22 Nov 2011

CR IP TI ON BS SU

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

Jordan king meets Abbas on rare West Bank visit

Iran boycott mars rare Middle East nuclear talks

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THULHIJJA 26, 1432 AH

Swift, Minaj win big at American Music Awards

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Oppn rally calls on PM to quit or face grilling Ruling family urged to end disputes • Assembly chamber to reopen

Max 20º Min 15º Low Tide 02:53 & 14:50 High Tide 08:57 & 20:03

By B Izzak and Hassan A Bari

Bahrain admits ‘excessive force’ ahead of report DUBAI: Bahrain admitted yesterday “excessive force” was used on pro-democracy protesters earlier this year as tension escalates two days ahead of the unveiling of a probe into the deadly crackdown.

Bahrain’s Independent Commission of Inquiry, commissioned by King Hamad, will tomorrow unveil the results of its investigation into alleged government misconduct during the February-March crackdown on Shiite-led protests. As the Gulf kingdom braced for the findings of the probe, tension has escalated in Shiite areas of the Sunni-ruled nation and the opposition has vowed not to back down from demands for democratic reform.

“Regrettably, there have been instances of excessive force and mistreatment of detainees” during the deadly crackdown against protests, the Bahraini government statement said.

Continued on Page 13

KUWAIT: Protesters gather outside the National Assembly during a rally calling for the resignation of the government over a graft scandal involving MPs as the opposition mounted a fierce campaign to oust the prime minister. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

33 killed as Egyptian police fight anti-army protesters Junta rejects Cabinet resignation

CAIRO: An Egyptian protester prepares to hurl a tear gas canister back at security forces as others run for cover on the third day of clashes in Tahrir Square yesterday. — AFP

Hezbollah unravels CIA spy network in Lebanon WASHINGTON: The CIA’s operations in Lebanon have been badly damaged after Hezbollah identified and captured a number of US spies recently, severely damaging the intelligence agency’s ability to gather vital information on the terrorist organization at a tense time in the region, former and current US officials said. The intelligence debacle is particularly troubling because the CIA saw it coming. Hezbollah’s longtime leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, boasted on television in June that he had rooted out at least two CIA spies who had infiltrated the ranks of Hezbollah, which the US considers a terrorist group closely allied with Iran.

Though the US Embassy in Lebanon officially denied the accusation, American officials concede that Nasrallah was not lying and the damage spread like a virus as Hezbollah methodically picked off the CIA’s informants.

In recent months, CIA officials have secretly been scrambling to protect their remaining spies - foreign assets or agents working for the agency - before

Hezbollah can find them. To be sure, some deaths are to be expected in shadowy spy wars. It’s an extremely risky business and people get killed.

But the damage to the agency’s spy network in Lebanon has been greater than usual, several former and current US officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about security matters.

The Lebanon crisis is the latest mishap involving CIA counterintelligence, the undermining or manipulating of the enemy’s ability to gather information. Former CIA officials have said that once-essential skill has been eroded as the agency shifted from outmaneuvering rival spy agencies to fighting terrorists. In the rush for immediate results, former officers say, tradecraft has suffered. The most recent high-profile example was the suicide bomber who posed as an informant and killed seven CIA employees and wounded six others in Khost, Afghanistan in December 2009.

Continued on Page 13

CAIRO: Cairo police fought protesters demanding an end to army rule for a third day yesterday and the death toll rose to at least 33, with many victims shot, in the worst violence since the uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak. The cabinet spokesman said Prime Minister Essam Sharaf’s entire cabinet had tendered its resignation, but the ruling military council rejected it, state television reported, quoting a military source. The cabinet spokesman, Mohamed Hegazy, told Reuters he was not aware a decision had been made, while a military source said the council was seeking agreement on a new prime minister before it accepts the cabinet’s resignation. The resignation of the cabinet, in office since March, was the latest blow to the military council’s authority.

As night fell, thousands of people packed Tahrir Square, the epicentre of the anti-Mubarak revolt in January and February. The clashes threaten to disrupt Egypt’s

first free parliamentary election in decades, due to start next Monday. “The people want the fall of the marshal,” they chanted, referring to Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, Mubarak’s defence minister for two decades and head of the army council. Clashes flared in side-streets near Tahrir. Witnesses said looters, not necessarily connected to the protests, had attacked the American University in Cairo and other buildings.

Protesters have brandished bullet casings in the square, where police moved in with batons and tear gas on Saturday against a protest then dominated

by Islamists but since driven by young people with secular aims.

Police deny using live fire. Medical sources at Cairo’s main morgue said 33 corpses had been received since Saturday, most with bullet wounds. One source at the morgue said the toll had risen to 46. At least 1,250 people have Continued on Page 13

KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti opposition made another show of force yesterday when it claimed around 15,000 people attended a massive rally that demanded changing the prime minister and dissolving what they described a “corrupt” parliament. The enthusiastic crowd braved heavy rains at times to stage the first protest after last Wednesday’s violence in which protesters clashed with riot police and then stormed the parliament building that has become the main issue in Kuwaiti politics and which was described as a “black day” by the Amir.

Speakers called for changing the government and dissolving the National Assembly following a corruption scandal in which about 16 MPs are involved. They also called for Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad AlAhmad Al-Sabah to resign or face a grilling on Nov 29 over the corruption scandal and allegations he transferred public funds into his bank accounts in a number of foreign countries. The government has denied the allegations.

Organizers announced that another protest will be held next Monday, on the eve of the grilling debate, and that a number of activists have decided to camp out all night opposite the Assembly building. Islamist opposition MP Jamaan Al-Harbash said the prime minister should face the grilling and vowed that if he defeats the potential non-cooperation vote, opposition MPs will resign their parliamentary seats. The opposition has repeatedly threatened to quit over the past few months over several reasons, especially over refusing to sit with allegedly corrupt MPs. About 20 MPs have boycotted Assembly sessions and refused to take part in the election of Assembly committees which took place on the opening day of the new term on Oct 25. Prominent opposition MP Ahmad Al-Saadoun was received with chants of “speaker, speaker” a reference that he deserves to be the Assembly speaker. Al-Saadoun is a three-time former speaker. AlSaadoun warned the interior minister that if he continued suppressing freedom, he will be grilled.

MP Falah Al-Sawwagh strongly lashed out at Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi, accusing him of deliberately planning to keep the Assembly chamber closed to inflate the accusations against the opposition.

Al-Sawwagh said that the public prosecution has foiled the plan and allowed the opening of the chamber. The lawmaker said that the large crowds is the strongest response to the corrupt government, MPs and Assembly. “We have come here to demand changing the government. This is part of our constitutional rights,” lawyer Osama Al-Shaheen told the rally. Opposition MP Shuaib Al-Muwaizri urged Sheikh Nasser to respond to the people’s demands and step down.

The Assembly secretariat said yesterday that the public prosecution, which had ordered the chamber to remain closed pending investigation into the storming of the hall, has allowed reopening it and accordingly it will be available for the crucial meeting on Nov 29 to debate the grilling of the prime minister. Earlier in the day, the opposition said in a statement that the prime minister must accept to debate the grilling on Nov 29 or step down. Several opposition MPs also strongly blasted State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Ali Al-Rashed for saying opposition MPs who broke into the Assembly face life terms in prison. Harbash said he welcomed to be imprisoned along with MPs Al-Sawwagh, Waleed Continued on Page 13

Questions linger in NY terror plot NEW YORK: Police are still trying to piece together missing elements in an alleged plot by a man described as a ‘lone wolf’ Al-Qaeda sympathizer, charged with building three pipe bombs to attack US troops. Jose Pimentel, a 27-year-old native of the Dominican Republic who became a US citizen and converted to Islam, was in police custody on charges of plotting to build the home -made explosives to kill government workers and returning US troops. Pimentel was unshaven and wore a black t-shirt when he was arraigned Sunday and Jose Pimentel ordered held without bail. He faces up to 25 years in prison on charges related to possessing a bomb.

Manhattan assistant district attorney Brian Fields said Pimentel, who has been under police Continued on Page 13

KUWAIT: A man runs for cover amid steady rain yesterday.

— Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

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Justice Ministry employees transferred to end strike Union warns against penalizing members KUWAIT: The Legal Staff Members Union recently issued a warning against penalizing public sector legal staff members for staging a strike.

The justice minister reportedly instructed the undersecretary, ‘punish’ striking employees by transferring them to different locations and reshuffling them. The Union Chairman, Hamad Al-Wardan described the decisions taken by the Ministry as being ‘irresponsible.’ He said that these moves will be perceived as ‘aggressive’ from the minister’s side, infringing upon the Union’s right to stage demonstrations, violating Kuwait’s commitment to the international community.

Speaking to the press after a decision was taken to transfer a number of employees from the Verification Department to end the strike, AlWardan explained that the minister

Citi conducts beach cleanup KUWAIT: Citi employee volunteers in Kuwait conducted a beach cleanup to demonstrate their commitment to service during the company’s sixth annual “Global Community Day,” held recently. The activity was organized in conjunction with the Kuwait Dive Team, “Guardians of the Sea”, a team of Kuwaiti young men who perform activities and projects contributing to protecting and rehabilitating marine environment since 1986. Their policy lies in highlighting the voluntary mission, relying on the Kuwaiti nationals, following experimentalism policy, utilizing others’ experiences and experiments, and executing national envi-

ronmental dedicated projects.

In 78 countries around the world, about 40,000 Citi employee volunteers participated in nearly 1,100 local service projects. Volunteerism is a cornerstone of the Citi employee experience, with many employees regularly engaging in community service year-around.

Global Community Day is an opportunity for Citi to showcase and reinforce that shared commitment by inviting employees, families and friends to collaborate as a single global volunteer team. Working throughout North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa,

Citi volunteers have lent their time and expertise to concentrate on local community needs, including literacy, housing, environmental protection, nutrition, health care and disaster relief. Fatah Adour, acting General Manager of Citi Kuwait commented saying: “Since establishing its fully licensed branch in Kuwait in 2006, Citi has evolved into an active corporate citizen. Every year on this particular day, Citi worldwide takes advantage of the opportunity for all of the employees to come together as a team and make a difference in people’s lives and give back to the local community”.

International consultants take part in blood cancer conference KUWAIT: The first blood cancer and anemia diseases conference commenced yesterday. The conference includes the participation of international consultants and specialists in blood diseases from the US and Europe and lecturers from the Middle East, including Kuwait.

Dr Hilal Al-Sayer, M inister of Health, said in a speech that was given on his behalf by the Ministry ’s Assistant Undersecretary for Technical Affairs, Dr Khaled Al-Sahlawy, that Kuwait has always been keen on encouraging and organizing conferences as well as scientific and medical meetings for all specialties. He added that such ac tivities are a par t of Kuwait’s belief in the importance of community well-being and providing the best possible diagnosis and treatment for citizens.

Dr Al-Sayer further added that the

opening of the conference, which is in cooperation with the European Society for blood diseases and the European school for blood diseases and regarded as the first of its kind in GCC countries, is a great achievement. Dr Samya Abdulsalam, head of the scientific committee of the conference, said that the three-day conference aims at improving the medical team specialized in diagnosing and treating blood cancer diseases in the Ministry, adding that the lectures will concentrate on raising awareness of the symptoms and dangers of blood cancer disease and Anemia. Dr Abdulsalam noted that the rate of Anemia diseases both locally and internationally is increasing. She said that the conference will discuss how to diagnose red blood cells genetically and clinically as well as types of other blood cancer, such as leukemia.— KUNA

Public Prosecution evaluates witness accounts KUWAIT: The Public Prosecution began poring over witness statements on the storming of the National Assembly building, as the investigation department told the prosecution that the case will be registered under No. 383/2011 felonies.

The Public Prosecution evaluated statements of those who reported the incidents, following the statement of Assembly Secretary General Allam AlKandari.

The prosecution is set to ask the National Assembly to lift the immunity of MPs who participated in the storming of Abdallah Al-Salem Chamber.

Those MPs include: Musallam AlBarrak, Mubarak Al-Waalan, Jamaan AlHarbash, Salem Al-Namlan, Falah AlSawagh, Faisal Al-Mislem, Daifallah Buramiah and Waleed Al-Tabatabae.

The list includes names of Kuwaitis, Gulf expats and bedoons who were identified, and also includes the testimony of the assembly guard who said MP Waleed Al-Tabatabae asked them to open the main gate as an MP who is authorized to enter any time.

When the gate was opened, they could not stop the MPs from storming inside.— Al-Watan

PIFSS transfers KD 10m to GCC countries ABU DHABI: The Public Institution for Social Security (PIFSS) announced yesterday that it has transferred KD 10 million to its GCC counterparts as subscriptions value of registered GCC citizens in the social security program and insurance protection system in Kuwait.

On his part, Fahad AlRajaan, Director General of the PIFSS said, on the sidelines of the 11th session meeting of heads of civil retirement and social security services of GCC countries, that Kuwait is in the process of implementing the retirement project for military personnel as well as easing registration procedures and paying off subscriptions in their insurance program.

Al-Rajaan added that the transferred KD 10 million to GCC countries is a result of collecting subscription fees in the insurance protection and civil retirement, in which Kuwait started to implement since 2006 for about 5,201 Gulf citizens who work in Government and private sectors in Kuwait.

He praised Kuwait for implementing the system of extending insurance protection for GCC citizens, who work outside and inside their countries, for the purposes of achieving family stability, offering social services and necessary social insurance for Gulf Families such as retirement salary and salary after death.

Yesterday’s meeting discussed establishing a unified media website that explains the laws of social security in GCC countries, civil retirement, and registrations and subscription requirements of the system of extending insurance protection, Al-Rajaan added.

He also revealed that the number of Kuwaitis who work in GCC countries and registered in the social security and insurance protection system is 191 individuals.

It is estimated that the total number of registered GCC citizens who work in both government and private sectors in their own countries and other GCC countries is 14,372 workers, including 5,242 who work in UAE and 114 UAE citizens who work in GCC countries.

— KUNA

had issued verbal instructions to Undersecretary Abdul Aziz Al-Majed and the assistant undersecretary of financial and administrative affairs to ‘harass’ 23 employees.

They reshuffled them between various governorates and courts to break up their strike that has been embarrassing for ministry officials. “Such practices only fuel the demonstrators’ determination to go on with strikes,” he stressed.

He urged Minister Al-Afasi to make an immediate decision to investigate the matter.

Meanwhile, Kuwait’s Constitution is enshrined with guarantees for freedoms of expression, said Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Sheikh Azzam Mubarak AlSabah.

The diplomat, in remarks published by the Bahrain daily newspaper

‘Al-Wasat’ yesterday, said “We (the Kuwaitis), rulers and ruled, have accepted democracy as a political system, thus we should accept its results.”

He further added that political activism in Kuwait has been distinguished with transparency, a result of the conviction among the political leaders with regard of necessity of the peoples’ participation in political decision making, “Some MPs may have some remarks, we may agree or disagree with them. Nevertheless, however, such rights are guaranteed by the Kuwaiti Constitution, and we in Kuwait have been experiencing a blooming spring from 50 years ago due to the wisdom of the leadership and the covenant of the constitution, which we have all agreed upon.”

Al-Ajmi looks for accountability in Municipality issue KUWAIT: Mane Al-Ajmi, a Member of the Municipal Council, has said that cleaning companies responsible for the maintenance of Kuwait’s cleanliness “... are intending to reject the percentage set by the Central Tenders Committee.”

He added that cleaning has appeared to be nonexistent during the past four months, adding that the Municipality doesn’t seem to have supervised the activities of those responsible for completing such maintenance.

“What citations had the Municipality issued against these companies? And what fines have been imposed, in all governorates, due to the lack of cleanliness and containers in residential areas?” said Al-Ajmi.

He continued, “We heard that the Minister of Municipality Affairs, Dr Fadhel Safar, announced an emergency plan in case companies reject the CTC offer. What will happen if they continue to reject it, and what will the municipality do?”

He asked, “Is it realistic for the municipality to wait until the final moments to announce an alternative plan?” Al-Ajmi further asked council members to use their authority and hold the municipality responsible for its actions. — Al-Rai

KUWAIT: Ahmadi Governor Sheikh Dr Ibrahim Al-Duaij Al-Sabah met at his office with the Italian Ambassador to Kuwait Fabrizio Nicoletti.

The two sides shared discussed means to boost cooperation between both countries.

No more illegal business activities KUWAIT: The Municipality intends to shut down all illegal business activities conducted in residential areas, remarked Ahmad Al-Subaih Director General of Kuwait Municipality.

After holding a meeting with representatives from Housing, Electricity, Interior, Justice and Commerce, the Municipality allowed them a time period of one week to present their views on amending rules on activities allowed in residential areas, reported Al-Qabas. He added that the Municipality would prepare a comprehensive proposal that will be submitted to the Cabinet.

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Number of road fatalities high in Mideast region Quick steps needed to save lives

KUWAIT: The Asians pictured with the 242 bottles of locally brewed liquor after their arrest.

Asians busted with drugs

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: Two Asians were arrested in Jabriya with possession of 80 grams of heroin and 20 grams of ice, and probe

KUWAIT: The Asian drug traders who were arrested in Jabriya yesterday.

revealed that they had been trading in drugs for a long time.

Separately, Ahmadi police confiscated 242 bottles of locally brewed liquor with some Asians on King Fahad Road, when a patrol stopped a vehicle and asked for the IDs of those on board. They attempted to escape, before being caught with the bottles. They revealed that they sell the bottle for KD 1.5 and were referred to concerned authorities.

KUWAIT: Anyone who has driven on the region’s highways knows that the Middle East has a problem with road safety. But many of the region’s governments don’t know the full socioeconomic cost of car crashes-and thus lack the tools to effectively develop responses that would save lives. Road crashes are a global problem: The World Bank notes that every year, more than 1.2 million people die in road crashes and more than 10 million are crippled or injured.

The Middle East represents a disproportionate number of those accidents, with 17 to 22 people per 100,000 dying in car accidents every year, compared to an average of 6.2 people in OECD countries . And the actual number of deaths in the region may be even higher, due to underreporting and databases that are underdeveloped.

Since many governments today have the ability to calculate only the direct costs, which amount to just 25 to 30 percent of the total cost of crashes, their policies and infrastructure planning do not accurately weigh the economic benefits of investments in increased safety-such as intelligent transport systems, or road improvements such as asphalt drainage

systems. An accurate analysis of the full costs might also further encourage the development of public transportation, which reduces road usage. Finally, a complete overview of the costs of road fatalities and injuries is essential for the regulatory framework and insurance market, in order to provide fair compensation to the victims of crashes. The first step for MENA governments is to create a comprehensive set of estimates for the socioeconomic cost of crashes, and promote its use across agencies.

Such estimates would allow different agencies to make appropriate trade-offs between different projects competing for limited government funds, which invariably leads to additional and more targeted investments in road safety. Governments could also use these figures to raise awareness about the steep human and economic cost of crashes, as well as to review the legislation and methods for setting the crash victims’ compensation.

Beyond these benefits, MENA government can ultimately use these estimates as the cornerstone of a strategic, integrated plan for road safety.

They can start by analyzing current road

safety from multiple perspectives, such as transport planning, societal awareness, and enforcement of safety measures. Based on this analysis, they can coordinate among police, transport authorities, emergency responders, insurance companies, schools, and others to determine challenges-such as unsafe driver behavior, weak enforcement of traffic laws, or underused technologies for traffic management-and then set corresponding priorities to address them. Such priorities would make up an integrated plan covering areas including regulations, driver awareness and behavior, enforcement, and investments in infrastructure and safety measures.

Finally, thanks to the more sophisticated cost-benefit analysis that is possible with a complete understanding of the cost of crashes, governments can define the budget for this plan based on the expected benefits in terms of fewer road crashes. The deaths and injuries that occur on the roads of the MENA region are tragedies with emotional costs that can never be fully calculated. But a more accurate accounting of accidents’ socioeconomic costs is key to creating a program that prevents unnecessary loss of life in the future.

Road accidents A 54-year-old Egyptian suffered a cardio-pulmonary arrest when a car hit him in Amghara area. He was taken to Sabah hospital.

A nine-year-old Kuwaiti complained of pain in the leg while a 22-year-old Moroccan sustained various bruises following a car accident in Sulaibikhat area.

They were taken to Sabah hospital.

A 35-year- old Egyptian who was involved in a motorcycle accident on Fourth Ring Road, sustained various bruises and was taken to Mubarak hospital.

Gitmo prisoners’ supporters rally outside US embassy KUWAIT: Several legislators, detainees, families and students gathered in front of the US Embassy in Kuwait Sunday demanding the release of Guantanamo detainees, protesting against the injustice of imprisoning two Kuwait nationals for 10 years still without a fair trial.

Political activist Fuhaih Al-Hailam said “We are meeting today over a humanitarian and social issue concerning the two Kuwaitis imprisoned in Guantanamo for 10 years, without a fair trial, under torture and without evidence.” He said that the mothers of Fayez Al-Kandari and Fawzi Al-Adwa appealed via Youtube to the entire universe on the plight of their sons.

Meanwhile, MP Salem Al-Namlan said that the two detainees are con-

sidered a part of every Kuwaiti household as well as the government. He said, “Kuwait did not let down the US in any aspect, then why does it not release the two detainees!”

We hope that Kuwaiti and American governments will take steps in the right direction on the release of the two. He questioned, “on what basis have the two been detained for 10 years without trial?” Kuwait respects every American, and US should reciprocate.

The US president should fulfill his promises. The mother of Fawzi AlKandari, who has been detained in Guantanamo said 10 year are too many against our children and we cannot keep silent, because nobody accepts this injustice.- Al-Watan.

KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait sponsored the ‘Spotlight’ exhibition recently organized by the Highlight Group at the Al-Raya Hall in Courtyard Marriott Hotel. It showcased artifacts created by young Kuwaiti men and women.

Zain offers discount on SMS, calls to Lebanon KUWAIT: Zain, Kuwait’s leading telecommunications company has announced that it will offer SMS services at a special discounted rate of 50 percent. Also, longdistance calls to Lebanon can be made at a discounted rate of 20 percent as the country celebrates its Independence Day today, Nov 22. Zain Kuwait, congratulated the people of Lebanon, represented in its leadership, the embassy and all Lebanese expatriates residing in Kuwait. Zain is a global company that participates in the celebrations of nations. The offer is valid only on 22 Nov for both post-paid and pre-paid customers.

Fahad Al-Massud

TEC prepares a slew of activities for children KUWAIT: The Touristic Enterprise Company’s (TEC) administration is keen on offering different activities and programs at its facilities, with a focus on children’s recreation, said Fahad Abdullah Al-Massud, Director of Public Relations at Touristic Enterprise Company.

It will celebrate the International Day for Children on November 25 under the patronage of VIVA telecommunication company.

Special activities have been lined up for children, including gifts and prizes for children dressed in national attire, and twins upto 12 years of age. Children of civil servants from the Ministry of Social Affairs(MSAL) will be issued free entrance tickets. Furthermore, the Entertainment City is preparing to organize the New Hijra Year. Entrance tickets will be sold at a discounted rate of KD 2.5 instead of KD 3.5.

Al-Barrak urges media to examine Hall

By A Saleh KUWAIT: Anti-government lawmaker Musallam Al-Barrak recently defied the Speaker of the Parliament Jassem AlKharafi by urging the media to assess damages caused to Abdullah Al-Salem Hall when protestors stormed the Parliament.

“The Parliament Controller Ali AlOmair acted like the judge and described what happened as a crime only to butter the PM up. Some ministers called to enforce Article 106 of the Constitution to halt parliamentary sessions. As usual, the Speaker volunteered to carry out instructions,” AlBarrak said, denying that any damage was incurred. A tri-partite committee has already prepared a report on the hall’s condition.

He added that the real reason

behind closing the hall was to cover up the MPs who were corrupt and the premier. “We’re not afraid of being prosecuted. It’s not Kharafi’s house that we broke into,’ he asserted. Addressing AlOmair, Al-Barrak underestimated the cases filed against protestors. “We cannot be intimidated by you or by others of your kind,” he said.

Describing last Wednesday as the ‘day of dignity and pride,’ Al-Barrak scorned the Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Ali Al-Rashid, asking him do whatever he wished. MP Daifallah Buramia said that the storming incident has been exaggerated beyond limits for the sake of diverting attention away from implementing constitutional amendments. “The PM is part of this and he is trying to delay sessions in order to escape grilling motion debates,” he said.

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Wataniya celebrates Lebanese National Day with discounts

Abdolaziz Al-Balool

KUWAIT: Wataniya Telecom launched a special promotion to celebrate the 68th National Day of Lebanon for all its customers. This exclusive promotion includes 50 percent off on SMS sent to Republic of Lebanon, giving a chance to the Lebanese citizens in Kuwait to greet their friends and family back home on this auspicious and festive occasion.

Abdolaziz Al-Balool Public Relation Director at Wataniya Telecom congratulated all Lebanese people residing in Kuwait and said: “Kuwait is a melting pot of cultures and attracts talent from all over the region. At Wataniya, we understand that these hard working people living in Kuwait miss their loved ones back home, especially on occasions such as National Days and Eid holidays. This is why we always offer special discounts and promotions

on such auspicious holidays.”

The 50 percent discount on SMS will be valid for 24 hours today. Wataniya has offered similar promotions to citizens of other countries living in Kuwait such as the USA, Egypt, Jordan, India, and the Philippines. This helps the expatriate community feel close to their home country even when they are far away.

Wataniya Telecom would like to wish all Lebanese people a happy celebration.

Wataniya hopes that the offer tailored especially for them will add value to their communication and bring them closer to their friends and families in Lebanon. Wataniya aims to continue exploring different ways of staying closer to the different cultures and communities in Kuwait by providing them with the best and most innovative services and products.

Dr Huda Nuhad Shaaban

conference to focus on learning disabilities Aim tospreadawareness ondisorders

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Many teachers and parents are unaware that their overac tive child/student suffers from Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD).

Globally, between five to 15 percent of children suffer from this medical condition. With the aim of spreading awareness on this issue, the Center for Child Evaluation and Teaching (CCET) and the Kuwaiti Association for Learning Differences (KALD) announced their decision to jointly organize ‘First International Special Needs Conference: Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. ‘ The event will be held on Dec 4 and 5 at the Regency Hotel, under the patronage of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

The conference will feature some renowned exper ts in the fields of Learning Disabilities (LDs) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) who will shed light on the latest developments in these fields, of immediate relevance to professional specialists, teachers, parents, students, researchers, and educationists in public and private sectors.

“Many cases of LD or ADHD are not diagnosed. Through this conference, we will help them diagnose cases and help them provide treatment,” Dr Huda Nuhad Shaaban, an education specialist, told the Kuwait Times.

The symptoms of ADHD do not always provide a complete analysis, “Only noticing the symptoms is like looking at the tip of an iceberg. We need to have more information about this disorder. The students with ADHD suffer from a real disability, a complex neurological disorder concentrated on the frontal lobe. These students may be given medication to calm them down,” explained Dr Shaaban.

The students suffering from ADHD usually suffer from a development delay of four to six years. “These children are less mature and are not independent. So we have to treat a 14year- old like a 10-year-old. This disorder also coexists with other disturbances. About 65 percent of children with ADHD suffer from at least one other disorder,” she further said. “ The symptoms of ADHD usually start before seven years of age. Also, we should notice that the symptoms should appear in different situations, this is a critical factor. The students with ADHD are averagely intelligent students who have difficulties. They also suffer from learning disabilities,” Shaaban explained.

The objective of the conference is to clarify the role of institutions working in the field of learning disabilities and ADHD in terms of services provided.

Coordination among all educational institutions and other concerned governmental and non- governmental institutions should be improved to

better serve students with learning disabilities and/or ADHD. Also, awareness should be raised among concerned parties (parents, students, teachers, principals, policy makers) about learning disabilities and/or ADHD and others.

“We have chosen the ADHD and LD (learning difficulties) as these disord e r s co m m o n l y co - e x i s t . Th a t accounts for at least 50 percent of students. Also, they affect the student’s academic performance. This confere n ce i s s u p p o r te d by t h e U n i te d N a t i o n s D e ve l o p m e n t Pro gr a m , M inistr y of Education and others,” stressed Dr Shaaban.

Dr Shaaban also emphasized that partnership with all segments of society, especially parents and teachers will help such students in the best way.

“The necessity and importance of this conference is to reinforce the pioneering role Kuwait has played in the region in serving people with learning disabilities by helping them through educational programs, training, test development, and research,” she pointed out.

The conference will focus on positive interaction between schools and governmental and non-governmental organizations to improve ser vices offered. The conference will be open to teachers, administrators, and specialists from public and private schools, nurseries, individuals from inside and outside Kuwait, students with learning disabilities and their parents. However, registration prior to November 23 is mandatory.

The Center for Child Evaluation and Teaching (CCET ) was established in 1984 by a group of Kuwaiti mothers who realized that their children were suffering from learning difficulties.

The main problems children at CCET face are difficulties in reading, spelling, writing, and mathematics. They suffer from one or more of these disabilities: dyslexia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia. Some of these children may have trouble with concentration, attention or hyperactivity as well as different behavioral, social and emotional problems. From the beginning, the objective of CCET was clear: to support children with learning disabilities and to provide services for parents, teachers, and other professionals to overcome the challenges of learning disabilities. CCET also seeks to contribute to local, regional and international scientific research in both Arabic and English. It also aims to increase awareness, prepare professionals and share experiences on the best practice and methods of diagnosis.

The Kuwaiti Association for Learning Differences (KALD) is a nonprofit association that collaboratively works towards helping students with learning differences in private schools in Kuwait. KALD was established in 2007.

KUWAIT: The Ambassador of Vietnam Bui Quoc Trung and Economic Counselor Dung visited Kuwait Times and discussed matters of mutual concern with Deputy Editor-in-Chief Dr M Ziad Al-Alyan and General Manager Badrya Darwish.

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LOCAL

kuwait digest

kuwait digest

Every action has a reaction

Seeking a solution

By Ahmad Al-Sarraf

By Waleed Al-Rujaib

here are some simple facts that we all need to agree upon:

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child usually reacts to physical abuse in two ways: either by developing fear, lack of confidence or by turning bitter inwardly by bottling up feelings of resentment. Psychological damage can be serious in the long run when the child eventually lets out pent-up frustration that might cause self-harm or harm to others.

While children are usually reprimanded or grounded for their misbehavior, it’s also important to address the reasons that led them to commit such actions to find solutions. I am not using this reasoning in an attempt to defend the Parliament’s storming to justify protestor’s behavior. However, the example mentioned above explains how this action was as a reaction to built-up frustration at their rights being infringed upon. There is a general lack of security and fading hope of better future for younger generations.

Kuwaitis always found security in the Constitution and the rules that protect them. However, this feeling of security has become threatened due to the corruption enjoyed, leading citizens to face an ironic situation where they are required to follow the law while the government doesn’t necessarily do the same.

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In order for people to follow the law, the government must first ensure that the law is enforced equally. Similarly, in order for political issues to be resolved in the Parliament instead of streets, MPs should be allowed to practice constitutional rights fully. This is so that people can always return to the Constitution as the only reference to solve problems instead of seeking other ways to express their opinions.

In order for people to follow the law, the government must first ensure that the law is enforced equally. Similarly, in order for political issues to be resolved in the Parliament instead of streets, MPs should be allowed to practice constitutional rights fully. This is so that people can always return to the Constitution as the only reference to solve problems instead of seeking other ways to express their opinions.

It’s clear today that parliamentary work has been paralyzed due to the hurdles present, which has limited the powers of our democracy. Grilling motions and committees have become less effective. This situation has restricted the ability of citizens to exercise their democratic rights, leaving them with no other option but to take to the streets in order to express opinions.

The government, in the meantime, channeled people’s rage so that the public would be distracted by corruption allegations, as well as practices that include undermining the Constitution, exploiting state funds and limiting democratic gains. Stricter security measures and limited freedoms aren’t the most serious repercussions. What is more dangerous is the fact that some attempts emerged to label recent events as being ‘sectarian.’ People who believe that the Parliament’s main hall has been violated by the raid of angry protestors should not forget that this hall was violated before when corrupt lawmakers accepted bribes. They were also humiliated by the government’s corruptive practices that do not accord top priority to the country and its people. — Al-Rai

kuwait digest

Understanding our capabilities

First, the events that took place last Wednesday at the Parliament, which was stormed and vandalized by mobsters led by MPs who are supposed to protect the Assembly’s sanctity, are totally unacceptable.

Secondly, the situation reached this critical juncture due to the government’s failure in enforcing the law, in addition to fully committing to the Constitution. It helps spread corruption without any kind of future planning. Third, the government has been creating sectarianism by allowing certain fundamentalist groups to take unfair advantage of more liberal national forces.

There have been problems in the ruling authori-

kuwait digest

The struggle has become too dangerous

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij uwait is suffering today as a result of the This threat is snowballing every day, and unforconstant and continuous struggle between tunately for the government (or perhaps fortuPrime Minister His Highness Sheikh Nasser nately for its opponents), it looks like it will keep Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah and his foes. It is impor- taking potshots through crises used by the oppotant to stress that fact, regardless of how commit- sition to gain leverage in their battle with the ted Sheikh Nasser is to maintaining his position, Cabinet. When the multimillion-dinar deposits and regardless of his commitment to seeking con- scandal emerged, the opposition immediately stitutional means, and the only way that the pronounced the government guilty on all charges opposition can before any investigaachieve their aim is tion even began.

While Sheikh Nasser — and most by ousting him.

Most recently, a disThis leads us to pute between Colonel likely HH the Amir as well — keep pushthe conclusion that Shukri Al-Najjar and a ing for disputes to be resolved only the country is in dire Kuwaiti woman is through constitutional means, the n eed of an en d to being used to put sufopposition seeks every opportunity to this continuous focating pressure on struggle, no matter the Interior Minister, take a potshot at the Cabinet in order what the conseas well as the entire to lead to its dissolution, although this quences might be.

Cabinet and of course, approach isn’t necessarily in line with The prime minister the Prime Minister. democratic regulations and principles and his opponents It ’s ironic that the today are equal in same MPs who threatitself. This forms a huge threat to strength and stuben to grill the interior Kuwait’s democratic system which has bornness in their minister or the preyet to mature, and to the country’s laws continuous game of mier over alleged govand regulations that still haven’t been tug of war. ernmental mediations While Sheik h for Col Al-Najjar, were anchored completely.

Nasser — and most involved in mediating likely HH the Amir as for c r i m i n a l s o n well — keep pushing for disputes to be resolved numerous occasions in the past. only through constitutional means, the opposiThe struggle between HH Sheikh Nasser and tion seeks every opportunity to take a potshot at his opponents has become very risky. After it put the Cabinet in order to lead to its dissolution, hurdles in front of the development plan, this although this approach isn’t necessarily in line struggle now threatens the basic foundations and with democratic regulations and principles itself. principles of our democracy. It’s tragic that this is This forms a huge threat to Kuwait’s democratic allowed to happen, and it seems to be more system which has yet to mature, and to the coun- about cer tain individuals’ goals to oust the try’s laws and regulations that still haven’t been Cabinet and premier than about Kuwait’s wellbeanchored completely. ing or anything else. — Al-Qabas

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kuwait digest

By Aisha Al-Awadhi ur daily lives are filled with many obligations on the personal and social levels, requiring us to make a lot of sacrifices. While we are occupied with fulfilling this, we tend to forget the fact that as a human being, we face limitations of many kinds.

Overlooking them , and the actual level of our capabilities usually create interpersonal conflicts. That happens when someone’s limitations prevent them from living up to a certain challenge people falsely believe they will be able to achieve.

In the Holy Quran, God says that He never asks humans to work beyond their capacities. This is divine proof that human beings have limitations, which vary from one person to another. If something is overloaded, it ultimately spills over, causing a complete mess.

For example, an entire construction would collapse if constructors fail to assess the real level of endurance of

The National Assembly and its image

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In the Holy Quran, God says that He never asks humans to work beyond their capacities. This is divine proof that human beings have limitations, which vary from one person to another. If something is overloaded, it ultimately spills over, causing a complete mess. its steel foundations.

This logic can be applied to human beings. If we place high expectations on someone, this will eventually damage our relationship with them when they naturally fail to live up to it.

Like everything else, human relations have certain capacities that should be considered so as to remain intact.

While people are usually asked to give their best in fulfilling responsibilities when they fail to commit to some duties, tolerance should be practiced. Major losses can be avoided when we become better aware of strengths and weaknesses. — Al-Rai

The Parliament’s raid includes violations of the principles of democracy committed by parliamentarians who represent people.

Their actions also include violations of the law and principles of morality.

On the other hand, public funds are violated when allegiances are bought through bribes - a case that was never investigated.

By Mudaffar Abdullah fter the incident where the National Assembly cal games at the expense of poor citizens. Things was stormed last Wednesday, I think it’d be now are, undoubtedly, up to HH the Amir as our last wise to gauge people’s reactions on how they resort when no other solutions work. So let’s leave perceive the incident because they are the ones that this difficult mission to him. elect lawmakers.

Talking about the justifications and excuses used Before discussing this, I’d like to remind every- by protestors that breached the NA like the cash body of other painful events that took place in 1985. deposits issue, killing Al-Maymouni, withdrawing the Do you remember the reactions of MPs from 1985 grilling motion from NA’s agenda, arresting blogon Monday diwaniyas? Do you remember the reac- gers; these issues cannot be arbitrarily mixed tions of former MPs Hamad Al-Jouan and Abdullah together. Such an approach is far from the right Al-Naibari on alleged measure to escape from assassination attempts? this dark tunnel.

Trying to drag discusThe storming incident It’s completely unacceptable to sions to dead ends to jusand the images are claim that corruption has gone too tify the breach has been humiliating to both the far and that the Parliament belongs completely rejected. It’s people and the to the people. Both as a building and completely unacceptable Constitution. a concept, the Parliament is the seat to claim that corruption Let ’s all remember has gone too far and that that the youth of the ‘We of power. This incident is a complete the Parliament belongs Want It Five’ campaign disgrace. If everyone were left to do to the people. Both as a managed to change whatever they like when certain building and a concept, Kuwait’s constituencies demands are not met, the entire the Parliament is the seat into five without hurling of power. This incident is abuses or wielding powcountry will be incinerated within a complete disgrace. If er. They managed to two days. everyone were left to do lead both MPs and minwhatever they like when isters into meeting their certain demands are not met, the entire country will demands. Therefore, I call for allowing the youth to be incinerated within two days. work for the change alone, leaving MPs to utilize Both the government and the Parliament have their constitutional tools in achieving voters’ aspiramade mistakes and they should stop playing politi- tions.— Aljarida

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ty, resulting from their feeling of injustice after being left out of vital positions in the mechanism of running the state.

What are the solutions to get out of this political predicament?

The Parliament’s raid includes violations of the principles of democracy committed by parliamentarians who represent people. Their actions also include violations of the law and principles of morality. On the other hand, public funds are violated when allegiances are bought through bribes a case that was never investigated.

In the meantime, the situation could’ve been avoided if MPs who reject the government’s attempts to foil the grilling motion had been in good faith. The situation wouldn’t have reached this critical juncture if MPs accused had good intentions.

All these intentions were overcome by politicians and financial interests.

The only solution is to put aside these interests and focus mainly on public good. I doubt they would do that though. It cannot happen when Kuwait earns a daily income that exceeds $300 million. — Al-Qabas

kuwait digest

Kuwait’s regressive mentality

By Thaar Al-Rashidi understand how a country like the United Arab Emirates develops rapidly every year. Every time one visits the UAE, it is different from the previous year. I also understand why development in Jordan is relatively slower. Changes take place only between five to six years in that beautiful country. Furthermore, I also understand how the situation remains as it is in Sudan. Someone who has visited Khartoum in 1970 will not find it very different in 2011.

What I really do not understand at all is how the Kuwait of 1975 was much better in all aspects than Kuwait 2011? Let us leave politics aside. I am talking about cultural attributes. The people of the 70s were more advanced and accepted each other.

Although time has moved forward, our mentalities have become more regressive. I know for sure that

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Kuwaiti people were very openminded in the 60s and 70s and are now extremely xenophobic. We assume that we enjoy unlimited freedoms here. Sadly, it was misused by some to create sectarian strife. the script writer of the film ‘The Curious Case of Benajamin Button,’ has never visited Kuwait or for that matter has even heard about the country! Hadn’t I read the book before, I would have said that he copied his film Idea from Kuwait!

The star Brad Pitt played the role of Benjamin who was born an old man and began growing young, reversing his age completely until he turned into an infant and vanished.

Kuwaiti people were very open-minded in the 60s and 70s and are now extremely xenophobic. We assume that we enjoy unlimited freedoms here. Sadly, it was misused by some to create sectarian strife.

Sadly, the government over the years has encouraged the misuse of freedom. Using freedom to revolt against the government or Prime Minister is usually scrutinized. Sectarian and tribal ‘freedom, ‘ in our government’s eye is actually good! However, if it is exercised, it tries to curtail it.

In my opinion, this is the main reason if not the only reason which puts Kuwait in a backward position.

It does not serve the country, government or the public. — Al-Anbaa

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

LOCAL

Father accidentally runs over daughter near desert camp Four Yemenis in custody for murder KUWAIT: A GCC family’s recent camping trip turned tragic when their child was killed after being accidently ran over by her father.

The two-year-old was pronounced dead at Jahra Hospital where she was rushed by her father following the mishap. The man explained that he accidently hit his daughter while driving near his camp in Abdali.

KUWAIT: Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait Service Quality Unit held a ceremony to honor retail banking staff ‘ABK Heroes’ who have an outstanding performance for the last seven months. Stewart Lockie, GM, Retail Banking and Ali Al Sammak, Service Quality Unit Manager thanked the staff for their hard work, dedication and commitment while handing over the certificates to them in a formal ceremony. ‘ABK Heroes’ is a rewarding and motivational program for ABK’s Retail Banking team. The Service Quality Unit selects staff based on various parameters to ensure that ABK’s Retail team offers premium quality banking services to its valued customers.

Egypt hails Kuwait support for Arab causes CAIRO: Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohammad Amr has praised active role played by Kuwait’s diplomatic authorities for boosting inter-Arab cooperation and rallying international support for the national causes.

Amr made the statement ahead of his scheduled departure to Kuwait, yesterday, to take part in scheduled meetings of the Deuaville Partnership group and the Future Forum. The minister, who would pay his first visit to Kuwait since taking the office, indicated that he was looking forward to meeting Kuwaiti leaders, including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

Kuwaiti diplomats have been playing an active and crucial role for bolstering pan-Arab cooperation and drawing international backing for causes of the Arab nation, he added.

Amr is due to take part in scheduled meetings of the Deauville Partnership which comprises foreign ministers of Tunisia, Jordan, Morocco, their counterparts of the Gulf countries and the major industrial G-8 states. He was expected to raise the issue of fulfilling previous pledges of granting financial support to Arab nations-previously made in shadow of the “Arab Spring” events.

The Deauville Partnership was launched by the major industrial countries (G8) in the French city of Deauville last May. The Egyptian official will also

take part in the ministerial meeting of Forum for the Future, due to demonstrate support for the Arab nations.

The forum’s deliberations will focus on plans for supporting democracy and political reforms in the Middle East. Amr is due to address the conferees about plans by the Egyptian leadership to hold polls and draft a new constitution.

Conferees are also expected to affirm support for establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

France and Kuwait will co-chair the Forum for the Future meeting. It brings together countries in the Broader Middle East and North Africa (BMENA) region and the G8, along with a number of partner countries. It is held every year in a country of the BMENA region.

It was created in 2004 following the G8 Sea Island Summit in the United States and met for the first time in Rabat in late 2004. The Forum for the Future aims to support modernization of BMENA countries and has become an important venue for dialogue. Forum meetings provide an occasion for foreign ministers to examine priority issues of interest, with the participation of civil society representatives. The forum was launched for boosting social, economic and political reforms in the Middle East nations. Egypt had succeeded in including other issues in the program of this gathering, namely education, woman affairs, health and environment. —KUNA

Murderers held Police arrested four people who confessed to murdering a GCC national whose body was found on the roof of a Bneid AlGar building recently. The four Yemeni suspects were caught a few hours after the 45-year-old was found dead with both his arms and legs tied. During interrogations, the suspects confessed

that they had committed the crime over business disputes.

Airport trouble A security officer at the Kuwait International Airport intervened to help a Canadian passenger access Kuwait with her children after an employee refused to issue visas for stipulations, which were not required. The woman was stranded with few options after being told following a 16hour flight that she was required to provide numbers of her children’s old passports - which was impossible considering the documents were submitted to authorities in Canada when she obtained the new passports. A while later, the woman was escorted to the arrivals’ gate with her children after a police officer went to the

Beach arrest Two girls were taken into custody after people reported seeing them sharing an intimate moment on Anjafa Beach. Police found the girls after a citizen reported witnessing the two women in a compromising position after which they were arrested.

Forgery Four people were recently arrested for forging work permits for expatriate workers.

Investigations have been ongoing after the database connection system revealed that over 75 work permits are unregistered in

the MSAL’s records. Police arrested four expatriates following investigations with owners of the forged work permits as official stamps used in the forgery process were found at their residence. They were referred to the concerned authorities.

Addict caught A drug addict was arrested during a recent patrol mission in Sulaibiya. The Kuwaiti young man was driving in the area when he was pulled over by a patrol vehicle.

Police officers were alerted by the suspect’s attempts to hide something between his legs, which turned out to be a plastic bag containing drugs and drug paraphernalia. He was arrested and taken into custody following the incident. —Al-Rai, Al-Watan, Al-Anba

KUWAIT: The Ambassador of Indonesia Ferry Adamhar and Eva Adamhar held a reception on the occasion of the 66th anniversary of the Indonesian Proclamation of Independence Day at Marina Hotel. The event was attended by diplomats and other dignitaries.

—Photos by Joseph Shagra

Expansion of private school market in Gulf countries KUWAIT: Private-school enrolment is expected to grow significantly in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in the next decade, but governments and investors must overcome several key challenges in order to capitalize on the opportunities this will present.

Chief among these challenges is an immature operating environment, characterized by a lack of transparency and consistency regarding regulations in the sector. In addition, constraints on financing new schools in the region, fragmented ownership structures that offer few economies of scale and a lack of information for parents regarding school quality have all inhibited the growth of the private-school market thus far. “Specific measures can help address these challenges,” says Chadi N. Moujaes, a partner with Booz & Company. “Governments should clarify the regulatory environment, ensuring that rules are stable and consistently enforced.

Streamlining the most problematic regulatory issues, such as those regarding property ownership, would attract more education players to the market. Regulators may also reconsider tuition regulation in a way that balances consumer protection with operators’ need to access funds. In addition, governments can raise

employee and explained that the procedure was actually quite unnecessary.

awareness about market opportunities with more proactive communication to operators and investors, explaining the scope of projected growth in the region’s private-school landscape.”

With $5.2 billion in annual tuition, the GCC private-school market is one of the world’s largest. Approximately 1.36 million students, the majority of which are expatriates, are enrolled in roughly 4,400 private schools throughout the region; however, this represents only a fraction of the GCC’s overall education system, which has around 6.3 million students in 35,000 schools. Private education represents about 14 per cent of the GCC’s $36 billion education market.

Three factors will likely increase the scope of private education in the coming years.

Demographic shifts will increase the number of students-and thus schools-in the region.

Parents’ desire for higher-quality education will increase the share of private education in the overall landscape. And their greater willingness to pay will increase the potential revenue pool.

