26th Nov

CR IP TI ON BS SU

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

Catalonia to test Spanish unity with separatist vote

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McIlroy repels Rose’s record charge to win in Dubai

‘Dallas’ star accepted bag of cash from Ceausescu

Vettel makes history with third world title

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www.kuwaittimes.net

MOHARRAM 12, 1434 AH

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Kuwait limps toward boycott-hit elections Court to rule on barred hopefuls • Oppn steps up campaign

Max 23º Min 17º High Tide 10:48 & 21:57 Low Tide 04:24 & 15:36

By B Izzak and Agencies conspiracy theories

It might make a difference

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

W

hich is better - to boycott the elections or to cast your ballot? It looks like Kuwait is mixed up between the two. Many people I talked to are election-fatigued, like I said for the millionth time. Many are also parliament-fatigued, like I said previously too. This is the sixth parliament in a span of six years. I am also over-fatigued with the yes vote, no vote, parliament or no parliament situation.

On the other hand, the opposition has shun away from the elections totally. They did not even nominate themselves. They are calling for “civil disobedience”. This, I think, is the worst they could do to the country. One day there are demonstrations and the next day they call for boycotts, civil disobedience and sit-ins. I do not know how many more terms we could use when it comes to the opposition gatherings.

I noticed that the Ministry of Information has concentrated on an information campaign involving all media sources - T V, SMS, street ads or posters. My phone was barraged, and I am sure other phone users experienced the same, with messages advising us to participate in the elections saying that it is our national duty to vote. I hope the government does not follow Egypt’s example which charges non-voters 500 Egyptian pounds.

There is a list of countries that also have compulsory voting - Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Ecuador, Luxembourg, Peru, Singapore and Uruguay. If voting is compulsory here the fine could be as much as KD 500. But I am sure that our government will not be so extreme and leave it to us to be obedient and cast our votes. As it is the opposition is boiling.

Imagine if the ministry puts a fine.

Now I am stuck. Who to vote for in my constituency? There are many names that have just made an appearance on the political arena and I haven’t heard of them before. In the worst scenario Kuwait might face, there will be a low turnout that would give candidates fewer voters. There will be a parliament anyways. I think that in this case it is better to participate. It might make a difference.

DHAKA: A Bangladeshi woman cries as she claims the body of her relative killed in a fire at a garment factory yesterday. — AP

Garment factory blaze kills 112 in Bangladesh DHAKA: At least 112 people were killed in a fire that raced through a multi-storey garment factory just outside of Bangladesh’s capital, an official said yesterday.

The blaze broke out at the seven-storey factory operated by Tazreen Fashions late Saturday. By yesterday morning, firefighters had recovered 100 bodies, fire department Operations Director Maj Mohammad Mahbub told AP. He said another 12 people who had suffered injuries after jumping from the building to escape the fire later died at hospitals. The death toll could rise as the search for victims was continuing, he said. Local media reported that up to 124 people were killed in the fire. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear, and authorities have ordered an investigation.

The owner of the factory, Delwar Hossain, told AFP the cause of the fire was not yet known but he denied his premises were unsafe. “It is a huge loss for my staff and my factory. This is the first time we have ever had a fire at one of my seven factories,” he said, confirming that the plant made clothes for European chain C&A and the Hong Kong-based Li & Fung. Tuba Group, the

parent company of Tazreen Fashion, said on its website that the factory opened in 2009 and employed 1,630 workers making polo shirts, T-shirts and jackets. It also said its factories make clothes for Walmart, Carrefour and IKEA, and added that the Tazreen plant had 60 smoke detectors and more than 200 fire extinguishers.

Kalpona Akter, director of the Bangladesh Centre for Workers Solidarity, said the blaze was the worst that the nation’s garment industry had ever suffered.

Bangladesh has some 4,000 garment factories, many without proper safety measures. The country annually earns about $20 billion from exports of garment products, mainly to the United States and Europe. Relatives of the factory workers were frantically looking for their loved ones. Sabina Yasmine said she saw the body of her daughter-in-law, who died in the fire, but had no trace of her son, who also worked at the factory. “Oh, Allah, where’s my soul? Where’s my son?” wailed Yasmine, who works at another factory in the area. “I want the factory owner to be hanged. For him, many have died, many have gone.”

Continued on Page 15

KUWAIT: The message from HH the Amir is blunt heading into this week’s parliamentary elections: Opposition factions should express dissent in the legislature, and not in the streets. The response from the opposition is equally uncompromising: We’re not satisfied with what we can accomplish through parliament, so we’re boycotting the vote. There is little middle ground as Kuwait stumbles toward its second election this year for the most politically empowered parliament in the Gulf states, which serves as a check on HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al Sabah. Violent protests and crackdowns on activists - until recently rare in Kuwait - have contributed to the high-stakes tension.

Meanwhile, the administrative court is scheduled to issue its verdict today on 29 election candidates who were disqualified last week by the National Election Commission for failure to meet conditions of “good reputation”. The same court will issue its verdict on two other candidates on Wednesday. The court had last week reviewed the cases of 18 candidates and yesterday looked into the cases of 13 others out of the 37 candidates disqualified by the commission, which consists of nine of the country’s top judges.

If the court rejects the disqualification decisions, the candidates will be allowed to resume their election campaign and will be relisted as candidates, though the government will still have the right to challenge the decisions. If the court however upholds the disqualifications, the candidates will not be able to contest.

Candidates can still seek recourse in the normal court even after the elections are held.

Continued on Page 15

Iraqi gets death for killing coastguard

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A criminal court headed by Wael Al-Ateeqi yesterday sentenced an Iraqi fisherman to death for killing a Kuwaiti coastguard in a Jan 2011 shootout.

Taha Mahmud Sabhan was handed the sentence for the death of Lance Corporal Abdulrahman Al-Enezi after the Iraqi fishing vessel crossed into the state’s territorial waters. The court also sentenced two other Iraqi fishermen to three years in jail each and a minor to one year. All four were captured after their boat capsized following the shootout. Four other fishermen, who managed to flee, were sentenced to life in jail in absentia.

The sentences have to be reviewed by the court of appeals and the supreme court. The Interior Ministry said the clash took place when the Iraqi fishermen refused orders from the coastguards to stop after crossing into Kuwaiti territorial waters. The coastguards often seize Iraqi fishing boats and detain fishermen for illegal entry.

Hezb vows to hit all of Israel China conducts first landing on aircraft carrier

CAIRO: An Egyptian protester kicks a tear gas canister during clashes with riot police in Tahrir Square yesterday. — AFP

Morsi insists new powers temporary CAIRO: Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi said yesterday that the sweeping new powers he assumed this week are meant to be temporary, and called for dialogue to find common political ground in the country. “The presidency reiterates the temporary nature of the said measures, which are not meant to concentrate power, but... to devolve it to a democratically elected parliament... as

well as preserving the impartiality of the judiciary and to avoid politicising it,” a statement from his office said.

Under a constitutional declaration on Thursday, Morsi can issue “any decision or measure to protect the revolution,” which are final and not subject to appeal.

That touched off a showdown with judges over the path to a new Continued on Page 15

BEIJING: China has conducted the first landing of a fighter jet on its new aircraft carrier in a move that extends Beijing’s ability to project its growing military might in territorial disputes. The Chinese-made J-15 made the successful landing on the Liaoning, a former Soviet carrier, during recent exercises, the defence ministry said in a report yesterday on the flight tests. The Liaoning went into service in September in a symbolic milestone for China’s growing military muscle that comes at a time when Beijing is increasingly embroiled in a series of territorial disputes with its neighbours.

“The successful landing... has always been seen as a symbol of the operating combat capability for an aircraft carrier,” Zhang Junshe, a vice director at the military’s Naval Affairs Research Institute, told state television. “This is a landmark event for China’s aircraft carrier... and (moves it) one step closer to combat readiness.” Video carried by China Central Television showed a tail hook on the rear of the J-15 catching hold of a cable on the deck of the aircraft carrier as the jet landed and slowed to a halt. China had not previously announced that its navy possessed such highly technical cable landing technology.

Vice-Admiral Zhang Yongyi, the commander-in-chief in charge of the tests and training program told state media: “It’s like ‘dancing on a knifepoint’ as the aircraft have to land on a very limited space. “We have done all these test flights from the very beginning, and finally we mastered the key skills for the landing of carrier-borne aircraft,” he added. The J-15 had also successfully taken off from the aircraft, the ministry said. The J-15 is a Chinese designed multi-purpose carrier-borne fighter jet based on Russia’s Sukoi 33, equipped with Russian engines and capable of carrying precision-guided bombs, press reports said. — AFP ( See Page 15)

BEIRUT: Shiite women rally in the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital yesterday to mark Ashoura. (Inset) A woman holds up a photo of Hassan Nasrallah as thousands gathered to listen to his screened speech. — AFP/AP BEIRUT: Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah warned Israel yesterday that thousands of rockets would rain down on Tel Aviv and cities across the Jewish state if it attacked Lebanon. Speaking four days after the ceasefire which ended a week of conflict between Israel and the Islamist Hamas rulers of Gaza, Nasrallah said Hezbollah’s response to any attack would dwarf the rocket fire launched from Palestinian territories. “Israel, which was shaken by a handful of Fajr-5 rockets during eight days - how would it cope

with thousands of rockets which would fall on Tel Aviv and other (cities) ... if it attacked Lebanon?” Nasrallah said.

The Fajr-5s, with a range of 75 km able to strike Tel Aviv or Jerusalem - and 175 kg warheads, are the most powerful and long-range rockets to have been fired from Gaza. But Hezbollah, which fought Israel to a standstill in a 34-day war six years ago, says it has been rearming since then and has a far deadlier arsenal than Hamas.

Continued on Page 15

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

LOCAL

Youth groups plan to intensify protests Opposition to take legal actions KUWAIT: Following reports hinting at disagreements within the opposition about whether to carry out an unauthorized procession on the eve of parliamentary elections, divergent views are now emerging about how to move forward after the election day.

Differences emerged between views of the youth groups boycotting the elections who are all for more processions, gatherings and even civil disobedience as a way of continuing the protests against the change in the voting mechanism, and approach of the

top opposition figures who only support legal and constitutional ways of protest.

“Youth groups have been mulling over ‘more dynamic’ plans about post-election activities, but found little support from the opposition which prefers to confine its activities within the limits of law,” Al-Rai reported yesterday quoting sources familiar with two most recent meetings held by opposition groups.

Youth groups affiliated to the opposition plan to organize a procession on the afternoon of

Friday, Nov 30 but authorities are unlikely to issue the required license, given the fact that unauthorized marches are banned under Kuwait’s law.

The event is titled ‘Karamat Watan (dignity of a nation) III’, as it follows two similar processions, one in late October and another earlier this month, which left many people injured and a few being arrested after police forcibly dispersed the unlicensed gatherings.

Meanwhile, the sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity revealed that the

youth groups plan to be present at polling stations in order to convince voters to boycott the elections. “The post-election plans include staging the ‘Karamat Watan IV’ procession and undertaking activities that will impact normal life, such as civil disobedience and gatherings all across Kuwait,” the sources said.

They added that most members of the oppositionist Majority Bloc were not expected to approve of these activities and would prefer to “instead seek legal methods.”

KUWAIT: Thousands of Shiites in Kuwait yesterday commemorated the Ashoura Day’ the tenth day of the Hijri calendar month of Moharram when Prophet Mohammed’s (PBUH) grandson Al-Hussein Ibn Ali was killed. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Asian drug trader in police net

By Hanan Al Saadoun KUWAIT: An Asian expat was arrested for possessing 250 grams of heroin and 100 drug pills. The contraband and the expat were referred to the concerned authorities for further investigation.

Youth killed A Kuwaiti youth died on the spot yesterday morning when a car turned turtle on Fahaheel Express Way. Police are investigating into the reasons for the accident.

