesia reached 144 gold yesterday having amassed 373 medals in total with two full days of competition to go-pushing them comfortably beyond the target set by the Games’ organisers for their first overall win since 1997.

Thailand took a commanding hold on the second spot with 90 golds, 10 first-place finishes clear of Vietnam. But yesterday’s talking point was the hosts’ upcoming clash for football gold with Malaysia, after the visitors said they might use armored Barracuda vehicles to reach the game, which is expected to draw over 90,000 hostile fans. The Malaysian Star newspaper yesterday quoted team manager Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin as saying he had urged Indonesian police to consider escorting his under-23 side during the short trip from their hotel to the stadium on Monday.

Malaysian athletes have faced relentless barracking from local crowds, with the under23 footballers-who are defending their 2009 title-taking flak as they beat the hosts 0-1 in the final group game last week.

“We have the experience of the preliminary match last Thursday. I notice our players are resilient and I hope they rise to the occasion tomorrow,” he told the paper, adding “we will prove Malaysia are the best in Southeast Asia.”

Malaysia, who boast the best defence in the tournament after conceding just two goals, pounced late against doughty Myanmar on Saturday to steal a final spot with a 1-0 win. Indonesia took their place in Monday night’s showpiece with a 2-0 win over Vietnam, scoring twice in the second period through Papuan pair Patrich Wanggai

Medals Table JAKARTA: Medals table at the 26th Southeast Asian Games yesterday: Indonesia Thailand Vietnam Malaysia Singapore Philippines Myanmar Laos Cambodia East Timor Brunei

Gold Silver Bronze Total 152 129 116 397 95 83 105 283 87 84 89 260 52 45 70 167 41 43 71 155 26 47 68 141 11 23 28 62 9 7 35 51 4 11 20 35 1 1 4 6 0 2 7 9

and Titus Bonai. Bonai, whose late deflected strike secured victory, said the defending champions posed a danger but were there to be beaten. “ The Malaysian team is very strong-we lost to them the other day. What we need to do is stay on guard and work tight as a team,” he told AFP. “If we do that, I’m confident we can win.”

The visitors weathered the cauldron of the 90,000 capacity Gelora Bung Karno stadium to beat the hosts in their last group game, and their coach Ong Kim Swee was confident they can again silence the home fans.

“Disregard their taunts. We must use our remaining fitness in the best possible manner,” he was quoted by Malaysian state media as saying. “I don’t want them to be overconfident. I know they are tired and I want them to be aware of their own strengths and performance.” Rachmat Gobel, an executive from Games organisers Inasoc, had said 140 golds would see Indonesia top the medals tally for the first time since they last hosted the Games in 1997. —AFP

WACO: Oklahoma and Oregon both suffered surprise defeats on Saturday, increasing the likelihood of college football’s championship game being a showdown between Southeastern Conference rivals Louisiana State and Alabama.

Oklahoma was beaten 45-38 by No. 25-ranked Baylor, which was led by quarterback Robert Griffin III, who furthered his claims to the Heisman Trophy.

Griffin threw for 479 yards and four touchdowns, including a 34-yarder to Terrance Williams with 8 seconds left that clinched the Bears first ever win over the Sooners.

Oklahoma had overcome a two-touchdown deficit to tie the game on Blake Bell’s fourth touchdown, with 51 seconds left, but the Bears went 80 yards in five plays, with Griffin scrambling for runs of 22 and 8 yards before finding Williams.

The Sooners’ second loss of the season, all but eliminates the preseason No. 1 team from the national title chase.

Southern California 38, Oregon 35 In Eugene, Oregon, Matt Barkley threw for 323 yards and four touchdowns and USC held on to beat Oregon, whose kicker Alejandro Maldonado missed a 37-yard field goal to tie the game with 5 seconds left. Maldondado’s kick, which was brought five yards closer because of a USC penalty, went wide left.

The loss snaps a 21-game winning streak for the Ducks at Autzen Stadium, which was the longest in the nation. It also stopped Oregon’s winning streak in conference games at 19. USC kept the Ducks from clinching a spot in the inaugural Pac-12 championship game.

Alabama 45, Georgia Southern 21 In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Trent Richardson rushed for 175 yards and scored three touchdowns to power Alabama. The Crimson Tide gave up a season-worst 21 points, but the team’s biggest national title boost came the previous night when No. 2 Oklahoma State lost at Iowa State.

There’s little doubt Alabama will be in second place behind Louisiana State when the latest BCS standings come out Sunday. If the Tide and Tigers win out, the SEC West rivals will likely play for the second time this season, but this time for the BCS championship.

Penn State 20, Ohio State 14 In Columbus, Ohio, Penn State won without Joe Paterno as its coach for the first time since 1965, setting up a division title game in the Big Ten conference next week. The Nittany Lions shut out the hosts in the second half, while Stephfon Green scored two touchdowns.

Penn State earned a share of the Big Ten’s Leaders Division title and set up a division title game next week at Wisconsin. The winner will play in the conference’s first championship game on Dec. 3 against Michigan State.

Penn State fired Paterno a week and a half ago, part of the fallout from child sex-abuse charges filed against his former defensive coordinator, Jerry Sandusky.

Louisiana State 52, Mississippi 3 In Oxford, Mississippi, Ron Brooks returned an interception for a touchdown 28 seconds into the game and LSU piled up 353 yards rushing in a onesided game. The Tigers matched their best start since 1958, building a 35-3 halftime lead.

Quarterback Jordan Jefferson started his second consecutive game, completing 7 of 7 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown. Alfred Blue led the Tigers with 74 rushing yards while Spencer Ware added 70 yards and a touchdown.

Arkansas 44, Mississippi State 17 In Little Rock, Arkansas, Tyler Wilson had a school-record 32 completions for Arkansas and threw for 365 yards and three touchdowns.

It was the seventh straight victory for the Razorbacks, who travel to No. 1 Louisiana State next week for a game with conference and national title implications.

It also clinched the first back-to-back 10-win seasons since 1988-89 for Arkansas, which completed its first undefeated season at home since 1999.

North Carolina State 37, Clemson 13 In Raleigh, North Carolina, Mike Glennon threw three touchdown passes and North Carolina State shut down Clemson’s explosive offense.

Tbais Palmer had a dazzling 43-yard catch-andrun touchdown to highlight a surprisingly dominant performance by NC State. The Wolfpack scored 27 points in the second quarter, then increased the lead and never let the Tigers build any momentum.

It was NC State’s first win against a top-10 team in five seasons under Tom O’Brien, and it was a sur-

UTAH: BYU’s Michael Alisa (left) is hit in midair by New Mexico State’s Stephen Meredith during the second half of an NCAA college football game. — AP prising outcome considering the Wolfpack needed to win the final two games just to become bowl eligible.

Stanford 31, California 28 In Standford, California, Andrew Luck threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns as Stanford survived a shaky start to beat rival California in a rainsoaked Big Game.

Luck revived his Heisman Trophy campaign by tossing scoring passes to Levine Toilolo and Ryan Hewitt, keeping the Cardinal’s slim chances of a Pac-12 title and national championship alive. He overcame an early interception and rallied Stanford from six points down.

Boise State 52, San Diego State 35 In San Diego, Kellen Moore completed 28 of 40 passes for 366 yards and four touchdowns, three to Tyler Shoemaker, and Boise State benefited from three San Diego State turnovers.

The Broncos bounced back from a 36-35 loss to TCU a week earlier in Boise. San Diego State remained winless in 19 games against Associated Press top 10 teams since 1969.

Houston 37, Southern Methodist 7 In Houston, Case Keenum set the Football Bowl Subdivision career record for completions, threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score as Houston stayed unbeaten.

Keenum completed 30 of 45 passes for 318 yards, a modest day for the nation’s leader in total offense and pass efficiency. He set the completions mark on his seventh throw, breaking the previous mark set by Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell.

Michigan State 55, Indiana 3 In East Lansing, Michigan, Kirk Cousins threw for 273 yards and three touchdowns in just over a half and Michigan State clinched a spot in the Big Ten championship game.

The Spartans entered with a one-game lead over both Nebraska and Michigan. When the Wolverines beat the Cornhuskers, Michigan State won the Legends Division.

Georgia 19, Kentucky 10 In Athens, Georgia, Aaron Murray threw a touchdown pass to Marlon Brown on the first play of the fourth quarter and Georgia hung on to clinch a spot in the Southeastern Conference championship game.

Blair Walsh kicked four field goals for the Bulldogs, who struggled on offense after losing top rusher Isaiah Crowell to an ankle injury after only two carries. Crowell’s top backup, Carlton Thomas, was not at the game for personal reasons.

South Carolina 34, The Citadel 20 In Columbia, South Carolina, Connor Shaw threw for 217 yards and three touchdowns, including Alshon Jeffery’s first scoring catch in more than a month. The Gamecocks reached nine victories in

back-to-back years for the first time in school history.

Wisconsin, 28, Illinois 17 In Champaign, Illinois, Montee Ball rushed for 224 yards and scored three times, and Wisconsin forced four turnovers in a comeback victory.

On a day when stiff winds limited Wisconsin’s passing attack, Ball was dominant. He had 164 yards on the ground as Wisconsin scored 21 unanswered points in the second half.

Kansas State 17, Texas 13 In Austin, Texas, Collin Klein ran for one touchdown and passed for another as Kansas State overcame a suffocating Texas defense.

Klein was sacked five times and Kansas State managed just 121 total yards, but still pulled out the win with Klein’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Chris Harper with 9 seconds left in the first half and his 3-yard scoring run in the third quarter.

Klein leads the nation with 25 rushing touchdowns and needs just two more to tie the Big 12 record set by Texas running back Ricky Williams in 1998.

Texas Christian 34, Colorado State 10 In Fort Worth, Texas, Antoine Hicks, Ed Wesley and Matthew Tucker ran for touchdowns and Tank Carder returned an interception 69 yards for a touchdown, helping Texas Christian win at least a share of the Mountain West title.

Coming off an upset win at Boise State, the Horned Frogs seemed a bit flat in the first half. They got rolling in the third quarter on their way to handing the Rams a sixth straight loss.

Michigan 45, Nebraska 17 In Ann Arbor, Michigan, Denard Robinson threw two touchdown passes and ran for two scores to help Michigan keep alive hopes for earning a Bowl College Series at-large bid. The Cornhuskers lost any hope of playing in the Big Ten’s first title game.

Virginia 14, Florida State 13 In Tallahassee, Florida, Kevin Parks ran 10 yards for a touchdown with 1:16 left to give Virginia the lead and Florida State’s Dustin Hopkins missed a 42-yard field-goal attempt in the closing seconds.

Cavaliers will play rival Virginia Tech for a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game next week.

Florida State got two fortunate breaks on its final drive that gave Hopkins, the ACC’s leading scorer, a chance to win it, but his kick went wide with three seconds left.

Notre Dame 16, Boston College 14 In South Bend, Indiana, Jonas Gray rushed for a touchdown, David Ruffer kicked three field goals and Notre Dame held off Boston College.

The win was the fourth straight for the Fighting Irish, who matched last year’s victory total. But it was a costly win, with Gray leaving in the third quarter with an apparent knee injury. — AP

Cummins takes six as Australia push for win SCOREBOARD JOHANNESBURG: Scores at close of play on the fourth day of the second and final Test between South Africa and Australia at the Wanderers Stadium yesterday:

South Africa, first innings, 266 Australia, first innings, 296 South Africa, second innings (overnight 229-3) G. Smith c Hughes b Lyon 36 J. Rudolph c Haddin b Cummins 24 H. Amla c Haddin b Johnson 105 J. Kallis c Clarke b Cummins 2 A. de Villiers c Clarke b Cummins 73 A. Prince run out (Ponting) 2 M. Boucher c Watson b Lyon 13 V. Philander c Haddin b Cummins 23 D. Steyn c Haddin b Cummins 41 M. Morkel b Cummins 0 Imran Tahir not out 4 Extras (b5, lb2, nb2, w7) 16 Total (110 overs) 339 Fall of wickets: 1-40 (Rudolph), 2-75 (Smith), 3-90 (Kallis), 4-237 (De Villiers), 5-249 (Prince), 6-260 (Amla), 7-266 (Boucher), 8-314 (Philander), 9-314 (Morkel).

Bowling: Johnson 30-4-101-1 (2nb), Cummins 29-5-79-6 (3w), Siddle 27-1071-0, Lyon 16-4-57-2, Hussey 5-0-14-0, Clarke 2-1-2-0, Ponting 1-0-8-0.

Australia, second innings S. Watson b Philander P. Hughes c Kallis b Philander Usman Khawaja c Kallis b Tahir R. Ponting not out M. Clarke not out Extras (b1, lb3, nb5, w2) Total (3 wkts, 37 overs)

0 11 65 54 1 11 142

Fall of wickets: 1-0 ( Watson), 2-19 (Hughes), 3-141 (Khawaja) Bowling: Philander 8-0-31-2 (3nb), Steyn 10-0-44-0, Morkel 9-1-24-0 (2nb, 1w), Tahir 5-0-23-1, Kallis 5-0-16-0.

To bat: M. Hussey, B. Haddin, M. Johnson, P. Siddle, P. Cummins, N. Lyon Match situation: Australia, with seven second innings wickets remaining, need 246 to win.

JOHANNESBURG: Teenage fast bowler Pat Cummins took six wickets on his debut as Australia kept alive their hopes of squaring the series on the fourth day of the second and final Test against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium yesterday.

A century partnership between Usman Khawaja (65) and Ricky Ponting (54 not out) enabled Australia to reach 142 for three at the close, 168 runs short of achieving the highest successful run chase at the Wanderers.

Khawaja was caught at slip off leg-spinner Imran Tahir one ball before bad light ended play after he and Ponting had put on 122 for the third wicket.

Cummins took six for 79 and was mainly responsible for South Africa being bowled out for 339, leaving Australia with 310 to win.

Hashim Amla top-scored for South Africa with 105.

The target seemed a distant one when Shane Watson padded up to Vernon Philander and was bowled by the second ball of Australia’s second innings.

Philander followed up in his next over when Phil Hughes was caught at second slip. But Khawaja and Ponting, both with points to prove, batted sensibly to blunt South Africa’s attack. Khawaja, playing in his fourth Test, made his first Test half-century, while Ponting, in his 156th appearance, reached double figures for the first time in the series and went on to pass fifty for the 96th time in his career.

The left-handed Khawaja seemed to have

difficulty reading Tahir’s variations and edged a ball which went straight on to present a catch to Jacques Kallis at slip.

Australian captain Michael Clarke scored a single off the next ball before the umpires decided the light was too bad for further play.

Cummins, 18, produced a high-quality display as he became the youngest player to take five wickets or more in an innings on Test debut.

Cummins made the first breakthrough in the South African innings when he dismissed Jacques Rudolph on Saturday, then won a duel with South Africa’s star batsman Kallis. He again made a crucial early strike on Sunday when he had AB de Villiers caught at second slip to end a 147- run fourth wicket stand between De Villiers and Amla. South Africa lost four wickets for 37 runs at the start of yesterday’s play before an eighth wicket stand of 48 between Philander and Dale Steyn stretched their lead.

Again it was Cummins who produced for Australia, bowling a brutal bouncer with the first ball after lunch which Philander gloved to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin. He yorked Morne Morkel with his next delivery.

Steyn had a successful slog, hitting sixes off Peter Siddle and Cummins before Cummins finished the innings by having Steyn caught behind for 41, ending a last wicket stand of 25 which took the lead beyond 300.

Amla top-scored for South Africa, taking his overnight 89 to 105 before he was caught behind off Mitchell Johnson. It was Amla’s 14th Test century and his second of the series. —AFP

JOHANNESBURG: Australia’s batsman Ricky Ponting raises his bat after reaching a half century on the fourth day of the second Test cricket match against South Africa. — AP

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CL the spur for Tottenham LONDON: Tottenham assistant manager Joe Jordan has highlighted the importance to the club of returning to the Champions League next season.

Spurs’ European adventure last season resulted in a 42 per cent rise in profits and, Jordan claims, enabled them to hang on to their best players.

And he believes as well as the financial importance to the club, finishing in the top four of the Premier League will convince players like Gareth Bale and Luka Modric they can realise their ambitions by staying at White Hart Lane.

Tottenham take on Aston Villa on Monday night having won seven of their last eight league games, which has taken them to a position just below the top four.

And Jordan, who expects manager Harry Redknapp to take charge for the Villa match after his recovery from heart surgery, said: “The Champions League to the club is huge money.

“The rewards are there as well if we get back in the Champions League because we have the players, or we hope to have the players.

“Not only do we have them but we want to keep them and entice players in, because players want to play at that level because it

is the top. Its what you are striving for.

“I’m sure the figures bear out how important it is financially to qualify for the Champions League. From the dressing room point of view, we’re desperate to get into the Champions League as well.

“We thoroughly deserved getting there in the season that we did. We had some scary moments, some of it down to naevity, but we learnt from that.

“We became a better team and a better club for knowing how to handle it. We’ll have a go at getting back in and we’ll be challenging for a place in the Champions League.”

Tottenham welcome back a former player in Aston Villa striker Darren Bent and Jordan has impressed upon his players the importance of keeping things tight in defence.

Spurs were lucky not to concede in their last fixture, away to Fulham, after handing their opponents a host of second-half chances when the north London side were 2-1 up.

“Villa is a tough game for us, they have a lot of pace up front,” Jordan added. “The way they play they are very quick on the counter attack so we will be very conscious of that. —AFP

SHARJAH: Pakistan’s cricketer Shahid Afridi (center) celebrates with wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed (right) after winning the fourth One Day International (ODI) match against Sri Lanka. —AFP

Afridi stars as Pakistan clinch Sri Lanka series SHARJAH: All rounder Shahid Afridi scored a half-century before taking five wickets to steer Pakistan to a hard fought 26-run win in the fourth day-night match over Sri Lanka at Sharjah stadium yesterday.

Afridi helped Pakistan recover from a struggling 120-7 to 200 all out with a 65-ball 75 before he derailed Sri Lanka by taking 5-35 to dismiss them for 174 in 45.2 overs, giving his team an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.

The victory leaves the fifth and final game at Abu Dhabi on Wednesday as inconsequential.

The sides will also play a Twenty20 international at Abu Dhabi on Friday.

Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara had set Sri Lanka on course for a comfortable win with a 102-run fourth wicket stand after Sri Lanka were struggling at 53-3 with Upul Tharanga (16) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (11) gone by the eighth over.

With 46 needed for victory Sangakkara, who hit six boundaries during his 103-ball knock, was bowled by Afridi for 58 and Saeed Ajmal accounted for Angelo Mathews (nought) in the next over.

That triggered a collpase in which Sri Lanka lost their last seven wickets for 19 runs. It included all of Afridi’s wickets in a sensational display of leg-spin bowling. The 31-year-old thus became the only man in one-day cricket to hit a half century and take five wickets in the same match on two occasions.

Jayawardene, who made 55, fell in the 44th over which left Sri Lanka with no chance to get the win they were seeking.

Afridi said he was happy to play a lead role. “I like to perform like this in every match,” said Afridi, playing after a six month gap which saw him retire from international cricket in protest over being sacked as one-day captain.

“Sri Lanka were in a winning position but captain (Misbah-ul Haq) said we needed just

one wicket and I was lucky that I got Sangakkara out.”

Sri Lankan captain Dilshan said the collapse was unbelievable. “It’s unbelievable to lose seven wickets for 20 odd runs,” said Dilshan. “Afridi batted and bowled well so it was disappointing to lose from a winning position.”

Earlier Afridi hit four boundaries and three sixes to lift his team from a precarious 120-7 to 200 in 49.3 overs. Afridi added an invaluable 61 runs for the eighth wicket with tail-ender Saeed Ajmal who finished with 20.

The swashbuckling Afridi hit spinner Seekkugge Prassana over extra cover for a six to reach his 31st half-century - his first in 15 innings - before hitting the same bowler for two boundaries and a six to notch up 19 in the 43rd over.

He finally fell, caught behind off paceman Thissara Perera, in the next over. Sri Lanka, aiming to level the series after losing the first and third matches in Dubai, had kept Pakistan in check before Afridi’s knock. Paceman Dilhara Fernando (3-26) provided the early breakthrough when he had Imran Farhat caught behind for 10 with his first delivery of the match and then returned for his second spell to remove Younis Khan (18).

After Mohammad Hafeez (27) fell caught at long-leg off a miscued sweep, Pakistan lost four wickets in the space of just 14 runs.

Leg-spinner Jeevan Mendis then trapped Shoaib Malik and Umar Akmal (both made two) in successive overs to leave Pakistan struggling at 71-5. Afridi and Misbah added 26 for the sixth wicket before the Pakistan captain fell to a silly run out. Pakistan brought in Cheema and Malik for Sohail Tanvir and Abdul Razzaq from the line-up of the third match which they won by 21 runs.

Sri Lanka won the second match by 25 runs while Pakistan were victorious by eight wickets in the first - all three played in Dubai. —AFP

Scoreboard SHARJAH: scoreboard in the fourth day-night international between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at Sharjah stadium here yesterday: Pakistan Mohammad Hafeez c Chandimal b Prasanna27 Imran Farhat c Sangakkara b Fernando 10 Younis Khan c Mendis b Fernando 18 Misbah-ul Haq run out 16 Shoaib Malik lbw b Mendis 2 Umar Akmal lbw b Mendis 2 Shahid Afridi c Sangakkara b Perera 75 Sarfraz Ahmed lbw b Prasanna 10 Saeed Ajmal lbw b Fernando 20 Umar Gul b Malinga 7 Aizaz Cheema not out 3 Extras: (lb2, w8) 10 Total: 200 Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Farhat), 2-57 (Hafeez), 3-62 ( Younis), 4-69 (Malik), 5-71 (Akmal), 6-97 (Misbah), 7-120 (Ahmed), 8-181 (Afridi), 9-191 (Ajmal).

Bowling: Malinga 9.3-0-38-1 (w2), Perera 10-136-1 (w2), Fernando 10-3-26-3, Mendis 9-0-402, Prasanna 10-1-55-2 (w4), Dilshan 1-0-3-0.

Overs: 49.3

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

Sri Lanka U. Tharanga c Younis b Cheema 16 T. Dilshan c Ahmed b Cheema 11 K. Sangakkara b Afridi 58 D. Chandimal b Hafeez 11 M. Jayawardene c Hafeez b Afridi 55 A. Mathews c Ahmed b Ajmal 0 J. Mendis lbw b Afridi 2 T. Perera c Akmal b Afridi 7 S. Prasanna c and b Afridi 0 L. Malinga lbw b Ajmal 4 D. Fernando not out 0 Extras: (lb3, nb1, w6) 10 Total: 174 Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Tharanga), 2-37 (Dilshan), 3-53 (Chandimal), 4-155 (Sangakkara), 5-156 (Mathews), 6-161 (Mendis), 7-168 (Jayawardene), 8-168 (Prasanna), 9-174 (Malinga) Bowling: Gul 6-0-19-0, Cheema 8-0-48-2 (w2), Hafeez 8-1-23-1, Malik 5-1-17-0 (nb1, w2), Ajmal 9-1-29-2 (w1), Afridi 9.2-0-35-5 (w1).

Overs: 45.2

Bilbao see off Sevilla MADRID: Athletic Bilbao continued to soar up the table with a comprehensive 2-1 victory away to Sevilla yesterday which put them in sixth place.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side have now gone eleven matches unbeaten following a slow start to the campaign under the Chilean coach which took them six attempts to register their first win in La Liga.

Since then they have not looked back and fully deserved the three points against a Sevilla side which have not won in five games and are just a point above Athletic.

Andoni Iraola gave Athletic the lead after just five minutes and while Sevilla hit back through Jesus Navas after a headed knock down from Frederic Kanoute, the visitors were in charge.

In particular Sevilla were finding it difficult to cope with Athletic’s physical threat although the winner came from a move with the ball on the ground as Iker Muniain found Oscar De Marcos who scored from close range.

Earlier Sporting Gijon came from behind to beat Getafe thanks to a late Nacho Novo winner. Oscar Trejo equalised a Nicolas Miku goal in first half stoppage time and then a minute from the end Novo headed in a second.

Osasuna drew 0-0 with Rayo Vallecano while it was also goalless between Real Sociedad and Espanyol, who moved onto the fringes of the European places with 17 points.

On Saturday night Real Madrid kept their three point cushion at the top of the table, but they had to fight to the end for a 3-2 win over Valencia in a stormy encounter at the Mestalla.

The pressure was on Real who had Barcelona breathing down their necks after their earlier 4-0 win over Zaragoza but they produced a battling display against a Valencia side who pushed them all the way after the break.

Real have a higher intensity to their play this season and deserved their lead through Karim Benzema after 19 minutes but Valencia responded after the break and the game threatened to boil over as tackles rained in and tempers frayed.

Sergio Ramos headed Real further ahead midway through the

SPAIN: Athletic Bilbao’s midfielder Ander Herrera (top left) and Bilbao’s defender Mikel San Jose (down left) fight for the ball with Sevilla’s Swiss midfielder Ivan Rakitic (right) during their Spanish League football match. —AP second half before Roberto Soldado hit the first of a double.

A mistake from Valencia keeper Alves who recklessly came off his line allowed Ronaldo to score from a tight angle, but another Soldado goal set up a grandstand finish.

“We knew it was going to be tough and in the second half neither side had control of the game.

All I can say is that they were three very important points,” said Real assistant coach Aitor Karanka. “There are different ways

to win matches and all are good.

It can be through playing brilliant football or through suffering which was the case here.”

A stylish Barcelona produced a rendition of attacking football at the Nou Camp against a Zaragoza side who have only won two games all season.

Barca were finding it difficult to find a cutting edge though until they managed it in a way not associated with Barca’s passing football, as Gerard Pique headed home a Xavi Hernandez free-kick.

Lionel Messi slotted in a second clinically before half time and then after the restart Carles Puyol and David Villa completed the scoring.

Later Sunday Levante travel to Atletico Madrid whose coach Gregorio Manzano is on the ropes with the side down in 12th place.

Levante remain in the Champions League qualification places following their surprise start but two straight defeats has taken the wind out of their sails. —AFP

Spanish League results/standings Sevilla 1, Athletic Bilbao 2; Osasuna 0, Rayo Vallecano 0; Real Sociedad 0, Espanyol 0; Sporting Gijon 2, Getafe 1.

Played on Saturday Barcelona 4, Real Zaragoza 0; Valencia 2, Real Madrid 3; Villarreal 1, Real Betis 0.

Spanish league table after yesterday’s early matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Real Madrid Barcelona Valencia Levante Sevilla Athletic Bilbao Malaga Espanyol Rayo Vallecano Osasuna

P 12 12 12 11 12 12 11 12 12 12

W 10 8 7 7 4 4 5 5 4 3

D 1 4 3 2 6 5 2 2 4 6

L 1 0 2 2 2 3 4 5 4 3

F 42 38 19 17 12 19 12 9 14 14

A 9 6 12 9 10 15 14 13 13 24

Pts 31 28 24 23 18 17 17 17 16 15

Villarreal Atletico Madrid Real Betis Sporting Gijon Getafe Real Mallorca Real Zaragoza Racing Santander Granada CF Real Sociedad

12 11 12 12 12 11 12 11 11 12

3 3 4 3 2 2 2 1 2 2

5 4 1 3 4 4 4 6 3 3

4 4 7 6 6 5 6 4 6 7

10 14 10 12 13 8 12 7 4 9

17 14 16 17 19 16 26 15 12 18

14 13 13 12 10 10 10 9 9 9

Hamburg and Stuttgart grab win BERLIN: Hamburg coach Thorsten Fink picked up his first win at the fourth attempt with a 2-0 victory over Hoffenheim yesterday, but the Bundesliga was over-shadowed by the attempted suicide of a toplevel ref.

Former Bayern Munich midfielder Fink took charge on October 17 and after coaching his team to three draws, he enjoyed his first three points in the league thanks to goals from Peru’s Jose Guerrero and Germany’s Marcel Jansen.