Booz & Company predicts the GCC K-12 privateschool market will grow to between $11 billion and $17 billion by 2020 and enrolment will reach roughly 2.6 million.

Investors seeking to enter the market will need to have a keen understanding of its dynamics. To that end, Booz & Company recently conducted a survey of more than 1,000 parents in the GCC to understand what is most important to them in choosing a private school.

National and expatriate parents agreed on the most critical factors: quality of teachers, curriculum, reputation, environment for children and the preservation of culture.

Parents expressed a clear preference for gender segregation; 80 per cent indicated that their children currently attend schools without mixed classes, and 91 per cent report having considered such institutions. They also demonstrate a preference for international, English-language curricula, with 53 per cent preferring ‘Westernstyle’ curricula (UK, US, or International Baccalaureate). Currently, only 35 per cent of parents have their children in such schools, which suggests a significant potential market opportunity. The challenge is for operators to determine whether this gap is due to a simple lack of supply, or some other aspect of the market, such as cultural factors, in which case they will have to modify their offerings to satisfy consumer preferences.

88,000 illegal residents received free food supplies KUWAIT: Around 88,000 illegal residents in Kuwait benefited from the free food supplies, that was offered upon an Amiri grant, the head of the supply department in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Mohammad Khalaf Al-Enizi, said yesterday. They hold 10,772 food supplies cards, issued between last May until Sept 30, he added.

He said that upon the Ministry of Commerce decision number 409 of the year 2011 concerning offering facilities to illegal residents in Kuwait, the ministry issued decision number 238 for the year 2011 that classified the illegal residents who were included in the Amiri grant of free food supplies.

Total cost of the free food supplies offered for the illegal residents since May 2011 until the end of last September reached KD 4,646 million, he mentioned.

The food supplies they received were of the same quantity and quality of those received by Kuwaiti citizens, he affirmed.

The Amiri grant of free food supplies

will end by March 31 of year 2012. The illegal residents will continue to receive the food supplies after that date for specific fees, just like their fellow Kuwaiti citizens, he said.

The ministry increased the number of branches offering food supplies in cooperation with the Cooperative Societies following the issue of the Amiri grant, in order to serve the large number of people entitled to the grant, and to avoid the heavy crowds at the time of receiving the supplies, he said.

The centers of registering the food supplies cards have increased in number and employees, machines, and working hours, and are open two timings per day, according to the directions of the Minister of Commerce and Industry, he added. All citizens and illegal residents entitled for the food supplies have received their allocations, he said. The food supplies include rice, sugar, lentil, oil, liquid and powder milk, baby milk, chicken and cheese, he stated. — KUNA

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

Catalan, Basque parties win votes but lose punch in Spain

Pakistani Taleban, govt hold initial talks Page 12

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RAMALLAH: King Abdullah II of Jordan, second left, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, left, inspect the honor guard prior to their meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah yesterday.—AP

Jordan’s king pays visit to West Bank RAMALLAH: Jordan’s King Abdullah II paid a rare visit to the West Bank yesterday to show support for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, as the two moderate leaders try to engage with previously shunned Islamists now on the rise in the region. Abbas is holding power-sharing talks later this week with Khaled Mashaal, the top leader of the rival Islamic militant group Hamas. The two will try to end a bitter split caused

by Hamas’ violent takeover of Gaza in 2007 that left Abbas’ government in control only of the West Bank. Mashaal is also set to pay an official visit to Jordan, his first since the movement was expelled in 1999.

Abdullah and Abbas have met frequently in Jordan, which serves as the Palestinian leader’s second home base.

The king’s visit yesterday to the West Bank is only his third in 12 years as monarch - and first in more than a decade. It’s seen mainly as an acknowledgment of Abbas as the sole legitimate Palestinian leader and an attempt to forestall any negative fallout from

Mashaal’s upcoming Jordan trip.

A rapidly changing regional constellation has forced Abbas and Jordan’s king to reach out to former Islamist foes.

Asked about Mashaal’s upcoming visit, the kingdom’s Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh insisted that Jordan keeps channels of communication “open with everyone.” Abbas later praised the king’s visit as a “generous initiative,” in remarks carried by the Palestinian news agency Wafa. On the issue of Jordan-Hamas rapprochement, Abbas said he closely coordinates with the king and supports whatever Abdullah decides to do for the benefit of his country.

Abbas and Abdullah have been among the staunchest proponents of a peace deal with Israel. However, there’s little chance of reviving IsraeliPalestinian talks. Negotiations broke down three years ago, in part because Abbas does not believe he can reach a deal with Israel’s hardline Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who refuses to halt settlement expansion on occupied lands.

Meanwhile, Islamist movements have been gaining ground across the region amid the Arab Spring uprisings, which have brought down pro-Western dictators in Egypt and Tunisia. Abdullah whose country signed a peace deal with Israel in 1994 - was not visiting Israel yesterday, and Israeli officials had no comment on his visit to the West Bank.

Abbas is due to meet Mashaal in the Egyptian capital Cairo later this week to tr y to give a new push to interPalestinian power-sharing talks. The two reached a reconciliation agreement in principle earlier this year, but talks stalled over the composition of an interim unity government.

After meeting with Abbas, Mashaal will travel to Jordan for his first official visit since he and other Hamas leaders were expelled more than a decade ago.

Hamas’ parent movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, has gained influence across the region as part of the antigovernment protests. Jordan’s own Brotherhood has led pro-democracy demonstrations across the kingdom in

recent months. Jordanian officials have said Mashaal’s visit might include a meeting with the king but that a date has not been set. The officials insist Jordan would not allow Hamas to reopen its offices in the kingdom, but that the visit would mark an end to the Jordan-Hamas estrangement. After Jordan expelled Mashaal and four other Hamas leaders in 1999 for activities deemed harmful to the state, Mashaal set up camp in exile in Syria, from where he heads the militant Palestinian group’s political bureau. Jordan also black listed Hamas after an alleged weapons cache was discovered in the countr y five years ago. Since then, Mashaal was allowed to enter Jordan twice on humanitarian grounds - in August 2009 to attend his father’s funeral, and again last month to visit his ailing mother. Jordan’s newly appointed Prime Minister Awn al-Khasawneh said recently that expelling Mashaal, who holds a Jordanian passport, was a “legal and constitutional mistake which must be fixed.”— AP

Hezbollah renews support for Syria, Iran BEIRUT: Powerful militant group Hezbollah yesterday said Lebanon would continue to stand by Syria and Iran against “international conspiracies” and “threats”, as global pressure mounts on the two countries. “The current events in Syria are clearly an international conspiracy against Syria’s support for Arab and Islamic resistance movements in the region,” the Iran- and Syria-backed group said in a joint statement with its Shiite ally, the Amal Movement.

“Lebanon will never be a conduit for a conspiracy against a sister state.” The statement comes amid renewed international pressure on Syria’s Bashar AlAssad over his brutal crackdown on an eight-month popular revolt. Hezbollah and Amal also reiterated their support for Iran, as pressure mounts on the Islamic state over its nuclear program.

“We firmly support the Islamic Republic of Iran against all American and Israeli threats,” the statement said. Hezbollah, blacklisted as a terrorist organisation by the United States, earlier this month accused Washington of ramping up pressure on Iran and Syria as a way to deflect attention from its “searing defeat” in Iraq. — AFP

Turkish pilgrims attacked as 12 die in Syria DAMASCUS: Buses carrying Turkish pilgrims came under attack near the Syrian city of Homs as at least 12 more people were killed yesterday in a regime crackdown in the same flashpoint region, reports said. The latest violence came as Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Syrian President Bashar alAssad his days were numbered and that he could not stay in power indefinitely through the use of military power.

And in a signal of support for groups seeking to oust Assad, Foreign Secretary William Hague met representatives of Syria’s opposition for the first time, although he said it

was too early for Britain to formally recognize them. Russia for its part accused the West of provocative behaviour in the Syrian crisis, saying Western countries were telling the opposition to forget dialogue with the embattled president.

Two people were injured when “Syrian soldiers” attacked the Turks travelling by bus back from the Muslim hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia after taking a wrong turn near Homs, said the private CNN-Turk television station. “We confirm that an attack took place in Syria,” a Turkish foreign ministry official told AFP, without elaborating. The opposition umbrella Local Coordination

Committees said two buses had come under fire and published a video online showing several shattered windows on one bus. “Military and security forces open(ed) fire on two buses of a Turkish company heading towards Turkey via the Bab Hawa border crossing, injuring some of the Turkish travellers,” said the LCC. One pilgrim and the bus driver were injured, Turkish media reported.

“We were a convoy of eight to nine buses. First we saw a red car carrying four people. They fired at us from there,” injured pilgrim Cemil Karli, 50, told Anatolia news agency. “We don’t know who attacked and why... We could have died,” he said, adding the

buses managed to continue through to the Turkish border. Stepping up the pressure on one-time ally Assad, Erdogan said: “You can remain in power with tanks and cannons only up to a certain point. The day will come when you’ll also leave.”

“Someone shows up and says ‘I’ll fight and die.’ Against whom will you fight? Will you fight against your Muslim brothers you rule in your country?” asked Erdogan. The Turkish premier was referring to an interview with Assad published in London’s Sunday Times in which the Syrian leader vowed to fight and die for his country if faced with foreign intervention. —AFP

ISTANBUL: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, front left, speaks with Mehmet Gormez, head of Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate, after a meeting with African Muslim religious leaders in Istanbul, Turkey yesterday.—AP

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

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

Tunisia’s first democratically elected body to take charge TUNIS: A buoyant Tunisia is to enter a new phase of democratic rule today with the inauguration of its elected constituent assembly, ten months after a popular uprising ended years of dictatorship. “This event is like a second independence for Tunisia,” Ahmed Mestiri, an iconic figure in Tunisia’s struggle to gain its 1956 independence from France, told AFP. “It’s the symbol of the break with the old regime and the establishment of legitimate rule,” said the respected 86-yearold former politician.

A popular uprising that started in December 2010 over unemployment and the soaring cost of living ousted Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, who had been

in power 23 years and was thought to be one of the world’s most entrenched autocrats.

The revolt touched off a wave of pro-democracy protests across the region known as the Arab Spring and Tunisians anchored their revolution last month with an historic election for a constituent assembly. The 217-member body, which will be tasked with drafting a new constitution and picking a new executive, is dominated by Ennahda, a party inspired by the Muslim Brotherhood.

The moderate Islamist group holds 89 seats while the leftist Congress for the Republic Party (CPR) and the Ettakatol party control 29 and 20 seats

respectively. The main parties struck a deal over the weekend to split the three main posts in the new government: Ennahda’s Hamadi Jebali takes the post of prime minister, the CPR’s Moncef Marzouki that of president and Ettakatol’s Mustapha Ben Jaafar the chair of the new constituent assembly.

The assembly’s inaugural session will take place in the bey’s palace in the Bardo area that sheltered the old National Assembly and was where the treaty paving the way for the French protectorate was signed in 1881. The special session today is expected to confirm the assembly’s president and elect two deputies, a man and a

woman. The chamber’s freshly-elected members are also due to adopt a set of internal rules based on a document drafted by the now-dissolved body in charge of political reform after Ben Ali’s ouster. Challenging the bloc formed by the three main parties, the Progressive Democratic Party and the Democratic Modernist Pole, which have 16 and five seats respectively, will be main opposition forces.

A question mark still hangs however over the Popular Petition, a previously unknown group lead by a London-based millionaire which came out of the woodwork to clinch 26 seats, making it the assembly’s third largest party. Media entrepreneur

Hechmi Haamdi announced Sunday on his Al Mustakilla TV channel that he was freezing all political activities in Tunisia. Some of the politicians who were elected under the banner of the Popular Petition had already distanced themselves from Haamdi, who gave no instruction to those remaining.

The assembly’s remaining seats are split between independents and smaller parties, including the Communists and a movement headed up by a former Ben Ali minister. The interim government formed six weeks after Ben Ali was sent fleeing into exile in Saudi Arabia and led by Beji Caid Essebsi will remain in charge until the new executive is sworn in.— AFP

Iran snubs ‘useless’ UN Mideast atomic forum

SANAA: Dissident Yemeni soldiers make victory signs at a barricade as anti-regime protesters gather for a demonstration nearby in Sanaa yesterday.—AFP

Yemen tribes hit base near Sanaa, take weapons SANAA: Yemeni tribesmen opposed to President Ali Abdullah Saleh said they stormed a military base near the capital used by troops loyal to Saleh yesterday and made off with weapons. Hameed Asim, a leader of tribesmen who have skirmished with troops from the Republican Guard led

by Saleh’s son, said tribal fighters killed several troops and lost seven of their own in a raid on the base north of the capital, before withdrawing. The attack was the latest in a series of running battles between tribesmen in the Arhab region north of the capital Sanaa and forces backing Saleh, who is clinging to power despite 10 months of protest demanding his overthrow and a slide toward civil war on the borders of oil giant Saudi Arabia. It follows reports of progress in talks to implement a plan crafted by Yemen’s Gulf neighbours to ease

Saleh from power, which opposition political factions say have been stuck on the question of formal command of the national army. The political standoff in Yemen has re-ignited conflicts with separatists and militant Islamists who have seized territory in the south, alarming Riyadh and Washington, which funded Saleh as part of its campaign against al Qaeda. Saleh has wriggled on three occasions out of the power handover plan backed by the Gulf Cooperation Council and mirrored in a UN Security Council resolution, which a United Nations mediator is trying to put in place.

The crisis over Saleh’s fate has brought almost complete economic paralysis and periodically halted oil production in one the world’s poorest countries, which depends on crude exports for revenue to fund imports of staple foodstuffs.—Reuters

Libya will have new government: PM TRIPOLI: Libya’s prime minister-designate said yesterday he was ready to name a government to steer the country to its first fully democratic elections but gave no details of a line-up that may involve a delicate power balance in a fragile new state. Three months after Muammar Gaddafi fled Tripoli in the face of a revolt against his 42-year rule, Abdurrahim El-Keib said he would name a cabinet of experts today rather than yield to pressure from all quarters for a share of power.

“We will use competence as a basic measure and this way we will be able to include all of Libya’s regions. You will see,” Keib told a news conference with the US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice. Keib, who worked as an academic in the United States during much of Gaddafi’s rule, has long said he intends to name a “technocratic” provisional government, which will pick candidates based on competence rather than politics.

But tensions between various military and regional factions have lingered, as demonstrated by the capture on Saturday of Gaddafi’s son Saif al-Islam in the southern desert. The fighters from the Western Mountains town of Zintan who seized him on Saturday are holding him in their stronghold until the central government is formed. They say it is to ensure he is not killed while in the hands of another armed group, as his father was in his hometown of Sirte last month.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said in Geneva it had asked Libyan authorities to be allowed to visit Saif al-Islam in prison and expected the visit to take place soon. Nine months after the start of the uprising that sparked a civil war and eventually toppled Gaddafi, Keib’s cabinet will have the task of rebuilding a country scarred by conflict and decades of dictatorship that hollowed out many institutions. It is due to stay in place until the middle of next year, when elections to a constituent assembly should be held. Keib said he

would discuss the appointments with the National Transitional Council (NTC), the body which led the war effort against Gaddafi and has ruled the country since his fall.

“Probably within a couple of hours or so I will be visiting the NTC to discuss things related to the matter at hand,” Keib told reporters. “We have decided that tomorrow is the date when we will announce the government but we’re working hard to ensure that what we have is something solid, cohesive, capable of doing the job,” he added.

Keib went on to cast doubt on whether Gaddafi’s former intelligence chief, Abdullah al-Senussi, had indeed been captured on Sunday as was widely believed, saying he needed to verify the information himself before confirming it.

“Before I can confirm it to you, I would like to confirm to myself that he was indeed captured. I will not confirm it to you until I am 100 percent sure,” he told a news conference. A spokesman for the NTC said on Sunday local officials in the desert town of Sabha had confirmed Senussi’s capture. When asked about Keib’s remarks, a senior NTC commander said Senussi had definitely been captured.

“He is in the hands of the Je’fel Fezzan” General Ahmed al-Hamdouni said, using the name of the force he said conducted the mission in the same region in which Saif al-Islam was found. Keib said Saif alIslam and Senussi would receive a fair trial in Libya. That could lead to conflict with the Hague-based International Criminal Court, which has indicted both men, along with Gaddafi, for crimes against humanity. It is unclear how the West will respond to Libya’s insistence that it can try both men rather than hand them over to the ICC. At the joint news conference, Rice preferred not to comment on the issue. France said yesterday it wanted to try Senussi over a 1989 airliner bombing in Niger that killed 170 people including 54 French nationals. — Reuters

VIENNA: Iran angrily stayed away yesterday from a UN atomic agenc y forum on creating a Middle East free of nuclear weapons, amid growing tensions over Tehran’s suspected efforts to develop the bomb. Iran’s ambassador to the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agenc y (IAEA), Ali Asghar Soltanieh, said Tehran’s decision was its “first reaction” to the body’s “inappropriate” recent report on its nuclear program. That assessment saw the IAEA come the closest yet to accusing Iran outright of seeking to develop nuclear weapons.

Iran, hit by four rounds of UN sanctions, says its activities are exclusively for peaceful purposes.

On Friday, the IAEA’s board of governors passed a resolution of “deep and increasing concern” submitted by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, Germany and 12 others in light of the report. Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak meanwhile provided an ominous response Sunday when asked about growing speculation of a military strike.

The IAEA report “has a sobering impact on many in the world, leaders as well as the publics, and people understand that the time has come,” he told CNN. “Our greatest wish is that they commit such a mistake,” Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Amir-Ali Hajizadeh was quoted as saying by the Fars news agency yesterday.

Soltanieh said another reason for not attending the two-day IAEA forum, aimed at learning from the experiences of other so-called nuclear-weapon-free zones (NWFZ), was Israel’s unofficial atomic arsenal.

“As long as the Zionist regime does not belong to the NPT (nuclear non-proliferation treaty)... this kind of conference is useless

TEHRAN: Iranian Trade and Industry Minister Mehdi Ghazanfari speaks during a press conference in Tehran yesterday. Iran would “suffer” under new sanctions, but it would survive thanks to business with other countries and increased self-reliance, Ghazanfari said. —AFP and cannot succeed,” Soltanieh told Iranian television channel AlAlam. Israel is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons but has never confirmed it. Unlike Iran it is not a signatory to the NPT and therefore not subject to IAEA inspections. Syria, reported by the IAEA to the Security Council over a suspected covert reactor allegedly bombed by Israel in 2007, was however present at the forum, along with Israel, 17 other Middle East states and Palestinian representatives.

Some of the roughly 275 participants from 97 countries in the closed-doors discussion said representatives of several Arab states, particularly Syria and Lebanon, had used their speeches to attack Israel. “Israeli nuclear capabilities

pose a grave and continuous threat to others in the region.

Israel must join the NPT,” Syria’s ambassador Bassam Sabbagh said, according to a participant.

Israel’s ambassador was yet to speak. Participants said the atmosphere was however less “confrontational” than previous IAEA events that have degenerated into Arab-Israeli slanging matches.

NWFZ treaties prohibit the production, acquisition and stationing of nuclear weapons, as well as nuclear testing. Zones of this kind already exist in Latin America and the Caribbean, the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, Africa and Central Asia, encompassing 113 countries.

IAEA member states requested in 2000 that such a Mideast forum take place but agreement on hold-

ing such a meeting remained elusive until now. The forum comes ahead of a conference in 2012 to be hosted by Finland on ridding the powder keg region, rocked this year by Arab Spring popular uprisings in several countries, of nuclear weapons. IAEA head Yuk iya Amano, opening the forum, conceded there were “ long-standing differences of view” on creating such a zone. “It has taken 11 years to get to this point,” Amano said. “I hope it will nurture fresh thinking-creative thinking.” “It’s up to Iran to consider if it can make a contribution.

Clearly they felt not,” S outh Africa’s IAEA ambassador Abdul Samad Minty told reporters. “But this (the forum) is a first step. It’s not the end of the process.”— AFP

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gestures as he speaks during a Likud party meeting at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem yesterday. —AP

Israel boosts naval patrols around Med gas fields TEL AVIV: Israel has gradually boosted naval patrols around its east Mediterranean natural gas fields for fear of guerrilla attacks and as maritime rivalry with Turkey deepens, an Israeli official said yesterday. Missile boats have stepped up missions around the Tamar and Leviathan platforms over the past year, as well as coordination with private security firms contracted by the U.S.-Israeli exploration consortium, the official said.

“We have replicated the arrangements already in place at Yam Tethys,” the official said, referring to another Israeli gas field 40 km (25 miles) off southern Ashkelon port, near the waters of the Palestinian territory Gaza. Tamar and Leviathan, in which Israel sees a potential pipeline to energy independence, are around twice and three times as far out to sea, respectively. That challenges Israel’s small navy, which is more accustomed to close coastal patrols.

The Israeli military’s newspaper Bamahane said the navy was undergoing expansion

including the appointment of a commodore to handle the induction of two more Germanmade submarines and address “the new need to protect the drilling rigs”. Bamahane did not elaborate, but experts have long voiced concern that Tamar and Leviathan could be targeted by Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas given Beirut’s complaints at what it deems Israel’s unilateral exploration in the absence of an agreed maritime border. The two countries are technically at war.

“One danger is a proximity attack, by frogmen, by boats, by terrorists in some fashion,” Giora Eiland, a former Israeli national security adviser, told the Globes business journal in May. “Another, bigger challenge is how to face the threat of missiles, because today you can launch missiles from tens of kilometres away,” he said. Israel and Cyprus, which is doing its own drilling for eastern Mediterranean gas in consortium with Texas-based Noble Energy, are also mindful of Turkey’s naval assertiveness in the area. NATO-member Turkey, which

pledged in September to send in more frigates and torpedo boats, says any natural resources found off Cyprus should be shared with the island’s breakaway ethnic-Turkish north, a state recognized solely by Ankara.

Turkey’s Islamist-rooted government also described the naval reinforcements as a precaution against Israel intercepting proPalestinian sympathisers who attempt to sail to blockaded Gaza, as it did in 2010, killing nine Turks. The Israeli official confirmed that the new safeguards around Tamar and Leviathan came in response to the perceived Hezbollah threat, but was more circumspect about the face-off with Turkey, formerly Israel’s stalwart Muslim ally. “We are keeping up with all the challenges of operating in the eastern Mediterranean,” the official said.

Tamar and Leviathan, from which Israel predicts at least $150 billion in gas revenues, are scheduled to begin pumping in 2013 and 2017 respectively. Yam Tethys is currently Israel’s only working rig.— Reuters

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Eritrea wants UN action on Kenya over Somalia claim ADDIS ABABA: Eritrea has complained to the UN Security Council about Kenyan allegations that it sent weapons to Islamist rebels in Somalia, calling for an independent investigation to judge the dispute. Foreign Minister Osman Saleh said in a letter to the Council that Eritrea was confident an investigation would find Nairobi’s “defamatory” accusations to be baseless, and urged the United Nations to take action against Kenya in the dispute.

Nairobi has accused Eritrea of flying in weapons for al Shabaab, an insurgent group liked to al Qaeda which has been fighting the Western-backed Somali government since 2007, and which is now also battling Kenyan forces. “If, as Eritrea confidently believes, the investi-

gation determines that there is no basis whatsoever to the very serious and harmful accusations by the government of Kenya, Eritrea calls on the Security Council to take action that would redress the injustice suffered by the people and government of Eritrea,” Saleh wrote in the letter, seen by Reuters.

“Defamation of a member state of the United Nations should not be indulged in with impunity and must not be tolerated, given its negative implications for regional peace and security,” he said in the letter, dated Nov 16. Kenya sent troops into Somalia, its anarchic neighbour, last month to rout the insurgents which it blames for kidnappings of Western aid workers and

tourists on Kenyan soil, and frequent cross-border incursions.

Nairobi says it has credible information that consignments of arms were flown to the Somali town of Baidoa from Eritrea. Kenyan officials have said that Eritrean denials are not enough, and that it should go further and denounce al Shabaab. Saleh’s letter to Jose Filipe Cabral, the Security Council’s rotating president for November, gave no details on who might conduct the investigation, nor did it say what action Eritrea wanted. However, Eritrea’s envoy to the African Union said the Kenyan allegations should be publicly dismissed as a first step. “It is up to the UN Security Council to take whatever action it feels appropriate and neces-

sary to rectify such baseless allegations and defamation of a member state,” envoy Girma Asmerom told Reuters.

“However, as a starter, I strongly feel that the UN Security Council should urge the government of Kenya to publicly rescind its baseless accusation against Eritrea,” he said.

Kenyan officials have said the weapons consisted of shoulder-fired rockets, grenades and small arms munitions, and that they have been moved to areas in southern and central Somalia.

Slapped with an arms embargo, assets freeze and a travel ban for some of its officials in 2009, Eritrea faces another round of measures over charges it was aiding militants fighting

to overthrow the internationallybacked Mogadishu government.

Asmara accuses Ethiopia of being behind the claims through a “frenzied campaign” to isolate and weaken its government. The neighbours fought a two-year war over disputed territory a decade ago but the frontier spat has yet to be resolved.

Scores of Ethiopian military vehicles carrying soldiers have been spotted by residents in Somalia’s frontier towns in what could be a joint attempt to flush out al Shabaab. Ethiopian officials, however, say they have yet to decide on deploying troops, though they are committed to a regional initiative to stabilize the lawless Horn of Africa country. — Reuters

Catalan, Basque parties win votes but lose punch in Spain Political tensions likely

LONDON: Bob and Sally Dowler, parents of murdered schoolgirl Milly, arrive to give evidence at the the Leveson inquiry in London yesterday. —AP

Parents: Hacking made us think Milly was alive LONDON: The mother of a murdered girl told a British courtroom yesterday she believed her missing 13-year-old was still alive once she reached the girl’s previously full voice mailbox - only to learn later that her daughter’s phone had been hacked into by a tabloid. Sally Dowler said when she could finally leave a message on her daughter Milly’s voice mail weeks after the girl disappeared in 2002, she shouted “She’s picked up the voice mails! ... She’s alive!”

In fact, messages on Milly’s phone had been deleted not by Milly but by someone working for the News of the World tabloid while the Dowlers and the police were still searching for the girl, who was later found dead. The Dowlers were the first in a string of high-profile witnesses, including celebrities such as Hugh Grant, Sienna Miller and author J K Rowling, testifying before a judicial inquiry set up

by Prime Minister David Cameron on how they were followed, photographed, entrapped and harassed by tabloid journalists.

The Dowlers also described their shock and anger when a private walk to retrace their missing daughter’s last steps was secretly photographed by the tabloid. Sally Dowler said she and her husband Bob had no idea they were being observed as they walked near their home in May 2002, but days later saw the pictures in the News of the World.

“It just felt like such an intrusion into a really, really private grief moment,” she said. The couple said they later realized that their own phone, as well as their daughter ’s, had been hacked. The Dowlers took the stand together and spoke in quiet, composed voices during their 30 minutes of nationally televised testimony. They described a tense July meeting with media mogul Rupert Murdoch, owner of the now shuttered News of the World, when he apologized for the hacking.

“It was a very tense meeting,” Sally Dowler said. “He was very sincere.”

Cameron set up the inquiry into media

ethics in the wake of a still-evolving scandal over phone hacking in Britain.

Murdoch shut down the tabloid in July after evidence emerged that it had routinely eavesdropped on the voice mails of public figures, celebrities and even crime victims in its search for scoops.

More than a dozen News of the World journalists and editors have been arrested, and several senior Murdoch executives have resigned over the still-evolving scandal. Two top London police officers were forced to resign, along with Cameron’s top media adviser.

The inquiry, led by judge Brian Leveson, could recommend major changes to the way the media in Britain is regulated. The second witness yesterday was journalist and novelist Joan Smith, whose phone was hacked while she was in a relationship with a politician, Denis MacShane. Smith said she was shocked when police said her name and details had been found in the notebooks of private eye Glenn Mulcaire, who worked for the News of the World and was jailed in 2007 for phone hacking.

“I don’t think I’m somebody whose private life would be of much interest to the reading public,” she said. “This could happen to almost anybody. That’s the astonishing thing. You don’t have to be an incredibly famous actress or actor ... you just have to tangentially come into the orbit of somebody who is well known.” Graham Shear, a sports and media lawyer who has represented many celebrities, told the inquiry the host of tabloid techniques he has encountered, from checkbook journalism to “kiss and tell girls” who target athletes.

Shear is suing the News of the World’s parent company, alleging that his own voice mail messages, as well as those of his clients, were hacked. He said tabloid journalism was “a business model that’s become dependent and infatuated with sensationalist and titillating stories.” In that environment, he said, “the News of the World was at the front as the most effective story-gatherer.” — AP

Rwandan parliament hears officials in corruption probe KIGALI: A Rwandan parliamentary commission yesterday began hearings of almost 200 senior officials as part of an inquiry into the management of public funds. Among those to be convened are the general secretaries of ministries, provincial governors and the directors of state-owned companies, who will be heard until December 5 by the parliamentary commission responsible for the management of finances and state property.

“The commission issued its summonses after analyzing the (2009/2010) report by the auditor general of state finances.

The commission can also call in other people if it believes they can enlighten

it,” Augustin Habimana, parliament’s information chief, told AFP. According to the office of the auditor general, 9.7 billion Rwandan francs (12 million euros, 16.2 million dollars) were spent without justification in the period under review.

President Paul Kagame’s government four years ago began a campaign against economic crime, which has already led to the conviction and imprisonment of several government ministers, members of parliament and senior civil servants.

Rwanda, a small central African country, is classified by the organisation Transparency International as being among the least corrupt on the continent. — AFP

MADRID: Catalan and Basque regional parties won more votes than ever before in Sunday’s Spanish parliamentary election, but their ability to wring funds out of the central government will be stifled by the conservative party’s control of parliament. Spain’s central government is often at odds with the fiercely distinct Catalan and Basque regions and political tensions are bound to rise after the election bolstered parties that promote autonomy from the rest of the country.

Mariano Rajoy’s centre-right People’s Partyopposed to more powers for autonomous regions-won an absolute majority in the lower house of parliament as Spaniards punished the outgoing Socialists over 21.5 percent unemployment, huge debt and for taking the country to the brink of a euro zone rescue.

That means the PP, unlike most Spanish governments before it, will not need to court the votes of Basque and Catalan parties to pass laws.

In the past those regions-already among Spain’s wealthiest-won financial concessions as a way to secure their support. But such deals, always opaque, were resented elsewhere in Spain where Catalan and Basque independence movements are regarded with suspicion. “I promise to govern without sectarianism ... Nobody need be worried. My only enemies will be unemployment, excessive debt and economic stagnation,” Rajoy said in his victor y speech, a clear wink to autonomous political movements.

The incoming government has a tricky political job on its hands if it wants to keep peace with regions after decades of mistrust.

The PP has its roots in old centralist Spain and the repression of Catalans and Basques under the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco until his death in 1975. Some of the party’s most vociferous members have made statements perceived as anti-Catalan or antiBasque.

Xavier Vidal-Folch, political commentator at newspaper El Pais, said that even with a huge national majority the PP was still only the third most voted-for party in Catalonia and the fourth in the Basque region. He said the PP would have to make overtures to Catalans and Basque leaders or “live with a

latent conflict which gets deeper and will worsen the bad mood on the streets.” “Rajoy mustn’t forget that the crisis is unforgiving.

(Former Greek PM) Papandreou only lasted two years and he won an absolute majority too.”

Something that could help keep the political peace is the fact that Spaniards every-

the Basque region is also different from the rest of Spain because its economy is relatively better off. Basque unemployment is only 12 percent compared with 21.5 percent in Spain as a whole.

Overspending in Spain’s 17 autonomous regions is at the centre of investor doubts about the country’s ability to pay its debts.

MADRID: Spanish prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero arrives for a press conference in his first public comments on the election in Madrid yesterday. —AP where are overwhelmingly more worried about the economy than they are about nationhood, said Carlos Barrera, politics professor at the Navarre University. “But the strength of the victory of (left-wing) Amaiur must be taken into account,” he said. Amaiur, a regrouping of former supporters of the violent Basque separatists ETA, won an astounding seven seats in parliament on Sunday, surpassing moderate Basque nationalists PNV in its ballot debut. Weeks before the election ETA renounced its four-decade armed struggle to form a Basque homeland, an era of bombings and shootings that blighted the whole country. Amaiur still favours independence for the Basques. The political climate in

But the Basque region is on target to reach its budget deficit target this year. Fitch’s credit ratings agency gives the autonomous region’s long term debt an “AA” rating, better than Spain’s own “AA-”.

Catalonia has a lower “A-” rating and, although the regional government, run by the nationalist party Convergencia i Unio, is set to bring down the deficit dramatically this year, they will not reach targets. Unemployment is also closer to the national average at 19.4 percent. CiU won Sunday’s vote in Catalonia by around 2.5 percentage points despite controversial cuts in health spending which have prompted street protests and a health workers’ strike. — Reuters

Putin greeted by jeers and boos

LJUBLJANA: Foreign minister of Kosovo Enver Hoxhaj (L) and his Slovenian counterpart Samuel Zbogar sign a collaboration protocol between Slovenia and Kosovo in Ljubljana yesterday. —AFP

Kosovo, Serbia resume talks BRUSSELS: Serbia and Kosovo resume talks yesterday on improving their fraught relations - a condition for Serbia’s quest to join the 27-nation European Union. A long-running customs dispute in northern Kosovo sparked interethnic violence in July and September that killed one police officer and injured at least 11 people seven Kosovo Serbs and four NATO soldiers.

Serbs in that area reject Kosovo’s 2008 secession from Serbia and want to stop Kosovo’s authorities from setting up customs checks, a move they see as establishing Kosovo’s statehood over the whole territory. Serbian government officials also have said they will never recognize Kosovo’s independence.

The EU has not set recognition of Kosovo as a formal requirement for Serbia’s candidacy, but it insists Serbia establish “good-neighborly relations” with its former province.

The customs dispute will be a key topic in the negotiations, said Borislav Stefanovic, the head of the Serbian

delegation. Like the ethnic Serbs who live there, Serbia has opposed having Kosovo customs officers on two border crossings inside the ethnic Serb enclave in northern Kosovo, saying this would signify recognition of Kosovo as an independent state. But Serbia’s government has not objected to Kosovo customs officials at other border crossings.

Maja Kocijancic, an EU spokeswoman, said other issues to be discussed include linking telecommunications networks and electricity grids, as well as Kosovo’s participation in regional forums.

Serbia’s application for EU membership has progressed rapidly since its capture earlier this year of the last two war criminals indicted by the UN tribunal dealing with the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. The country is expected to be granted candidate status next month, but no date will be set for the start of the EU accession process - which normally lasts several years - mainly due to continuing tensions over Kosovo. — AP

MOSCOW: Has Vladimir Putin lost his touch? The boos and whistles that greeted the Russian prime minister when he stepped into the ring and took the microphone at a martial arts event in Moscow on Sunday may have given him a shock. They come amid a sense of fatigue with Putin in the runup to a March presidential election which is almost certain to give him at least six more years as Kremlin leader.

In video footage posted on the Internet, fans can be heard shouting and whistling as Putin is handed the microphone in the ring of Olympiysky Stadium.

Allowing just a blink of bewilderment as he peers around the stadium, Putin presses on to congratulate fighter Fyodor Yemelyanenko’s victory over an American rival. One fan screams “leave” as Putin speaks. Opinion polls show the former KGB spy is still Russia’s most popular politician, and organisers said in a statement they did not believe he was the target of the jeers. If he was, he has never been heckled by so many.

“Even though it is clear that a part of the audience was cheering, a significant part was no doubt jeering Putin,” said Konstantin von Eggert, a commentator for Kommersant FM radio. “We have never seen anything like this on this scale before. It is a symptom that some in Russian society are tired of Putin’s image.” Russian blogger Alexei Navalny said it was the end of an era in which there had been a taboo on voicing or broadcasting unrehearsed public discontent at Russia’s paramount leader.

Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov could not immediately be reached for comment. Polls show Putin’s ruling party is likely to win a parliamentary election on Dec 4 and that he is almost certain to win the March presidential election. Many Russians still admire the man who first became president in 2000. “What do I think of Putin? Only the best, and nothing has changed since the announcement of his running for presidency,” said Yelena, a 24-year-old law student in Moscow.

But the outburst at the Olympiysky Stadium seems to reflect a weariness among voters with the macho image of a leader who has already ruled Russia for almost 12 years. Russia’s biggest independent pollster published a poll this month showing Putin’s approval rating had fallen to 61 percent, the lowest since August 2000, when he was dogged by the botched reaction to a naval disaster that killed all 118 crewmen aboard the submarine Kursk. — Reuters

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US college president vows probe for pepper spraying SAN FRANCISCO: The president of the University of California system said he was “appalled” at images of protesters being doused with pepper spray and plans an assessment of law enforcement procedures on all 10 campuses, as two police officers were placed on administrative leave in the incident. “Free speech is part of the DNA of this university, and non-violent protest has long been central to our history,” UC President Mark G. Yudof said in a statement Sunday in response to the spraying of students sitting passively at UC Davis. “It is a value we must protect with vigilance.”

Yudof said it was not his intention to “micromanage our campus police forces,” but he said all 10 chancellors would convene soon for a discussion “about how to ensure proportional law enforcement response to non-violent protest.”

Protesters from Occupy Sacramento planned to travel to nearby Davis yesterday for a noon rally in solidarity with the students, the group said in a statement.

UC Davis officials refused to identify the two officers who were place on administrative leave but one was a veteran of many years on the force and the other “fairly new” to the department, the school’s Police Chief Annette Spicuzza told The Associated Press. She would not elaborate further because of the pending probe.

Videos posted online of the incident clearly show one riot-gear clad officer dousing the line of protesters with spray as they sit with their arms intertwined.

Spicuzza told the AP that the second officer was identified during an intense review of several videos. “We really wanted to be diligent in our research, and dur-

ing our viewing of multiple videos we discovered the second officer,” Spicuzza said. “This is the right thing to do.”

Both officers were trained in the use of pepper spray as department policy dictates, and both had been sprayed with it themselves during training, the chief noted. Meanwhile, UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi said she has been inundated with reaction from alumni, students and faculty and would speed up an investigation that was to have taken three months.

“I spoke with students this weekend and I feel their outrage,” Katehi said in a statement Sunday.

Katehi also set a 30-day deadline for her school’s task force investigating the incident to issue its report. The task force, comprised of students, staff and faculty, will be chosen this week. She earlier had set a 90-day timetable. She also plans to

meet with demonstrators at their general assembly, said her spokeswoman, Claudia Morain. The UC Davis faculty association called for Katehi’s resignation, saying in a Saturday letter there had been a “gross failure of leadership.” Katehi has resisted calls for her to quit.

“I am deeply saddened that this happened on our campus, and as chancellor, I take full responsibility for the incident,” Katehi said Sunday. “However, I pledge to take the actions needed to ensure that this does not happen again. I feel very sorry for the harm our students were subjected to and I vow to work tirelessly to make the campus a more welcoming and safe place.” The incident reverberated well beyond the university, with condemnations and defenses of police from elected officials and from the wider public on Facebook and Twitter.

“On its face, this is an outrageous action for police to methodically pepper spray passive demonstrators who were exercising their right to peacefully protest at UC Davis,” Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said in a statement Sunday. “Chancellor Katehi needs to immediately investigate, publically explain how this could happen and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.”

The protest Friday was held in support of the overall Occupy Wall Street movement and in solidarity with protesters at the University of California, Berkeley who were jabbed by police with batons on Nov. 9. Nine students hit by pepper spray were treated at the scene, two were taken to hospitals and later released, university officials said. Ten people were arrested. —AP

Gates testifies in $1billion lawsuit against Microsoft Gates accused of duping competitor

NASHUA: Republican presidential candidate former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks to supporters as Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., left, listens outside City Hall in Nashua, N.H on Sunday. —AP

Romney urges Obama to stop looming military cuts NASHUA: Mitt Romney’s Republican presidential campaign steamed forward this weekend, scoring what is one of New Hampshire’s most significant political endorsements and fueling a growing sense of inevitability surrounding the former Massachusetts governor’s White House bid. A beaming Romney stood shoulder-to-shoulder with New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte Sunday afternoon, several hours after the popular Republican senator ’s decision became public.

“There’s one person in this field who is prepared to lead the United States of America and that is Mitt Romney,” Ayotte told cheering supporters gathered on the city hall steps. “And most importantly, there is one person who I know will ensure that Barack Obama is a one-term president and that is Mitt Romney.”

The freshman senator is the latest high-profile addition to an organization that already included Granite State Republican heavyweights like former Sen. Judd Gregg and former Gov. John H. Sununu. But even in a world where the impact of endorsements is often exaggerated, Ayotte’s public support is a significant step forward for Romney in New Hampshire. It ’s led prominent Republicans to suggest that Romney who already enjoys tremendous advantages in the first-in-the-nation primary state - has become so strong here that the real contest on Jan. 10 will be for second place.

“It’s certainly going to push him even further ahead. I think this is a very big deal,” said Jennifer Horn, a leading Granite State conservative who isn’t affiliated with any campaign. “I think it would take something fairly cataclysmic for someone else to come in first in New Hampshire at this point.” Romney hasn’t begun to run television advertising yet. Instead, he’s been steadily raising money and adding campaign muscle as his Republican opponents struggle to overcome weaknesses.

Romney is expected to join the television ad war soon, however.

His campaign had a video crew following the former governor this weekend to gather footage for his first advertisement. He wouldn’t share any details when asked about timing. “As we get closer we will go up on the air.

This is a calculation of how much money we have to spend and when is the right time to go up,” Romney told reporters following a Saturday night campaign stop in Peterborough. “But I wouldn’t expect to be waiting weeks and weeks. It’s got to come relatively soon, and it’ll happen in the early primary states.”

Republican operatives here note that Ayotte is perhaps the most popular politician in the state, having won a resounding victory just one year ago.

She brings a network of roughly 3,000 volunteers and 7,000 donors, according to Steve Duprey, a New Hampshire member of the Republican National Committee. “I don’t think you can say Governor Romney has it wrapped up because that last month will be intense and Iowa will have some impac t,” Duprey said. “But this gives him tremendous campaign muscle.”

Like New Jersey Gov Chris Christie’s endorsement earlier in the fall, Ayotte’s support also offers a bridge to more conservative voters, who have been reluctant to endorse a candidate with a mixed history on some social issues.

Romney has struggled to win over that voting bloc in New Hampshire and elsewhere, although some have begun to reluctantly embrace his candidacy in light of repeated stumbles by his rivals.

“Kelly is not an ivory tower establishment-type elected official,” Horn said.

“She brings a tremendous amount of credibility among grassroots conservative votes.” And with Romney looking on, Ayotte, along with her husband, promised to play an active role in Romney’s campaign. “Joe and I will be doing everything we can to make sure Mitt Romney is the next president of the United States,” she said. “We cannot take four more years of this president.” —AP

SALT LAKE CITY: Microsoft’s Bill Gates took the witness stand yesterday in a $1 billion antitrust lawsuit accusing the software maker of duping a competitor prior to its rollout of Windows 95.

Gates began his testimony with a history of Microsoft Corp and was expected to remain on the stand throughout the day. He said he was just 19 when he helped found the software giant. “We thought everybody would have a personal computer on every desk and in every home,” he said. “We wanted to be there and be the first.”

Gates, wearing a gray suit and a yellow tie, was the first witness to testify yesterday as Microsoft lawyers presented their case in the trial that’s been ongoing in federal court in Salt Lake City for about a month. Utah-based Novell Inc. sued Microsoft in 2004, claiming the Redmond, Washington, company violated US antitrust laws through its arrangements with other computer makers when it launched Windows 95. Novell says it was later forced to sell WordPerfect for a $1.2 billion loss.

The company argues that Gates, Microsoft’s co-founder, ordered company engineers to reject WordPerfect as a Windows 95 application because he feared it was too good. WordPerfect’s share of the market then plummeted from nearly 50 percent to less than 10 percent as Microsoft’s own office programs took hold. Novell attorney Jeff

Johnson has conceded that Microsoft was under no legal obligation to provide advance access to the Windows 95 operating system so Novell could pre-

installing WordPerfect because it threatened to crash Windows and couldn’t be fixed in time for the rollout. He argued that Novell’s missed opportunity was its own

antitrust laws so Microsoft could monopolize the market.

“We got stabbed in the back,” he said. Microsoft is seeking a dismissal, calling the claims ground-

SALT LAKE CITY: Microsoft founder Bill Gates arrives at the Frank E. Moss federal courthouse in Salt Lake City yesterday.—AP pare a compatible WordPerfect version. Microsoft, however, enticed Novell to work on a version, only to withdraw support months before Windows 95 hit the market, he said.

Microsoft lawyer David Tulchin said Gates decided against

fault, and that Microsoft had no obligation to give a competitor a leg up. “Novell never complained to Microsoft,” Tulchin said during arguments Friday. “There’s nothing in the evidence, no documents.” Johnson maintains Novell was tricked in violation of federal

City sues roll-your-own cigarette shops over taxes NEW YORK: There is no place in the US more expensive to smoke than New York City, where the taxes alone will set you back $5.85 per pack. Yet, addicts who visit Island Smokes, a “roll-your-own” cigarette shop in Chinatown, can walk out with an entire 10-pack carton for under $40, thanks to a yawning tax loophole that officials in several states are now trying to close.

NEW YORK: An employee at Island Smokes demonstrates how to make cigarettes using a machine in New York. —AP The store is one of a growing number around the country that have come under fire over their use of high-speed cigarette rolling machines that function as miniature factories, and can package loose tobacco and rolling papers into neatly formed cigarettes, sometimes in just a few minutes. The secret to Island’s low prices is simple: Even though patrons leave carrying cartons that look very much like the Marlboros or Newports, the store charges taxes at the rate set for loose tobacco, which is just a fraction of what is charged for a

commercially made pack.

Customers select a blend of tobacco leaves, intended to mirror the flavor of their regular brand. Then they feed the tobacco and some paper tubes into the machines, and return to the counter with the finished product to ring up the purchase. The savings come at every level. Many stores sell customers loose pipe tobacco, which is taxed by the federal government at $2.80 per pound (450 grams), compared with $25 per pound for tobacco made for cigarettes. The shops don’t pay into the cigarette manufacturer trust fund, intended to reimburse government health programs for the cost of treating smoking-related illness. And the packs produced by “roll-your-own” shops are generally also being sold without local tax stamps, which in New York include a $1.50 city tax and a $4.35 state tax.

New York City’s legal department filed a lawsuit against Island Smokes on Nov. 14, arguing that the company’s Manhattan store and another on Staten Island are engaging in blatant tax evasion. Every package of cigarettes sold in the state, the suit argued, must bear a New York tax stamp. Businesses that sell unstamped cigarettes are violating both local law and the federal Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act, city lawyers said. The suit, filed in federal court in Manhattan, also accused the store of violating a state law requiring cigarettes to meet fire safety standards.