Car stolen A Kuwaiti man reported to the police that his car was stolen yesterday when he briefly left it with its ignition on to fetch some medicine from a pharmacy on Amman Street. Since it is illegal to leave a car with its engine running, no matter how briefly, the man was first handed a traffic violation citation and only then a case for the car theft was registered.

Woman insulted An employee at Al Saqer Health Center at Al Odailiya accused a woman of insulting her while doing her duty. Police has filed a case.

Stamp forgery An Iranian expat was trying to use discarded stamps at Shuwaikh port, but officials caught the forgery attempt. A case of forgery was filed against the Iranian.

Violent scuffle A 39-year-old Kuwaiti man was stabbed in his right shoulder during a violent scuffle at Abu Halifa, opposite the McDonalds restaurant. He was taken to the Adan Hospital.

Car accident A car accident on Abdaly Road left a 20-yearold Saudi expat and a five-year-old Kuwaiti boy with head injuries. Both were admitted to the intensive care unit of the Jahra Hospital. Another 32-year-old Kuwaiti man who received injuries on his face in the accident was also taken to the same hospital. A car accident on Kabd road after the third roundabout resulted in back pain for a 20year-old Kuwaiti man. He was taken to the Farwaniya Hospital. A 45-year-old Kuwaiti man died in a car accident at Fahaeel Express Road opposite Fahad Al Ahmad area. The body was referred for inquest proceedings.

KUWAIT: The Asian drug trader pictured after his arrest.

The British Abassador’s Blog

The UK: A proud partner for Kuwait

By Frank Baker

I

t is with a great sense of honour that I will be accompanying His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah during his state visit to the UK this week.

The destinies of the UK and Kuwait have been entwined since the first British ship dropped its anchor in Kuwait bay in the mid eighteenth century. Our long shared history has seen UK forces coming to the defence of Kuwait both before and after the country’s independence.

And His Highness will be laying a wreath at Westminster Abbey to honour those British servicemen who gave their lives during the liberation of Kuwait.

But however deeply the historic foundations are set, however impressive the scenes and protocol that will greet the Amir’s arrival, these are not the real reasons why the relationship between the United Kingdom and Kuwait is as strong as it is today. The real reason is the impressive edifice of shared endeavour that has been built on these solid foundations of mutual respect and common values. And this can be seen right across the bilateral relationship.

Politically, the UK and Kuwait remain close partners, cooperating together in an attempt to secure stability in a difficult and ever changing region. And Kuwait, despite recent political difficulties, shares much with the UK in its notions of how politics should be conducted; freedom of speech is an integral part of Kuwaiti culture, its democratically elected parliament is the most vocal in the region, and since independence its trajectory has been slow yet purposeful, reforming not revolutionary. It is a trajectory that leads in the fullness of time to a state that combines modern political ideals with tradition, respect and an understanding of the past - a state, Indeed, much like the UK. However bilateral relations in the modern era are not just about governments. In a world where a tweet can travel the world in a matter of seconds, bilateral relations are about people as much as they are about Kings, Queens, Amirs, Ministers or diplomats.

We can see that quite clearly in trade and investment. The links between Kuwait and the UK are strong and growing, but although government can help, it is individuals and businesses who really deliver the benefits to their nations.

Individuals like the inspirational Mohammed Alshaya, who, from Kuwait, has created a retailing and franchising empire that spans the globe, with British brands at its core, creating jobs and wealth in Kuwait, the UK and further afield.

The same can be said of the

Kuwaiti Investment Authority and the Kuwait Investment Office - celebrating its sixtieth anniversary this year - whose unrivalled ability to invest wisely provided Kuwait with the cushion it needed to survive its invasion, and continues to help secure the future for coming generations of Kuwaitis. But even as it has diversified amidst a changing world, its Investment destination of choice is, and will continue to be, the UK; creating possibilities and opportunities for Brits just as for Kuwaitis.

These are just two examples, countless more abound; the British companies working to help deliver infrastructure for Kuwait’s ambitious National Development Plan, using the same zeal and skill with which London’s Olympic Park was summoned from a blighted East London brown-field site; the Kuwaiti banks taking advantage of the City of London’s position as the world centre for Islamic finance; the recently announced £500m of Kuwaiti investment in British North Sea Oil. Beyond business, individuals throughout Kuwait and the UK travel between their respective countries, reaching hearts and minds, gaining understanding, expanding their horizons. Six thousand Brits live and work in Kuwait. Thousands of young Kuwaitis come to the UK every year to study, taking advantage of world class universities and making friendships and memories they will treasure forever. Kuwaiti servicemen come to study at the great centres of British military prowess, such as Sandhurst - 200 years old this year; whilst British servicemen continue to live and work in Kuwait, as partners and advisors to the Kuwaiti military, reflecting a defence relationship forged in friendship and strengthened on the battlefield. Culturally too links are strong - this year saw the biggest exhibition of British art ever in Kuwait, and a return exhibition featuring works by young Kuwaiti artists will open in London later this year. And in the sporting field too, where every Kuwaiti has a favourite English soccer team and where the Al Haswai family have recently purchased Nottingham Forest.

So when I look back on the pomp, ceremony and grandeur of what is bound to be a memorable state visit, whilst I will certainly remember the scenes set and the business done, I will also remember what lies behind all this; two peoples brought together by history, bound together by friendship, and building the future together based on common Interests and common values. Interests and values that extend not just to His Highness and Her Majesty, but to those individuals within both our countries who have - as I have - found themselves acting as Ambassadors, with their hearts in both the UK and Kuwait.

Local company partners with Iran firm under sanctions KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti newspaper claims possessing photographic evidence proving that a local logistics firm could be dealing with an Iranian company subjected to international sanctions.

The photograph published by Al-Rai yesterday shows a container owned by Iran’s Valfajr Shipping Company (VGC) docked in a no parking zone at the Shuwaikh Port.

The paper explained that the photograph was originally clicked by the Kuwait Ports Association which sent it to the handling contractor at the port in order to coordinate for the container’s removal.

The newspaper further noted that a notice was sent to a “Kuwaiti logistics company” to remove the container within ten days of the receipt of the notice, before pointing out that the unnamed company is in a partnership with VGC in operating a Kuwaiti navigation company suspected of helping the Iranian firm use ports in the Gulf region.

Meanwhile, Al-Rai drew a connection between this incident and a report they published last week indicating that an Iranian man was

arrested at the Shuwaikh Port with possession of entrance and exit clearances for ships bearing forged Customs General Department signatures, as well as forged stamps for the customs department and the Ministry of Interior. The man has since been in the custody of the State Security

Service for investigations. While the newspaper did not provide any tangible proof connecting the two cases, it hinted that they could serve as evidence for “Iranian attempts to use Kuwaiti ports as a middle station through which they can export their products in disguise.”

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

LOCAL

Eye experts exchange experience in Kuwait New Mowasat Hospital holds symposium

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Doctors from across Europe, particularly Belgium, exchanged their experiences and discussed latest techniques at New Mowasat Hospital’s first international Ophthalmology Symposium held yesterday at the Missoni Hotel. In his opening speech, Dr Eduard Lotz, New Mowasat’s Hospital Director, emphasized the hospital’s pioneer role in organizing and hosting significant international medical conferences. “The international ophthalmology symposium organized by New Mowasat Hospital provides a forum where the Kuwaiti ophthalmology community can learn about the latest technological advances, exchange knowledge, experiences and techniques in the field. All the participants are well-known doctors from the field,” he said.

The New Mowasat Hospital plays a key role in raising the quality of services. “Since its establishment almost 50 years ago, Mowasat has continuously taken the initiative in promoting quality in healthcare, as evidenced by its accreditation from the Accreditation Canada International (ACI) and the Joint Commission International (JCI).

The International Ophthalmology Symposium is yet another example of New Mowasat’s commitment to being a leader in Kuwait’s healthcare sector,” stated Dr Lotz.

Dr Lotz thanked the symposium directors and organizing committee for their consistent dedication to ensuring the success of this event, and wished everyone a rewarding experience throughout the symposium.

Dr Ernesto Bali, Cataract and Vitreoretinal Surgeon and Head of Ophthalmology Department in CHIREC Belgium - one of the largest medical centers in Europe with which

New Mowasat is now affiliated - directed the symposium. A wide range of prominent ophthalmologists and optometrists with different backgrounds from Belgium were provided an opportunity to meet and expand their views, experiences, talents, and achievements within their diverse medical communities.

Dr. Eduard Lotz delivering his speech.

Dr Bali collaborated with Dr Mohamed Abd Al Naby, Dr Ghazi Al Hamdan and Dr Mohamed Wagih El-Deeb, consultant ophthalmologists in New Mowasat Hospital, to guarantee that the symposium broadened the perspectives of the medical community by building on the experiences, talents and accomplishments of physicians in the Ophthalmology specialty.

Participating doctors made presentations on different topics including cornea, cataract, refractive surgery, oculoplasty, squint surgery, retina and others. Dr Jean Assaf spoke about the phototherapeutic keratotomy, transparen-

cy diseases and dystrophies, anterior cornea irregularities, PTK surgery procedure, PTK recurrent erosion, PTK surgery procedure, side effects etc. Dr M.W.El Deeb spoke about ‘New Horizons in Refractive Surgery with AVEDRO Corneal Cross Linking’, Dr. J.C. Vryghem presented a paper on ‘Update on lamellar keratoplastry: DASEK and DALK, Dr J.C. Vryghem presented ‘Surgical options in the management of Keratoconus’, while Dr G. Al Hamdan presented the ‘Keraring principles and applications’.

Cataract and Refractive Surgery: Dr J.Assaf also addressed a presentation on Phakic IOLs for high ametropia, and Multifocal IOL’s and cataract surgery. Dr J.C.Vryghem presented ‘Visual outcomes after implantation of a new trifocal diffractive IOL: PhysIOL Fine Vision, Dr M.Abd El Naby presented ‘Advanced Surface Ablations: Trans-PRK’.

Oculoplasty and Squint Surgery: O.Van Daele presented ‘The correct examination in Squinting patient’, Dr J.Sellier presented ‘Additional loop suspension over Anteroposition or recession of the Inferior oblique muscle to resolve Vertical incomitence in V pattern strabismus, and Dr M.Rahali presented ‘Update in blepharoplastic Surgery’.

Retina: Dr P.Lefebvre presented ‘Age related macular degeneration and intravitreal injections’, Dr F.Nerinckx presented ‘Diabetic retinopathy surgical treatment’, Dr P.Lefebvre presented ‘The diabetic eye, when to do laser, When to do intravitreal injections’, Dr F.Nerinckx presented ‘Vitreomacular traction syndrome Indication for surgery’, Dr M.Abul presented ‘2 Ports pars plana vitrectomy for Vitreous hemorrhage’ Dr. E.Bali presented ‘Diagnosis and treatment of retinal detachment’ and Dr E.Bali presented ‘Managing of anterior segment complications.’

UNDP holds campaign against gender violence KUWAIT: UNDP Kuwait, together with national suppor ters, commemorated the 16 Days of Ac t i v i s m a g a i n s t G e n d e r Violence by raising awareness on the subject.

The event is an international campaign originating from the first Women’s Global Leadership Institute coordinated by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership in 1991.

The institute originally chose to co n d u c t t h e c amp aign between the dates of Nov 25 (I nternational Day Against

Violence against Women) and December 10 (I nternational Human Rights Day) in order to reinforce the fact that violence ag ainst wo men is a h uman rights issue.

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Wo men and t he en suin g 1 6 Days o f Ac t ivism again st Gender Violence are commemorated every year around the world to raise awareness and trigger action on this pervasive human rights violation. I n Kuwait, Promoting Women’s

Rights and Legal Empowerment Pro j e c t ( WR AC AT I ) , a U N D P regional initiative, in collaboration with Women Cultural and Social Society and in partnership with the Supreme Council of Development and Planning, commemorated the day and th e followin g 1 6 Days of Activism by disseminating information on what is violence and how it can be eliminated by effective action. A comprehensive strategy to tackle violence against women is an essential benchmark in assessing Kuwait’s

progress towards reaching the M illen n ium D e ve l op m e nt Goals. UNDP is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, wo r k i n g w i t h t h e m o n t h e i r own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of U N D P a nd our w i d e range of partners.