The win lifts Hamburg to 14th and away from the relegation zone. “We believed in the win, fought for it and always looked dangerous in front of goal,” said Fink. “It is important that the team fights, we already know they can play football.

“We relaxed a little after going 1-0 up, then we corrected things tactically and we didn’t let Hoffenheim come back into the game.”

Earlier, Austria striker Martin Harnik scored both VfB Stuttgart’s goals in a 2-1 win over Augsburg, who are in Germany’s top flight for the first time and are two points adrift at the foot.

Defending champions Borussia Dortmund pulled off an upset on Saturday night when teenage star Mario Goetze scored the winner to secure a 1-0 victory at league leaders Bayern Munich. The win is a confidence boost to Dortmund, who must win at Arsenal on Wednesday to keep their Champions League hopes alive, while Bayern can book their place in the knock-out phase if they beat Villarreal at home on Tuesday.

But the weekend’s Bundesliga programme took a back seat in the headlines here after the attempted suicide of referee Babak Rafati, 41, who was discovered in the bathtub of his hotel room in Cologne having cut open his veins.

Rafati is being treated in a Cologne hospital, but his attempts to kill himself come two years after the suicide of Germany goalkeeper Robert Enke and the latest news has stunned football-mad Germany.

His father, Djalal Rafati, says there was no hint at his son’s turmoil and that he had a steady job as a

banker, living in Hanover, and was in a stable relationship. “He never spoke to me about depression or burn-out. If he had done that, I would have reacted,” Djalal Rafati told Cologne newspaper Express yesterday. “He was very happy (being a referee).

“I can’t understand why Babak did this.” The Cologne-Mainz match which Rafati had been due to officiate was cancelled 40 minutes before kickoff, but the other games went ahead.

Dortmund claim second only by virtue of goal difference after Borussia Moenchengladbach’s Marco Reus scored a hat-trick in the 5-0 hammering of Werder Bremen to join Borussia on 26 points with Bayern on 28. Like Goetze, Reus is one of Germany’s rising stars and his three goals left him with seven in his last three league games and 10 from 13 Bundesliga matches this season.

Premier League side Manchester City and

Bayern are just two of the teams interested in signing the rising star.

Schalke moved up to fourth after Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, twice, Germany Under-21 captain Lewis Holtby and Raul scored in the 4-0 win over Nuremberg.

Ten-man Hanover drop to eighth in the league after they were hammered 4-1 at Wolfsburg as Ivory Coast striker Didier Ya Konan was sent off for unsporting conduct after throwing the ball at Japan’s Makoto Hasebe in the 58th minute.

Hertha Berlin were held to a 2-2 draw at Freiburg, whose second-half replacement striker Stefan Reisinger hit the equaliser in the 95th minute. Bayer Leverkusen warmed up for Wednesday’s visit of Chelsea in the Champions League with a 2-0 win over Kaiserslautern with Michael Ballack getting on the score sheet. —AFP

German League results/standings VfB Stuttgart 2 (Harnik 41, 47) FC Augsburg 1 (Werner 47); Hamburg 2 (Guerrero 25, Jansen 65) Hoffenheim 0.

Played Saturday Schalke 04 4 (Huntelaar 13, 66, Raul 39, Holtby 84) Nuremberg 0; SC Freiburg 2 (Reisinger 61, 90+5) Hertha Berlin 2 (Ramos 20, Niemeyer 45+1); Borussia M’gladbach 5 (Herrmann 16, Reus 23, 38, 51, Arango 53) Werder Bremen 0;

VfL Wolfsburg 4 (Salihamidzic 22, 36, Chris 56, Madlung 74) Hanover 1 (C. Schulz 43); FC Cologne v Mainz 05 - cancelled; Bayern M u n i c h 0 , B or u s s i a D or t mu n d 1 ( G oe t z e 65).

Played Friday Kaiserslautern 0, Bayer Leverkusen 2 (Ballack 54, Sam 70)

German league table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Bayern Munich Borussia Dortmund Borussia M’gladbach Schalke 04 Werder Bremen VfB Stuttgart Bayer Leverkusen Hanover 96 Hoffenheim

13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13

9 8 8 8 7 6 6 5 5

1 2 2 1 2 3 3 4 2

3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 6

32 27 20 28 23 20 17 17 15

5 9 9 18 21 13 16 21 15

28 26 26 25 23 21 21 19 17

Hertha Berlin Cologne VfL Wolfsburg Kaiserslautern Hamburg Mainz 05 Nuremberg Freiburg Augsburg

13 12 13 13 13 12 13 13 13

4 5 5 3 3 3 3 3 1

5 1 1 4 4 3 3 2 5

4 6 7 6 6 6 7 8 7

18 20 19 10 17 16 13 18 10

19 26 26 17 25 23 24 29 24

17 16 16 13 13 12 12 11 8

City thrashing was wake-up call, says Ferguson SWANSEA: Sir Alex Ferguson believes Manchester United’s six-goal humiliation at the hands of Manchester City was the wake-up call that his side so badly needed.

A first half goal from Javier Hernandez earned United a valuable away victory at Swansea City on Saturday as the newly promoted Welsh club suffered their first home defeat of the season. The Swans had their chances, but Scott Sinclair’s miss from barely half a dozen yards summed up a frustrating assignment for last season’s Championship play-off winners.

No such frustration for United with Ferguson happy with a victory that keeps his side on the coat-tails of runaway leaders City. “The game against

Manchester City was a wake-up call for us,” said Ferguson. “Over the years our defence has been an integral part of our success and I thought we did well in that area.

“Swansea are a good footballing side and they keep the ball well. Against a side like that, you have to be concentrating all the time and we need to get that concentration back in the team. “A couple of weeks ago, there was a genuine criticism about our defending and the chances the opponents were getting.

“We had to make sure that we defended well and we did that apart from the miss when Michael Carrick slipped up. Having said that, I thought Michael was magnificent. —AFP

Matches on TV (Local Timings)

English Premier League Tottenham v Aston Villa 3:00 Abu Dhabi Sports HD 3

Spanish League Granada v Mailorca Aljazeera Sport +5 Racing v Malaga Aljazeera Sport +2

0:00 23:00

Oman Sept inflation down to 7-month low Page 22

Lulu opens fourth Hypermarket in Bahrain Page 23 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

India jittery over freefalling rupee

Passive Occupy protesters get blasted with pepper spray Page 26

Page 25 AMSTERDAM: Shoppers pass placards put up by supporters of the Occupy movement, on Dam square as the Royal palace is seen in the background yesterday. — AP

US debt panel nears 11th hour with no deal Expiring US tax breaks loom beyond ‘supercommittee’ WASHINGTON: A US Congress “supercommittee” grew more pessimistic yesterday about reaching a deal to shrink swollen US deficits as it remained unable to close partisan gaps on cutting social programs and raising taxes on the rich. The 12-member panel faces a rapidly approaching midnight Wednesday deadline to adopt a plan to cut $1.2 trillion (888 billion euros) from deficits over 10 years, with failure due to trigger draconian cuts to domestic programs and military spending. A day after the White House said the committee must “do its job,” President Barack Obama trumpeted new trade deals signed during his trip to Asia as engines of job growth with US unemployment stuck at over nine percent.

“This is important, because over the last decade, we became a country that relied too much on what we bought and consumed. We racked up a lot of debt, but we didn’t create many jobs at all,” he said in Indonesia’s Bali resort island Saturday. But Obama did not directly address the seemingly deadlocked negotiations in Washington, a partisan logjam likely to shape the campaign to the November 2012 elections in which he seeks a second term.

The congressional effort was given a burst of urgency on Wednesday when the US government debt passed the $15 trillion mark, roughly equal to 99 percent of the size of the total US economy, a level economists consider perilous. Any deal would require majority approval on the committee,

which is evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, after which the full Congress would need to adopt it by December 23 to avoid the automatic cuts.

In Washington, Republican Senator and committee member Pat Toomey said in his party’s rejoinder to Obama’s weekly remarks that “it’s not too late for the United States” to avoid a Europestyle fiscal and financial crisis. “The hour is late. By law, our work on this committee must be completed this coming week. But I remain hopeful that we can meet our goal,” said Toomey. However, his colleague, Republican Jon Kyl of Arizona, sounded less optimistic.

“I think that’s pretty doubtful at this point,” Kyl said about the possibility of

reaching a compromise. “But obviously no one wants to quit until the stroke of midnight.” Asked to describe the outline of a possible compromise, Kyl said, “I’m not sure there is one.” Meanwhile, The Washington Post reported gloomily that the supercommittee was “poised to admit defeat as soon as today.”

The panel, created in an August deal on raising the US debt limit, is locked over Republican refusals of Democratic calls to raise taxes on the very wealthy in return for cuts to cherished social safety net programs. “If you’re going to ask every average American who drives a car, goes to work, struggles each day to pay their bills, and they’re going to somehow be part of the solution, to have something

on the table that does not ask the wealthiest people in the country to share in, that would be unconscionable,” Democratic Senator John Kerry, a panel member, said Friday.

Republicans have rejected tax hikes on the wealthiest Americans, arguing that they would cripple job-creating investment even as the brittle US economy labors under stubbornly high unemployment of more than nine percent.

They have also tried to set the stage for repealing military spending cuts which would kick in come January 2013. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has warned the cuts will leave US forces smaller, slower and weaker than at any time since World War II. “We are painfully, painfully aware of the deadline that is staring us in the face,”

Obama says Pacific tour opened trade

Egypt markets fall on violence Kuwait stocks tumble after protest CAIRO: Egypt’s benchmark index tumbled to a sixweek low yesterday after renewed street violence in central Cairo and in other cities, and Kuwait fell after protesters stormed its parliament. The clashes represent one of the biggest security challenges yet for the country’s ruling generals, a little more than a week before a parliamentary election. The index fell 2.5 percent to its lowest finish since Oct. 1.

“The market is acting cautiously,” said Osama Mourad of Arab Finace Brokerage. “It was falling dramatically in the first minutes of trading and then recovered slowly because of the mixed messages we are receiving from the media. Investors are worried about the implications for elections.”

Cairo youths chanting “The people want to topple the regime” rushed at police, who fired rubber bullets and tear gas. Protesters clashed with police in at least two other cities. Two people were killed and hundreds wounded.

Egypt will hold a parliamentary election in a staggered vote that starts on Nov 28, the first such vote since President Hosni Mubarak was forced from office. Orascom Construction Industries, the country’s biggest listed developer, fell 3.3 percent and Commercial International Bank dropped 3.1 percent. In Kuwait, the benchmark also ended lower, dropping 0.6 percent to its lowest close since Oct 5 as domestic political unrest weighed on sen-

timent. Kuwait’s Amir ordered security forces on Thursday to “take all measures” to maintain public order after protesters stormed parliament demanding the resignation of the prime minister over alleged corruption. Logistics provider Agility fell 5.1 percent and National Real Estate Co plunged 6.8 percent. “Agility and related companies had a fantastic run based on a variety of unsubstantiated rumors, but Kuwait is now seeing more serious protests than it had previously, which has given investors an excuse to start selling off these names,” said Julian Bruce, EFG-Hermes director of institutional equity sales. “This is spreading to the rest of the Kuwait market.”

In Dubai, Emaar Properties fell 2.6 percent, the main drag on the index, which made its largest decline in three weeks. In Abu Dhabi, the index slumped to a four-week low and Qatar also ended lower as some investors cut their exposure to regional equities. “Investors are cautious because of the external backdrop, particularly the euro zone situation,” added EFG’s Bruce. “(UAE) turnover was a little bit better, which indicates there are some buyers accumulating in select names, but these are exercising caution and are predominantly local rather than Western institutions.” World stocks fell on Friday as many investors continue to fear a spread of the euro zone debt crisis into core European economies. — Reuters

Representative Jeb Hensarling, the cochair of the panel, told reporters Friday, after a closed-door meeting with fellow committee Republicans.

Hensarling said the committee would meet through the weekend if necessary to “try to find sufficient common ground” on a solution to “simultaneously address both our nation’s job crisis and the debt crisis.” Markets that should have been buoyed by some positive economic data during the week were instead held back by both the supercommittee deadlock and the failure in Europe to quell a debt crisis that threatens to spill overseas. The Dow Jones Industrial Index finished the week down 2.9 percent from the previous Friday, while the S&P 500 was pared 3.8 percent. — AFP

CAIRO: An Egyptian trader reads a copy of Al-Masry Al-Youm local newspaper fronted by pictures of clashes between protesters and security forces at the Egyptian stock exchange yesterday. — AP

NUSA DUA: US President Barack Obama said his week-long Pacific tour had made progress in prising open markets for US goods as he headed back to do political combat in Washington.”Over the past week, the progress we’ve made in opening markets and boosting exports here will help create more jobs and more growth in the United States,” said Obama in his weekly Internet and radio address recorded in Indonesia. The president highlighted the biggest commercial airline deal ever clinched by Boeing, to supply 230 737 jets worth $21.7 billion to Indonesia’s Lion Air, as well as smaller deals involving US firms and Asian markets. “These agreements will help us reach my goal of doubling American exports by 2014 — a goal we’re on pace to meet,” he said in the address released late Saturday.

“And they’re powerful examples of how we can rebuild an economy that’s focused on what our country has always done best-making and selling products all over the world that are stamped with three proud words: “Made In America.” “As the fastestgrowing region in the world, no market is more important to our economic future than the Asia Pacific-a region where our exports already support five million American jobs,” Obama said. The president touted a new free trade pact with South Korea as more evidence that despite tough times, America still had the world’s most dynamic economy. Obama spent a week touring the Pacific, stopping in his native Hawaii to host the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and then travelling to Australia and then the East Asia summit in Bali, Indonesia. —AFP

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

business

Oman Sept inflation down to 7-month low Monthly figure drops on gold prices

DUBAI: Ali Alomari, General Manager of Tamdeed Projects, Irfan Malik, Vice President Middle East and Africa 3M Gulf, Ali Al Sharid, CEO, Etisalat Services Holding and Abdel Rehman Obaid, Area Business Manager, Middle East & Africa Electro & Communications Business (ECB) are pictured.

Tamdeed Projects, 3M Gulf ink strategic partnership DUBAI: 3M Gulf, a recognized leader in research and development and Etisalat Tamdeed Projects, the leader in the UAE for fiber optic and enterprise network solutions, under the stewardship of Etisalat Services Holding have entered into a strategic partnership to offer unique solutions for structured cabling systems and FTTH (fiber to the home) networks across key industry sectors in the UAE. Irfan Malik, Vice President Middle East and Africa 3M Gulf and Ali Al-Sharid, CEO of Etisalat Services Holding made the announcement jointly at an event held at 3M Innovation Centre facilities at Dubai Internet City.

The scope of the newly formed alliance will witness 3M, a manufacturer of specialized telecom products and Tamdeed Projects, a leading provider of integrated network solutions to offer a complete package of unique end-to-end solutions to customers. The new partnership will not only increase mutual commitment between the two organizations, but would also lead to the penetration of key vertical markets under the Etisalat-Tamdeed umbrella.

Commenting on the association with Tamdeed, Abdel Rehman Obaid, Area Business Manager, Middle East & Africa Electro & Communications Business (ECB) said, “3M Electrical and Telecommunications has been at the forefront of developing innovative products for the global and regional telecom industry. With more than 40 years in the telecommunications industry, 3M offers one of the widest and most comprehensive suite of scalable solutions that power progress across nations.

We are proud of our partnership with Etisalat and are confident that we will mutually benefit from existing reputation, market share, customer database and will offer preferred solution packages for every industry in the UAE.” Ali Al-Sharid, CEO of Etisalat Services Holding, said, “This partnership is a strategic step for Tamdeed Projects towards actively developing advanced networks and for enabling fast and easy interconnectivity of fiber optic systems. This addition to our portfolio

DUBAI: Oman’s annual inflation eased to 3.7 percent in September, the lowest level since February, partly because of a steep drop in the price of gold during the month, data showed yesterday. Inflation was 5.3 percent in August.

On a monthly basis, consumer prices fell 0.3 percent in September after a 1.4 percent rise in the previous month, data from the country’s economy ministry showed. The ministry said the prices of personal items, which include jewelry, slid 8.4 percent from a month earlier because of a 14.7 percent drop in the price of gold. Oman, like other Gulf countries, sometimes sees sharp variations of its consumer basket components which impact monthly inflation figures.

“The general inflation trend in Oman is however downwards, driven by a strengthening of

the dollar and lower international commodity prices,” said Fabio Scacciavillani, chief economist at Oman Investment Fund in Muscat. Nancy Fahim, economist at Standard Chartered in Dubai, said: “We’re seeing lower month-onmonth inflation figures for September, as the Ramadan effect wears off.” She was referring to a burst of consumer demand related to the Muslim holy month.

“Oman’s headline inflation rate for the year so far is moderate, although on the upper end of the scale for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).” Analysts polled by Reuters in September predicted average inflation in Oman of 3.9 percent in 2011 and 2012, after 3.3 percent in 2010.

Rents and energy in Oman, which account for 21.4 percent of the sultanate’s consumer basket,

rose 0.2 percent month-on-month in September after a 0.4 percent increase in the previous month.

But food prices, which make up more than 30 percent of the basket, were up 1.3 percent month-on-month in September after a 0.8 percent rise in August. The sultanate’s economy is expected to expand 4.0 percent this year and 4.2 percent in 2012, helped by the government’s increased infrastructure spending, the Reuters poll found. Central Bank Executive President Hamood Sangour Al-Zadjali said in November he was not worried about inflation at the moment, but that the central bank would watch it very closely. He forecast in October inflation would reach 4 percent in 2011, while the economy was likely to grow 5 percent. — Reuters

Burgan Bank names lucky winners

expands our ever growing ability to satisfy our customers with innovative technology and superior quality, value and service.” Ali Alomari, General Manager of Tamdeed Projects: “In addition to offering turnkey solutions for indoor and outdoor telecom networks, Tamdeed Projects, a specialized business unit part of Etisalat Services Holding, has established itself as a leader in the UAE for Service Delivery of Fiber Optic solutions. We are currently expanding our existing portfolio in the telecom networks environment and have launched IT based products and services catering to the active networks domain; hence establishing presence in the UAE, as a turn-key software, solutions, services, system integration and consulting entity”.

With in-house capabilities in FTTH and telecom infrastructure, Tamdeed offers surveying, planning, designing, implementation, maintenance and support, monitoring, auditing and consulting services to the UAE market and neighboring countries. As a world leader in communications technology, 3M is a network of networks connecting products, people and companies by harnessing the power of out 45 technology platforms to create customer-centric innovations that enable progress across vast sectors and industries worldwide. The company provides scalable solutions to communications service providers around the world from underground and buried plant, to central office, premises and more.

Proven systems from 3M optimize network testing, construction, locating and maintenance for faster, more reliable high-bandwidth transmissions; enable physical media-layer capabilities for FTTP and xDSL deployments from central office to customer premises; and deliver fiber optics technologies to leverage existing infrastructure or install completely new networks. Prior to forging this alliance, 3M and Tamdeed had jointly executed a specialized project for the Abu Dhabi Education Center Schools (ADEC), wherein the two entities experienced the innovative, technical, logistical, geographical and financial synergies of collaborating on key projects.

KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced yesterday the names of the five lucky winners of its Yawmi account draw, each taking home a prize of KD 5,000. The lucky winners for the five daily draws took home a cash-prize of KD 5000 each, and they are: Mahmood Riaz Mohammed Riaz; Shatha Khaled Saadi Al-Shabram Al-Ofaisan; Abdulrahman Ahmad Issa Maarefi; Ahmad Mohammad Sadeq Ahmad Abdulrasoul; and Adel Abdolrsool Hjey Almutawa.

The newly re-launched Yawmi Account is better, easier and faster than any day before.

With its new and enhanced features, the Yawmi Account has become more convenient, easier,

and faster for customers to benefit from. Now, customers will be eligible to enter the draw after 48 hours only from opening the account.

Customers are also required to deposit KD 100 or equivalent only to enter the daily draw, and the coupon value to enter the draw stands at KD 10.

The newly designed Yawmi account has been launched to provide a highly innovative offering along with a higher frequency and incentive of winning for everyone. Today, the Yawmi account is a well understood product, where its popularity can be seen from the number of increasing account holders. Burgan Bank

Burgan Bank offers promotion at Chopard KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced yesterday that it has collaborated with renowned luxury retailer Chopard Trafalgar to offer its VISA Platinum and Gold Credit Cardholders’ exclusive offer on a range of luxury jewlery and watches. The bank’s latest offer is only valid from November 23-25 at the Chopard Trafalgar branch at Salhiya Complex.

Haneen Al-Rumaihi, Head of Marketing said: “This promotion is a reflection of our continuous efforts to provide our customers with exceptional services and benefits that go beyond just banking.

During this three day promotion, our credit card holders can benefit from an extensive international range of luxury jewelry as well as watches only by using their cards. Burgan Bank continuously strives to offer distinctive services to every segment of its wide client base, and this time our credit card holders are privileged to enjoy exclusive benefits that have been catered to meet their needs.”

Burgan Bank urges its credit card holders to take advantage of this three day promotion, and enjoy a range of offers on luxury items only from

Chopard Trafalgar. The bank continues to offer its customers special offers across various categories, and is committed to providing them with more

convenience by ensuring the continuous use of their cards across various outlets. To find out more about Burgan Bank’s latest promotions, customers can visit www.burgan.com and/or call 1804080 for assistance and guidance regarding the bank’s latest offers.

encourages everyone to open a Yawmi account and/or increase their deposit to maximize their chances to becoming a daily winner. The more customers deposit, the higher the chances they receive of winning the draw. Opening a Yawmi account is simple, customers are urged to visit their nearest Burgan Bank branch and receive all the details, or simply call the bank’s Call Center at 1804080 where customer service representatives will be delighted to assist with any questions on the Yawmi account or any of the bank’s products and services. Customers can also log on to Burgan Bank’s www.burgan.com for further information.

Al-Tijari announces Najma Account winners KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait held the AlNajma Account draw yesterday. The draw was held under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry represented by Saqer Al-Mannai and Abdulaziz Al-Kooh. The winners of the Al-Najma Daily Draw who take home KD 7,000 are: Pullarcot Minikumar; Nadia Moosa Al-Refai; Amal Abdullah Mohammed Bodastour; Fares Salem Barkah AlResheedi; Mahmoud Jasem Mohammed AlShemmari.

The Commercial Bank of Kuwait announces the biggest daily draw in Kuwait with the launch of the new Najma account. Customers of the bank can now enjoy a KD 7,000 daily prize which is the highest in the country and another 4 mega prizes during the year worth KD 100,000 each on different occasions: The National Day, Eid Al-Fitr, Eid AlAdha and on June 19 which is the date of the bank’s establishment.

With a minimum balance of KD 500, customers will be eligible for the daily draw provided that the money is in the account one week prior to the daily draw or two months prior to the mega draw.

In addition, for each KD 25 a customer can get one chance for winning instead of KD 50.Commercial Bank of Kuwait takes this opportunity to congratulate all lucky winners and also extends appreciation to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for their effective supervision of the draws which were conducted in an orderly and organized manner.

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds

.2725000 .4330000 .3700000 .2970000 .2660000 .2730000 .0040000 .0020000 .0747670 .7284350 .3810000 .0700000 .7140980 .0040000 .0430000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2754000 GB Pound/KD .4350080 Euro .3722860 Swiss francs .3003440 Canadian dollars .2680680 Danish Kroner .0500230 Swedish Kroner .0405930 Australian dlr .2756200 Hong Kong dlr .0353570 Singapore dlr .2120420 Japanese yen .0035810 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 Pakistan rupee .0000000 Bangladesh taka .0000000 UAE dirhams .0750100 Bahraini dinars .7307950 Jordanian dinar .0000000 Saudi Riyal/KD .0734600 Omani riyals .7156030 Philippine Peso .0000000

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. ASIAN COUNTRIES

Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal - Transfer Irani Riyal - Cash

3.617 5.458 3.179 2.510 3.421 214.810 35.607 3.613 6.372 8.975 0.271 0.273

.2785000 .4440000 .3800000 .3140000 .2760000 .2840000 .0072500 .0035000 .0755190 .7357560 .4010000 .0760000 .7212750 .0072000 .0530000 .2775000 .4383250 .3751250 .3026340 .2701120 .0504040 .0409020 .2777220 .0356260 .2136590 .0036080 .0054410 .0025250 .0031970 .0036390 .0755820 .7363670 .3925040 .0740200 .7210600 .0064390

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

GCC COUNTRIES 73.923 76.168 720.020 736.280 75.484

Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 48.750 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 46.295 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.268 Tunisian Dinar 191.760 Jordanian Dinar 391.470 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 186.000 Syrian Lier 5.984 Morocco Dirham 34.000 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 277.100 Euro 375.190 Sterling Pound 437.820 Canadian dollar 272.790 Turkish lire 153.940 Swiss Franc 302.910 Australian dollar 279.870 US Dollar Buying 275.900 GOLD 325.000 164.000 84.000

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY

SELL CASH

Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria Norwegian krone Omani Riyal

280.300 735.760 3.850 273.000 543.400 44.700 51.200 167.800 48.240 378.200 36.220 5.800 0.032 0.224 0.241 3.690 392.910 0.187 89.930 46.300 4.260 213.200 1.793 49.000 718.600

SELL DRAFT

278.800 735.760 3.614 271.500

214.400 46.268 376.700 36.070 5.400 0.031

304.100 5.600 9.130 75.330 276.600

Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 439.200 276.600

Sterling Pound US Dollar

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd Rate for Transfer

Selling Rate

US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

273.850 277.615 442.140 389.790 317.635 726.070 74.535 75.165 72.990 385.475 45.923 2.482 5.619 3.164 3.606 6.425 671.723 3.710 9.070 5.765 3.560 90.965

Rate per 1000 (Tran)

US Dollar Pak Rupees Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah Yemeni Riyal Jordanian Dinars Syrian Pounds Euro Canadian Dollars Nepali rupee

276.600 3.175 5.395 2.515 3.625 6.410 75.410 73.915 735.400 46.260 442.700 3.190 1.550 393.000 5.750 379.700 274.700 3.690

Currency

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

281.77 273.63 307.15 377.02

441.00 3.62 3.740 5.810 2.610 4.250 3.370 75.75 736.60 48.20 392.00 719.50 76.65 73.75

Al Mulla Exchange

UAE Exchange Center WLL Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro

441.06 3.66 3.623 5.384 2.510 3.376 3.178 75.29 735.74 46.24 393.52 718.86 76.27 73.86

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co. Currency

Currency

718.420

3.185 6.385 76.190 73.870 214.380 36.380 2.505 439.200

GOLD 1,835.260

10 Tola

392.020 0.186 89.930 3.390 211.700

3.340 6.600 76.530 73.370 214.380 36.380 2.636 441.200 41.700 305.600 5.500 9.310 198.263 75.430 277.000 1.220

284.00 275.00 311.00 378.00

US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal *Rates are subject to change

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

276.250 376.500 439.000 271.300 3.620 5.405 46.225 2.501 3.603 6.385 3.190 735.700 75.300 73.825

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Uncertainty, contagion risk threaten euro-zone NBK WEEKLY MONEY MARKET REPORT Qatar Financial Markets Authority (QFMA) officials are pictured with Qatar Finance & Business Academy (QFBA) personnel.

QFMA launches academic program for financial services The Qatar Financial Markets Authority (QFMA) has signed an agreement with the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment “CISI” and the Qatar Finance & Business Academy (QFBA) for the preparation of training and a continuous professional development program.

The program is based on a combination of professionally recognized assessments on one hand, and on specificities of the Qatari financial market on the other hand.

It aims to promote proficiency, hence confidence in the financial services activities as well as enhancing the authority role in this respect.