“By selling illegally low-priced cigarettes, defendants not only interfere with the collection of city cigarette taxes, they also impair the city’s smoking cessation programs and impair individual efforts at smoking reduction, thereby imposing higher health care costs on the city and injuring public health,” the complaint said. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has advocated for aggressive legal action against cigarette sellers who avoid taxes, was to announce the lawsuit at a news conference yesterday. A pack contains 20 cigarettes and sells for around $13 in New York City after taxes are added. That compares with the national average in 2010 of $4.80 a pack, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A pack from Island Smokes can cost less than $4 a pack. —AP

less. Throughout arguments Friday, US District Judge Frederick Motz openly expressed doubts that Novell’s claims had merit. “I don’t see why I have to give a product to a competitor so he can beat me,” Motz told Novell attorneys. —AP

News

in brief

Seven bodies found in Mexico common grave DURANGO: Mexican troops have discovered seven bodies in a common grave in the northern state of Durango where 280 bodies have been unearthed from secret burial places over the past seven months, authorities said. The latest find was in the town of San Juan del Rio, where the army “exhumed the bodies of seven people” who may have been kidnapped by organized crime groups, Durango Attorney General Raymund Enriquez Partida told AFP Sunday. Authorities have uncovered 13 common graves with the bodies of 280 people since April, the victims of murders generally attributed to drug cartels operating in the state. The state sits astride lucrative drug smuggling routes into the United States traditionally controlled by the Sinaloa cartel, led by Joaquin “Chapo” Guzman, but also coveted by the Zetas gang. Violence linked to the drug trade has left more than 40,000 people dead since December 2006, when President Felipe Calderon deployed the military to fight the cartels.

New Colombia rebel chief blasts president BOGOTA: The new leader of Colombia’s main rebel army says the combat death of his predecessor won’t intimidate the guerrillas. Timoleon Jimenez has issued a message calling President Juan Manuel Santos “threatening and brutal” and reproaching him for acting boastful over the death of Alfonso Cano, who had led the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia until he was killed on Nov 4. The message has appeared Sunday on the Internet site of the Agencia Bolivariana de Prensa, which often carries guerrilla statements. Most analysts estimate the rebels have about 8,000 fighters. Santos says they should lay down their arms for face a choice of “prison or the tomb.”

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international

Pakistani Taleban, govt hold talks Gunmen ambush paramilitary convoy, 14 killed DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Government intermediaries have held talks with the Pakistani Taliban in recent months, exploring ways to jumpstart peace negotiations, intelligence officials and a senior militant commander said. As reports of the talks emerged, officials said yesterday that gunmen ambushed a paramilitary convoy in southwestern Baluchistan province, killing 14 soldiers. Baluchi nationalists have waged a decades-long insurgency against the government, demanding greater independence and a larger share of the province’s natural resource wealth.

The Pakistani Taliban have waged a separate war against the government. A peace deal between authorities and the group could represent the best hope of ending years of fighting that has killed thousands of security personnel and civilians. But it is unclear whether the preliminary talks will gain traction or if the Pakistani Taliban are unified enough to actually strike a deal. It is also uncertain whether a deal could last.

The government has cut peace deals with the Pakistani Taliban in the past, but they have largely fallen apart. The agreements have been criticized for allowing the militants to regroup and rebuild their strength to resume fighting the government and foreign troops in Afghanistan.

Talk of a new peace deal could be troubling to the United States if it is seen as providing militants with greater space to carry out operations in neighboring Afghanistan.

However, Washington’s push for a peace deal with the Afghan Taliban could make it difficult to oppose an agreement in Pakistan.

The Afghan and Pakistani Taliban are allies but have primarily focused their attacks on opposite sides of the border. The Pakistani Taliban also trained the Pakistani-American who carried out a failed car bombing in New York’s Times Square in 2010. The government delegations that held preliminary talks with the Pakistani Taliban over roughly the past six months have included former civilian and military officials and tribal elders, the intelligence officials and a senior militant commander said in recent interviews with The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks.

As a confidence building measure, the Pakistani Taliban released five officials from the country’s InterServices Intelligence agency who were kidnapped in Baluchistan province, the officials and the commander said in the interviews. The Pakistani Taliban’s top demand is that the army pull out of the South Waziristan tribal area, which served as the group’s main sanctuary before a large military offensive in 2009, said

the commander, who is close to Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud.

The army could be replaced by the paramilitary Frontier Corps, but the militants have demanded that only local police conduct patrols.

They also want the government to pay compensation for damages incurred during the South Waziristan operation, free Pakistani Taliban prisoners and allow the group’s leaders to move freely throughout the country. According to the intelligence officials and the militants, the Pakistani Taliban’s leadership council held a meeting in mid-September in which they came up with these demands.

They also authorized the group’s deputy leader, Maulana Waliur Rehman, to hold talks with the government regarding South Waziristan and other tribal areas.

On Saturday, a Pakistani Taliban spokesman told the AP the group has added another demand - that the government cut ties with the United States if it wants to make peace with the militants. “Do it and we are brothers, but if not, our war against the government will go on,” said spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan.

Some analysts have argued that the Pakistani Taliban has splintered into so many different groups that it might be difficult for the leadership in South Waziristan to agree to a comprehensive peace deal.

The government held a meeting of all major political parties at the end of September in which they agreed that the government must attempt to start peace talks with the Pakistani Taliban. But it is unclear what conditions the government and, more importantly, the powerful military would agree to. The military has conducted a series of offensives against the Pakistani Taliban in the country’s semiautonomous tribal region along the Afghan border over the past few years.

For their part, military officials have said they have not held any recent peace talks with the Pakistani Taliban. The attack on the paramilitary Frontier Corps convoy in Baluchistan occurred Sunday night about 90 miles (150 kilometers) northeast of the provincial capital, Quetta, said Frontier Corps spokesman Murtaza Baig. Ten soldiers were also wounded. The Baluchistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the group’s spokesman, Azad Baluch, who alleged the group’s fighters killed 40 paramilitary soldiers.

Elsewhere in Pakistan, militants attacked army forces in the Orakzai tribal area, killing two officers and wounding 10 soldiers, said Salim Khan, a local government administrator. The army retaliated, killing 35 militants, he said. —AP

Pakistan OKs assassination investigators: Afghanistan KABUL: Pakistani officials have agreed to let an Afghan commission investigating the assassination of a former president travel to Pakistan as part of their inquiry, Afghan officials said yesterday. Afghanistan has insisted that the September suicide attack that killed Burhanuddin Rabbani, which all but derailed a peace initiative which he was leading, was masterminded in Pakistan.

Kabul has demanded that the commission be allowed to travel to Pakistan to fully investigate. But commission members until now had been unable to get the necessary permissions and visas. “Pakistan has now agreed to accept the delegation. They are going today or tomorrow morning,” presidential spokesman Aimal Faizi told reporters in Kabul. He declined to comment on whom the group - which includes representatives from a number of government ministries - would be meeting with or where they would go.

Rabbani was killed when a man posing as a Taleban envoy seeking peace talks detonated a bomb that had been hidden in his turban as he greeted the former Afghan president. The death of Rabbani, who had headed a peace council charged with finding a way to bring the Taleban to the negotiating table, reverberated throughout the country and led many to suggest that attempts at peace talks were now dead.

The killing also strained already tense relations with Pakistan. Afghan officials were quick to point a finger at their neighbor, where Taleban and other insurgent leaders have found a safe haven, and in particular at the Pakistani government’s intelligence agency. Pakistan has previously rejected allegations that its intelligence service was involved in the plot. Pakistani officials could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Faizi said that Pakistan agreed to let the delegation visit after a series of intense discussions at an international conference held in Istanbul earlier this month to address Afghanistan’s future. Also yesterday, NATO announced that one of its service members was killed the day before in a bomb attack in the south. The alliance did not provide further details. The death raises the number of international troops killed so far this month to 20, and at least 510 so far this year. —AP

Most populous state in India seeks to split into 4 LUCKNOW: Lawmakers in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, voted yesterday to support a call for it to be split into four smaller states. State Chief Minister Mayawati, who uses only one name, recently revived a proposal she’s been lobbying for years, saying such a four-way split would foster development and accountability. The state is among India’s poorest and has among the lowest life expectancy and child mortality rates.

With 200 million people, it has a larger population than all but five countries in the world.

Analysts say there is a political calculation as well.

The Congress party-led central government risks alienating state voters if it rejects the proposal, but granting it gives Mayawati’s regional party three more states to potentially govern. “The government has passed the proposal by voice vote,” Mayawati said after the vote yesterday by the state assembly. The resolution holds no procedural or legal weight. “The ball is now in Congress’ court.”

Her idea is to create four new states called Purvanchal, Bundelkhand, Paschim Pradesh and Awadh Pradesh. Congress also faces calls for splitting the states of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, where residents who feel marginalized have demanded more representation.

There is little groundswell within Uttar Pradesh, however, for dividing the state, and opposition parties have come out against the proposal. The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party’s state leader called Mayawati’s effort a “political stunt.” “The intention of the government was not clean,” Om Prakash Singh said, adding that the assembly rushed through its debate before holding the vote. —AP

NEW DELHI: Indian eunuchs sit at the scene of a fire at a fairground in New Delhi, India yesterday. The blaze, which killed more than a dozen people, happened during a gathering of thousands of eunuchs at a prayer ceremony and feast held once every five years at a fairground in the Nandnagary neighborhood of east Delhi. —AP

Indian eunuchs mourn 15 killed in fire at ceremony NEW DELHI: An isolated and shunned community of castrated men, transvestites and transsexuals mourned yesterday for 15 comrades killed when a fire blazed through a makeshift tent where they had gathered to honor deceased friends. The fire Sunday night sent the thousands of gathered eunuchs into a panic as people struggled to escape the burning tent, witnesses and police said. In addition to those killed, at least 36 others were injured, most of them elderly.

The term eunuch, or hijra, is used in India to describe a community of people who identify themselves as neither male nor female but as members of a third gender. They traditionally survive by begging, dancing at weddings or blessing newborn babies and are frequently subjected to discrimination. While the community of 700,000 is often mocked, eunuchs’ prayers and good wishes - and curses if they are angered - are considered powerful by most Indians.

Most eunuchs are shunned by their birth families and live together in communal houses led by a guru or master. Thousands of eunuchs from around India came to an east Delhi fairground over the weekend for an occasional gathering of the community.

“We were just here to pray for our dead

members and the well being of all the children in India and everywhere else,” said Sita, who like many eunuchs uses just one name.

“It’s one of the few times when we can all meet each other.” The gathering included both Hindus and Muslims and prayers and rituals from both religious groups were part of the ceremony, Sita said.

The tent was packed Sunday and the fire caused people to flee in a frenzy, said Babli, another eunuch. “The older hijras got hurt in the running and panic,” Babli said. Acrid smoke hung in the air yesterday and small groups of eunuchs were allowed to enter the cordoned-off area to salvage what was left of their belongings. Hundreds of others outside searched for news of their friends and consoled each other.

The members of India’s eunuch community are so used to be ignored or reviled that they lashed out journalists gathered at the site of the tragedy. “They’re all here just to mock us and make a joke out of us,” Babli said, before being dragged away by friends and chastised for speaking to a reporter.

“Even the fire brigade took an hour to reach here. By that time so many of our friends were dead.” Fire officials said they reached the scene as soon as they could. Officials were investigating the cause of the fire, believed to be an electrical short.— AP

PHNOM PENH: In this photo released by Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, Ieng Sary, left, former Khmer Rouge foreign minister, is helped by court security personnel during a trial for former Khmer Rouge top leaders, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia yesterday. —AP

Top Khmer Rouge leaders’ trial opens in Cambodia PHNOM PENH: Cambodians were bluntly reminded of their tragic history yesterday as the trial began of three top Khmer Rouge leaders accused of orchestrating Cambodia’s “killing fields” in the late 1970s. After Judge Nil Nonn declared the trial open, the prosecution started its case at the U.N.-backed tribunal - more than three decades after the Southeast Asian country witnessed some of the 20th century’s worst atrocities.

An estimated 1.7 million people died of execution, starvation, exhaustion or lack of medical care as a result of the Khmer Rouge’s radical policies, which essentially turned all of Cambodia into a forced labor camp as the movement attempted to create a pure agrarian socialist society. The defendants are old and infirm, and there are fears they won’t live long enough for justice to be done.

Yesterday, they sat side by side with their lawyers in the courtroom especially built for the tribunal, as the prosecutors read opening statements describing the scope of their alleged crimes.

Present were 85-year-old Nuon Chea, the Khmer Rouge’s chief ideologist and No 2 leader; 80-year-old Khieu Samphan, an ex-head of state; and 86-year-old Ieng Sary, the former foreign minister. They showed little reaction as a litany of charges was read out against them. A fourth defendant, 79-year-old Ieng Thirith, was ruled unfit to stand trial last week because she has Alzheimer’s disease. She is Ieng Sary’s wife and was the regime’s minister for social affairs. She remains detained pending a court decision on prosecutors’ appeal against her unconditional release.

The charges against the surviving inner circle of the communist movement include crimes against humanity, genocide, religious persecution, homicide and torture. Their leader, Pol Pot, died in 1998 in the jungle while a prisoner of his own comrades. “This is the first (trial) of the Khmer Rouge leadership responsible for enacting a series of policies that led to the deaths of nearly 2 million people,” said Anne Heindel, legal adviser to the independent Documentation Center of Cambodia, which collects evidence of Khmer Rouge atrocities. “ There is hope that it will help Cambodians understand why it happened, why Khmer killed Khmer, and will teach the younger generation to ensure it will never happen again,” she said. Twothirds of Cambodians today were not yet born when the communist group’s reign of terror ended in 1979. Prosecution statements continue today, to be followed by two days of response by the defense. The hybrid tribunal has joint teams of Cambodian and international personnel for both the lawyers’ and judges’ roles. Actual testimony is scheduled to begin on Dec 5.

Meas Sery, 51, said he came to yesterday’s hearing from his home in Prey Veng province to see for himself the faces of the defendants. He said he lost four siblings under the Khmer Rouge regime.

“Even though there is no verdict be announced yet, I am happy to see these three leaders brought to the court. I believe that justice will come and I will

receive it soon,” Meas Srey said. The trial’s impact should go beyond Cambodia, said Clair Duffy of the Open Society Justice Initiative, which has been monitoring the tribunal’s work.

Because it not only subjects the former leaders to the scrutiny of the law but also gives victims a forum to tell their stories, it has “a huge potential not only to contribute to justice in Cambodia, but also to contribute dialogue to ongoing efforts to bring perpetrators of these kinds of atrocities to justice around the world.” Chea Leang, Cambodian co-prosecutor, recalled for the court the brutalities of Khmer Rouge rule, beginning on April 17, 1975, when they captured Phnom Penh to end a bitter five-year civil war, and immediately began the forced evacuation to the countryside of the estimated 1 million people who had sheltered in the capital.

She recounted the new social order established by the group: an all-enveloping system of forced labor, with personal property banned, religion, press and all personal freedoms abolished. It was rule by terror. Before the court adjourned for the day, Chea Leang insisted the evidence would show that the regime the defendants led “was one of the most brutal and horrific in modern history.” Some of those attending the trial provided their own vignettes of the terror. Chim Phorn, 72, was chief of a commune under the Khmer Rouge regime in Banteay Meanchey province in the northwest. He said that in 1977, he killed a young couple who were in a romantic relationship without being married, a breach of rules. He said he beat the couple to death with an axe handle.

“I was ordered to kill the young couple because they fell in love without being married,” Chhim Phorn said. “If I did not kill them, my supervisor would have killed me, so to save my life, I had no choice but to kill them.”Now, he said, he feel remorse and hates the Khmer Rouge leaders for what they made him do. In September, the tribunal announced it would split up the indictments according to charge into separate trials to expedite the proceedings. The current trial is considering charges involving the forced movement of people and crimes against humanity.

Even with the streamlining, the proceedings are likely to cover an enormous amount of ground, and there is no estimate of how long they will take. Pol Pot had led the Khmer Rouge from its clandestine revolutionary origins to open resistance after a 1970 coup installed a pro-American government and dragged Cambodia directly into the maelstrom of the Vietnam War. When the Khmer Rouge took power in 1975, they all but sealed off the country to the outside world and sent all city dwellers to vast rural communes.

Intellectuals, entrepreneurs and anyone considered a threat were imprisoned, tortured and often executed. Economic and social disaster ensued, but the failures only fed the group’s paranoia, and suspected traitors were hunted down, only plunging the country further into chaos. —AP

After rough presidency, Arroyo fights to stay free MANILA: With a sense of entitlement and a life of privilege familiar to a scion of the political elite, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo successfully weathered coup attempts and corruption scandals during her nine years in power. She once even banished her husband abroad when he became a liability. Last week, like a common criminal, she was booked and fingerprinted by police on electoral fraud charges and barred from traveling abroad for medical treatment. She could spend the rest of her life in prison if convicted.

Arroyo will be the biggest test of President Benigno Aquino III’s election promise to prosecute corruption, no matter how high, and restore public credibility as

well as investor confidence. With her arrest, Aquino has struck a chord among Filipinos, fed up by a long line of corrupt leaders, starting from Ferdinand Marcos who epitomized greed and was removed in 1986 by Aquino’s mother, also a president.

“If she’s not guilty, why is she trying to escape?” asked Manila parking attendant Gerry Rimorin. “When she was president, she committed a lot of abuses and now it’s all coming back to her. It’s karma.” Since Arroyo’s arrest, no demonstrations in her favor have taken place. Media editorials have praised Aquino, and the Arroyofriendly, coup-prone military has stayed quiet.

“The lesson is clear,” Rimorin said. “I’m

happy that now even the almighty can be made to account for their wrongdoing because I’ve always felt that only the poor get to be arrested.” Yesterday, a court allowed the 64-year-old Arroyo to be detained in an upscale hospital suite, where she’s being treated for a bone ailment, prompting a small protest by leftwing activists who want her locked in a police cell.

“While it is important to be aware of President Benigno Aquino’s class interests, he should be given full credit for attempting to hold former and current government officials accountable for their actions,” said Gerard Finin, senior fellow at the East-West Center in Hawaii.

MANILA: A protester shouts as she called for the imprisonment of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in a rally in front of the court house yesterday. —AP

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NEWS Hezbollah unravels CIA spy network...

Continued from Page 1 Last year, then-CIA director Leon Panetta said the agency had to maintain “a greater awareness of counterintelligence.” But eight months later, Nasrallah let the world know he had bested the CIA, demonstrating that the agency still struggles with this critical aspect of spying and sending a message to those who would betray Hezbollah. The CIA was well aware the spies were vulnerable in Lebanon. CIA officials were warned, including the chief of the unit that super vises Hezbollah operations from CIA headquar ters in Langley, Virginia, and the head of counterintelligence.

It remains unclear whether anyone has been or will be held accountable in the wake of this counterintelligence disaster or whether the incident will affect the CIA’s ability to recruit assets in Lebanon.

In response to AP’s questions about what happened in Lebanon, a US official said Hezbollah is recognized as a complicated enemy responsible for killing more Americans than any other terrorist group before Sept 2001. The agency does not underestimate the organization, the official said. The CIA’s toughest adversaries, like Hezbollah and Iran, have for years been improving their ability to hunt spies, relying on patience and guile to exploit counterintelligence holes.

In 2007, for instance, when Ali-Reza Asgari, a brigadier general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps of Iran, disappeared in Turkey, it was assumed that he was either killed or defected. In response, the Iranian government began a painstaking review of foreign travel by its citizens, particularly to places like Turkey where Iranians don’t need a visa and could meet with foreign intelligence services. It didn’t take long, a Western intelligence official told the AP, before the US, Britain and Israel began losing contact with some of their Iranian spies.

The State Department last year described Hezbollah as “the most technically capable terrorist group in the world,” and the Defense Department estimates it receives between $100 million and $200 million per year in funding from Iran. Backed by Iran, Hezbollah has built a professional counterintelligence apparatus that Nasrallah - whom the US government designated an international terrorist a decade ago - proudly describes as the “spy combat unit.” US intelligence officials believe the unit, which is considered formidable and ruthless, went operational in about 2004.

Using the latest commercial software, Nasrallah’s spy-hunters unit began methodically searching for spies in Hezbollah’s midst. To find them, US officials said, Hezbollah examined cellphone data looking for anomalies. The analysis identified cellphones that, for instance, were used rarely or always from specific locations and only for a short period of time. Then it came down to old-fashioned, shoe-leather detective work: Who in that area had information that might be worth selling to the enemy?

The effort took years but eventually Hezbollah, and later the Lebanese government, began making arrests.

By one estimate, 100 Israeli assets were apprehended as the news made headlines across the region in 2009.

Some of those suspected Israeli spies worked for

telecommunications companies and served in the military. Back at CIA headquarters, the arrests alarmed senior officials. The agency prepared a study on its own vulnerabilities, US officials said, and the results proved to be prescient. The analysis concluded that the CIA was susceptible to the same analysis that had compromised the Israelis, the officials said. CIA managers were instructed to be extra careful about handling sources in Lebanon. A US official said recommendations were issued to counter the potential problem.

But it’s unclear what preventive measures were taken by the Hezbollah unit chief or the officer in charge of the Beirut station. Former officials say the Hezbollah unit chief is no stranger to the necessity of counterintelligence and knew the risks. The unit chief has worked overseas in hostile environments like Afghanistan and played an important role in the capture of a top terrorist while stationed in the Persian Gulf region after the attacks of 9/11. “We’ve lost a lot of people in Beirut over the years, so everyone should know the drill,” said a former Middle East case officer familiar with the situation.

But whatever actions the CIA took, they were not enough. Like the Israelis, bad tradecraft doomed these CIA assets and the agency ultimately failed to protect them, an official said. In some instances, CIA officers fell into predictable patterns when meeting their sources, the official said. This allowed Hezbollah to identify assets and case officers and unravel at least part of the CIA’s spy network in Lebanon. There was also a reluctance to share cases and some files were put in “restricted handling.” The designation severely limits the number of people who know the identity of the source but also reduces the number of experts who could spot problems that might lead to their discovery, officials said.

Nasrallah’s televised announcement in June was followed by finger-pointing among departments inside the CIA as the spy agency tried figure out what went wrong and contain the damage. The fate of these CIA assets is unknown. Hezbollah treats spies differently, said Matthew Levitt, a counterterrorism and intelligence expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Studies who’s writing a book about the terrorist organization. “It all depends on who these guys were and what they have to say,” Levitt said. “Hezbollah has disappeared people before. Others they have kept around.”

Who’s responsible for the mess in Lebanon? It’s not clear. The chief of Hezbollah operations at CIA headquarters continues to run the unit that also focuses on Iranians and Palestinians. The CIA’s top counterintelligence officer, who was one of the most senior women in the clandestine service, recently retired after approximately five years in the job. She is credited with some important cases, including the recent arrests of Russian spies who had been living in the US for years. Officials said the woman was succeeded by a more experienced operations officer. That officer has held important posts in Moscow, Southeast Asia, Europe and the Balkans, important frontlines of the agency’s spy wars with foreign intelligence services and terrorist organizations. — AP

Bahrain admits ‘excessive force’ ahead...

Continued from Page 1 Authorities say 24 people, including four policemen, were killed in the unrest, while the Shiite-led opposition puts the death toll at 30. Hundreds more were injured. The statement said authorities have begun prosecuting 20 officers involved in the crackdown, adding that more steps will be taken. “We cannot condone mistreatment and abuses by our officials.

There will be no impunity. All those responsible for abuses will be held accountable,” it added.

The cabinet statement said police had suffered over 800 casualties and accused opposition protesters of provocation. “Our police forces have generally shown admirable restraint when faced with great provocation.

Every civilian casualty is a defeat for the government. The extremists know this, and have engaged in reckless provocation,” it said. “The police have suffered 846 injuries since the beginning of the events; four deaths; innumerable threats and insults, especially to their families.”

Amnesty International urged the authorities to act on the probe’s findings. “The publication of this report gives Bahrain’s authorities a key opportunity to demonstrate that they intend to deliver justice to victims of abuse and carry through on promises of reform,” it said. Apart from trying those responsible for rights violations,

“the authorities must provide reparations to the victims, reinstate those who were dismissed from work and reform legislation that criminalises public gatherings.”

Anti-government protests in mainly Shiite areas outside Manama have intensified this month, resulting in clashes with security forces that have left a 16-year-old boy dead and dozens of people injured. Ali Yousef Al-Sitrawi was killed during a protest in the Juffair district of Manama. The government said a police vehicle lost control because of oil spilt on the road deliberately by protesters, but opposition activists say police often drove straight at them.

On Sunday, King Hamad warned Bahrainis to steer clear of “anything that adversely affects” their unity. The mass demonstrations which rocked Bahrain earlier this year were violently crushed as government forces used live ammunition and heavyhanded tactics in clashes with protesters. The final blow to the protests, inspired by the Arab Spring, came in mid-March when the security forces, boosted by troops from Gulf nations, drove demonstrators out of Manama’s Pearl Square - the focal point of protests.

International rights organisations have repeatedly accused the government of violating citizens’ rights, citing allegations of torture, unfair trials, excessive use of force and violent

repression. Since the protests broke out, hundreds of Shiites have been arrested, including prominent members of the opposition, medics, teachers and youth activists. Bahrain’s opposition groups at a joint news conference late on Sunday reaffirmed their commitment to democratic change. “After the report is released, we will meet to plan our next steps,” said prominent Shiite cleric Sheikh Ali Salman, who heads the powerful AlWefaq opposition group. “Our demands are clear: an elected government, a parliament with full authorities, an independent judiciary, security for all and a just electoral system,” he said. “The opposition will continue with its demonstrations and protests and the peaceful actions inside and outside Bahrain, and we will not back down,” he vowed.

The commission, which has interviewed thousands of opposition officials and government representatives, is composed of five lawyers and headed by international law and human rights expert Cherif Bassiouni.

In August, it was forced to close its office in Manama after it was stormed by a mob angered by media claims that the panel had cleared the authorities of crimes. The incident demonstrated the sensitivity of the report and the potential for a new escalation if the findings released tomorrow do not live up to the expectations of the opposition.

CAIRO: An Egyptian protester hurls a tear gas canister fired by riot police on the third day of clashes with security forces in Tahrir Square yesterday. — AFP

33 killed as Egyptian police fight anti-army...

Continued from Page 1 been wounded, a Health Ministry source said. “I’ve seen the police beat women my mother’s age. I want military rule to end,” said protester Mohamed Gamal, 21.

Army generals were feted for their part in easing Mubarak out, but hostility to their rule has hardened since, especially over attempts to set new constitutional principles that would keep the military permanently beyond civilian control.

Police attacked a makeshift hospital in Tahrir Square after dawn but were driven back by protesters hurling chunks of concrete from smashed pavements, witnesses said. “Don’t go out there, you’ll end up martyrs like the others,” protesters told people emerging from a metro station at Tahrir Square.

The violence casts a pall over the first round of Egypt’s staggered and complex election process, which starts on Nov 28 in Cairo and elsewhere. The army says the polls will go ahead. The United States called for restraint on all sides and urged Egypt to go ahead with the elections despite the violence. “ The United States continues to believe that these tragic events should not stand in the way of elections,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said.

In an apparent sop to protesters, the army council issued a law to bar from political life “those who work to corrupt political life and damage the interests of the nation”.

The announcement was unlikely to satisfy political parties and activists who have called for a blanket ban on former members of Mubarak’s now defunct National Democratic Party. “This is a meaningless move by the military council.

In fact this is a slap in the face of protesters and those who died to demand freedom and respect,” said

activist Mohamed Fahmy. “ The council is out of step with the people.” Some Egyptians, including Islamists who expect to do well in the vote, say the ruling army council may be stirring insecurity to prolong its rule, a charge the military denies.

As international concern mounted over the unrest in Egypt, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle called for an end to the violence.

“This is quite evidently an attempt to thwart a democratic transition process,” he said. British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Egypt was at a “dangerous moment” and called for a clear transition timetable. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon deplored the loss of life in the past few days, a spokesman said, adding that he “calls on the transitional authorities to guarantee the protection of human rights and civil liberties for all Egyptians, including the right to peaceful protest”.

Political uncertainty has gripped Egypt since Mubarak’s fall, while sectarian clashes, labour unrest, gas pipeline sabotage and a gaping absence of tourists have paralysed the economy and prompted a widespread yearning for stability. The instability could accelerate Egypt’s slide toward a currency crisis, forcing a sharp depreciation of the Egyptian pound in the next few months and conceivably prompting Cairo to impose capital controls, analysts said. “The violence and political noise is going to erode whatever confidence was left in the Egyptian economy, and may result ... in an acceleration of capital outflows,” said Farouk Soussa, Middle East chief economist at Citigroup.

The military plans to keep its presidential powers until a new constitution is drawn up and a president is elected in late 2012 or early 2013.

Questions linger in NY terror plot Continued from Page 1

Oppn rally calls on PM to quit or face...

Continued from Page 1 Al-Tabtabaei, Faisal Al-Mislem and Musallam Al-Barrak, rather than sitting in the Assembly chamber with corrupt MPs. Al-Sawwagh also slammed Al-Rashed for labeling protesters as Saddam’s bullies. “How dare you equate the Kuwaiti youth to them?”, he charged, telling him to stop telling Kuwaitis that they receive free subsidized foodstuff.

“That was a grant from the Amir not from you,” he reminded, underlining that both demonstrators and lawmakers wanted the premier’s head for the corruption that has prevailed under him. Former MP Fahad Al-Khannah underlined the need to have the PM either take the podium to respond to the grilling motion, or to step down. In response to Al-Rashed’s statements, Al-Khannah retorted that there was no place for corrupt MPs who receive bribes in the parliament. “We’re awaiting your prosecutions and will continue our rallies until the PM and this bribed parliament are removed from office and prosecuted,” he said.

“Yes, indeed. Last Wednesday was a horrible black day because security forces attacked citizens,” said the former secretary general of the National Alliance Bloc Khaled Al-

Fadhalah, addressing the ruling family on behalf of the youth urging them to “solve their own problems and disputes that have started to affect citizens in general”. “The problem is in your family members,” he stressed, hinting that some ruling family members have been responsible for various violations and public fund embezzlements in cases like the oil tankers’ scandal and the football federation.

Female activist Nawal Al-Yahya highly commended what she described as the unforgettable role of late Amir Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem in framing Kuwait’s constitution and stressed that Kuwaitis have special feelings for him.

“Abdullah Al-Salem’s name is not only used for the parliament hall - it’s in the hearts of all Kuwaitis,” she said, addressing HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, urging him to make the right decision. “We need a decision that matches your highly distinguished position,” she remarked.

Supporters of the prime minister plan to stage a rally today to declare their backing of Sheikh Nasser who has been fighting almost non-stop battles with the opposition.

Liberal groups meanwhile also plan a public gathering at the Graduates Society titled “To Save Kuwait”.

Protesters want a much swifter transition. The army said yesterday it had intervened in central Cairo to protect the Interior Ministry, not to clear demonstrators from nearby Tahrir Square, whom it also offered to protect. “The protesters have a right to protest, but we must stand between them and the Interior Ministry,” said General Saeed Abbas. “The armed forces will continue in their plans for parliamentary elections and securing the vote.”

The Interior Ministry, in charge of a police force widely hated for its heavy-handed tactics in the antiMubarak revolt, has been a target for protesters demanding police reform.

The latest street clashes show the depth of frustration, at least in Cairo and some other cities, at the pace of change. Security forces fired tear gas at about 2,000 protesters gathered at a security compound in the coastal city of Alexandria, witnesses said. Liberal groups are dismayed by the military trials of thousands of civilians and the army’s failure to scrap a hated emergency law.

Islamists eyeing a strong showing in the next parliament suspect the army wants to curtail their influence.

Analysts say Islamists could win 40 percent of assembly seats, with a big portion going to the Muslim Brotherhood. Mohamed El-Beltagy, a senior figure in the Brotherhood’s political party, was ejected by protesters when he tried to join them in Tahrir Square yesterday. They threw stones and bottles at him and said the Brotherhood was not among “the real revolutionaries”, the state news agency MENA reported. The Revolution Youth Coalition, an activist group, called for a “millionman march” in Tahrir today to back demands for a new national salvation government to run the country in the transition phase, instead of the military council. — Agencies

observation since 2009, was only an hour away from completing his pipe bombs when he was arrested. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Pimentel was targeting police, postal facilities and others and said he was a “lone wolf” without affiliation to foreign terrorist organizations. “He was not part of a larger conspiracy,” Bloomberg said Sunday.

New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said, however, that Pimentel was a follower of US-born radical cleric Anwar Al-Awlaqi, killed in a US raid in Yemen in September. “He talked about changing his name to Osama Hussein, to celebrate his heroes, Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein,” Kelly said. City officials said that Pimentel had gleaned his bomb-making knowledge from Inspire, an online magazine published by Awlaqi, which ran articles on making explosives.

How solid is the case against Pimentel? “I don’t believe that this case is nearly as strong as the people believe,” said Pimentel’s attorney Joseph Zablocki. Pimentel “has this very public online profile”, Zablocki said. “This is not the way you go about committing a terrorist attack.”

Pimentel maintained the website trueislam1.com, which had a link to an article on Inspire titled “How to make a bomb in the kitchen of your mom.”

The US government, which normally handles terror-

ism cases, appears uninterested in the Pimentel case.

Federal Bureau of Investigation agents declined to handle the case “because of issues the FBI had with it,” the New York Times reported, citing an unnamed source familiar with the case. The Times said their source refused to elaborate on the concerns. Police Commissioner Kelly, who has often criticized how the government handles terrorism cases, said he had informed his federal counterparts but moved without them because the case came together so quickly.

Police “had to act quickly” because Pimentel was “putting this bomb together, drilling a hole, and it would have been not appropriate for us to let him walk out the door with the bomb”, Kelly said on Sunday. Kelly said that Pimentel, also known as Mohammad Yusuf, had considered traveling to Yemen and tried to contact Awlaqi via email. In the end Pimentel never left New York state, and never got a response to his email query, officials said.

Neighbors described Pimentel, who is divorced and lives with a 62 year-old uncle, as lonely and penniless and did not appear particularly religious. Filmed and recorded by an informant, Pimentel had in October begun to purchase material for a home-made bomb, including an alarm clock, elbow pipes, Christmas lights, batteries, matches and nails. Bloomberg said Sunday it was the 14th terrorist plot thwarted in New York since the deadly Sept 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. — AFP

14

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

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Issues

Fears for ASEAN backslide as small members step up

By Jason Gutierrez SEAN, which has gained new relevance as a stage for international diplomacy, risks losing its sparkle as its least developed members prepare to take the bloc’s helm, analysts say. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, an unwieldy collection of democracies, monarchies and dictatorships, had in the past been dismissed as a “sunset organisation” hobbled by a non-interference policy in members’ affairs.

But far from being a “talking shop”, this year’s summit of the 10-member group, and the associated 18nation East Asia Summit which includes the US and China, saw frank discussion on a highly sensitive territorial dispute.

After the assertive chairmanship of Vietnam and Indonesia over the past two years however, the blow will now be led by autocratic and underdeveloped Cambodia, the tiny sultanate of Brunei and militarydominated Myanmar. “The chairmanship of ASEAN by its smaller and less-developed countries will be a challenge,” said Ernest Bower, director of the Southeast Asia programme at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. “Their turns come during what should be a historic turning point for ASEAN.” The group has an alphabetical rotating chairmanship but the order was thrown out when two members swapped, and by the inclusion of Myanmar, which was granted a 2014 slot as a reward for fledgling reforms. The succession of minors comes as a 2015 target for full economic integration looms, and as the bloc hopes to cement its status as a powerbroker by bringing together its dialogue partners China and the United States. There are concerns that impoverished countries lacking in expertise and democratic institutions will not have the ability to push ASEAN towards economic integration and global relevance.

“The moment of truth has arrived for ASEAN and it must now make choices about institutionalising and vastly enhancing its capacity, or risk slipping backwards into relative irrelevance,” Bower said.

ASEAN’s increasing effectiveness has coincided with a push by the United States to turn its gaze towards the strategic and dynamic Asian region, as it withdraws from theatres of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. US President Barack Obama used this year’s summits on the Indonesian island of Bali to showcase that policy, challenging a clearly dismayed China on the South China Sea dispute, over which several regional nations have claims. Obama, the first American president to attend the meeting, backed the East Asia Summit as a forum for resolving regional disputes - much as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting is a venue for tackling economic issues.

He also unveiled a new US engagement with Myanmar, announcing that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would visit next month to “empower” glimmers of reform in the country long ruled by the military. Bower said ASEAN must now take advantage of this newfound acknowledgement by exerting control over its members, which often cite the bloc’s noninterference policy as an excuse to delay promised political and economic reforms. “There really is no choice,” he said, noting that individual countries must “divest some elements of sovereign control to their regional identity.”

Pavin Chachavalpongpun, from Singapore’s Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, said that under ASEAN conventions there was no backing away from Myanmar chairing the grouping. “ASEAN will now have to hope that there would be more reforms on the way until 2014,” he said. The Philippines, a leading voice in the push for change in Myanmar, said it remained optimistic ASEAN would continue to play a key role regardless of who is chair. “ASEAN, with its theme of centrality, can perhaps be a staging ground for dialogue and is providing a venue for formally and informally interacting with each other,” said Ramon Carandang, spokesman of President Benigno Aquino.

“The idea that one country or another taking over the chairmanship of ASEAN is going to radically shift the direction of the group is, I think, not very accurate in our view.” — AFP

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

Kuwait gets a breath of Arab Spring

By Isabel Coles and Eman Goma uwait has been little touched by the wave of unrest that has swept some of its neighbours this year. But the storming of parliament by protesters last week brought it just a taste of the Arab Spring. The usually placid, state has long prided itself in having a more democratic system than most countries in the region.

But a bitter row ignited by demands for the prime minister’s resignation has brought calls for fundamental reforms. “ The Kuwaiti constitution can no longer accommodate the movement on the street,” said Islamist lawmaker Jamaan Al-Harbash, calling for an end to Kuwait’s ban on political parties.

“There must be a system of political parties in Kuwait so that it becomes a democracy that fosters state institutions rather than a clannish, tribal

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state,” he said. “At a time when other Arab states are progressing, there is a dangerous regression taking place in Kuwait.”

The opposition want to oust ruling family member Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, accusing him of corruption. He denies the allegation. The invasion of parliament by protesters came after the government and parliament blocked a request by some lawmakers to question Sheikh Nasser, a move opposition lawmakers decried as unconstitutional.

“Unless he steps up to the platform for questioning or resigns, there will be consequences,” said leading opposition MP Musallam Al-Barrak, who has wide popular support and is one of Sheikh Nasser’s most vocal critics.

Barrak says he invited protesters to enter parliament but distanced the opposition movement from the upris-

ings that have toppled autocratic leaders in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. “Our spring is completely different. The Arab Spring is directed against the regimes. Our spring is directed against the prime minister and corruption, but we are devoted to the system of governance in Kuwait,” he said. Pro-government Shiite MP Saleh Ashour denounced the opposition for taking its campaign to the streets. “Political activity must take place under the roof of parliament. We must take notice of what is happening in other Arab states and safeguard the stability and security of our country,” he said. “Hopes are one thing and political realities something else altogether”.

HH the Amir on Sunday denounced as a “black day” the storming of parliament and said he would not dissolve the assembly or allow the prime minister to resign. O f the assembly ’s 50

e l e c te d m e m b e r s, a s m a ny a s 26 oppose the prime minister, analysts say, but the 15 appointed ministers who make up the Cabinet suppor t him, giving him an overall majority in parliament. Ministers cannot take part in a vote of no confidence, which is held if ten lawmakers submit a written request following a parliamentar y questioning. That means if Sheik h Nasser were to be questioned, there may be enough signatures to force a vote to push him out, although he has survived similar parliamentary challenges in the past. Asked what action he would take if the prime minister stayed and was not subjected to parliamentar y questioning on Nov 29, Barrak told Reuters it was for the people to decide. “I believe that this assembly is tainted and it must be dissolved and return to the people as the source of power,” he added. — Reuters

Philippine graft problem wider than Arroyo

By Mynardo Macaraig hilippine President Benigno Aquino has hailed the arrest of his predecessor as proof his anti-graft drive is work ing but analysts say much more needs to be done to end the country ’s corruption plague. Gloria Arroyo, who ruled the Philippines from 2001 to last year, was charged on Friday with rigging senatorial elections, and Aquino has vowed to pursue her for a wide range of other corrupt acts she allegedly committed while in power. “This is the fruit of our reforms to fight corruption. The principle behind these reforms is that the guilty must be made to account,” Aquino said over the weekend in his first comments on Arroyo since she was arrested.

Aquino won a landslide election victory last year after campaigning almost exclusively on a platform of ending widespread corruption across all sectors of society, which is one of the main reasons for the country’s crushing poverty. The bachelor president and son of a democracy heroine is widely regarded as being corruption-free and he has used his clean image as one of the key drivers in trying to change the public’s tolerance for graft. Aquino has also vowed to hold even the most powerful people to account, and has made the pursuit of Arroyo one of his administration’s top priorities.

Arroyo stood down last year with opinion polls showing her to be the most unpopular president since dictator Ferdinand Marcos of the 1980s, largely because of the belief she was corrupt. She is alleged to have approved multi-million-dollar government contrac ts that enriched herself, her family and

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suppor ters. Arroyo is also accused of cheating to win the 2004 presidential election. She denies all the charges. Political analysts say that, while the determination of Aquino and his aides to hold Arroyo to account signals a good intention to fight graft, they have not yet taken the major reforms needed to dig out the roots of corruption. “ Their idea seems to be to get one big fish, but that won’t be enough,” said political science professor Francisco Magno of the Catholic church-run De La Salle University. “It has to go beyond the campaign promises, the rhetoric of change.” Magno said one of the government’s top priorities should be to strengthen agencies that held

officials to account, such as the ombudsman’s office, a national anti-graft court and the state prosecutor’s office. “The (watchdog) institutions are weak. They need to be strengthened, put more resources, put in more lawyers and pay them better,” he said.

Political scientist Bobby Tuazon, director of the Centre for People Empowerment in Governance, criticised Aquino for backtracking an an election campaign to back a freedom of information bill. “By backtracking... he is sending a mixed signal of whether he is serious in the fight against corruption,” Tuazon said. On a macro level, Tuazon said the entire political system of patronage, which was

entrenched more than 100 years ago during US colonial rule, needed to be addressed if corruption was to be seriously tackled.

Under this system, politicians hand out the spoils of office to their supporters in exchange for their loyalty, or seek bribes in return for contracts or favours, said Tuazon. “Bribery is an institution,” he said. Tuazon alleged that Arroyo was one of the most blatant offenders, but that it infested all levels of politics.

“Political patronage is usually identified with the president.

But if you go down the line, it is also real in congress, provincial governments, local governments, even down to the village level,” he said.

Unexplained wealth for politicians is a common theme across the Philippines. Provincial governors earn just 50,000 pesos ($1,150) a month while city mayors make about 45,000 pesos, according to Mars Buan, a political scientist who advises firms for risk consultancy Pacific Strategies and Assessments. But she said in many parts of the country, the houses of governors, mayors and other politicians were usually the most luxurious, and would cost much more than their salaries allowed. “ There are haz y ethics, low salaries, the pressure of the system... the need to get back all the money they spent in elections,” Buan said in describing Filipino politics. — AFP

A student wearing a mask depicting former Philippine president Gloria Arroyo holds on a mock prison cell and shouts slogans during a protest outside a trial courthouse in Pasay City in Metro Manila yesterday. — AFP

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CAS begins Contador hearing LAUSANNE: Sport’s highest tribunal began a long-delayed, fourday hearing yesterday which could result in three-times Tour de France champion Alberto Contador being stripped of his 2010 title for doping.

Contador tested positive for the banned anabolic agent clenbuterol during the 2010 Tour and was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing by the Spanish cycling federation (RFEC) which accepted his explanation that he had eaten contaminated meat.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) both appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over the Spanish ruling, demanding that the rider should be banned.

Contador did not comment as he arrived at the CAS yesterday for the hearing, postponed twice from June and August, with Spanish officials.

He would not speak to the media throughout the duration of the hearing, his representative said yesterday. A verdict is not due to be announced until early next year. Israeli lawyer Efraim Barak will preside over the three-man arbitration panel. — Reuters

NHL results/standings NHL results and standings on Sunday. Carolina 3, Toronto 2; San Jose 4, Colorado 1; Detroit 4, Anaheim 2; Vancouver 2, Ottawa 1 (OT ). (OT denotes overtime) Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL GF GA PTS Philadelphia 11 5 3 71 58 25 Pittsburgh 11 6 3 60 50 25 NY Rangers 10 4 3 47 38 23 New Jersey 10 7 1 49 50 21 NY Islanders 5 9 3 35 56 13 Northeast Division Buffalo 12 8 0 58 51 24 Toronto 11 8 2 63 69 24 Boston 11 7 0 64 39 22 Ottawa 10 9 2 62 70 22 Montreal 9 8 3 53 49 21 Southeast Division Florida 10 6 3 56 48 23 Washington 10 7 1 58 56 21 Tampa Bay 9 8 2 54 60 20 Winnipeg 8 9 3 58 65 19 Carolina 7 11 3 49 70 17 Western Conference Central Division Chicago 12 6 3 71 67 27 Nashville 10 5 4 53 48 24 Detroit 11 7 1 53 43 23 St. Louis 10 7 2 48 43 22 Columbus 4 13 2 43 69 10 Northwest Division Minnesota 12 5 3 47 40 27 Edmonton 10 7 2 50 45 22 Vancouver 10 9 1 58 57 21 Colorado 9 11 1 56 65 19 Calgary 8 9 1 41 47 17 Pacific Division San Jose 12 5 1 57 43 25 Phoenix 10 5 3 51 45 23 Los Angeles 10 7 3 49 48 23 Dallas 11 8 0 49 54 22 Anaheim 6 10 4 41 61 16 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L)

Frazar wins at Pebble Beach PEBBLE BEACH: Harrison Frazar won the rain-soaked Pebble Beach Invitational by a stroke Sunday when Cameron Tringale missed a 2-foot par putt on the final hole. Frazar, who won the St. Jude Classic in June for his first PGA Tour title, closed with an even-par 72 to finish at 9-under 279. Tringale had a 73 to share second place with Matt Bettencourt.

“There’s no better place to be miserable,” Frazar said.

“When the weather is like this, it’s a lot easier to do it here than someplace else.” Frazar also hit his final approach into the bunker en route to a par. Bettencourt (75) was 12 under after eight holes, but had two double bogeys in his final 10 holes.

“We were all hoping they were going to call us in,” Frazar said. “On the sixth hole, half the green was under water. Fortunately, none of our putts were in the little rivers.”

Only three of the 41 pros broke par in the final round played in strong intermittent rain and gusting wind.

Frazar earned $60,000 from the $300,000 purse in the 40th annual event that featured players from the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour.

After Tringale hit his second shot on the par-5 18th into the front bunker, he missed a 12-footer that would have given him the victory, then missed the short par putt to hand Frazar the title.

“I just looked up and it was left,” Tringale said. “There was a lot of rain, but it wasn’t as bad as it was supposed to be. When played in a lot of rain in college, but you never really get used to it.”

US Senior Open champion Russ Cochran (70) and PGA Tour player Hunter Haas (75) finished at 7 under.

Leta Lindley was the only LPGA player to make the cut.

She shot a 76 to finish 3 over. —AP

Speedskating champ retires

Bjorn out of World Cup HAIKOU: Thomas Bjorn’s chance to end his best season with a first World Cup of golf success has been dashed by injury.

The 40-year-old Dane, who has competed in four previous World Cup encounters, has told officials the recurrence of an old neck injury has forced him out of this weekís $7.5-million event in China.

“I am really disappointed to have missed out on the chance to play for my countr y at Mission Hills,” Bjorn said in a statement released by organisers. “I always really enjoy playing in China, too, but the injury meant it was just not possible this year unfortunately.”