Some participants of the ophthalmology symposium. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Companies law to be enforced this week KUWAIT: The government did not enforce new regulations for private companies during its meetings last week, a local newspaper reported yesterday quoting Ministry of Commerce and Industry insiders.

The sources who spoke to Al-Qabas on the condition of anonymity denied earlier reports hinting that the ëcompanies lawí was passed as an emergency decree.

However, they did confirm that the issue was indeed the focus of discussions during meetings held last weekend to ready the decree for enforcement in the upcoming cabinet meeting. Meanwhile, Al-Rai newspaper reported that the proposed law will lead to ìradical changes,î most notably the separation between the board of directors

and executive administration, making it illegal for the same person to hold the Chairmanship of the Board and the post of the CEO in the same company, and eliminating the ëManaging Directorí title.

In other news, Al-Qabas reported yesterday that the Kuwait Air ways board approved a request made by the KAC Labor Union to postpone the deadline, by which employees were to decide their status with the firm, until next Thursday. As per the companyís privatization decree, staff members were given the choice to either remain with the company or seek transfer to a different state department, while employees eligible for retirement were given the option of filing for the same.

New health projects KUWAIT: Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr Khalid Al-Sahlawi said yesterday that this week will see the inauguration of a number of health projects under the auspices of Minister of Health, Dr. Ali al-Obeidi in the framework of implementation of the work programs of the ministry within the state’s development plan.

Al-Sahlawi said in a statement that the continued projects and development programs of health services in the country are implemented and monitored in accordance with the ministry’s work program and the

state’s development plan, saying they cover all sectors and areas of preventive, curative and rehabilitative medicine, in addition to training and continuing medical education.

He added that next Tuesday will witness the signing of a contract to build and equip the new Al-Razi Hospital, indicating that this will be the first project of the ministry out of the nine new hospitals to be executed. He explained that next Wednesday will see the opening of the epilepsy new unit in the Department of Neurology at Ibn Sina Hospital. —KUNA

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

LOCAL

‘Tomboyish’ couple wanted for assault 19 held during raid on gyms KUWAIT: Two women physically assaulted another woman at a Salmiya coffee shop recently. The Kuwaiti victim told the police that the two women, whom she described as ‘tomboyish’, kept on harassing her but when she confronted them, they assaulted her physically and also abused her. She called the police but before they could arrive, the duo escaped from the scene. The woman was escorted to the area’s police station to file a case.

— Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Gulfmart mini-supermarket opens in Abu Halifa KUWAIT: Gulfmart, the fastest growing supermarket chain in Kuwait, added the 15th link to its chain of outlets across the country with the opening of a mini-supermarket in Abu Halifa, at 7pm on Friday.

The new outlet was inaugurated by Satish C. Mehta, the Indian Ambassador to Kuwait, in the presence of distinguished guests and a large gathering of shoppers, well-wishers, and top management of Gulfmart.

Inauguration of the mini-supermarket in Abu Halifa was also an occasion for the iconic brand to launch their redesigned logo, lettering and livery.

“The elegant and contemporary two-toned green leaf logo,new lettering for the brand name and related merchandizing collateral have all been designed to project Gulfmart’s refreshingly young and dynamic outlook as it prepares to launch the second phase of its expansion drive in Kuwait,” said Arif Sheikh, Managing Director of Gulfmart Group.

Adding that with the opening of Abu Halifa minisupermarket, the brand was also launching a

rebranding exercise that would see all future Gulfmart outlets coming out with same new logo, lettering and livery, the managing director continued. “We expect that over a period of 9 to 12 months we will complete the change-over of our existing branches to the new brand design. On this occasion, I would like to emphasize that all this expansion and rebranding have been made possible only through the unstinted support and cooperation of our customers and well-wishers; we are extremely grateful to all our patrons.”

Pointing out that the new branch in Abu Halifa is the brand’s second outlet in the mini-supermarket format, and the first to open in the fresh, new colors and design, Gulmart’s Country Manager for Kuwait, Dr. T.A. Remesh, said, “By June of 2013, we plan on having 25 outlets in the country and to achieve this we will be opening ten more branches in different size formats across Kuwait. We will be opening our upcoming branches in line with our expansion strategy that entails three different format branches in

the country - Mini-supermarkets that fall in the 8003000 sqft range, large format supermarkets that range in size from 8,000 to 40,000sqft and a hypermarket that extend from 60,000 to 100,000sqft.”

“Following the opening of our mini-supermarket in Abu Halifa, we will soon be launching a second mini-supermarket in Salmiya, this time along the popular Amman Street, and another mini supermarket in the residential district of Mahboula, in the near future. Our large-format Supermarkets will include a third branch in Fahaheel of 30,000sqft, a second branch in Khaitan of similar area, and a 10,000 sqft third outlet in Hawally. A further five more branches will be added to our lineup during the first-half of 2013,” added Dr Remesh.

Top management officials of Gulfmart, present at the inauguration, expressed their optimistic outlook for the brand and confidently stated that brand Gulfmart would soon scale new heights and become the supermarket of choice for discerning customers in Kuwait.

Illegal activities Nineteen people were arrested for violating residency and labor regulations during a police raid on a gym where illegal activities were reported to be happening. The Farwaniya police units launched the operation after receiving an emergency call from a Kuwaiti man who said he was offered sex in exchange of money at the gym. The police raided not only the gym in question but also other gyms in the area suspected of similar involvement. They arrested 19 Asian men and women with expired residencies or for violation of labor laws. The detainees were referred to the proper authorities for further investigations.

Farwaniya raid Fourteen people, including two women, were arrested from a brothel that was raided recently in Farwaniya. The suspects, hailing from different Asian countries, confessed they were using the apartment for prostitution. Police also recovered 420 bottles of homebrewed liquor from the apartment which they raided based on investigations carried out by Farwaniya detectives who were assigned for operations targeting brothels in the governorate.

The suspects were taken to the proper authorities to face charges.

Addict arrested A 31-year-old drug addict who had taken an overdose of drugs and had to be hospitalized was later arrested by the police. He was found unconscious inside the bathroom of a local supermarket in Al-Khaldiya recently and rushed to the Mubarak Hospital recently where he was diagnosed with circulatory collapse due to a drug overdose. Drug paraphernalia was also found at the scene. After he was cleared by hospital authorities, Khadliya police station personnel took him into their custody. He was detained briefly before being sent to the Drug Control General Department for further legal procedures.

Qusour shooting Residents of Qusour called the police recently when gun shots rang out in their neighborhood, but the unidentified shooter escaped before the police arrived. Bullet cases for a mechanical weapon, AK47, were found from the scene. Preliminary investigations indicated that the man could be hunting birds illegally.

Search is on for the suspects.

Unwise plan A thief, who stole a cell phone from a shop in Salmiya, was arrested when he tried to sell the device at the same shop a little later. The Asian man had probably not noticed that a surveillance camera caught him when he shoplifted the cell phone, hid it in his pocket and ran away. He was caught a few hours later when he returned to the same store and offered to sell the phone. Police were called to the scene to arrest the man.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

LOCAL

Kuwaiti Twitter detainee freed on KD2,000 bail

By A Saleh KUWAIT: The Criminal Court has released a Kuwaiti man accused of offending the state’s ruler through Twitter posts. Rashid Al-Enizy was freed during a hearing yesterday on a KD2,000 bond after he pleaded not guilty to accusations of offending HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and undermining the status of the Amir of Kuwait.

Three Twitter users facing similar accusations were released last weekend on bail for KD1,000 in case of one, and KD5,000 each for the other two. The Criminal Court also adjourned a case in which a female Kuwaiti doctor is accused of offending HH the Amir on Twitter, and set the next date of hearing as Dec 23. Meanwhile, the Criminal Court fined members from the Mutair tribe, who were found guilty of participating in illegal primary elections in 2008. The accused, including former MPs Mohammad Hayef, Mubarak AlWaalan and Husain Al-Quwai’an, were fined KD2,000 each.

Elections Committee A number of candidates are all set to reject an emergency law for the establishment of the Elections Higher Committee and will propose an alternative law if elected to the next parliament, sources with knowledge of the subject revealed yesterday.

The candidates reportedly have a draft document and are trying to get it signed by as many candidates as possible as part of their efforts to come up with a new draft law that addresses regulations based on which the committee took a controversial decision to disqualify 37 candidates on grounds of poor reputation. The parliament has the power to repeal emergency decrees issued during its absence.

Opposition slammed Third constituency candidate and former MP Ali Al-Rashid attacked opposition figure Ahmad Al-Saadoun, accusing him of “putting Kuwait at risk of destruction through his policies... while seeking to achieve personal interests and inter-

ests of those around him.” Al-Rashid made this statement yesterday in which he also regretted “voting in favor of Al-Saadoun to be elected as Parliament Speaker.”

He said he was doing so since Al-Saadoun’s “true intentions became clear today.” Meanwhile, third constituency candidate and former MP Ahmad Al-Mulaifi accused the opposition group of being “actually run by two or three people with the rest of the members remaining ineffective,” claiming that the opposition wanted the people to follow it blindly. In other news, third constituency candidate and former MP Ali Al-Omair raised the possibility that next Saturday’s elections could be postponed based on the administrative court ruling expected today. The court will today deal with a case filed by attorney Riyadh AlSane’a that challenges the constitutionality of the emergency decree which enforced the singlevote system. If the elections were to be suspended as a result of the court’s verdict, the 2009 parliament automatically gets reinstated since new elections could not be held within sixty days of its dissolution as per the constitution.

ABK honours Sheikh Salem

Sahar Al-Therban, Sheikh Salem Al Abdullah Al Jaber Al Sabah and Ali Al-Baghli

KUWAIT: As part of its corporate social awareness programmes, under the umbrella of its CSR banner ‘Our Society....Our Responsibility,’ Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait is proud to support the National Union of Kuwaiti Students (NUKS) as it honours Sheikh Salem Al-Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah at the NUKS- USA Branch in Washington DC, held under the patronage of Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah.

Sahar Al-Therban, Public Relations Manager at ABK, confirmed that Sheikh Salem AlAbdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was honoured by ABK for his efforts in supporting Kuwaiti students at home and abroad as they continue their studies.

As part of the ABK initiative, Al-Therban reiterated that, “ABK continues to support Kuwaiti students and we are very proud to be part of this prestigious occasion at the NUKS annual conference, that too in the presence of so many that deliver great service to the State of Kuwait.

The presence of HRH Sheikh Salem AlAbdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah makes a lifelong impression on the students, encouraging them to try harder at their studies and achieve the best for Kuwait in the future.

“Al-Therban thanked all those present at the Embassy and at the National Union of Kuwaiti Students (NUKS) for organising the successful event.

KAC on path of overhauling DUBAI: The 10-year-old regional business center of Kuwait Airways Company in Dubai has substantially expanded its tasks including training engineers on giant aircraft, according to the KAC chairman.

The center, which coordinates with some 135 aviation companies, is the first

one in the region that trains engineers on the new aircraft, Boeing-787 and Airbus-380, said Sami Al-Nisef, during the annual ceremony, held by the center here late on Saturday.

It holds training on the 787 aircraft, although this type of the planes is not part of the KAC fleet. — KUNA

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

LOCAL kuwait digest

IN MY VIEW

Conflict over a trivial issue

Electing the best

By Dr Wael Al-Hasawi

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By Abdullatif Al-Duaij was invited last Wednesday to a gathering along with candidate Ahmad Al-Obaid which was also attended by friends and fellow colleagues from National Work days in the sixties. Al-Obaid presented a short yet precise political analysis quoting facts and numbers to support his argument but chose not to address the issue of boycott of the upcoming elections.