Nasser Ahmad Al-Shaibi, the Chief Executive Officer of QFMA commenting on the partnership, said, “We initiated this necessary important step to lay down the foundation of the QFMA licensing requirements for individuals working in the industry, We believe that increased competence amongst market practitioners will further favor adoption and compliance with best international standards, significantly improve investor protection and positively impact the financial services as well as enhancing the capital market efficiency, integrity and transparency in Qatar.

“We want to set the tone of the local market to be as competitive as the inter-

national markets, with this step, QFMA has put in the forefront the priorities in having well trained and qualified personnel in the financial sector,” Al-Shaibi added. David E King of the CISI in his comments said, “We are delighted that Qatar is taking this step of introducing the CISI certification with QFMA, and with QFMA launching this fold, the financial sector of the country will achieve the objectives and greatly benefit from well-educated and qualified staff as they are important assets of this vital industry.”

The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment is the largest and most widely respected professional body for those who work in the securities and investment industry in the UK and in a growing number of major financial centres round the world. “Evolved from the London Stock Exchange, we now have more than 40,000 members in 89 countries.

In the past year, we set almost 40,000 examinations in over 70 countries, covering a range of vocational qualifications,” David said. Shashank Srivastava, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Financial Centre, said the QFBA’s initiative complements QFMA’s mission supporting the development of Qatar’s financial services industry.

KUWAIT: Winners Zainab Mandany and Khalil Basha (pictured below) for the seventh and eighth week respectively are seen with VIVA executives.

VIVA distributes cars in ‘Win a Car Every Week’ campaign KUWAIT: Kuwait Telecommunications Company VIVA continues to distribute new cars for the lucky winners in the ongoing and successful “Win a Car Ever y Week” campaign that was launched for prepaid customers.

Zainab Mandany and Khalil Basha were the lucky winners of a new 2011 Mini Cooper Countryman for the Seventh and Eighth Week respectively.

VIVA is thrilled with the success of its launching of its campaign for its prepaid customers offering them the opportunity to win a luxurious car every week and the will continue with the surprises by offering the New 2011 BMW to the customers in the Month of December.

Winners Zainab Mandany and Khalil Basha for the Seventh and Eighth Week respectively won a brand new 2011 Mini Cooper Countryman whereby representatives of the Ministry of Commerce and VIVA executives attended the draws that took place at VIVA head office. The campaign will continue for several weeks to enable customers as many opportunities as possible to enter a draw for the chance to win a new car every week, whereby the Month of December will bring with it a joyful surprise to our customers with the chance to win the New 2011 BMW .

VIVA aims to create, design and promote unique campaign offers to provide all of its customers infinite opportunities to participate in exciting promotions to endorse subscribers’ loyalty, as well as provide subscribers and customers instant track of the winners This offer is applicable to prepaid customers where they can enter

into the draw through two options, the first option is to subscribe with 500 fils per day containing infinite local minutes and local messages on the VIVA network as well as free calls from VIVA to VIVA. For every 500 fils spent, the customers are entitled the chance to enter the draw.

The second option for prepaid customers includes subscribing to the KD 7 and full and unlimited BlackBerry Services subscription, where customers will gain fifteen points upon subscription. Customers are able to subscribe to both options in order to enter the draw to win a luxurious car, where their points will be accumulated and carried on to the next draw.

This week ‘Flavor of the Week’ began Thursday, November 17 and will end on November 23, 2011 which will allow prepaid customers 18 more chances to win a brand new car should they subscribe in the KD 9 Surfon service for prepaid customers. Stay tuned each week to discover the new ‘Flavor of the Week’ offer and increase your chances to win a car.

To subscribe for the 500 fils daily service, the costumer has to send a text message with number ‘1’ to ‘535’, or send a text message with number ‘2’ to ‘535’ for the BlackBerry monthly unlimited local service, which will qualify him/her to enter the draw.

Customers interested in subscribing to this offer can send the code “GO” via SMS Text Message to the number ‘535’.

For more information about this offer and the numerous competitive promotions, products and packages visit any of the twelve VIVA branches or visit our website at www.viva.com.kw.

The dollar surged against its major counterparts throughout the week as uncertainty and fear of contagion drove investors to sell risky assets. The euro opened the week high at 1.3759, but dropped to a low of 1.3420, as the yields on Spanish and French bonds surged amid mounting concerns that the debt crisis is spreading. The euro gained versus the dollar as the European Central Bank was said to buy Italian government bonds.

The EUR closed the week at 1.3521. The sterling pound followed suit, as it opened the week at 1.6067, but dropped to a low of 1.5689 following Italy’s record bond yields and bad unemployment numbers from the UK. The currency closed the week at 1.5793. The Swiss franc has weakened during the week opening at 0.8987, and reaching a high of 0.9235 only to drop back to 0.9081 amid increased expectations that the US Federal Reserve will implement a third round of quantitative easing. The franc closed the week at 0.9169. Finally, the yen opened the week at 77.17, range trading during the week and dropping to a low of 76.55, only to move higher during the end of the week to close at 76.88.

Housing data Builders took initiative on more homes than expected in October and construction permits climbed to the highest level since March 2010, signs that housing may become less of a laggard in the third year of the US economic recovery. Starts decreased 0.3 percent to a 628,000 annual rate from September’s 630,000 pace, but exceeded expectations of 610,000 starts.

Retail sales rising Retail sales rose more than estimated in October as shoppers gave the economy a boost at the start of the fourth quarter. Sales gained 0.5 percent, higher than the expected 0.3 percent mainly boosted by the biggest jump in electronic purchases in two years.

Inflation surprisingly dropping Prices in the US unexpectedly fell in October for the first time in four months, a sign that inflationary pressures may be starting to ease. The consumer price index declined 0.1 percent from the previous month after a 0.3 percent rise. The core consumer price index that excludes volatile food and fuel costs rose 0.1 percent, the smallest gain this year. Additionally, prices paid to US wholesalers fell in October by the most in four months as the cost of energy and automobiles decreased, pointing to fading inflationary pressures. The producer price index declined a more-than-estimated 0.3 percent after a 0.8 percent gain in September. The core index, which excludes volatile food and energy, was unchanged, marking the first time without an increase since November 2010.

Unemployment claims at 7-month low Fewer Americans filed for jobless benefits last week, an indication that the labor market

may be gaining momentum. Applications for jobless benefits decreased by 5,000 claims to 388,000 the lowest level since April, versus market expectations of an increase to 395,000.

The number of people still receiving unemployment claims dropped to a three-year low.

Manufacturing in the US The pace of factory activity in the US region slowed more than expected in November as orders and sales fell. The Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank said its business activity index fell to 3.6 from October’s 8.7, missing economists’ expectations for 8.0. A reading above zero indicates expansion in the regions’ manufacturing sector. The risk of a recession in Europe and slowing growth in Asia signal fewer orders for US manufacturers.

Europe Europe’s slow and indecisive actions to fight the debt crisis have allowed uncertainty to fester in financial markets. That has darkened the economic outlook at a time when governments badly need growth to lower their debts. Germany and France may surrender to the debt crisis in the fourth quarter as growth falters across the Euro region, their largest export market.

The Spanish and Belgian economies stalled in the three months through September, while Portugal has contracted for a fourth straight quarter. Additionally, Spain and even France, one of the continent’s core economic engines, were forced to pay sharply higher interest rates to raise cash to fund government spending. Meanwhile, Italy’s borrowing costs last week surged above 7 percent, the level that triggered bailout requests from Greece, Portugal and Ireland.

ECB president speaks European Central Bank President Mario Draghi called on Friday for the Euro zone’s EFSF rescue fund to be made fully operational as soon as possible, showing exasperation at the slow progress so far. In a speech to the European Banking Congress in Frankfurt, Draghi pointed out that EU leaders decided to launch the EFSF more than a year and a half ago, subsequently agreeing to make the full EFSF guarantee volume available. In addition, the leaders decided to leverage the resources of the fund four weeks ago. Draghi repeated that downside risks to the economic outlook in the euro area have increased and said the weaker degree of activity would moderate price, cost and wage pressures.

Industrial production European industrial production declined the most in 21/2 years in September, led by capital and consumer goods, as the sovereign-debt crisis pushed the economy toward a recession. Production in the 17-nation Euro area dropped 2 percent from August, when it

rose 1.4 percent. Meanwhile economists expected a drop of 2.1 percent.

German GDP German economic growth rebounded in the third quarter on stronger consumer spending, even as the region braces for a recession sparked by an escalating sovereign debt crisis. Gross domestic product in Germany, Europe’s largest economy, rose 0.5 percent from the second quarter, when it increased 0.3 percent.

Confidence dropping in Germany German investor confidence fell to a three-year low in November on concern that the sovereign debt crisis will push Europe’s largest economy into recession. The ZEW economic index of investor and analyst expectations, which aims to predict developments six months in advance, declined to 55.2 from -48.3 in October, the lowest since October 2008. Expectations in the market was for a drop to -52.5.

United Kingdom Unemployment in the UK soared during the third quarter, driven by the number of young people seeking jobs, which rose above the 1 million mark for the first time in 19 years. This in turn raised the unemployment rate to reach 8.3 percent, the highest in 15 years. Unemployment benefits rose by 5,300 people last month. Although less than the forecasted 21,000, the number still adds pressure on Prime Minister David Cameron to do more to boost the economy that is at risk of sliding back into recession as Europe’s escalating debt crisis tremble financial markets.

Bank of England may inject more The Governor of the BoE have warned from the dangers and uncertainty that is posed by Europe’s debt crisis, signaling that the central banks’ officials may be ready to add more stimulus as soon as next month in order to protect the UK from further turmoil.

The Bank of England cut its growth and inflation forecasts, saying output is likely to remain flat until the middle of 2012. Sir Mervin King, the BoE Governor, has raised the prospects of a double-dip recession, as the Eurozone crisis has left UK banks unable to raise the funding they need to make loans to businesses.

Japan BoJ Press Conference The Bank of Japan cut its economic assessment as Governor Shirakawa has called the European Debt Crisis the “biggest danger for the nation’s export-led recovery.” The BoJ has left its asset-buying fund unchanged at 20 trillion Yen and stated that Japans economic activity has continued picking up but “at a more moderate pace,” downgrading its evaluation from last month. The USDKWD opened at 0.27595 yesterday morning.

Lulu opens fourth Hypermarket in Bahrain BAHRAIN: Lulu Hypermarket, the largest retail chain in the region and in the Kingdom of Bahrain, has opened its fourth hypermarket in Hidd, setting new benchmarks in excellence and size. The largest hypermarket in Bahrain, Lulu Hypermarket, at Hidd, was inaugurated by Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al-Khalifa in the presence of Lulu Group Managing Director Yusuffali M A. The inauguration was held under the patronage of Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al-Khalifa.

This is the 98th store of the Lulu Hypermarket chain in the region and is well-located to serve the Muharraq, Hidd and Amwaj residential areas. It will also be the biggest retail presence for upcoming townships such as Diyaar Al-Muharraq. The 500,000 square feet space includes the 300,000 square feet hypermarket, car park and other facilities. “ The four th Lulu Hypermarket in Bahrain located at Hidd is part of our ambitious expansion plans for the Kingdom of Bahrain which we entered in 2007,” said Yusuffali M A. “It is a symbol of our confidence in the Kingdom’s bright future, and our commitment to the Vision 2030 economic development blueprint of the leaders, that we are continuing our expansion in Bahrain. Bahrain is an impor tant market in our overall plans and has always been a promising destination for our investments. We thank Bahrain’s leadership and authorities for their support and cooperation.”

Spread over four floors, Lulu Hypermarket in Hidd brings variety, quality and its signature excellence in customer service to the Muharraq Governorate.

The three-level hypermarket is

aesthetically designed and every minute detail - the lighting, the paint-effects, the store lay-out - has been carefully planned bearing in mind needs of customers.

The store’s fashion section is stacked with the latest highstreet trends across apparel, accessories and footwear for all age groups and the whole family. There is a colorful school sup-

tion has its own specialist team and ovens, and offers freshbaked goodies from specialty breads and cakes to doughnuts, muffins and savory puffs and pastries. With a dedicated team of professionals responsible for maintaining the highest standards throughout the stores, Lulu in Hidd will have some of the best practices with regard to hygiene, food safety, waste dis-

Choice, Mikyajay, I Care Mobiles, Canon, Zain Telecom and OSN Networks. There is also the added attraction of a trendy multi-cuisine Food Court which features well-loved names such as Rice Bowl, Little Caesars, Jasmis, Dajajio Chicken, Bellanapoli Pizzeria, Vanellis, Sukiyaki, Chicking, Charley ’s Grilled Subs Baskin and Robbins and Yogberry Frozen Yogurt as

BAHRAIN: Lulu Hypermarket is inaugurated by Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Abdulla AlKhalifa in the presence of Lulu Group Managing Director Yusuffali M A. plies section, a department for home accessories, home fabrics, dÈcor and furniture. The electronics section showcases everything from state-of-theart-home theatre systems to white goods and laptops and mobile phones.

The freshest fruit and vegetables from around the world, the best cuts of meat and a wide range of local and imported fish will now be available within driving distance for Muharraq Governorate customers. In addition, Lulu Hypermarket will also serve a niche market with exotic cheeses and specialty breads.

The hypermarket’s bakery sec-

posal and quality control.

Lulu’s popular hot food section shelves in Hidd will stock a wide range of popular ready-toeat foods - pizzas and pastas, fried snacks and sandwiches, biryani and curries and kebabs and grills. Delicious Arabic, Indian and continental cuisine offers shoppers the most tasty and healthy delights thus complementing their shopping experience.

Besides the hypermarket, the store also houses a range of specialty store brands such as A La Mode, Zohoor Alreef, Shades International Optics, Rasasi Perfumes, Classic Watches, Hour

well as dine-in brands - Nando’s and Lebanese Dining.

Fox Amusement Centre provides shoppers with a safe and recreational play area for children. An ample parking space is also ensured.

“Putting the customer at the centre of our work and our brand-building has been the USP of Lulu Hypermarket,” said Yusuffali, “We believe that Lulu Hypermarket offers the complete shopping experience and we are confident that Lulu Hypermarket in Hidd will continue the tradition of offering the best in quality, range, service and price.”

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Bourse slumps on first trading day GLOBAL DAILY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) closed the first session of the week in red zone. Daily trading activities were light reaching the lowest level since August 29, 2011. Investors were away from market after the local political unrest last Wednesday. I t is worth mentioning that 21.40 percent of the total listed companies remained suspend from trading due to not releasing their financial results for the previous periods.

Market indices Global General Index (GGI) ended the day down by 1.26 percent, at 180.84 point. Market capitalization was down for the day, reaching KD 29.61 billion.

On the other hand, KSE Price Index closed at 5,825.2 point, shedding 32.60 points (0.56 percent) to its previous close.

Market breadth During the session, 78 companies were traded. Market breadth was skewed towards decliners as 50 equities advanced versus 8 that declined.

Daily trading activity Trading activity was down yesterday. Total volume traded was down by 33.31 percent with 38.67 million shares changing hands at a total value of KD 8.07 million (44.24 percent lower compared to Thursday session). Services sector was the volume leader, accounting for 25.67 percent of total shares exchanges. Abyaar Real Estate Development Company was the session’s most traded stock with 3.28mn shares exchanged. The banking sector was the value leader, having 48.19 percent of total traded value.

Top gainers and biggest decliners In terms of top gainers,

United Projects Company was the top gainer for the day, adding 8.62 percent to its share value and closing at KD 0.315.

On the other hand, Gulf Franchising Company shed 11.63 percent and closed at KD 0.019 making it the biggest decliner in the market.

Sectors wise Sector wise, all the indices went down during the day, except for Global Insurance Index which closed unchanged.

Global Banking Index was the biggest decliner as it shed 1.70 percent to close at 323.47 points.

Gulf Bank was the second biggest decliner in the sector, it

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

decreased by 1.92 percent to close at KD 0.510.

The second biggest decliner was Global Non-Kuwaiti Index, which shed 1.16 percent to close at 42.54 points. This was a result of Ahli United Bank which dropped by 1 percent to close at KD 0.198, while no gainers were seen in the sector. Global Ser vices Index was the third biggest decliner with a 1.01 percent loss to close at 774.8 points.

Al-Safat Energy Holding, the most traded in the sector, was down 2.20 percent to finish at KD 0.0445.

Gulf Franchising Company, the biggest decliner in the market, ended the day down 11.63

percent. The scrip ended the day at KD 0.019.

Oil news The price of OPEC basket of twelve crudes stood at $110.83pb on Thursday, compared with $112.26pb the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

Corporate news Kuwait Por tland Cement Company announced that the court ruled in its favor in the lawsuit filed against Kuwait & Middle East Financial Investment Company and obliged the latter to pay an amount of KD 883,997 and other expenses.

Doubts rise over euro rescue fund as ECB pressure grows BRUSSELS: Economists are increasingly questioning the relevance of the eurozone rescue fund as pressure builds on the European Central Bank (ECB) to lead a lasting and massive debt crisis response. The European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), which uses 440 billion euros of government guarantees to borrow on markets for subsequent lending to bailed-out Greece, Ireland and Portugal, “has no credibility” with traders, said Belgian economics professor Paul De Grauwe.

The fund, worth $595 billion at current exchange rates, was born out of the first phase of the Greek debt crisis 18 months ago but has constantly appeared behind the curve as financial market contagion sucks in country after country.

Eurozone leaders decided at a summit late last month to “leverage” its lending capacity up to a trillion euros just as Italy’s 1.9-trillion-euro debt mountain pushed it to the top of investor concerns. A new “technocratic” government has taken power in Rome, with its public finances put under EU-IMF surveillance while France-the second-largest eurozone economy-is the latest to see its borrowing costs under pressure.

That means a timeframe announced by Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker for an upgraded EFSF to be partly operational in December, and fully ramped up in February, is looking increasingly irrelevant, the economists say. Britain, France and the United States have each urged Germany to allow the ECB to emulate the Federal Reserve or the Bank of England by funding governments and pumping liquidity into the eurozone, in effect printing new money in an effort to get the economy moving again.

“The rescue fund, to begin with, will not have sufficient resources, even with a trillion euros,” said De Grauwe, who lectures at Belgium’s Louvain university. “Italy has almost two trillion in debts and soon we might be talking about Spain and France,” he said. Yet the newly souped-up EFSF “can’t even

get out of the (starting) blocks,” with markets already adding premiums to the fund’s own borrowings. So ideas are multiplying on how to change the fund to make it live up to its objectives.

Credit Agricole analyst Veronique Riches-Flores says the various plans put forward to date have each been built on a “rare complexity-so complex, in fact, that they keep changing shape.

“It just doesn’t stand up to scrutiny,” she added of moves including an appeal to China or Russia to buy into an as yet non-existent sister fund, or plans for money to be sliced up into insurance policies for specific countries facing problems raising finance on the open market.

Beijing has said it will help but is looking for more information. Moscow has queried the logic of what has been proposed. Analysts such as the Bruegel Institute’s Jean-Pisani Ferry point to weakness in the EFSF’s constitutionbecause any of the 17 eurozone governments can veto its actions. De Grauwe said that “if we want to keep the eurozone (intact), only the ECB can do it,” a view backed by Riches-Flores.

ECB chief Mario Draghi, however, will have none of this and on Friday he pushed back against heavy pressure to come to the rescue of the eurozone even as British Prime Minister David Cameron called for all eurozone institutions to defend the common currency. For Ferry, at the end of the day, the EFSF “is likely to stay in its initial form,” seeing through the less troubled Irish and Portuguese bailout programs and holding the line on Greece as it tries to claw its way out from under years of radical readjustment. That is the case too with a lesser-known European Financial Stability Mechanism (EFSM) at the level of the 27 European Union states, which has a 60-billion-euro limit and includes non-euro countries. It has primarily been focused on support alongside the International Monetary Fund for Hungary, itself back in the news this week as it seeks fresh help in the face of a stalled economy, strained finances and a falling currency. — AFP

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India jittery over freefalling rupee Inflation and price of imports rise further

JOHANNESBURG: Julie and Wallis Short and their two daughters, 3 year old Jessica and 5 year old Grace, pose in their home. —AFP

With weak economy abroad, S Africans come back home JOHANNESBURG: After 10 years in London, the Short family packed their bags and moved back to South Africa, part of what experts say is a growing trend of white expatriates returning home. “London was very good to us but it was never home,” said Julie Short, who met her husband Wallis in the British capital, where their two young daughters were born. The couple were among the estimated 800,000 white South Africans who moved overseas, mainly to Britain, Australia and New Zealand, between 1991 and 2001, according to census data. The exodus amounted to about 15 percent of South Africa’s white population. Some fled fearing the often gratuitously violent crime that erupted across the nation during the mid-1990s.

Nearly 27,000 people were killed in 1995, the year after Nelson Mandela became president.

Others feared that in the new postapartheid South Africa, they could be passed over for jobs or business opportunities as the government embarked on a program of black economic empowerment. But now the exodus appears to be slowing-and even reversing. Census figures show the white population is at 4.5 million, the highest level since 1991.

The exact numbers of South Africans abroad are hard to determine, partly because many whites living overseas hold dual citizenship and are not counted as immigrants in their new countries. But experts say many are now returning, especially as the economies of the rich world have stumbled. “We know Europe is in trouble, the United States economy is weak as well,” said John Loos, an economist at First National Bank.

“So a large part of the global economy to where people often emigrate from South Africa is not performing well, jobs prospects are not good, and I think that that too is slowing the emigration rate.” In contrast, South Africa’s economy has grown steadily since the first all-race elections in 1994. The country suffered a recession in 2009 that lasted only nine months and proved much

softer than in the rest of the world.

While unemployment is mired around 25 percent, skilled professionals like doctors, nurses and engineers are in high demand. The Labor Department estimated in 2008 that South Africa needed 913,000 such professionals with “scarce skills” to fill current job openings. That’s the target market for Homecoming Revolution, a web site that aims to help South Africans abroad make the transition back home. “Our aim is to focus on the scarce skills in South Africadoctors and nurses, accountants, IT professionals-all the industries where we really need the expertise, we need leadership and we need strong international skills to come home and create jobs and help grow the economy,” said Brigitte Britten-Kelly, who runs the project.

That was the case for Wallis Short, a computer engineer who quickly found a job at a local company. He said that for skilled professionals, opportunities abound, despite fears among some whites that South Africa’s affirmative action program, known as Black Economic Empowerment, will hurt their job prospects. “I was really pretty confident that I would get a job even though there was BEE,” he said. “The thing is with a technical side, you cannot fill those positions with BEE candidates if they do not have the experience.”

South Africa still has a staggering crime rate, especially around Johannesburg. But violent crime has steadily declined-about 16,000 people were killed last year, though the violence is now concentrated in impoverished shantytowns that are difficult to police. In wealthier neighborhoods, real estate agents say fewer and fewer people are selling their homes to emigrate. The Short family is renovating a house in Johannesburg with a sprawling garden and pool, a far cry from the 75 square meters (800 square feet) they shared in London-not to mention the nearly yearround sunshine. “It was never the same quality of life that you will be able to have here,” said Julie Short. “We love being home, it’s great.” —AFP

finance takes toll on Britain’s stressed bankers LONDON: The pressure on London bankers to get to grips with the global financial crisis has led to stress, depression and insomnia among City workers, affecting even the most experienced bosses.

The phenomenon was brought to light when the chief executive of Lloyds Banking Group, Antonio Horta-Osario, announced that he was stepping down from his post until the end of the year for “medical reasons.” Reports claimed the Portuguese-born director, who earns a basic annual salary of more than £1 million ($1.6 million, 1.2 million euros), was suffering from fatigue after just six months at the helm of the bailed-out bank. The shock announcement came as the financial sector grappled with the latest developments in the eurozone debt crisis, stirring anxiety among investors and sending shares in the banking giant plummeting. Horta-Osario highlighted a worrying trend among bankers, said Dr Michael Sinclair, clinical director of City Psychology Group, which treats patients from offices in the City and Canary Wharf, London’s second business centre. “There’s definitely an increase in (patients) presenting to us with stress-related conditions, a whole host of anxiety disorder and depression,” Sinclair told AFP. Sinclair blames the current economic turmoil for the growth in cases of stressrelated illness, which can cause a range of physical symptoms including headaches, back pain, heart conditions and insomnia.

“Since the recession, things have changed,” said Cary Cooper, a professor of psychology and health at Lancaster University in northwest England. In the wake of the global economic crisis, many companies were forced to shed employees and increase workloads for their current workers, which has driven up stress

levels, Cooper said.

As the eurozone crisis deepens, Cooper said job insecurity is a further source of worry for workers, many of whom remember the traumatic scenes of September 2008 when London employees at failed US bank Lehman Brothers lost their jobs overnight. A recent study by research institute the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) has added to financial workers’ job fears.

CEBR estimates that more jobs in the financial sector will be slashed this year, bringing the number of employees in the industry back down to 1998 levels. In this high-pressure environment, Cooper suggests there is a ‘survival of the fittest’ mentality, with bankers, brokers and other management staff likely to try desperately to hide any stress symptoms from their employers. “The majority of people working the financial sector would not admit to not coping because it could mean they are highly vulnerable to job loss,” Cooper said.

Bankers are unlikely to turn to outsiders for help for their “businessman blues” because of public animosity towards their profession, Cooper added.

Recent reports of hefty bonus payments for staff at banks that were rescued from collapse by state bailouts has done little to improve their reputation in the eyes of the general public. “The public perception of them and the media’s attack on them has made their job more stressful,” Cooper said, adding that many even lie about their job when asked. According to Sinclair, the British public’s lack of compassion for bankers has forced many to turn to drugs and alcohol in a bid to relieve the stress. “It’s a vicious circle that makes the problems worse in the end,” he said. —AFP

NEW DELHI: India’s rupee, Asia’s worst performing currency this year, could be bound for “uncharted waters,” analysts say, as fears about eurozone debt and a slowing economy pump demand for the dollar. The rupee slipped to 51.20 per dollar Fridaya 32-month low-with no sign that it has bottomed out.

“There’s nothing preventing the rupee heading into uncharted waters. We don’t really know where it will stabilize against the dollar,” Abheek Barua, chief economist of India’s HDFC bank, told AFP. The rupee has fallen 15 percent since July on worries over the debt crisis and concern about deceleration in Asia’s thirdlargest economy, sparked by 13 rate hikes that have failed to curb near double -digit inflation.

Former chief Indian government economic advisor Shankar Acharya has warned the economy could grow by under seven percent in the financial year ending March 2012 — down from 8.5 percent last year. “The currency is suffering from global risk aversion which is likely to increase rather than decrease as well as from weakening domestic macroeconomic fundamentals,” Dariusz Kowalczyk, economist at Credit Agricole, told AFP. Money has been flowing out of India into US assets such as treasury bills seen as safe bets in times of crisis.

The falling rupee is bad news for India, aggravating inflation and pushing up the price of imports. India is a net importer of foreign goods, with one-third of the total made up of crude oil imports used to power the energy-hungr y nation. O ther imports include steel, coal and rubber, driving up costs for manufac turers that will be

passed on to consumers.

While exports will be cheaper, currencies of other countries have also fallen against the dollar, although not as much, diminishing India’s advantage. India’s central bank has expressed hesitation about intervening to support the rupee, suggesting it may not even have the resources.

Reserve Bank of India deputy governor Subir Gokarn said it would be a “risky strategy” if the

rupee by advertising its reservations. “These defeatist statements aren’t helping, it’s like open season on the currency,” said a Mumbai currency trader.

Laurence Balanco, technical currency analyst at investment house CLSA told India’s CNBC TV18 the rupee could slide to 58 against the dollar if it crashes through the 52 mark. Not only is the rupee the worst performer among major Asian economies,

and struck its lowest level of 52.20 rupees to the dollar on March 2, 2009 when global stock markets dived. Diminishing India’s appeal to foreign investors and piling pressure on the rupee have been a slew of government corruption scandals, accusations of “policy paralysis” and a worsening fiscal situation with the administration overshooting borrowing targets for the second half of the year by

MUMBAI: This file picture shows an Indian bank employee counting rupee currency notes. —AFP bank were to “try and resist or try and do something for which we do not have a capacity.”