Bjorn has won three times

this season with success in the Qatar Masters and back-to back wins in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles in Scotland and the European Masters in Switzerland.

He is hoping to be fit to take his place in next week’s Sun City Challenge in South Africa.

Bjorn has been replaced in the Denmark team for the Haikou event, which star ts on Thursday, by 21-year-old tour rookie Thorbjorn Olesen who was runner-up this year in the Italian Open and French Open.

Olesen will join Anders Hansen who will return to competition after withdrawing from last week ’s Isk andar Johor Open in Malaysia. —Reuters

BRUSSELS: Double Olympic champion Enrico Fabris, who became Italy’s unlikely hero at the 2006 Turin Winter Games, has retired after a bad start to the speedskating season.

With Americans Shani Davis and Chad Hedrick poised to rake in the medal at the 2006 games, it was Fabris who rode the enthusiasm of the home crowd to win gold in the 1,500 meters and team pursuit and bronze in the 5,000 to upstage everyone at the Lingotto oval.

However, he never came close to matching those results again and his coach Gianni Romme said Monday the 30-year old Fabris had been struggling with motivation. Fabris had been deeply disappointed when he finished 24th and last in the 1,500 of the opening World Cup race in Chelyabinsk, Russia, on Friday.

“His motivation was shot. It didn’t happen in one day. It was a long process,” Romme told The Associated Press in a telephone interview from Almaty, Kazakhstan. At his best, Fabris was one of the finest technicians around.

Tucked low and steadfast, he would glide over the ice where others plowed, and had an uncanny knack to maintain the same pace throughout a race. He brought all those skills together within two magical weeks in Turin. — AP

Sharks power past Avalanche DENVER: San Jose’s Patrick Marleau had a hat trick to lead the Sharks to a 4-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL on Sunday.

Goalie Thomas Greiss stopped 35 shots and Joe Pavelski also scored for the Sharks, who have won three straight. Matt Duchene scored the sole goal for Colorado, which has won only three of ten home games this season.

The Sharks controlled the play to start the second period and finally broke through on Marleau’s second goal of the game with 12:20 left in the period to make it 2-1.

Pavelski one-timed Thorton’s pass from behind the net to give the Sharks a 3-1 lead with 3:13 left in the second, and Marleau scored an empty netter with 43 seconds left for the hat trick.

scored for the Hurricanes, who had been shut out in their two prior games.

Phil Kessel scored both goals for the Leafs, giving him an NHL-leading 16 goals and 29 points this season.

Red Wings 4, Ducks 2 In Anaheim, Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen and Brad Stuart staked Detroit to a three-goal lead, and the Red Wings held on to beat Anaheim.

Stuart had two goals, including an

empty-netter he banked in off the right boards from the Detroit zone with 48 seconds to play to seal the win. Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne scored for the Ducks, who have won only two of their past 15. —AP

Canucks 2, Senators 1 In Vancouver, Chris Higgins scored 2:18 into overtime to lift Vancouver to victory over Ottawa. Higgins went hard to the net in the extra session and deflected a Dan Hamhuis shot behind a startled Alex Auld for his seventh goal of the season.

Less than a minute prior to that, Ottawa’s Erik Condra snuck behind the Vancouver defense and tipped a pass on goal, but Cory Schneider was in position for the save.

Henrik Sedin also scored for the Canucks while Colin Greening netted for the Senators.

Hurricanes 3, Maple Leafs 2 In Raleigh, Nor th Carolina, Jeff Skinner had a goal and an assist for Carolina in the win over Toronto.

Jay Harrison and Jussi Jokinen also

VANCOUVER: Goalie Cory Schneider No. 35 of the Vancouver Canucks stops Milan Michalek No. 9 of the Ottawa Senators during the third period in NHL action at Rogers Arena. —AFP

Park wins first LPGA title

PEBBLE BEACH: Harrison Frazar tracks his tee shot on the fifth hole during the final round of the 40th Annual Callaway Pebble Beach Invitational golf tournament. —AP

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

ORLANDO: South Korean Hee Young Park won her first LPGA crown on Sunday, holding off Germany’s Sandra Gal to win the season-ending $1.5 million LPGA Titleholders tournament by two strokes.

Park parred the final 10 holes in a two-under par 70 round to finish 72 holes on nine-under par 279 with Gal, who shared the lead with Park after 54 holes, firing a 72 to share second with American Paula Creamer on 281.

“A lot of people would say, ‘Why can’t you win?’ Now I can say I can win any time,” Park said. “Dreams come true.” Park took the $500,000 top prize and a breakthrough victory in her fourth LPGA season. The 24-year-old Asian jumped from 32nd into the top 12 on the season money list.

“It was difficult on the greens,” Park said. “Pin positions were tough. I did the same as in the other rounds, hit for the middle and get it or not get it in (for birdie).”

World No. 2 Suzann Pettersen of Norway and South Korean Na Yeon Choi shared fourth on 282, one stroke ahead of Americans Michelle Wie and Cristie Kerr and World No. 1 Yani Tseng of Taiwan.

Park had cracked the top-10 only twice all season until Sunday, but a third-place effor t at the Safeway Classic in August was enough to earn her a spot in the elite field for the season finale at Grand Cypress Resort.

Park took a bogey at the par-3 fourth but answered with birdies on three of the next four holes, back-toback birdies on the fifth and par-5 sixth and another at the par-3 eighth.

Gal took a bogey at eight but responded with a birdie at the ninth to make the turn two strokes off Park’s pace. Gal stumbled back with a bogey at the par-3 12th but answered with back-to-back birdies to close within a stroke.

“With three or four holes left, I was getting pressure,” Park said. “I just tried the same routine and hit my targets. I tried hard.”

Gal missed a five-footer for par at the 15th and Park followed by sinking a tense four-foot par putt to seize a two-stroke edge, a margin she kept to the 18th tee. Park was left of the green

with her approach to the final green, leaving a moment of drama. Park had failed on an up-and- down on the 72nd hole at the Safeway Classic to miss a playoff three months earlier.

But Park chipped four feet from the cup and Gal missed a long birdie putt.

Both made par and Park, who said she was thirsty for an LPGA win, was showered with champagne by friends as she cried in joy.

For Tseng, who fired a final-round 74, it marked the end of a stunning season in which she won 11 titles worldwide, seven of them in LPGA events, and became the youngest male or female golfer to win five major titles at age 22.

“I never thought it was going to be like that,” Tseng said. “My goal was to win more tournaments than last year.

“I’m really proud of how much I improved from last year. I got a better attitude, played one shot at a time, and enjoyed every tournament, every shot I played. You’ve got to have lots of fun.” —AFP

Liang: China can cause upset HAIKOU: Hosts China have every chance of causing an upset by outplaying some powerful major-winning lineups at this week’s World Cup team competition at Mission Hills, according to Liang Wenchong.

Ireland, represented by the last two US Open winners in Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell, are the title favourites while Germany are likely to feature on the leaderboard with world number four Martin Kaymer partnering Alex Cejka. South Africa are also expected to mount a strong challenge with US Masters champion Charl Schwartzel combining with 2010 British Open winner Louis Oosthuizen.

“If China were to win, and I think we have a strong chance, it would be wonderful for the growth of golf in this country,” Liang told Reuters in an interview ahead of the $7.5 million event that starts on Thursday.

“There is going to be a lot of pressure on Zhang Xin-jun and myself but at the same time we can use that as motivation. We should have a lot of

Chinese supporters following us.”

Liang, a 16-time winner in his career, was 95th in the world rankings in May but has since slipped to 252.

Zhang is down at number 647 despite finishing tied for 13th in the WGCChampions Tournament in Shanghai at the start of the month.

“This is going to be another good opportunity to promote golf in China,” said Liang. “But win or lose the fact China is participating and the tournament is being held here will have a huge impact.

“There are many strong teams here like the German team with Kaymer, the Ireland team and there is the South African side who also have two major winners. “We face a big battle if we are to win. If we can get off to a good start, that will be the key.” The 33-year-old Liang ignored drizzling rain to walk the host Blackstone course yesterday. “It’s the first time I have been to Hainan Island to play golf and it is an excellent course,” he said. — Reuters

Lochte, Franklin win US swimming honors

ORLANDO: Hee Young Park, of South Korea, holds up the first place trophy after winning the CME Group Titleholders LPGA golf tournament. —AP

LOS ANGELES: Ryan Lochte fired off an early message to his rivals as he collected his US swimmer of the year award Sunday, saying he was going to “turn some heads” at next year ’s London Olympics.

“I’m ready to rock this thing,” said Lochte, who capped a stellar 2011 by beating Michael Phelps for the top male honor. Teenager Missy Franklin won female athlete of the year as USA Swimming honored its top performers.

Lochte’s season included two head-tohead victories over Phelps at the world championships in Shanghai. “I’ve been getting faster since 2008. I’m a better athlete and a better swimmer,” Lochte said.

He said he’s putting everything into making another Olympic team and winning gold in London. “A couple guys might have something to say about that.

They can talk all they want,” Lochte said.

“I would like to see them stop me. This is my year.”

Lochte also won for men’s race of the year for his performance in the 200meter backstroke at Shanghai, where he set the first world record since high-tech suits were banned. Lochte won six medals at worlds. Lochte nearly dropped the first trophy he received.

“I got it, don’t worry,” he assured the crowd. “I wouldn’t get this if it wasn’t for (Phelps). He’s pushed me to so many limits. We have a great sportsmanship and a great rivalry.”

Franklin, a 16-year-old from Colorado, capped a breakout season by winning female athlete honors, presented by Janet Evans, who is making a comeback at age 40.

She also won female race of the year for her gold-medal showing in the 200 backstroke at worlds and relay performance as part of the winning women’s 400 medley relay. She won five medals at worlds. A week ago, Franklin had her braces removed from her teeth and her smile was radiant. — AP

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

SPORTS

NBA stars set to lead 4-game US tour NEW YORK: LeBron James, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony are going home - and bringing friends with them.

With no end to the NBA lockout in sight, the All-Star group is set to lead a four-game “Homecoming Tour,” starting with a matchup in James’ hometown of Akron, Ohio on Dec. 1, followed by a Dec. 4 game in New Orleans, a Dec. 7 game in Chicago and culminating with a Dec. 10 contest in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

James, Paul, Wade and Anthony are committed to play in all four games of the tour, which was announced early Monday. Proceeds from the tour - which will include events such as food drives, educational outreach programs and clinics in each city - will benefit the four headlining players’ charitable foundations, and tour sponsor Google Plus will stream each game live.

“It’ll be very neat,” Wade told The Associated Press. “First of all, this is something we talked about doing a long time ago as players. To have an opportunity to

go to these different cities that we’re from, to bring basketball to them at a high level and also have a charitable component in each city and to be with the guys, it’ll be cool. It’s something we’re looking forward to.”

Tickets for the first three games go on sale Tuesday. Tickets for the East Rutherford game will be on sale tomorrow.

The rosters for the four games will likely change considerably in each city. James will play a significant role in organizing the Akron game, as will Paul in New Orleans, Wade in Chicago and Anthony at East Rutherford.

Chris Bosh - who, along with James and Wade, makes up the so-called Big 3 with the Miami Heat, is expected to play in all four games. Bosh, along with James, Wade, the New Orleans guard Paul, the New York Knicks’ for ward Anthony, Heat forward Udonis Haslem and others have been part of a rigorous training camp in Oregon for players represented by Creative Artists

Agency since late last week.

“I’m sore,” Wade said from Oregon. “But that’s why we set it up this way. We want to get into work mode. When we get into the tour, we want to play. We want to be equipped to do that. We don’t want to just run up and down the court and jack up shots. We want to get into the things we need to do when it comes to strength, defense, all those things you usually do in training camp. So we’re getting into that mindset.”

There’s been no shortage of exhibitions featuring NBA players during the lockout, which is now in its 21st week and has already led to the cancellation of more than 300 games - roughly onequarter of a full season. Talks broke off last week after players declined an offer that the NBA said would have raised salaries considerably, which apparently wasn’t enough to convince player reps that it was the right deal.

The principals involved in this say the tour will be different from most offseason exhibitions in many ways, notably the

extensive charitable aspects.

“I am so excited to have this opportunity to participate in this tour,” Anthony said in a press release. “To couple two of the things I love to do - play basketball and give back - is special. This is just the beginning of a movement to facilitate change in our communities and I am happy to be a part of a group of guys willing to lead the charge.”

Events begin Nov. 29 in New York with a court dedication and food drive, before the group moves to Akron for events the following day that include a Wheels for Education program - something James is extensively involved with in an effort to help keep kids from dropping out of high school - and a basketball clinic at the Boys & Girls Club bearing the two-time NBA MVP’s name.

“I am really proud of the work we’re doing in Akron and know what this tour means for the community,” James said.

Paul will host an education-themed event and a clinic in New Orleans on Dec. 2, in advance of the game there two

nights later. Wade hosts two events for charity in Chicago on Dec. 6, and another clinic is planned for New York on Dec. 9.

“Being able to play the game I love alongside my friends ... as well as raising money for charity is a win-win situation,” Paul said.

Wade said another element he’s looking forward to is simply being around NBA players on a full-time basis again, if only for a couple of weeks. While he remains hopeful that much of the season can be saved, he’s also not necessarily optimistic that he’ll be back in a Heat uniform again and trying for another NBA finals trip anytime soon.

“We’re approaching it as basketball,” Wade said. “We’re not doing it so people don’t forget our names. We’re really doing this to continue to make an impact in the communities that we go to and also to show that we love this game, we’re going to continue to play it and that this is something we all decided to do together. So that’s what makes this special.” —AP

Stewart crowned NASCAR champ HOMESTEAD: When the rain came at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and the drivers climbed from their parked cars, a confident Tony Stewart practically strolled down pit road.

He was in fifth place at the time, had a hole in the front of his Chevrolet, and needed to catch leader Carl Edwards in the race for the Sprint Cup championship.

And yet Stewart didn’t seem to have a care in the world. His demeanor was not of a guy on the ropes, he was cocky and seemingly certain it was his race to lose.

“We are fixin’ to keep delivering this whoopin’.

We got more in mind for (Edwards) the rest of the day,” Stewart said during the rain.

Stewart seized his third championship Sunday night with a powerful and relentless drive that will go down with the greatest in NASCAR history.

It was nothing like the driver who nearly wrote off his season during a summer slump, then dismissed his chances at the beginning of NASCAR’s championship chase.

“I feel like I passed half the state of Florida 118 cars is a lot of cars to pass in one race. To do it under the circumstances and pressure we had, I’m very, very proud of that. I can’t even remember how many races I’ve won, but I would have to say under this set of circumstances I’ve got to believe one of the greatest races of my career.”

Stewart became the first owner/driver to win the championship since the late Alan Kulwicki in 1992, and the driver to end Jimmie Johnson’s record five-year title run. His last title was in 2005, the year before Johnson’s began his reign.

Stewart overcame the hole in his grill, a rain delay, used debatable fuel strategy and made aggressive passes that stunned racing veterans to win Sunday. He’s been driving that way for at least a month, buoyed in part by a race-winning pass of Johnson on the outside at Martinsville that gave him his third Chase victory.

“He’s been the one to go three- and-four wide when everyone else is scared and lifts,” said crew chief Darian Grubb, who was told in the middle of the Chase he was being let go at the end of

HOMESTEAD: Tony Stewart raises the series championship trophy after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race and clinching the season title. —AP Then something suddenly changed - with his cars, with his attitude, with his driving - and old Smoke was back. With a vengeance.

Stewart thrust himself early into title contention, then never let up as he drove all over the competition and chased down Edwards.

His victory gave him a tie in the final Sprint Cup Series standings - good enough to win the title based on his five victories. All of Stewart’s wins came in the Chase, and Edwards’ lone victory this season was in March. It was the first tie in the points standings in NASCAR history.

How good was Stewart, who drove from the back - twice! - and passed 118 cars during the race? “I think Tony drove the best race of his life,” said A.J. Foyt, Stewart’s childhood idol. The compliment nearly brought Stewart to tears.

“Not many people can hear your lifelong hero say that. Just really, really flattering,” said Stewart, who wasn’t sure it’s the best drive of his 31-year career, but knew it was pretty strong.

the season because the Stewart-Haas Racing team wasn’t performing. His status is now uncertain.

Edwards, who started the race with a threepoint lead in the standings, did everything he could from the minute he arrived in Florida. His Roush-Fenway Racing team put his Ford on the pole, he led a race-high 119 of the 267 laps and still finished a helpless second.

Edwards, who had a 4.9 average finish over the 10 Chase races, was disappointed but held his head high after the race.

“This night is about Tony Stewart. Those guys rose to the occasion, and they beat us fair and square,” Edwards said. “That is all I had. We came here and sat on the pole, led the most laps and Tony still managed. That’s it. That’s all I got at the end. That’s as hard as I can drive.

“I told my wife, ‘If I can’t win this thing, I’m going to be the best loser NASCAR has ever had.’

So, I’m going to try really hard to keep my head

up and know that we’ll just go next year and we’ll be just as hard to beat.”

As third-place finisher Martin Truex Jr. did his post-race news conference, Edwards sat silently off to the side, his eyes fixed on a bank of televisions showing Stewart’s championship celebration.

“If I could do it all over again, there’s nothing I could have done differently,” he whispered.

“That’s my maximal effort, and Tony beat us. We knew that of all the circumstances possible, this was the least probable. But I was prepared for this.”

Edwards, despite being the most consistent driver this season and points leader for 21 weeks, has been on the ropes the last month as Stewart turned up his energy, effort and trashtalking. His quick wit and sharp tongue kept the entire industry entertained as he did everything possible to get inside Edwards’ head.

Maybe it was really for Stewart’s benefit, a driver trying to talk himself into believing he had a shot at the title after struggling all summer long. He maybe didn’t rattle Edwards, but Stewart for sure talked himself into this title.

He arrived in Miami insistent he’d race with nothing to lose and did just that from the moment the race began. He was moving through the field from his 15th starting spot when caution came out 14 laps into the race. His Stewart-Haas Racing crew discovered a hole in his grill, and the repairs dropped him to 40th in the field.

Stewart then blew by car after car and was up to 23rd in a matter of minutes. Another caution sent him into the pits for more repairs, and he restarted in 32nd.

His yapping then resumed, as he scoffed on his radio how embarrassed Edwards and the No. 99 team would be when Stewart drove from the back of the field - twice! - to beat them.

Edwards, meanwhile, huddled with crew chief Bob Osborne atop the pit box and declined to be interviewed. His Roush Fenway Racing team had to be nervous about engine durability - three Roush Yates engines failed over the course of the race - and Edwards eventually retreated to his motorhome to snack on popcorn and keep his focus.

When racing resumed, Stewart continued to slice through the field and used several spectacular three- and four-wide passes to close in on Edwards. Then crew chief Grubb made an unusual call to keep Stewart out on the track until he was just about out of gas. It was a risky call but worked perfectly when the rain came moments after Stewart finally stopped for gas.

It gave Stewart breathing room as he was able to save gas under yellow. He was fourth on the final restart, Edwards was sixth, and Stewart used a three-wide pass over Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski and AJ Allmendinger to reclaim the lead. Although Edwards quickly moved into second, he couldn’t catch Stewart as he sailed to his fifth Chase victory.

“They got 5 wins in 10 races,” Osborne said.

“That’s pretty unbelievable. But they did it, and it got them the championship.”

The championship completes a total turnaround for co-owner Gene Haas, who sold half his slumping organization to Stewart in 2008 in a hope the driver could bring a spark to a team that struggled to stay inside the top 35 in points.

“Tony Stewart’s a superstar, we knew that,” Haas said. “You need a wheelman. You can have all the best equipment in the world, and without a wheelman, you don’t have a whole lot.” —AP

Oracle wins ACWS fleet race SAN DIEGO: Minutes after winning the fleet racing championship in the third stop on the America’s Cup World Series on San Diego Bay, Oracle Racing skipper Jimmy Spithill was handed a bottle of champagne from a chase boat and began spraying his crew.

First on the hit list was Larry Ellison, the Silicon Valley maverick who heads Oracle Corp. and bankrolls the team that brought the America’s Cup back to America last year. After soaking his boss, Spithill worked over the four other men on board.

“It feels good, actually. I’ve had a couple of goes at it now,” said Spithill, who also got to douse Ellison after winning the match racing championship Saturday. “But he got me back on the stage yesterday ... I’m one up on him. I’ve got him

two saturations to one. “It’s not often you can say you’re up 2-1 on a billionaire.”

Spithill, an Australian who lives part-time in San Diego, became the first skipper in the inaugural season of the ACWS to win both the match racing and fleet racing championships. He won the match racing title Saturday by sweeping two races from the French Energy Team.

The ACWS, sailed in ports around the world, is a prelude to the 2013 America’s Cup on San Francisco Bay. Ellison, one of the world’s richest men, rode along both days in the non-sailing guest racer spot on Spithill’s AC45, the fast 45-foot catamaran with a wing sail.

He also was on board BMW Oracle Racing’s giant trimaran in the clinching race of the 2010 America’s Cup, when Spithill com-

pleted a two-race sweep of Alinghi of Switzerland off Valencia, Spain, to win the oldest trophy in international sports for San Francisco’s Golden Gate Yacht Club.

This stop of the ACWS was the first America’s Cup racing in the United States since Russell Coutts now Oracle Racing’s CEO - led Team New Zealand to a five-race sweep of Dennis Conner off San Diego in 1995.

“We’ve worked really hard. It’s just great to be able to reward all the guys behind us who’ve got us here, especially Larry,” said Spithill, who at 30 was the youngest skipper to win the Auld Mug. “Whenever Larry’s around, everyone naturally lifts, and me personally.” Ellison left immediately after the race to return to his home in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Spithill’s winning move Sunday came when he rounded the righthand gate at the end of the third leg and sailed into clean air with no traffic around him. He won by nearly a minute over Dean Barker and Emirates Team New Zealand.

Energy Team was third in the nineboat fleet, followed by France’s Aleph, Team Korea, Sweden’s Artemis Racing, China Team, Green Comm Racing of Spain and Oracle Racing-Coutts, which was skippered for this regatta by Aussie Dean Bundock.

Beating a trans-Tasman rival made Spithill’s victory that much sweeter. “Mate, the worst thing you can ever do in life is let a Kiwi get one up on you,” Spithill said about beating Barker. “I can tell you, it’s been absolutely brutal since the Rugby World Cup.” —AP

LONDON: Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a return to Mardy Fish of the US during their round robin singles match at the ATP World Tour Finals. —AP

Nadal sinks Fish after long battle LONDON: A sickly Rafa Nadal was pushed to the limit by Mardy Fish in his opening match at the ATP World Tour Finals on Sunday before joining great rival and defending champion Roger Federer at the top of Group B. The Spaniard, playing his first competitive match after a month long lay-off, needed nearly three hours and a rush to the toilet because of a “terrible stomach” to subdue the American tournament debutant, winning a late-night thriller 6-2 3-6 7-6.

Federer began the season-ending championships, being held in London’s dazzling O2 Arena for the third of five years, with victory over French powerhouse Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, although he was also given a scare in a 6-2 2-6 6-4 victory which raced by in 88 minutes of highoctane hitting.

After ripping through the first set in 21 minutes, world number four Federer, bidding for a record sixth title at the ATP’s blue riband tournament in his 10th appearance, lost his way and Tsonga threatened a repeat of his victory over the Swiss maestro in this year’s Wimbledon quarter-finals.

On that occasion Tsonga floored 16times grand slam champion Federer from two sets to love down but this time he could not complete his fightback, cracking in the 10th game of the decider to Federer’s obvious relief.

Serving to stay in the match Tsonga fluffed a routine volley, then served a double fault before Federer whipped a forehand winner to set up three match points.

Tsonga saved the first but then Federer benefited from a miss-hit return which dragged his opponent out of position and allowed him to fire a match-winning backhand.

“It’s not always in your control when you play Jo,” world number four Federer, who had former France soccer international Thierry Henry in his support box, told reporters. “ Today I had flashes of that (Wimbledon) match because I didn’t have much chance for a while on his serve.

“Once he got the upper hand in the second set he started to swing more freely and got really dangerous. I just tried to stay calm and wait for my chance.

“We saw some ups and downs from both players, that’s why I’m pretty happy to come through.” While Federer got a bit lucky when Tsonga capitulated at the death, Nadal had to rely on his endless reserves of fighting spirit to scrape past Fish.

“The third set was a bit crazy,” the 25year-old told reporters. “I felt very bad from the stomach since the beginning of

the third. I was seriously really lucky for the victory.”

Asked what the problem was, Nadal said it was a mystery. “I ate pasta and salmon at the hotel before the match, nothing strange, nothing unusual,” said Nadal who will face Federer in their eagerly-anticipated Group B match on Tuesday. “I am worried about getting better for practise tomorrow.”

Fish, the only one of the eight-man field never to have played in the seasonender, made a slow start, dropping his opening service game to hand Nadal the initiative.

Nadal sealed the opening set in 34 minutes in front of a 17,500 capacity crowd watching on in the dimly lit arena but, just like Federer earlier, he was rocked by an opponent playing some electrifying tennis.

Fish, who cracked the world’s top 10 for the first time this year, let rip with some punishing forehands and displayed some exquisite touches at the net as he outplayed the 10-times major winner in the second set.

He squandered four set points at 2-5 on the Nadal serve but a clinical serve and volley in the next game set up a decider.

Nadal appeared to have regained control when he moved 2-0 ahead in the decider but suddenly left the arena for a toilet break, leaving Fish standing alone with his thoughts for two minutes despite it not being a changeover.

While there were a few slow hand claps from the crowd, Fish was not disputing Nadal’s call of nature. “I just assumed that he wasn’t feeling well.

We’ve all been there,” the 29-year-old said. “I didn’t think he was trying to ice me or anything. I have a ton of respect for him.”

The match swung in Fish’s favour when Nadal returned as the Californian reeled off the next three games before he blew his advantage by losing serve to love.

Perspiring heavily, Nadal was stretched again in the next game, surviving a break point when the attack-minded Fish wafted a forehand long.

Fish, who racked up 35 winners during a thrilling contest, saved two match points at 4-5 but after taking the match into a tiebreak he faltered.

Nadal moved 4-1 ahead and when another three match points arrived he made no mistake, sealing victory when a leaping Fish netted a high backhand volley.

World number one Novak Djokovic begins on Monday with a Group A clash against Czech Tomas Berdych after home favourite Andy Murray takes on Spain’s David Ferrer. —Reuters

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

sp orts

Australia snatch two-wicket win JOHANNESBURG: Teenage fast bowler Pat Cummins sealed a dream Test debut when he hit the winning runs to take Australia to a two-wicket win in the second and final Test against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium yesterday.

Australia chased down a target of 310 to share the series. Cummins, who took six for 79 in South Africa’s second innings, was named man of the match.

Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin (55) and lefthanded fast bowler Mitchell Johnson (40 not out) were mainly responsible for their team reaching the target, putting on 72 for the seventh wicket after all Australia’s specialist batsmen had been dismissed with 95 still needed.

South African opening bowler Vernon Philander claimed his second five- wicket haul in his second Test to keep South Africa in with a chance of winning but did not get enough support from his more experienced teammates. Philander took five for 70. Philander bowled Australian Michael Clarke in the fourth over of the day after only three runs had been added to the overnight 142 for three.

Australia suffered a major blow 20 runs later when Ricky Ponting was caught at second slip off Morne Morkel for 62, having added only eight runs off 34 balls as the bowlers took advantage of helpful overcast conditions.

But Mike Hussey and Haddin put together a watchful sixth wicket partnership of 50 and with the sun starting to beat down on the ground the odds seemed to be swinging slightly in favour of Australia.

There was yet another twist in a match of fluctuating fortunes when Philander was brought back shortly before tea and trapped Hussey leg before wicket for 39

with a ball which swung into the left-hander. Hussey sought a television review but there was no reprieve as umpire Billy Bowden’s decision was shown to be correct. It left Haddin and the hard-hitting Johnson to revive Australia’s hopes.

Haddin seldom looked secure early on as he played and missed several times and was hit on the helmet by a bouncer from Dale Steyn.

But he grew in confidence after tea as he and Johnson attacked the bowling. At tea, Australia were 88 runs short of victory, with only seven overs left before the second new ball was due. Haddin and Johnson played a flurry of attacking strokes to add 54 runs in those overs.

The partnership was worth 72 when Haddin edged Philander to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher in the third over with the new ball. Peter Siddle chipped a catch to midwicket off Steyn in the next over and Cummins walked out with 18 still needed.

Following the example of Haddin and Johnson he batted positively. He was dropped on five, with nine runs needed when a power ful straight drive burst through bowler Steyn’s hands and went for four. With Australia needing just five runs, South African captain Graeme Smith brought on leg-spinner Imran Tahir and allowed Johnson to take a single by setting the field deep.

Cummins was beaten by a googly and South Africa appealed for leg before wicket. Umpire Ian Gould gave him not out.

South Africa sought a television review which showed that the decision was close enough to be an umpire’s call. Two balls later Cummins hit a short-pitched ball to the midwicket boundary and ran to embrace Johnson. —AFP

SCOREBOARD JOHANNESBURG: Final scoreboard on the fifth 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, 339 Australia, second innings (overnight 142-3) S. Watson b Philander0 P. Hughes c Kallis b Philander 11 Usman Khawaja c Kallis b Tahir 65 R. Ponting c Rudolph b Morkel 62 M. Clarke b Philander 2 M. Hussey lbw b Philander 39 B. Haddin c Boucher b Philander 55 M. Johnson not out 40 P. Siddle c Tahir b Steyn 4

P. Cummins not out 13 Extras (b1, lb7, nb7, w4) 19 Total (8 wkts, 86.5 overs) 310 Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Watson), 2-19 (Hughes), 3141 (Khawaja), 4-145 (Clarke), 5-165 (Ponting), 6-215 (Hussey), 7-287 (Haddin), 8-292 (Siddle) Bowling: Philander 20-3-70-5 (4nb, 1w), Steyn 23-1-98-1 (2w), Morkel 19-6-43-1 (2nb, 1w), Tahir 15.5-0-63-1, Kallis 91-28-0 Did not bat: N. Lyon Result: Australia won by two wickets Series: The two-match series was tied 1-1

JOHANNESBURG: South Africa’s bowler Vernon Philander (left) celebrates after bowling Australia’s captain Michael Clarke (right) for 2 runs on the final day of the second Test. —AP

Donald inspires Bath win PARIS: World Cup winning fly-half Stephen Donald inspired Bath to a 16-13 victory over Montpellier in their European Cup clash on Sunday to rebound from a last minute opening defeat by Glasgow last weekend.

Donald, who kicked the winning penalty in the All Blacks 8-7 World Cup final win over France last month, set up both their tries and kicked two penalties while all Montpellier’s points came from Argentinian Martin Bustos Moyano.

Victory sees Bath trail champions Leinster - who grabbed a last second draw with Montpellier last Saturday - by two points after they defeated Glasgow 38-13 earlier on Sunday. Donald, facing up to Montpellier’s French fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc for the first time since the World Cup final, slotted over a penalty in the fifth minute.

He was then instrumental in the first try

with a long pass out to the right wing where Ollie Woodburn had no trouble in touching down in the corner.

The Kiwi was hammering Montpellier almost singlehandedly as his break from deep inside his own half in the 18th minute deserved at the very least a try for himself but he was tackled shor t of the line.

However, the hosts had no trouble in rounding off his efforts by working the ball back and scoring a second try as David Flatman was the benficiary of a massive overlap and the prop walked over the line for his first try in 34 European Cup appearances.

“My fitness is clearly not good! If I had been 5kgs lighter I might have got there!” joked Donald. He failed to convert, but the French side were further hit as Trinh-Duc was yellowcarded for coming in on the side.—AFP

LONDON: Bath’s Olly Woodburn (right) is tackled by Montpellier’s Paul Bosch during their Heineken Cup pool 3 rugby match at the Recreation ground. —AP

ST LOUIS: Rams defensive end Robert Quinn (right) partially blocks a punt by Seattle Seahawks’ Jon Ryan during the first quarter of an NFL football game.—AP

Ravens soar over Bengals 49ers, Bears and Falcons triumph BALTIMORE: Joe Flacco threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns, and the Baltimore Ravens squeezed by the Cincinnati Bengals 31-24 on Sunday to move into first place in the AFC North.

Flacco connected with rookie Torrey Smith on a 38-yard TD to give Baltimore (7-3) a 31-14 lead early in the fourth quarter. Smith finished with six catches for 165 yards, while Ray Rice ran for 104 yards and two scores.

The Bengals (6-4) got to the Baltimore 7 in the final minute but could not score the tying touchdown.

The victory moved the Ravens into a first-place tie with Pittsburgh, but Baltimore is 2-0 against the Steelers and holds the tiebreaker advantage.

Bengals rookie quarterback Andy Dalton threw for 373 yards but was intercepted three times.

what has been a dismal season.

Cowboys 27, Redskins 24 In Landover, Dan Bailey kicked a 39-yard field goal 9:21 into overtime to give Dallas its third straight win. The Cowboys rallied after allowing a late fourth-quarter touchdown and improved to 6-4, keeping the pressure on the first-place New York Giants in the NFC East.

The Redskins lost their sixth straight, their longest skid since their 0-7 start in 1998. They sent the game to overtime on Rex Grossman’s 4-yard

to escape.

Gabbert rifled a 3-yard pass high over the middle that went off wide receiver Mike Thomas’ outstretched hands, and the Browns (4-6) celebrated a win they nearly gave away.

Colt McCoy shook off an apparent injury and threw a 3-yard TD pass to Josh Cribbs in the fourth to give Cleveland a 14-10 lead. A missed field goal by Browns kicker Phil Dawson with 2:49 left gave the Jaguars (3-7) a final chance and Gabbert nearly pulled off the comeback.

Chris Ogbonnaya rushed for 115

49ers 23, Cardinals 7 In San Francisco, Alex Smith threw for 267 yards and two touchdowns and San Francisco forced five turnovers on a soggy day at Candlestick Park. Smith tossed scores to Kyle Williams and Vernon Davis on the first two drives of the third quarter to help the 49ers pull away for their eighth straight victory. San Francisco (9-1) can clinch the NFC West with a win at Baltimore on Thursday and a loss by Seattle against Washington next weekend.

Patrick Willis, Donte Whitner and Dashon Goldson all intercepted passes by John Skelton. The quarterback for the Cardinals (3-7) lost for the first time in three starts this season in place of the injured Kevin Kolb.

Bears 31, Chargers 20 In Chicago, Jay Cutler threw for 286 yards and two touchdowns, and Chicago won its fifth straight. Chicago (7-3) continued its remarkable turnaround and handed the Chargers their fifth straight loss, their longest slide since an 0-5 start in 2003. But it wasn’t easy. Philip Rivers threw for 280 yards.

For most of the game, he looked more like a Pro Bowl quarterback than the guy who had been turning it over at an alarming rate. But two late interceptions helped preserve the win for Chicago.

The Bears were leading 31-20 when San Diego’s Antoine Cason returned an interception 64 yards to the Chicago 20. But instead of driving for a touchdown, Rivers sealed it with an INT. Falcons 23, Titans 17 In Atlanta, Roddy White had seven receptions for a season-high 147 yards and Jonathan Babineaux led an Atlanta defense that held off Tennessee. The Falcons (6-4) bounced back from an overtime loss to New Orleans, but it wasn’t easy. Jake Locker took over for injured Matt Hasselbeck and threw a pair of touchdown passes to Nate Washington to make a game of it for the Titans (5-5). Atlanta jumped ahead on Matt Ryan’s 17-yard TD pass to Tony Gonzalez and was up 20-3 in the third quarter after Michael Turner scored on a 4-yard run.

Hasselbeck went out with a sprained elbow and Locker nearly led an improbable comeback. The rookie threw for 140 yards after taking over late in the third quarter.

Eagles 17, Giants 10 In East Rutherford, Vince Young threw a go-ahead 8-yard touchdown pass to Riley Cooper with 2:45 to play and the undermanned Philadelphia Eagles finally got things right in the fourth quarter.

In what was a must-win game for Andy Reid’s struggling team, the Eagles, who had lost five games in the fourth quarter earlier this season, marched 80 yards in 18 plays over 8:51. They converted six third-down plays, with DeSean Jackson setting up the first-and-goal with a 10-yard catch to the 10.

On third-and-goal, Young found Cooper, who hadn’t caught a pass all season, alone in the end zone for the lead that gave the Eagles (4-6) hope in

CLEVELAND: Jacksonville Jaguars strong safety Dwight Lowery (25) knocks the ball away from Cleveland Browns tight end Benjamin Watson (82) in the end zone in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game.—AP fade pass to Donte’ Stallworth with 14 yards and scored on a 1-yard run for seconds remaining in regulation. Cleveland, ending a TD drought at Washington’s Graham Gano missed a home that lasted more than 158 min52-yard field goal in overtime. Bailey’s utes. winning kick was set up by Tony Packers 35, Buccaneers 26 Romo’s 26-yard pass to Dez Bryant.

In Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers threw three touchdown passes and Green Browns 14, Jaguars 10 Cleveland, Jacksonville rookie Bay survived a scare to remain unbeatquarterback Blaine Gabbert’s pass into en. With the Packers leading by two the end zone on the game’s final play points and trying to fend off a rally by was incomplete, allowing the Browns Tampa Bay in the fourth quarter,

NFL results/standings NFL results and standings on Sunday.

Cleveland 14, Jacksonville 10; Detroit 49, Carolina 35; Green Bay 35, Tampa Bay 26; Dallas 27, Washington 24 (OT); Baltimore 31, Cincinnati 24; Miami 35, Buffalo 8; Oakland 27, Minnesota 21; San Francisco 23, Arizona 7; Seattle 24, St. Louis 7; Chicago 31, San Diego 20; Atlanta 23, Tennessee 17; Philadelphia 17, NY Giants 10.

New England NY Jets Buffalo Miami

W 6 5 5 3

Baltimore Pittsburgh Cincinnati Cleveland

7 7 6 4

Houston Tennessee Jacksonville Indianapolis

7 5 3 0

Oakland Denver Kansas City San Diego

6 5 4 4

NY Giants Dallas Philadelphia Washington

6 6 4 3

Green Bay Detroit Chicago Minnesota

10 7 7 2

New Orleans Atlanta Tampa Bay Carolina

7 6 4 2

San Francisco Seattle Arizona St. Louis

9 4 3 2

American Football Conference AFC East L T OTL PF 3 0 0 259 5 0 0 228 5 0 0 237 7 0 1 193 AFC North 3 0 0 253 3 0 0 220 4 0 0 236 6 0 0 145 AFC South 3 0 0 273 5 0 0 203 7 0 0 125 10 0 0 131 AFC West 4 0 0 235 5 0 0 205 5 0 0 141 6 0 1 236 National Football Conference NFC East 4 0 0 228 4 0 0 250 6 0 0 237 7 0 1 160 NFC North 0 0 0 355 3 0 0 301 3 0 0 268 8 0 1 200 NFC South 3 0 0 313 4 0 1 235 6 0 0 179 8 0 0 225 NFC West 1 0 1 256 6 0 0 168 7 0 0 190 8 0 1 120

PA 200 217 253 186

PCT .667 .500 .500 .300

176 179 195 193

.700 .700 .600 .400

163 195 180 300

.700 .500 .300 0

254 247 218 259

.600 .500 .444 .400

228 206 213 205

.600 .600 .400 .300

212 219 207 271

1.000 .700 .700 .200

225 213 268 286

.700 .600 .400 .200

145 209 236 247

.900 .400 .300 .200

Rodgers found Jordy Nelson for a clinching 40-yard touchdown with 2:55 left in the game - Nelson’s second TD catch of the day. The Packers ran their record to 10-0, leaving them as the NFL’s lone undefeated team going into a Thanksgiving Day matchup at Detroit. Josh Freeman threw for 342 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Buccaneers (4-6), who have lost four straight but didn’t back down against one of the NFL’s elite teams.

Raiders 27, Vikings 21 Minneapolis, Carson Palmer threw for 164 yards and a touchdown and Oakland capitalized on several mistakes by Minnesota. Michael Bush rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown for the Raiders (6-4).

Raiders receiver Darrius HeywardBey was carted off the field with a neck injury in the fourth quarter.

Coach Hue Jackson said Heyward-Bey had total movement in his limbs, and hoped the player would join the team on the trip home and undergo further tests in Oakland. Heyward-Bey was injured when linebacker E.J. Henderson’s knee inadvertently hit him in the back of the head while he was being tackled. Adrian Peterson left the game in the second quarter with a sprained left ankle and the Vikings (2-8) weren’t able to complete a fourth-quarter rally. Peterson will have an MRI to make sure there’s no more damage, and he said he hoped to play next Sunday at Atlanta.

Dolphins 35, Bills 8 In Miami, Miami set up two touchdowns with interceptions, Matt Moore threw for three scores, and the Dolphins’ improbable midseason surge gained momentum.

After losing their first seven games, the Dolphins (3-7) have three consecutive victories for the first time since 2008, winning by a combined score of 86-20. Buffalo (5-5) has been outscored 106-26 while losing three in a row. To make matters worse for the injury-riddled Bills, they lost NFL rushing leader Fred Jackson in the third quarter when he hurt his leg. Receiver Donald Jones (left ankle) and cornerback Terrence McGee (left leg) were carted off the field in the second period. For the third game in a row, the Dolphins held the opposition without a touchdown.

Lions 49, Panthers 35 Detroit, Matthew Stafford’s fifth touchdown pass of the game, a 7yarder to Brandon Pettigrew with 2:32 left, completed another big rally.

Detroit (7-3) became the first NFL team since at least 1950 to win three games in a season after trailing by at least 17 points, according to STATS, LLC. Carolina (2-8) led 24-7 in the second quarter. The Panthers tied it at 35 with 4:59 left on Cam Newton’s 6-yard run and 2-point conversion pass to Steve Smith. Stafford started the game-winning drive with a 30-yard pass to Calvin Johnson and capped it by converting a third down with his TD pass to Pettigrew in the end zone.

Newton, who threw one TD pass and ran for two others, was intercepted four times.

Seahawks 24, Rams 7 In St. Louis, Sidney Rice caught a touchdown pass, drew a pass interference that led to a field goal for Seattle.

Chris Clemons had three of Seattle’s five sacks on Sam Bradford, and he also forced the Rams quarterback to fumble twice, both leading to touchdowns. Marshawn Lynch scored for the fourth straight week, although he missed on a third straight 100-yard game, finishing with 88 yards. The Rams (2-8) totaled 185 yards.

The Seahawks (4-6) won on consecutive weeks for the first time, following up on an upset over Baltimore, and have won 12 of 13 in the series.

The game featured 19 punts, including a season-high 10 by the Rams’ Donnie Jones.—AP

18

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

SPORTS

KUWAIT: CBSE Football Tournament winners (IPS) and Runners-up (JIS) along with the Chief Guest Rajesh Gairolo - General Manager, Husaifa - Assistant Marketing Manager, Al Mulla International Exchange Co., Afsal Khan - Manager, Ibrahim Shaji - Sales Manager Malahar Gold, JIS Principal Shobha Vaddadhi and others.

Indian Public School emerge victorious Jabriya Indian School hosts CBSE Football Tournament KUWAIT: The 13th CBSE Kuwait Cluster Inter-School Football Tournament hosted by Jabriya Indian School took place on Oct 30 and continued till Nov 1 at the Mishraf football ground. About 13 Indian Schools participated and the match was played on a league-cum knock out basis.

The Tournament was inaugurated

by Manasique, personal and Administration Manager Al Mulla Inter-national Exchange Company.

The Indian Public School emerged victorious defeating Jabriya Indian School. In the League match JIS defeated IES score 3-0, IPS defeated ICSK 3-0. In the quarter finals JIS defeated ICSK with the score of 1-0.

IPS crushed IES, score 5-1. IEAS defeated FAIPS 1-0, ICS won against UIS, score, 1-0. In the Semi-finals JIS emerged victorious against IEAS score 4-1. In the 2nd semi-finals. IPS defeated ICS score, 1-0. It was indeed heart-

ening to see the young players bursting with energy and enthusiasm, to exhibit their skill and expertise of the game. The important dignitaries and guests for the closing ceremony included, Chief Guest Rajesh Gairola, General Manager Al-Mulla International Exchange Company, Husaifa, Assistant Marketing Manager, Al Mulla Exchange company, Afsal Khan, Manager, Malabar gold, Ibrahim Shaji, Sales Manager, Malabar gold,

and JIS Principal Dr. Shobha Vaddadhi were also present.

The Chief Guest Rajesh Gairola, along with the JIS Principal handed over the prestigious trophy to the IPS team who were tthe winners wwhile Afsal Khan and Ibrahim Shaji distributed the certificates, medals and Trophy to the JIS team who were the runners up of the tournament.

Special individual awards and medals were given by the principal.

The Best Player of the Tournament was Karam Mohd Akar and the Top Scorer of the Tournament was Hassan Ali, both the students were from Jabriya Indian School. The Best performer of the Tournament was Fawaz Ahmed Mahmoud of Indian Educational School. The matches were officiated by IFRA (Indian Football Referees Association), the only expatriate refereeing body in Kuwait.

Congratulation to the winners.

Boca held by nine-man Racing

MEXICO: Morelia’s Luis Sandoval (right) fights for the ball with Cruz Azul’s Fausto Pinto during a Mexican soccer league match. —AP

Queretaro, Morelia and Tigres take lead MEXICO CITY: Queretaro, Morelia and Tigres will take leads into the return legs of their quarterfinal playoffs in Mexico’s Apertura championship.

In weekend matches, Queretaro won 21 at home against Guadalajara Chivas, Morelia rallied to win 2-1 against Cruz Azul, and Tigres defeated Pachuca 1-0. In the other first-leg quarterfinal, Jaguares drew 2-2 with Santos. The return games are set for next weekend.

Uruguayan striker Carlos Bueno netted twice for Queretaro, opening the scoring in the 9th minute with a curling left-footed shot from outside the area. He added a second in the 69th, beating a Chivas defender to steer a cross from the leg wing inside the far post.

Queretaro, in the playoffs for the first time, appeared set for a two-goal victory but Chivas’ superior possession was rewarded when Jorge Enrique scored with a looping header just before the final whistle.

Javier Orozco gave Cruz Azul the lead against Morelia, tapping in from close

range in the 32nd minute. Cruz Azul went down to 10 men in the 69th when Fausto Pinto was sent off for an altercation with Morelia manager Tomas Boy. Striker Rafael Marquez equalized for Morelia with a header in the 77th and added the second goal eight minutes later.

Tigres got the only goal of the game in the 27th when Chilean Hector Mancilla headed in following a swift attack. Carlos Salcido, on loan at Tigres from Fulham, was sent off in the 62nd for a two-footed lunge, but Pachuca couldn’t find an equalizer despite piling on pressure in the later stages of the game.

Santos took an early lead after Panamanian Felipe Baloy volleyed in from a corner in the 4th minute and extended their lead when Mexican international Oribe Peralta scored from close range in the 32nd. Colombian Jackson Martinez got one back with a header in the 84th, before Franco Arizala fired the equalizer past the goalkeeper in injury time. Santos’ Jose Cardenas had been sent off for an illegal tackle from behind in the 60th.—AP

PSG fall to Nancy PARIS: Paris St Germain suffered their first Ligue 1 defeat in over three months when they lost 1-0 at home to lowly Nancy on Sunday. The result is likely to fuel speculation that coach Antoine Kombouare is about to lose his job, although PSG still lead the standings with 30 points from 14 games, after a second-half goal by Jean Calve gave Nancy all three points.