Unlike a majority of former and current candidates, Al-Obaid did not provide any solutions or proposals, but presented a very good diagnosis that paves the way for curative procedures to our crises.

The discussion during the gathering resulted in several deductions, including the odds that the upcoming elections could be stress-free, and will not end up in arguments in which the government is blamed for all our problems, something that invariably happened in past elections. Remaining objective towards the government and recognizing the fact that other parties also had a role in the problem is a good indication that we can hopefully find more credible methods to overcome our current impasse.

We have wasted a lot of time ignoring the real reasons behind why our development is stuck. We have always blamed the government and its supporters for all the problems, yet forgot - or simply ignored - the root causes of our problems — us. We are responsible for creating problems, and we alone are responsible for electing the parliament and putting in place the cabinet.

Many believe that the upcoming elections will be received in a ‘lukewarm’ way. In fact, some are choosing to call it a ‘calm’ election. Perhaps, we could also call it serious and realistic as it avoided accusations, lies, allegations and delusions. It is going to be an opportunity for candidates competing for votes cast by voters looking to elect those they believe are going to build their country on the basis of quality, instead of wasting time looking for the least incompetent as happened in previous elections.

The emergency decree by which voters became entitled to a single vote has saved us the trouble of selecting, as it draws the line between candidates looking forward to build and those looking to destroy. — Al-Qabas

understand that Kuwait is flooded every time it rains because the Ministry of Public Works, which always claims to be ready to deal with the rainy season, ends up failing to clean the clogged manholes.

I understand why Kuwait suffers major traffic jams most of the time since there are at least 800,000 vehicles on our streets constructed in the seventies for a maximum capacity of 100,000 vehicles, and even these have not been revamped despite government’s promises for more than two decades now. I understand why the Kuwait University is overcrowded and struggles to accept thousands of high school graduates each year, since it remains the sole public university ever since it was established 46 years ago for a maximum of 5,000 freshmen each year.

I understand why hospitals are always overcrowded and patients have to wait for months for their date with the doctor as no public medical facilities have been built since the eighties when the ones existing now were constructed. I understand why prices of housing land have increased by ten times in the last twenty years. It is a result of monopoly of land and failure of the Public Authority for Housing Welfare to do its job in clearing pending housing applications that now number more than 100,000. I understand all that. It is all part of Kuwait’s culture. But what I do not understand is how the country has been torn apart in a vicious conflict between two parties over a trivial issue about whether to take part in or boycott the upcoming elections. Both sides raise different colored banners, orange for the boycotters and blue for the participation advocates, and accuse each other of being disloyal.

Even stable political blocs as well as tribal and religious groups saw splits. Hate has spread to unprecedented levels in Kuwait’s history. Whatever happened to the spirit of patriotism we always boasted about, and to the stability and coexistence that the world looked towards us for?

Have we lost everything because of this single disagreement?

Reading some of the things people post on Twitter these days gives the impression that both parties are going against the nation’s main enemy over a subject that is basically a difference in views. Meanwhile, seeing how each side defends the legality of its standpoint gives the impression that the law is fully honored in our country, whereas in reality we are mostly chaotic people who do not even follow traffic rules, honor our working hours, clean our neighborhoods or give anything back to our country. —Al-Rai

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kuwait digest

It’s a turning point

By Dr Soud Hilal Al-Harbi eviewing the prevailing conditions, one can easily see that we are passing through a critical phase in the history of Kuwait and its people. It is actually a unique phase in terms of its nature and consequences. It has been marked by a larger role for youth who proved themselves as capable of impacting and dictating the course of events and movements that affect us all.

They are not like those who merely spout endless speeches in seminars or on any radio or television station that leave no impact on their audiences. Young people are more daring and have gone much beyond anyone’s expectations. They react sharply and impulsively because they have experienced a long period of oppression, exclusion and alienation from the country’s political life. Now they have decided to take things into their own hands after they saw our failure to realize their dreams and aspirations. We remained too preoccupied with tribal and sectarian conflicts. They have actually discovered that we have been fooling them over the past several years.

Although we may summarily reject some of their reactions, we still have to hold ourselves and everyone who misled them accountable for misguiding the youth. Let us recall how

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they have been oppressed and their demands and needs ignored. We even weakened them and got them involved in our disputes till they decided to part company and start a quest for self-realization.

By describing the current era as a turning point, I actually mean that we will start a new phase in our history after Dec 1.

It will be a new phase that will see emergence of new faces and new ideologies that may be more radical than the current ones but will surely and eventually help bring calm. Despite their current zeal and political extremism, the youth have one thing in common - their wish to usher in change and be more effective. They believe that they have the numbers and the strength to achieve that while we failed in achieving national gains in various fields. We even passed down a heavy burden for them to bear and, since the future really belongs to them, they believe that they are more entitled to plan for it. The only thing we can do is to repair and undo the damage that we have done by getting carried away with issues that have torn our society. Let us try to pave the way for them to fashion a future for themselves and end all kinds of provocations being bandied about in the media. — Al-Watan

IN MY VIEW

Hopes for new Kurdish policy

By Amir Taheri n politics, every move can produce unintended consequences that could be far more important than any initial objectives.

This is what may be happening in Turkey where a group of Kurdish political prisoners are ending a 68-day hunger strike in exchange for concessions from Prime Minister Recep Tayyib Erdogan’s government.

Started by a handful of prisoners, the strike quickly developed into a cause celebre attracting support not only from ethnic Kurds but also within broader Turkish public opinion. Some public figures joined the strike and many others, including opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, expressed support and sympathy. Erdogan’s critics on the radical right claim that he has been forced to end the crisis from a position of weakness.

His critics on the left accuse him of having prolonged the crisis solely to flatter his own macho image.

Turkish media are full of “who won, who lost” speculation.

But what if this particular political stand off went beyond the “who won, who lost” clichÈ? Is it not possible that Turkish democracy might be the winner in a game that has no losers?

It has taken Turkish democracy decades to develop a credible mechanism for resolving political conflicts through compromise rather than the use of violence and counterviolence. In its first decade, Turkish democracy hardly merited the label, if only because a one-party system was in place. In the second decade, a one-and-a-half party system emerged in which one party governed while the other made occasional noises in opposition. In the third decade, a multi-party system was more or less accepted with the proviso that ideological uniformity be maintained.

The armed forced acted as guarantors of that uniformity, staging coups whenever they thought a governing party was stepping out of line. It was not until it was in its sixth decade that Turkish democracy also accepted ideology, enabling the crypto-Islamist Justice and Development Party (AKP) to form the government. However, AKP continued the authoritarian tradition by trying to keep diversity within strict limits while surreptitiously purging the state from elements that did not share its ideology.

Nowhere has AKP’s campaign against diversity been more consistent than against the Kurds who account for at least a sixth of the population.

To be sure, AKP’s Kurdish policy has not been as repressive as that of its predecessors.

This is partly because the party owes much of its electoral success to support from the predominantly Kurdish areas of southeastern Anatolia. And, yet, AKP has not been able to shed the Pavlovian reflex of using force to deal with the tougher aspects of the Kurdish issue. For a decade it has ignored repeated appeals by the imprisoned Abdullah Ocalan, the historic leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), to initiate a process of negotiations to disentangle this Gordian knot of Turkish politics.

Erdogan’s friends claim that Ocalan, an ageing has-been, may well be fishing for per-

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sonal relevance. If that is, indeed, the case, one might wonder what is the use of keeping an old and sick man in jail for much longer?

Though some participants in this complex game of brinkmanship may be adepts of the Machiavellian school of politics, a number of points are clear.

First, there is ample evidence that a majority of Turkey’s Kurdish community do not want secession. Nor to they share the PKK’s anachronistic dream of Proletarian Dictatorship. Many Kurds, perhaps even a majority, who would never vote for PKK, are, at the same time, not ready to endorse the policy of iron fist in their regard. This is not unusual. A majority of Corsicans in France reject the secessionist groups but do not agree with the policy of crushing them by force. This is also the case in Spain where a majority of ethnic Basques protect the secessionists while never voting for them.

Next, it must be clear that PKK’s strategy of armed struggle has failed. It has achieved nothing but decades of war that have claimed 50,000 lives. That strategy has also discouraged economic development in Kurdish-majority parts of Turkey, making them the poorest in the country that has enjoyed a dramatic transformation in the past decade.

Third, the Turkish government’s iron fist strategy has also failed. The PKK and its allies among professional bandits have shown their ability to continue a low intensity war for as long as imaginable. Intermittently backed by mischief-making neighbours such as Syria and Iran, the PKK could pursue its deadly business without great difficulty.

Prime Minister Erdogan should seize this opportunity to unveil a new strategy for dealing with the Kurdish problem. The first step in that direction is to accept that such a problem exists.

Next, he should embark on a pedagogic campaign to garner popular support for the new strategy.

He should tell his people that Turkish democracy is now strong enough to regard diversity as a source of strength rather than weakness. The Kurds’ desire to speak Kurdish and read official documents in their mother tongue is no threat to Turkey’s integrity as a united republic. Spain has not been harmed by the fact that a chunk of its citizens speak Catalonian. Nor is France’s unity undermined by the availability of official documents in the Breton dialect. The existence of over 500 languages, not to mention scores of different cultures, has not weakened the Indian democracy over the past six decades.

Democracy is also about the acceptance of the other in a framework of citizenship under the rule of law. Because Turkey is a democracy, even angry Kurds have no excuse for taking up arms against it. For the same reason, the Turkish government has no excuse to respond to the peaceful demands of its citizens by force.

If used properly, this new opening could deal a blow to the double myths of revolutionary violence and state-sponsored repression. And that could be good news for the whole region.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

Millions flood Iraq shrine for Ashura

AU calls on DR Congo rebels to stop fighting Page 12

Page 8

BRUSSELS: Protesters hold signs to form “SOS Palestine” during a demonstration in solidarity with Palestinians and denouncing recent Israeli bombardments on Gaza, yesterday in Brussels. — AFP

Syrian rebels capture air base Bomb in bus kills 5 in southern village BEIRUT: Syrian rebels captured a helicopter base just outside Damascus yesterday in what an activist called a “blow to the morale of the regime” near President Bashar Assad’s seat of power.

The takeover claim showed how rebels are advancing in the area of the capital, though they are badly outgunned, making inroads where Assad’s power was once unchallenged. Rebels have also been able to fire mortar rounds into Damascus recently.

The director of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami AbdulRahman, said rebels seized control of the Marj al-Sultan base on the outskirts of Damascus on Sunday morning. He said at least 15 rebels and eight soldiers were killed in the fighting that started a day earlier. The rebels later withdrew from the base.

Rebels appear to be trying to take over air bases and destroy aircraft in order to prevent the regime from using them in attacks against opposition forces around the country.

The rebels have no protection against the attack helicopters and fighter jets that have been blasting their positions. Rebels have been attacking air bases in different parts of Syria, mostly in the northern regions of Idlib and Aleppo.

In the battle at the base outside Damascus, Abdul-Rahman and Damascusbased activist Maath al-Shami said rebels destroyed two helicopters with rocket propelled grenades and captured a tank. They say the base, which is on the eastern out-

skirts of Damascus, houses several radar positions. “ This is a blow to the morale of the regime, because it is close to the heart of the capital,” said Abdul-Rahman, referring to the base that is about 15 kilometers (10 miles) from Damascus.

Al-Shami said the rebels withdrew from the base after they captured some ammunition. He said they feared counterstrikes by regime aircraft.

An amateur video posted online showed rebels walking next to two destroyed helicopters. At least three other helicopters appeared undamaged. Black smoke billowed in the distance. Another video showed several radar posts on hills inside the large compound. Parked military trucks stood inside as rebels roamed freely.

The activist videos appeared genuine and corresponded to other AP reporting about the events depicted. Syria restricts the access of reporters.