India’s foreign exchange reserves of around $320 billion are just one tenth of neighboring emerging market giant China’s.

Traders say the central bank may be exacerbating pressure on the

so is India’s share market which has fallen over 21 percent since the start of 2011.

The rupee touched a record peak of 39.40 to the dollar in February 2008. It began unravelling when Lehman Brothers collapsed later that year, triggering the last global financial crisis,

With quotas, women make boardroom gains in Europe WASHINGTON: Women are beginning to crack Europe’s boardroom glass ceilings thanks to government quotas, while their advance in the United States has nearly stalled, a new study found. The inclusion of more women in boardrooms is crucial to boosting financial performance and, in turn, economic growth, the Washington-based Corporate Women Directors International said. The global percentage of board seats held by women grew to 13.8 percent in 2011 from 10.4 percent in 2004, according to the 2011 CWDI report released Friday.

“Something is happening, and it’s driven

by Europe,” said Irene Natividad, chair of the international research group. “The momentum for more women on boards will change the face of the biggest companies in Europe, in the midst of the region’s ongoing financial crisis. They are ahead of the ball game.” In its latest study on women in the corporate boardrooms of the world’s largest companies, the research group found mixed performances in Asia, with China forging ahead and Japan and South Korea treading in place.

Of the 31 new companies added to the Fortune Global 200 listing in 2011, more than half — 16 — have no women directors, the report said. Eight Chinese companies were in that group, including China Railway Group and Dongfeng Automotive along with three Japanese firms, including Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, and India’s Reliance Industries. Norway initiated government quotas for the number of women required to be in the boardroom in 2003, a move that has since been adopted in Belgium, France, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.

“Overall, the countries with quotas saw a higher percentage of women’s board appointments when compared to the average female representation among other companies in the Fortune listing,” the report said.

Companies in Germany’s blue-chip DAX30 index have pledged to increase women’s representation on boards to at least 30 percent by 2013, CWDI said. The idea is catching on outside of Europe, with Malaysia enacting a quota on publicly listed companies in June.

And CWDI says there’s a business interest there as well, arguing that a company with a high percentage of women on its board and senior management has a better financial performance.

“This reality is perhaps the reason why governments have taken the route of legislated mandates to push companies for a more accelerated pace in promoting women to corporate leadership roles,” the report said.

Natividad said there were a lot more countries adding gender diversity language in corporate governance codes. “Does it work? Yes, it does,” she said at a forum unveiling the study in Washington.

France is the star of this year’s report, posting the fastest increase in women’s representation only a year after an October 2010 quota law mandating 40 percent representation in publicly listed companies within six years. The law set a halfway point of three years to reach

20 percent, and France scored 20.1 percent, a sharp rise from 2004, when women held only 7.2 percent of board seats. Banks and telecom companies assumed they had to comply with the law “and decided let’s do it now, why wait?” said Ana Maria Llopis, a member of the board of France’s Societe Generale bank who chairs the board of Spanish distributor Dia. France’s aggressive advance puts it within

WASHINGTON: In this file photo, former US Labor Secretary Elaine Chao arrives for a State Dinner for German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House. —AFP a hair of the United States, the leader still with women holding 20.8 percent of board seats.

But given the United States’s anemic rate of 3.3 percent increase since 2004, its lead “is beginning to slip away,” CWDI warned. China’s average rate in 2011 was 8.0 percent, but Japan was a laggard. Its percentage slipped to 1.8 percent from 2.3 percent in 2009. Still, that was better than South Korea, which continued to have no women directors.

The sole male participant on the panel, Sol Trujillo, a director at US retail giant Target, welcomed the research as needed firepower to sway male mindsets. “The case hasn’t been made” at the highest levels, where information is considered “anecdotal,” said Trujillo, a former chief executive of Australia’s Telstra, Orange in France and US West. “Now we have longitudinal empirical data,” he said. Trujillo said his most diverse teams have been the best performers, likening diversity to the multiple lenses used by a photographer: “You get to see more.” Caroline Anstey, World Bank managing director and the bank’s representative among the self-identified Group of 20 “sherpa,” said she was “somewhat disappointed” after the G20 summit in Cannes earlier in the month. —AFP

32 percent. “On a bad day one often wonders how it (India) functions at all, let alone how it evolved to be Asia’s second-fastest growing economy,” investment house CLSA Asia Pacific Markets remarked in a sharply worded critique of the government’s handling of the economy. —AFP

Eurozone debt disaster unnerves Balkan states BELGRADE: The eurozone debt crisis is stoking growing fears of spillover in the small and vulnerable economies of the Balkans, with stricken Italy and Greece close neighbours and major trade partners. A World Bank report this week warned that the debt crisis, with its epicentre in Greece, could see economic links under threat, with trade, direct investment, bank lending and foreign remittances all at risk. Trade with the EU is a key driver for exports and overall economic growth in the region, accounting in some cases for up to half of all activity, it said.

For Serbia, Bosnia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Albania, some 58.2 percent of their total exports in 2010 went to the European Union, mainly to Italy and Germany. Concerns are even greater in Croatia which plans to join the EU in 2013. “Almost all foreign banks in these countries are from EU countries, with a comparatively high share of Greek- and Italian-owned banks. Further stress on their respective parent banks could potentially create another credit crunch in the region,” warned World Bank economist Ron Hood.

The World Bank projects growth in the region of 2.5 percent in 2011 and 2.1 percent in 2012 — but only if the eurozone crisis is resolved, which appears increasingly open to debate as more and more member states get into trouble. “Should the crisis worsen, economic growth in these countries could be much worse,” Hood said. Serbian Central bank governor Dejan Soskic warned that his country has “already been touched by the crisis.”

“As a result, economic activity suffers and projections for next year’s growth are in danger,” Soskic said, with 2012 current forecast at 1.5 percent. Serbian President Boris Tadic and Finance Minister Nebojsa Ciric recently voiced concern that the debt crisis in Italy might undercut exports there as Rome slashes spending and hikes taxes in a fierce austerity drive.

Italy is Serbia’s main export market in the EU, notably for manufactured products, fruits and woods. In return, Italy is the third largest source of imports while Italian companies Fiat and Benetton are major investors.

The debt crisis in the eurozone comes at a bad time for the Balkans whose countries suffered badly in the fallout from the 2008 global financial crisis and were just getting back on their feet. In Bosnia, the recovery was possible essentially because of a pick up in exports to the EU, Damir Cosic, a World Bank analyst, told the Sarajevo daily Oslobodjenje.

“As in the case of the (global) economic crisis (...) a significant slowdown (in growth) and a decrease of the consumption are expected in early 2012,” Austrian bank Raiffensen said of the situation in Bosnia.

Serbian economist Ljubodrag Savic said he feared that “2012 and even 2013 are going to be very difficult” while Croati faces the same sort of problems with the economy expected to shrink next year as exports to Italy fall 11 percent so far in 2011. If the crisis in the eurozone continues, it would also mean a decline in foreign direct investment, experts in Croatia warn.

Zdeslav Santic, a Splitska Banka analyst, estimated that 2012 would bring the a significant fall in living standards in Croatia, made more difficult by rising prices for energy and public utilities. —AFP

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business

Spain’s new leader to face wrath of markets MADRID: If the leader of Spain’s right, Mariano Rajoy, cruises to a landslide election win as expected, he will immediately face a more daunting task: winning over the markets. Rajoy will have to show he can trim Spain’s bulging budget, and quickly, or risk the same fierce financial pressures that forced Italy and Greece’s governments from power. “After the November 20 elections we will have completed an unwritten, unplanned process of replacing all the governments of Europe’s periphery economies: Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Italy, as well as Spain,” said a report by Bankinter. Investors fled those countries the moment they doubted their commitment or ability to cut spending and repay sovereign debt.

In the case of Spain, where the ruling Socialists are blamed for economic stagnation and an unemployment rate of 21.5 percent, the punishment mounted up to the final trading days before the vote. The debt risk premium-the extra return investors demand for Spanish 10-year bonds over safe-haven German debt-shot above 5.0 percentage points Thursday for the first time since the creation of the euro.

The arrival of Rajoy, leader of the conservative

Popular Party, may not suffice to calm the storm.

“The new government will not have the usual 100day grace period and will have to present measures and goals even before its investiture,” Bankinter warned. Rajoy has delivered a string of reassuring messages in the week leading up to the vote. “The priority is to send a message of confidence to the markets,” he said, promising to unveil quickly a first plan of economic measures to prove Spain is serious about the public deficit.

He pleaded for more than “half an hour” to act.

“We hope that this will stop and that they realize that there are elections here and that those who win these elections have the right to a minimum margin, which should be of more than a half hour,” he said. The first challenge is the deficit, which Spain has vowed to cut from 9.3 percent of gross domestic product last year to 6.0 percent in 2011, 4.4 percent in 2012 and 3.0 percent-the European Union limit-in 2013.

The Bank of Spain and the European Commission each say those targets cannot be reached without further measures. They blame the powerful regions, whose finances would have to be more tightly controlled by the government.

Even if the 2012 budget is not due for adoption before February, “we expect the government to give the markets a plan before the end of the year,” said Unicredit analyst Jose Abad, who anticipated “an austere budget”. “The priority will be a reduction in the deficit, as painful as may be the fact that there are five million unemployed,” said IE Business School economist Juan Carlos Martinez Lazaro.

Jobs, with an unemployment rate of 21.52 percent, the highest in the industrialized world, are another great challenge. Labor market reform, which began in 2010, must go deeper, analysts say. Xavier Vives, professor at the IESE Business School, said Spain must create a single work contract, scrapping its dual system of indefinite and casual contracts. Unemployment is widely regarded as the biggest single obstacle to economic recovery. The third challenge is economic growth, which fell to zero in the third quarter when compared to the previous three months. Spain’s government admitted Wednesday that the economy would grow only 0.8 percent over the whole of 2011, falling far short of its official 1.3-percent target. Recession could return in 2012, according to

Goldman Sachs, the French bank Natixis and the French statistics institute INSEE. Finally, the banking sector, pounded by the 2008 property bubble collapse, has to be put right once and for all. It is weighed down with 176 billion euros ($238 billion) in bad loans and repossessed buildings and land. During the election campaign, some have proposed the creation of a “bad bank” to pool the doubtful loans. The business daily El Economista estimated this week that Spain has private bank and public Treasury debt payments due in 2012 of a total 335 billion euros, for which it may need to ask for 100 billion euros.

According to the paper, Rajoy has already spoken to German Chancellor Angela Merkel about the conditions for possible European financial assistance to Spain. “One of the first decisions the new government might be forced to make is negotiating with the IMF and/or the EFSF (European Financial Stability Facility) a precautionary credit line,” Abad said. If the aid does come in at 100 billion euros, “that would be a real rescue” said IG Markets analyst Daniel Pingarron, who said he expected Spain to seek temporary lines of credit on a much smaller scale. — AFP

Passive Occupy protesters take blast of pepper spray Occupy protests spread to US college campuses MIAMI: Mo Tarafa stood before students at a small, outdoor concrete auditorium at Florida International University and called for volunteers to sit in the 10 chairs before her. Each chair, she said, represented 10 percent of the wealth in the United States and 10 percent of the population. The students, mostly in their 20s and wearing jeans and T-shirts on a balmy autumn Thursday afternoon in Miami, took their places. Then Tarafa asked nine of the students to squeeze together into five of the chairs. This, she said, was the distribution of wealth in 1996. Next she asked nine students to fit into three of the chairs. This, she said, is the distribution of wealth today. “How are you all feeling right now?” she said.

dents have set up tents in the middle of campus.

At the University of California, Davis, on Friday, multiple videos posted by witnesses showed a police officer directly pepper-spraying a group of protesters sitting passively on the ground with their arms interlocked. Police have said the protesters were warned repeatedly beforehand that force would be used if they didn’t move. Calling the video “chilling,” UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi said Saturday that she is forming a task force made up of faculty, students and staff to review the events surrounding the protests in which police moved in on more than a dozen tents erected on the campus and arrested 10 people, nine of

DAVIS: In this image made from video, a police officer uses pepper spray as he walks down a line of Occupy demonstrators sitting on the ground at the University of California. — AP “Uncomfortable,” said one of the students piled up on one another. The exercise was part of a teach-in that took place recently at FIU and dozens of other campuses across the country in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street. As the protests have grown to cities across the United States, they’ve also taken root at US universities, where students have staged rallies and walk-outs from classes. On Thursday, students were among the thousands who took part in protests across the country. They’ve even set up their own tent cities: At the University of California, Berkeley, where 40 people were arrested in a violent confrontation with police last week, officers removed 20 tents on Thursday. At Harvard University, dozens of stu-

them students.

Across the country, the students’ concerns include the rising costs of tuition, seemingly insurmountable student debt and weak job prospects. These are issues unique to them, but which student organizers see as directly connected to the larger issues being raised by the Occupy protests against economic inequality. “I love my education. I think it was completely valuable; however, I feel I’m not using it on a daily basis,” said Natalia Abrams, 31, a recent University of California at Los Angeles graduate who has been helping organize students through Occupy Colleges, a loose coalition of universities across the country. “We didn’t go back to school to have $20,000 in debt to work

at Starbucks.” Whether the protests mark a rejuvenation of student activism in the United States is yet to be seen, but already some important distinctions are being made from their involvement in politics and society over the last few decades. In the 1960s, students held sit-ins to protest racial segregation and marched against the Vietnam War. But since then, activism on campus has tended to focus on specific issues, like rape awareness, antisweatshop campaigns and equality for gays and lesbians, notes Robert Self, a history professor at Brown University.

“There hasn’t for a long time been a single issue like the civil rights or the war in Vietnam that brings a whole generation together,” Self said. Students at more than 120 universities have participated in protests so far. They range from students at elite private Ivy League colleges in the northeast, many who come from middle and upper class families, to those who work and attend state or community colleges full-time. At Harvard, 70 students walked out of an introductory economics class taught by the former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers during President George W. Bush’s administration to protest what they called the “biased nature” of the class, which they said, “contributes to and symbolizes the increasing economic inequality in America.”

Gabriel Bayard, 18, a student who helped organize the walk-out, said the professor, Greg Mankiw, “makes questionable statements and tries to pass them off as fact.” He pointed, for example, to the argument that economic equality and efficiency are a zero sum game.

“There’s mounting economic evidence that’s not the case,” Bayard said.

At Rhode Island College, students have held teach-ins where professors are brought in to give lectures on topics like the history of student movements. Mikaila Mariel Lemonik Arthur, a sociology professor at the school, said faculty are brought in to offer their expertise but participate as equals. “We have things we can offer by virtue of our study in these areas,” Arthur said. “But that doesn’t make us any more qualified to speak than they are.” Arthur said it’s fairly typical for social movements to have large student participation, in part because they have more time available. But that isn’t the case at her school, where a majority of students work and are from working or lower class families.

“We have students that aren’t available and they are still making the time to be part of a movement,” said Arthur, whose research focuses on student activism. Debt from college loans and poor job prospects after graduation are two of the main points of contention for student protesters. —AP

Deadline looms but Qantas dispute may drag: Experts SYDNEY: The deadline on talks to resolve Qantas’s bitter dispute with unions, which culminated in last month’s extraordinary shutdown of the airline, expires Monday but experts say a final deal could be months away.

Australia’s industrial arbiter Fair Work Australia gave the “Flying Kangaroo” and three angry employee unions 21 days to negotiate to end their battle over wages and conditions after the airline’s unprecedented grounding. Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce, who stranded tens of thousands of passengers worldwide in a move the government said threatened the national economy, has said he is optimistic of a resolution by the deadline.

“I continue to be hopeful that we can reach agreement,” he said last week, adding that discussions with the three unions-representing pilots, engineers and ground staff such as baggage handlers-were confidential. But industrial relations expert Ron McCallum, emeritus professor at Sydney University’s Law School, said he would be surprised if all matters, which include wages, working conditions and job security, were addressed by Monday.

“I would think that while some matters may

be settled there will be outstanding matters at the end of this time and that those outstanding matters at the very least will go to arbitration,” he told AFP. Qantas and the unions can take a further 21 days for negotiations if they fail to reach agreement by Monday, but all parties must want this extension and analysts say this is not the most likely course of action.

Instead Fair Work Australia, which the government called in to resolve the dispute, will likely bring the parties into binding arbitration, a process which would involve the tribunal hearing the arguments of both sides in detail. “You won’t get an answer until after Christmas,” McCallum said. Labor law expert Professor Andrew Stewart, from Adelaide University, said the row was likely headed to lengthy arbitration, even if agreement was reached on some elements. “We would expect it to take months, based on prior experience,” Stewart said.

At the heart of the dispute is the concern by Qantas workers that their jobs will be outsourced to Asia as the company pins the revival of its international business on taking advantage of its proximity to the fast-growing market. Joyce has argued the company needs to be nimble

enough to respond to market challenges and warned that too many restrictions on the iconic airline could bring it down.

But the unions fear the issue of “offshoring by stealth” will also destroy the 90-year-old carrier which has a reputation for safety. Joyce shut down the airline on October 29 as unions threatened to step up strikes, saying rolling stoppages by engineers and ground staff had already caused forward bookings to collapse. He took the drastic decision to lock out employees, forcing him to ground all Qantas flights.

Pilots have challenged the lock-out in the Federal Court but McCallum said this was unlikely to have any bearing on the arbitration. “The other court hasn’t stayed the proceedings. It hasn’t said stop until we decide,” he said. Stewart said Qantas had taken a gamble in taking the case to the tribunal, but as long as it was dealing with the matter all strike action by the unions was stopped, providing it with certainty over the upcoming holiday period. “It may well be correct to say that Fair Work Australia is more likely than not to take a hands-off attitude towards some of the issues that are in dispute between the parties-but it’s not cut and dried,” he said. — AFP

LOS ANGELES: The Land Rover DC100 is displayed at the Los Angeles Auto Show. — MCT

Flying has never been so good for those who spend NEW YORK: Flying has never been so good - for those able to splurge. While most holiday travelers will fight for overhead bins and go hours without a snack or room to stretch their legs, life in first class is stress free. It’s always been a special place on the other side of the curtain. Now, it’s getting even cushier. US airlines, profitable again after a disastrous decade, are spending almost $2 billion to upgrade amenities for their highest-paying customers. On the most profitable international routes, high fliers are being treated with flat-screen TVs and seats that turn into beds. Flight attendants greet them by name, hang up jackets and serve meals on china.

The lavish treatment is meant to keep people like Tim Carlson happy. Carlson, the chief financial officer of a semiconductor materials company, has taken 189 flights in the past two years, traveling 353,176 miles on United and its partners.

After the pilots, Carlson might just be the most important person on the plane.

United will do anything to make sure another airline doesn’t steal his business.

Agents call him about delays and reroute him so he doesn’t miss meetings. “I go to the top of the list for the next flight,” Carlson says. On a recent trip from Newark, New Jersey, to Brussels, he was met at the curb with a boarding pass and escorted to the front of the security line.

Four minutes after being dropped off, he was past the checkpoint.

Most of the 3.4 million Americans expected to fly this Thanksgiving holiday week won’t get anything close to that treatment. They’ve paid a little under $400 for their round-trip tickets. And it’s a cutthroat business. To save $5, passengers are likely to choose another airline.

So, it’s no surprise that the most loyal customers, and those willing to pay more for better services, are the ones airlines want to reward. First-class and businessclass passengers make up only 8 percent of international travelers but account for 27 percent of revenue, according to the International Air Transport Association.

While a round-trip coach ticket between Chicago and Beijing might run $1,000, business class costs $4,000 and first class $12,000.

“There is a war going on for the profitable passenger,” says Henry H Harteveldt, co-founder of the travel firm Atmosphere Research Group. Airlines are focusing on three areas: Giving passengers a full night’s sleep. Delta, United and US Airways are installing seats in premium international cabins that recline into flat beds. American isn’t making that investment but is adding turndown service on some routes; at bedtime, passengers are given pajamas and slippers while flight attendants lay down a quilted seat cover, duvet and pillow.

Stimulating taste buds. Come mealtime, US Airways serves citrus mahi-mahi with lemon herb sauce, jasmine rice, baby carrots and grilled asparagus in international business class. American serves Ben & Jerry’s ice cream sundaes.

Hot fudge, butterscotch, berries, pecans and whipped cream are added at each seat. Providing escapes from the chaos of airport terminals. Delta’s new Seattle

lounge features floor-to-ceiling windows with views of Mount Rainier. American’s new San Francisco club lets members cozy up next to a fireplace. “They’re now realizing that they need to offer a competitive product to attract the highestdollar passengers,” says Gary Leff, cofounder of frequent flier site MilePoint.

On foreign airlines, the good life is even better. Emirates Airlines first-class passengers can shower on its Airbus A380s, and walled-off suites come with minibars. Lufthansa has a separate terminal in Frankfurt for its first-class passengers, but it’s hardly an inconvenience: Passengers get dedicated immigration officers and are driven to their plane in a Mercedes-Benz S-Class or Porsche Cayenne. Singapore Airlines trains flight attendants how to walk without waking passengers. And at Virgin Atlantic’s London lounge, passengers can play pool, get a massage or relax in the sauna.

For a brief moment in the 1960s and ‘70s, flying was glamorous for all.

Passengers dressed up for the occasion.

Planes had piano bars, and flight attendants - hired for their looks - wore tight miniskirts. But tickets cost significantly more. By the end of the 1970s, the royal treatment was gone. Planes started to resemble crowded buses. In the decade following the Sept 11 terrorist attacks, any perks that were left vanished.

Airlines faced new security-related costs, higher fuel prices and two recessions.

They weren’t looking to impress. They just wanted to stay in business.

That’s why most travelers have seen free meals, leg room and blankets stripped away. Even the front of the plane became stale. Foreign airlines took advantage and courted US travelers with new, fancy first-class and business-class cabins. Now, US airlines are catching up.

They finally have some spare cash, and as they buy new planes, they have a reason to upgrade the interior design. —AP

SAN FRANCISCO: This photo shows the new first class interior section of a United Airlines 747 plane at San Francisco International Airport. — AP

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

TECHNOLOGY

Secretive North Korea opens up to cellphones SEOUL: Secretive North Korea is expected to register the one millionth cellphone user on its new 3G network by the end of the year, barely four years after people were thrown into prison camps, or possibly even executed, for owning one.

Most of the users are in the capital of Pyongyang, home to the impoverished country’s elite and powerful who have the cash to splash out for a device and the calling fees. “There has been an astronomical increase since even two years ago,” said Michael Hay, a lawyer and business consultant based in the capital for the past seven years.

Two years ago, there were less than 70,000 users. “All the waitresses in coffee shops have them, as one example, and use them. Let’s not even talk about businessmen. They are never off them, and conversations are frequently interrupted by mobile calls.”

The authoritarian government ended a ban on cellphones in 2008, inking a four-year deal with Egyptian compa-

ny Orascom to build the 3G network in partnership with the government. A report this month by the Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainability said 60 percent of people aged 20-50 use cellphones in Pyongyang, a city of around 3 million people who are strictly vetted by the state for residency permits.

“Especially for the younger generation in their 20s and 30s, as well as the merchant community, a cellphone is seen as a must, and many youngsters can no longer see their lives without it,” wrote Alexandre Mansourov in the report. Calling fees have fallen this year, driving the surge in demand, reports say. And the introduction of the “Euro pack” bundle provides the isolated government with some muchneeded hard foreign currency.

But you can’t dial into or out of the country, and there’s no Internet. The government still keeps a stranglehold on all news flows into the destitute state. While the 3G network covers 94 percent of the population, it still only

News

in brief

Check your children’s online contacts HERAKLION: Parents are advised to keep a close eye on what their children are doing online to protect them from opportunistic strangers. Data carelessly posted in social networks or forums is a godsend to anyone looking to stalk a child online, reports the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA). Predators can use this information as a way to build ties to the child, perhaps by noting the child’s choice in music and using that as a conversation starter. That’s why a child’s personal information should only be viewable by friends, advises ENISA. Parents should check their child’s Facebook friends and consider installing security software that deletes data if a mobile phone or a laptop goes missing.

Parents also need to build up a basic level of knowhow so they judge the riskiness of internet sites or online activities.

Google app allows translation If you need to translate a few words into the local language while you’re travelling, then consider a new app for Android smartphones: Google Translate. The app recognizes spoken sentences, translates them into the desired language, and then reads them out. Until now, the programme only worked between English and Spanish, but the new version, 2.2, can manage German, French, Italian, Chinese, Russian, Polish and Turkish. Of course, users should not expect a perfect translator.

Google warns that the app is still in a test phase. It handles individual words with no problem and can usually even handle three-word sentences. But it often stumbles on complicated sentences or slang. Additionally, the translation is done in a computing centre that requires the data to be transmitted, meaning mobile phone users might find themselves racking up roaming fees if they use the service a lot while abroad. The app can be found at the Android Market here: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.google.android.apps.tr anslate Block document reopen on Mac OS X Lion Apple’s newest operating system, Mac OS X Lion, notes during shutdown which applications and documents are still open and reopens them the next time the machine is restarted. It calls this function Resume.

But people who want to switch the function off need only go to System Settings. There’s also a way to block the function for individual programmes.

covers 14 percent of the territory, according to Orascom, involved in a joint venture with the government.

North Koreans who have defected to the South say the cost of buying a cellphone and the operating fees, mean owning such a 3G device is out of question for most. Phones cost about $350 in the country where the average monthly income is about $15.

“The possession of cellphones was not limited by class, but not many people have cellphones because they are just too expensive,” said Kim Seong-hu, 40, who defected to South in April. “Most commoners are satisfied with landlines we have.”

Cheap illegal cellphones tapping into Chinese networks are not uncommon, but their range is limited to just the border fringe. Analysts say the 3G network does not pose a threat to the government in the way cellphones have fueled uprisings around the Arab world this year.

Cellphones and the Internet have been used to rally a revolutionary

were over 800,000 users on its network, compared to 300,000 at the same time last year. Despite its obsession with secrecy and control, North Korea’s authoritarian leadership is opening up its telecommunication services and encouraging IT development.

Ironically, its isolationist policy of Juche has made its drive to catch up a lot easier than for other countries that have travelled the path of IT development. “As a laggard in the global digital revolution, Pyongyang enjoys key advantages of backwardness-dramatic savings on initial R&D costs in the IT sector, the opportunity to leap frog from exclusive reliance on obsolete and scarce landlines to world class 3G mobile communications,” says Mansourov.

“The DPRK (North Korea) mobile communications industry has crossed the Rubicon and the North Korean government can no longer roll it back without paying a severe political price.” — Reuters

The webcam turns 20 From coffee pots to Mount Everest CAMBRIDGE: It all started with an old filter coffee machine which Quentin Stafford-Fraser recalls made pretty bad coffee. Regardless, its picture went around the world. Stafford-Fraser and his colleagues in the computer lab of the University of Cambridge pointed a camera at the household appliance at the end of 1991 and sent three times per minute a blurred, greyish image of the machine to a laboratory colleague’s screen.

“Finally, many colleagues no longer had to run down three floors to find an empty coffee pot,” said Stafford-Fraser. It was a small step for him and his colleagues - so small that they cannot even remember the exact date - but it was a big step for computer technology. The webcam was invented.

The only catch was that only Stafford-Fraser and his colleagues could follow the level of coffee in the coffee pot with their self-written software.

Only after the internet browser started showing pictures two years later could the world look in the so-called “Trojan Room.”

“Back then there was not really that much on the internet. But us crazy people in Cambridge pointed a very expensive camera onto a very cheap coffee machine and it just fascinated people,” said Stafford-Fraser today. “And then the whole thing got popular.”

Soon people from around the world were knocking on the door of the lab after asking the tourist information in Cambridge where they could find the “coffee machine camera.” “And we got complaints from people in other time zones that they could not see the pictures when it was night in Great Britain.