General manager Leonardo, who left the stands minutes before the final whistle, said Kombouare’s position was not threatened however.

“There is no problem,” he told reporters.

“Antoine has the trust of the club, even if there is room for improvement. There always is.”

“The situation has not changed; He is the PSG coach.” PSG, who had not lost in Ligue 1 since their first outing of the season on Aug. 6, lead second-placed Montpellier, 1-0 winners against Olympique Marseille on Saturday, on goal difference.

Champions Lille, who drew 0-0 at Toulouse on Saturday, lie third and five points off the pace. “It’s hard to take. We’re not proud. We had to win this game,” PSG midfielder Nene told French TV channel Canal Plus. “We tried everything, but we need to score,” he added, referring to PSG’s 24 attempts.—Reuters

Matches on TV (Local Timings)

UEFA Champions League CSKA v Lille Aljazeera Sports +6 Lyon v Ajax Aljazeera Sports +6 Real Madrid v Dinamo Aljazeera Sports +2 Man United v Benfica Aljazeera Sports +3 Aljazeera Sports +4 Galati v Basel Aljazeera Sports +7 Trabzonspor v Inter Aljazeera Sports +1 Bayern v Villarreal Aljazeera Sports +9 Napoli v Man City Aljazeera Sports +5 Aljazeera Sports +6

20:00 22:45 22:45 22:45

22:45 22:45 22:45 22:45

BUENOS AIRES: Favorites Boca Juniors failed to break down nine-man Racing Club in a 0-0 draw at the Bombonera on Sunday but kept the eight-point lead that should guarantee them the Argentine title with four matches to go.

After 15 matches, unbeaten Boca have 33 points and Racing 25 with four teams a point further back including title holders Velez Sarsfield and Colon, who beat Atletico Rafaela 1-0 in Santa Fe with a goal from veteran striker Esteban Fuertes.

Lanus, who have 23 points, can move up to second within seven of Boca if they beat Arsenal at home late yesterday. Racing needed to win on Sunday to keep a realistic chance of beating Boca to the Apertura championship crown. Instead, they would have lost but for some fine goalkeeping from Sebastian Saja, who kept Racing afloat as midfielder Agustin Pelletieri was sent off in the 49th minute for a second booking and Colombian striker Teofilo Gutierrez was shown a straight red in the 76th.

Gutierrez, who controversially arrived back late on Friday from international duty with Colombia on Tuesday, attacked referee Nestor Pitana after believing he should have been awarded a penalty when he went down in the box.

“It’s really depressing. We needed to win (to stay in the title

race) but to beat Boca is hard enough, no-one has done it with 11 men so to do so with nine is practically impossible,” Saja told reporters.

San Lorenzo, another of Argentina’s “Big Five” clubs, were beaten 1-0 at home by promoted Union and remain stuck in the bottom four places of the relegation table.

Relegation is calculated on points averages over three seasons and, as things stand, the Saints will need a playoff at the end of the season in June to try to retain their first division status.

Playmaker Paulo Rosales scored the only goal against the run of play when he spotted goalkeeper Nereo Champagne off his line and lobbed into the net from outside the box in the 73rd minute.

The home players were jeered off the Nuevo Gasometro pitch by their fans, who accused them of a lack of passion and demanding more commitment.

Central defender Jonathan Bottinelli, one of the principal targets of the fans’ ire, said: “We played a great game but suffered a fatality as has been happening to us lately. We made one mistake and they scored.”

He told reporters he was against coach Omar Asad quitting because he did not think that would resolve matters, adding “We have to grit our teeth and bear it.”—Reuters

Adriano keeps Corinthians on track RIO DE JANEIRO: Former Brazil striker Adriano scored his first goal after eight months at Corinthians to give them a 2-1 win over Atletico Mineiro on Sunday that kept his side on course for the Brazilian championship with two matches to go.

Adriano, who signed in March but had only made four appearances due to injury and fitness problems, scored with a characteristic left-footed shot into the top of the net to seal the home win in the 89th minute at the Pacaembu in Sao Paulo.

Corinthians were a goal down to relegation threatened Atletico only 10 minutes earlier and in danger of relinquishing their lead in the standings to Vasco da Gama, who beat bottom team Avai 2-0 in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday.

However, former Portugal striker Liedson headed the equaliser from right back Alessandro’s cross after the visitors from Belo Horizonte had taken the lead 11 minutes into the second half with a header from central defender Leonardo Silva.

Former Inter Milan and Flamengo striker Adriano, who came on in the 68th minute, had done little of note until he received the ball in the box from Emerson and blasted a shot into the roof of the net.

“This goal is very important for me. After more than a year without scoring, to be able to hit such a goal is hard to explain,” said Adriano, who by taking off his shirt to celebrate not only earned a yellow card but also showed he was overweight.

“I still have a lot to do but (coach) Tite put his confidence in me and I managed to score at the end,” Adriano, top scorer in the championship when he helped Flamengo win the title in 2009, told reporters.

Third-placed Fluminense, who have won 12 of their last 17 matches, kept their title defence alive with a 4-0 rout of fifth-placed Figueirense to remain five points behind Corinthians and three adrift of Vasco. —Reuters

BUENOS AIRES: Boca Juniors’ Juan Insaurralde (left) and Racing Club’s Valentin Viola vie for the ball during an Argentine league soccer match. —AP

Levante slump continues MADRID: Levante’s slide since their surprising climb to the top of La Liga continued when they lost 3-2 at Atletico Madrid on Sunday for a third successive defeat.

The day’s action, which included a rare win for Athletic Bilbao in Sevilla, was marred by an ugly incident in the late kickoff between Granada and Real Mallorca when a referee’s assistant was struck by an object thrown from the crowd.

The match was halted in the 60th minute with Granada winning 2-1 before being called off around 20 minutes later and images in local media suggested the official had sustained a minor cut to his face.

Earlier, second-half goals from Atletico’s Portuguese forward Pizzi, Spain Under-21 international Adrian and Brazilian playmaker Diego secured victory over Levante at the Calderon, lifting the erratic Madrid club to ninth on 16 points from 12 matches.

Valencia-based Levante, whose annual budget of around 20 million euros ($27 million) is less than a 20th of leaders Real Madrid, went on a spectacular sevenmatch winning run, including beating Real 1-0, that put them top last month for the first time in their 102-year history.

They stay in fourth place on 23 points.

“Atletico is a dangerous team with a lot of talent, but we played a great match against them and I am happy for that, even though we felt we could have got a draw,” Levante coach Juan Ignacio Martinez, in his first top-flight coaching job, told a news conference.

“In the second half we were a bit more ambitious but we did not make the most of our equaliser at 1-1,” he added.

The table took on a more familiar look on Saturday when leaders Real Madrid and

second-placed Barcelona pulled further away at the top thanks to victories over Valencia and Real Zaragoza respectively.

Real edged a thrilling and bad-tempered clash at the Mestalla 3-2 for their eighth win in a row, while champions Barca thumped Zaragoza 4-0 at the Nou Camp, La Liga top scorer Lionel Messi netting his 15th of the campaign.

Real, who host their great rivals in the opening ‘Clasico’ of the season on Dec. 10, have 31 points from 12 matches, three ahead of Barca. Valencia, the last club apart from the big two to win the title, back in 2004, are third on 24.

Sevilla’s poor run continued when they lost 2-1 at home to Athletic Bilbao in an earlier kickoff on Sunday, their fifth successive game without a win and the Basque club’s first win at the Sanchez Pizjuan in 18 years.

Andoni Iraola fired Bilbao ahead in the sixth minute and Spain winger Jesus Navas equalised nine minutes later before a defensive error allowed Oscar de Marcos in to net the winning goal with around 20 minutes left.

Bilbao had to wait until Oct. 2 for their first league win under new coach Marcelo Bielsa but have since gone unbeaten in six, including a 2-2 draw at home to champions Barca.

Sevilla stayed in fifth on 18 points and Bilbao climbed to sixth on 17, level with Malaga ahead of their game at Racing Santander on Monday.

In Sunday’s other matches, Espanyol were held to a 0-0 draw at bottom club Real Sociedad, Sporting Gijon came from a goal down to beat visiting Getafe 2-1 and Osasuna and Rayo Vallecano drew 0-0 in Pamplona.—Reuters

A

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19

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

sp orts

Real take on Dinamo, looking to top Group

FRANCE: Ajax coach Frank De Boer (right) answers questions during a news conference with player Toby Alderweireld (left) in Lyon. Ajax will face Lyon in a Champions League soccer match today. —AP

Crunch time for Lyon in Champions League PARIS: Olympique Lyon face the prospect of missing out on the Champions League group phase for the first time in nine years when they host an injury-hit Ajax Amsterdam in a makeor-break Group D game today.

Victory would put the seven-times French champions second in Group D with one match remaining, away to Dinamo Zagreb, but a score draw or defeat would eliminate them for the first time since the 2002-03 season.

Back-to-back defeats by Real Madrid and a first Ligue 1 home loss in more than a year against Stade Rennes on Friday have dented their self-confidence.

“It will be another competition and sometimes, in the Champions League, we find resources that we do not always have,” coach Remi Garde said after his team were beaten 2-1 at home by Rennes.

“We won’t have a choice. It’s a makeor-break game.” Lyon, who have lost five of their last seven games in all competitions, will have to drastically raise their level if they are to beat Ajax.

“The problem is not our ambition, it’s our level of play,” said Garde. Striker

Bafetimbi Gomis, who missed several chances against Rennes, reckons he needs to be more lethal in front of goal.

“I should more aggressive, be more like a killer,” he said after the Rennes game. “We have to stop the bleeding.

We’ve already been in this kind of situation and we have what it takes to make it through.”

Garde may not be able to field Lisandro Lopez from the start after the Argentine striker made his return from a 12-week injury layoff only as a secondhalf substitute against Rennes.

Centre back Dejan Lovren and holding midfielder Maxime Gonalons are expected to be back after shaking off minor injuries.

Ajax travel to Lyon with serious offensive problems as central striker Dmitry Bulyk in sustained a k nee injur y in Saturday’s 2-2 draw against NAC Breda.

Wi t h K o l b e i n n S i g t h o r s s o n a n d Luuk de Jong already out and winger Derk Boerrigter staying at home with back problems, coach Frank de Boer might have to adjust his tactical plans.

Th e D u tc h s i d e a re a l s o w i t h o u t defenders Nicolai Boilesen and Andre Ooijer. —Reuters

MADRID: Real Madrid can clinch top spot in Group D of the Champions League with a victory against Dinamo Zagreb today, while Lyon knows a loss against Ajax will see it miss out on the knockout stages for the first time since the 2002-03 season.

Madrid has won all four of its group matches without conceding a goal, while its Croatian opponent is winless and still looking for its first goal of the tournament. Madrid’s 3-2 win over Valencia on Saturday was its 11th straight in all competitions to stay top of the Spanish league ahead of Barcelona.

Coach Jose Mourinho will have to make a number of changes to his lineup, however, with forwards Kaka, Angel Di Maria and defenders Alvaro Arbeloa, Ricardo Carvalho and Marcelo all injured. Fullback Fabio Coentrao returns for the match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. “( The match) is easy in the sense that we are already qualified, it’s not a risk match where you don’t win and you are out of the Champions League,” Mourinho said yesterday. “I have to make some changes in my team but I don’t make the changes because the game is easy, but because I have some players very, very tired.”

The Portuguese coach said Kaka wasn’t bothered by a calf problem but that the Brazil playmaker didn’t feel fully fit. He suggested Suri Nahin would make his first start since his offseason move from Borussia Dortmund, while Lassana Diarra will also start.

Sahin said he felt no pressure ahead of his likely debut after finally overcoming knee prob-

lems. “I don’t know if I’m ready for 90 minutes but I’m ready to play,” the Turkey midfielder said yesterday.

Croatian champion Dinamo is waiting on the fitness of goalkeeper Ivan Kelava (knee), and

defenders Josip Simunic (calf ) and Sime Vrsaljko (hamstring).

At the Stade de Gerland, Ajax can secure its place in the last 16 for the first time since 2005-06 with a win. The Dutch club is three points ahead of Lyon with

MADRID: Dinamo Zagreb’s Sammir from Brazil kicks the ball during a training session in Madrid. Dinamo Zagreb will play Real Madrid today in a Group D Champions League soccer match. —AP

only one game to play after this week’s round.

Ajax travels to France with the club’s boardroom in turmoil after Ajax icon Johan Cruyff clashed with the other four board members over their appointment of Louis van Gaal as director. Coach Frank de Boer has refused to take sides in the dispute and has been concentrating on how to cobble together a forward line with his attacking options severely curtailed by injuries.

Ajax is missing forwards Kolbeinn Sigthorsson, Derk Boerrigter and Dmitry Bulykin as well as attacking midfielder Siem de Jong. Teenagers Davy Klaassen and Lesley de Sa have been called up from the Ajax juniors to patch up De Boer’s front line.

Lyon is coming off a third straight loss and its first domestic defeat at Gerland, but will be boosted by the return of Argentina striker Lisandro Lopez and Brazilian winger Michel Bastos.

Coach Remi Garde is waiting on the fitness of holding midfielder Maxime Gonalons, who injured his calf playing for France last week, and who sat out the 21 loss to Rennes.

“He’s got a tight calf, but he didn’t hold back with the France team. We’re paying the price for it now in terms of the team’s balance,” Garde said before addressing the importance of the match.

“We don’t have the choice, it’s all or nothing.”

Croatian central defender Dejan Lovren is still recovering from a knee injury and unlikely to play against Ajax. Madrid has 12 points, Ajax has seven points, Lyon is on four and Dinamo has zero points. —AP

Inter look to reach last 16 TRABZON: Needing only a draw to advance, Inter Milan will be looking to get back into the last 16 of the Champions League today when the club travels to Turkey to face Trabzonspor.

Inter, which won the competition for the third time in 2010, lost to the Turkish club 1-0 in September.

Also in Group B, last-place Lille will take on CSKA Moscow. The French club has to win its last two games to advance, including a home match against Trabzonspor.

Inter leads the group with nine points despite losing seven of its 15 matches in all competitions this season. CSKA and Trabzonspor are next with five points each, while Lille has two.

Inter’s president Massimo Moratti is confident coach Claudio Ranieri can start to turn the season around following back-to-back wins.

“The squad is starting to tick, especially the new signings - and you can add Coutinho to that group because he’s like a new acquisition who needs to prove himself,” Moratti said.

Ranieri is without star player Wesley Sneijder, who has been diagnosed with a strained muscle in his right leg after getting

injured during the pre-match warmup for a 21 win over Cagliari in Serie A on Saturday.

Coutinho replaced Sneijder against Cagliari and scored his first goal of the season to help Inter to just its third win in the Italian league.

Defenders Lucio and Yuto Nagatomo have recovered from injuries and are back in Inter’s squad.

CSKA, meanwhile, is also without its best player, with striker Seydou Doumbia suspended after being sent off in the 0-0 away draw against Trabzonspor on Nov. 2.

Doumbia’s two goals helped CSKA rally from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 away to Lille in September, and the Ivory Coast forward has scored nine goals in the last six games including two hat tricks.

Coach Leonid Slutsky must hope Doumbia’s red card doesn’t prove costly.

“Clearly, Doumbia is our key striker this season, but we will have to try to play without him,” Slutsky said. “It will be a tough game for both teams. Lille will have to be aggressive in attack.” CSKA will rely on Brazilian striker Vagner Love, who has scored 116 goals since he joined the team in 2004. Love was suspended for CSKA’s last two matches in the

Russian league. Garcia needs his strikers to start scoring again, particularly Moussa Sow. Sow was the French league’s top scorer with 25 goals last season, but has not scored in his last four matches and missed a penalty in Friday’s 0-0 draw at Toulouse.

“Moussa played well, he caused problems for their central defenders,” Garcia said, defending his form. Lille would have been in a far stronger position if it had defended better, because it also led away to Trabzonspor before drawing 1-1.

Garcia is not overly concerned over Lille’s poor form, which has seen only two goals scored in four games. “If we play like this in our next games, we will win them,” he said.

“We don’t actually have a choice in Moscow.

We don’t know precisely what the weather conditions will be like but we’re expecting it to be very cold, perhaps snowing.”

Garcia hopes to have defender Marko Basa and midfielder Benoit Pedretti back from injury. “The positive thing (about the draw with Toulouse) is that we didn’t pick up any injuries, safe in the knowledge that we could rest certain players,” Garcia said. “We’ll see what shape Basa and Pedretti are in.” —AP

Bayern aim to wrap up qualification LONDON: Manchester City’s David Silva kicks a ball during a training session at Carrington Training Ground. City face Napoli in their UEFA Champions League match today. —AP

Unstoppable City visit Napoli ROME: Roberto Mancini will return to the scene one of his most spectacular goals when Manchester City visit Napoli today attempting to become the first side to win a European match at the San Paolo for 17 years.

A win would take Manchester City into the last 16 of the Champions League with a game to spare and their domestic form suggests that is well within their capabilities against the side already seven points behind the Serie A leaders.

City have looked unstoppable in the league, winning 11 out of 12 games and scoring 42 goals in the process. However, manager Mancini knows as well as anyone that a match in Napoli is unlike anything they have encountered in the Premiership.

“My feeling is good because I think that our team has improved a lot in the Champions League but I know what we can find in Naples,” the Italian said after Saturday’s 3-1 win over Newcastle.

“Naples this season are playing very, very well at home and if we want to win in Naples we should play better.” The San Paolo was the scene of what is remembered in Italy as one of Mancini’s finest goals during his Sampdoria career, a spectacular volley in a 4-1 win 1990/91, the season they won the Scudetto. City, with seven

points from four games, are second in Group A, three points behind leaders Bayern Munich who are expected to clinch their place at home to Villarreal the same evening.

Napoli, like City making their Champions League debut this season, have five points and must win to keep alive any realistic hopes of progressing.

City have not won in three previous visits to Italy while Napoli are unbeaten in 10 home matches since they returned to European competition following a 13-year absence which saw them drop down to the Italy’s third tier.

In those 10 games, they have conceded only one goal, scored by Toni Kroos of Bayern Munich earlier in Group A. Their last home European defeat was against Eintracht Frankfurt in 1994. Napoli have been highly erratic this season and their Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani has been a shadow of the player who scored 26 Serie A goals last season.

But when Cavani hits form, as he did by scoring a hat-trick in the 3-1 win over AC Milan in September, Napoli are a different proposition.

“It won’t be at all easy, as City are a team of phenomenal players,” said Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri. “But we will go to the bitter end.” — Reuters

BERLIN: Bayern Munich will be looking to wrap up their Champions League qualification with a win over Spain’s Villarreal yesterday and bounce back from a weekend Bundesliga defeat by Borussia Dortmund.

The Bavarians, who lead Group A with 10 points, three ahead of Manchester City, are all but assured a spot in the knockout stage with Napoli third on five points. They can also tie up first place if they win and City fail to beat Napoli.

Villarreal, with four straight defeats, have had their worst run in form in their nine -year European history and Bayern have won a commanding 10 of their last 11 Champions League home games.

Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes will have winger Arjen Robben at his disposal after the Dutchman made his comeback against Dortmund following a six-week absence due to groin surgery.

The loss of Bastian Schweinsteiger with a shoulder injury until the end of the year, however, looks to have had a much bigger impact as Bayern were sluggish against Dortmund with their play lacking the usual pace and direction. “ We were not aggressive enough and our movement at the back was not good,” Heynckes said. Heynckes will also be without central defender Holger Badstuber who was sent off in their 3-2 win over Napoli earlier this month. “I am certain my

MUNICH: Team members of Villarreal warm up prior to a training session in Munich. Bayern Munich and Villarreal will play each other today in a Champions League Group A soccer match. —AP

team will present itself differently on Tuesday,” Heynckes said after the 1-0 loss to Dortmund. “One player or another seemed to be lacking the necessary tension and concentration against Dortmund.

That will change.”

Club CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said the “painful” defeat to Dortmund should be put behind them fast. “Now there is only victory for us on Tuesday.

Then we can book our spot in the round of 16 and that is our duty,” Rummenigge told reporters.

Injury-ravaged Villarreal, still without a point, have a slim chance of securing third spot and a berth in the Europa League and are not giving up yet, according to captain Gonzalo Rodriguez.

Juan Carlos Garrido’s side,

missing injured first-choice strikers Giuseppe Rossi and Nilmar, claimed only their third La Liga victory of the campaign on Saturday, a 1-0 home win over struggling Real Betis that put them on 14 points from 12 matches.

“You cannot be on top every year but we will always try,” central defender Rodriguez told reporters. “Up to now we have known how to pick ourselves up from the reverses we have suffered, which to be honest have been a lot,” he added.

“Now we have to focus on the Munich game and cling to the hope of continuing in the Europa League, although the truth is that it won’t be easy and we’ll have to work very hard.” —Reuters

Stewart crowned NASCAR champ

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

Ravens soar over Bengals

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Australia snatch two-wicket win over SA

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United eye next round Qualification for Champions League knockout stage MANCHESTER: Manchester United have improved their concentration levels in keeping five successive clean sheets and like Benfica will have only one thing on their minds today with both clubs able to wrap up qualification for the Champions League knockout stage.

The pair have eight points in Group C, with United ahead on goal difference, and victory for either at Old Trafford would put that side through as group winners with a game to spare. A draw would send both through if FC Basel lose to Otelul Galati.

Alex Ferguson’s United have tightened up since last month’s 6-1 drubbing by Premier League leaders Manchester City, with the manager saying that game had been a “wake-up call” that has been followed by five wins in a row with clean sheets.

“A few weeks ago there was genuine criticism about the defending and the chances opponents were getting,” Ferguson told MUTV after Saturday’s 1-0 league win at Swansea City.

“When you win these games 1-0 it brings the concentration back to a good level which has been lacking. The concentration we showed today is exactly the concentration we need back in the team.”

The return from injury of captain Nemanja Vidic to marshal the heart of defence has coincided with the improvement but United will not be able to count on him against Benfica while he serves the second of a two-match ban.

In his absence, Rio Ferdinand is likely to be partnered by Jonny Evans as last season’s runners-up seek to qualify from the group stage for a sixth consecutive year.

United have also had problems in midfield due to injuries, with Ferguson resorting to deploying striker Wayne Rooney in a central role in this month’s 2-0 win over Galati in their last European game, but they are now looking in better shape.

“Michael Carrick was outstanding,” Ferguson said of the midfielder’s first league start of the season at Swansea. “I thought he did really well-it was a big performance from him.

“To get Michael back to that form and have the likes of Ryan (Giggs) available gives us good options.” Benfica are unbeaten on their European travels this season but that may count for little at Old Trafford, where United have lost only once in their last 34 Champions League games there dating back to 2005.

The clubs, who are old rivals with United having beaten the Portuguese side when they won their first European Cup in 1968, drew 1-1 in Portugal in their group opener in September.

The recent performances of Spain under-21 international Rodrigo will give Benfica coach Jorge Jesus a welcome headache over who to pick to spearhead Benfica’s attack on Tuesday.

The 20-year-old has stolen the show in their last four matches, scoring each of his team’s five goals and standing out with his above-average flair and awareness.

“I’m going through a good moment but only God knows how far I will go. I don’t know if the coach will make me a regular firstchoice player, that’s for him to decide but two years ago I’d never have imagined I’d be here,” Rodrigo said.

Paraguay’s Oscar Cardozo nevertheless remains the natural first choice up front and is Benfica’s top scorer in the league and Champions League. —Reuters

Matthew seeks follow-up to world title triumph KUWAIT: Nick Matthew hopes to follow his successful defence of the World Open title in Rotterdam a fortnight ago by becoming year-end world number one for the second successive time.

The 31-year-old Englishman is only 338 ranking points ahead of Ramy Ashour, the Tour’s player of the year, but the Egyptian has withdrawn from this week’s Kuwait Cup, which may now allow Matthew to consolidate his lead until the end of 2011.

Ashour is still sidelined by the hamstring injury which halted his bid to regain the world title, and which may also cause him to miss the year’s last major tournament in New Delhi next month.

By contrast Matthew is favourite to win the $165,000 World Series event starting here on Wednesday, which is the joint richest tournament outside the World Open, and part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of Kuwait’s independence.

It will be staged under the patronage of Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al- Sabah, the Amir of Kuwait, and will have a brand new format, with the line-up for the quarter-finals being drawn out of the hat after the last 16 matches have been completed.

Despite his top seeding Matthew was beaten in last week’s World Series event in Hong Kong by Greg Gaultier, the Frenchman who took the Yorkshireman to four games in an absorbing World Open final.

This suggested that the former world number one from Aix-en-Provence may again be Matthew’s biggest threat, especially as he called out “je reviens” (I’m returning) while avenging himself on him.

Gaultier, who has gradually overcome a hip injury this year, added: “Everyone knows we were playing in the final of the World Open, and I was dying for revenge.”

He would love to repeat the achievement in the Gulf, to underline that he is again a long-term contender for the sport’s biggest prizes after an interval of several months.

Matthew meanwhile claims he does not intend to let up.

“I just want a couple of days rest after Hong Kong, and then to finish the year strongly,” he said.

There are several other potential threats, including two other Egyptians — Amr Shabana, the four times former world champion, and Karim Darwish, the former world number one.

However the in-form man is the other leading Englishman, James Willstrop, who has climbed to world number three after beating Darwish in the final and Gaultier in the semis in Hong Kong.—AFP

Saudi inflation eases despite housing costs Page 22

Global economic outlook in a grim state: China Page 26 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

Japan slips back into trade deficit

US, Europe debt fears hammer stocks Page 24

Page 26 FRANKFURT: Participants in a Monopoly competition wave their country’s flags (Spain, Italy, Greece, from left) during a photo call in front of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, Germany yesterday. 17 representatives of the Euro countries take part in the event. —AP

Moody’s warns on French outlook Bond yields jump again on report PARIS: A rise in interest rates on French government debt and weaker growth prospects could be negative for the outlook on France’s credit rating, Moody’s warned in a report yesterday, adding to pressure on European debt markets. Worries that France has the weakest economic fundamentals among the euro’s six AAArated countries have drawn the euro zone’s second largest economy into the firing line in the debt crisis this month. The rating agency said the

deteriorating market climate was a threat to the country’s credit outlook, though not at this stage to its actual rating. “Elevated borrowing costs persisting for an extended period would amplify the fiscal challenges the French government faces amid a deteriorating growth outlook, with negative credit implications,” Senior Credit Officer Alexander Kockerbeck said in Moody’s Weekly Credit Outlook dated Nov 21. “As we noted in recent publications, the deterioration in debt

News

in brief

Apple accepts yuan payment SHANGHAI: Apple has started accepting payment in China’s yuan currency through its online store, opening it up to the biggest Internet market in the world, company officials said yesterday. The App Store, which sells software applications for devices such as iPhone and iPad, started accepting the unit last week in an unannounced move. “The service has been there since last Friday. It’s really good news for our customers and local application developers,” a spokeswoman for Apple China said. She declined to comment on the timing of the move.

Hungary seeks assistance WASHINGTON: Hungary has asked the International Monetary Fund and the European Union for financial assistance, the IMF chief announced yesterday. “The IMF has received a request from the Hungarian authorities for possible financial assistance,” IMF managing director Christine Lagarde said in a statement. “The authorities have sent a similar request to the European Commission (EC) and indicated that they plan to treat as precautionary any IMF and EC support that could be made available,” the statement added. Lagarde said an IMF team currently working in Budapest will now return to Washington for consultations with the IMF management and board.

Spain borrowing costs rise PARIS: Spanish government borrowing costs rose yesterday as the financial markets drew no new confidence from a sweeping election win for a right-wing government committed to radical budget cuts so as to balance the public finances. The yield or rate of return earned by holders of benchmark Spanish 10-year government bonds rose to 6.500 percent in late morning trading from 6.345 percent at the close on Friday. The spread or gap with the borrowing rate for Germany, the eurozone benchmark, widened to 4.58 percentage points from 4.33 percentage points Friday, as investors favored the safety of German debt.

metrics and the potential for further liabilities to emerge are exerting pressure on France’s creditworthiness and the stable outlook (though not at this stage the level) of the government’s Aaa debt rating,” the Moody’s note read. The yield differential between French and German 10-year government bonds rose above 200 basis points last week, a new euro-era high.

Moody’s said that at that spread level, France pays nearly twice as much as Germany for long-term funding,

adding that a 100 basis point increase in yields roughly equates to an additional three billion euros in yearly funding costs.

In early trade, the French 10-year spread was up about 20 basis points at 167 bps following publication of Moody’s report but remained well short of the 202 bps hit last week. The CAC 40 index, which was down 1.7 percent in opening trade, was down 2.2 percent after an hour of trade.

“With the government’s forecast for

real GDP growth of a mere one percent in 2012, a higher interest burden will make achieving targeted fiscal deficit reduction more difficult,” Moody’s said. On Oct 17, Moody’s said it could place France on negative outlook in the next three months if the costs for helping to bail out banks and other euro zone members overstretched its budget.

“The French social model cannot be financed if the French economy’s potential is not preserved. With fur-

Nano car gets a makeover NEW DELHI: India’s Tata Nano, the world’s cheapest car that has struggled to find buyers since its 2009 launch, has been given a revamp to boost its appeal, its manufacturer said yesterday. Tata Motors, which makes the Nano as well as British luxury brands Jaguar and Land Rover, said the car would now be available in more colors and with more luxurious interiors while featuring better fuel efficiency and engine power. The engine will be increased by three horsepower to 38, the inside of the car will be quieter, while a “racier sounding exhaust” will give it “a more assertive road presence,” the company said. The changes were based on feedback from Nano owners who “have given us valuable insights on what more can be done,” said P M Talang, Tata Motors’ India operations managing director. The move is part of a drive

by Tata Motors to increase sales of the snubnosed Nano, which has had a rough ride. Tata expected to sell 25,000 Nanos a month as it targeted ever-growing numbers of families looking to upgrade from a motorbike to four wheels. The low-end car, sold without air conditioning, costs 140,880 rupees ($2,770) while the premium version-which comes with air conditioning, central locking and power front windows-sells for 196,959 rupees.—AFP

NEW DELHI: In this file photo, visitors inspect Tata Motor’s cheapest car ‘Nano’ at Pragati maidan during the 10th Auto Expo 2010 in New Delhi. —AFP

UAE pipeline to flow first oil in Dec ABU DHABI: A crude oil pipeline in the United Arab Emirates that will bypass the Strait of Hormuz is nearly complete with first oil to flow next month, as talk of military action against Iran intensifies, four industry sources said yesterday. The Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline (ADCOP) project, a 480-km pipeline with a capacity of up to 2.5 million barrels per day (bpd) - would allow OPEC member UAE, one of the world’s top five oil exporters, to avoid the risky sea route and boost expor ts from its

Fujairah terminal on the Gulf of Oman.

“Oil could flow through the pipeline from end-December initially at 1 million bpd and gradually increase to 2 million bpd,” an industry source with direct knowledge of the pipeline said. “ There’s a hurry to get this operational as the noises about an attack on Iran gets louder,” he said, adding that the star t-up of the pipeline would ease a serious bottleneck in the Gulf. Tension over Iran’s nuclear program has increased since the

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported on Nov 8 that Tehran appears to have worked on designing a nuclear bomb and may still be working.

The Strait of Hormuz is the most important oil transit channel in the world, with some 15.5 million barrels or about a third of all sea-borne oil passing through in 2009, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). US warships patrol the area to ensure the safe passage. —Reuters

ther weakening GDP growth the political scope for the government to generate further savings in this case would be tested,” yesterday’s note from Moody’s said. The agency said the management of the euro area debt crisis complicated the government’s fiscal consolidation efforts. The stress on banks’ balance sheets can lead to further increases of liabilities on the government’s balance sheet when further state support to banks is needed, it added. — Reuters

Kuwait’s Global seeking bond repayment delay DUBAI: Kuwait’s Global Investment House is to ask bondholders if it can delay repayment of a KD45 million bond to June 2012 from April 2012, the company said in a statement yesterday. A meeting to approve the firm’s request will be held on Dec 5, the statement said. The deferral of the bond repayment to June 10 from April 25 is to help Global in its talks with creditors regarding a wider debt restructuring. Global said in September that it had asked bank creditors to delay principal repayments on debt due in December as part of a move to renegotiate a $1.7 billion restructuring agreement signed in 2009.

A formal request to lenders had gone out on Nov 3 to defer interest and principal payments from December onwards, yesterday’s statement added.

Holders of a 50 million dinar bond due November 2013, as well as the April 2012 maturity, need also to approve the waivers on bank debt, with a vote due to take place at the same December meeting. A source said in September that Global had repaid $200 million of its bank debt but the large outstanding amount and volatile market conditions meant it was difficult for the bank to raise enough cash to service its debt.

Meanwhile, sales activity in the real estate sector saw some recovery in September after slowing in August, according to a report released by the National Bank of Kuwait yesterday. Total sales value was up 11.2% yearon-year (y/y), reaching KD 199.5 million. The residential sector accounted for 51% of total sales, with the investment and commercial sectors taking 37% and 12% respectively. The residential sector has reclaimed its spot as the biggest sector in September after the investment sector had overtaken it for the previous 3 months.

Overall, the residential sector recorded total sales of KD102.7 million, a 50% y/y increase. It also saw 585 transactions carried out during the month, with 2011 averaging 479 transactions per month so far. The sector should continue to do well in the coming months as it is backed by healthy local demand. — Agencies

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business

Jet Airways takes delivery of 100th aircraft MUMBAI: Jet Airways, India’s premier international airline, has achieved a major milestone - the induction of the 100th aircraft into its fleet. The airline accepted a brand new, Next Generation Boeing 737-800 with sky interiors in Seattle on November 15, 2011. The 100th aircraft will be the third all new Boeing 737-800 configured with 8 Premiere and 162 economy seats, and will commence commercial operations from December 5, 2011.

New improved passenger service units and a significantly quieter cabin will add to the comfort of the guests.

Another feature that will most definitely be appreciated by guests are the new pivot bins, which afford greater overhead bin capacity for storage. The new

costs. Importantly, Jet Airways had set about its mission of becoming the preferred airline for its guests in India as early as 1993 by flying the most modern generation, fuel-efficient Boeing 737300 aircraft in Indian skies.

In December 1996, Jet Airways signed a Purchase Agreement with the manufacturer for the acquisition of 10 Boeing 737-400/800 aircraft, thus becoming the country’s first private airline to acquire its own fleet of new aircraft. Jet Airways was the first airline in Asia to fly the Next Generation Boeing 737-800, barely seven months post the commercial induction of such aircraft in the United States. The airline was also the second airline in Asia to induct the Boeing 737-900 aircraft, besides being

Boeing 737-800 aircraft also possess superior on board, sound quality and clarity through new speakers that have been improved in each passenger row.

The all new Sky Interiors with curved cabin architecture further provide a feeling of openness and space.

The all new Boeing 737-800 will also be replete with bright new colors and decor of the aircraft with modern, sculpted sidewalls and larger windows, combined with the effect of the lightemitting diode (LED) lighting significantly enhancing the sense of spaciousness in the cabin. Besides, the LED lighting can portray different color schemes like a soft blue sky and a relaxing pallet of sunset colors, while providing for maximum efficiency and lower maintenance

the second airline in the world to operate Next Generation B737-700/800/900 aircraft.

Later on in 2007, Jet Airways embarked on the first phase of international expansion with the induction of wide-bodied Airbus 330-200 aircraft in 2006 and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in 2007. Nikos Kardassis, Chief Executive Officer of Jet Airways, said “The delivery of our 100th Aircraft is a major milestone for everyone at Jet Airways.

The airline has always chosen to utilize the very best in next generation avionics to ensure superior quality, reliable service and above all customer satisfaction. A case-in-point being that we were the very first airline in India to fly the modern generation, fuel-efficient

Boeing 737-300 aircraft in Indian skies.”

Later the induction of the Boeing 737-800 made Jet Airways the first airline in Asia to fly the Next Generation aircraft, barely seven months post its commercial induction in the United States.

“We are also happy to have worked closely with GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) as a partner since 1995 and look forward for more fruitful affiliation in the years to come as Jet Airways plans to expand its domestic and international network.”

The airline post the acquisition of its 100 thaircraft, will fly to 76 destinations, including 24 international destinations making it one of the fastest growing airlines in the world.

Saudi inflation eases despite housing costs Analysts say rate in line with expectations

American Express sponsors restoration of monument MANAMA: Plans for the restoration of Bab Al Bahrain (Gateway of Bahrain), an important architectural and historical monument in Manama, were unveiled by Her Excellency Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Minister of Culture, William Keliehor, Chief Executive Officer, and Mazin Khoury, Chief Operating Officer, American Express Middle East. The refurbishment of Bab Al Bahrain, located in Manama’s Customs Square, is part of the Ministry’s “Invest in Culture” initiative.

American Express Middle East, which has been headquartered in Manama since 1977, is sponsoring the project and the renovation of the memorial office of His Great Highness the late Amir, Sheikh Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, which is situated within Bab Al Bahrain. Upon completion of the refurbishment process, Bab Al Bahrain will be a heritage monument representative of the history of the Kingdom of Bahrain. It will also become a premium tourist destination and will join the ranks of cultural tourist attractions, which have been revamped and renovated by the Kingdom.

Her Excellency Shaikha Mai Al Khalifa, Minister of Culture stressed the importance of Bab Al Bahrain as a heritage monument that must be preserved and revived in its traditional form, and esteemed as an important tourist attraction destination. She also underlined the importance of Bab Al Bahrain to the trade and tourism sectors for more than half a century. Her Excellency expressed her appreciation of American Express for its support of the Ministry’s “Invest in Culture” initiative. Emphasizing the significance of this dis-

tinctive heritage monument in the history of Bahrain, she mentioned that the project would be culminated during the Kingdom’s celebration of Al Manama as the Arabic Culture Capital for 2012. The refurbished Bab Al Bahrain would also be inaugurated ahead of 2013 and the celebration of Al Manama as the capital of Arabic tourism.

To celebrate the heritage of this architectural landmark, a school drawing competition has also been launched for young people in Bahrain. Organised by American Express Middle East and the Ministry of Culture in partnership with the Ministry of Education, children aged 12 to 14, from participating schools, will be asked to draw or paint their interpretation of Bab Al Bahrain and its importance to the Kingdom of Bahrain. The top three winning artworks will be displayed at the newly restored Bab Al Bahrain and the winners will receive valuable prizes.

William Keliehor, Chief Executive Officer, American Express Middle East, said: “American Express Middle East is both an active participant in the local community of Bahrain and a contributor to its economic growth and diversification. It is fitting that we should support the Ministry in the renovation of Bab Al Bahrain, a building with commerce at its heart. Preserving historic places for use by future generations is vital in ensuring the protection of Bahrain’s rich cultural heritage, and we particularly look forward to engaging young people about this important cultural landmark in the Kingdom of Bahrain.”

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s annual inflation eased to 5.2 percent in October and monthly price growth slowed to 0.5 percent despite rising housing costs and the impact of increased government spending, government data showed yesterday. Inflation in the world’s top oil exporter had hovered below 5 percent for most of 2011 before reaching an eight-month high of 5.3 percent in September, when prices jumped 0.9 percent on a month-on-month basis.

“It’s very much in line with expectations.

Partly because of the base effect, we don’t expect inflation to accelerate right now,” said Jarmo Kotilaine, chief economist of National Commercial Bank in Jeddah.

Rising housing costs, a large injection of government spending and volatile exchange rates with some large trading partners have caused prices to edge up in Saudi Arabia this year, but inflation is expected to slowly decline towards the end of 2011 and into 2012.

In October the country’s central bank governor Muhammad Al-Jasser said he was not concerned about the kingdom’s inflation level, which he expected to ease during the fourth quarter. “Inflation levels are not worrying,” he said. “I expect it to continue to decline.” Analysts polled by Reuters in September forecast average inflation of 5.1 percent in 2011 and 5.0 percent in 2012, slightly higher than figures in recent years but well below the record high of 9.9 percent in 2008. The largest Arab economy is seen expanding by 6.2 percent in 2011 and 4.5 percent next year following 4.2 percent growth in 2010, helped by robust crude prices and higher government spending, the Reuters poll found.

Saudi Arabia’s central bank said this month it expected inflationary pressures to continue in the fourth quarter because of increased spending during the Haj pilgrimage season, which recently ended. “We’ve seen pressures in some commodities, food in particular, but they’re not

as relentless as they were earlier,” said Kotilaine.

“Clearly you have seen some imported inflation because of the dollar weakness vis-a-vis currencies other than the euro. “To some extent we’re still seeing the effect of the increased government spending announced in the spring, so we have a broader range of domestic inflation drivers.”

The main driver of October inflation was increased housing costs, which rose 0.7 percent on month after 0.6 percent growth in September, while food prices, the other main contributor to Saudi inflation figures, were flat on month. “Food prices, which are around 26 percent of the index, are increasing at a slower rate-it seems we are getting towards the peak of inflation for this year,” said Mahdi Mattar, chief economist at CAPM Investment in Dubai. “In 2012, inflation will decrease because the supply bottleneck in affordable housing in the kingdom will ease.” — Reuters

ABK launches its new, restructured website KUWAIT: In line with Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait’s strategy and ongoing initiatives to improve banking services provided to clients, the Bank recently developed and restructured their website, to make browsing and navigation easier for its customers.

Othman Tawfiqi, Head of Delivery Channels at ABK, explained the updates that have been applied on the website: “ABK’s website was one of the most comprehensive and advanced sites. To its new, modern structure we have added features that further facilitate the needs and expectations of our customers.

“Amongst other upgrades, we have added the convenient Live Chat service on our website for visitors to get any information they need by chatting live with one of our account managers.” Tawfiqi added, “Recently, the changes we have

applied on the structure of the website include new search options, changes in flash display, as well as separation of the section of news and media from offers and promotions, in order to enrich the design and make it easier for customers to access information with less time and effort.

“It would be fitting to mention here that ABK has in the past won the ‘Best Structured Award - Retail Banks’ in 2010 for its unique website design.” Tawfiqi also mentioned that the website with its new version provides pages and links to information including branch and ATM locations around Kuwait. To know more about our services and offers visit our website www.eahli.com , or chat live through “Ahli Chat “ with any of the account managers , or call “Ahlan Ahli “ on 1899899.

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 .4310000 .3700000 .2980000 .2650000 .2720000 .0040000 .0020000 .0747670 .7284350 .3810000 .0700000 .7140980 .0040000 .0430000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2754000 GB Pound/KD .4323920 Euro .3706060 Swiss francs .2993750 Canadian dollars .2668730 Danish Kroner .0497950 Swedish Kroner .0404670 Australian dlr .2732240 Hong Kong dlr .0353590 Singapore dlr .2118460 Japanese yen .0035860 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 .4430000 .3790000 .3140000 .2760000 .2830000 .0072500 .0035000 .0755170 .7357560 .4010000 .0760000 .7212750 .0072000 .0530000 .2775000 .4356890 .3734320 .3015980 .2689080 .0501740 .0407760 .2753080 .0356290 .2134620 .0036140 .0053780 .0025220 .0031910 .0036390 .0755820 .7363670 .3925040 .0740200 .7210600 .0064530

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

COUNTRY

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

SELL CASH

279.900 735.760 3.850 272.600 543.400 44.700 51.200 167.800 48.240 378.000 36.220 5.790 0.032 0.224 0.241 3.690 392.910 0.187 89.930 46.300 4.260 213.300 1.793 49.000 718.600

SELL DRAFT

278.400 735.760 3.605 271.100

214.300 46.268 376.500 36.070 5.360 0.031

10 Tola

75.330 276.600

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd 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

Currency

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

278.13 271.63 305.63 375.37

441.00 3.62 3.740 5.765 2.610 4.250 3.370 75.75 736.60 48.20 393.00 719.50 76.65 73.75

276.600 3.175 5.345 2.515 3.615 6.415 75.410 73.915 735.400 46.245 441.000 3.190 1.550 393.000 5.750 379.800 274.400 3.690

Al Mulla Exchange

UAE Exchange Center WLL Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro

437.03 3.65 3.616 5.326 2.510 3.347 3.178 75.29 735.74 46.25 393.52 718.86 76.27 73.86

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 438.200 276.600

Sterling Pound US Dollar

Currency

718.420

303.700 5.500 9.110

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

Currency

392.020 0.185 89.930 3.370 211.800

3.185 6.385 76.100 73.870 214.290 36.290 2.503 438.200

GOLD 1,783.550

Rate for Transfer

Bahrain Exchange Company

3.340 6.600 76.530 73.870 214.290 36.290 2.636 440.200 41.700 305.200 5.500 9.300 198.263 75.430 277.000 1.220

284.00 273.00 311.00 378.00

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)

276.250 376.300 438.000 270.900 3.625 5.335 46.205 2.501 3.590 6.365 3.170 735.700 75.300 73.825

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Global General Index down by 0.88% GLOBAL DAILY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) continued the south journey for the third session in a row. Four stocks only closed in green during yesterday’s session. No catalytic news are inspiring the Investors right now and the concerns regarding local and middle east political unrest are increasing.

MARKET INDICES Global General Index (GGI) ended the day down by 0.88 percent, at 179.25 point. Market Capitalization was down for the day, reaching KD29.34bn. On the other hand, KSE Price Index closed at 5,783.9 point, shedding 41.3 points (0.71 percent) to its previous close.

MARKET BREADTH During the session, 85 companies were traded. Market breadth was skewed towards decliners as 54 equities advanced versus 4 that declined.

DAILY TRADING ACTIVITY Trading activity was up yesterday. Total volume traded was up by 165.72 percent with 102.75mn shares changing hands at a total value of KD18.95mn (134.92 percent higher compared to Sunday session). Banking sector was the volume leader, accounting for 26.44 percent of total shares exchanges.

Kuwait International Bank was the session’s most traded stock with 23.63mn shares exchanged. The same sector was the value leader, having 47.58 percent of total traded value.

TOP GAINERS AND BIGGEST DECLINERS In terms of top gainers, AlQurain Holding Company was the top gainer for the day, adding 13.51 percent to its share value and closing at KD0.021. The stock backed for trading after the company announced 9M2011 financial results yesterday. The company

posted a net loss of KD2.74mn in 9M2011, versus a net profit of KD0.10mn in the corresponding period of the previous year. On the other hand, IFA Hotels & Resorts Company shed 14.93 percent and closed at KD0.285 making it the biggest decliner in the market.

SECTORS WISE Sector-wise, all of the eight Global indices ended the day on a negative note. However, Global Insurance Index remained unchanged as it did not witness any transaction during November so far.

Global Real Estate Index was the biggest loser for the day as it decreased by 1.91 percent to close at 49.59 points. The index’s drop

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

was caused by heavyweight Mabanee Company which shed 2.25 percent from its share price to end the day at KD0.870. Further contributing to the sector’s drop was National Real Estate Company which shed 7.25 percent from its share price to close at KD0.128, making it one of the biggest losers for the day.

Global Services Index was the second biggest decliner as it shed 1.46 percent to close at 763.46 points. 19 companies in the sector reported daily losses. Also contributing to the index’s decline was heavyweight Zain Company which shed 1.09 percent from its share value to close at KD0.910. Agility reported a decline as well. The com-

pany’s share price dropped by 4.00 percent to close at KD0.360. Jazeera Airways Company was the only exception in the sector. The scrip closed up by 1.25 percent at KD0.405. Global Non Kuwaiti Index was the third biggest decliner as it shed 0.86 percent to close at 42.18 points. United Gulf Bank was the biggest loser in the sector, shedding 4.95 percent and closed at KD0.192.