The Observatory also reported violence in other parts of Syria, including the country’s largest city of Aleppo in the north and the capital itself.

It said rebels on Sunday captured a training base for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command near the Damascus suburb of Douma. The PFLP-GC is one of the Palestinian factions most loyal to Assad.

The PFLP-GC said in a statement late Saturday that the base was under attack. It said that thousands of activists and fighters

who fought against Israel were trained at the base over the past 30 years.

Also yesterday, the Observatory said a bomb targeted a bus in the southern village of Othman, killing at least five people and wounding dozens. It said rebels and troops clashed in the southern region of Quneitra on the edge of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

The Local Coordination Committees, another activist group, said residents found 12 bodies in the Damascus suburb of Daraya, scene of heavy clashes between rebels and government troops over the past few days.

State TV said troops clashed with al-Qaida militants in Daraya, killing some of them and confiscating a mortar that they were using in their attacks.

The station said that troops killed an alQaida affiliated Palestinian militant known as Abu Suhaib in the Damascus suburb of Hajira. It said his group was behind several bombings in Syria that killed and wounded dozens of people.

Assad’s regime blames the revolt on a foreign conspiracy. It accuses Saudi Arabia and Qatar, along with the United States, other Western countries and Turkey, of funding, training and arming the rebels, whom it calls terrorists.

Syria’s conflict erupted in March 2011 with an uprising against President Bashar Assad’s regime, inspired by other Arab Spring revolts.

It quickly morphed into a civil war that has since killed more than 40,000 people, according to activists. —AP

Iran warns Turkey not to deploy Patriot missiles DUBAI: Iran said Turkey’s plans to deploy Patriot defensive missiles near its border with Syria would add to the region’s problems, as fears grow of the Syrian civil war spilling across frontiers.

Turkey asked NATO for the Patriot system, designed to intercept aircraft or missiles, last week after talks about how to shore up security on its 900-km (560-mile) border. “The installation of such systems in the region has negative effects and will intensify problems in the region,” Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani said on returning from a trip to Syria, Lebanon and Turkey on Saturday evening, according to Iranian state news agency IRNA. Ramin Mehmanparast, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, told the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) on Sunday that deploying the Patriot system “will not only not help solve the situation in Syria, it will actually make the situation more difficult and complicated as well”. Syria has called Turkey ’s request for the Patriot missiles “provocative”, and Russia said the move could increase risks in the conflict. Iran has steadfastly supported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad throughout the 20-month-old uprising against his rule.

Turkey’s missile request may have riled

Damascus because it could be seen as a first step toward implementing a no-fly zone over Syrian airspace.

Syrian rebels have been requesting a nofly zone to help them hold territory against a government with overwhelming firepower from the air, but most foreign governments are reluctant to get sucked into the conflict.

Turkey fears security on its border may crumble as the Syrian army fights harder against the rebels, some of whom have enjoyed sanctuary in Turkey. Heavy fighting has often erupted along Syria’s border with Turkey. Ankara has scrambled fighter jets and returned fire after stray Syrian shells and mortar bombs landed in its territory.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Sunday no one should be concerned by the use of Patriots. “These systems are solely defensive mechanisms, and will not become active unless there is a direct threat to our country’s security,” Davutoglu said, speaking to CNN Turk. “ The aim of this action is to protect Turkey’s borders as much as possible at a time of crisis. The Patriots will be sent back when the risks to Turkey’s security disappear.” —Reuters

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

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

Kurd teachers debate Syria war under Assad gaze DERIK: Residents and militias in Derik have removed almost all the ubiquitous presidential portraits from official buildings since the regime made its exit from the Kurdish town in northeast Syria. They have also taken down a statue in the town centre of President Bashar al-Assad’s late father and predecessor Hafez over the past week. But one place the two leaders still look down from their official portraits is on the wall of the headmaster’s office in the town’s secondary school. “We don’t have any problem with these pictures,” says English teacher Suzanne, 27.

“Assad is our president. I hope he’ll stay, but I don’t think so,” she adds resignedly. Before the revolt, “I could do whatever I wanted, I could travel wherever I wanted and now I can’t because of terrorists,” she says, using the standard regime term for rebels fighting to unseat Assad. The teachers

have removed Assad’s portraits from classrooms so as not to be seen as regime collaborators, but have left up the ones in headmaster Adnan’s office, where they sit on couches at break time and chat.

They allow journalists in on their discussions on the anti-regime revolt but ask to be identified only by first name and refuse to have their pictures taken. “I don’t like Assad at all,” counters Khaled, 34, who teaches the Islamic religion. “I’m against killing and I support the Kurdish language, democracy and freedom.”

Syria’s Kurds, who number over two million and are concentrated in the north and northeast, are fiercely nationalistic but their language has been officially banned under Assad.

Celebrations of the regime’s departure from Derik earlier this month included speeches in Kurdish and Kurdish music blaring out in the town centre.

Computer science teacher Shahinaz, 43, says: “We are doing well without Assad here. We want to learn our Kurdish language, but we don’t like terrorists either.” “We don’t want other people to teach us freedom. We don’t want anyone from the outside, we can take our freedom ourselves,” she adds, as others nod in agreement.

“I would like the government to change, but peacefully, without killing.” Adnan takes a neutral stance.

“Both sides are killing people and so we are not safe with either,” the headmaster says of the regime and rebels in the conflict that monitors say has so far killed more than 40,000 people since March 2011.

A television in the office is tuned into Al-Arabiya news, which is airing a report on Qatar. “Here we women are free, not like in Qatar or Saudi Arabia, where they wear the hijab and can’t drive and need (the permission of ) a

husband for everything,” Suzanne says.

“They can’t teach us freedom.”

Sunni-ruled Qatar and Saudi Arabia are among the rebels’ key supporters, providing them with financial and military aid to help topple Iran-backed Assad, who hails from Syria’s Alawite minority, a branch of Shiite Islam.

“I’m a Muslim but I’m moderate,” Khaled says. “I like the hijab but Islam doesn’t say you have to do this or that.

I’ve been teaching here for four years and never had any problem with Christians. She’s not wearing the hijab and that’s fine,” he says pointing towards a female colleague.

None of the female teachers are.

Around 90 percent of the school’s students are Muslim Kurds, with Muslim and Christian Arabs making up the other 10 percent, according to the staff. The school began giving Kurdish language lessons for the first time ever about a month ago, as the regime

started to loosen its grip on the region. All students attend these classes, the teachers say.

“We need a good president (when Assad departs). I don’t care what religion they are,” says Khaled. The regime has departed relatively peacefully from Kurdish areas in the north, and rebels have accused the Kurds of making agreements with Assad’s forces to cover their departure.

Tensions flared last week with clashes between Islamist rebel fighters and Kurdish militiamen in the TurkishSyrian border town of Ras al-Ain. The main Kurdish militia, aligned with the Democratic Union Par ty (PYD), is the People’s Defence Units (YPG), which was involved in the liberation of Derik. The teachers head out of Adnan’s office to give their next classes. “The pictures will come down,” Adnan says. “Not now, but eventually.” —AFP

Millions flood Iraq shrine for Ashura 30,000 security forces deployed to protect pilgrims

WEST BANK: Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands with his wife Sara as he hands his identity card before casting his ballot for his ruling rightwing Likud party leadership primary yesterday in the West Bank Jewish settlement of Givat Zeev, ahead of a general election on January 22. — AFP

Saudi dynasty faces generational choice RIYADH: Two royal deaths and two cabinet reshuffles in just over a year have edged Saudi Arabia’s ruling family toward a tough decision: turning to a new generation after 60 years of rule by sons of the founding patriarch.

The succession beyond King Abdullah the fifth of Ibn Saud’s sons to reign and who is, at 89, recovering from major surgery - is a sensitive subject among the alSaud dynasty’s hundreds of princes; but it will determine the path of the world’s top oil exporter and main Arab ally of the United States as it navigates domestic change and regional turmoil.

“In the next 10 years, there will be great changes in terms of the royal family,” said Khaled al-Maeena, editor-in-chief of the local English-language newspaper the Saudi Gazette. “The younger generation will play a role.” Abdullah, not seen in public since an 11-hour back operation last Saturday, has pursued cautious economic and social reforms aimed at reconciling an ultra-conservative Islamic kingdom with the demands of a modern economy and youthful population.

Doctors have said his surgery in Riyadh was successful. The immediate line of succession is to the crown prince, Prince Salman, born in 1936 and another son of the kingdom’s founding monarch, King Abdulaziz, known as Ibn Saud, who died in 1953. But beyond Salman, there is much less clarity. In October last year, there had appeared still to be a formidable line-up of half-brothers standing beside King Abdullah as heirs to the conservative Islamic state founded by their father in 1932 after decades of tribal warfare.

Yet 13 months later, the deaths of princes Sultan and Nayef, both of whom had been in turn the designated successor as crown prince, as well as the departures of princes Ahmed and Muqrin from senior posts, have left no obvious heir-apparent after Crown Prince Salman, who was promoted after Nayef died in June.

There is debate as to whether Prince Ahmed might remain the principal contender, but some Saudi analysts and foreign diplomats now think it a possibility that after the death of Abdullah the next crown prince will be a grandson of Ibn Saud. “I think there is no other alternative to the next crown prince being a grandson of King Abdulaziz,” said Saudi political scientist Khalid al-Dakhil.

In a system built on the idea that consensus ensures stability, and which prizes both seniority and competence, the sprawling al-Saud clan will have to weigh the balance between the family’s many different branches.

Saudi analysts see the al-Saud as adept at managing the succession process, something a former Western ambassador to Riyadh said they would be especially anxious to do now at a time of democratic ferment, which has felled republican Arab autocrats and pressured some neighbouring monarchs.

“You can bet with the Arab Spring in the background they’ll want to take a decision they can all live with and support,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

However, the generational leap may prove fraught because Ibn Saud’s grandsons - of whom there are hundreds - may fear that if

they or their brothers are passed over in favour of cousins, the line of succession will set off down a different branch of the growing family tree, excluding them and their offspring forever.

“It’s very difficult to make the jump to the next generation,” said Madawi alRasheed, a London-based critic of the alSaud and author of “A History of Saudi Arabia”. “But if there are enough government positions to go around, they can keep them all happy,” Rasheed added.

The family might still chose to postpone the generational shift by elevating to the position of official successor Prince Ahmed, who resigned abruptly in November as interior minister after less than five months in the position.

“It doesn’t rule Prince Ahmed out of the equation. He’s still there,” said a Saudi analyst who spoke anonymously. “He’s still a choice to become crown prince when Salman becomes king.” Another of Ibn Saud’s sons, Prince Muqrin, lost his job as intelligence chief in July and seems less favoured, as do other surviving sons of Ibn Saud’s several wives and concubines.

Unlike typical European monarchies, there is no automatic succession from father to eldest son. Instead the kingdom’s tribal traditions dictate that a new king and senior family members select the heir they consider fittest to lead. The practice of polygamy means they can have a wide choice of sons.

For all the difficulties, little is likely to be heard in public. Any dissent among princes over the succession would only happen in private, said Saudi commentator Jamal Khashoggi. There may be arguments behind closed doors. But, Khashoggi said: “Then it would be ‘Long live the King!’ and ‘Long live the Crown Prince!’.”

King Abdullah set up a family “Allegiance Commission” in 2006 which ensures representation for different branches of Ibn Saud’s descendants and must approve or reject a new king’s choice of heir, if necessary selecting its own candidate. The commission only comes into effect after Abdullah’s death, but analysts said it in some ways only formalised an existing process of seeking consensus on naming a crown prince.

Even if the al-Saud do elect to move down a generation at the next opportunity there is no guarantee that if Salman’s heir were to be one of his nephews, he would be a much younger man.

Mecca Governor Prince Khaled al-Faisal, one of the leading candidates among the next-generation princes and viewed as a comparative liberal, was born in 1941, making him older than either of his uncles Prince Ahmed or Prince Muqrin.