So we had to put a lamp there which would illuminate the coffee machine at all times,” said Stafford-Fraser.

Today, the most-photographed coffee machine in the world belongs to the German news portal Spiegel Online. It has just moved with the editorial team into the new publishing house in the Hamburg Hafencity district, where soon

it will be able to be viewed via webcam once again.

Eventually the webcam began to be mass-produced, became established and affordable throughout the world whether that was on the South Pacific

Just about every new laptop purchased today is bundled with a built-in web cam. It’s a great accessory for video conferencing, but there are also plenty of other useful things to do with them.

Android smartphones now targeted by cybercriminals BERLIN: It’s the dark side of success: smartphones running the popular Android operating system are being targeted by cybercriminals. The attackers use the fact that many users install apps on their phones without checking them out properly first - potentially with disastrous consequences.

The mobile device game Angry Birds offers the perfect disguise for cybercriminals. Millions of fans are anxiously waiting for the latest game with the vindictive birds. Who would expect something evil behind the brightly coloured comic facade?

But those with a smartphone running the Android operating system had better look a bit closer. That’s because criminals have repeatedly used this platform and offered apps that look like the original game from Rovio - but ones that, in reality, spy on the unsuspecting users.

Data thieves and hackers are looking more and more at smartphones because the little do-it-all devices are also know-it-all devices, which people use not just for their telephone books, but also often for secret business mails and bank information.

In principle, all smartphone systems are threatened, but Android is a particularly worthwhile destination as 43 per cent of all new smartphones have Google software installed. And the system is vulnerable to attacks due to its openness.

Now, it cannot be said that Android is unsafe.

Google stresses that the programs run in a “sandbox” - a sealed off area. By default, applications cannot interact with one another and have limited access to the operating system, according to the company.

But there is a gateway for digital viruses. “The fundamental problem is the apps,” said IT security expert Alexander Tsolkas, referring to the beloved small programs with which users enhance their device.

Prior to installation onto an Android device, every program lists what it can do on the device to which the user must confirm with “accept and download.”

These warnings are designed to provide transparency, but they often just confuse many users. Must a game have “unrestricted internet access”? Can an

wave of protests and civil wars that have brought down iron rulers from Hosni Mubarak to Muammar Gaddafi.

But analysts say this is unlikely to happen in North Korea because strict state media controls limit what the poor know about the outside world and there is no immediate sense of revolt. “In the long run, the growth of interaction between people is a problem for the regime, but it might take years, or even decades, before the situation will be ripe for an outbreak of internal discontent,” said Andrei Lankov of Kookmin University in Seoul.

The North banned the use of cellphones in 2004 after an explosion at the Ryongchon railway just a few hours after train carrying leader Kim Jong-il passed through it. Security officials suspect a cellphone was used to ignite the bomb. Pyongyang’s lifting of the ban paved the way for Orascom’s entry into the market. It threw some $400 million into developing the North’s first and only 3G network.

This week Orascom reported there

MP3 player access personal information such as the address book?

Many smartphone owners are overwhelmed by these detailed questions and just hit confirm without

really looking into the details - like many have done with the faked version of Angry Birds. “You should not leave the request of permission up to the users.

Many do not understand it,” said Tsolkas.

The potential for abuse through harmful apps is large. “It can result in data loss,” said Tsolkas. Hackers can read the address book, the browser history or the IMEI number which explicitly identifies every device.

There are also financial risks, warned the expert: “Spying programs can intercept the data from home banking or an app can send a fee-based text message to Russia.”

Harmful apps make their way into circulation because Google does not control the programmes offered by smartphone providers as strictly as Apple does with its iTunes App Store. The IT security company Symantec says the security hurdles that are in place can be bypassed relatively easily. —dpa

island Bora-Bora, the South Pole, in the Vatican and simply on someone’s garden fence.

“The webcam brings the real world into the virtual room,” said communications scientist Sabrina Misoch from the University of Mannheim in Germany. “It has entirely changed interpersonal communication on the web. Business conferences and private telephone conversations have become more personable, more direct and less anonymous.”

Thanks to webcams, grandmas and grandpas can use video calls via Skype to see their children grow up in a far-off land. A camera atop Mount Everest shows mountain climbers even before they reach the summit. “In essence, you don’t have to leave the house any more since the invention of the webcam,” said Misoch. “It was an unbelievable turning point.”

The medium offers limitless possibilities, including some controversial ones, such as “sex cams” which offer live stripteases or public surveillance cameras. “Because the cameras are so small, they are naturally perfectly suited for surveillance. But that also crossed the border because I can no longer choose who observes me,” said Misoch.

The very first webcam meanwhile has long been shut off. It transmitted its last picture to the world on 22 August 2001.

I t was still blurred and grayish as Stafford-Fraser and his colleagues were seen shutting off the computer.

“I often joke around that I worked in that research group for more than a year and the only real part of the work I can remember is the coffee machine camera. And I only worked on that for one afternoon,” said Stafford-Fraser. “But lots of good things emerge like that, when people are just having fun experimenting.” — dpa

Alternatives to buying ink cartridges BERLIN: When your printer runs out of ink, there’s no real other option than to go and get some more. But with many cartridges running at dozens of euros a pop, it can turn into an expensive shopping trip.

Mercifully, there are alternatives, ranging from buying refilled or rebuilt cartridges all the way to sets for sale which people can use to do the refilling themselves.

Rebuilt or refilled cartridges are the two main alternatives. “ The rebuilt ones usually come from foreign manufacturers who don’t really focus too much on patents and other similar laws,” says Rudolf Opitz from c’t, a German computer magazine. With these, there are always questions about quality.

Refilled cartridges are exactly that: Old containers that have been topped up. The range of offerings depend on which printer you use, says Opitz. “There is a real mini-war going on between printer and cartridge manufacturers,” he says.

That’s because companies that make cartridges clearly have a vested interest in making sure shoppers buy original products. That’s why many name brands come with preinstalled chips that let users check ink levels from a computer.

But those chips also serve as a kind of copyright, which is why refillers and rebuilders spend so much time trying to crack these chips’ codes, so they can replace or overwrite them. Jenny Braun of Stiftung Warentest, a German consumer products tester, has spent a lot of time checking out the various versions of ink from a variety of manufacturers.

“The refilled cartridges have gotten continuously better in recent

years and have become pretty reliable,” she says. There are still differences in quality, but mainly with challenging printing tasks, like printing photos. “Most laypeople only see the difference when they have both printouts right next to one another.”

Paper quality tends to have a much bigger effect on print quality.

“The longer a cartridge has been on the market, the higher the likelihood that you’ll be able to find a high quality alternative to the original,” says Opitz. But there are additional factors to consider beyond this rule of thumb. That’s because not every cartridge is the same.

In cheaper models, the print head and the ink container are one unit.

Some devices separate the head and the container, but that still means you have to replace all colours at the same time, even if only one colour has been depleted. In the ideal, there are separate containers for all the major colours - black, blue, red and yellow - that can be swapped out individually.

“Actually, the most important thing is how widespread a printer and a cartridge are,” says Braun. After all, rebuilding or refilling cartridges is only profitable if a business can be sure that there are enough potential customers out there.

But how much do you save? It varies with the printer, says Braun.

Usually savings are about 30 per cent of the price of a new cartridge.

Sometimes that can reach to 90 per cent.

The only real test is to see how many pages can be printed from a particular cartridge, providing a kind of price-performance ratio. If you decide to opt for original cartridges, you can usually save some money

by opting for XL-sized cartridges, which tend to provide more bang for the buck.

For those people who find no good refill or rebuild alternative for sale and feel they are stuck buying original cartridges, there’s always the option of taking matters into your own hands. Many specialty shops sell refill kits with ink and syringes.

But Braun only recommends this step for skilled users. “It requires some fine motor skills. I would always use a smock and gloves.”

Opitz is even more emphatic: “Refilling can turn into a real mess.”

The ease of the refill depends a lot on the kind of cartridge. “Original manufacturers also like to make it difficult for refillers.” On top of that, the quality of refill ink varies greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Refilling or rebuilding cartridges can also put a device’s guarantee at risk. “A guarantee is a voluntary service of the company,” says Dunja Richter of the consumer central of the German state of Baden Wuerttemberg. “That’s why they can link this service to certain conditions.” —dpa

Ink cartridge

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

health& science

Student winning fight to walk again, with help of new device The foot-drop system can do more than help the patient walk MIAMI: When Brian Riscigno, a chemistry major at Florida International University, suffered a stroke at age 24, the young man who was accustomed to jogging four miles a day could no longer walk or speak or drive the beloved 1984 Nissan ZX Twin Turbo his grandparents had given him. But Riscigno’s a fighter. Today, he speaks with just a slight hesitation and takes daily walks with his mother, Sylvia, around the 1.1-mile lake near their house in southwest Miami. He was even able to walk through the sand in the Florida Keys earlier this year as best man at a buddy’s outdoor wedding.

Riscigno credits his recovery to his own hard work, the help of his physical therapist and his mother-and to a relatively new medical device called Bioness L300 Foot Drop system. It has taken over some of his brain’s former work in sending signals to his legs and ankles, telling them to lift his foot to take a step. The same device is retraining nerves around the damaged area in his brain to slowly take over some of the work themselves. “It has changed his life,” his mother says.

Before the 2008 stroke, Riscigno was doing well, working on his dream to become

couldn’t even speak for two months,” he says now. “I couldn’t sit up or eat solid foods. I didn’t fully understand what had happened.

I was just out of it.”

After the stroke, two grand mal seizures, a major operation and months in the hospital, Riscigno started to recover. “I think I coped fairly well once I started recognizing faces and people again,” he says. “But I would have crying episodes, pity parties. My psychologist explained it was part of the way the brain heals itself.”

“I didn’t leave the hospital for weeks,” his mother says. “I slept in a corner. I slept on the floor.” Even after weeks of standard physical therapy, Riscigno couldn’t properly raise his right foot to take a step. So therapists fit him with the new “foot-drop” system developed by a California medical firm.

“It was a beautiful thing,” says Baptist physical therapist Lida Rivera-Perez. “The first time he used it, he got a muscle contraction and he was able to walk across the room, maybe 30 feet, with a cane and somebody helping him.” With a few adjustments to the device and dozens of therapy sessions, Riscigno regained his ability to walk.

“He can negotiate stairs, walk on grass

MIAMI: Photos show Brian Riscigno, 28, an FIU student and a volunteer at Baptist Hospital. He is regaining his gait now with a new Functional Electrical Stimulator (FES) that straps to his leg and sends signals to his nerves to lift his foot. It is a smaller, cheaper, kind of iPod version of the complex electrical system they used to exercise the limbs of Christopher Reeve, the superman actor. —MCT photos

a high school chemistry teacher. Then came the day his headache wouldn’t go away. “He said to me, ‘Mom, I feel kind of weird.’ Then he fell against me and onto the floor,” says his mother, Sylvia. “It was a nightmare.”

Doctors had to cut away a piece of his skull to relieve the brain swelling and keep him in Baptist Hospital of Miami for nearly three months. They blamed a rare, hereditary blood-clotting disorder.

The stroke damaged his brain and took away most of his speech, part of his eyesight and the use of his right arm and foot. “I

and uneven terrain,” says Rivera-Perez. “He can keep up with anybody walking. They don’t have to slow down for him.” The footdrop device, called a neurological prosthesis, won FDA clearance in 2006 and is used in up to 600 hospitals and clinics around the United States, says Keith McBride, vice president for global marketing and corporate training for its maker, Bioness Inc, of Valencia, Calif.

The system consists of a small computerized device called a “functional stimulation cuff ” strapped to the leg just below the

knee, a “gait sensor” attached to the ankle with a plastic pad extending beneath the heel and a patient-operated control unit similar to a TV remote control. When the patient begins to take a step, his heel lifts off the pad, and the gait sensor sends a wireless message to the cuff, which in turn sends radio frequency signals through the skin to the leg muscles that trigger the ankle to lift the foot.

The NESS L300 costs $6,000. Some insurance policies will pay, others won’t. The idea, called “functional electrical stimulation (FES),” has been around since World War II, but only in the past few years has the equipment become sophisticated enough and small enough to be carried on the patient.

An earlier FES device by another firm, replete with boxes, multiple wires and doctors’ control panels, was used to move the paralyzed legs of “Superman” actor Christopher Reeve to exercise them and prevent muscle atrophy. Reeve experienced some “functional gain” to his leg muscles before he died of other causes, according to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation’s

Paralysis Resource Center.

The newer device now is used for patients of stroke, partial spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injury. Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan are using it in Veterans Administration hospitals around the country, McBride says. A more advanced unit costing about $10,000 is coming out now, stimulating patients’ knees, legs and hips, he says.

Neurologists say the foot-drop system can do more than help the patient walk.

When patients suffer stroke or other head injury, messages from the brain no longer reach the ankle to raise the foot to take a step, according to a February 2010 article in the academic journal US Neurology by Dr Richard C Senelic, neurologist and medical director of the Rehabilitation Institution of San Antonio. Paralysis of the legs’ flexing muscles causes the foot to flop downward.

It’s called “foot drop.”

But over time, the repeated motions stimulated by the device strengthen the patient’s muscles and re-educate nerves surrounding the damaged area in the brain to take over

the functions once performed by the damaged area.

“At Baptist, we use it early after a stroke, and we can speed up the patient’s natural recovery,” says Dr. Bradley Aiken, medical director of rehabilitation at Baptist, who has used it with a “couple dozen” patients in the past three years. “In some cases, we’re able to wean them off the units.”

Riscigno sees improvement. “I’ve regained a bit of movement in my ankle even without the device. I don’t have much power, but I can move. It’s a big step for me.”

He still can’t drive his ‘84 Nissan because of his impaired vision, his mother says, but he tinkers with it from time to time. And he still hopes to get that chemistry degree from FIU. He’s taking neurological and psychological tests to see if he’s able to resume his studies. “I try to be a positive person,” Riscigno says. “My parents and grandparents and whole family have been really supportive.” Riscigno got rid of his cane a year ago.

He’s not sure if he will ever be able to walk properly without the device. “Right now?

No,” he says. “But anything’s possible.” —AP

rrainer Lower birth rates for young Personal TTrainer U Using s i n g your y o u r water w a t e r wi w wisely i s e l y women tied to economy ATLANTA: Birth rates for the nation’s youngest mothers hit new lows last year further evidence that few forms of birth control are as effective as the economy. The national birth rate dropped for the third straight year, with declines for most ages and all races, according to a federal report released Thursday. Teens and women in their early 20s had the most dramatic dip to the lowest rates since record-keeping began in the 1940s.

Also, the rate of cesarean sections stopped going up for the first time since 1996. Experts suspected the economy drove down birth rates in 2008 and 2009 as women put off having children. With the 2010 figures, suspicion has turned into certainty. “I don’t think there’s any doubt now that it was the recession. It could not be anything else,” said Carl Haub, a demographer with the Population Reference Bureau, a Washington, DC -based research organization. He was not involved in the new report.

US births hit an all-time high in 2007, at more than 4.3 million. Over the next two

years, the number dropped to about 4.2 million and then about 4.1 million. Last year, it was down to just over 4 million, according to the new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For teens, birth rates dropped 9 percent from 2009. For women in their early 20s, they fell 6 percent. For unmarried mothers, the drop was 4 percent.

Experts believe the downward trend is tied to the economy, which officially was in a recession from December 2007 until June 2009 but remains weak. The theory is that women with money worries - especially younger women - feel they can’t afford to start a family or add to it.

That’s true of Mary Garrick, 27, an advertising executive in Columbus, Ohio. She and her husband, David, married in 2008 and hoped to start having children quickly, in part because men in his family have died in their 40s. But David, 33, was laid off that year from his nursing job and again last year. He’s working again, but worries about the economy linger. “It kind of made us cau-

ATLANTA: File photo shows Nurse Jozie Kovar, checking the heartbeat of one of eight babies at Jamestown, ND Hospital. —AP

tious about life decisions, like having a family. It’s definitely something that affected us,” she said.

Many of the report’s findings are part of a trend and not surprising, but a few did startle experts. One involved a statistic called the total fertility rate. In essence, it tells how many children a woman can be expected to have if current birth rates continue. That figure was 1.9 children last year.

In most years, it’s more like 2.1. More striking was the change in the fertility rate for Hispanic women. The rate plummeted to 2.4 from 3 children just a few years ago.

“Whoa!” said Haub, in reaction to the statistic. The economy is no doubt affecting Hispanic mothers, too, but some young women who immigrated to the United States for jobs or other opportunities may have left, Haub said. Another shocker: The C-section rate. It rose steadily from nearly 21 percent in 1996 to 32.9 percent in 2009, but it dropped slightly to 32.8 last year.

Cesarean deliveries are sometimes medically necessary. But health officials have worried that many C-sections are done out of convenience or unwarranted caution, and in the 1980s set a goal of keeping the national rate at 15 percent.

It’s too soon to say the trend has reversed, said Joyce Martin, a CDC epidemiologist who co-authored the new report.

But the pace of increase had slowed a bit in recent years, and assuming the decline was in elective C-sections, that’s good news, some experts said.

“It is quite gratifying,” said Carol Hogue, an Emory University professor of maternal and child health and epidemiology. “There are strong winds pushing against C-sections,” she said, including new policies and education initiatives that discourage elective C-sections in mothers who have not reached full-term. Hogue agreed that the economy seems to be the main reason for the birth declines. But she noted that it’s possible that having fewer children is now more accepted and expected. “Having one child may be becoming more ‘normal,’” she said. — AP

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

H E A LT H

Should blood type guide food choices you make?

CHICAGO: While searching for relief from migraines and general malaise, a friend recently consulted a nutritionist who told her, matterof-factly, that because she has Type O blood, she should be eating lots of meat and eliminating gluten, dairy and many grains. A Chinese medicine doctor she consulted confirmed the advice, saying, basically: Duh. For someone who had hoped to go vegetarian-and who is among the 45 percent of people in the US with Type O blood-the news was surprising.

But was it true?

The idea of eating according to your blood type became popular with the 1996 book “Eat Right 4 Your Type” (Putnam Adult) by Peter D’Adamo, a naturopath physician.

The theory is that the genes behind blood type also are behind the expression of other proteins in our body, which relate to how we digest foods. Type O’s, having the oldest blood type, draw on our hunter roots and perform best on lean meats (including fish), fruits and vegetables, as well as with intense exercise, while gluten, some beans and dairy lead to weight gain, sickness and sluggishness, the theory posits. The proteins in legumes and dairy tend to cause inflammation in Type O’s, goes the theory, so without meat it’s difficult to fulfill their protein needs.

Rather than banning Type O’s from being vegetarians, D’Adamo said, “a more helpful way of thinking is that people who are blood Type O may want to explore a more highprotein, lower-carbohydrate lifestyle in lieu of their current dietary choices, should they suffer from signs that they are not getting enough protein in their diets: digestive disorders, fatigue, low immuni-

ty or slow metabolism.”

Meantime, people with blood Type A do best as vegetarians, B’s are hardier omnivores and ABs are a combination. Most nutritionists do not subscribe to eating by blood type because it is not backed by

hard scientific data, said Marjorie Nolan, a dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

The evidence supporting the blood-type diet is based largely on anecdotes and research showing

In this photo illustration, type O’s, having the oldest blood type, draw on our hunter roots and perform best on lean meats (including fish), fruits and vegetables. — MCT

links between blood type and certain illnesses (for example, Type O’s are more likely to have stomach ulcers).

There have been no peerreviewed studies published that show different blood types perform better on certain foods. D’Adamo says small-scale studies his team has conducted looking at improvements in digestive malabsorption may serve as templates for larger studies, but those will be expensive, complicated and time-consuming.

Dr Michael Greger, founder of NutritionFacts.org, said the premise of the blood-type diet is wrong: The blood-type system, which predates humans, is far more complicated than just ABO, he said. “People crave individualized, personalized science, but this is pseudoscience,” said Greger, a general practitioner specializing in clinical nutrition.

People who lose weight or feel better after starting the blood-type diet could actually be uncovering an allergy, or may just be eliminating junk food, Greger said.

While she applauds D’Adamo’s marketing, Dr Ingrid Kohlstadt, editor of the medical textbook “Food and Nutrients in Disease Management” (CRC Press) and an associate at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said the connection between blood type and susceptibilities is not strong enough to be meaningful from a medical or public health perspective.

She said she would rather prescribe a diet according to a person’s gum health, which is strongly associated with heart disease, than his or her blood type. On the plus side, any of the four blood-type diets is healthier than how most Americans eat, Kohlstadt said. —MCT

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Upcoming events Islamic ceramics Ceramics is an important medium in Islamic art, and Islamic artisans contributed much to the evolution of ceramic arts. You have the chance to learn a bit about Islamic motifs, the impact of Islamic artists on ceramics and begin designing your masterpiece. To register for the workshop at the Amricani, please visit the Museum Shop in Maidan Hawalli or send an email to the address below.

When: November 22nd - 29th Time: 7pm For more info: susanday@darmuseum.org.kw Whose Line is it Anyway?

If you’re a fan of “Whose Line is it Anyway?”, you’ll enjoy playing improv games with us.

Come for a low-key evening of improvisational fun and friendship.

When: Wednesday, November 23rd Location: American School of Kuwait teacher apartments (Dina/Dana Buildings), Block 2A, Mahboulah Time: 7:00 pm Cost/Fee: FREE Kindly RSVP by emailing Brad at: brmanker@hotmail.com

IOC holds prize distribution ceremony

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he Prize winners of the 4th Arts festival organized by Indian Overseas Congress in connection with Gandhidarsan program were honored at a function at United Indian School auditorium. More than hundred prize winners from 1500 contestants

were awarded with Trophies, medals and certificates. MA Hilal presided over and M. Mathews (Toyota Sunny) inaugurated the function. Prominent writer Kaipattoor Thankachen was honored with ponnada by M K Pothen. Raju Zakarias introduced Kaipattoor to the

audience. Professional artist, John Arts presented a caricature to kaipattoor.

John Abraham, John Thomas, Geevarghese Abraham, MK Pothen, Tony Mathew felicitated. Gen. Secretary Somu Mathew welcomed the audience and tom Chirayil made

the vote of Thanks. K J John and Adv. John Thomas were the General Convenors of the program. Shaji Kavalam, Raju Karunakaran, Sen MP, Varghese Mamparamban, Reji . C Ninan, Jose Kavalam, Thajudeen, Thampan Mani led various committees.

AUK lecture Lecture organized by: The Center for Gulf Studies at the American University in Kuwait (AUK).

“A New Arab World: Implications and Challenges Facing the Gulf Countries” By: Dr Gilles Kepel, a world-renown expert in Middle Eastern studies As part of his visit to Kuwait, Dr Gilles Kepel, a world-renown expert in Middle Eastern studies, will be giving a talk at the American University of Kuwait (AUK). The lecture will be hosted by the Center for Gulf Studies at AUK. The lecture will be open to public and free of charge.

Today, Nov 21 6:00 pm AUK Auditorium Liberal Arts Building The lecture will be conducted in English American University of Kuwait Tel: 1802040 (+965) 2224-8399 ext 521 Aware Center Arabic lessons The AWARE Management is glad to inform you that Winter 1 Arabic language courses will begin on November 20th, 2011 until January 12th, 2012. AWARE Arabic language courses are designed with the expat in mind. The environment is relaxed and courses are designed for those wanting to learn Arabic for travel, cultural understanding, and conducting business or simply to become more involved in the community. We cater to teachers, travelers & those working in the private business sector. Arabic classes at the AWARE Center are unique because students are provided with the chance to practice their Arabic through various social activities that aim at bringing Arabs and Westerners together.

NPIS holds ‘Eid celebrations’

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PIS organized Eid Celebrations on this auspicious occasion. The students were allowed to come in coloured clothes to enjoy the festivities of the day. Different stalls of food stuff, face painting, Hina and bouncies were set to create an atmosphere of Eid festival.

The students enjoyed these happy moments throughout the day with their teachers.

AWARE Arabic courses highlight: l Introductory to Level 4 Arabic language basics l Better prepare you for speaking, reading and writing Arabic l Combine language learning with cultural insights l Taught in multi-nationality group settings l Provide opportunities to interact with Western expatriates and native Kuwaitis/Arabs.

For more information or registration, call 25335260/80 ext 105/104/0 or log onto: www.aware.com.kw.

BLS Winter Bazaar The BLS Winder Bazaar will be held on Saturday the 26th of November, from 10am to 4pm. The official opening will be at 1.30pm. Bigger and better than ever before, it will include over 80 tables of delightful gifts, unusual ideas and handmade items. It will be held in the Marble Arch area in the British School Kuwait campus, Salwa, Block 1, Street 1. Entry for visitors is free of charge!

‘KAVIYARANGAM (Poets Meet)’ We are glad to inform that “Valaikuda Vanambadi Poets Association”, Kuwait celebrates every year a grand “KAVIYARANGAM (Poets Meet)” with our NRI Tamil Poets along with Famous Tamil Poets from Tamil Nadu.

This year we are planning to conduct the Kaviyarangam on Thursday, 24th Nov 2011 at American International SchooL auditorium which is in Maidan Hawally at 5:00 pm. The Indian Ambassador to Kuwait, His Excellency H.E Satish C. Mehta will be presiding over the function.

We have invited Col. Dr. G. Thiruvasagam, Honorable Vice Chancellor, University of Madras and the Famous Tamil Cinema Poet & Lyricist Kalaimamani Kabilan, who has written more than 1500 cine songs and the popular Folk song singers Kalaimamani Selvi Ayyappan and Ayyappan who had performed on more than 1000 stages from India as chief guests, to entertain the Kuwait living NRIs with their tremendous performance and speech. As an additional entertainment, Classical dance will be performed by “Sangamam” dance group and karaoke songs by Valaikuda Vanambadi s singers.

So, we expect your presence and contribution to make this program a grand success.

For more details, contact 97801299, 67077302, 99847838.

Thrissur Association of Kuwait ‘MAHOLSAVAM 2011’

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hrissur Association of Kuwait (TRASSK) conducted “Maholsavam 2011”, a cultural bonanza on 11th November 2011 at American International school Auditorium, in Maidan Hawally as part of its 5th Anniversary Celebrations. The mega event was commenced with a rally of Kerala’s traditional art forms such as Pulikali, Kavadi, Chendamelam, Thalam accompanied by Guests, officials and members to the stage. Cultural meeting was started with a prayer song. Satish C Mehta, Ambassador of India to Kuwait inaugurated the celebrations in the traditional way by lighting the lamp “Bhadradeepam”. In his inaugural speech, Ambassador praised the socio. cultural activities of TRASSK and appreciated the attendance of a large crowd, especially the members of TRASSK.

Satish C Mehta briefed the audience about the measures taken by the Embassy for the welfare of Indian Community in Kuwait.

TRASSK President Sebastian Vathukadan presided the grand cultural meeting in the heavy packed Auditorium. During his presidential speech, he expressed his sincere thanks to all those who strived in previous years’ for the formation of TRASSK and setting up of its image. He requested to maintain the spirit of gatherings through which the social commitments can be achieved. General Secretary Stephen Vadakkethala briefed the current and incoming association activities.

Jerald Thomas, Assistant General Manager of Karur Vysya Bank rendered the felicitation speech and expressed their gratitude in cosponsoring the

YMCA Kuwait visits Head of Orthodox Syrian Church

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oran Mar Baselios PauLose II, Catholicose of the East on the occasion of his visit to Kuwait.

President Bahu Johnson explained about various activities being carried out by Kuwait YMCA. Bava Thirumeni expressed his happiness that the world largest youth organization in State of Kuwait is active. He blessed the YMCA activities and he has shown keen interest on the

YMCA activities especially its spiritual service which he insists it as an essential service considering younger generation.