OIL NEWS The price of OPEC basket of twelve crudes stood at USD109.12pb on Friday, compared with USD110.83pb the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

US and Europe debt fears hammer stocks LONDON: Fears about out-ofcontrol government debt on both sides of the Atlantic swept across financial markets again yesterday, knocking stocks sharply lower and pushing up prices of bonds deemed to be safe havens. As fears about Italy and other debtstrapped euro zone countries persisted with Moody’s warning about France’s rating outlook and Spanish yields rising a day after the country voted in a new government, attention also turned to the United States, where a bipartisan “super” committee looks set to miss a deficit reduction deadline.

“Europe is not the only one with debt problems ... in the United States there’s a political gridlock,” said David Thebault, head of quantitative sales trading, at Global Equities. Fears that US lawmakers will fail to agree a plan to cut the nation’s deficit sent US crude oil down more than $2 yesterday while Brent crude fell more than $1 to $106.5 a barrel.

Rating agency Moody’s meanwhile said a rise in French government debt yields and weaker growth prospects could be negative for the outlook on the country’s credit rating. Worries that France has the weakest economic fundamentals among the euro’s six AAA-rated countries have drawn the euro zone’s secondlargest economy into the firing line in the debt crisis this month.

World stocks as measured by MSCI were down 1 percent for a more than 11.5 percent year-todate loss. More volatile emerging market stocks lost 1.9 percent.

In Europe -the heart of the debt storm-the FTSEurofirst 300 index tumbled 2.1 percent to a six-week low and was sitting more than 17 percent lower for

the year. Japan’s Nikkei average fell to its lowest closing level since March 2009 as the US debt worries added to concerns about the euro zone. Sources in the United States said the bipartisan deficit-reduction committee would announce that they failed to meet their deadline to find $1.2 trillion in budget cuts over the next decade. “ Tomorrow could be scary, if the US misses its deadline,” Yutaka Miura, senior technical analyst at Mizuho Securities.

SPREADS WIDEN On euro zone sovereign bond markets, spreads between troubled countries’ and core German bonds yields widened. This included Spain, where the centreright won an overwhelming general election vote. Despite the widening spreads, 10-year Italian bond yields rose slightly but were below the key 7 percent level reached last week. Plus-7 percent yields have in the past signalled countries need for a bailout.

Investors were favoring German debt as the safest bet in the current climate, but there were still concerns. “Bunds didn’t trade well last week, but a lot of that was a move out of anything European,” said one trader.

“Nothing’s really changed and liquidity is getting progressively worse. It feels like year-end is going to be particularly bad and that will just exaggerate moves either way.” The euro fell to a sixweek low versus the Japanese yen seen as a safe haven. It was also 0.4 percent down against the dollar at $1.346. As the dollar firmed, the price of gold fell more than 1 percent to as low as $1,704.69 an ounce on worries about government debt in Europe and the United States. — Reuters

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HSBC Kuwait wins euromoney’s country award KUWAIT: For the third consecutive year, HSBC Kuwait has been awarded Euromoney’s prestigious country award as Best Cash Management Bank in Kuwait 2011.

This award recognizes excellence in cash management products and services. Simon Vaughan Johnson, Chief Executive of HSBC Kuwait, said: “We truly appreciate receiving this award for the third time in as many years.

The award is based on direct feedback from customers and is therefore a testament to the quality and consistency of our cash management services. HSBC Kuwait has long been dedicated to delivering the best cash

management solutions to its clients and we remain firmly committed to maintaining these high standards as we continue to develop our expanding business here in Kuwait.”

The HSBC Kuwait Cash Management team provides a comprehensive range of integrated products and services to customers, including payments, collections and liquidity management solutions. These services are designed to help clients to achieve working capital and processing efficiencies, together with enhanced risk management.

Earlier this year, HSBC Kuwait also won the Best Sub Custodian Bank award from Global Finance magazine, and in the last 9 months HSBC’s regional office has been the winner of several awards, including Euromoney’s regional Award for Excellence Best Cash Management Bank in the Middle East, Global Finance’s Best Bank for Liquidity Management in the Middle East, Best Online Cash Management in the Middle East and Best Online Cash Management Bank in Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and EMEA Finance’s award for Best Cash Management Services in the Middle East.

Simon Johnson

Gold falls, dollar firms Fear, uncertainty sweep markets LONDON: Gold fell by more than 1 percent yesterday, swept lower by a firm dollar and falls in other financial markets as worries deepened about government debt in Europe and the United States. Gold has moved in tandem with riskier assets in recent months, instead of as a traditional safe haven, over the past few weeks. It could fall further in sell-offs in other markets, as investors liquidate gold positions to cover losses elsewhere as funding dries up in the turmoil.

“It’s not behaving the way bulls would like it to behave,” said Matthew Turner of Mitsubishi Corp.

“There are enormous macro issues in Europe, the US and China and we don’t know how it will pan out. It’s uncertainty on top of uncertainty, and a lot of people are standing on the sidelines.” As well as fears about Italy and other debt-strapped euro zone countries, attention has turned to the United States, where a bipartisan “super” committee looks set to miss a deficit reduction deadline.

Stocks in Europe fell 2.1 percent to a six-week low, and are more than 17 percent lower for the year. US crude fell more than $2. Spot gold was down 1 per-

Hyundai wins big at MEMA Awards Accent and Elantra take top honors DUBAI: Hyundai Motors reigns victorious at this year’s Middle East Motor Awards (MEMA) - the biggest and most prestigious awards of the regional automotive industry held at Expo Centre Sharjah recently capturing the coveted ‘Best Subcompact’ for the Accent and ‘Best Small Sedan’ with the Elantra.

Judged by a panel of distinguished motoring experts and enthusiasts, the awards are organized by Expo Centre Sharjah with the support of Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Unaffiliated with any publication, automaker or commercial enterprise, the awards maintain their credibility and integrity for recognizing movers and shakers within the industry.

Khaled Issa, COO of Juma Al Majid Group, “Even better than one, Hyundai being recognized by two awards is certainly an achievement we hold dear. We are thrilled that our hard work and commitment to providing sound quality vehicles at a great value has been recognized

by MEMA and we hold this precedent as a benchmark to work harder to continue to achieve more.”

Capturing ‘Best Subcompact’, the

Hyundai Accent proves that purchasing a small car is not synonymous to compromise. With the new Accent, there is more space, safety and style, all with the best class in fuel efficiency.

Issa added, “The Hyundai Accent is the little car that could, beating out the rest for giving customers more of what they want in a smaller package.” Alongside its victorious neighbor, the Hyundai Elantra proved its worth by winning the ‘Best Small Sedan’ for its head-turning style, fuel efficiency, upscale options, along with a strew of standard safety features.

“The Elantra’s secret for success is pure and simple: content rich while surprisingly attainable.

Customers get what they want - a car that rivals big-car comfort sedans, coupled with power, safety and affordability” Issa said. “We continue to work hard to move above and beyond for our customers, and we promise to continue to do so.

We offer our express gratitude towards MEMA for giving us this opportunity and we look forward to another award-winning year,” concluded Issa.

cent at $1,709.10, off an intraday low of $1,701.09. It fell 3.5 percent last week, its largest one-week decline in a month. On the chart, the 50-day moving average is almost crossing below the 100-day moving average, seen as a bearish technical signal. US gold was down 0.9 percent at $1,708.8 at 1106 GMT, off an intraday low of $1,704.1. Technical analysis suggested spot gold could fall towards $1,687 an ounce during the day, said Reuters market analyst Wang Tao. Gold could find some support from a World Gold Council’s third-quarter demand report showing central bank buying reached nearly 150 tons, far above most analysts estimates. “Certainly the report would have been very encouraging for gold bulls. Notwithstanding that gold is suffering with risk assets. In the long run we’ll see gold performing well but in the short term you’ll get these anomalies,” Ross Norman, of Sharps Pixley, said.

“You would think with the monumental news we’re hearing out of Europe on the economic situation that gold should be running to fresh all-time highs. Gold has these bouts of behaving in a peculiar fashion, and this is one of them.”

Greek new govt bows to pressure on property tax ATHENS: Greece’s new government bowed to public pressure yesterday and asked the staterun power company not to cut off people struggling to pay a new property tax via electricity bills, a ministerial source said.

Anyone failing to pay the tax, one of several revenue-raising measures imposed in return for crucial European Union and International Monetar y Fund loans, could have been cut off from the state-run Public Power Corporation (DEI) yesterday. But a finance ministry source said that the sanction had been temporarily suspended pending a decision “in the next couple of days” about exempting the worst-off, including the poorest pensioners, the unemployed and the disabled.

The decision follows a furious union-led campaign against the levy, and comes as Lucas Papademos, the prime minister installed 10 days ago to save Greece from financial ruin, visits Brussels for talks on releasing blocked EU-IMF funds. The tax, the first property levy for ordinary Greek homeowners, was introduced by the previous government in September and would charge residents between

0.5 and 16 euros ($21.6) per square meter, depending on their circumstances. People living on less than 3,000 euros a year would pay the lowest amount, while the long-term unemployed are exempt.

The tax is administered through electricity bills to make it difficult to evade and this also provides the government with an automatic sanction-after a 40day warning period, those who do not pay up will be cut off.

Members of the power ful Genop-Dei union, which has led opposition to the tax, occupied the Dei offices in Athens overnight, holding up banners reading “We will resist” and “the tax should be paid by the rich”.

Union secretar y Nikos Katsaros confirmed that energy company staff had been told not to cut anyone off yesterday, the first day after the 40-day warning period expired on the first bills sent out under the new tax regime. He said they wanted “the abolition of the tax, or at least as a first step, an exemption for the poorest”. Katsaros said that 50 percent of households had so far failed to pay up, although Greek newspapers put this figure at 25 percent. — AFP

Singapore braces for sharply slower growth SINGAPORE: Singapore yesterday predicted sharply lower economic growth of 1.0-3.0 percent in 2012 amid an expor t slowdown and warned the situation could worsen if Europe’s debt woes trigger a global crisis. The figure is off the previous estimate of 2.5-3.5 percent and well down from the five percent predicted for 2011 as demand in the city-state’s key export markets in Europe and the United States dry up. “This does not factor in downside risks to growth, such as a worsening debt situation or a full-blown financial crisis in the advanced economies,” the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said in a statement.

“Should these risks materialize, growth in the Singapore economy in 2012 could come in lower than expected,” it added. The 2011 gross domestic product (GDP) is forecast is a huge slowdown down from the all-time high of 14.5 percent seen in 2010 when the economy was coming off a 0.8 contraction the previous year. Singapore’s trade-driven economy is regarded as a bellwether for Asia’s exporters, which depend heavily on electronics and other manufactured shipments to Nor th America and Europe for growth.

“It looks like the risk is towards the downside,” Chua Hak Bin, a Singapore-based economist with Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, said of the implications of Singapore’s forecast for the rest of Asia. “The fact that the tech exports were weak will mean other Asian economies will also see tech exports being pulled down,” he said. Asia’s fate will depend to a

large degree on whether Europe can contain its debt crisis which has engulfed large economies including Italy and Spain, according to Chua.

Singapore’s GDP was valued at Sg$284.6 billion ($219 billion) in 2010, and total trade was more than three times as large. “ The longer the European debt crisis drags out with no clear solutions, it will have a negative impact globally,” said Selena Ling, an economist with Singapore’s Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp.

“We are starting to see the impact come through.” The MTI said it expects Singapore’s electronics industry and other sectors that rely heavily on overseas orders to remain under pressure despite

support from Asia’s better-performing economies.

Even the financial-services sector will be affected by heightened uncertainties in the external environment, it added. The forecast came as data released separately yesterday by the trade promotion body International Enterprise Singapore showed electronics exports tumbling 17 percent in the third quarter from a year ago. The ministry’s downbeat projections for 2012 came as it released thirdquarter figures showing GDP grew 6.1 percent, an improvement from 1.0 percent in the second quarter.

Singapore is a significant producer of high-end telecommunications and computer-related par ts shipped to the rest of the world as

well as petrochemical and pharmaceutical products.

“Within the manufacturing sector, the electronics cluster is expected to register a lower level of output given the downturn in the global electronics cycle,” the MTI said. Analysts from Nomura financial services group said the government may step in with a stimulus package when the next budget is unveiled in February 2012. “The size of the stimulus will likely depend on how the external situation unfolds from here... the likely path is such that the first half will be weak before showing some recovery in the second half when we expect the effects of the fiscal response to kick in,” they said in a report. — AFP

INVESTMENT INTEREST Still, investment interest in gold remained strong last week, despite the 3 percent price fall, as money managers upped their positions in gold futures and options. SPDR Gold Trust, the world’s largest goldbacked exchange-traded fund, reported a rise of 3.631 tons from a day earlier to 1,293.088 tons in its holdings, the highest in more than three months.

The ETF witnessed an inflow of 24.422 tons last week, the biggest one-week rise in holdings since mid-August.

Spot silver led the decline in the precious metals complex, down 3 percent at $31.46. China’s October silver imports dropped 26 percent on the year, and the total inflow in the first 10 months of the year slumped 28 percent, the official trade data showed.

Platinum imports in October jumped 65 percent on the month to 6,340 kilograms, as platinum prices wallowed in discount over $100 to gold and attracted buying. Year-to-date imports of platinum rose 14 percent on the year to 66,680 kilograms. Platinum was down 1.6 percent at $1,570.50 and palladium was off 1.8 percent at $596.02. — Reuters

Qantas, union talks fail Shares fall 1.2 percent MELBOURNE: Talks between Qantas Airways and its pilots, engineers and other key employee groups have broken down and all sides now have to accept a future settlement imposed by Australia’s industrial umpire, which could help the airline slash costs. Qantas and the workers are waging a bitter fight over pay and moving jobs to Asia. The Australian carrier and the union representing its engineers had faced a midnight deadline to reach a settlement.

Yesterday in Australia, the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA), the lone hold-out for a negotiated settlement, joined pilots, baggage handlers and caterers in resorting to a resolution to be decided by Fair Work Australia, the industrial umpire. “We haven’t been able to reach a new agreement with the ALAEA, so will now let the independent umpire decide,” Qantas’ chief executive, Alan Joyce, said in a statement.

Qantas and the unions have said the arbitration could take months with the pilots association expecting it to take up to six months. The industrial umpire’s settlement can be binding for up to four years. However neither side can take any industrial action while the arbitration is ongoing, a key factor giving the airline comfort that it will not face any more travel disruptions. “We asked for a 21-day extension. We thought a negotiated outcome was possible, but they (Qantas) turned that down,” said Anil Lambert, a spokesman for the Australian and International Pilots Association.

Qantas said it, the pilots union and the Transport Workers Union had concluded they could not reach a deal and the dispute would now be resolved through binding arbitration. “Qantas rejects claims that it terminated negotiations,” a spokesman for the airline said, adding the two parties concluded they could not reach an agreement. The Transport Workers Union, representing baggage handlers and caterers, said the dispute would now go before arbitration after Qantas said it did not want to renew talks for another 21 days. “Our fear is that Qantas will drag this out for as long as it can,” a spokesman said. The

unions’ main concerns centre on the airline’s attempts to cut costs and set up two airlines based in Asia to stem A$200 million ($201.09 million) a year in losses on its international business.

CUSTOMERS RETURNING Joyce said customers have returned “in large numbers” since the airline resumed flying after Qantas grounded its planes in late October in a drastic move aimed at ending disruptive industrial disputes. The Australian and International Pilots Association has been demanding that all pilots on a flight with a Qantas code or sold as a Qantas ticket should be paid as much as Qantas pilots.

Shareholders and analysts said by not extending talks for a further three weeks and submitting to an imposed settlement by the Fair Work Australia commission, Qantas was clearly trying to reach a settlement as soon as possible. “They’re going to be better off than they have been. It’ll be a more rational process,” said Sondal Bensan, who helps manage BT Investment Management’s stake in Qantas.

A YEAR OF TALKS Qantas and the three unions were ordered on Nov 1 by Fair Work Australia to reach an agreement by, after Qantas grounded its fleet in October. Joyce and Qantas’ chairman, Leigh Clifford, have taken a hard line against the unions after failing to agree on a deal following more than a year of talks over pay and conditions. “It looks like Qantas believes they will get the better outcome from deferring to a decision by Fair Work Australia rather than continue negotiations,” said Scott Marshall, an analyst at Shaw Stockbroking.

Qantas said just ahead of the October weekend grounding of its entire fleet that the cost of industrial actions had totaled A$68 million and led to a collapse in forward bookings, a factor Qantas cited for grounding the fleet. Qantas shares, which have fallen about a third so far this year, ended down 1.2 percent yesterday, underperforming a 0.2 percent fall in the broader market. — Reuters

Gulf Capital eyes four deals in Q1 DUBAI: Abu Dhabi-based private equity firm Gulf Capital is in the final stages of acquiring majority stakes in four regional firms, although it will miss an investment target for its flagship fund, the company’s chief executive said yesterday. “We’re acquiring a 75 percent stake in a regional power company, 75 percent in a business services company, a 51 percent stake in a regional healthcare firm and 100 percent of a regional oil and gas company,” Karim el Solh said on the sidelines of a private equity conference in Dubai. He added that the company aimed to close the deals, centered on the Gulf, Egypt and Jordan, during the first quarter of 2012, but declined to provide any further details. However, while the executive believes the current marketplace was attractive for private equity, Gulf Capital will miss the target, outlined in June, of investing 50 percent of its Private Equity Partners Fund II by the end of 2011.

“We’re currently 38 per cent invested and we’ll cross

the 50 per cent mark when these deals are closed by the end of the first quarter,” he said. “It’s interesting times.

We’re seeing better deal flow at lower valuations, better businesses and with no competition.” The Private Equity Partners Fund II closed last year with $533 million in commitments. Gulf Capital, which currently has around $1 billion of assets under management, is planning to exit two investments in 2012, including its stake in Gulf Marine Services (GMS) - a regional jack-up and support barge company-Solh said in September. Private equity investments saw a sharp drop in the last couple of years with investors backing out of capital calls, sellers demanding higher prices than buyers were willing to pay and increasing competition from family groups hampering growth.

In July, Gulf Capital and another regional PE firm Amwal AlKhaleej sold their stakes in Maritime Industrial Services in a $336 million deal to Lamprell Plc in one of the rare private equity exits from the region. —Reuters

SYDNEY: In this file picture, a passenger waits for Qantas flights to resume service at Sydney International airport. — AFP

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Stay or go? Debt-stricken Portuguese look to former colonies LISBON: Businessman Homero Costa is looking at Angola. At 61, he’s thinking of shutting down the 80-employee construction firm he painstakingly built up before Portugal got slammed by the eurozone debt crisis. “Maybe I’ll move to Angola,” he says of Lisbon’s former colony in southern Africa. His unemployed 26-year-old daughter Rita, like many young graduates, has opted for Brazil, another former colony where she feels certain to find a job.

“I support her totally,” he said. “There won’t be much investment nor big public projects here in the coming years. “But I already know Angola”, said Costa, who has business links and travels there regularly. The Costas typify the turned tables of migration in Portugal and elsewhere, the reverse of decades past when people from developing countries flocked to colonial powers for opportunity.

Today, the outlook in Portugal is gloomy and discontent rife as the country hangs on thanks to bailout loans and a string of punishing austerity measures ordered by its international creditors. In 2012, its economy is expected to shrink by 2.8 percent and unemployment hit a record 13.4 percent-above the current EU average of 10 percent. “In Portugal, the coming years will be very difficult. I can’t even find a job with a salary that would allow me to get by on my own,” said Rita, an architect who can’t afford her own place and still lives with her parents.

Like many, she decided to bail out. “I have plenty

of friends in the same situation who have already left or are planning to do so. Some friends are even asking me to bring their CVs to hand out when I get to Brazil,” she said. Official figures vary but the trend is clear. The National Statistics Institute said 30,000 Portuguese left the country in 2010. But Rui Pena, an official at the government’s Emigration Observatory, said the real figure is probably more than 70,000, out of an active population of just over five million people.

If so, it’s a big jump over 2009 when the Observatory’s last firm figures show more than 40,000 emigrated, 23,700 to Angola and about 16,900 to Brazil. Such movement is unseen since the 1960s and 70s when the country was still Europe’s poor cousin and Portuguese poured into then richer France, Belgium and Luxembourg for jobs. But two years of economic turmoil in the eurozone-which has also embroiled Greece and Ireland and threatens the bloc’s third and fourth economies, Italy and Spain-has shifted job focus elsewhere.

Economic promise and cultural ties-For the Portuguese, not only do the former colonies, notably Brazil and Angola, have linguistic and cultural affinities but their economies hold promise.

Angola’s economy is expected to grow by 12 percent next year, as the country’s oil boom finances an ambitious reconstruction after decades of war ended in 2002. “These countries today offer opportuni-

ties you can no longer find in Portugal: better working conditions, far higher salaries,” sometimes three or four times greater, said Herminio Santos, who wrote a guide for countrymen who want to move to Angola.

“In Angola, there are numerous sectors now recruiting, from the hotel industry to finance to information technology and management.

“Portuguese savoir-faire is much appreciated there,” said Santos. The bars of Luanda’s two bayside sailing clubs are often filled with immigration stories of Portuguese expatriates who park their shiny SUVs and sit in the cool breeze to drink Portuguese beer and wine. Portuguese property dealer Fernando da Ponte is among the 100,000 Portuguese who now live in Angola, according to the Observatory. He moved in 2008 with his wife and two children to set up the real estate franchise of Century 21.

The 49-year-old said he’d always been interested in Angola because his wife, Teresa, had been born there, but he said his main motivation was for the business opportunity. “Real estate had collapsed in the Algarve and then this opportunity came up so I took it,” he explained. “It’s not easy and I’m not making a lot of money, but I am not losing money that is the important thing.” “It’s not easy to live here,” he said of a city where water and electricity are luxuries.

“We would all prefer to be living in Portugal just because it’s a nicer place to live than here, but we

have to work and right now this is the place to work and make money.”

The Portuguese moving to Angola now, Da Ponte said, tended to be younger professional couples, or people coming out of university and who can’t find well-paid jobs at home in Portugal. “We are definitely seeing a different type of migrant now,” he said. “There are more people from the service industries and the professional classes, while before it was mostly people in construction or individual entrepreneurs. Even more Portuguese, about 213,000 according to Observatory, have settled in Brazil, lured by the booming economy and hoping to benefit from the 2014 football World Cup and summer Olympics two years later.

Until recently, obtaining a work visa for Angola was almost impossible without a corporate contract, and even tourist visas were a challenge. But Angola this month agreed to issue work permits to Portuguese within 30 days, and to grant them for three years instead of the current one. It also increased short-term visas for Portuguese to 90 days, instead of the current 30, and will issue them within eight days. For Brazil, where Rita Costa plans to head, Portuguese don’t need tourist visas and can sort out work permits once they’re there. She hopes to find a job connected to the construction projects for the big sports events. “For the work permit, I’ll figure it out after I get to Brazil,” she said. — AFP

Japan Parliament passes $157bn recovery budget Japan slips back into trade deficit TOKYO: Japan’s parliament yesterday passed a 12.1 trillion-yen ($157 billion) extra budget, the third this year, to finance post-quake reconstruction and boost an economy hit by slow global growth and a strong yen. The package is the latest government effort to revive an economy reeling from the impact of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, which requires the nation’s biggest post-World War II reconstruction effort. The extra budget comes as a strong yen and turmoil from the eurozone debt crisis also continue to cloud the outlook for the world’s third-largest economy, after the Bank of Japan last week warned of slowing growth.

The upper house gave widely expected approval to the budget in the wake of a four-trillion-yen package in May and another two trillion yen in July. The more powerful lower house, controlled by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), approved the

budget on November 10. The bulk of the third supplementary budget for the year to March is earmarked for rebuilding the northern region hit by the March earthquake and tsunami that left 20,000 people dead or missing.

Part of the budget will be used for decontamination and other measures to counter the worst nuclear crisis for 25 years after post-tsunami meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. The spending plan also includes two trillion yen in financing for struggling businesses amid the yen’s appreciation to historic levels against the dollar. It includes 500 billion yen in subsidies to companies that build factories and research facilities in Japan.

The government plans to fund the budget through bond issuance, spending cuts, sales of public assets, tax hikes and use of non-tax revenues. The new reconstruction bonds will further pressure Japan’s ballooning public debt, which

TOKYO: A container vessel (right) arrives at a Tokyo port. Japan fell into a trade deficit in October, data showed yesterday. — AFP

stands at more than 200 percent of GDP. However, lawmakers are hoping to quickly pass a related bill paving the way for tax hikes to help fund repayment. The passage came after the DPJ struggled to compromise with opposition parties, which control the upper house, on extending the redemption period of planned quakerelief government bonds to 25 years from an originally proposed 10.

TRADE DEFICIT Meanwhile, Japan fell into a trade deficit in October, data showed yesterday, as a stubbornly strong yen, softening global demand and disruption from deadly floods in Thailand helped slow its post-quake recovery. October exports dropped off while imports kept soaring, leaving a deficit of 273.8 billion yen ($3.6 billion), the finance ministry said. “Exports weakened due to a slowing global economy while imports kept rising due to higher natural resources prices. Japan slipped into the red in a worrisome way,” said Daiwa Institute of Research economist Satoshi Osanai.

“Trade risks have taken their toll. The outlook for exports is murky,” he said. “The economy will be recovering at a slow pace in the long term, but is currently at a standstill.” The October deficit was the first in two months, reversing a yearbefore surplus of 812.6 billion yen. Economists had expected a surplus of 55.6 billion yen, according to a survey by Dow Jones Newswires and the Nikkei daily. Japan returned to a trade surplus in September as auto production recovered to levels seen before the devastating March earthquake and tsunami hit output.

But flooding in Thailand has hit the operations of automakers and electronics firms due to damage to facilities and shortages of components, with Thai plants forming a key link in manufacturers’ supply chain. “The floods have caused parts shortages in Japan, and reduced exports from Japan to automakers’ factories in Thailand,” said Capital Economics in a research note. Toyota and Honda withdrew forecasts as they assess the damage. Overall exports fell 3.7 percent to 5.51 trillion yen, the first drop in three months, while imports rose 17.9 percent to 5.79 trillion yen, logging a year-on-year rise for the 22th consecutive month on higher oil and gas costs. — Agencies

Visa, IMRG shed light on e-Commerce in Kuwait KUWAIT: Visa, one of the world’s leading payment solutions providers, has partnered with Interac tive Media in Retail Group International (IMRG), the industry body for global e-Retail, to launch a new quarterly overview of the burgeoning e-Commerce market across the GCC. The in-depth study, which is part of Visa’s ongoing drive to build e-Commerce in the region, identifies current levels of e -Commerce per formance and potential by assessing the breadth of existing research undertaken in the region. It covers trends, data and forecasts concerning eCommerce in the GCC as part of a worldclass comparison to key markets.

BRIGHT PROSPECTS FOR E-COMMERCE Kuwait is one of the most advanced technological markets in the Gulf, and has one of the most robust IT markets in the region, with IT spending expec ted to reach US$846mn in 2011. As in other countries in the region B2C e-Commerce is still in its early stages but the future is bright. Total B2B eCommerce volume was valued at $280 million in 2010, more than ten times the amount generated in 2002*. With a tech-literate and wealthy population, as well as improved IT infrastructure in the years to come, e-Commerce is projected to triple in the coming years.

E-COMMERCE ENVIRONMENT The government hopes to drive IT development with its broadband access initiative, which will improve Internet access with a new passive optical fibre infrastructure. Kuwait’s IT market has a number of enduring strengths, including its relatively small but tech-literate and wealthy population, which make the country an important regional testing ground for new products. “E-Commerce is without doubt one of the crucial drivers for the world economy, and increasingly the regions.

With such a significant increase in internet usage, it’s no surprise that the internet is quickly becoming the cornerstone for business and communication, especially as Kuwait is such an important IT market,” said Kamran Siddiqi, General Manager for Visa Middle East.

“However, there’s still some way to go if eCommerce in Kuwait and the wider the region is to meet its full potential.”

Stephen Leeds, e-Commerce Business Leader for Visa Middle East, added: “Online shopping is still in its infancy in the region but all the signs are there that it will continue to grow, such as government commitment, retailer investment and -most importantly - a young population open to trying new technologies and innovations.

“However, we’re still faced with the same barriers here that we see around the world,

with lack of trust and payment security regularly being cited as key concerns for people when choosing whether to shop online. As one of the world’s largest retail electronic payments networks, Visa supports the e-Commerce industry in Kuwait by providing payment systems which are trusted across the globe, helping to drive growth by giving Visa cardholders reassurance and confidence when purchasing online.”

Aad Weening, Head of International and Research at IMRG International said: “It’s clear that there is huge potential for e-Commerce to grow further and it is therefore vital that more becomes known about all aspects of online shopping in terms of data, impact of the internet economy, consumer behaviour and attitude in order to demonstrate the business opportunities for international investors but also initiatives to set up domestic sites. This will not only increase the available offer but will at the same time inspire trust and confidence among consumers.”

Uniquely, Visa will be making the report available to businesses and the government to help them understand the significant trends in the region and plan their e-Commerce strategies - a particularly important area of focus as internet usage in the region has grown by a staggering 1500% since the year 2000, from a mere 1.2 million in 2000 to a massive 18.7 million in 2010.

CHENGDU: US Trade Representative Ron Kirk (left), US Secretary of Commerce John Bryson (center) and US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack attend at a press conference during the 22nd session of the China-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) talks in Chengdu yesterday. — AFP

China: Global economic outlook in a grim state CHENGDU: Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Qishan warned yesterday the global economy is in a grim state and the visiting US commerce secretary said China would spend $1.7 trillion on strategic sectors as Beijing seeks to bolster waning growth.

Wang said an “unbalanced recovery” may be the best option to deal with what he had described on Saturday as a certain chronic global recession, suggesting Beijing would bolster its own economy before it worries about global imbalances at the heart of trade tensions with Washington. “An unbalanced recovery would be better than a balanced recession,” he said at the annual US-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade, or JCCT, in the southwest Chinese city of Chengdu.

The comments, echoed by Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao, stopped short of suggesting China would try to boost exports as it had done during the 20082009 global financial crisis when it pegged the yuan to the dollar. Instead, US Commerce Secretary John Bryson told reporters that China had confirmed to US officials that it planned to spend $1.7 trillion on strategic sectors in the next five years. Beijing has previously said these sectors include alternative energy, biotechnology and advanced equipment manufacturing, underlining its aim to shift the growth engine of the world’s No 2 economy to cleaner and high-tech sectors.

The investment amount of 10 trillion yuan ($1.7 trillion) is more than two times bigger than the eye-popping 4 trillion yuan stimulus package launched during the global financial crisis, plans first reported

by Reuters a year ago. “Global economic conditions remain grim, and ensuring economic recovery is the overriding priority,” said Wang, the top official steering China’s financial and trade policy, at the start of the second day of talks with the Americans.

His comments suggested that Beijing should attend to bolstering China’s own growth before it worried about global imbalances. In other words, a strong Chinese economy that brings a continued trade deficit with the United States would be better for the world economy than a slowdown in China itself. “As major world economies, China and the United States would make a positive contribution to the world through their own steady development,” Wang told dozens of trade, investment, energy and agricultural officials from each government seated in a conference hall.

ALARM OVER ECONOMIC RISKS Policymakers globally have voiced alarm over economic risks, which mainly stem from the euro zone debt crisis. Yesterday, Singapore and Thailand said their economies would shrink in the fourth quarter and Japan posted a bigger than expected fall in October exports. Some central banks, including those in Brazil and Indonesia, have cut interest rates.

On Saturday, Wang gave the most dire assessment on the world economy from a senior Chinese policymaker to date. “The

one thing that we can be certain of, among all the uncertainties, is that the global economic recession caused by the international financial crisis will be chronic,” he was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua news agency. The remarks weighed on Chinese and Hong Kong stocks, while world markets were also weak as investors fretted over the euro zone debt crisis.

China’s growth slowed to 9.1 percent in the third quarter from 9.5 percent in the second-quarter and 9.7 percent in the first quarter, but the rate remains in Beijing’s comfort zone. After tightening monetary policy to fight the threat of inflation, the central bank has since loosened its grip on bank credit in a bid to support cashstarved small firms and pledged to finetune policy if needed as economic growth slowed down. “It’s clear now that Beijing is ready for policy fine-tuning (to support growth) at a time when the overall domestic and foreign economic situation is not optimistic,” said Hua Zhongwei, an economist with Huachuang Securities in Beijing.

ON TRADE, FRICTION, PROGRESS US officials said the discussions yielded progress on the question of forced technology transfers to Chinese companies, long a sore point for US businesses. In particular, China committed not to require foreign automakers to hand their new energy vehicle technology over to Chinese partners, or to establish Chinese brands as a condition for market access, said US Trade Representative Ron Kirk. “China also confirmed that foreign-invested companies will be eligible on an equal basis for any subsidies or incentive programs for electric vehicles,” said Kirk. Although the JCCT talks do not address exchange rate policies, US officials at the talks warned Wang and his colleagues that they could not ignore rising American impatience with China’s trade policies and investment barriers.

US gripes about China’s trade-boosting policies spilled into President Barack Obama’s meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Saturday in Bali, when Obama raised China’s exchange rate policies, which many in Washington say keep the yuan cheap against the dollar in order to help Chinese exports. However, Zhong Wei, an influential economist at Beijing Normal University, said the benefits to the United States of yuan appreciation “are nearly zero.” “Cheap Chinese goods have been a subsidy for the poor in the US, and now the US government wants to eliminate such subsidy while it’s having difficulty creating jobs,” he said.

At the heart of the trade friction between the two countries is a US trade deficit with China that swelled in 2010 to a record $273.1 billion from about $226.9 billion in 2009. Bryson told the talks the United States welcomed more expanded trade and investment, on balanced terms. “But a reality also is that many in the US, including the business community and the Congress, are moving towards a more negative view of our trading relationship, and they question whether the JCCT is able to make meaningful progress,” said Bryson. — Reuters

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

TECHNOLOGY

Kaspersky Endpoint Security 8 for Windows provides best control DUBAI: Kaspersky Lab announces that the results of the first independent feature and manageability evaluation of corporate IT endpoint security solutions have been published. The comparative evaluation, which tested similar products from five major vendors, was conducted by The Tolly Group, one of the leading independent product testing labs.

The evaluation illustrates the superiority of the latest endpoint protection solution from Kaspersky Lab. Of particular note are its intelligent controls, which range from ready-to-initiate templates, to providing granular control over each feature. Kaspersky Lab’s clients already benefit from the highest level of protection, but can now enjoy even more comprehensive IT security with advanced and granu-

lar control of Windows-based machines.

Compared to the competition, Kaspersky Endpoint Security 8 for Windows presents a number of unique and enhanced features.

Among those highlighted by The Tolly Group are extensive Application Control functionality with flexible Default Deny implementation, which is absent in the majority of competing products. Kaspersky Lab’s Default Deny feature is supported by the highest number of options to enable control of applications using categories such as a program’s metadata, checksum or file path. Also provided is a built-in “golden image” option to exclude system processes and “trusted updater” categories.

With respect to web control

NEW PRODUCTS

Kaspersky Lab’s solution was found to be the only one that provides “acrossthe-board web management and protection in a single product”.

Finally, the Kaspersky Lab Device Control feature set was deemed the most extensive compared with the competition, with only one competing solution capable of providing comparable levels of granular control.

However, to achieve comparable device control this competitor requires a user to purchase separate solutions.

Nikolay Grebennikov, Chief Technology Officer of Kaspersky Lab, commented: “Although, every security software vendor pays much attention to anti-malware protection for corporate endpoints, this is not the only ingredient of better IT security. The

best result is achieved when businesses treat their IT systems as a complex structure that has to be effectively managed in real time. The evaluation

by The Tolly Group confirms that our solution offers the most diverse set of tools to protect, control and manage corporate endpoints, with efficient out-of-the-box templates as well as granular control of all aspects of business IT Security.”

Kaspersky Endpoint Security 8 for Windows was launched on October 6, 2011 along with the company’s brand new Kaspersky Security Center management solution.

This solution is a significant and important addition to the Kaspersky Open Space Security corporate security suite. The major benefits of the new endpoint security solution for busi-

nesses are deep anti-malware protection, support for the cloud-based Kaspersky Security Network, comprehensive Whitelisting options, and advanced Device, Application and Web Control functionality.

The feature and manageability review from The Tolly Group supplements recent independent testing of malware protection efficiency conducted by AV-Test.org. In this testing Kaspersky Endpoint Security 8 for Windows was awarded first place, based on its effective protection, removal of malicious software, performance and usability. The results from AV-Test.org coupled with the analysis from The Tolly Group illustrate that Kaspersky Lab offers comprehensive solutions and deep protection for its current and future customers.

US inmates harass victims via Facebook ‘Cell phones have proliferated behind bars’

A ViewPad 7e

Seven-inch tablet with Android OS BERLIN: Viewsonic is introducing a tablet with the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) operating system. The ViewPad 7e is a white device with a seven-inch display and a 1 GHz Cortex A8 processor. It has an HDMI port and two cameras for photos and video calls. The ViewPad can also be used as an e -book reader with the pre installed Kindle App from Amazon.

The tablet is available in stores now for 179 euros (248 dollars).

Mouse and keyboard for hardcore gamers Two new input devices from Logitech are tailored for hardcore gamers by having backlighting and adjustable weight. The G105 keyboard does not only have its own backlighting, it also has six individually programmable keys. The G9x mouse, meanwhile, offers a so-called weighttuning system with which gamers can make the mouse as heavy as they want. The tracking speed of the mouse is up to 4.19 metres per second with a resolution between 200 and 5,700 dpi.

Available in stores this month, the G105 will cost 70 euros and the mouse 80 euros.

Laptop shows 3D and 2D on same display Toshiba has presented a new laptop with a glasses-free 3D display. The Qosmio F750-11U can simultaneously show 3D and 2D videos thanks to an Intel Core i7-2670 QM processor and a Geforce GT 540 M graphics card by Nvidia. The 500 GB hard drive has a flash memory for higher speeds. The laptop, which has a 15.6-inch display and weighs 2.9 kilograms, costs 1,649 euros.

Outdoor speakers from Boston Acoustics The Voyager speaker series from Boston Acoustics is especially designed for usage in the open air.

Making that possible is the cabinets made of UV-resistant polypropylene.

Heavy duty aluminium brackets are included. The two-way speakers cover

a frequency from 57 Hz to 22 kHz and the price depends on the size. The smallest model is the Voyager 40 with a 115-millimetre diameter for 139 euros per speaker. The biggest version, the Voyager 70, offers a 180-millimetre diameter and costs 249 euros.

Hard drive for rough use A new hard drive from Buffalo Technology has been designed to survive falls from more than 2 metres thanks to rubber bumpers. The MiniStation Extreme is especially suited for travellers with removable integrated USB cable snaps and a weight of only 230 grams. The device supports USB 3.0 and offers a capacity of 1 TB. Two software packages for backups and data encryption are included in the price of 93 euros.

Gaming laptop from MSI The GT780DSX is a new powerful laptop from MSI specially designed for gamers. The 17.6-inch device has an aluminium casing and a keyboard with different coloured lighting. The technical furnishings depend on the selected configuration with the basic model for 1,499 euros including two 500 GB SATA hard drives and 8 GB RAM. Regardless of model, all have the Intel Core processor i7-2670QM and the Geforce graphics card GTX 570M. The laptop weighs 3.9 kilograms and is 55 millimetres thick.

Free mail encryption for Thunderbird Thunderbird users can encrypt their email with the upgrade Cryptobird.

The software was developed by scientists from the Technical University in Darmstadt, Germany, and is available for free online. The main component is that encrypted emails can be browsed in their entirety. According to the developers, Cryptobird integrates the usual Thunderbird interface and users can hardly tell the difference when using it. An update coming in the future should also make possible the encryption and browsing of calendar entries. — dpa

SACRAMENTO: Lisa Gesik hesitates to log into her Facebook account nowadays because of unwanted “friend” requests, not from long-ago classmates but from the exhusband now in prison for kidnapping her and her daughter.

Neither Gesik nor prison officials can prove her ex-husband is sending her the messages, which feature photos of him wearing his prison blues and dark sunglasses, arms crossed as he poses in front of a prison gate. It doesn’t matter if he’s sending them or someone else is - the Newport, Ore., woman is afraid and, as the days tick down to his January release, is considering going into hiding with her 12-year-old daughter.

“It’s just being victimized all over again,” she said. Across the US and beyond, inmates are using social networks and the growing numbers of smartphones smuggled into prisons and jails to harass their victims or accusers and intimidate witnesses. California corrections officials who monitor social networking sites said they have found many instances in which inmates taunted victims or made unwanted sexual advances. Like Gesik’s case, it’s often difficult for authorities to determine for sure who’s sending the threatening material and the few people caught rarely face serious consequences. “The ability to have these kinds of contacts is increasing exponentially. In many ways, the law has not caught up with these changing technologies,” said Rob Bovett, an Oregon district attorney whose office prosecuted Gesik ’s ex-husband, Michael Gladney.

Timothy Heaphy, US attorney for the Western District of Virginia, said criminals’ use of social networks to reach witnesses has made his job harder. “We deal every day with witnesses who are afraid of being identified,” he said. “If there are increased instances where folks who are incarcerated can reach outside the walls of the jail, that’s going to make it more difficult for us to get cooperation.”

In a rare victory, Heaphy’s office successfully prosecuted John Conner and Whitney Rober ts after they set up a Facebook account that Conner used to intimidate witnesses preparing to testify against him on charges of burning two houses to punish a girlfriend and collect the insurance.

“How the hell can u b a gangsta when u snitchin and lien...,” said a post from the pair that publicly exposed one witness who cooperated with law enforcement, according to federal court records.

The issue has emerged as cell phones have proliferated behind bars. In California, home to the nation’s largest inmate population, the corrections department confiscated 12,625 phones in just 10 months this year. Six years ago, they found just 261. The number of phones confiscated by the federal Bureau of Prisons has doubled since 2008, to 3,684 last year.

Noting the increase, California legislators approved a law bringing up to six months in jail for corrections employees or visitors

who smuggle mobile devices into state prisons, while inmates caught with the phones can now lose up to 180 days of early-release credit. But no additional time is added to their sentence, minimizing the deterrence factor.

In the old days, those behind bars would have to enlist a relative or friend to harass or intimidate to get around no-contact orders. Social networks now cut out the

Corcoran State Prison inmate Fredrick Garner. Garner is serving a 22-year, involuntary manslaughter sentence for killing her husband, 50-year-old Larry Carrisosa, outside a church 11 years ago.

“My kids, they go on Facebook, I go on Facebook, and what if they decide to look us up?” Carrisosa said. She was alerted by a Sacramento television station that Garner was posting messages to his mother and

SACRAMENTO: In this photo taken Nov. 4, 2011, Karen Carrisosa is seen with a photo of her and her husband Larry, at the site where he was killed in Sacramento, Calif. Carrisosa became concerned when officials found a Facebook posting from Corcoran State Prison inmate Fredrick Garner who is serving a 22-year, involuntary manslaughter sentence for killing Larry 11 years ago. Carrisosa is a victim of a disturbing trend: Inmates who use smuggled mobile devices or work through third parties to access social networking sites giving them the ability to harass their victims and victim’s families. — AP middle man. In Gesik’s case, Gladney used to harass her the old-fashioned way, sending letters and making phone calls through third parties. The Facebook harassment began in June.

Gesik, 44, got prison officials to contact Facebook to remove that account, only to have another message appearing to be from him in September. This time, there was a different spelling of his last name.

“I figure, if he’s done all this from in prison, what’s he’s going to do when he gets out?” Gesik said. A gap in state law meant that “no contact” orders like the one Gesik obtained against Gladney were deemed not to apply to anyone in custody, said Bovett, the prosecutor. “So they could do these very creative ways of reaching victims through third parties,” he said. Last June, Oregon legislators approved a law prohibiting inmates from contacting their domestic violence victims from behind bars. In California, prison officials are working with Facebook to identify inmate accounts and take them down. But that only generally happens only after the damage is done. Karen Carrisosa, who lives in a Sacramento suburb, was aghast when officials found Facebook postings from

others. Garner was punished with a 30-day reduction in his early release credits for possessing a forbidden cell phone and has since been transferred to Salinas Valley State Prison.

Hector Garcia Jr. used a smuggled smart phone hidden in his cell at Kern Valley State Prison to rally support on Facebook for an inmate hunger strike this summer that sought improved living conditions for gang leaders housed in special secure cellblocks.

“Starving for my better future,” he posted, according a July 1 screen grab from the corrections department. “Let’s do this ... statewide...” The discovery rattled Isabel Gutierrez. Garcia murdered one of her sons and wounded another in January 2005.

Now Gutierrez fears her own social-networking left her vulnerable.

“I panicked,” she said. “My photos are up of my family and my grandkids. I felt like they can see into my world.” Guards found Garcia’s phone, punishing him with a 30day cut in early-release credits and 30 days’ loss of yard, TV and radio privileges.

Attorneys who represented Garcia and Gladney in their previous criminal trials did not return phone calls seeking comment on behalf of their former clients. — AP

RSA announces user access to Microsoft Cloud Services DUBAI: In order to help better secure user access to cloud services and applications, RSA, The Security Division of EMC, yesterday announced that its award-winning multi-factor authentication solution, RSA SecurID(r), can be integrated with the Microsoft Windows(r) Active Directory(r) Federation Services 2.0 (AD FS 2.0). This integration can enable organizations to provide secure user access to Office(r) 365 cloud-based web applications such as Microsoft Exchange technology. Secure, federated access control enables an organization to extend the protection for remote users to applications deployed outside an organization’s network.

Many of the world’s largest and most demanding organizations have deployed critical services on the Windows Azure cloud platform. Microsoft AD FS 2.0 is a

security token service (STS) that enables identity federation across multiple IT systems and across organizations by centralizing user authentication, authorization and single sign-on to Web applications and services located virtually anywhere including perimeter networks, partner networks, and the cloud.

“AD FS 2.0 allows our customers to extend their identity capabilities across organizations, as well as connecting their on-premises identities to cloud services,” said Samuel Devasahayam, Principal Program Manager Lead, Active Directory, at Microsoft. “Identity federation is strategic to Microsoft, and we are excited to work with RSA to give customers supplemental levels of security for identity federation with AD FS 2.0.”

By integrating RSA SecurID technology

with Microsoft AD FS 2.0, both solutions work together to help provide secure and non-reputable access to cloud-based or remote services with identities provisioned and administered by enterprise IT. RSA SecurID technology solves the “weak link” issue of poorly chosen passwords by enforcing strong, multi-factor authentication. Designed to provide secure access to corporate applications and VPNs, RSA SecurID technology also helps simplify the user experience resulting in greater efficiency of identity and access management and support which can ultimately result in lower costs. “RSA SecurID technology is the gold standard in authentication and is designed to provide very high levels of access security,” said Sam Curry, CTO of Identity and Data Protection for RSA, The Security Division of EMC. “By deploying

RSA SecurID authentication with a service like Microsoft AD FS 2.0, it extends RSA’s premier authentication control and management to virtually any enterprise resource connected to the cloud.