The grandson with the biggest job, however, is Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, who replaced Ahmed as interior minister this month. The post not only brings control of the kingdom’s formidable security apparatus but formal command over the regional governors, who are all themselves royal princes.

Prince Mohammed was Saudi security chief before becoming minister and earned the plaudits of foreign diplomats and King Abdullah for crushing a domestic al Qaeda wing in recent years. He is seen by local analysts as an astute politician.—Reuters

KARBALA: Millions of Shiites flooded the Iraqi shrine city of Karbala yesterday for the peak of Ashura rituals, which have been largely spared the deadly attacks that struck pilgrims in past years.

Throngs of pilgrims beat their chests and some used swords to make cuts on their heads as a sign of mourning for Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) who was killed in 680 AD by the armies of the caliph Yazid.

Tradition holds that the revered imam was decapitated and his body mutilated. Hussein’s body is buried in the holy city, 100 kilometres (60 miles) south of Baghdad, and his death has become a formative event in Shiite Islam.

A man told black-clad pilgrims, many of them in tears, the story of the battle in which Hussein was killed, over loudspeakers near the shrine where he is buried. Pilgrims later carried out a ritual run to the shrine, striking their heads in mourning and shouting: “We sacrifice for you, O Hussein.” Karbala provincial governor Amal al-Din al-Har told AFP that about three million pilgrims, including 200,000 from foreign countries, have come to Karbala for the rituals.

Staff Lieutenant General Othman al-Ghanimi, head of AlFurat al-Awsat operations command which covers Karbala, said 30,000 security forces personnel were deployed at the northern, southern and eastern entrances of the city to protect the pilgrims.

Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed Mohammed al-Hasnawi, the command’s spokesman, meanwhile said its forces were also preparing to protect pilgrims on their way back to their homes.

KARBALA: Shiite Muslims run between the Imam Hussein and Imam Abbas shrines as part of the ritual ceremony of Ashura in Karbala, 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Baghdad, during the commemoration of Ashura, yesterday. — AFP Pilgrims are most vulnerable security forces have been in sole to the Shiite-led government in Baghdad. Attacks have hit Ashura when they are going to and from charge of security during Ashura.

Pilgrims were often targeted commemorations elsewhere in Karbala, when they are not protected by the heavy security in by bombings in past years that the Muslim world this year.

In Pakistan, a bomb attack on left dozens dead, including a the city itself.

He said that there will be 2,400 wave of attacks against pilgrims a Shiite procession killed five vehicles from various Iraqi min- the day before the peak of Ashura people and wounded 83 yesteristries and from Karbala province rituals last year that killed 28 peo- day, while a similar attack the day before left eight people dead and ple and wounded 78. to help transport pilgrims home.

A car bomb against Shiite pil- a suicide bombing earlier in the There have not been any attacks on pilgrims in Karbala grims north of Baghdad on week killed 23 people.

And in Yemen, gunmen shot November 17 this year killed province so far, Hasnawi said.

Ahmed Fadhel, a 30-year-old three people and wounded 25, dead three Shiites and wounded pilgrim from Najaf province, said but pilgrims have largely been 10 on Saturday.

Shiites make up around 15 that both security and services in spared attacks.

Violence in Iraq is down signifi- percent of Muslims worldwide.

Karbala were good, but added: “We are ready to participate in cantly from its peak in 2006-2007, They represent the majority popthis commemoration in spite of although bombings and shoot- ulations in Iraq, Iran and Bahrain ings remain common, and Iraq’s and form significant communities any circumstances.”

This is the third year since the Shiite majority is frequently tar- in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Pakistan 2003 US-led invasion that Iraqi geted by Sunni militants opposed and Saudi Arabia.—AFP

Arafat exhumation hopes to quell poison quandary RAMALLAH: One of the Middle East’s greatest political mysteries will come a step closer to being solved on Tuesday when scientists exhume iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s remains to see if he was poisoned.

“It is very painful. It is a shock, and it is not easy for myself or my daughter,” Arafat’s widow Suha Arafat told AFP by telephone from her home in Malta ahead of the highly controversial procedure.

“But we must do it to turn the page on the great secrecy surrounding his death. If there was a crime, it

must be solved.” Rumours and speculation have surrounded Arafat’s death ever since a quick deterioration of his condition saw his passing at the Percy military hospital in November 2004 at the age of 75.

French doctors were unable to say what killed the Palestinians’ first democratically elected president and an autopsy was never performed at his widow’s request. But many Palestinians believed he was poisoned by Israel-a theory that gained ground in July when Al-Jazeera reported Swiss findings showing abnormal quantities of the radioac-

TEL AVIV: A team of French doctors and forensics arrive at Ben Guiron airport near Tel Aviv yesterday, before heading to the West Bank city of Ramallah to exhume iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s remains later this week to see if he was poisoned. — AFP

tive substance polonium on Arafat’s personal effects.

France followed that up in late August by opening a formal murder inquiry at Suha’s request. Polonium was the same substance that killed Russian ex-spy and fierce Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesman Mark Regev dismissed the probe as misguided.

“Israel was not involved in the death of Arafat,” Regev told AFP in July. “All the medical files are in the hands of the Palestinians and it was not Israel who is preventing their publication.”

The laborious process at the site of Arafat’s mausoleum in the West Bank’s Muqataa complex from which the late leader ruled will see French experts work alongside colleagues from Switzerland and Russia.

The Swiss are here because they were the first to analyse the Arafat samples submitted to them by AlJazeera. The Russians’ presence has not been fully explained by the Palestinians. However the country is responsible for most of the world’s polonium production and should therefore have the expertise to handle remains of the dangerous substance.

Tuesday’s operation will be hidden from the public by a blue plastic sheeting designed to give discretion to a procedure that many-including some family members-have com-

pared to a desecration. The exhumation echoes “some highly sensitive issues,” one Western diplomat in Ramallah conceded as workers prepared to assume their unusual task.

Experts believe that little will remain of Arafat’s tissue and that the scientists will only be able to secure samples of his bone-which may have degenerated into powdered form-or threads of his clothing.

Some experts have also questioned if anything conclusive will be found because polonium has a short half-life and dissipates quicker than some other radioactive substances.

But the Palestinians have already launched preliminary work on the grave and all the pieces are in places for the samples to be taken away for subsequent analysis in France. Tawfiq Tirawi, head of the Palestinian inquiry team, said the tomb will be opened on Tuesday, samples taken and a reburial ceremony held the same day.

‘No good can come out of it’-Not all the Arafat family members are pleased. The late leader’s nephew Nasser al-Qidwa-one of the most vocal critics of the entire process-said he found the whole process disturbing and akin to a “desecration.”

“No good can come out of this at all,” Qidwa said in an interview. “It does no good to the Palestinians.”

Qidwa argued that most people in the West Bank already believed that Arafat had been poisoned and did not require any further proof.—AFP

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

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

New Congress: Fewer moderates make deals harder WASHINGTON: When the next Congress cranks up in January, there will be more women, many new faces and 11 fewer tea party-backed House Republicans from the class of 2010 who sought a second term.

Overriding those changes, though, is a thinning of pragmatic, centrist veterans in both parties. Among those leaving are some of the Senate’s most pragmatic lawmakers, nearly half the House’s centrist Blue Dog Democrats and several moderate House Republicans.

That could leave the parties more polarized even as President Barack Obama and congressional leaders talk up the cooperation needed to tackle complex, vexing problems such as curbing deficits, revamping tax laws and culling savings from Medicare and other costly, popular programs.

“This movement away from the center, at a time when issues have to be resolved from the middle, makes it much more difficult to find solutions to major problems,” said William Hoagland, senior vice president of the Bipartisan Policy Center, a private group advocating compromise.

In the Senate, moderate Scott Brown, R-Mass., lost to Democrat Elizabeth Warren, who will be one of the most liberal members. Another GOP

moderate, Richard Lugar of Indiana, fell in the primary election. Two others, Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas and Olympia Snowe of Maine, are retiring.

Moderate Democratic senators such as Kent Conrad of North Dakota, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, James Webb of Virginia are leaving, as is Democratic-leaning independent Joe Lieberman.

While about half the incoming 12 Senate freshmen of both parties are moderates, new arrivals include tea party Republican Ted Cruz of Texas, conservative Deb Fischer of Nebraska, and liberals such as Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Hawaii’s Mazie Hirono.

There’s a similar pattern in the House, where 10 of the 24 Democratic Blue Dogs lost, are retiring or, in the case of Rep. Joe Donnelly, R-Ind., are moving to the Senate. That will further slash a centrist group that just a few years ago had more than 50 members, though some new freshmen might join.

Among Republicans, moderates like Reps. Judy Biggert of Illinois and New Hampshire’s Charles Bass were defeated while others such as Reps. Jerry Lewis of California and Steven LaTourette of Ohio decided to retire.

“Congress seems to be going in the opposite direction of the

country, just as the country is screaming for solutions to gridlock,” said Democratic strategist Phil Singer. Whether the changes are good is often in the eye of the beholder.

Seventy-one of the 83 House GOP freshmen of 2010 were reelected Nov. 6, but 11 lost, including one of the group’s highest profile members, conservative Rep. Allen West, R-Fla. Another faces a runoff in December.

“Some of the people who are the anti-government ideologues, some of them are gone,” said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. “And that message has been rejected by the American people.”

Sal Russo, strategist for the Tea Party Express, said such departures would be balanced by newly elected conservatives, including the Senate’s Cruz and GOP Reps.-elect Ted Yoho of Florida and Mark Meadows of North Carolina.

“Pretty much everybody that ran in 2012 was talking about the economic woes we face, stopping excessive spending, controlling unsustainable debt,” he said. Overall, the new House is on track for a 234-201 Republican majority, a narrowing of their 242193 advantage today, which includes five vacancies. Democrats will control the Senate 55-45, up from 53-47.

Veteran Filipino journalist Silva dead MANILA: Zenaida Silva, a veteran Filipino journalist who covered the 1986 “people power” revolt that ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos and other turbulent political events in the Philippines, has died.

Silva, 80, died on Saturday at a metropolitan Manila hospital after a sixmonth battle with cancer, according to Silva’s daughter Celine S. Rosario, who was at her bedside when she passed away.

Silva came from a family of journalists. She and her late husband, newspaper writer and TV journalist Manuel Silva, set up and ran the Philippine bureau of London-based Visnews for more than two decades until the international news outfit was acquired by Reuters in 1992 and eventually became Reuters Television.

Her daughter Celine Rosario heads The Associated Press’ video arm in Asia.

Celine Rosario’s husband, Francisco, is AP video’s production manager for the region. In 1983, Silva and her husband were among journalists who covered the assassination of anti-Marcos opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr. while he was in military custody at Manila’s international airport and the political chaos that followed. Aquino’s murder galvanized the fragmented opposition and sparked massive protests, which culminated in the army-backed 1986 “people power” revolt that ousted Marcos and catapulted Aquino’s wife, Corazon, to the presidency.

The uprising became a harbinger of

WASHINGTON: This Nov. 13, 2012 file photo shows Sen.-elect Ted Cruz, R-Texas speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington. When the next Congress cranks up in January, there will be more women, many new faces and 11 fewer of the tea party-backed 2010 House GOP freshmen who sought reelection. — AP Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., the GOP’s No. 2 Senate leader; Indiana’s Lugar, a longtime GOP power on foreign policy; North Dakota’s Conrad, the Senate Budget Committee chairman and one of his party’s chief deficit foes; and Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., who heads the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Gone from the House will be California Democratic Reps.

Pete Stark, a major force on health issues, and Howard Berman, long influential in foreign affairs, plus liberal Massachusetts stalwart Barney Frank, whose name is on the

new law overhauling the government’s regulation of banks and other financial institutions.

Also leaving: House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier, R-Calif., and Ron Paul, 77, who charted his own libertarian course in Congress and longshot campaigns for the GOP presidential nomination in 2008 and 2012.