Parinianam Manoj (General Secretary) expressed the vote of thanks to Bava Thirurneni for sparing some moments with the YMCA Members. Mathew Eapen (Vice President), Jacob George (Jt. Secretary), Biji Samuel & Saji Varghese (Board Members) also attended.

event. Association Vice President and Program Convener Adv Mani Krishnan welcomed the audience. Felicitations were offered by Vanitha Vedi President Rema Vijayan, Social Welfare Coordinator Ashraf Kunnamkulam and Kalikkalam President Master Vighnesh Jayathilakan.

Treasurer Manish Kumar proposed a vote of thanks. TRASSK Media Convener Jalal Valiyakath released the Association’s Souvenir by handing over the first copy to Western Union representative Dinu Chandran. Top scorers of standard X & XII examinations were honored, and prizes were given by Venugopal Thayath, Wilson Manjaly and Maneesh Kumar.

Association’s Velicham Scheme financial help was handed over to nominated members by President Sebastian and Social Welfare Coordinator Ashraf Kunnamkulam. The mega event

“Maholsavam 2011” was sponsored by Western Union Money Transfer and cosponsored by Karur Vysya Bank.

Thereafter, series of cultural programs staged to enchant the audience.

The audience was mesmerized by the rocking performance of 1st prize winners of TRASSK Kalolsavam 2011. Jugal bandhi, Cinematic Dance and Naadan Paatu by members and children, Gazal by Sunil, Ganamela by Varsha Venugopal, Afrah Rafi and Anjana Ravi Prasad, etc were the highlights of the event. Electrifying musical extravaganza led by famous playback singer Vidhu Pratap, Sangeeth (Amrita Super Star fame) and Liji Francis (Kairali Patturumal & Jeevan ilayanila fame), enthralled the crowded audience which attracted them to remain until the end of the program. Program concluded at about 10:30pm.

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ESF holds annual Poppy Appeal

Embassy Information

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he English School Fahaheel recently held the annual Poppy Appeal in the lead up to Remembrance Day. Upper School and sixth form students led the Poppy Appeal under guidance of Shepherd.

Each year ESF expresses support for The Royal British Legion s charity work through the Poppy Appeal, emphasizing the need to help all generations of the Armed Forces and their families today and for the rest of their lives.

As custodians of Remembrance, The Royal British Legion through the Poppy Appeal, provides ways for commemorating those who are no longer with us. Each November, Fields of Remembrance around the UK display crosses containing personal dedications sent to the legion. In 2011 the Legion created Fields of Remembrance at 4 different locations: Westminster, Wootton Bassett, Belfast and Cardiff and Poppy Scotland created one in Edinburgh.

This yearís Remembrance Day fell at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month of 2011.

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakel St., Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. Canada offers a registration service for all Canadians travelling or living abroad. This service is provided so that Consular Officials can contact and assist Canadians in an emergency in a foreign country, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or inform Canadians of a family emergency at home. The Embassy of Canada encourages all Canadian Citizens to register online through the Government of Canada Travel Website at www.voyage.gc.ca. The Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi provides visa and immigration services to residents of Kuwait.

Individuals who are interested in visiting, working or immigrating to Canada are invited to visit the website of the Canadian Embassy to the UAE at www.UAE.gc.ca.

Effective January 15, 2011, the only Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) application form that will be accepted by CIC is the Application for Temporary Resident Visa Made Outside of Canada [IMM 5257] form.

All previous Temporary Resident Visa application forms will no longer be accepted by CIC and instead will be returned to applicants.

Should old applications be submitted prior to January 15, 2011 they will continue to be processed.

To ensure that the most recent version of the Temporary Resident Visa application form is being utilized, applicants should refer to the CIC website. As of January 15, 2011, forms are to be filled in electronically. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. Consular Services for Canadian Citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00 on Sunday through Wednesday.

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EMBASSY OF GERMANY

The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kuwait wishes to announce that as of 1 May 2011, the external service provider Al Qabas Assurex is operating a Visa Application Centre in support of the German Embassy. Short-term visa applications for travels to Germany (e.g. for tourism, visits, business) are to be submitted to the service provider Al Qabas who for your convenience will ensure that all relevant documents are included in your application. Your personal appearance at the Application Centre is not required. Address of the Visa Application Centre: Al Qabas Assurex Sanabel Tower (AlBabtain) Mezzanine (M3) opposite Sharq Mall Kuwait 22924444 Fax: 22924442 Further information are available on the following websites: www.kuwait.diplo.de www.qavisa.com ■■■■■■■

Christmas in Kuwait

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hristmas joy was in the air in Kuwait at the Salwa Al-Sabah Al-Ahmed Theater and Hall on Friday Nov 18 during the Annual Holiday Bazaar. Expats and locals enjoyed the many holiday themed festivities while shopping for their seasonal necessities.

A Thanksgiving dinner to remember at The Regency Hotel

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reat yourself and your family to a memorable dining experience at The Regency Hotel’s Thanksgiving dinner on November 24th. Thanksgiving is a North American tradition of celebrating the good harvest of the year, is annually marked with a special dinner.

The Regency Hotel’s exquisite dinner buffet is an experience not to be missed. Guests and diners will be treated to a vast selection of culinary delights, music entertainment set in a superb ambiance tailored exclusively for the occasion. Speaking about the Thanksgiving dinner; Executive Chef Austen Reid said: “We would like every guest to experience a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner right here in Kuwait and we look forward to delight our guest with a memorable experience.”

The Thanksgiving dinner once again confirms Silk Road Restaurant at The Regency

Hotel as a favorite dining destination. The Chef will surprise diners with a feast for the eyes and the palate. Guests will begin the meal with mouthwatering appetizers, followed by a menu that includes supreme of chicken with good old country stuffing sage, seafood, honey mustard glazed lamb and highlight of the evening will be the delicious roast whole turkey marinated with thyme and garlic in addition to the landmark cranberry sauce. Desserts will feature culinary delights from Chef Raffaele Grasso which includes pumpkin and apple pie, chocolate pecan pie and pumpkin cheesecake Thanksgiving is the time of the year when families, friends and colleagues get together in a relaxed social setting created for that special day. Guests will be treated to great food and live music for the occasion - all set in a pleasant atmosphere.

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blessings of their harvest and hard work with the rest of the community. Extended families converge on one hapless home, where the stress of preparing

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EMBASSY OF NIGERIA The Nigerian embassy has its new office in Mishref. Block 3, Street 7, House 4. For enquires please call 25379541. Fax- 25387719.

Email- nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com or nigeriankuwait@yahoo.co.uk ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF PERU The Embassy of Peru is located at Al-Arablya Tower, Sharq, Ahmed Al-Jaber Street, on the 6th Floor. In the same place, as a part of the Chancellery of the Embassy of Peru in Kuwait, also is located the Showing Room of “PeruExpoTour, Trade & Invest.”

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Safir Hotel & Residences Fintas celebrates Thanksgiving with a turkey feast hanksgiving is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, cooking holiday in North America.

Festivals were held to enjoy the countless

EMBASSY OF KENYA The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to request all Kenyans resident in or training through Kuwait to register with the Embassy.

We are updating our database. This information is necessary in order to facilitate quick assistance and advise in times of emergency. Kindly visit in person or register through our website www.kenyaembkuwait.com. The Embassy is located in: Surra Area Block 6 - Street 9 - Villa 3 Tel: 25353362 - 25353314; Fax: 25353316.

Thanksgiving dinner is almost palpable.

This year, instead of laboring in the kitchen for that great, or not so great, meal, all you have to do is let us do the cooking for you of the best turkey, stuffing and all the trimmings expected for a good old-fashioned Thanksgiving take away. Celebrate the essence of a good old-fashioned Thanksgiving dinner at Safir Hotel & Residences, but this time at the comfort of your home. Let us prepare your ultimate Thanksgiving feast 24 hours prior your celebration by simply placing an order.

Feel home in Kuwait and gather with your friends and family to celebrate Thanksgiving, and make it even more authentic with our Thanksgiving entree.

With Safir Hotel & Residences, you’ll find all the flavors integrated in its first-class treatment for this special occasion. Happy Thanksgiving and we hope you ‘Enjoy a World of Hospitality’ at Safir Hotels & Residences by calling 2545-5555 or email us at fbs@safirfintas.com to place an order for take away.

EMBASSY OF RUSSIA Embassy of the Russian Federation will hold the elections to the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation (Parliament) on December 3, 2011, between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm in the Embassy s premises by the address: Kuwait City, Daiya, Block 5, Diplomatic campus, Plot 17. All the Russians are invited to participate.

They are requested to present valid Russian passports.

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EMBASSY OF US The United States and Kuwait enjoy a long-standing and fruitful relationship with higher education. As evidence of this enduring partnership, the number of Kuwaiti students enrolled in US institutions of higher education in 2010/11 increased from 2442 to 2998, a 22.8% increase compared to the previous year. Kuwaiti students study in 45 states.

This year, embassies and institutions around the world will be celebrating International Education Week the week of November 14-18.

In honor of International Education Week, the US Embassy s Mobile American Corner will be at the Marina Mall on Wednesday evening, November 16, and at the Avenues Mall on Thursday evening, November 17. Information about higher education in the US, English language classes and the student visa application process will be available, and staff will be present to answer questions about study in the USA from the general public.

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00:50 Untamed & Uncut 01:45 Cats 101 02:40 Bear Feeding Frenzy 03:35 Wildest Africa 04:30 Whale Wars 05:25 Cats 101 06:20 Animal Cops Houston 07:10 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip 08:00 Monkey Life 08:25 The Really Wild Show 08:50 Panda Adventures With Nigel Marven 09:40 Breed All About It 10:10 My Cat From Hell 11:05 Dogs 101 12:00 Animal Cops Specials 2009 12:55 Pit Bulls And Parolees 13:50 Animal ER 14:45 Animal Cops Miami 15:40 Planet Earth 16:30 Monkey Life 17:00 The Really Wild Show 17:30 Natural Born Hunters 18:00 Jeff Corwin Unleashed 18:25 Dogs 101 19:20 Your Pet Wants This 20:15 Monkey Life 20:40 Breed All About It 21:10 Dogs 101: Specials 22:05 Galapagos 23:00 Bad Dog 23:55 Untamed & Uncut

00:20 Conviction 01:15 As Time Goes By 01:45 Incredible Journeys With Steve Leonard 02:35 The Fixer 03:20 Emma (2009) 04:10 2 Point 4 Children 04:40 3rd & Bird: set 01 04:50 Bobinogs 05:00 Boogie Beebies: Set 4 05:15 The Adventures Of Spot 05:20 Me Too: Set 1 05:40 Fimbles: Set 2 06:00 3rd & Bird: set 01 06:10 Bobinogs 06:20 Boogie Beebies: Set 4 06:35 The Adventures Of Spot 06:40 Me Too: Set 1 07:00 Charlie & Lola: Set 1 07:10 Fimbles: Set 2 07:30 3rd & Bird: set 01 07:40 Bobinogs 07:50 Boogie Beebies: Set 4 08:05 The Adventures Of Spot 08:10 Me Too: Set 1 08:30 Charlie & Lola: Set 1 08:40 Fimbles: Set 2 09:00 3rd & Bird: set 01 09:10 Bobinogs 09:20 Boogie Beebies: Set 4 09:35 The Adventures Of Spot 09:50 Me Too: Set 1 10:10 Charlie & Lola: Set 1 10:20 Fimbles: Set 2 10:40 2 Point 4 Children 11:10 One Foot In The Grave 11:40 The Weakest Link: S10: Set 2 12:30 Inspector Lynley Mysteries (8 part version) 13:20 Doctors: Set 2 13:50 As Time Goes By 14:20 Coast 15:25 One Foot In The Grave 16:25 Inspector Lynley Mysteries (8 part version) 17:15 The Weakest Link: S10: Set 2 18:05 Doctors: Set 2 18:35 As Time Goes By 19:05 Coast 20:10 Inspector Lynley Mysteries (8 part version) 21:00 The Weakest Link: S10: Set 2 21:45 Doctors: Set 2 22:15 Eastenders: set 253 22:45 Holby City: Set 1

00:00 BBC World News 00:30 Horizons

01:00 BBC World News 01:10 World Features 01:30 One Square Mile 02:00 BBC World News 02:10 The Health Show 02:30 Asia Business Report 02:45 Sport Today 03:00 Newsday 03:30 India Business Report 04:00 Newsday 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Sport Today 05:00 Newsday 05:30 Asia Business Report 05:45 Sport Today 06:00 Newsday 06:30 Asia Business Report 06:45 Sport Today 07:00 Newsday 07:30 Hardtalk 08:00 BBC World News 08:30 World Business Report 08:45 BBC World News 09:30 World Business Report 09:45 BBC World News 10:30 World Business Report 10:45 Sport Today 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 World Business Report 11:45 Sport Today 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 Hardtalk 13:00 BBC World News 13:30 World Business Report 13:45 Sport Today 14:00 BBC World News 14:30 World Business Report 14:45 Sport Today 15:00 GMT With George Alagiah 16:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:30 World Business Report 17:45 Sport Today 18:00 BBC World News 18:30 Hardtalk 19:00 BBC World News 19:30 World Business Report 19:45 Sport Today 20:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 21:30 World Business Report 21:45 Sport Today 22:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 23:30 World Business Report 23:45 Sport Today

00:15 Samurai Jack 00:40 Megas XLR 01:05 Robotboy 01:30 Squirrel Boy 01:55 George Of The Jungle 02:20 Cramp Twins 02:45 Chop Socky Chooks 03:10 Best Ed 03:35 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 04:00 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 04:25 Generator Rex 04:50 Adventure Time 05:15 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 05:40 Chowder 05:55 Powerpuff Girls 06:30 Ed, Edd n Eddy 06:55 I Am Weasel 07:20 Squirrel Boy 07:45 Cow & Chicken 08:00 Casper’s Scare School 08:04 Cow & Chicken 08:25 Angelo Rules 08:50 Best Ed 09:15 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 09:40 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 10:05 The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 10:30 Courage The Cowardly Dog 10:55 Cow & Chicken 11:20 I Am Weasel 11:35 Adventure Time 12:00 Ben 10 12:25 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 12:50 The Secret Saturdays 13:15 Samurai Jack 13:40 Ben 10: Alien Force 14:05 Codename: Kids Next Door 14:30 Skunk Fu! 14:50 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 15:15 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

TV PROGRAMS 15:40 Ed, Edd n Eddy 16:05 Camp Lazlo 16:30 Chowder 16:55 The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 17:25 Cow & Chicken 17:50 Courage The Cowardly Dog 18:15 I Am Weasel 18:40 George Of The Jungle 19:05 Codename: Kids Next Door 19:30 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 19:55 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 20:20 Generator Rex 20:45 Bakugan: Gundalian Invaders 21:10 Hero 108 21:35 Star Wars: The Clone Wars 22:00 Total Drama Action 22:25 Adventure Time 22:50 The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 23:00 Ben 10 23:25 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 23:50 The Secret Saturdays

00:20 01:10 02:00 02:45 03:35 04:25 05:15 06:00 06:20 Cody 06:45 07:05 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:35 09:00 09:15 09:25 09:35 09:50 10:15 10:30 10:50 11:15 11:35 12:00 12:25 12:45 13:10 13:30 13:55 14:55 15:20 15:45 16:10 16:35 Cody 17:00 17:25 17:50 18:15 18:45 19:35 20:00 20:25 20:50 21:15 21:35 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:15

Replacements Fairly Odd Parents A Kind Of Magic Stitch Kim Possible Emperor’s New School Stitch Emperor’s New School The Suite Life Of Zack And Phineas And Ferb Wizards Of Waverly Place Suite Life On Deck Good Luck Charlie Fish Hooks Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jungle Junction The Hive Handy Manny Imagination Movers Phineas And Ferb Emperor’s New School Good Luck Charlie Phineas And Ferb Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Sonny With A Chance Good Luck Charlie Hannah Montana Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Good Luck Charlie Phineas And Ferb Fish Hooks Shake It Up The Suite Life Of Zack And Wizards Of Waverly Place Good Luck Charlie Fish Hooks Shake It Up Suite Life On Deck Good Luck Charlie Emperor’s New School Fish Hooks Hannah Montana Sonny With A Chance Good Luck Charlie Shake It Up Suite Life On Deck Sonny With A Chance Wizards Of Waverly Place

00:00 Globe Trekker 01:00 Wild Camping 02:00 Planet Sports 03:00 Globe Trekker 04:00 Glutton For Punishment 04:30 Life’s A Trip 05:00 Globe Trekker 09:00 People Of The Sea 10:00 Planet Sports 11:00 Glutton For Punishment 11:30 Glutton For Punishment 12:00 Inside Luxury Travel-Varun Sharma 13:00 Globe Trekker 14:00 Sophie Grigson In The Orient 14:30 Journey Into Wine...

THE SPY NEXT DOOR ON OSN MOVIES HD

00:40 07:00 07:25 07:50 08:45 09:10 10:05 10:30 10:55 11:25 12:20 13:15 14:10 15:05 15:30 16:00 16:25 16:55 17:50 18:45 19:40 20:05 20:35 21:00 21:30 22:25 23:20

Mighty Ships Wheeler Dealers Fifth Gear Overhaulin’ How It’s Made Mythbusters Cake Boss Border Security Scrappers Ultimate Survival Deadliest Catch Ultimate Survival Dual Survival Swamp Brothers Cash Cab Us Wheeler Dealers Fifth Gear Overhaulin’ Mythbusters Cake Boss Auction Kings How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Cash Cab Us Ultimate Survival Deadliest Catch Dual Survival

00:40 Bang Goes The Theory 01:05 The Tech Show 01:30 Nasa’s Greatest Missions 02:20 Science Of The Movies 06:40 The Tech Show 07:10 How The Universe Works 08:00 Thunder Races 08:50 How The Universe Works 09:40 The Tech Show 10:10 Weird Connections 10:35 The Gadget Show 11:00 The Gadget Show 11:25 The Future Of...

12:20 Sci-Fi Science 12:45 How Stuff’s Made 13:15 Build It Bigger: Rebuilding Greensburg 14:05 How The Universe Works 14:55 Stuntdawgs 15:20 Green Wheels 15:50 Mega World 16:40 Weird Connections 17:05 Thunder Races 18:00 Brainiac 18:50 Sci-Fi Science 19:15 The Tech Show 19:40 Things That Move 20:30 Race To Mars 21:20 Nextworld 22:10 The Gadget Show 23:00 Things That Move 23:25 Things That Move 23:50 Race To Mars

00:40 World Cafe Asia 01:05 Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam 01:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 01:55 Unwrapped 02:45 Lidia’s Italy 03:35 Barefoot Contessa 04:25 World Cafe Middle East 05:15 Chef vs Britain 05:40 Unwrapped 06:05 Ten Dollar Dinners 06:30 Paula’s Best Dishes 06:50 Paula’s Party 07:35 Barefoot Contessa 08:00 Chopped 08:50 Guy’s Big Bite 09:15 Everyday Italian 09:40 Chef vs Britain 10:05 Ten Dollar Dinners 10:30 Paula’s Best Dishes 10:55 Barefoot Contessa 11:20 Aarti Party 11:45 Lidia’s Italy 12:10 Unwrapped 12:35 Paula’s Party 13:25 Everyday Italian 13:50 Paula’s Best Dishes 14:15 Chopped 15:05 Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam 15:30 Lidia’s Italy 15:55 Unwrapped 16:20 Grill It! With Bobby Flay 16:45 Chopped 17:35 Guy’s Big Bite 18:00 Barefoot Contessa 18:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 18:50 Aarti Party 19:15 World Cafe Asia 19:40 Chopped 20:30 Food Network Challenge 21:20 Paula’s Party 22:10 Food Network Challenge Special 23:00 Chopped 23:50 Kid In A Candy Store Special

00:20 Special Agent Oso 00:50 Jungle Junction 01:15 Little Einsteins 01:40 Higglytown Heroes 02:10 Jo Jo’s Circus 02:30 Special Agent Oso 03:00 Jungle Junction 03:25 Little Einsteins 03:50 Higglytown Heroes 04:20 Jo Jo’s Circus 04:40 Special Agent Oso 05:10 Jungle Junction 05:35 Little Einsteins 06:00 Higglytown Heroes 06:30 Jo Jo’s Circus 06:50 Jungle Junction 07:15 Higglytown Heroes 07:45 Handy Manny 08:00 Special Agent Oso 08:15 Jungle Junction 08:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 09:10 The Hive 09:20 Handy Manny 09:35 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 09:55 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 10:15 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 10:20 Timmy Time 10:30 Handy Manny 10:45 Jungle Junction 11:45 Little Einsteins 12:10 Imagination Movers 12:30 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 12:45 Lazytown 13:10 Handy Manny 13:25 Jungle Junction 13:40 Imagination Movers 14:05 The Hive 14:15 Special Agent Oso

14:25 14:50 15:15 15:40 16:05 16:30 16:40 16:55 17:20 17:45 18:00 18:20 18:30 18:55 19:25 19:50 20:04 20:05 20:25 20:50 21:20 21:30 21:55 22:20 22:35 22:50 23:15 23:25 23:40

Little Einsteins Lazytown Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Handy Manny The Hive Jake & The Neverland Pirates Imagination Movers Lazytown Jungle Junction The Hive Handy Manny Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Little Mermaid Special Agent Oso Animated Stories Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 101 Dalmatians Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Hive Imagination Movers Little Einsteins Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jungle Junction Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Timmy Time Handy Manny Jungle Junction

00:25 Style Star 01:25 E!es 02:20 E! Investigates 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Reality Hell 05:30 Wildest TV Show Moments 06:00 25 Hottest Hollywood Cougar Tales 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 10:15 30 Best & Worst Beach Bodies 12:05 Style Star 12:35 Fashion Police 13:05 Dirty Soap 14:05 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 14:35 Giuliana & Bill 15:30 THS 16:25 Behind The Scenes 16:55 Bridalplasty 17:55 Ice Loves Coco 18:55 E!es 19:55 The Dance Scene 20:55 Chelsea Lately 21:25 Dirty Soap 22:25 The Soup 22:55 Fashion Police 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians

00:00 Cowboy U 00:50 Wrestling With Reality 02:30 Final Fu 02:55 Final Fu 03:20 Ty Murray’s Celebrity Bull Riding Challa 05:50 Lucas Oil Motocross Championships 2009 06:40 Lucas Oil Motocross Championships 2009 07:30 Ride Guide Mountainbike 2009 09:00 Freeflow Tour 09:25 X-Traordinary 11:55 Fantasy Factory 12:45 Glutton For Punishment 13:35 Untracked 14:25 Mantracker 15:15 World Combat League 16:05 Fantasy Factory 16:55 Glutton For Punishment 17:45 Freeflow Tour 18:10 X-Traordinary 20:40 Mantracker 21:30 Untracked 22:20 Final Fu 22:45 Final Fu 23:10 World Combat League

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 Jones 12:40 13:25 14:15 15:00 15:25 15:50 Jones 16:35 17:20 18:10 19:00 19:45 20:10 20:55 21:20 Jones 22:10 23:00

Couples Who Kill True CSI Nightmare Next Door I Almost Got Away With It Couples Who Kill True CSI On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Mystery Diagnosis FBI Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Street Patrol True Crime With Aphrodite

00:00 00:30 01:00 02:00 03:00 03:30 05:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 09:00 09:30 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00

Travel Madness Madventures Delinquent Gourmet Exploring The Vine Word of Mouth Banged Up Abroad Weird & Wonderful Hotels Travel Madness Madventures Delinquent Gourmet Exploring The Vine Word of Mouth Banged Up Abroad Weird & Wonderful Hotels Travel Madness Madventures Banged Up Abroad Banged Up Abroad Eccentric Uk Deadliest Journeys

By Any Means Endurance Traveller Ultimate Traveller Banged Up Abroad Banged Up Abroad

Disappeared Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Street Patrol True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared FBI Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared Nightmare Next Door

SECRET WINDOW ON OSN ACTION HD 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00

Eccentric Uk Deadliest Journeys

By Any Means Endurance Traveller

00:00 01:45 03:30 05:30 07:15 09:00 11:00 13:00 14:45 18:00 20:00 22:00

30 Days Of Night: Dark Days-18 Chicago Overcoat-18 8 Mile-PG15 Ong Bak 2-PG15 Secret Window-PG15 Rocky II-PG15 Top Gun-PG15 Secret Window-PG15 Wyatt Earp-PG15 Top Gun-PG15 4.3.2.1.-18 Green Zone-PG15

01:00 03:00 04:45 07:00 09:00 10:45 12:45 14:45 16:45 19:00 21:00 23:00

The Tender Hook-PG15 Planet 51-PG Tron: Legacy-PG15 Ramona And Beezus-PG The Eclipse-PG15 Shrek Forever After-FAM Dean Spanley-PG Stone Of Destiny-PG15 Flash Of Genius-PG15 Camp Hope-PG15 Home-PG15 Burlesque-PG15

00:00 The Ricky Gervais Show 00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 South Park 02:00 Saturday Night Live 03:00 Friends 03:30 Friends 04:00 According To Jim 05:30 Dharma And Greg 06:00 Yes Dear 06:30 Just Shoot Me 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 According To Jim 08:30 Friends 09:00 Dharma And Greg 09:30 State Of Georgia 10:00 How I Met Your Mother 10:30 Just Shoot Me 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Yes Dear 12:30 According To Jim 13:00 Friends 13:30 Dharma And Greg 14:00 Just Shoot Me 14:30 State Of Georgia 15:00 How I Met Your Mother 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 Yes Dear 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 Friends 18:30 Friends 19:00 How I Met Your Mother 19:30 The League 20:00 Seinfeld 20:30 The Ricky Gervais Show 21:00 The Daily Show Global Edition 21:30 The Colbert Report Global Edition 22:00 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 22:30 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 23:00 South Park

01:00 03:00 05:00 18 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:15 21:00 23:00

Jennifer’s Body-18 Case 39-18 Clive Barker’s Book Of BloodBallistica-PG15 You Got Served-PG15 Echelon Conspiracy-PG15 Rocky-PG15 You Got Served-PG15 Sherlock Holmes-PG15 Midnight Meat Train-18 Green Zone-PG15 Gothika-18

08:00 09:00 10:30 13:00 00:00 French Kiss-PG15 14:00 02:00 Last Of The Living-PG15 15:30 04:00 All About Steve-PG15 06:00 The Prince And Me 3: A Royal 16:30 18:30 Honeymoon-PG15 20:00 08:00 Straight Talk-PG15 10:00 The SpongeBob SquarePants 21:00 Movie-PG 12:00 Ace Ventura: Pet Detective Jr. 14:00 Love Happens-PG15 16:00 French Kiss-PG15 18:00 It’s Complicated-PG15

01:00 02:30 04:00 06:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Order Of Chaos-R Freestyle (2010)-PG15 Drumline-PG15 My Name Is Khan-PG15 The Spy Next Door-PG StreetDance-PG15 Tooth Fairy-PG Amelia-PG15 The Spy Next Door-PG Going The Distance-18 Home-PG15 Chico & Rita-18

00:00 01:45 04:15 06:00 08:00 10:00 11:45 13:30 16:00 18:00 19:45 22:00

The Nimbols: Part I-PG15 The Karate Kid-PG The Three Musketeers (2008) The Nimbols: Part I-PG15 The Thief Of Baghdad-PG The Nimbols: Part II-PG15 The Nutty Professor-FAM The Karate Kid-PG The Big Green-PG The Nutty Professor-FAM Nativity!-PG The Thief Of Baghdad-PG

00:00 02:00 02:30 03:30 06:30 07:00 08:00 12:30 13:30 15:30 18:00 20:00 21:00

Rugby League 4 Nations Aquabikes UFC 139 Prelims UFC 139 UFC All Access Trans World Sport PGA European Tour Trans World Sport WWE SmackDown Super League Formula Rugby League 4 Nations UFC 139 Prelims UFC 139

00:00 Scottish Premier League 02:00 ICC Cricket World 02:30 Trans World Sport 03:30 Premier League Snooker 07:00 Darts 10:30 Darts 12:30 ICC Cricket World 13:00 Premier League Snooker 16:30 Golfing World 17:30 Rugby League 4 Nations 19:30 Beach Volley Ball 20:00 World Hockey 20:30 ICC Cricket World 21:00 Scottish Premier League Highlights 21:30 Futbol Mundial 22:00 Darts

00:00 Total Rugby 00:30 Futbol Mundial 01:00 Darts Grand Slam 03:00 Rugby League 4 Nations 05:00 Trans World Sport 06:00 Total Rugby 06:30 Futbol Mundial 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 European PGA Tour 12:30 Golfing World 13:30 Trans World Sport 14:30 Darts Grand Slam 20:00 European PGA Tour Highlights 21:00 Rugby League 4 Nations

03:00 UFC 139 06:30 UFC All Access 07:00 WWE Bottom Line

00:00 01:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 23:00

WWE Vintage Collection V8 Supercars Super League Formula Speedway V8 Supercars WWE Vintage Collection WWE SmackDown V8 Supercars UFC 139 Prelims UFC 139

Warriors American Pickers Pawn Stars Chasing Mummies Battles B.C. Warriors American Pickers Pawn Stars Chasing Mummies Battles B.C. Warriors American Pickers Pawn Stars Chasing Mummies Battles B.C. How The Earth Was Made American Pickers Lost Worlds Ice Road Truckers Ax Men

00:05 Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane 01:00 Open House 02:00 Videofashion Daily 02:55 Videofashion News 03:25 How Do I Look?