Organizations can take advantage of the Microsoft Office 365 services to support use cases for cloud-based collaboration, while at the same time protecting sensitive company information by requiring secure authentication of end users. This level of integration provides added confidence in the secure migration to cloud services.”

Support for RSA SecurID authentication in Microsoft AD FS 2.0 is available immediately. For more information, please visit the EMC Solution Gallery website or get stepby-step guidance on integrating RSA SecurID with Microsoft AD FS 2.0 on the Microsoft TechNet website.

RSA offers industry-leading solutions in identity assurance & access control, data loss prevention, encryption & key management, compliance & security information management and fraud protection. These solutions bring trust to millions of user identities, the transactions that they perform, and the data that is generated. For more information, please visit www.RSA.com and www.EMC.com.

EMC, RSA and SecurID are either registered trademarks or trademarks of EMC Corporation in the United States and other countries. Microsoft, Window, Office and Active Directory are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other products and/or services are trademarks of their respective owners.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

Future cancers from Fukushima plant may be hidden FUKUSHIMA: Even if the worst nuclear accident in 25 years leads to many people developing cancer, we may never find out. Looking back on those early days of radiation horror, that may sound implausible.

But the ordinary rate of cancer is so high, and our understanding of the effects of radiation exposure so limited, that any increase in cases from the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster may be undetectable.

Several experts inside and outside Japan told The Associated Press that cancers caused by the radiation may be too few to show up in large population studies, like the long-term survey just getting under way in Fukushima.

That could mean thousands of cancers under the radar in a study of millions of people, or it could be virtually none.

Some of the dozen experts the AP interviewed said they believe radiation doses most Japanese people have gotten fall in a “low-dose” range, where the effect on cancer remains unclear.

The cancer risk may be absent, or just too small to detect, said Dr. Fred Mettler, a radiologist who led an international study of health effects from the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. That’s partly because cancer is one of the top killers of people in industrialized nations. Odds are high that if you live long enough, you will die of cancer. The average lifetime cancer risk is about 40 percent.

In any case, the 2 million residents of Fukushima Prefecture, targeted in the new, 30-year survey, probably got too little radiation to have a noticeable effect on cancer rates, said Seiji Yasumura of the state-run Fukushima Medical University. Yasumura is helping run the project. “I think he’s right,” as long as authorities limit children’s future exposure to the radiation, said Richard Wakeford, a visiting epidemiology professor at the Dalton Nuclear Institute at the University of Manchester in England.

Wakeford, who’s also editor of the Journal of Radiological Protection, said he’s assuming that the encouraging data he’s seen on the risk for thyroid cancer is correct.

The idea that Fukushima-related cancers may go undetected gives no comfort to Edwin Lyman, a physicist and senior scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists, a group that advocates for nuclear safety. He said that even if cancers don’t turn up in population studies, that “doesn’t mean the cancers aren’t there, and it doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter.”

“I think that a prediction of thousands of cancer deaths as a result of the radiation from Fukushima is not out of line,” Lyman said. But he stressed that authorities can do a lot to limit the toll by reducing future exposure to the radiation. That could mean expensive decontamination projects, large areas of condemned land and people never returning home, he said. “There’s some difficult choices ahead.”

Japan’s Cabinet this month endorsed a plan to cut contamination levels in half within the next two years. The government recently announced it plans to study the risk from long-term exposure to the low-dose radiation level used as a trigger for evacuations.

The plant was damaged March 11 by a tsunami triggered by a magnitude-9 earthquake. Japanese authorities estimate it leaked about one-sixth as much radiation as the Chernobyl accident. It spewed radioactive materials like iodine-131, cesium-137 and 29 others contaminating the water, soil, forests and crops for miles around. A recent study suggested that emissions of cesium-137, were in fact twice what the government has estimated.

So far, no radiation-linked death or sickness has been reported in either citizens or workers who are shutting down the plant. And a preliminary survey of 3,373 evacuees from the 10 towns closest to the plant this summer showed their estimated internal exposure doses over the next several decades would be far below levels officials deem harmful.

But while the Fukushima disaster has faded from world headlines, many Japanese remain concerned about

their long-term health. And many don’t trust reassurances from government scientists like Yasumura, of the Fukushima survey.

Many consumers worry about the safety of food from Fukushima and surrounding prefectures, although produce and fish found to be above government-set limits for contamination have been barred from the market. For example, mushrooms harvested in and around Fukushima are frequently found to be contaminated and barred from market. Controversy has also erupted around the government’s choice of a maximum allowed level for internal radiation exposure from food.

Fukushima has distributed radiation monitors to 280,000 children at its elementary and junior high schools. Many children are allowed to play outside only two or three hours a day. Schools have removed topsoil on the playgrounds to reduce the dose, and the Education Ministry provided radiation handbooks for teachers. Thousands of children have been moved out of Fukushima since the March disasters, mainly due to radiation fears.

Many parents and concerned citizens in and around Fukushima, some even as far as Tokyo, carry Geiger counters for daily measurement of radiation levels in their neighborhoods, especially near schools and kindergartens. The devices are probably one of the most popular electronics gadgets across Japan these days. People can rent them at DVD shops or drug stores in Fukushima, while many Internet rental businesses specializing in Geiger counters also have emerged.

Citizens groups are also setting up radiation measuring centers where people can submit vegetables, milk or other foods for tests. Some people are turning to traditional Japanese diet - pickled plum, miso soup and brown rice - based on a belief that it boosts the immune system.

“I try what I believe is the best, because I don’t trust the government anymore,” says Chieko Shiina, who has

turned to that diet. The 65-year-old Fukushima farmer had to close a small Japanese-style inn due to the nuclear crisis. She thinks leaving Fukushima would be safer but says there is nowhere else to go. “I know we continue to be irradiated, even right at this moment. I know it would be best just to leave Fukushima,” she said. Yuka Saito, a mother of four who lives in a Fukushima neighborhood where the evacuation order was recently lifted, said she and her three youngest children spent the summer in Hokkaido to get away from the radiation. She tells her children, ages 6 to 15, to wear medical masks, long-sleeved shirts and a hat whenever they go out, and not to play outside.

She still avoids drinking tap water and keeps a daily log of her own radiation monitoring around the house, kindergarten and schools her children attend. “We Fukushima people are exposed to radiation more than anyone else outside the prefecture, but we just have to do our best to cope,” she said. “We cannot stay inside the house forever.”

Japanese officials say mental health problems caused by excessive fear of radiation are prevalent and posing a bigger problem than actual risk of cancer caused by radiation. But what kind of cancer risks do the Japanese really face? Information on actual radiation exposures for individuals is scarce, and some experts say they can’t draw any conclusions yet about risk to the population.

But Michiaki Kai, professor of environmental health at Oita University of Nursing and Health Sciences, said that based on tests he’s seen on people and their exposure levels, nobody in Fukushima except for some plant workers has been exposed to harmful levels of radiation.

Radiation generally raises cancer risk in proportion to its amount. At low-dose exposures, many experts and ‘regulators embrace the idea that this still holds true. But other experts say direct evidence for that is lacking, and that it’s not clear whether such small doses raise cancer risk at all.

AIDS drugs keep more alive, prevent new HIV infections Around 34 million people around world have AIDS virus

BERLIN: (From L) German Health Minister Daniel Bahr, Executive Director of UNAIDS Michel Sidibe, and German Development Minister Dirk Niebel pose with copies of the UNAIDS World AIDS Day Report 2011 after opening the “Health.Right.Now! HIV Prevention without Barriers” conference in Berlin yesterday. —AFP

Overweight people eat less often: Study PENNSYLVANIA: Overweight adults eat less often than people in the normal body weight range, but still take in more calories and are less active over the course of the day, according to a US study. By contrast, normal weight adults, including those who had lost a lot of weight and kept it off, ate more often, according to findings published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

“Most of the research has shown that people who eat more frequently have a lower weight. But no one knows why,” said lead researcher Jessica Bachman, an assistant professor in the department of Nutrition and Dietetics at Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

More than 60 percent of US residents are obese or overweight, but the relationship between the number of meals people eat each day and the ability to maintain weight loss has remained unclear, she said.

In particular, she wanted to understand what people who have lost significant amounts of weight do to keep it off.

Bachman and her team followed about 250 people for a year, analysing data collected in two large studies sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. One looked at the eating habits of people with a body mass index-BMI, a measure of weight relative to height-between 25 to 47, which is considered overweight to obese.

The other study looked at adult men and women who were normal weight, with a BMI of 19-24.9, about half of whom had lost at least 13.6 kg (30 lbs) and maintained their lower weight for more than five years.

On average, the normal weight subjects ate three meals and a little over two snacks each day, whereas the overweight group averaged three meals and just over one snack a day.

Generally, though, weight loss “maintainers” consumed the fewest calories, at about 1,800 a day, compared with the normal weight and overweight subjects, who took in 1,900 and more than 2,000 calories a day, respectively.

Bachman said that snacking might help prevent weight gain by staving off intense hunger. “If you eat more often, it stops you from getting too hungry. If you wait 10 hours after you’ve last eaten, you end up eating a lot more food,” she added.

She noted that weight loss maintainers were also the most physically active, burning off about 3,000 calories a week through exercise and other activities, compared to 2,000 calories a week among the normal weight subjects and 800 calories a week in the overweight group.

“It appears that being extremely physically active and eating more often helps them keep the weight off,” she said, adding that more research is needed. — Reuters

LONDON: More people than ever are living with the AIDS virus but this is largely due to better access to drugs that keep HIV patients alive and well for many years, the United Nations AIDS programme (UNAIDS) said yesterday.

In its annual report on the pandemic, UNAIDS said the number of people dying of the disease fell to 1.8 million in 2010, down from a peak of 2.2 million in the mid-2000s. UNAIDS director Michel Sidibe said the past 12 months had been a “game-changing year” in the global AIDS fight.

Some 2.5 million deaths have been averted in poor and middle-income countries since 1995 due to AIDS drugs being introduced and access to them improving, according to UNAIDS. Much of that success has come in the past two years as the numbers of people getting treatment has increased rapidly.

“We’ve never had a year when there has been so much science, so much leadership and such results in one year,” Sidibe said in a telephone interview from UNAIDS headquarters in Geneva.

“Even in this time of public finance crises and uncertainty about funding, we’re seeing results.

We are seeing more countries than ever before (achieving) significant reductions in new infections and stabilising their epidemics.”

Since the beginning of the AIDS pandemic in the 1980s, more than 60 million people have been infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS. HIV can be controlled for many years with cocktails of drugs, but there is as yet no cure.

The UNAIDS report said 34 million people around the world had HIV in 2010, up from 33.3 million in 2009. Among the most dramatic changes was the leap in the number of people getting treatment with AIDS drugs when they need it.

Of the 14.2 million people eligible for treatment in low-and middle-income countries, around 6.6 million, or 47 percent, are now receiving it, UNAIDS said, and 11 poor- and midincome countries now have universal access to HIV treatment, with coverage of 80 percent or more. This compares with 36 percent of the 15 million people needing treatment in 2009 who got AIDS drugs. Major producers of HIV drugs include Gilead, Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck, Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline. Improved access to drugs from these and other manufacturers means not only that fewer people are dying of AIDS each year, UNAIDS said, but also that the risk of new HIV infections is reduced.

A series of scientific studies have shown that getting timely treatment to those with HIV can substantially cut the number of people who

become newly infected with the virus. Sidibe said this was starting to show in new case numbers. There were 2.7 million new HIV infections worldwide in 2010, 15 percent fewer than in 2001, and 21 percent below the number of new infections at the peak of the epidemic in 1997.

“The big point for us is the number of new infections that’s where you win against the epidemic,” Sidibe said. Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said the growing number of averted AIDS deaths was important progress, but said the number of people on treatment needed to increase dramatically to reap the benefits of science showing treatment saves lives and prevents new infections.

“Never, in more than a decade of treating people living with HIV/AIDS, have we been at such a promising moment to really turn this epidemic around,” said MSF’s Tido von SchoenAngerer. “Governments in some of the hardest

hit countries want to act on the science, seize this moment and reverse the AIDS epidemic. But this means nothing if there is no money to make it happen.”

Despite progress on HIV treatment and prevention, sub-Saharan Africa is still by far the worst hit, accounting for 68 percent of all those living with HIV in 2010 despite its population accounting for only 12 percent of the global total.

Around 70 percent of new HIV infections in 2010, and almost half of all AIDS-related deaths, were in sub-Saharan Africa. Sidibe said with many international donor countries struggling with slow economic growth and high debt, the global AIDS fight had to become even more focused on high impact interventions to deliver progress in the places worst hit.

“We need to maintain our investment, but ... in a smarter way. “ Then we’ll see a serious decline in the epidemic,” he said.— Reuters

This file picture taken on August 4, 2009 shows a supply of antiretroviral drugs prepared for free distribution to HIV patients visiting for treatment and consultation at the Integrated HIV Service Unit at the Cipto Mangunkusumo government hospital in Jakarta. A significant expansion in access to treatment helped slash the number of AIDS-related deaths in 2010, bringing the number of people living with HIV to a record 34 million, the United Nations said yesterday—AFP

FDA revokes approval of Avastin for breast cancer

MILWAUKEE: In this Nov. 16, 2011 photo, James Burba, a volunteer at the Salvation Army Food Pantry in Milwaukee, prepares grocery bags for the needy. Some people who rely on food pantries for their meals have health problems and strict dietary restrictions, so pantry officials are asking this holiday season that donors pay attention to giving foods that are healthy and nutritious, not high in sodium or calories. — AP

WASHINGTON: The blockbuster drug Avastin should no longer be used in advanced breast cancer patients because there’s no proof that it extends their lives or even provides enough temporary benefit to outweigh its dangerous side effects.

The ruling by the Food and Drug Administration was long expected, but it was certain to disappoint women who say they’ve run out of other options as their breast cancer spread through their bodies. Impassioned patients had lobbied furiously to preserve Avastin as a last shot.

But repeated studies found the drug had only a small effect on tumor growth. The research didn’t show evidence that patients lived any longer or had a better quality of life than if they had taken standard chemotherapy.

The FDA concluded that the drug presented an array of risks, including severe high blood pressure, massive bleeding, heart attack or heart failure, along with perforations in the stomach and intestines.

“I did not come to this decision lightly,” said the FDA commissioner, Dr.

Margaret Hamburg. But, she said, “Sometimes despite the hopes of investigators, patients, industry and even the FDA itself, the results of rigorous testing can be disappointing.”

Avastin is the world’s best-selling cancer drug, and also is used to treat certain forms of colon, lung, kidney and brain cancers. So even though FDA formally revoked its approval of the drug to treat breast cancer, doctors still could prescribe it - but insurers may not pay for it. Including infusion fees, a year’s treatment with Avastin can cost $100,000.

Some insurers already had quit covering the drug’s use in breast cancer after FDA’s advisers twice - once last year and once this summer - urged revoking the approval. But Medicare said that it will keep paying for now. In a statement, the agency said it “will monitor the issue and evaluate coverage options as a result of action by the FDA but has no immediate plans to change coverage policies.”

Hamburg said any woman wishing to remain on Avastin should have an in-depth discussion with her doctor

about the risks and what the research into the drug showed.

Avastin manufacturer Genentech, part of Swiss drugmaker Roche Group, had argued that the drug should remain available while it conducted more research to see if certain subsets of breast cancer patients might benefit, perhaps people whose tumors contain certain genetic characteristics. After all, some doctors had argued that they do see a few patients who seem to do better with Avastin than without it.

Hamburg said she considered that argument, but that scientifically there are no clues yet to identify such women. She urged Genentech to do that research, saying FDA “absolutely” would reconsider if the company could find the right evidence.”

“We’re eager to work with the company, and we hope that the science will advance and that we will be able to offer patients with metastatic breast cancer better, safer, more effective treatments for this devastating disease,” Hamburg said. Genentech pledged to begin such research. “We

are disappointed with the outcome.

We remain committed to the many women with this incurable disease and will continue to provide help through our patient support programs to those who may be facing obstacles to receiving their treatment in the United States,” said company chief medical officer Dr. Hal Barron.

One patient advocacy group called the decision a mistake. “Any one life is significant. In this case we’re talking about several thousand lives a year,” said Frank Burroughs of the Abigail Alliance, which advocates for access to experimental medicine. In 2008, the FDA allowed Avastin to be marketed as a treatment for breast cancer that has spread, or metastasized, to other parts of the body and is generally considered incurable. The approval came under a special program that allows patients access to promising treatments while their makers finish the studies needed for final proof that they really work as promised. That approval is revoked if the research doesn’t pan out, something that happens only very rarely. — AP

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H E A LT H Healthy male diet boosts IVF success SAO PAOLO: The chances of a successful in-vitro fertilisation increase if men have a diet high in fruit and grains, and low in red meat, alcohol and coffee, a Brazilian study on the male sperm said. While female reproductive problems have been linked to body weight as well as smoking and drinking, it hasn’t been clear before now if the same applies to men during IVF treatment.

“The sperm concentration was negatively influenced by body mass index (BMI) and alcohol consumption, and was positively influenced by cereal consumption and the number of meals per day,” wrote Edson Borges, from the Fertility-Assisted Fertilization Centre in Sao Paolo in the Fertility and Sterility journal.

“The sperm motility was also negatively influenced by BMI, alcohol consumption and smoking habit, whereas it was positively influenced by the consumption of fruits and cereals.” BMI, or body mass index, is a measure of weight against height.

The study involved 250 men who, with their partners, were undergoing a type of fertility treatment called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) at one center.

Researchers asked the men how often they ate a range of foods, including fruits and vegetables, beans, grains, meat and fish, as well as how much they drank and smoked.

They also got semen samples from the men to analyze how healthy and well concentrated their sperm were, and kept track of how every step of the IVF process went for each couple. Eggs were successfully fertilized in about three-quarters of the treatments, and just under four in ten women got pregnant during the study.

From the speed of their sperm to their partner’s chance of pregnancy, men who imbibed and ate poorly were slowed down on the fertility front, researchers found. Being overweight and drinking alcohol were linked to lower sperm concentration and motility, or how well sperm swam, while smoking was tied only to negative effects on motility. Alcohol and coffee were both linked to a lower chance of fertilization.

In addition, embryo implantation rates and pregnancy rates were significantly lower when men ate a lot of red meat. On the other hand, eating more cereal grains-such as wheat, oats or barley-was associated with improved sperm concentration and motility. Fruit was linked to a speed and agility boost in sperm.

“We talk about having a healthy lifestyle and trying to eliminate any of these things that are bad for health, but I think most of the emphasis tends to be on making sure the woman is as healthy as possible,” said Lynn Westphal, a women’s health and fertility specialist at Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto, California. “I think this is really interesting data that lifestyle factors for men, even when you’re doing ICSI, are significant. —Reuters

Landmark Group’s ‘Beat Diabetes’ walkathon Walkathon supported by MoH and Dasman Diabetes Institute

Saibal Basu

KUWAIT: Under the patronage of the Ministry of Health and Dasman Diabetes Institute, Landmark Group - the region’s leading retail and hospitality conglomerate, marked the successful completion of its second consecutive ‘Beat Diabetes’ walkathon in Kuwait. Over five thousand people participated in the walk this year and more than 3500 people took the free blood glucose test.

From the Yacht Club till the Green Island, an occupied Arabian Gulf Street was booming with walkers who arrived to support the cause and spread awareness about this growing epidemic. The walkathon is an annual event launched by the Landmark Group as a part of its ‘Beat Diabetes’ corporate social responsibility initiative, to raise understanding and awareness about diabetes amongst people.

The Beat Diabetes walkathon is held in November since the month is commemorated as the World Diabetes Month and November 14 being World Diabetes Day. The morning began with the campaign’s launch ceremony at the

Yacht Club, attendees included senior officials from the Ministry of Health, Dasman Diabetes Institute and Saibal Basu, COO, Landmark Group - Kuwait.

They were joined by the Group’s employees and thousands of supporters of the cause from all age groups.

A warm-up session was performed by Landmark group staff for all the participants to kick start the walk. A healthy breakfast was served after the event, courtesy Nestle, Awal, Kdcow, Mais Al Ghanim, Tariq Al Ghanim Limited (catering division) and Suma fruits.

Commenting on the event, Saibal Basu said, “The number of participants who joined the walk today is undeniably remarkable and overwhelming. Diabetes prevalence is growing alarmingly across the world and the Middle East region has some of the highest numbers. The best way to manage and control the condition is to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

We thank every person who joined us here today to spread this message and support the campaign.”

Recent figures from International

Diabetes Federation report indicate that, the number of people living with diabetes around the world is expected to rise from 366 million in 2011 to 552 million by 2030, unless swift action is undertaken. This equals to approximately three new cases, for every ten seconds of the year. Kuwait has one of the highest rates of prevalence in the world and we need to act and take control of diabetes now.

Basu also added, “We would like to thank our sponsors’ efforts in making this campaign a success in the region: Al Rai Media Group, Al Anba, Al Qabas, Al Seyassah, KUC, Arab Times, Kuwait Times, Al Yaqza, Layalina, Al Hadaf, bazaar, AHLAN!, StudentTalk, TheTalk, Tariq Al Ghanim Limited, Safwan, kdcow, Indian Doctors Forum, Nestle, Chiquita, Awal, and Mais Al Ghanim.”

Since its launch in UAE in 2009, the reach of the ‘Beat Diabetes’ campaign has grown rapidly it currently has a presence across 7 countries; United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and India.

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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 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.

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.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

ICS organizes exhibition

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ndian Central School, Kuwait organized an exhibition on the theme, ‘Globalization and its Impact on Education’ on 17th November 2011 at the CBSE-(i) Block of the school. A plan was drawn by the Principal which included every member’s participation from the school inclusive of the parent community. The exhibition was inaugurated by the First Secretary H.K Mohan. The event was attended by directors and inspectors from the Ministry of Pvt Education, dignitaries and prominent personalities from various fields, principals, teachers, students of various Indian schools in Kuwait, parents and well-wishers of ICS. The creative, innovative and talented students of ICS with timely guidance from their teachers put up a spectacular display of working models, projects, charts, power point presentations etc. to enthrall the spectators.

The Mathematics department focused on how globalization gave a different perspective to the subject. The displays highlighted the use of geometrical shapes in every aspect of life.

The tiny tots of Kindergarten represented various shapes to add to the splendour. The very informative Career Guidance Centre of the department gave the visitors all the knowledge they required on choosing the right career, various vistas available for the students and answered their mind boggling queries.

Globalization in science and technology was represented by all the branches of SciencePhysics, Chemistry and Biology by reflecting the theme meticulously through their exhibits.

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!

Robotics in Physics was the highlight of the working models displayed besides many others showing conservation of natural resources which gave a glimpse of the future world. Health being a global concern, the senior students had put up a pathology lab and performed various tests appraising the visitors with their present levels of blood sugar, pressure and lung capacity etc.

The Social Science arena was overflowing with exhibits on the theme, combined with Commerce and Humanities department.

Language being the key to globalization, various departments highlighted the contribution of language towards it.

English being the global language focused on the impact of it on the global culture and attitude.

The Hindi department portrayed the ancient educational system of Gurukulas with the students enacting the GuruShishya aspect in the traditional way and the modern futuristic education system with its technological aspect. The various features like dance styles, music, sports, exports, reality shows, poets, writers and

Reema

Amna Iqbal

Nilofar Mohammed

Mahinaz

Molcy

Sharon Marie Vaz

Priyamol

Sabeena

Yasmeen

Sakina Abbas Ali

Lekha P Thomas

Naveed

Asjad

Nigel Elton

Bollywood through which Hindi is spreading worldwide were shown. The cuisine from all parts of India was a major attraction.

The French department depicted the impact of French language and its culture on global fashion, food, art and literature. The aesthetic display of exhibits revealed the contribution of French.

The Arabic department edified all on Kuwait- its culture and traditions. The wedding ceremonies, setting, music, food, clothes, articles etc. of Kuwait were showcased. There was a cultural film depicting

the old traditions of Kuwait.

The IT dept was stealing attention with their models of computers, IT companies, artificial intelligence and games.

The students presented ‘Information at fingertip’ which made the concept of global village possible through their displays.

The grand exhibition concluded with raving reviews and applause of all who attended. The Principal Mrs ShantaMaria James appreciated the students, teachers and staff of ICS for their assiduous efforts in making the exhibition a grand success.

Nilofur

Sheryl Ann

‘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.

N Radhakrishnan

Shivani Pushkarna

Vinayak

Shruthi M S

Mohammad Qasim

Sajjad V.S

SMU results declared Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

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ikkim Manipal University (SMU), India’s top students’ most preferred university in the field of Management, IT & Technological Sciences has published the results for the Oct 2011 Examinations. SMU is a member of Association of Indian Universities (AIU), recognized by the Union Ministry of Human Resources Development and by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

SMU offers more than 40 programs at UG, PG, Diploma & PG Diploma levels in various disciplines like Management,

Information Technology, Telecommunication & Networking, Commerce, Arts and Journalism & Mass Communication. All programs are career oriented, dealing with higher professional education. SMU’s Award willing program the EduNxt is a learning delivery system that has brought students and teachers closer than ever.

All students are requested to check online SMU website for detailed results.

The management and staff take great pride in congratulating all students for

their good performance and whole hearted cooperation that they have shown.

The following students have topped their batch from their respective semester: Journalism & Mass Communication Sheryl Ann C, Reema Sarwar, Sajjad V.S, Conrad Edward Cajitan M. Management Yasmeen Adam Rawoot, Nellofur Qammer, Amna Iqbal, Nigel Elton Mathias, Mahinaz Murad Mukadam, Naveen Norbert D’Souza, Shivani Pushkarna,

Sharon Marie Vaz, N Radhakrishnan, Sabeena Roshni Fernandes, Priyamol Abraham Commerce Sakina Abbas Ali Information Technology Asjad Naveed Bhutta, Vinayak Krishna Kamath, Molcy Rachel Abraham, Naveed Fakhr, Suraj Prakash Shirwant, Muhammad Qasim, Nilofar Mohammed Yusuf, Shruthi M S, Gopakumar N. Allied Health Lekha P. Thomas

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W H AT ’ S O N

Embassy Information EMBASSY OF BRAZIL The Embassy of Brazil requests all Brazilian citizens in Kuwait to proceed to the website www.brazil.org.kw (Contact Us Form / Fale Conosco) in order to register or update contact information. The Embassy encourages all citizens to do so, including the ones who have already registered in person at the Embassy. The registration process helps the Brazilian Government to contact and assist Brazilians living abroad in case of any emergency.

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Under 19 Basketball

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he Open Age Boys Basketball Team has had a terrific year! For the third season in a row they played in the ISACK final against archrival BSK. Dedicating the final to all the KES players before them, the team came out with intensity and confidence, scoring the most points KES has ever had in a championship game and defeated a talented BSK squad. This is

the sixth basketball championship in ten seasons for the Under 19 team.

This success took the better part of the past two seasons to develop. After disappointing finishes in two ISACK finals, Coach Quinn and the nucleus of his team dedicated themselves to improving. After the season finished in November 2010, the team stayed together and practiced for most of the

school year. They entered the GUST high school league and played against some of Kuwait’s best teams. After a shaky start the team gained confidence in a near comeback victory over American International School (AIS).

The team focused on fundamentals and continued to improve by playing a series of games against Bayan Bilingual School (BBS) and Universal

American School (UAS). Once the 2011 season started, there were noticeable differences.

Congratulations to the Open Age Boys Basketball Team. They made it to the ISACK final against BSK for the third straight season and proved that hard work and determination pay off as they captured KES’s sixth championship!

Healthy children’s menu at Movenpick Hotels & Resorts

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FAIPS-DPS wins Berchmans’ extempore speech competition

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AIPS-DPS was awarded the School Championship Trophy for both the 14th and 15th Extempore Speech Competition organized by Alumni Association of St Berchmans College, Kuwait Chapter at a colourful programme organized on 29th October at Carmel School, Khaitan.

Five students from FAIPS-DPS were awarded individual prizes for Best Speaker in the Seniors and Juniors category in the Extempore competitions held in January 2011 and May 2011. The students were Rhema Immanuel (Class 12), Abhinav Roy Burman (Class 12), Sharwari Pandit (Class 12), Rakshana

Immanuel (Class 9) and Prarthi Parikh (Class 9).

Sharwari Pandit of Class 12 had the unique distinction of being adjudged the Best Speaker for five consecutive years in the Berchmans Extempore Speech competitions, for which she was awarded the very prestigious Berchmans Eloquent Speaker award, a gold medal.

FAIPS-DPS is proud of all the winners, especially Sharwari Pandit who has earned such rare distinction with her excellent gift for oratory. We, at FAIPS, wish that these gifted students reach even greater heights in many such events they participate in the future.

n the kitchens of Movenpick Hotels & Resorts, strange and wonderful things are happening.

A tiny farm girl is raking spaghetti from a tube; a small bear is peeking from a mug; a mini hard-hat workman is installing tomato into a burger and a little girl is struggling to keep the monkeys away from the cake pops.

Monkeys, workmen, farm girls and little bears? In a kitchen? Just what’s going on? “We’re having fun launching our new children’s menu,” laughs Peter Drescher Vice President of Food & Beverage, Middle East and Asia.

“These days children have constant sources of entertainment in the form of iPads, phones and games. So, we have to be equally entertaining with our food.”

But of course, like all great fun, the new children’s ‘Power Bites’ menu has a serious point. “Childhood obesity and heart disease are modern concerns so all our ingredients are low fat, use low sodium salt and lean meat. We use lots of fruit and vegetables and don’t use saturated fats.”

And the results are wonderful.

Scuba toys prepare to dive into a bowl of mixed fruit; monkeys race up leaves to fresh banana smoothies; a workman examines tomato sauce for organic sausages; a mini shopping trolley carries rice cakes and a tomato-headed millipede crawls across a plate on cucumber feet.

“Food should be fun and if it’s nutritious so much the better,” says

Drescher. “We invite children to eat with their fingers, paint carrots, arrange little characters. It’s important that restaurants become welcoming places for children and that they enjoy themselves. After all families go out to eat to have fun. We’re just here to help.”

The ‘Power Bites’ menu is available now at selected restaurants within Movenpick Hotels & Resorts across the Middle East and Asia.

In addition, to celebrate the launch of the menu, a special Power Bites offer is available for families staying at the participating hotels.

For further information visit www.moevenpick-hotels.com

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.

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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 ■■■■■■■

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.

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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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Shreya Ghoshal to perform in Kuwait

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outh icon for the millions Shreya Ghoshal will be performing live in Kuwait on Friday, 9th Dec. 2011.

The mega evening is organised by Indian Cultural Society. After hosting memorable events such as “ Parda Hai Parda” with Munawwar Masoom, Surinder Singh & Poonam Bhatia, “Mahakte Lamhe” with Udit Narayan, Neha Chauhan &Trishna Mukharjee, “Dil Ki Awaaz “with Kavita Krishnamurti & Bharti Singh, “Jashn e Bahara’n” with Talat Aziz & famous poets, “Nazar Ke Samne” with Kumar Sanu & Bali and many more events.

ICS is now all set to present “Silsila Ye Chahat Ka” with Shreya Ghoshal at Al Jeel Al Jadeed School, Hawally. The Chief Guest for the event will be Ambassador of India, Kuwait and the guest of honor will be prominent personalities from Kuwait.

The evening will witness new fashion and ever green songs by leading female playback singer from Indian cinema Shreya Ghoshal. She will perform with her world fame orchestra & musician along

PALPAK Picnic

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alakkad Pravasi Association of Kuwait (PALPAK) conducting a picnic/get together for its members on Friday 25th November at Al-Shaheed Garden (Al Mulla Garden), Sharq. According to PALPAK officials, the picnic will be a full day entertainment for kids, youth and families with lots of fun and games. All PALPAK members and families are invited to be a part of the fun-filled picnic from 9.00 am onwards. For details contact Vinod Kumar 99194650 (Salmiya), Suresh Pulikkal - 97260159 (Farwaniya), Udayavarman 97216434 (Abbassiya) & Haridas Mangara - 66290456 (Fahaheel).

Christmas music concert

M with co singer Shiv Prasad Mallaya. Young talents from Kuwait will be another attraction of the evening.

en’s Voice and Choral Society - Kuwait, the renowned Christian musicale group in Kuwait since 2001, who were able to put up a splendid Christmas carol in the form of a Living Christmas tree last year, are going to be back on stage this season of winter with their 11th Annual Christmas Music Concert “Celtic Christmas” for all the music lovers of the region on Wednesday 7th, December 2011 at 7 pm at Hall of Faith, National Evangelical Church (NECK), Kuwait. They are at their final stages of practice rounding up and polishing the best carols from English and Malayalam favorites. Every Music Lovers are cordially invite everyone to this spiritual musical concert, for more details contact 94064465/94063481 or visit www.mensvoicekuwait.org

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.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

TV PROGRAMS

00:50 Your Worst Animal Nightmares 01:45 Animal Cops Miami 02:40 Galapagos 03:35 Bad Dog 04:30 Your Worst Animal Nightmares 05:25 Dogs 101: Specials 06:20 Animal Cops Miami 07:10 Animal ER 08:00 Monkey Life 08:25 The Really Wild Show 08:50 Natural Born Hunters 09:15 Jeff Corwin Unleashed 09:40 Breed All About It 10:10 Your Pet Wants This 11:05 Dogs 101: Specials 12:00 Animal Cops Houston 12:55 Pit Bulls And Parolees 13:50 Wild Africa Rescue 14:15 Wild Africa Rescue 14:45 Animal Cops Miami 15:40 Galapagos 16:30 Monkey Life 17:00 The Really Wild Show 17:30 Natural Born Hunters 18:00 Jeff Corwin Unleashed 18:25 Dogs 101: Specials 19:20 Your Pet Wants This, Too! 20:15 Monkey Life 20:40 Breed All About It 21:10 Dogs 101 22:05 Galapagos 23:00 Big Five Challenge 23:55 Untamed & Uncut

00:30 01:00 01:30 02:05 02:50 03:40 04:10 04:40 04:50 05:00 05:15 05:20 05:40 06:00 06:10 06:20 06:35 06:40 07:00 07:10 07:30 07:40 07:50 08:05 08:10 08:30 08:40 09:00 09:10 09:20 09:35 09:40 09:50 10:10 10:20 10:40 11:10 11:40 12:25 13:15 13:45 14:15 15:10 15:40 16:10 16:40 17:30 18:15 18:45 19:15 20:10 21:00 21:45 22:15 22:45 23:40

Blackadder Goes Forth One Foot In The Grave One Foot In The Grave The Weakest Link: S10: Set 2 Holby City: Set 1 Doctors: Set 2 Blackadder Goes Forth 3rd & Bird: set 01 Bobinogs Boogie Beebies: Set 4 The Adventures Of Spot Me Too: Set 1 Fimbles: Set 2 3rd & Bird: set 01 Bobinogs Boogie Beebies: Set 4 The Adventures Of Spot Me Too: Set 1 Charlie & Lola: Set 1 Fimbles: Set 2 3rd & Bird: set 01 Bobinogs Boogie Beebies: Set 4 The Adventures Of Spot Me Too: Set 1 Charlie & Lola: Set 1 Fimbles: Set 2 3rd & Bird: set 01 Bobinogs Boogie Beebies: Set 4 The Adventures Of Spot The Adventures Of Spot Me Too: Set 1 Charlie & Lola: Set 1 Fimbles: Set 2 One Foot In The Grave One Foot In The Grave The Weakest Link: S10: Set 2 New Tricks Doctors: Set 2 Eastenders: set 253 Holby City: Set 1 One Foot In The Grave One Foot In The Grave One Foot In The Grave New Tricks The Weakest Link: S10: Set 2 Doctors: Set 2 Eastenders: set 253 Holby City: Set 1 New Tricks The Weakest Link: S10: Set 2 Doctors: Set 2 Eastenders: set 253 Holby City: Set 1 Conviction

00:45 01:35 02:25 03:15 04:05 04:55 05:45 06:35 07:25 08:00 08:20 08:45 10:40 11:35 12:20 13:05 13:55 15:50 16:45 17:30 18:15 19:05 19:30 19:55 20:20 20:45 21:35 22:25 23:10

Gok’s Fashion Fix Come Dine With Me What Not To Wear Gok’s Fashion Fix Gok’s Fashion Fix Come Dine With Me What Not To Wear Gok’s Fashion Fix Daily Cooks Challenge Cash In The Attic USA Ching’s Kitchen Daily Cooks Challenge Antiques Roadshow Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds Bargain Hunt Come Dine With Me Daily Cooks Challenge Antiques Roadshow Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds Bargain Hunt Come Dine With Me Ching’s Kitchen James Martin’s Brittany Eating In The Sun Eating In The Sun Come Dine With Me Antiques Roadshow Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds Bargain Hunt

00:00 BBC World News America 00:30 Hardtalk 01:00 BBC World News 01:30 World Business Report 01:45 Sport Today 02:00 BBC World News America 02:30 Asia Business Report 02:45 Sport Today 03:00 Newsday 03:30 Asia Business Report 03:45 Sport Today 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

00:05 00:30 00:55 01:20 01:45

The Garfield Show Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Droopy: Master Detective The Flintstones

02:10 02:35 03:00 03:25 03:50 04:00 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:10 06:35 07:00 07:15 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:00 09:25 09:50 10:15 10:40 11:05 11:30 11:55 12:20 12:35 13:00 13:15 13:40 13:55 14:20 14:45 15:15 15:40 16:05 16:30 16:55 17:20 Doo 17:45 18:10 19:45 20:00 20:25 20:50 21:15 21:45 22:10 22:35 23:00 23:25 23:55

Johnny Bravo Duck Dodgers King Arthur’s Disasters The Scooby Doo Show Popeye Classics Tom & Jerry Popeye The Jetsons The Flintstones Looney Tunes Pink Panther & Pals Tex Avery Duck Dodgers The Garfield Show New Yogi Bear Show Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Jelly Jamm Pink Panther And Pals Puppy In My Pocket The Garfield Show Dastardly And Muttley The Flintstones Tom & Jerry Pink Panther And Pals Top Cat New Yogi Bear Show Puppy In My Pocket Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Bananas In Pyjamas The Jetsons Duck Dodgers Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Tom & Jerry The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Droopy: Master Detective Wacky Races Scooby-Doo And ScrappyDastardly And Muttley Tom & Jerry Dexters Laboratory Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Top Cat Wacky Races Tom & Jerry The Scooby Doo Show Dastardly And Muttley Tom & Jerry Johnny Bravo Dexters Laboratory

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

4.3.2.1 ON OSN ACTION HD

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

00:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson 01:00 Backstory 01:30 World Sport 02:00 The Situation Room 03:00 World Report 04:00 Anderson Cooper 360 05:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 06:00 Quest Means Business 07:00 World Sport 07:30 African Voices 08:00 World Report 08:30 Backstory 09:00 World Report 11:00 World Sport 11:30 Inside Africa 12:00 World Business Today 13:00 American Morning: Wake-Up Call 13:30 Eye On 14:00 World One 15:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 16:00 News Stream 17:00 World Business Today 18:00 International Desk 19:00 The Brief 19:30 World Sport 20:00 Prism 21:00 International Desk 21:30 Eye On 22:00 Quest Means Business 23:00 Piers Morgan Tonight

00:15 00:40 01:35 02:30 03:25 04:20 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 07:25 07:50 08:45 09:10 10:05 10:55 11:25 12:20 13:15 14:10 15:05 15:30 16:00 16:25 16:55 17:50 18:45 19:10 19:40 20:05 21:00 21:30 22:25 23:20

Swamp Brothers Dual Survival Overhaulin’ Dirty Jobs Ultimate Survival Mythbusters How It’s Made How Do They Do It? Dirty Jobs Wheeler Dealers Fifth Gear Overhaulin’ How It’s Made Mythbusters Cake Boss Auction Kings Pit Bulls And Parolees LA Ink Ultimate Survival Dual Survival Swamp Brothers Cash Cab Us Wheeler Dealers Fifth Gear Overhaulin’ Mythbusters Cake Boss Border Security Auction Kings How It’s Made Cash Cab Us LA Ink Animal Cops South Africa Pit Bulls And Parolees

00:40 The Gadget Show 01:05 The Tech Show 01:35 Mega World 02:25 Green Wheels 02:50 Things That Move 03:40 Brainiac 04:35 The Gadget Show 05:25 How Stuff’s Made 05:50 Mega World 06:40 Stuntdawgs 07:10 Nextworld 08:00 Thunder Races 08:50 Race To Mars 09:40 The Tech Show 10:10 Weird Connections 10:35 The Gadget Show 11:25 Nextworld 12:20 Sci-Fi Science 12:45 How Stuff’s Made 13:15 Things That Move 14:05 Race To Mars 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 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 21:20 Powering The Future 22:10 The Gadget Show 23:00 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman

00:00 00:25 01:15 02:00 02:50 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

Kim Possible Fairly Odd Parents Stitch Replacements Emperor’s New School Stitch Replacements Fairly Odd Parents 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

09:50 Imagination Movers 10:15 Phineas And Ferb 10:30 Emperor’s New School 10:50 Good Luck Charlie 11:15 Phineas And Ferb 11:35 Suite Life On Deck 12:00 Wizards Of Waverly Place 12:25 Sonny With A Chance 12:45 Good Luck Charlie 13:10 Hannah Montana 13:30 Suite Life On Deck 13:55 Wizards Of Waverly Place 14:20 The Adventures Of Disney Fairies 14:55 Good Luck Charlie 15:20 Phineas And Ferb 15:45 Fish Hooks 16:10 Shake It Up 16:35 The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody 17:00 Wizards Of Waverly Place 17:25 Good Luck Charlie 17:50 Fish Hooks 18:15 Shake It Up 18:45 Suite Life On Deck 19:35 Good Luck Charlie 20:00 Emperor’s New School 20:25 Fish Hooks 20:50 Hannah Montana 21:15 Sonny With A Chance 21:35 Good Luck Charlie 22:00 Shake It Up 22:25 Suite Life On Deck 22:50 Sonny With A Chance 23:15 Wizards Of Waverly Place

00:25 Kendra 00:55 Style Star 01:25 20 Most Shocking Unsolved Crimes 03:15 25 Most Stylish 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Extreme Hollywood 06:00 THS 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Giuliana & Bill 10:15 THS 12:05 E! News 13:05 Kendra 14:05 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 14:35 Giuliana & Bill 15:30 THS 16:25 Behind The Scenes 16:55 Khloe And Lamar 17:55 E! News 18:55 THS 19:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 20:55 Chelsea Lately 21:25 Kendra 22:25 E! News 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians

00:40 Cases 01:30 02:15 03:05 04:40 Cases 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 23:50

Autopsy: Most Shocking Ghost Lab Psychic Witness Nightmare Next Door Autopsy: Most Shocking Psychic Witness Ghost Lab Mystery Diagnosis FBI Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Street Patrol True Crime With Aphrodite 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 Couples Who Kill Deadly Women

00:00 Ultimate Traveller 01:00 Banged Up Abroad 03:00 Eccentric Uk 03:30 Deadliest Journeys 04:00 By Any Means 05:00 Endurance Traveller 06:00 Ultimate Traveller 07:00 Banged Up Abroad 09:00 Eccentric Uk 09:30 Deadliest Journeys 10:00 By Any Means 11:00 Endurance Traveller 12:00 Ultimate Traveller 13:00 Meet The Natives: USA 14:00 Banged Up Abroad 15:00 Graham’s World 15:30 Deadliest Journeys 16:00 Amazing Adventures of A Nobody 16:30 Which Way To 17:30 Earth Tripping 18:00 Adventure Wanted 19:00 Meet The Natives: USA 20:00 Banged Up Abroad 21:00 Graham’s World 21:30 Deadliest Journeys 22:00 Amazing Adventures of A Nobody 22:30 Which Way To 23:30 Earth Tripping

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 13:15 15:45 17:45 20:00 22:00

Carrie-18 4.3.2.1.-18 Green Zone-PG15 Top Gun-PG15 Heaven’s Fall-PG15 Wyatt Earp-PG15 What Lies Beneath-PG15 Heaven’s Fall-PG15 Courage Under Fire-PG15 Icarus-18 Ip Man-PG15

01:15 03:00 05:00 07:00

Drag Me To Hell-18 Stone Of Destiny-PG15 Shrek Forever After-FAM Dean Spanley-PG

STONE OF DESTINY ON OSN CINEMA 09:00 11:15 13:00 14:45 17:00 18:45 21:00 23:00

Flash Of Genius-PG15 Fly Me To The Moon-PG Don’t Fade Away-PG15 Home-PG15 How To Train Your Dragon-PG The Social Network-PG15 Goodbye Baby-PG15 From Paris With Love-PG15

00:00 The Ricky Gervais Show 00:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 01:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 01:30 South Park 02:00 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 02:30 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 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 The League 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 The League 15:00 How I Met Your Mother 15:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 16:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 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 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Bored To Death 22:30 Entourage 23:00 South Park 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Desperate Housewives Boardwalk Empire Top Gear (US) Revenge Alias Good Morning America Detroit 1-8-7 Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View Desperate Housewives Revenge Alias Live Good Morning America The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street Grey’s Anatomy Private Practice Royal Pains Covert Affairs Detroit 1-8-7

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00

The Glades Top Gear (US) Boardwalk Empire Desperate Housewives Revenge Commander In Chief The Glades Outsourced Coronation Street Bones Top Gear (US) Desperate Housewives Revenge Outsourced Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Bones The Glades

16:00 Outsourced 16:30 Coronation Street 17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 18:00 Bones 19:00 Grey’s Anatomy 20:00 Private Practice 21:00 Royal Pains 22:00 Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior 23:00 Commander In Chief

01:00 Midnight Meat Train-18 03:00 Green Zone-PG15 05:00 Gothika-18 07:00 Rocky-PG15 09:00 The Lost Future-PG15 10:45 Sherlock Holmes-PG15 13:00 The Karate Kid I-PG15 15:15 The Lost Future-PG15 17:00 Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time-PG15 19:00 Rocky IV-PG15 21:00 Ip Man-PG15 23:00 Battlestar Galactica: The Plan18

00:15 One Hot Summer-PG15 02:00 It’s Complicated-PG15 04:00 The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie-PG 06:00 Ace Ventura: Pet Detective Jr.PG 08:00 Love Happens-PG15 10:00 Dead Men Don’t Wear PlaidPG 12:00 The Parent Trap-PG 14:30 Indian Summer-PG15 16:15 One Hot Summer-PG15 18:00 Blue Streak-PG15 20:00 Elle: A Modern Cinderella Tale-PG15 22:00 Tucker Max-R

01:00 03:45 05:30 07:15 09:00 10:45 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Boogie Nights-18 Chico & Rita-18 Adam-PG15 Delgo-FAM Not Since You-PG15 Capitalism: A Love Story-PG15 Adam-PG15 Alice In Wonderland-PG The Dust Factory-PG15 Against The Ropes-PG15 Somewhere-18 PVC-1-PG15

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:45 13:30 15:30 17:00 20:00 22:00

Little Ashes-R StreetDance-PG15 Tooth Fairy-PG Amelia-PG15 Avatar-PG Toy Story 3-FAM The Tempest-PG15 Marmaduke-PG Avatar-PG Shanghai-PG15 Repo Men-18

00:00 The Nimbols: Part II-PG15 02:00 Nativity!-PG 04:15 The Big Green-PG 06:15 The Nimbols: Part II-PG15 08:15 Tom Tom & Nana-FAM 10:00 Flicka 2-PG15 12:00 Zorro’s Secrets-PG 14:00 Nativity!-PG 16:00 Lego: The Adventures Of Clutch Powers-FAM 18:00 Flicka 2-PG15 20:00 The Last Airbender-PG 22:00 Zorro’s Secrets-PG

01:15 Pelican Blood-18 03:00 Scott Pilgrim vs. The WorldPG15 05:00 The Librarian: The Curse Of Judas Chalice-PG15 06:30 Saved!-PG15 08:00 You Again-PG15 10:00 The Librarian: The Curse Of Judas Chalice-PG15 11:45 Whip It-PG15 13:45 Remember Me-PG15 16:00 You Again-PG15 18:00 Family Gathering-PG15 20:00 Dead Awake-PG15 22:00 Country Strong-PG15

00:00 01:00 02:00 04:00 06:30 07:00 10:30 12:30 13:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 22:30 23:00

Powerboats Powerboats Rugby League Four Nations Super League Formula Aquabikes Premier League Snooker WWE SmackDown Aquabikes Rugby League 4 Nations Powerboats Powerboats Speedway Trans World Sport Premier League Snooker Aquabikes Le Mans Series

01:30 Darts 03:30 European Challenge Cup 05:30 European PGA Tour Highlights 06:30 ICC Cricket World 07:00 Darts 09:00 World Hockey 09:30 Rugby League 4 Nations 11:30 Scottish Premier League Highlights 12:00 Volvo Ocean Race 13:00 Golfing World 14:00 Scottish Premier League 16:00 ICC Cricket World 16:30 European Challenge Cup 18:30 Scottish Premier League Highlights 19:00 Golfing World 20:00 Beach Volley Ball 20:30 Futbol Mundial 21:00 Trans World Sport 22:00 Scottish Premier League Highlights 22:30 Darts

00:00 European Challenge Cup 02:00 Premier League Snooker 05:30 Futbol Mundial 06:00 Trans World Sport 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 European PGA Tour Highlights 09:00 SPL Highlights 09:30 World Hockey 10:00 Spirit of Yachting 10:30 Darts 14:00 Darts 16:00 SPL Highlights 16:30 Premier League Snooker 20:00 Golfing World 21:00 European PGA Tour Highlights 22:00 Beach Volleyball 22:30 Futbol Mundial 23:00 Rugby League 4 Nations

00:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter 01:00 WWE Tough Enough 02:00 WWE Vintage Collection 03:00 WWE SmackDown 05:00 UFC Unleashed 06:00 UFC Unleashed 07:00 WWE NXT 08:00 WWE SmackDown 10:00 V8 Supercars 11:00 V8 Supercars 12:30 Powerboats Highlights 13:00 Super League Formula 15:30 WWE SmackDown 17:30 V8 Supercars 19:00 UFC 139 Prelims 20:00 UFC 139 23:00 UFC Total Ultimate Fighter Season

00:45 02:20 04:10 06:05 08:00 09:50 12:20 15:05 17:10 18:55 20:30 23:00

The Hunger-18 Les Girls-PG The Twenty-Fifth Hour-PG Boom Town-PG Beau Brummell-PG The Four Horsemen Of...-PG Quo Vadis-PG The Champ-PG The Happy Years-FAM The Naked Spur-PG The Comedians-PG Get Carter-18

Classifieds TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

ACCOMMODATION Separate room available in a dbl B/R apartment (furnished) with all facilities in Salmiya near garden. Please contact: 99787621.