“The status quo will continue,” Paul, who sees little difference between the two political parties, said of the new Congress. As for his own departure, he said, “Nobody will notice.” —AP

5 killed in attack on Pakistan Shi’ite gathering, 90 injured Sunni hardliners threaten to strike hard

Zenaida Silva change in authoritarian regimes worldwide. The country’s current president, Benigno Aquino III, is a son of the Aquinos. After helping oversee Visnews’ operations in Manila, Silva worked as a freelance producer and contributor for ABC Australia and USbased NBC News. When her husband died in 2003, Silva took over his reporting work for popular local radio station DZMM, which is run by leading Philippine network ABS-CBN, covering the Philippine air force and Manila’s international airports. Silva’s survivors include her five children and five grandchildren.— AP

Twin blasts hit military church in north Nigeria K A DU NA : Twi n c a r b o mb s hit a Protestant church in a major military establishment in northcentral Nigeria, officials said yesterday, a month after a church bombing in the same state killed at least 11 people and injured more than a hundred others.

The first explosion occurred after a church service yesterday in a military barracks in Jaji town in Kaduna state, said National Emergency Management Agency spokesman Yushau Shuaib. A second blast occurred just outside the church minutes later at about 1 p.m., said a medic who required anonymity because she is not authorized to speak to the press. She said the church targeted was a Protestant church.

Shuaib said the casualties are not yet known. Police spokesman Aminu Lawan declined to comment, saying that it was a military matter. A military spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment. Civilian authorities in Nigeria are generally reluctant to comment on military affairs. But Jaji is a symbolic target as it is home to the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, one of the countr y ’s most important military colleges, training Nigerian and foreign navy, air force and army officers.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for yesterday’s attack, but a radical Islamist sect known as Boko Haram has previously targeted

A dozen of the 100 senators and at least 81 of the 435 House members, almost one-fifth, will be in their first term, slightly above historic averages. The Associated Press hasn’t declared winners in two House races.

Many newcomers, in Washington for orientation sessions after their election, described a need to compromise. Some also made it clear there will be plenty of fuel for partisan clashes.

“I’m going in open-minded,” said conservative Rep.-elect Roger Williams, R-Texas. “But I have certain core values like we all do and I’m not going to waver on that.” All together, there will be 73 women in the House and 20 in the Senate.

Both are records.

For the first time, more than half of House Democrats - 105, in this case - will not be white males.One white male will be Rep.-elect Joseph Kennedy III, a Massachusetts Democrat whose father was Rep. Joe Kennedy, DMass., and grandfather was New York Sen. and Democratic presidential candidate Robert Kennedy. When the newest Kennedy takes office, it will end the only two years since 1947 without a member of his family in Congress.

Those leaving include several who have been in the middle of recent years’ policy battles.Among them are Sen.

Nigerian military institutions in the past. The attack comes two days after a special military taskforce announced that it would be giving a total of $1.8 million in rewards for information that could lead to the arreast of top Boko Haram members.

The twin blasts also came a month after another church was attacked in the city of Kaduna, about 25 miles (40 k ilometers) away from Jaji. In that attack, a suicide bomber rammed an SUV loaded with explosives into St. Rita’s Catholic church holding Mass on Oct. 28 in Kaduna, killing at least seven people and wounding more than 100 others, authorities said.

The killings sparked instant reprisals in a city with a history of religious violence, leaving at least two more people dead. Churches have been increasingly targeted by violence in Nigeria.

In Kaduna state, there were church attacks on three weekends in a row in June. These attacks and the ensuing reprisals left at least 50 people dead.

Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the June attacks, but nobody has claimed responsibility for the latest attacks - last month and yesterday which have again rocked the volatile state. Kaduna state sits on Nigeria’s dividing lin e bet ween its largely Christian south and Muslim nor th.

Yi n k a I b u k u n co n t r i b u te d to t h i s report from Lagos, Nigeria. — AP

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: A bomb killed at least five people and wounded 90 near a Shi’ite procession in Pakistan yesterday, police said, as the government struggles to stop a wave of attacks by sectarian Sunni militant groups determined to wipe out the minority sect and seize power.

Sunni hardliners threatened to strike hard this weekend, an important one in the Shi’ite religious calendar, prompting authorities to halt cellphone coverage in several areas to prevent bombings triggered by remote control.

Authorities have also restricted motorcycle travel, hoping to deprive suicide bombers of one mode of transportation. The wounded were carried away in the northwestern city of Dera Ismail Khan, where a bomb targeting Shi’ites killed at least seven people, including four children, on Saturday.

Pakistan’s Taleban, who are focused on battling the state but are also allied with Sunni sectarian groups, claimed responsibility for both attacks. “For Interior Minister of Pakistan Rehman Malik, who blocked mobile phones across the country and banned motorbikes, you can’t stop our activities against the Shi’ite community and security forces,” Taleban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehasan said by telephone from an undisclosed location.

“We will keep continuing our activities and this is a failure of security forces, police and army that we have made successful attacks in Dera Ismail Khan.” Past attacks during the religious event have killed large numbers of Shi’ites.

Yestrday’s bomb, planted in a shop near a street market, also wounded five security officials, said senior police official Malik Mushtaq.

Doctors at a hospital in Dera Ismail Khan said five people were killed and 90 wounded. “There is a lack of ambulances and not enough hospital beds,” said one.

KARACHI: Pakistani policemen patrol with amoured vehicles during an Ashura procession in Karachi yesterday. A bomb attack on a Shiite Muslim procession killed five mourners and wounded more than 80 in northwest Pakistan yesterday as Shiites marked their holiest day Ashura, officials said. — AFP

“People brought many of the injured to the hospital on rickshaws.”

Hardline Sunni groups, which are becoming increasingly dangerous, have vowed to carry out more attacks as the Shi’ite mourning month of Muharram comes to a climax yesterday.

Security officials say organisations such as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) are stepping up attacks on Shi’ites, who they regard as nonbelievers, in a bid to destabilise nuclear-armed, US ally Pakistan and establish a Sunni theocracy.

Al Qaeda, which is close to LeJ, pushed Iraq to the brink of a sectarian civil war several years ago with large-scale suicide bombings of Shi’ites. More than 300 Shi’ites have been killed in Pakistan so far this year in sectarian conflict, according to human rights groups. The campaign is gathering pace in rural as well as urban areas such as Karachi, Pakistan’s biggest city.

Shi’ites account for up to 20 percent of this nation of 180 million. The growing death toll has discouraged some Shi’ites from taking part in processions this year during one of their most sacred rituals, when people flagellate themselves with chains and other items to commemorate the martyrdom of the grandson of Islam’s prophet, who was killed during the battle of Karbala.

“If I were to compare with last year, the fear has definitely increased,” said Sadia Fatema, 28.

“Just last night me and my mother were asking my father and brother if they really had to go to the procession. We are worried.”

Others say the pressure has made Shi’ites stand up to Sunni hardliners.

“There is fear, but there is also anger and defiance among Shi’ites,” said one, who asked not to be named. “Shi’ites never felt like a minority in Pakistan but now they are slowly being turned

into a real minority. And Shi’ites will not let this happen.”

Washington, a critical source of financial aid for cash-strapped Pakistan, has been pressuring the South Asian nation to crack down on militants based in tribal areas who cross the border to attack American-led forces in Afghanistan.

Pakistan, meanwhile, faces major domestic security challenges from a wide range of groups, including the Taliban, who capitalise on issues such as unemployment, official corruption and poverty to boost recruitment.

A series of army offensives has failed to break the back of militant groups based along the border with Afghanistan.

“Our children are being killed but the government is powerless,” complained Shi’ite Amina Bokhari. “What is the purpose of this security they claim to give us?” —Reuters

S Lanka’s chief justice slams impeachment move COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s chief justice has described herself a “fearless judge” and vowed to fight charges of financial and professional misconduct, according to a leaked response to her impeachment.

Shirani Bandaranayake, whose case has raised concerns that the government is trying to control the courts, told a parliamentary committee last week there was not an “iota of consideration of the facts” in the allegations.

“The charges are levied to damage the reputation of an independent and fearless judge,” she said in a letter to the committee that was posted on Colombo Telegraph news website yesterday. A lawyer for Bandaranayake, who declined to be identified, confirmed the

report was authentic and added that the chief justice was determined to clear her name following the impeachment motion backed by 117 ruling party MPs. Bandaranayake, the first woman to be Sri Lanka’s top judge, had been accused of 14 charges, including failing to declare around $250,000 in foreign currency.

She said the money belonged to her sister, an engineer working in Australia who was buying an apartment in Colombo, and she also dismissed allegations that she had hidden wealth in undisclosed bank accounts.

Sri Lanka’s government and the Supreme Court have clashed over the case.

The Supreme Court also irked President Mahinda Rajapakse last month with a deci-

sion that effectively scuppered a bill giving more powers to the economic development minister, who is the president’s younger brother Basil. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges, Gabriela Knaul, has urged Colombo to reconsider the impeachment moves.

Bandaranayake, 54, faced the first day of the closed-door hearing by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Friday. The next hearing has been scheduled for December 4.

Rights groups have said the impeachment is the latest sign of efforts by Rajapakse to tighten his grip on power after crushing the Tamil Tiger separatist rebels in 2009 at the end of a decades-long war. — AFP

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

Indian gay rights parade demands greater tolerance ‘Give us your support’ NEW DELHI: Hundreds of gay rights activists marched through New Delhi yesterday to demand that they be allowed to lead lives of dignity in India’s deeply conservative society. Dozens of demonstrators carried a nearly 15-meter (50-foot) -long, rainbow-colored banner and waved placards demanding that the government extend the scope of anti-discrimination laws to schools, workplaces and public and private spaces.

Activists said that three years after the Delhi High Court made changes in India’s colonial-era law that made gay sex a crime, homosexuals are still not socially accepted in India. In 2009, the court decriminalized gay sex, which until then had been punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Conservative groups have asked India’s top court to overturn the lower court’s order, and Supreme Court judges are currently hearing opinions from a range of people, including conservative groups and gay rights activists. It’s unclear when the court will make a ruling. “If only the Supreme Court comes out on our side, and if gay marriage became legal, what could

be better,” said Zorian Cross, a New Delhibased theater actor and playwright at the parade. “Queer and loving it” and “Give us your support” read some of the placards carried by the activists as they marched to the beat of traditional drums and music.

Other supporters distributed badges and rainbow-colored flags and scarves. The march ended in a public meeting at Jantar Mantar, the main area for protests in the heart of the capital. Many gay rights group members and their families danced and sang as drummers and musicians performed.

Vimal Kumar, an activist with the National Alliance of People’s Movements, said the government had to ensure that all forms of discrimination against gays, lesbians and transgenders are ended. “The government has to listen. Our struggle has gone on for very long, and we are hopeful the government will listen and act on our demands,” Kumar said. Gay rights activists are demanding that the government allow people to record the gender of their choice in the national census, voter identity cards and all other government documents. — AP

NEW DELHI: Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) community and supporters attend the 5th Delhi Queer Pride parade in New Delhi yesterday. Marching in solidarity and in celebration of their diversity, the LGBT community demanded equal legal, social and medical rights. — AFP

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

China’s passport maps unacceptable: India NEW DELHI: India has responded to China’s newly revised passports that show disputed territory near their shared border as part of China by issuing Chinese citizens visas embossed with New Delhi’s own maps.

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said Saturday that the Chinese passport map showing India’s Arunachal Pradesh state and the Himalayan region of Aksai Chin as part of China is “unacceptable.” India retaliated by starting to issue visas to Chinese citizens with a map of India that includes all territories claimed by New Delhi. The new Chinese passports have also upset the Philippines and Vietnam because they show disputed parts of the South China Sea as belonging to China.