04:20 Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

05:15 Married Away 06:10 Homes With Style 06:35 Area 07:05 Clean House 08:00 Videofashion News 09:00 Videofashion Daily 10:00 Open House 10:55 How Do I Look?

11:50 Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

12:50 Clean House: Search For The Messiest...

13:50 Clean House 14:45 Videofashion Daily 15:45 How Do I Look?

16:40 Ruby 17:35 Jerseylicious 18:30 How Do I Look?

19:25 Tia And Tamera 20:25 Open House 21:20 Clean House 22:15 Elements Of Style 22:40 Elements Of Style

01:35 Semi-Tough 03:20 Number One Fan 04:50 Blood Games 06:20 Prayer For The Dying, A 08:05 Avanti 10:25 Impasse 12:05 Countdown To Chaos 13:35 Danielle Steel’s Mixed Blessings 15:05 Spree, The 16:45 Lawman 18:25 Article 99 20:05 Madonna: Truth Or Dare 22:00 Evidence Of Blood 23:50 Mgm’s Big Screen

01:15 03:45 06:20 08:00 09:50 11:45 13:30 15:10 16:45 18:25 21:15 23:00

Lolita Where Eagles Dare-PG The Letter-FAM The Band Wagon-FAM Captain Blood-FAM Hot Millions-FAM Kismet-FAM Marlowe-PG The Prisoner Of Zenda-FAM The Four Horsemen Of...-PG The Wings Of Eagles-FAM Bright Lights, Big City-18

Classifieds MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

ACCOMMODATION One room available with decent bachelors in two bedroom flat for Indian bachelors/ family near Garanada cinema at Khaitan. Call 99775589.

(C 3736) 20-11-2011 One full room available for 1 or 2 decent executive bachelor from 25 onwards with separate bathroom kitchen and sat facility, W&E free near Shara Amman st, opp Appolo hospital, Naser Al Bather St. Salmiya. Call 99761807. (C 3734) 16-11-2011 Sharing accommodation available in a 2 bedroom, 2 toilets, new building, in Farwaniya. For Indians only, for couple, single working ladies, executive bachelors.

Contact: 66625901.(C 3733) 15-11-2011

No: 15275

FOR SALE For Haj & Omra, Travel, School, Camping & etc. For sale 1993 GMC Suburban in excellent condition, full options, KD 1,500/-. Contact: 66714700 / 97485532. (C 3738)

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines JZR PIA KLM JZR JZR ETH THY UAE QTR DHX MSR FDB ETD GFA KAC DHX FCX JZR JZR BAW KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR FDB ETD GFA KAC JZR RKM MEA IRC MSR MSR JZR KAC GFA SYR FDB

Arrival Flights on Monday 21/11/2011 Flt Route 185 DUBAI 205 LAHORE 447 AMSTERDAM/BAHRAIN 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 620 ADDIS ABABA 772 ISTANBUL 853 DUBAI 138 DOHA 370 BAHRAIN 612 CAIRO 67 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 211 BAHRAIN 544 CAIRO 170 BAHRAIN 201 DUBAI 503 LUXOR 555 ALEXANDRIA 157 LONDON 412 MANILA/BANGKOK 204 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 352 COCHIN 302 MUMBAI 284 DHAKA 362 COLOMBO 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 301 ABU DHABI 213 BAHRAIN 344 CHENNAI 165 DUBAI 310 RAS ALKHAIMAH 404 BEIRUT 6521 LAMERD 623 SOHAG 610 CAIRO 201 DAMASCUS 672 DUBAI 219 BAHRAIN 341 DAMASCUS 57 DUBAI

Time 0:20 0:25 0:30 0:45 0:50 1:45 2:15 2:35 2:40 2:55 3:00 3:05 3:10 3:15 4:40 5:15 5:30 5:55 6:00 6:40 6:45 7:40 7:45 7:50 7:55 8:15 8:20 8:30 9:00 9:05 9:20 9:35 9:55 10:35 11:20 11:45 11:55 12:00 12:30 12:55 13:00 13:20 13:25 13:45 13:50

UAL OMA QTR SVA RJA KAC JZR KAC KAC QTR JZR ETD KAC UAE GFA SVA ABY RBG ALK JZR FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC AIC KAC KAC FDB KAC JAI MSR DHX VOS MEA GFA QTR UAE JZR KLM TAR JZR UAL DLH PIA

982 645 140 500 640 788 257 550 546 134 535 303 118 857 215 510 127 3561 227 177 63 542 786 618 674 744 975 104 774 61 552 572 618 372 81 402 217 136 859 135 445 327 239 981 636 239

WASHINGTON DC DULLES MUSCAT DOHA JEDDAH AMMAN JEDDAH BEIRUT SOHAG ALEXANDRIA DOHA CAIRO ABU DHABI NEW YORK DUBAI BAHRAIN RIYADH SHARJAH ALEXANDRIA COLOMBO/DUBAI DUBAI DUBAI CAIRO JEDDAH DOHA DUBAI DAMMAM CHENNAI/GOA LONDON RIYADH DUBAI DAMASCUS MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN BAGHDAD BEIRUT BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN AMSTERDAM TUNIS AMMAN BAHRAIN FRANKFURT SIALKOT

14:05 14:15 14:20 14:30 14:40 14:50 15:00 15:15 15:20 15:25 16:25 16:50 16:55 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:40 17:50 18:10 18:15 18:40 18:50 19:10 19:15 19:25 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:40 20:00 20:05 20:10 20:45 21:00 21:15 21:20 21:25 21:35 21:40 21:55 22:05 22:35 22:45 23:00 23:50 23:55

Airlines UAL AXB AIC DLH PIA KLM ETH THY FDB UAE DHX MSR ETD QTR JZR GFA JZR FDB KAC BAW KAC JZR KAC JZR KAC UAE ABY FDB QTR ETD GFA KAC KAC KAC RKM MEA IRC MSR KAC JZR MSR GFA FDB

Departure Flights on Monday 21/11/2011 Flt Route 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 390 MANGALORE/KOZHIKODE 982 “AHMEDABAD/HYDERABAD” 637 FRANKFURT 206 PESHAWER/LAHORE 447 AMSTERDAM 621 ADDIS ABABA 773 ISTANBUL 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 371 BAHRAIN 613 CAIRO 306 ABU DHABI 139 DOHA 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 200 DAMASCUS 54 DUBAI 545 ALEXANDRIA 156 LONDON 549 SOHAG 256 BEIRUT 671 DUBAI 534 CAIRO 787 JEDDAH 856 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 56 DUBAI 133 DOHA 302 ABU DHABI 214 BAHRAIN 165 ROME/PARIS 541 CAIRO 103 LONDON 311 RAS ALKHAIMAH 405 BEIRUT 6522 LAMERD 624 SOHAG 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 220 BAHRAIN 58 DUBAI

Time 0:45 0:50 1:05 1:20 1:25 1:45 2:45 3:15 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:00 4:00 4:55 6:55 7:00 7:30 8:25 8:30 8:40 8:55 9:00 9:00 9:15 9:25 9:40 9:45 10:05 10:10 10:20 10:40 11:45 12:00 12:30 12:50 12:55 13:00 13:30 13:40 13:50 13:55 14:20 14:35

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

KAC SYR KAC OMA UAL RJA SVA KAC KAC QTR KAC JZR ETD JZR QTR VOS UAE GFA ABY RBG SVA JZR ALK FDB JZR KAC FDB KAC DHX KAC JAI MSR DHX MEA GFA FCX QTR KAC JZR UAE KAC KLM TAR JZR KAC

551 342 673 646 982 641 501 617 773 141 743 238 304 538 135 82 858 216 128 3563 511 134 228 64 184 283 62 331 171 351 571 619 373 403 218 102 137 301 554 860 205 445 327 528 411

DAMASCUS DAMASCUS DUBAI MUSCAT BAHRAIN AMMAN JEDDAH DOHA RIYADH DOHA DAMMAM AMMAN ABU DHABI CAIRO DOHA BAGHDAD DUBAI BAHRAIN SHARJAH ASSIUT RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI/COLOMBO DUBAI DUBAI DHAKA DUBAI TRIVANDRUM BAHRAIN COCHIN MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN BEIRUT BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DOHA MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA DUBAI ISLAMABAD BAHRAIN/AMSTERDAM DUBAI/TUNIS ASSIUT BANGKOK/MANILA

14:40 14:45 15:05 15:15 15:20 15:35 15:45 15:55 16:25 16:30 16:40 17:15 17:35 17:40 17:45 18:00 18:10 18:15 18:25 18:30 18:35 19:05 19:10 19:20 19:55 20:15 20:40 21:00 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:45 22:00 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:45 22:45 22:50 23:00 23:05 23:35 23:35 23:55

34

stars CROSSWORD 504

CALVIN & HOBBES

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) You could find yourself on top of the roof decorating and taking care of things for the winter season. This is a great time to be with others and to work toward some agreed end result. Just being yourself and living your life for the moment is where your attitude is at this time. In some sense, just being you is both the goal and the means of traveling to that goal. Others sense that your life is important. You are your own reason for being. You are yourself—both the end that you are heading for and the way or vehicle that gets you there. You are very sensitive—even vulnerable-when it comes to expressing yourself. Periods of intense creativity enable you to go through changes and inner growth. This creative intensity is good for music, poetry and art.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. A bachelor's degree in library science.

5. A family of Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in southeastern Asia.

10. East Indian tree bearing a profusion of intense vermilion velvet-textured blooms and yielding a yellow dye.

13. A republic in the Middle East in western Asia.

14. Acclaimed actress of stage and screen (born in 1900).

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

16. Tall New Zealand timber tree.

17. Any of several tall tropical palms native to southeastern Asia having egg-shaped nuts.

18. The bill in a restaurant.

19. Not subject to change or variation especially in behavior.

21. The mission in San Antonio where in 1836 Mexican forces under Santa Anna besieged and massacred American rebels who were fighting to make Texas independent of Mexico.

23. Any of numerous local fertility and nature deities worshipped by ancient Semitic peoples.

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

27. A poliovirus vaccine consisting of inactivated polio virus that is injected subcutaneously to provide immunity to poliomyelitis.

30. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light.

32. Having hills and crags.

35. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group.

37. Tag the base runner to get him out.

40. Having removed clothing.

43. Type genus of the Ardeidae.

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

47. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

48. A public promotion of some product or service.

51. English theoretical physicist who applied relativity theory to quantum mechanics and predicted the existence of antimatter and the positron (1902-1984).

53. In some classifications considered a genus of subfamily Melinae.

56. Electrical conduction through a gas in an applied electric field.

57. A port in northwestern Israel on the Bay of Acre.

60. Open-heart surgery in which the rib cage is opened and a section of a blood vessel is grafted from the aorta to the coronary artery to bypass the blocked section of the coronary artery and improve the blood supply to the heart.

61. (meaning literally `born') Used to indicate the maiden or family name of a married woman.

62. Make oneself subject to.

63. (Old Testament) In Judeo-Christian mythology.

64. A condition (mostly in boys) characterized by behavioral and learning disorders.

65. An interval during which a recurring sequence of events occurs.

66. A small cake leavened with yeast.

DOWN 1. Affected manners intended to impress others.

2. A native or inhabitant of Great Britain.

3. Pathetically lacking in force or effectiveness.

4. Short and fat.

5. African mahogany trees.

6. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

7. Someone whose job is to dye cloth.

8. A former agency (from 1946 to 1974) that was responsible for research into atomic energy and its peacetime uses in the United States.

9. (Old Testament) The second patriarch.

10. A collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn.

11. Small terrestrial lizard of warm regions of the Old World.

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

20. Relatively nontoxic South African herb smoked like tobacco.

22. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects.

24. A digital display that uses liquid crystal cells that change reflectivity in an applied electric field.

25. Remove a bar from (a door, for example).

28. According to need (physicians use PRN in writing prescriptions).

29. British informal term.

31. Small buffalo of the Celebes having small straight horns.

33. Fleshy spore-bearing inner mass of e.g. a puffball or stinkhorn.

34. Tropical starchy tuberous root.

36. Large antelope with lightly spiraled horns of desert regions of North Africa.

38. A silvery ductile metallic element found primarily in bauxite.

39. A light strong brittle gray toxic bivalent metallic element.

41. Having or showing a sense of what is fitting and considerate in dealing with others.

42. A tricycle (usually propelled by pedalling).

43. A collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn.

45. Having services engaged for a fee.

46. (architecture) Forming or resembling an arch.

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

50. Molten rock in the earth's crust.

52. Elegant and stylish.

54. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

55. An informal term for a father.

56. Informal terms for a mother.

58. One or some or every or all without specification.

59. A federal agency that supervises carriers that transport goods and people between states.

Yesterday’s Solution

This is a time of expanding your mental horizons. Religion, philosophy, law and education are some of the things that may have special importance for you. Being in touch with faraway people and places satisfies an intellectual yearning—curiosity will take you anywhere and maybe everywhere. Travel is a topic of conversation today and if there is somewhere special you want to visit or see or learn about . . . there will be a way when you set your mind to it and create a goal. You may appreciate and discover the beauty in your life and in those around you. This afternoon you could find yourself shopping. Be careful that you do not overspend or indulge too much just now. When asked to help others, you know just what to do and can act without haste.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) You find it easy to work with sensitive material and you may touch upon the more vulnerable areas of the mind or self. You are able to handle these delicate matters without ever breaking stride—emotional and tender areas of the human psyche do not disturb you. You enjoy getting beneath the surface and you have a natural instinct for handling touchy subjects. This time is perfect for research, social work or detective work. Your inner resources and emotions are accented today. There will be support from those around you. You may be moved to appreciate the beauty in your life. At the same time, everything could take on added value and importance. Be careful while shopping that you do not overspend just now.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

You appreciate a winner and are drawn to successful and powerful people. You make your living by virtue of your good taste, sense of quality and discrimination. New ways to organize and discipline yourself are possible now. Here is an opportunity to get some insight into some of your problems and responsibilities that may prove very valuable in the years to come. A new cycle begins for you, signaling a greater than usual interest in relationships, social connections and the arts—probably on a more intellectual level than in the past. Seeing both sides of an issue and figuring out resolutions to opposing views take on more importance in your life as well. You are determined to break up old habits—get out of ruts, etc.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

ZITS

A philosophical subject grabs your attention this morning. What you learn could be the answer to your problems. Take a partner’s suggestions seriously. Religious, philosophical and cultural matters are likely to have special appeal. A meeting with someone older or in authority is in order early this afternoon. The ability to listen and express yourself in clear messages is important now. You will be pleased with your success in getting your message across convincingly today. Your timing should be perfect and those around you should find you most spontaneous. This afternoon you can relax and just sit back and enjoy what you have—to live life. Your desires are strong and you will want to enjoy yourself. There is a basic drive to enjoy life.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Your grasp for abstract and spiritual ideas helps you to convey important messages to others. Your value system may receive a challenge from a new independent streak that wants to break away and try new things. You may not appreciate the urge to upset and change things that are already disrupted. You look forward to the end results that are forecasted. You have a lot of energy for improving most any situation. You are very motivated. Careful; there could be some hard feelings, especially from young people, if you become too aggressive.

You tend to be radical when it comes to self-analysis, which means health care, food, physical well-being, etc. Serving and caring for yourself and others are primary sources of inner growth and changes now.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

Chores are performed and shopping is accomplished by early afternoon. Your communication skills are good and you might consider teaching your skills at a nearby community college. Faith, optimism and a yearning to explore all kinds of new horizons are some of the focal points in your life at this time. Travel plans for education and other ways to stretch your horizon may be considered at this time. You put forth much effort not to spend your money on the fancy things that catch your eye while shopping this afternoon. Budgeting helps you get all the things you need. You may decide to put more emphasis on saving and investing at this time. You feel like relaxing this evening. A candlelight dinner can be a marvelous way to end a very busy day.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) This is a good day to get things done. A major life event marks the end of a formative period and the beginning of more independence at this time. You are on your own and you look forward to a time of increased responsibility and accountability. Deep thoughts about goals may come into play— this may be more like a review of self-accomplishments. You can expect some sort of major reevaluation of your likes and dislikes; how and what you enjoy or appreciate about yourself and life. You may find that your appreciation for the quality of everything is strong. An appraisal could be in order. Interactions with family and friends are positive. Any advice you need comes to you at the right time. Seek clarity on what you are told. Focus on priorities now.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) A searing vision that cuts through what passes for conventional religion comes to your attention today—perhaps a vision of the endless process of life is on your mind. Your love of children and animals shows today as you take care of their upkeep. There may be more than one animal learning a trick today. Invitations are beginning to come in with regard to the next family gathering and you do some careful planning. There is always the push to reciprocate—picking and choosing becomes an important issue. You have a renewed appreciation for the commitment of a relationship and you will do everything in your power to make things positive between home and family. Your own growth and success may be linked to questions of security.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Like birds, the humans imprint on their first homes. You may be thinking today about where you lived when you were very young.

There may be fun discussions around the breakfast. A loved one may decide to go back to the old hometown and show you where he or she grew up and share a few old stories with you. Make yourself available to listen—listening may be all that is needed. There are probably pictures to share as well. It could be possible to send off for some old snapshots from a sibling or friend. You will benefit as you give your loved one time to be expressive. Later this afternoon you may find that yourself once again reflecting on your own youth or some event of the past. Positive things are happening and there is a sense of satisfaction.

Yesterday’s Solution Aquarius (January 20- February 18) You are able to enjoy and understand your life situation today.

Some difficult situation comes to a close at this time. A visitor in your home today may compliment you on your tastes or belongings. This is a time during which you are unusually motivated in new and unexpected directions. You could receive unexpected backing and, in general, your efforts are successful and you reach new heights of originality—creative. New and unexpected emotions may arise. There is an urge to change and try new things that may prove challenging but fun. A kind of romantic nostalgic approach characterizes life now. This could mean a longing for a soul mate or a yearning to save the world; it could also mean needing a vacation.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

Faith, optimism and a yearning to explore all kinds of new horizons: these are some of the focal points in your life at this time. This may be a time you decide to travel a distance to come to the aid of some world problem or state difficulties. Travel, education and other ways to stretch your horizons open new doors of opportunity. Religious, philosophical and cultural matters are likely to have special appeal for you now; transmitting ideas on a broader scale brings gain.

This is a time to enjoy and appreciate your ties to others and to seek and promote harmony in the interaction between people. You are able to dispense with some of the unessential problems. Concentrate on healing family affairs this evening. You may find a wonderful surprise tonight.

A

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Years

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

i n f o r m at i o n

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Bee Gees singer Gibb battling cancer ee Gees singer Robin Gibb is battling liver cancer. The musician has known about his condition for several months, and was rushed to hospital on Tuesday , but allowed back home after five hours of treatment. The ‘How Deep is Your Love’ star’s wife Dwina and mother, Barbara, 91, have been with him at home in Thame, Oxon, while his elder brother and bandmate Barry has flown in from the US to help comfort him. A friend of the 61-year-old star told the Sunday Mirror newspaper: “Robin is not good and there is a lot of concern for him. “You can use your wealth to call in the best experts but sometimes no amount of fame, prestige and money can change things when it comes to cancer. “But Robin is a strong character, he is a fighter and has been encouraged by all the online messages from his fans. “Dwina is doing everything possible and hasn’t left his side.” Robin was treated for an inflamed colon

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in October after being taken to hospital complaining of “severe” abdominal pains, but said he was “determined” to overcome his health problems. Friends added they are frustrated by Robin’s condition as the clean living star “doesn’t drink, eats well and exercises daily.” In a previously recorded interview to be broadcast tonight on Sky Arts show ‘Living The Life’, Robin also tells of his inability to come to terms with the death of his twin brother, Maurice, in 1998 from a blocked intestine. He describes his passing as “something I haven’t accepted,” adding: “I just imagine he is out there somewhere and I will bump into him one day.” Robin has also recently had to pull out of a number of scheduled engagements - including a Remembrance Sunday edition of the BBC’s ‘Songs of Praise’, where he was due to perform the official Poppy Appeal song - because of his health.

Lopez likes to dress in classic?

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up in the hip-hop area, so that style is very ingrained in me.” Jennifer, 42, also revealed how she is very involved with the clothes she wears on the red carpet as she wants her outfit to “represent” her. The motherof-two told LOOK magazine: “I’m very involved. The stylist can bring a rack of clothes, but at the end of the day I have to pick what I’m going to wear.

Although they can put an outfits together the truth is that it has to represent me.”

uthorities say singer Patricia “Bonnie” Pointer of the Pointer Sisters has been arrested for investigation of possessing rock cocaine.

Sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore says the 61-year-old singer was arrested Friday in South Los Angeles after the car she was riding in was pulled over for a mechanical malfunction. Deputies say she was released after posting $10,000 bail. In a statement issued through her manager Robert Watson, Pointer thanked the public for their support and prayers. Watson declined comment on the arrest. The Pointer Sisters grew up singing in church. Patricia and June formed a duo and were singing in

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Ebersolecast in TV pilot roadway star Christine Ebersole cast in TV pilot. Tony Award-winning actress Christine Ebersole is joining the cast of a TBS sitcom pilot.

Ebersole will play a harddrinking woman with a wild life in “Sullivan and Son,” TBS said Friday. The pilot, which stars comedian Steve Byrne and is set in a working-class Pittsburgh bar, includes actor Vince Vaughn among its producers. Ebersole, who recently finished filming “The Big Wedding” with Robert De Niro and Katherine Heigl, won Tony Awards for her performances in the musicals “42nd Street” and “Grey Gardens.”

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Demi to divorce

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emi Moore has reportedly instructed lawyers to “punish” Ashton Kutcher in their divorce. The actress confirmed she and Ashton were splitting on Thursday - shortly after it was alleged he had cheated on her with another woman - and she is said to be planning to claim part of his personal fortune, even though they signed a prenuptial agreement before their 2005 wedding. At the time of their wedding Demi, 49, was said to have assets of £97 million, and a further £50 million from her divorce settlement with second husband Bruce Willis. Ashton, 33, was at the beginning of his career, and not personally wealthy, though he is now thought to command around £450,000 an episode for starring in ‘Two and Half Men’ and earn up to £4 million a year from various investments. A source close to Demi told The Mail on Sunday newspaper: “With a pre-nuptial agreement, Ashton should be sitting pretty. “These agreements are designed to protect one’s earnings during the marriage as well as one’s pre-nuptial assets. “But Demi is furious, raging in fact you only have to look at every photo you see of her to see the toll Ashton’s cheating has taken on her. “She wants to punish him financially because of the way he has broken her heart. She is talking about going after a share of what he has earned since their marriage on the grounds that she contributed to much of what he has achieved. “She is going to give him a bitter fight and, whether or not she wins, it will be an expensive lesson for him.” Demi and Ashton’s marriage was rocked when 23year-old Sara Leal claimed the actor had sex with her at a San Diego hotel room in September. The couple are thought to have tried therapy sessions in an attempt to save their marriage, but Demi finally decided she couldn’t forgive Ashton. The source added: “She was a wreck. She believes strongly in marriage and she really didn’t want to spend her middle years alone. But in the end, she just couldn’t see any way of making things work.”

punish?Ashton in

ennifer Lopez likes to dress in a “classic” way. The singer-andactress says she doesn’t really go for trendy items of clothing and would rather pay homage to old school Hollywood glamour. She said: “I just do what I feel when it comes to my style. Even though I love things that are modern and new, I don’t really go big on trends that much - I keep it classic. I like a touch of sexiness and I love glamour - old school Hollywood glamour. I also come from the Bronx area in New York and grew

Bonnie Pointer arrested during LA traffic st

Stewartmisses working with Lautner risten Stewart misses being on the ‘Twilight’ set with Taylor Lautner because the pair have such a strong bond. The 21-year-old actress got close to her costar while filming the vampire movies and although they no longer see each other as frequently as they used to, Kristen makes sure they keep in touch as much as possible by phone and email. She said: “When I don’t see Taylor for a while I take out my phone and call him. It’s not like I see him all the time or every day, it’s just that when you work with people like that, you can give so much. It’s so comfortable, you can do no wrong - they’ve got you. We get along together and I think it shows.” Kristen - who is dating her on screen ‘Twilight’ lover Robert Pattinson insists she is close to all her castmates and she doesn’t think she could have made the five movies in the series if they didn’t all get on so well. She explained: “I couldn’t have done this without them. I can’t imagine what this movie would have been if I didn’t have really solid - and always growing - relationships with them.”

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Rossdale pains? when away from avin Rossdale finds it “painful” when he is away from his wife Gwen Stefani. The Bush frontman is currently on tour and he admits the worse thing about it being on the road is not waking up next to the No Doubt singer - who he has been married to for nine years - every day. He said: “It’s painful to be away from her - but who has a life without pain? “Any guy in a relationship should pinch themselves no matter who they’re with and I am no different with Gwen. “It would be nice to wake up to Gwen every morning, but I haven’t seen her for a while so I’m waking up next to myself which isn’t as exciting to me.”

The 46-year-old rocker - who has two sons, Kingston, five, and three-year-old Zuma, with his wife - finds it “challenging” to balance work and his personal life, but he knows it’s all part of his role as the head of the family. Gavin - who released a new Bush album, ‘The Sea of Memories’, this year - exclusively told BANG Showbiz: “It’s tough to be away from her and the kids but it’s inevitable in any walk of life. It’s challenging to balance it. It’s really taxing travelling and being away, but everything I have I’ve made with my own bare hands. I’ve got everything I got from working and it’s worth it for the children.”

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Butlerready to settle erard Butler wants to find someone to spend the rest of his life with.

The ‘Machine Gun Preacher’ star who has previously been romantically linked to Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Aniston and most recently model Sarah Carroll - is ready to settle down with someone special, but he admits he has had a great track record with his other relationships.

He said: “I would love to settle down and share my life with someone. But it’ll happen when it’s going to happen. “When I try and plan things in my life they very rarely pan out. And it’s often when I think, ‘OK, you know what, I don’t want to be in a relationship right now for whatever reason’, that suddenly I find myself open to one and it happens.” However, the 42year-old hunk has ruled out dating any of his co-stars because of previous bad experiences with on-set romances. He added: “That’s a dangerous path. When you’re making a film with someone, you get to know them very well indeed, and it’s too easy to develop a sort of obsession with them that you think at the time might be love. But it isn’t. “Earlier in my career, I had a couple of relationships with co-stars and both times it was a disaster. It burned itself out in the middle of the film and that is really, really uncomfortable, spending more than half your day working with someone you’ve just broken up with.”