(C 3737) Sharing accommodation available for Indian/ Sri Lankan couple or ladies, in Salmiya near Indian Public School. Contact: 99467432.

(C 3741) 22-11-2011 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 Sharing accommodation available in Abbassiya near Integrated Indian School, Highland supermarket building, Keralite family.

Contact: 99379252.

FOR SALE Mitsubishi Galant 1998 model, dark green, passing ten month, only KD 450. Tel: 65079379.

Suzuki jeep grant Vitar model 2011, white metallic color, full option, registration till March 2014, cash price KD 4,600. Installment possible whose salary KD 300 receiving through banks. Contact: 66507741.

(C 3739) Honda Civic, model 2004, white color, excellent condition, km 56000, Price KD 1400. Mob: 66729295.

(C 3740) 22-11-2011 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)

No: 15276

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Arrival Flights on Tuesday 22/11/2011 Route

Airlines

Flt

JZR RBG JZR ETH THY UAE QTR OMA DHX MSR FDB ETD RJA GFA DHX FCX JZR JZR KAC BAW KAC JZR KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR FDB ETD IRA GFA IRA JZR RKM MEA MSR MSR JZR GFA KAC FDB UAL

185 3564 539 620 772 853 138 641 370 612 67 305 642 211 170 201 555 529 416 157 412 503 206 53 352 302 332 284 855 125 132 55 301 605 213 619 165 310 404 623 610 201 219 512 57 982

DUBAI ASSIUT CAIRO ADDIS ABABA ISTANBUL DUBAI DOHA MUSCAT BAHRAIN CAIRO DUBAI ABU DHABI AMMAN BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DUBAI ALEXANDRIA ASSIUT JAKARTA/KUALA LUMPUR LONDON MANILA/BANGKOK LUXOR ISLAMABAD DUBAI COCHIN MUMBAI TRIVANDRUM DHAKA DUBAI SHARJAH DOHA DUBAI ABU DHABI ISFAHAN BAHRAIN LAR DUBAI RAS ALKHAIMAH BEIRUT SOHAG CAIRO DAMASCUS BAHRAIN TEHRAN DUBAI WASHINGTON DC DULLES

Time 0:20 0:40 0:50 1:45 2:15 2:35 2:40 2:50 2:55 3:00 3:05 3:10 3:10 3:15 5:15 5:30 6:00 6:20 6:25 6:40 6:45 7:25 7:40 7:45 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:15 8:30 9:00 9:05 9:20 9:35 9:45 9:55 10:50 11:20 11:45 11:55 12:30 12:55 13:00 13:25 13:40 13:50 14:05

VOS KNE SVA KAC RJA KAC QTR KAC VOS JZR JZR ETD UAE GFA SVA ABY RBG ALK JZR JZR FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB KAC JAI OMA MLR DHX MEA GFA QTR UAE JZR KLM AIC JZR UAL AXB BBC DLH

93 745 500 546 640 562 134 678 84 561 213 303 857 215 510 127 3561 227 256 177 63 502 542 786 618 674 744 166 104 774 61 552 572 647 1405 372 402 217 136 859 135 443 981 239 981 389 43 636

KANDAHAR/DUBAI 14:15 JEDDAH 14:25 JEDDAH 14:30 ALEXANDRIA 14:30 AMMAN 14:40 AMMAN 14:45 DOHA 15:25 ABU DHABI/MUSCAT 15:30 DOMODEDOVO AIRPORT 16:00 SOHAG 16:10 DEIREZZOR 16:45 ABU DHABI 16:50 DUBAI 16:55 BAHRAIN 17:15 RIYADH 17:20 SHARJAH 17:40 ALEXANDRIA 17:50 COLOMBO/DUBAI 18:10 BEIRUT 18:10 DUBAI 18:15 DUBAI 18:40 BEIRUT 18:45 CAIRO 18:50 JEDDAH 19:10 DOHA 19:15 DUBAI 19:25 DAMMAM 19:25 PARIS/ROME 19:30 LONDON 19:35 RIYADH 19:40 DUBAI 20:00 DAMASCUS 20:05 MUMBAI 20:10 MUSCAT 20:15 COLOMBO/DUBAI 20:50 BAHRAIN 21:00 BEIRUT 21:20 BAHRAIN 21:25 DOHA 21:35 DUBAI 21:40 BAHRAIN 21:55 AMSTERDAM 22:05 CHENNAI/HYDERABAD/AHMEDABAD 22:05 AMMAN 22:45 BAHRAIN 23:00 KOZHIKODE/MANGALORE 23:35 DHAKA 23:45 FRANKFURT 23:50

Airlines VOS UAL AIC JZR PIA DLH RBG ETH THY FDB UAE OMA DHX MSR ETD QTR JZR GFA RJA JZR KAC FDB BAW KAC KAC KAC JZR KAC UAE ABY FDB QTR ETD GFA IRA JZR KAC IRA KAC JZR RKM MEA KAC MSR KAC JZR

Departure Flights on Tuesday 22/11/2011 Flt Route 0 KUWAIT 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 976 GOA/CHENNAI 502 LUXOR 240 SIALKOT 637 FRANKFURT 3562 ALEXANDRIA 621 ADDIS ABABA 773 ISTANBUL 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 642 MUSCAT 371 BAHRAIN 613 CAIRO 306 ABU DHABI 139 DOHA 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 643 AMMAN 200 DAMASCUS 545 ALEXANDRIA 54 DUBAI 156 LONDON 677 ABU DHABI/MUSCAT 511 TEHRAN 561 AMMAN 560 SOHAG 101 LONDON/NEW YORK 856 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 56 DUBAI 133 DOHA 302 ABU DHABI 214 BAHRAIN 604 ISFAHAN 212 DEIREZZOR 165 ROME/PARIS 618 LAR 541 CAIRO 257 BEIRUT 311 RAS ALKHAIMAH 405 BEIRUT 501 BEIRUT 624 SOHAG 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI

Time 0:00 0:45 0:50 1:05 1:10 1:20 1:25 2:45 3:15 3:45 3:50 3:55 3:55 4:00 4:00 4:55 6:55 7:00 7:10 7:30 7:40 8:25 8:40 8:55 9:15 9:20 9:30 9:35 9:40 9:45 10:05 10:10 10:20 10:40 10:45 10:50 11:45 11:50 12:00 12:10 12:50 12:55 13:00 13:30 13:40 13:50

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

MSR GFA FDB KAC KAC KNE UAL RJA SVA KAC KAC KAC JZR ETD JZR QTR VOS UAE GFA ABY RBG SVA JZR ALK FDB JZR KAC KAC FDB KAC DHX KAC JAI OMA MLR KAC DHX MEA GFA KAC FCX QTR KAC JZR UAE KAC KLM JZR KAC

611 220 58 551 673 746 982 641 501 617 773 743 238 304 538 135 82 858 216 128 3563 511 134 228 64 184 283 361 62 343 171 351 571 648 1405 543 373 403 218 381 102 137 301 554 860 205 443 528 411

CAIRO BAHRAIN DUBAI DAMASCUS DUBAI JEDDAH BAHRAIN AMMAN JEDDAH DOHA RIYADH DAMMAM AMMAN ABU DHABI CAIRO DOHA BAGHDAD DUBAI BAHRAIN SHARJAH ASSIUT RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI/COLOMBO DUBAI DUBAI DHAKA COLOMBO DUBAI CHENNAI BAHRAIN COCHIN MUMBAI MUSCAT COLOMBO CAIRO BAHRAIN BEIRUT BAHRAIN DELHI BAHRAIN DOHA MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA DUBAI ISLAMABAD BAHRAIN/AMSTERDAM ASSIUT BANGKOK/MANILA

13:55 14:20 14:35 14:40 15:05 15:10 15:20 15:35 15:45 15:50 16:25 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 20:20 20:40 20:55 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:50 21:55 22:00 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:30 22:35 22:45 22:45 22:50 23:00 23:05 23:35 23:55

34

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

stars CROSSWORD 505

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) The workday flows along without too many problems at this time. Your evaluation of matters and decisions made this day will be clear and focused. There could be a slowdown in transportation, but confirmation of schedules should help assuage this situation. There is much communication with friends and family now, especially those at a distance. A love of authority figures, plus an appreciation for authority and your elders in general, makes you welcome at any social scene. You may find yourself involved in a golf game, tennis or other similar sport activity later today. Not only do you enjoy all sorts of sports—you enjoy the time of simple chatter with friends. A new partnership can be entered into now.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) The power of organization on a social scale—business, politics and such—comes to your attention today. Among your basic talents is your sense of fairness and justice. You are a wonderful judge of personality and character, so you can excel as a supervisor or in marriage and business counseling, in legal work and decisions as lawyer or judge. Today you may find yourself solving more problems and keeping the peace between co-workers than working with the files on your desk. The demand for your skills intensifies and you are aware of new options for professional growth. You are starting a six-week cycle of tremendous energy and enthusiasm. A new sport, creative hobby or social activity appeals to you and you decide to participate on a regular basis.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. Any of various strong liquors distilled from the fermented sap of toddy palms or from fermented molasses.

5. An persistent and contagious disease of the skin causing inflammation and itching and loss of hair.

10. Of southern Europe.

13. Acute ulceration of the mucous membranes of the mouth or genitals.

14. Any plant of the genus Erica.

15. (computer science) A measure of how densely information is packed on a storage medium.

16. A strategically located monarchy on the southern and eastern coasts of the Arabian Peninsula.

17. Bar temporarily.

18. An international organization of European countries formed after World War II to reduce trade barriers and increase cooperation among its members.

19. Inability to use or understand language (spoken or written) because of a brain lesion.

22. The federal agency that insures residential mortgages.

26. A bachelor's degree in theology.

29. A radioactive element of the actinide series.

30. Tropical American feather palm having a swollen spiny trunk and edible nuts.

34. Occurring or payable every year.

36. The lower house of the parliament of the Republic of Ireland.

37. Sheet that forms a distinct (usually flat) section or component of something.

41. The law enforcement agency in the Justice Department.

42. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

43. (Greek mythology) One of the three Graces.

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

46. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light.

49. (India) Flat pancake-like bread cooked on a griddle.

56. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

57. South African plant widely cultivated for its showy pure white spathe and yellow spadix.

59. A small cake leavened with yeast.

60. An undergarment worn by women to support their breasts.

61. West Indian tree having racemes of fragrant white flowers and yielding a durable timber and resinous juice.

63. A member of a Mayan people of southwestern Guatemala.

64. God of the earth.

65. Surveying instrument consisting of the upper movable part of a theodolite including the telescope and its attachments.

66. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

DOWN 1. Small buffalo of the Celebes having small straight horns.

2. An easy victory.

3. A woman hired to suckle a child of someone else.

4. Valuable fiber plant of East Indies now widespread in cultivation.

5. The quality of being mediate.

6. A particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography).

7. Horny projecting mouth of a bird.

8. Aircraft landing in bad weather in which the pilot is talked down by ground control using precision approach radar.

9. The sense organ for hearing and equilibrium.

10. Norwegian mathematician (1802-1829).

11. A detailed description of design criteria for a piece of work.

12. A linear unit (1/6 inch) used in printing.

20. Be going to.

21. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind.

23. Before noon.

24. A clique that seeks power usually through intrigue.

25. Being nine more than ninety.

27. A collection of objects laid on top of each other.

28. Something causes misery or death.

31. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

32. Top part of an apron.

33. American prizefighter who won the world heavyweight championship three times (born in 1942).

35. A summary that repeats the substance of a longer discussion.

38. Aerobic rod-shaped spore-producing bacterium.

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

40. A cord that is drawn through eyelets or around hooks in order to draw together two edges (as of a shoe or garment).

45. An indehiscent fruit derived from a single ovary having one or many seeds within a fleshy wall or pericarp.

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

48. Small terrestrial lizard of warm regions of the Old World.

50. Swift timid long-eared mammal larger than a rabbit having a divided upper lip and long hind legs.

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

52. An official language of the Republic of South Africa.

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

54. A unit of magnetomotive force equal to 0.7958 ampereturns.

55. A Tibetan or Mongolian priest of Lamaism.

58. A boy or man.

62. A public promotion of some product or service.

Yesterday’s Solution

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Ambition and the desire for status can get a little out of touch with reality. Stay focused—attend to the normal duties and then you can move forward. Business opportunities that include conferences and perhaps lectures open new doors for you now. Circumstances move you into position where you must use your mind and deal with communications, service or enclosed hidden interests. You may deal with education, psychology, spiritual enlightenment or teaching principles and techniques. This afternoon a friend may interest you in a competitive sport that is good for your mind as well as your body. Learning ways to increase your energy level is a wise move and this new activity may be a heart-healthy, fun activity.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

You are at your most practical when it comes to dealing and working with others today. You know just what to do and can act without emotion. You are called on to make use of your natural abilities. You will prosper through new insights, inventions and an independent point of view. Your career could open up by taking up different methods than the usual—new approaches. You may be especially dynamic and assertive today—knowing just what to do. There is a lot of energy available for whatever needs to be done. A business meeting this afternoon will show progress in work projects. View any disagreement as a way to see things from a different perspective—not necessarily criticism. Reorganize your schedule in order to help a friend this evening.

Leo (July 23-August 22) You may be very forceful in what you say and think. With all of this emotional energy, you could speak or communicate very well. You have much mental drive. Perhaps through teaching you will find yourself serving to guide someone younger than you. You can demonstrate great understanding and sensitivity to the needs of others just now and are in a good position to communicate or guide others. This afternoon your friends may include you in some group activity. It is certainly a good time to be with your friends. This evening there is a kind of romantic dreamy mood. This could mean a longing for a soul mate or a yearning to save the world; it could mean carrying a torch, as well. Secret loves, lost loves—all you need is love.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) This is a very lucky day for making plans or decisions and finding your way through just about any problem you may discover. You joke with co-workers or friends about how computers are advanced enough to be taught to think and you think about how that would be. You are at your most practical when it comes to dealing and working with others. You know just what to do and can act without haste and emotion. You are called on to make use of your natural abilities and common sense. You feel successful and able to solve problems—quick answers, great wit and a surplus of insights and solutions are in readiness. Good advice from a guide or older person, if you need it, will be easy to find. A visitor in your home compliments you on your tastes.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

Keep those positive thoughts coming—you are learning how to transmute the negative. This is a great day to work with others.

Round table discussions or conferences with higher-ups may be in order all day.

Financial savvy and a practical turn of mind are qualities that take on greater importance in your life now. You have a wheeler-dealer attitude with a knack for knowing how to put people, ideas and things together profitably. Playing the role of coordinator can be rewarding. If there is not a permanent love relationship you may find one developing this afternoon. If there is a permanent relationship you will find the feelings between the two of you have deepened. A sense of support and harmony make this a happy time.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) You demonstrate great understanding of the needs of others just now and are in a good position to communicate concerning groups and society in general. This is a perfect time to be assertive and to move forward in your career decisions. You have all the drive and energy you could want and it should be easy to channel your path. Because you appear so self-sufficient, others may find it difficult to imagine that you might need love and attention. Step back and allow others to help you without returning the favor. Sometimes your friends just want to do things for you with a simple compliment for their effort. Enjoy the little attention that your loved ones offer you now. Get out of doors today—rain or no rain.

A little exercise is good for the spirit as well as the body.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Your mind is very quick and you find a great deal of fun in Trivial Pursuit games with friends and co-workers. This morning may be such a morning—some fun time with Trivial Pursuit. Among co-workers you find a good amount of teamwork and goodwill. This is a time of much energy and drive, perfect for starting out on something or taking care of business. Exercise is a necessity today and if the weather is acceptable, get outside and walk; skate or ride your bike.

Your mind runs to humanitarian values and thoughts of what could and should be improved upon. Ideas connected with group work and goals, making your inner vision real, are a natural. Community work just may be in the forecast. Your ideas could make a positive difference.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

To

This morning you may find yourself unusually motivated or driven in new and unexpected directions. You could receive unexpected backing and, in general, your efforts are successful in reaching new heights of originality. You may want to take a new look at where you are in your career at this time—is this your lifework? Determine as soon as possible, just where you want to apply your energies with regard to your career. New and unexpected emotions may surface. It is easy for you to find the proper motivation to fulfill your ideals or make your dreams into a reality. You may decide to reevaluate your diet for this winter. Adding a bit more protein will help increase resistance to colds and flu. This is a good time to schedule a flu shot, if you take them.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) This is an easy, calm day that should find everything running smoothly. Ideas and interaction with authority figures or older people may be in the forecast. Working with—rather than against—the flow should be easy to do. Your basic talents are such that you can aspire to a position of prominence when you are ready. Lightning fast when it comes to the business deal, you seem to have direct insight into what is worthwhile as well as what is worthless in a situation.

You will find a way to cut through the red tape and get at what is important. You can resolve debts and find it easier to add to your income at this time. The demand for your skills and talents intensifies. This evening you may spend time decorating with seasonal flowers and ornaments.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

A practical and conscientious attitude is of special importance now. Sorting things out and getting them organized to the utmost efficiency keeps you busy. You may adopt a more unconventional appearance or manner of communicating with others. This may mean that you have been called in to solve delivery problems or perhaps to rearrange some scheduling. You have more personal insight and are more inventive than most people, etc. Others sense your concern over their welfare and you may not be able to escape the positive admiration coming your way. Someone may take you to lunch or do you a favor without expecting reciprocation. Associates appreciate you.

Visiting with your friends is fun and meaningful this afternoon.

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

i n f o r m at i o n

FIRE BRIGADE

112

Al-Madena

22418714

Al-Shohada’a

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Fayhaa

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

24812000

Al-Jahra

25610011

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.kw For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128

Hospitals Sabah Hospital

POLICE STATION Al-Madena Police Station Al-Murqab Police Station Al-Daiya Police Station Al-Fayha’a Police Station Al-Qadissiya Police Station Al-Nugra Police Station Al-Salmiya Police Station Al-Dasma Police Station

Clinics Rabiya

4732263

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Keifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

Al-Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W.Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Al-Omariya

24719048

N.Kheitan

24710044

Fintas

3900322

22434064 22435865 22544200 22547133 22515277 22616662 25714406 22530801

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is 1889988

PHARMACIES

AIRLINES

ON 24 HRS DUTY GOVERNORATE

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Hawally

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Kuwait Airways Jazeera Airways Jet Airways FlyDubai Qatar Airways KLM Air Slovakia Olympic Airways Royal Jordanian Reservation British Airways Air France Emirates Air India Sri Lanka Airlines Egypt Air Swiss Air Saudia Middle East Airlines Lufthansa PIA Alitalia Balkan Airlines Bangladesh Airlines Czech Airlines Indian Airlines Oman Air Turkish Airlines Aeroflot

171 177 22924455 22414400 22423888 22425747 22434940 22420002/9 22418064/5/6 22433388 22425635 22430224 22921555 22438184 22424444 22421578 22421516 22426306 22423073 22422493 22421044 22414427 22416474 22452977/8 22417901/ 2433141 22456700 22958787 22453820/1 22404838/9

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

lifestyle

Libya

after Gaddafi

Kuwait Red Crescent Society team arrives in Libya.

By Adnan Al-Rashid Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Al-Anba daily Revolution of blood and power he Libyan revolution was undoubtedly different from the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, which is why Al-Anba decided to provide special coverage of its events. Following a successful fieldtrip last May to Benghazi, when Libya’s west was still controlled by Gaddafi’s regime, Al-Anba was the first newspaper in the Gulf Cooperation Council to visit Libya following the tyrant’s fall, and cover the situation after the rebels emerge victorious.

During their most recent visit, the team witnessed the volume of destruction and the severity of the crimes committed by Gaddafi’s army against his people. It was clear that the regime’s violent suppression of the people could not be likened to how former regimes in Tunisia and Egypt dealt with their own revolutions. The Libyan revolution was also different by being the first - and so far the only - uprising to receive widespread support both locally and regionally through the support of the GCC and Arab League, who asked the international community to protect the people of Libya.

“The change in Libya represents the determination of the Libyan people,” said Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani during a conference held in Paris to support the New Libya. He went on to explain how a sense of responsibility to protect Libyans against the violence of their regime motivated his country to lead Arab efforts into providing international protection to them. His support was highly praised by head of the National Transitional Council Mustafa Al-Abdul-Jaleel, as well as by the Libyan tribe leaders who visited Qatar following the victory to personally express gratitude to Sheikh AlThani.

During their second visit, the newspaper’s team witnessed similar destruction in Tripoli and heard many stories about the atrocities committed by the

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ousted regime. The difference this time, however, was that Libya today is setting its sights on a future of freedom, security and democracy. The future currently, however, remains open to all possibilities.

This requires the decision makers in Libya to work promptly on preparing a constitution that sets the identity of the people on par with the strength of their determination, as well as to establish a national army that includes all rebels.

After achieving their common goal of ending Gaddafi’s oppressive role, Libyans today are aware that the hardest phase is yet to come as building a new governing system requires as much will, deter-

Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah to the NTC. This generous gesture was soon followed by convoys of aid sent by Kuwaiti organizations to Libyan civilians who had been forced out of their areas as a result of the struggle. This stance symbolizes the Kuwaiti people’s support to their brethren in Libya. The United Arab Emirates was also quick to provide aid to victims of destruction in Benghazi, as well as areas of Libya’s south west.

‘New Libya needs a harmonized government’ Political life, which includes multiple parties, groups, unions and civil society organizations, was

A placard that reads “Tripoli will only be ruled by its people”. mination and patience as Libyans had in their success to force an end to Gaddafi’s tyrant rule. The people of Libya today need wise leaders who can steer their ship to safe shores.

Kuwait and the UAE present in Libya Kuwait’s prompt support of the Libyan revolutionists was demonstrated by the 50 million dollars of financial support paid by His Highness the Amir

absent in Libya during Muammar Gaddafi’s 41-year rule, which also saw an absence of state departments. Following the fall of the regime, Islamist political groups were able to start activity in an organized manner, as opposed to the Liberal-oriented parties which consist of activists who spend the majority of their lives outside Libya in fear of prosecution.

The lack of political practice and the mistrust of

Al-Rashid with activist Tahani Al-Shareef who accompa- Colonel Ahmad Bani talks to Adnan Al-Rashid inside a hotel in Tripoli. nied him in the tour around Tripoli.

political dialogue during the past four decades opened the door for tension to spread in Libya’s local scene following the revolution, as both Islamist and Liberal groups started feuding over administrational positions in New Libya.

Today, Libyans are cautiously anticipating the transitional government that Dr Abdurraheem AlKeeb will select after being elected by the NTC as head of the executive office, following the resignation of Dr Mahmoud Jebreel from the position he assumed during the revolution. Libyans also expressed appreciation for the efforts of Mustafa Abdul-Jaleel in leading the NTC, which garnered the respect of most political and tribal groups despite his obvious approach in leaning towards Islamist groups. The people focused on the exceptional efforts made in exceptional circumstances to anchor the foundations of Libya’s liberation.

Despite their differences, all Libyans agree on the importance of turning over a new leaf and focusing their collective efforts on tackling any challenges the future may hold. These challenges include the establishment of a founding council which will set up a constitution to transition Libya into a state that sponsors institutions and human rights, as well as supporting Al-Keeb in his efforts to form a national unity cabinet led by those capable of preparing the country for its first free elections.

Furthermore, Libyans are aware of the importance of achieving national conciliation that sees rebels with different political and tribal backgrounds take part in state departments, as well as reopening the state’s facilities to the public.

“I hope Dr Al-Keeb forms a harmonized government before the end of [November],” said media figure Mahmoud Shammam.

Shammam, who currently handles media affairs at the NTC’s executive office, further indicated that the challenges ahead are too vast for the current NTC to overcome, “The NTC has had a positive role from the beginning of the revolution, but the

Dr. Al-Zouri welcomes Adnan Al-Rashid.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

lifestyle

increase in its members hurt the quality of its performance,” he said. He further added that the people of Libya are ready for elections after the end of the NTC’s eight month rule, “Libyans today do not suffer from a political vacuum, but rather from lack of security,” he said, indicating that responsibility, in that regard, is for the NTC to focus on.

‘Libya will forever appreciate Qatar’s support’ The name of Abdulhakeem Belhaj received much attention after he led revolutions to liberate Tripoli in August, as many international organizations and diplomatic missions made sure to meet him and find out more about his ideas after hearing so much about him. A middle-aged man who was born in Tripoli in 1966, Belhaj started his active career as a Jihadist in Afghanistan where he founded, and eventually led, the Salafist Fighters Group. Following years of fighting and arrest, Belhaj took part in Libya’s public revolution from its beginning, and led the most organized groups of rebels, who were able to liberate Tripoli from Gaddafi’s stronghold. “The military council of Tripoli represents all of Tripoli’s rebels,” Belhaj said to Al-Anba’s team. Belhaj is currently the chairman of the council, which he insists is temporary “until stability and control is restored in the city”.

While explaining the “institution-oriented” relationship between Tripoli’s military council and the NTC, Belhaj expressed his commitment in supporting NTC President Dr Abdurraheem Al-Keeb in his mission to build Libya’s state entities and pave the way for Libya’s rebuilding after liberation. He also noted that the process of collecting weapons in Libyan cities is ongoing, noting that the risk of weapon smuggling poses a major threat for their operations. He also indicated that documents regarding Gaddafi’s regime are currently safely stored. Belhaj further expressed gratitude to the “huge support” of the GCC countries, as well as the Arab League’s support, in addition to the international community’s efforts “which helped organize rebels against Gaddafi’s vicious forces.”

Mahmoud Shammam speaks with Al-Rashid. teers, who underwent quick and intensive training from dissident troops who joined the rebels against Gaddafi’s forces.

Today, the National Liberation Army supervises military camps, which continue providing extensive training to soldiers. It holds a weaponry consisting mostly of Russian-made weapons and arms provided by NATO as well as some Arab and GCC countries.

The National Liberation Army was led after its formation by Major General Khalifa Haftar, before major General Abdulfattah Younus was appointed as Chief of Staff during the first weeks of the revolution.

Following Younus’s assassination in late July, the NTC appointed Major General Sulaiman Al-Obaidi as Chief of Staff.

“Libya has the capabilities to build a national army around the heroic rebels,” said official spokesman of the NTC’s Ministry of Defense, Colonel Ahmad Bani to Al-Anba, further explaining the new army will be driven by loyalty to Allah and the nation. He went on to indicate that every volunteer in Libya will have the opportunity to join the new army, further adding that efforts are currently focused on preparing training programs for educated and qualified recruits.

Volunteers clean Tripoli’s streets During Al-Anba’s tour in Tripoli, the team noticed the remarkably increasing rebuilding efforts under supervision of the head of the city’s military council, Abdulhakeem Belhaj. Volunteers were seen working tirelessly to prepare Tripoli’s airport in order to start receiving international flights. Meanwhile, citizens formed groups to carry out day and night missions to clean garbage from streets in spite of the enormous challenges they face as a result of the destruction.

A Libyan woman receives aid from the KRCS.

‘Qatar’s support vital to victory’ The rebels’ trust in Qatar’s support to their revolution was successful beyond expectations. This feeling was shared by Libyans, with many of them insisting that victory would never have been realized if it wasn’t for Qatar’s support, “Qatar’s support came on par with Sheikh Al-Thani’s statements, in which he insisted that their compassion towards Arab causes made them unable to ignore what was happening to the people of Libya,” said a political spectator who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “The Qatari support exceeded political and humanitarian aid to include military participation, which helped the rebels in many battles against Gaddafi’s brigades”.

The political spectator further indicated that Qatar’s support played a major role in helping Misrata and Buraiqa stay firm against ongoing bombardment, “Qatar’s systematic and carefully studied stance is appreciated by all the rebels as their support reached across Libya’s social and tribal categories,” he said, further commending Qatar’s media for “exposing the truth about the murders committed

by Gaddafi’s brigades against Libyan civilians.”

‘The new army’s approach is based on foundations of loyalty to Allah and the nation’ Military councils in Libyan cities are in a semi-continuous state of alert since the liberation as troops work on maintaining security and perusing Gaddafi loyalists. However, this hasn’t diverted their attention from the need to coordinate with the NTC to come up with structured visions for Libya’s army.

Libya today has a national liberation army formed by the rebels and dissidents from Gaddafi’s army, which is currently affiliated with the NTC. Its arsenal consist of weaponry seized from the warehouses of Gaddafi’s forces, especially those in Benghazi and cities of east Libya, including light and heavy weapons. The army consists of thousands of volun-

Effects of the bombardment.

Belhaj shares a conversation with Al-Rashid.

‘Humanitarian activists work in terrible conditions’ The challenges facing Libya’s Red Crescent organization exceeds its current capabilities, said the organization’s director Dr Fawzi Al-Zouri, adding that they suffer from an “extreme shortage” in medical staff and equipment despite the aid they received from the UAE, the World Food Program, the International Red Cross and others. He further added that the Libyan Red Crescent is currently focusing its efforts in Sirte and Bani Walid, “...which are left in terrible conditions after the war and require urgent aid,” adding that the southern areas are also in need of urgent aid.

Libyan Red Crescent personnel handling an injured child. leads to the airport. Gaddafi had used his experiences from Asian and Eastern European countries to fortify his residence following an American attack in April 1986. The result was an area protected by three walls made of anti-missile concrete, including one of the most sophisticated military formations in training and arming. Nonetheless, the destruction at the ultra-fortified construction was immense.

Sources close to the rebels indicated that the area was under constant NATO bombardment for five months. After the fall of Gaddafi’s regime, Bab AlAzizia became a touristic site as the NTC never reached a decision on what to do with it, “Its fate is to be determined by the Libyan people,” said sources who further indicated that the public are eager to eliminate aspects that remind them of Gaddafi’s reign. Some residents expressed support to turn Bab Al-Azizia into a large park.

Bab Al-Azizia becomes a touristic destination The newspaper made sure during the Tripoli visit to stop by the Bab Al-Azizia area, one of the main strongholds of the previous regime. The fortress-like area is a military base spanning over a 6 square kilometer site in south Tripoli, near the highway that

Injured Libyan civilians arrive Kuwait for treatment.

Destruction at the Bab Al-Azizia site.

Tripoli’s old neighborhood recovering gradually.

The UAE Red Crescent and other UAE aid groups in Libya.

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lifestyle A w a r d s

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Taylor Swift poses backstage with the awards for country favorite female artist, country favorite album, and artist of the year.

Jenny McCarthy presents the award for pop/rock favorite album to Adele.

File photo shows singer Adele appearing at the MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles.

aylor Swift and Adele tied with three wins at the American Music Awards, but the event belonged to the country superstar after she beat the soulful crooner, as well as Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Lil Wayne, to win artist of the year, the ceremony’s highest accolade, which the 21-year-old singer-songwriter previously claimed in 2009. “This is so crazy,” beamed Swift, who also picked up the trophies for favorite country female artist and favorite country album for “Speak Now.” Adele had been the night’s leading nominee with four bids, but the soulful singer didn’t have much of a presence during the show: She was absent from the ceremony because she is recovering from recent throat surgery. Adele tied Swift with three awards, nabbing favorite pop/rock female artist, adult contemporary artist and pop/rock album for “21.” Other winners included Maroon 5 as favorite pop-rock band/duo/group, Beyonce as favorite soul/R&B female artist, Bruno Mars as pop/rock male artist, Foo Fighters as favorite alternative rock artist, Rihanna for favorite soul/R&B album for “Loud,” Hot Chelle Rae as new artist of the year and Lady Antebellum as favorite country band/duo/group.

“We thank you very much for an incredible year,” Lady A singer Charles Kelley told fans. Nicki Minaj kicked off the 39th annual fan-favorite ceremony with an over-the-top performance that featured the pink-loving singer sporting a pair of speakers on her much-talked about derriere. She later earned two trophies: favorite rap/hip-hop artist, besting a group that included mentor Lil Wayne, and favorite rap/hip-hop album for “Pink Friday.” “Chase your dreams,” the pink-haired Minaj encouraged the audience. “I never thought this could be possible.”

The sprawling three-hour ceremony inside the Nokia Theatre in an unusually rainy Los Angeles was drenched with musical performances, including Justin Bieber getting into the holiday spirit amid a forest of neon lights with “Under the Mistletoe,” and Kelly Clarkson channeling the bigband era with a swinging rendition of “Mr Know It All.” Several artists delivered stripped-down performances: The Band Perry crooned an emotional “If I Die Young,” a subdued Katy Perry accompanied herself on guitar for “The One That Got Away” and a platinum-blonde Chris Brown simply sang “All Back” before being joined by a troop of helmet-clad back-up dancers for a flashy interpretation of “Say It With Me.” Jennifer Lopez performed essentially a live version of the car commercial starring the “American Idol” judge set to her groove “Papi” - complete with a revolving car onstage - before launching into her dance hit “On the Floor.” She was joined by rapper Pitbull, who later returned to the stage for

Singer Taylor Swift accepts Artist of the Year award onstage at the 2011 American Music Awards held at Nokia Theatre LA LIVE on November 20, 2011 in Los Angeles. — AP/AFP photos the sexually charged “Rain Over Me” with Marc Anthony. “I want to thank God because it’s been a really amazing year in so many ways,” said Lopez, who announced earlier this year with Anthony that they were ending their seven-year marriage, after winning the favorite Latin music artist award. “It’s been up and down and just exciting and overwhelming and so many things. I’m just grateful for all my blessings.”

Lopez later appeared with a glowingin-the-dark will.i.am for his new single “Hard.” Other collaborations included Christina Aguilera dueting with Maroon 5 on “Moves Like Jagger” and Bieber dancing with LMFAO in animal-print pants for a finale that ended with everyone on stage including David Hasselhoff but not Bieber - stripping down to smiley-face underwear. — AP (From left) Lionel Richie and Vanessa Minnillo, center, present the award for artist of the year to Taylor Swift.

Nicki Minaj poses backstage with her award for rap/hip-hop favorite artist and rap/hip-hop favorite album.

Lady Antebellum accepts the award for country band, duo or group.

Hillary Scott, of Lady Antebellum poses backstage with the award for country band, duo or group.

(From left) The band Hot Chelle Rae, , Ian Keaggy, Nash Overstreet, Ryan Follese, and Jamie Follese, accept the Sprint new artist of the year award.

Maroon 5 pose backstage with the award for pop/rock favorite band duo or group.

Beyonce is seen on screen accepting the award for soul/R&B favorite album for ‘4’.

Singer Rihanna accepts Soul/R&B Favorite Album award via video onstage.

Bruno Mars accepts the award for pop/rock favorite male artist.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Katy Perry performs.

Singer will.i.am performs onstage.

Heidi Klum presents Katy Perry with the special award for five number one singles from one album.

Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley

Adult Contemporary Artist: Adele Alternative Rock Artist: Foo Fighters Contemporary Inspirational Artist: Casting Crowns Country Female Artist: Taylor Swift Country Male Artist: Blake Shelton Country Band, Duo or Group: Lady Antebellum Country Album: Taylor Swift, “Speak Now” Latin Music Artist: Jennifer Lopez Pop/Rock Female Artist: Adele Pop/Rock Male Artist: Bruno Mars Pop/Rock Band, Duo or Group: Maroon 5 Pop/Rock Album: Adele, “21” Rap/Hip-Hop Artist: Nicki Minaj Rap/Hip-Hop Album: Nicki Minaj, “Pink Friday” Soul/R&B Female Artist: Beyonce Soul/R&B Male Artist: Usher Soul/R&B Album: Rihanna, “Loud.”

Artist of the Year: Taylor Swift New Artist of the Year: Hot Chelle Rae

Singers Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber

Jennifer Lopez performs with Pitbull.

Ludacris and Enrique Iglesias

Singer Christina Aguilera

Singer Nicki Minaj accepts Rap/Hip-Hop Favorite Artist award.

Jennifer Lopez accepts the award for Latin Music Favorite A`rtist.

Marc Anthony and Pitbull perform.

Presenters Taio Cruz and Selena Gomez speak onstage.

Musician Kimberly Perry of The Band Perry.

Justin Bieber Singer Jennifer Lopez performs onstage.

Mary J. Blige

Matthew Morrison and Jennifer Morrison present an award.

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Swift unstoppable at American Music Awards Years

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011

Visitors admire the illuminated Adalaj-Ni-Vav step well at Adalaj in Gandhinagar District, some 30km from Ahmedabad, on November 19, 2011. The illumination, done to mark World Heritage Week, was jointly organized by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI), Gujarat Tourism and Craft of Art. Built in 1498 and intricately carved, Adalaj-Ni-Vav belongs to the multilevel step wells historically frequented by travelers and caravans as stopovers along trade routes. —AFP

Alan Rickman leads a great cast in super ‘Seminar’

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here are terrible moments of silence in Theresa Rebeck’s new Broadway play. No, not to worry: None of the actors has forgotten a line or flubbed a cue while performing in the wonderful new comedy “Seminar,” which had its world premiere on Sunday. Those pauses are just the moments where everyone in the Golden Theatre is frozen, staring at Alan Rickman. The former “Harry Potter” professor plays a crass, pugnacious novelist-turnedtutor to a group of four budding writers. Each week, he unhappily examines their offerings - pages from fledgling stories on which they’ve poured their souls - with a casual flip. His students cower as he reads, awaiting the verdict.

It’s usually bad. He’s likely to lacerate them with remarks such as, “It’s perfect, in a kind of whorish way.” To another, he says, “There’s no subject or story or idea or meaning.” Or, to another in disgust: “I’m not even making it through your first sentence.”

Gulp. This economic play - clocking in at 100 minutes with no intermission - still manages to say a lot about the pain and costs

of creating art. It is funny, witty and painfully aware - easily one of Rebeck’s best works. Director Sam Gold has drilled home the truth of her words and added a

It hits Broadway in a season when two other plays have explored the idea of writers making a mess of their lives for their art - “The Submission” at MCC

In this theater publicity image released by The Publicity Office, Jerry O’Connell, left, and Alan Rickman are shown in a scene from the Broadway play “Seminar,” in New York. —AP little frisky sexiness. An excellent cast of five - Rickman is joined by Lily Rabe, Hamish Linklater, Jerry O’Connell and Hettienne Park give Rebeck’s words a believable three-dimensional life.

Theater about a playwright who fakes his identity to get published, and “Other Desert Cities” now on Broadway about a novelist whose strident memoir about her dead brother turns out to

have some rather large holes.

Weirdly, both have echoes here.

Playwrights writing about writing might seem a bit navel-gazing, but not in Rebeck’s hands.

Making her return to Broadway since 2007’s “Mauritius,” she offers a frank appraisal of the soul-torturing world of authors.

“Writers in their natural state are about as civilized as feral cats,” she writes in one of several zingers.

The play opens in the snazzy Upper West Side apartment David Zinn’s set emphasizes chic Scandinavian furniture lines, modern art and expensive wood - of Kate (Rabe), a writer with a Jane Austen obsession and an obsession with a short story on which she has been working for six long years. She’s hosting a private seminar in which she and three others have paid $5,000 each to be taught by Leonard (Rickman), a one-time writer and editor who promises them guidance. Also attending as students are the talented but insecure Martin (Linklater), the average but name-dropping writer Douglas (O’Connell) and the sex pot intellectual Izzy (Park).

Seeking Leonard’s favor, the four students naturally turn on each other. The seminar becomes a hothouse of insecurities, where one student’s success is considered another’s failure and where a comment like “it had some nice things in it” is damning indeed. Sexual frustrations bubble about as these feral cats seek relief from the pressure. Leonard’s unwillingness to sugarcoat anything puts the seminar at risk of imploding, but Rebeck takes us to his paperstrewn apartment for a neat final scene that shows us who this broken writer really is. Rickman is clearly very good at playing arrogant and sneering, but he shows a touchingly vulnerable side while also delivering a lacerating monologue about what the publishing industry does to young talent and how words can really hurt. Rabe has a coltish immaturity that ages into weary pride by the end, and Linklater is excellent as the nerdy - but needy - wannabe intellectual who is really just a boy. Who turns out to be the best writer of the bunch? That’s easy - Theresa Rebeck. —AP

‘Descendants’ ascends to big $1.3 million debut

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Alexander Payne, writer/director of “The Descendants,” laughs during a reception after the premiere of his film to a hometown. —AP

lexander Payne’s “The Descendants” already had Oscar buzz. Now it has box office credibility as well. Even though the Fox Searchlight film opened to a limited release of 29 locations, it was No 10 at the weekend box office, with a remarkable $1.3 million. That’s a perscreen average of more than $44,800. The R-rated film stars George Clooney as a lawyer and land baron-and descendant of one of Hawaii’s original colonists — who is selling off a large chunk of his family’s beachfront land. When his wife is badly injured in a boating accident, he has to deal with his two difficult daughters.

For the weekend, “The Descendants” beat “Paranormal Activity 3,” which was in 1,402 locations, and “Footloose,” which was in 1,218. “To get into the top 10 with 29 theaters ... is really an amazing accomplishment for this movie,” Sheila DeLoach, Fox Searchlight’s executive vice president of distribution, told TheWrap Sunday.

“I was afraid to tell the filmmakers we were in the top 10 last night because I wasn’t positive,” DeLoach said. “I woke up

this morning and I was ... thrilled.” Also opening this weekend, Sam Levinson’s “Another Happy Day,” an R-rated movie about a wedding weekend at a family’s estate in Annapolis, opened to a soft $9,200 on two screens. The Phase 4 release stars Ellen Barkin, Ellen Burstyn, Demi Moore, Thomas Haden Church and Kate Bosworth.

The weekend’s other new limited release was “The Lie,” the Joshua Leonard movie that Screen Media released on one screen. The R-rated film about a man who tells a lie to get out of work grossed just $3,000. Among holdovers, Fox Searchlight’s “Martha Marcy May Marlene”-the Sean Durkin film starring Elizabeth Olsen as a girl breaking away from an abusive cult-dropped slightly from 183 locations to 180, but cracked the $2 million mark. It grossed $385,000, down about 20 percent from its $481,474 performance last weekend.

Meanwhile, Magnolia Pictures continued to see good results with its Lars von Trier movie “Melancholia.” That R-rated

film starring Kirsten Dunst went from 19 screens to 56 in its second week, grossing $350,000. (The film opened to $251,174 last weekend). “Melancholia” stars Dunst as Justine, a newlywed who suffers from profound depression. Meanwhile, the planet Melancholia is on a collision course with Earth.

Among other holdovers, Paramount Vantage’s “Like Crazy” expanded from 79 to 109 locations in its fourth weekend, grossing $525,000 — only a 4 percent revenue bump despite a 38 percent increase in location count. Drake Doremus directed the Sundance award-winning film about a British college student who falls in love with an American. The PG-13 movie has grossed a total of nearly $1.8 million.

And the R-rated “The Skin I Live in,” Pedro Almodovar’s movie about a plastic surgeon who creates a synthetic skin- and uses a patient as a guinea pig for itgrossed $283,275 in its sixth weekend. The Sony Pictures Classics movie starring Antonio Banderas has grossed a total of $2.1 million. —Reuters

Singer Beyonce Knowles attends a special screening of “Beyonce Live At Roseland: The Elements of 4” at the Paris Theatre on Sunday. —AP

Beyonce worried baby secret would be revealed

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t’s tough to keep a pregnancy a secret when you’re in the public eye, and for a while, Beyonce thought the jig was up. “The whole time I definitely was thinking, ‘Everyone knows, everyone can see,’” said the singer before the screening of her new concert DVD Sunday in New York. It became particularly difficult for her to hide the growing baby bump when the Grammy-winner performed for four nights to sold-out crowds at New York’s Roseland Theater in August.

“When you’re pregnant, it’s a little bit harder to breathe, so it was hard doing all the choreography and singing at the same time,” said the 30-year-old singer in an onstage interview. Fans who didn’t get a chance to catch “The Intimate Nights” shows - what Beyonce said was her last concert performance of the year - can get a behind-the-scenes look in her new “Live at Roseland” DVD, available exclusively at Walmart this week. The deluxe two-DVD set is available everywhere on 11/29.

Along with classics from her Destiny’s Child days and major hits from her solo career, the DVD includes interviews with the singer, home footage of rehearsals and special family moments - even shots of Beyonce in a wedding gown. She’s also hoping the film will serve as a time capsule for her unborn child, a chance for him or her to say, “I can’t believe I was in that belly,” she said. —AP