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

LIFESTYLE M u s i c

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Ukulele has an enthusiastic new generation of fans T

he Shawnee Mission Northwest Ukulele club had a plan. The day before an all-school assembly last month, a few members wanted to pay homage to one of the greatest moments in the brief history of the 30-member club. They hoped to re-create the time, a couple years ago, when an enthusiastic member raised his instrument high above his head and then-in front of the entire school-smashed it into a thousand pieces like a rock star.

Alas, club members couldn’t find a toy ukulele in time to repeat the feat. But that didn’t keep them from delivering a smashing performance of “Hey Ya” by Outkast in the school’s gymnasium on their ukuleles. The crowd sang along, some even standing and playing the air ukulele, before honoring the performance with a screaming ovation.

With the crowd still charged up, club president and homecoming queen candidate Isabel Zacharias quickly gathered the group in a circle in the hallway. “That was awesome!” she shouted above the din, flashing a huge smile while wearing a flowing green dress. “Oh my gosh, this is the proudest moment of my entire life, and I’m just so happy that all of you did this!”

Nearly a half century after Don Ho played “Tiny Bubbles” and Tiny Tim tiptoed through the tulips, the ukulele is hot again. Leading the way in the unlikely renaissance is an even more unlikely demographic: Young people. At music stores across the country, they’re ordering them so fast they’re causing delivery backlogs. They’re starting ukulele clubs at high schools and strumming them while strolling about college campuses. You even can find ukulele performances in hit songs and TV shows, in commercials and movies, and all over the Internet.

While no reliable national ukulele sales figures are available, anecdotal evidence for a renaissance is strong.

Not long ago rock stars wouldn’t have played the ukulele on a bet.

But in May, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam released a solo ukulele album that climbed into the top five on the album charts. The band Train featured the ukulele on its smash “Hey Soul Sister,” and Jason Mraz played it on songs including “I’m Yours” and “The Remedy.” A ukulele performance of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” featuring the late Israel

interest in ukuleles. “I met with our student senate (last month) and they wanted me to give them an overview of what’s coming up,” she said. “I asked for suggestions. After they mentioned Adele and Lady Gaga, which we obviously can’t afford, one of them said, ‘How about Jake Shimabukuro? He plays the ukulele.’ And I said, ‘I’m glad you mentioned him, because he’s already coming.’ A few of them then

broke into applause.”

Lynn Martin, an administrative assistant in the Liberty School District, has a 26-year-old son who asked for a ukulele for Christmas. “It was out of nowhere,” she said. “I wondered why a ukulele instead of a guitar? He just thought it would be a good place to start. He said, ‘They’re selling out quick, Mom. Here’s the website and here’s the one I want.’ I got it the same day. There were only like three left.”

There are at least three ukulele clubs in the Kansas City, Mo, area — the Kansas City Ukesters, the Northland Ukesters and the Ukulele Fight Club of Kansas City. The clubs, largely comprised of older players, also include several children. The ukulele has been around for a while. Invented in the 1880s, its name is Hawaiian for jumping flea, referring to how fast the fingers move on the strings.

Another story says it was named after British army officer Edward Purvis popularized the instrument at the court of Hawaiian King Kalakaua.

Nearly 130 years later renewed interest in the instrument has caused music stores to hire ukulele teachers and universities to offer classes. In other words, this ain’t your grandpa’s ukulele. And to prove it, the Dan Miller, owner of Guitar Dock stands University of Missouriwith an Ibanez ukulele that he sells for Kansas City recently offered a ukulele class through its $189.

Communiversity program.

Vicki Walker, a former Missouri state Kamakawiwo’ole has gotten more representative, taught the class with than 50 million hits on YouTube. her husband, Mike.

While the singer, known as “IZ,” died “The ukulele is the marijuana of in 1997, his songs live on in movies, instruments,” Walker said. “It’s the TV shows and commercials. gateway instrument. If you can play His former bandmates, who all this, you can play anything.” There’s play ukuleles, performed at Johnson actually been three ukulele fads, County Community College in Walker said. The first was in the roarOctober. Emily Behrmann, general ing ‘20s, where students in fullmanager of the performing arts length raccoon coats would strum series at JCCC, is seeing a lot of

ukuleles at college football games.

The second, sparked by folksy radio and television personality Arthur Godfrey in the 1950s, caused ukuleles to be made by the millions.

“And now this is the third big wave,” Walker said. “And it’s happened because the young people started it. They’ve embraced this little instrument like nothing I have seen before.” At Shawnee Mission Northwest, 16 students prepared for

of “Hey Ya,” the group began talking about the time two years ago at an assembly when a student famously smashed his ukulele on the ground, causing the audience to go nuts.

Magwire recalled the moment. “I was holding the microphones and he does it and I’m like, ‘We are total dorks!’?” Magwire said. “You know, just the goofiest bunch of kids. Then I see a couple of administrators looking at me like (he made a frowny

ing an instrument.”

But why this instrument? And why now? Dan Miller, who has seen a “huge jump” in ukulele sales in the last two years at his Guitar Dock store in Lenexa, Kan., has a theory. “I think a lot of it started with YouTube,” he said. “There’s a couple young artists who are playing ukuleles and they are unbelievably proficient. And, of course, there’s Eddie Vedder. “I think that just sparked an interest.”

A variety of ukuleles are seen at Guitar Dock in Lenexa, Kansas. —MCT photos

their big moment at the assembly in one final practice. After school, in Room 127, they stood, walked around and sat on desks as they held their instruments close to their ears and plucked the strings to tune them. The club’s sponsor, social studies teacher Drew Magwire, helped run the meeting with senior Emelie Rogers and sophomore Emma Perlmutter.

Why had students joined? Why not, they said. It was fun, quirky, daring and original. “It’s a happy instrument,” Perlmutter said. “And every-

face) and I’m like, ‘OK. Sorry.’?”

Magwire genuinely loves the kids in his group. He also loves to tease them, often kidding them about their “dorky” status, or referring to them as “goofy.” “When you look at this group you think, ‘Awww ... some of these guys are never going to kiss a girl,’?” he said. “Did I say that out loud? And the girls!” he said in mock exasperation. Magwire, a card-carrying goofball himself, smiled and winked at several members to show he was joking.

But later, Zacharias-who said

Isabel Zacharias, front, a senior at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, is the co-founder and president of Northwest’s ukulele club in Shawnee Mission, Kansas. thing is more fun when it’s mini.

That’s my theory.” The group featured guys and girls from every grade with “ukes”-as some called them-colored brown, blue, red, and lavender.

Others were checked or purple paisley. One read “Aloha” and had a picture of a girl dancing the hula on the side.

After several jaunty performances

Magwire is a perfect fit for the clubsaid there’s a grain of truth in what Magwire had said. “I do think the ukulele attracts socially offbeat or awkward people,” she said. “This gives them a little bit of a spark.

‘Yeah, I can perform in front of the whole school. Yeah, I can be confident, not awkward,’ because there’s something empowering about play-

desire to be happy in the middle of a historic economic downturn. The sound of a ukulele is happy and bright, fans say. Like a child’s laugh, it can’t help but make you smile.

“You really can’t play anything on the ukulele without it sounding happy,” said Patrick Hess, a senior at Truman State University who grew up in Lenexa and graduated from Shawnee Mission Northwest.

“Whenever I tell people why I like the ukulele I start playing something like (Ozzy Osbourne’s) ‘Crazy Train’ and people just grin. Sometimes I’ll bring it to class or play it in the downstairs lobby of my dorm. It always makes people smile. And that’s one reason I’ve stuck with this instrument.”

Isabel Zacharias, an intelligent student who performs at poetry slams around the country and who felt awkward plenty of times while growing up, asked for a ukulele for her 12th birthday after hearing one played on National Public Radio. “As soon as you hear a song with a ukulele in it it’s hard not to want to play one,” she said. “It’s just so charming.”

It also was encouraging. Unlike other instruments she played, including the oboe and guitar, it sounded good the first time she tried it. It also helped her express herself and connect with people. “It’s such a social instrument,” she said.

“When you hear it, you just want to interact with that kind of energy.”

At the Northwest assembly, the crowd did just that, screaming and cheering for the rag tag band with the confident look and quirky sound.

After they finished playing, several members raised their instruments in celebration, and one actually began to spin around with glee. In the hallway, with the cheers still ringing in her ears, Zacharias fairly exploded with pride. “Ukuleles bring joy to all!” she said. “We practiced so hard, and it feels so good!”

The guitar’s little cousin Ever wonder how the ukulele is related to the guitar?

On a four-string tenor ukulele, the tuning is actually the same as putting a capo across the fifth fret of a guitar, while playing only the top four strings of the guitar. The open notes on the ukulele strings are: G, C, E and A. This is the most common tuning for a ukulele.

The main differences between a ukulele and a guitar, besides the

The ukulele is positioned perfectly to take advantage of that interest. It’s easy to learn, relatively inexpensiveyou can get a basic one for well under $100 — and easily portable.

For Jake Shimabukuro, a 34-year-old who some have called “The Jimi Hendrix of the Ukulele,” the answer is even simpler. The Hawaiian virtuoso told CNN the ukulele is the perfect antidote for a stressed out world.

“Especially in this day and age, with all this digital technology and all this chaos going on,” he said. “In the near future I think people are going to want to come back to this and just slow down and enjoy the moment.”

By all accounts, that future is now. When Funky Munky Music in Shawnee, Kan., opened seven years ago, it carried one or two ukuleles, said co-owner Patrick Redd. “Now we try to keep anywhere between 10 and 30 in the store,” he said, including fancier models approaching $500 with abalone inlays, or some made from Hawaiian Koa wood. Redd also just hired a ukulele teacher to give lessons. Other local music stores, including Guitar Dock, offer ukulele lessons as well.

On the East Coast the trend is even stronger.

“Nobody has ukuleles around here,” said Phyllis Webb, co-owner of the Kelley Gamm and classmate Kelly Magic Fluke Co. in Sheffield, Sharpe tune their ukuleles after school Mass., the largest manufacat ukulele club. turer of ukuleles on the size, are in how you hold and strum mainland. “And there’s such a them. The ukulele won’t sound like a demand that many ukulele makers ukulele if it’s played hanging from worldwide have a backlog. We have guitar strap and won’t have the teenagers from high schools calling same tone if it’s picked or strummed us, and students ordering them from like a guitar. But, according to colleges. We have watched this experts, the transition isn’t hard to resurgence grow with younger peomake. Ukuleles come in four sizes: ple, and it is truly remarkable.” soprano, concert, tenor and bariA way to be happy tone. The soprano is the standard Others say the ukulele renaissize. —MCT sance may be nothing more than a

Virginia Marine corporal had a ball with Timberlake he Virginia-based Marine who took Justin Timberlake to her unit’s annual ball said she didn’t know what to expect from the evening but had a great time. Cpl. Kelsey De Santis said she was honored that the singer and actor accepted her invitation via YouTube video to the Marine Corps Ball in Richmond. De Santis said Tuesday on the “Today” show and “Good Morning America” that the experience was wonderful. She said she and Timberlake had one dance, and the rest of the time they enjoyed mingling among the crowd.

“He had a smile on his face the entire time and taking pictures of people, and we were talking, shaking hands,” she said on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” “It was great.”

De Santis said both she and Timberlake came away from the event with a renewed appreciation of the men and women who serve in the US military. Timberlake said on his website after the event that it was “one of the most moving evenings I’ve ever had” and that people should take the opportunity to thank service members. Any advice to Scott Moore, the Marine who invited Timberlake’s “Friends With Benefits” co-star Mila Kunis to his ball in Greenville, NC, this weekend? “I don’t think he needs it with the video he came out with,” said De Santis, who noted Moore apparently doesn’t lack confidence. “He’ll have a great time, just like I did,” she said in an interview on NBC’s “Today” show. —AP

T

File photo provided by Marine Corps Base Quantico Public Affairs, shows Cpl Kelsey De Santis and her date Justin Timberlake applaud. —AP

Sgt Scott Moore and his guest, actress Mila Kunis.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

lifestyle

US ski town rebuilding after Irene F E A T U R E S

V

isitors to Vermont’s ski country may be surprised to find some restaurants and stores boarded up in the valley town near Mount Snow - one of the communities hardest hit by Tropical Storm Irene- but the skiing and riding should be the same depending on the snow. Many Wilmington businesses have already reopened or vow to do so - it’s just a matter of when.

“It’s mind-boggling to think what I have to do to think about reopening,” said Lori Downey, who with her husband hope to reopen Bean Head’s coffee shop, after losing everything in the flood - from coffee grinders, a cappuccino maker, refrigerators and freezers to panini grills, meats, cream cheeses and coffee. “I think what we’re going to have to do is start small and build our stuff back up.”

Other businesses are going full bore hoping to reopen by Thanksgiving - when second homeowners come up hoping for early season skiing - or Christmas. But the owners of the buildings that got the brunt of the flooding - like beloved Dot’s restaurant, which often had a line outside on the weekends - don’t yet know if they’ll reopen and certainly not this year. “We just don’t have things like Dot’s,” said Cheryl Rothman, president of the Mount Snow Chamber of Commerce. “You know there’s no place to go for breakfast. It’s awful, really. Such a community hotspot so to speak, it’s just gone.”

The owners are thinking about a seasonal restaurant in the same spot, and expect they’ll have to tear down most of the current historic building because of flood damage. So much of the center of the small town is boarded up that the chamber is trying to figure out how to spruce the place up before winter, maybe with a mural painting contest.

“The biggest thing about Wilmington is the fact that our entire business comCars drive through downtown Wilmington, Vermont. munity was gone,” said Rothman, of the snowmaking pond and replace carpets and drywall Aug 28 storm that turned streams and rivers into in the some of the lodges that had water damage. raging waterways and carried away bridges and Farther north, parts of the Mad River Valley - home large segments of roads around Vermont cutting off to Sugarbush and Mad River Glen - also were hit at least a dozen communities and damaging or hard by flooding, though the resorts were destroying at least 840 homes. unharmed.

The slopes and buildings at Mount Snow, howAmerican Flat Bread - a popular pizza restaurant ever, were unharmed. A snowmaking pump house in Waitsfield - has reopened after losing 40 cords of that became submerged in water has been spit firewood for its wood-fired oven and flood replaced. The resort hopes to open around damage to its offices, property and parking lot. The Thanksgiving as long as it stays cool enough for it Mint restaurant in the center of town is now serving to make snow. At Killington Resort, in another comlunch in a local church while rebuilding and the munity cut off by road damage in the days after Green Cup is seeking donations as it seeks to Irene, part of a lodge collapsed in the flooding. The rebuild. resort has opted to replace it with a deck and two At New Hampshire’s Loon Mountain, river floodoutdoor heated umbrella bars. ing tore away the abutments of a bridge to the It also had to regrade parking lots, dredge a resort and part of the Kankamagus Highway

other town residents.” “It’s going to be a while before Wilmington comes back,” Downey said. “And you know what, it’s going to be a long time before all of Vermont gets their bearings back.” —AP

File photo courtesy of Chandler Burgess for Killington Resort shows a snowboarder on the slopes during opening day at Killington Resort, Vermont. —APp photos

If you go...

Mount snow: West Dover, Vt; http://mountsnow.com/ or 800-245-7669.

Opening planned around Thanksgiving.

Killington: Killington, Vt; http://www.killington.com or 802-4226200. Open for the season, with skiing and riding only on advanced trails at this time.

Mad river glen: Waitsfield, Vt; http://www.madriverglen.com or 802496-3551. Opening planned after Thanksgiving.

Sugarbush: Warren, Vt; http://www.sugarbush.com/ or 800-537-8427. Opening planned around Thanksgiving.

Loon mountain: Lincoln, N.H.; http://www.loonmtn.com/ or 800-2295666. Temporary bridge is scheduled to open before Thanksgiving to provide access. Open for skiing around Thanksgiving, depending on weather.

Alice Greenspan, a member of the Wilmington Beautification Committee, helps spruce up Riverbank Park for the holiday season in downtown Wilmington. through the White Mountains. A temporary bridge is scheduled to be open by Thanksgiving until the damaged bridge can be repaired in the spring. Back in Wilmington, evidence of the flooding is visible in the scars in the land and in the debris hanging high in trees, where it was deposited by flood waters such as yarn swept away from a yarn store in town.

But many businesses have reopened, such as the Vermont House, Apres Vous, the Anchor Restaurant and others. “Our story here is we’re

reopening,” said Rothman. And much of the $194,000 raised so far by early this month to help the flood-damaged businesses has come from out of state, from second homeowners.

“It’s a wonderful surprise to me how involved our second homeowners are with our community and how much they consider it their community,” Rothman said. “They were here immediately helping. We had so many second homeowners here downtown working alongside building owners and

Sri Lanka Design Festival

Models present creations during the Sri Lanka Design Festival fashion show in Mount Lavinia, in the suburbs of Colombo, yesterday.

Clothing accounts for over half of Sri Lanka’s 7.5 billion USD export earnings. —AFP

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

lifestyle F E A T U R E S

Colorful jeans and cords T

he big news this season is C-O-L-O-R, and, in a surprising twist, pants are getting doused in it. Bold colored jeans and corduroys in knock-your-socks-off shades like cobalt blue, ruby red and deep purple are proving to be a cheery, chic option for the dreary months ahead. Companies such as Joe’s Jeans have gone all-out embracing the color movement. In September, the brand added a whopping 55 new hues to the collection. Why? Creative director and founder Joe Dahan says it’s “artistic expression — we felt we had to give it as much freedom as possible.” Joe’s top seller is called chili pepper (a strong off-red), but you name it, they’ve got it.

At the Gap, denims in electric blue, watermelon pink and kelly green are big this fall, says Rosella Giuliani, creative director of 1969, the company’s premium jeans division. For the holidays, cords in jewel tones such as aubergine and teal will be introduced. “Color is important because it reflects optimism and embraces an easy, casual American style which is at the core of our brand,” Giuliani says. But despite the mega trend, some of us are having trouble casting aside our old standby blues and blacks. It’s alien territory — too young, too skinny, too too.

But listen up ... virtually anyone can wear the look. First, you have to get over the fear factor, says Maureen Moser, co-owner of Entree Boutique in Port Washington, NY, where five brands of bold-colored jeans are sold. “Women are initially gun-shy,” she says. “They think the look is only for teenagers.” Moser encourages trying on. “Customers come out of the dressing room, and they can’t believe how great they look.”

Warning: You can make mistakes when wearing brightly colored pants. Zana Roberts Rassi, Marie Claire magazine’s fashion director, says: “Style them and choose silhouettes as you would a regular jean or your favorite black pant.”

Meaning? “If you haven’t got the longest, skinni-

Terry Collier

est legs, think about a wide-leg pant or a flair — that’s the quickest cut to a longer-looking leg.”

Maureen Moser, co-owner of Port Washington boutique Entree, adds, “You have to find the right fit.” Curvier women should look for a higher rise and fuller hip. And be mindful of what you’re wearing on top. “The whole thing is about balance,” says Moser, who recommends longer tunic tops in neutral colors. And watch out for too much, Rassi says. “It’s a nice thought that we could all walk around doing massive bright color blocks, but then you might look like a Rubik’s cube.”—MCT

Robyn Arteaga

Joan Kaminow

(From left) Robyn Arteaga, 17, Terry Collier, 40-something, and Joan Kaminow, grandmother of seven, model colored jeans at Entree Boutique. —MCT

V and A Museum ballgown exhibition

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ondon’s Victoria and Albert Museum is to play host to an exhibition of some of fashion’s most-famous dresses. The ‘Ballgowns: British Glamour Since 1950’ display will see dresses worn by the likes of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, Elizabeth Hurley and Sandra Bullock showcased. Including designs dating as

far back as the early fifties, the gowns featured will have been worn to a whole host of celebrity events, including the Golden Globes, British Fashion Awards and numerous film premieres.

Running from May 19 2012 to January 6 2013, the exhibition will also display dresses created by the likes of Dame Vivienne Westwood, Alexander

McQueen - who committed suicide in February 2010 - John Galliano and Norman Hartnell, who created pieces for both Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother.

It was recently revealed Alexander McQueen’s ‘Savage Beauty’ exhibition - a display of the late designer’s work - looks set to move to London. A

statement issued by the brand read: “Alexander McQueen appreciates the huge amount of interest the public has shown towards the ‘Savage Beauty’ exhibition. “We have been in discussion with a number of major venues in London for some time now, however nothing has been confirmed.” —Bang Showbiz

Mini with attitude

A

ctress Kristen Stewart is having quite a moment. Her role as Bella Swan in the “Twilight” film series has put her on the cover of almost every major magazine, and she’s the envy of every Twihard engrossed in her “Are they or aren’t they dating” saga with “Twilight” costar Robert Pattinson.

She’s currently on a whirlwind media tour promoting the latest film in the series “Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1,” slated to open Friday. Stewart has perfected the pretty-in-

overlay in a reasonable price range, but you can get Stewart’s look in a mini with lace or mesh detailing such as the lace little black dress by eDressMe for $45 from eDressMe.com, mesh curve halter dress for $24.80 from Forever21.com or Suzi Chin for Maggy Boutique strapless lace overlay dress from Nordstrom.com for $83.90. If you’re a fan of the style but not the mini cut, get the more conservative Elementz dress from Macys.com for $29.99.

You can wear this style of dress with any black heels, but if you want to pull a sneaker switch like Stewart you can start the night in the Style & Co. Diane pump for $48.30 from Macys.com, then go for the Vans checkerboard slip-on in black and white for $45.

With holiday dressing just around the corner, a beige and black mini will be a versatile go-to piece for parties.— MCT

punk look over the last year with minis embellished with jewels, sequins and metal. At the 2011 People’s Choice Awards she chose a gold sequin mini by Reem Acra, at the 2011 MTV Movie Awards a red mini adorned with safety pins by Balmain and at a taping for “ The Tonight Show” a color-blocked blue and black Monique Lhuillier mini.

Stewart appeared in yet another mini when she was recently honored with a cement block in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. Costars Pattinson and Taylor Lautner joined Stewart to immortalize their feet and hands on Hollywood Boulevard. She wore a net overlay Marios Schwab beige cocktail dress with patent leather detail, a shorter version of the one that appeared on the spring 2012 runways, with black velvet pumps by Brian Atwood. For the ceremony she traded the pumps for a pair of black and white checkered sneakers.

It might be difficult to find a dress with net

Suzi Chin strapless lace overlay dress from Nordstrom.com.

Dress from Elementz from Macys.com.

—MCT photos

Vans checkerboard slip on shoes in black and white from Vans.com.

eDressMe Lace little black dress from eDressMe.com.

Mesh curve halter dress from Forever21.com.

Virginia Marine corporal had a ball with Timberlake

37

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011

Romanian students dressed as caged brides attend an event to raise awareness to the risks of human trafficking and sexual exploitation faced by young girls lured by the prospect of a better paying job abroad, in Bucharest, Romania, yesterday. The event promoted the Romanian premiere of the movie ‘If the Seed doesn’t die’ by Serb-born director Sinisa Dragin which tells the story of Romanian searching for his daughter, forced into prostitution in Kosovo, and a Serbian seeking the body of his son killed in a car accident in Romania. —AP

Buyers at sale target hats worn by

Queen of Soul A

A dress originally owned by Aretha Franklin is shown for sale.

A

beige cashmere hat with fur and matching collar and cuffs worn by Aretha Franklin sold for $400 during a sale of dozens of items once owned by the Queen of Soul. Hats were big draws at a sales event attended yesterday by several hundred people in Livonia, according to sales distributor Jill Pendergast.

“A lot of people found a lot of items,” Pendergast said. “Somebody wanted Tshirts that had been stained up. Some people just came for blue jeans. Some people were looking for just shoes. “They just kept coming in and going out,” she said. One of Franklin’s gowns sold for $550.

Pendergast would not say who currently owned the items or how much was raised by the sale which ran from 9 am to about 5 pm in a store west of Detroit.

Franklin has said she has no connection to the sale. The

Grammy Award-winning artist said the items were left many years ago in a storage locker because she no longer wanted them. Franklin’s choice in headwear has been a hot topic in recent years. A gray, felt hat with a Swarovski rhinestone-bordered bow she wore while singing “My Country ‘ Tis of Thee” at President Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration drew widespread attention and prompted hundreds of calls to the Detroit millinery shop where the hat was made. —AP

Various shoes originally owned by Aretha Franklin.

(Left) A hat originally owned by Aretha Franklin.

(Above) A cape formerly belonging to Aretha Franklin. —AP photos

Hats owned by Aretha Franklin are shown for sale with other belongings yesterday, in Livonia, Mich.

US ‘modernist’ chef takes on Gallic gastronomes

US mathematician who used to work for Microsoft is hoping to win over Gallic gastronomes, as he takes his “modernist” cooking methods to the home of traditional gourmet cuisine. Defying critics who he argues view cooking “like religion,” chef Nathan Myhrvold is about to publish a French-and German and Spanish-version of his “Modernist Cuisine,” which mixes molecular science with the culinary arts. The huge five-volume, 2,440 page tome, published in the United States and Britain earlier this year, also has a hefty price tag at 399 euros ($540), but Myhrvold says he hopes his ideas will win over new fans across the Atlantic.

He even likens conservative reaction to modernist methods-whose exponents include Heston Blumenthal in Britain and Spanish masterchef Ferran Adria-to the reception Nouvelle Cuisine initially received. “Most really good cooks anywhere in the world in the 90s cooked in a style which was a combination of Escoffier and Nouvelle Cuisine,” he said, referring to renowned Gallic master Auguste Escoffier. “It was primarily a French technique. France was the home of all

the high-end technique. And these techniques had been around for a long time-for 20 years at that time,” he told AFP. But Myhrvold, who quit his job as technical director at US computer giant Microsoft in 1999, to found a scientific patent company, said he was in a good position to challenge that. “That’s one of the reason I retired from Microsoft: I wanted more time to cook. And I had been aware for several years of the modernist approach in cooking,” he said by telephone from his home in Seattle. “My background in science and in cooking together would put me in a very good position to write a book that would explain these new techniques to chef and anybody interested in food,” he added.

Myhrvold was never a professional chef himself, but he spent two years as an intern at Rover’s, a restaurant in Seattle run by French chef Thierry Rotureau, before training at the Ecole de la Varenne, in Burgundy. It was only after that that he founded a culinary laboratory, where he embarked on all sorts of experiments with all sorts of ingredient, which he then shared

with the wider gastronomic world. His experiments blew some lazy habits out of the water: for example the traditional French dish confit de canard. “There is a classic French technique for the confit de canard. Almost any chef you talk to will tell you that when you cook it in fat very slowly for a long period of time .. it produces this unique texture and flavor.

“We did a test by cooking it traditionally, but we also steamed it at the same temperature and for the same amount of time, and it’s the same.

The oil, actually, doesn’t matter at all. “When I tell some chefs that, they are almost angry at me,” he said. The 52-year-old says gastrophiles who question the place of science in the kitchen need to learn from the past. “People believe very strongly about food. It’s almost like religion.

There is a very strong ideology about it. If we look back and look at the Nouvelle cuisine, the ideas were very simple,” he said.

“They stopped putting flour in sauces, for example. But at the time, it was a radical thing.

Some food lovers totally denounced Nouvelle Cuisine, some championed it, there was huge

controversy. And he said: “The history of food is all about invention, innovation and variety.

“Once upon a time we didn’t have ice-cream.

Current time is more innovative than other point in the history because we have a lot of new technologies. I would ask people to have an open mind,” he added.

“I think there is a lot more to discover. Many things in food are very complicated. Meat is a very complicated thing, created with tons of proteins and molecules and there are a lot of mysteries. “I don’t think that we are done anytime soon.” The European language editions are scheduled to be published later this month, by the Taschen publishing house. —AFP

Photo shows Nathan Myhrvold, a US mathematician who used to work for Microsoft, is hoping to win over Gallicgastronomes, as he takes his ‘modernist’ cooking methods to the home of traditional gourmet cuisine. —AFP