In New Delhi, China is viewed with suspicion as a longtime ally and weapons supplier to Pakistan, India’s bitter rival. For Beijing, the presence in India of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and 120,000 other exiles from Tibet remains a source of tension. India says China controls 41,440 square kilometers (16,000 square miles) of its territory in Aksai Chin in Kashmir, while Beijing claims that the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, which shares a 1,050kilometer (650-mile) border with the Chinese-run region of Tibet, is rightfully Chinese territory.

India and China fought a brief border war in 1962, and large stretches of the India-China border are still undemarcated. The territorial disputes remain unresolved despite 15 rounds of talks, but relations have improved in recent years as China and India’s trade has grown exponentially to reach more than $75 billion last year. — AP

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

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

Rivals clash over leadership of French right ahead of talks PARIS: The rivals to lead France’s main right-wing opposition party, the UMP, clashed again yesterday as a political heavyweight called in to mediate their damaging dispute said he saw little chance of success.

The turmoil has tarnished the image of ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy’s UMP still reeling from its loss of the presidency and parliament this year-and raised the spectre of a split on the right that would benefit the ruling Socialists.

Former prime minister Francois Fillon, 58, and ambitious UMP secretary general Jean-Francois Cope, 48, have traded accusations of fraud and bad faith since last Sunday’s party vote ended with Cope ahead by a handful of votes.

Former prime minister and foreign minister Alain Juppe, called in to help

end the crisis, said he was pessimistic ahead of talks between the two rivals planned for yesterday evening. “I am doing everything I can to succeed even if there is very little chance,” Juppe told French media. “If they do not accept (his conditions), I will withdraw, it’s no big deal, they will sort themselves out.”

A meeting of UMP officials aimed at resolving ballot disputes collapsed yesterday, with Fillon representatives walking out after about an hour. A lawyer for the Cope camp accused them of “choosing to desert” the talks.

Yesterday’s meeting with Juppe will be the first time the rivals have met face-to-face since the leadership contest to replace Sarkozy, who lost to Socialist Francois Hollande in May’s presidential vote, descended into chaos. Cope was declared the winner

of the leadership battle by a margin of just 98 votes in a contest in which more than 150,000 party members voted. The party electoral commission has since said that ballots cast in France’s overseas territories that were not counted would have reversed the result, while the Cope camp has claimed he would have won by a clear margin but for vote-rigging in the Mediterranean city of Nice.

The party has faced ridicule over the leadership debacle, at a time it could be taking advantage of Hollande’s falling popularity over his handling of France’s struggling economy. In a IFOP poll published yesterday by newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche, 71 percent of respondents and 67 percent of UMP supporters said the leadership vote should be run again. — AFP

SAINT DENIS: In this Oct. 25, 2012 file photo, former French Prime Minister Francois Fillon, left, and French conservative party UMP secretary general Jean-Francois Cope pose for photographers before a televised debate in Saint Denis, outside Paris. Former President Nicolas Sarkozy’s conservative party is holding emergency meetings to try to figure out who’s in charge, after a disputed election for its new leader that could reshape French politics. — AP

AU calls on DR Congo rebels to stop fighting Summit outlines 10-point plan

ROME: A Democratic Party (PD) supporter casts her ballot at a party polling station during the PD primary election yesterday in Rome. Centre-left voters in recession-hit Italy went to the polls yesterday to choose the Democratic Party candidate who will run for prime minister in an election early next year that it is widely expected to win. — AFP

Italy centre left picks candidate for next PM ROME: Italy’s centre left voted yesterday to choose the candidate who will be the leading contender to succeed Mario Monti as prime minister after a election in March and take charge of steering the country through a deep recession.

Opinion surveys show Democratic Party leader Pier Luigi Bersani is the frontrunner among five candidates, followed by Florence mayor Matteo Renzi, who has vowed to shake up Italy’s political establishment if he is chosen.

The vote will eliminate a major element of uncertainty before the election to choose a successor to Monti’s technocrat government. The centre-left alliance is well ahead in opinion polls for the parliamentary election and the winner of the primary vote is in pole position to take over Monti’s efforts to control strained public finances and tackle a year-long recession. Support for Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s deeply divided centre-right People of Freedom party (PDL) has crumbled to less than half than it recorded in the last election in 2008. Berlusconi said on Saturday he was again thinking about running, deepening the PDL chaos.

Both Bersani and Renzi reject the idea, encouraged by international markets, that Monti should return after the vote to con-

tinue his economic policies that have so far included unpopular spending cuts, tax rises and labour reform.

Protests on Saturday by tens of thousands of students and workers from across the political spectrum highlighted the levels of discontent among Italians grappling with the slump and rising unemployment in the euro zone’s third biggest economy.

While Renzi, 37, is much more popular across the general population than career politician Bersani, 61, he is far weaker among party supporters who will decide the primary. About 3 million party and nonparty voters are expected to take part in the poll that is open to anyone over 18 who is Italian or resident in Italy regularly, but it is likely that members will make up the biggest proportion of those at the ballot box. However, Bersani may still fail to secure the 50 percent he needs for a first-round victory, which will mean a second round runoff will be held on Dec. 2. At that point he is likely to pick up the votes of third-placed Nichi Vendola, the openly gay governor of the southern Puglia region. “I am expecting a run-off because there are a lot of us,” said Bersani, talking to reporters at a voting station on Saturday. “All five of us are going to try to lend a hand to help this country emerge from its suffering.” — Reuters

KAMPALA: The African Union called yesterday on rebels occupying a key town in eastern DR Congo to stop fighting, as diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis continued amid fears of wider conflict in the unstable region.

The AU echoed a call by regional heads of state at a summit on Saturday for the M23 rebels to stop fighting and withdraw from the regional capital of Goma, and welcomed a commitment by the DR Congo government to resolve the rebels’ grievances.

AU chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma “welcomes the commitment of the government of the DRC to listen, evaluate and resolve any legitimate grievances of the M23. She urges the M23 immediately to take the steps expected of it, “ the AU said in a statement.

“The summit... outlined a 10-point plan that provides for the immediate withdrawal of the M23 elements from all the locations they recently occupied, as well as the establishment of security arrangements to monitor the situation on the ground,” the statement added.

Dlamini Zuma reiterated the “AU’s deep concern at the worsening humanitarian situation on the ground and the abuses committed against the civilian populations.”

The political leader of the M23, Jean-Marie Runiga Lugerero, said he expected to hold further talks Sunday with DR Congo President Joseph Kabila after seeing him on Saturday night after the summit of the 11-member International Conference on the Great Lakes.

It was not clear if new talks had started yet.

Uncertainty meanwhile hung over the fate of Goma, the capital of the restive province of North Kivu.

Leaders at Saturday’s summit in the Ugandan capital said the rebels should withdraw to positions at least 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of the town, which the guerrillasformer army soldiers who staged a mutiny in April-seized on Tuesday.

That would mean the rebels returning to the positions they held before launching the assault that claimed Goma. The regional leaders said the pull-out should be done within two days.

Runiga Lugerero, however, made it clear that any withdrawal would only come after talks between the rebel movement and Kabila. M23 fighters will defend their posi-

tions if government troops attacked, he warned. The M23 was launched by former fighters in an ethnic Tutsi rebel group who were integrated into the military under a 2009 peace deal that they claim was never fully implemented.

In exchange for a pull-out, the DR Congo government said at the summit it was committed to “listen to, evaluate and resolve any

GOMA: The head of the M23 rebel military forces, Brigadier-General Sultani Makenga (R), sits yesterday, in the yard of a military residence in Goma in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Over half a million people have been displaced in eastern Congo since the outbreak of the M23 rebellion. — AFP legitimate grievances” the M23 has. An AFP reporter in Goma said M23 rebels were still present in the city Sunday. He said troops from the United Nations peacekeeping mission MONUSCO were also more visible than in previous days.

A Western diplomat in the region said Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni had agreed to meet directly with M23’s military leader Sultani Makenga. There was no immediate confirmation either from the Ugandan presidency or from M23.

Congo Republic President Denis Sassou Nguesso was meanwhile in the Rwandan capital Kigali on the second day of a two-day visit,

12 dead as Somalia Shebab attack town on Kenya border MOGADISHU: Somalia’s Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab fighters briefly took control of a small town on the border with Kenya in a battle that left at least 12 people dead, military officials and witnesses said yesterday.

Heavy fighting broke out late Saturday afternoon in Bulohawo and lasted into the evening, residents and military commanders said, with residents confirming that the Shebab took full control of the town for a few hours before Somali troops were able to reinforce their positions.

“The violent elements attacked Bulohawo in late afternoon and after heavy fighting our forces defeated them and inflicted heavy losses on them,” Diyad Abdi Kalil, a Somali military commander in the area, told AFP by phone.

Casualty estimates varied but most sources agreed that at least a dozen people, most of them fighters for the two sides, had been killed. “The Shebab attacked the town from three directions and penetrated the barracks of the Somali troops after heavy fighting. They briefly took control of the town but were later forced back. Twelve people, most of them the fighters from the two sides, died,” said resident Sadik Mohamed.

Another resident, Hussein Mahat Abdulle, confirmed he had seen bodies in government uniform as well as bodies of what looked like Shebab fighters. Kalil said his men had killed “nearly 20” Shebab, but a spokesman for the Islamists dismissed that claim and said his men had killed 15 Somali government troops.

“Today was a victorious day for the mujahedeen fighters who carried out several military operations, the main attack was against the apostate militants helping the infidels at Bulohawo,” said Shebab spokesman Sheik

Abdiasis Abu Mus’ab. “The Mujahedeen fighters penetrated their defences and took control of the city for many hours. Around 15 of the apostate militia were killed,” he said, referring to the Somali government troops fighting alongside regional armies to overcome the Shebab. Bulohawo, which lies just across the border from the town of Mandera in the extreme northeast of Kenya, has been calm so far Sunday, residents said. Officials said two civilians in Mandera town had been hit by gunfire during the fighting. Mandera County Commissioner Michael Ole Tialal told AFP that civilians and Somali troops had fled briefly

meeting with his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame-who was notably absent from Saturday’s summit in Kampala.

Officially Sassou is there to discuss bilateral relations, but the conflict in eastern DR Congo is also expected to come up. The United Nations and DR Congo have accused Rwanda and Uganda of backing the M23 — charges both countries deny.

across the border to escape the fighting.

“Many civilians and Somali soldiers crossed to border point one in Mandera,” he said by phone. “Once the fighting subsided and the attackers were repulsed many crossed back over,” he said. Around 10 civilians injured in the fighting were also evacuated across the border to Mandera for medical treatment, according to residents on the Kenyan side.

The attack appeared to have come as a surprise, with the Shebab having been forced out of their major strongholds by troops from the African Union force AMISOM over the past months. — AFP

MOGADISHU: This photograph released by the African Union-United Nations Information Support Team yesterday, shows African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Force Commander Lt. Gen. Andrew Gutti (C) walking with commanders of AMISOM’s Djiboutian Contingent during a tour of the AMISOM Djiboutian Contingent headquarters in the central Somali town of Belet Weyne, Hiraan Region, approximately 330km north west of the capital Mogadishu. — AFP

Rwandan President Kagame, an ethnic Tutsi, has in particular been persistent in rejecting accusations that his government is backing-and effectively running-the mainly Tutsi M23 force.

Uganda’s Museveni has also sought to distance himself from the charge by playing the role of mediator in the past few days and hosting Saturday’s summit.

The M23’s advance has displaced tens of thousands of civilians, sparked warnings of humanitarian disaster, and raised fears that a wider conflict could again erupt in the area, the cradle of back-to-back wars that shook DR Congo from 1996 to 2002. — AFP

Pope tells new cardinals to shun ‘worldly logic of power’ VATICAN CITY: Pope Benedict yesterday told six prelates newly elevated to the rank of cardinal that all Catholic leaders should shun the “worldly logic of power” and stick to spreading the gospel.

The pope presided at a solemn mass in St Peter’s Basilica with the six men from the United States, India, Nigeria, the Philippines, Lebanon and Colombia the day after they became cardinals at a ceremony known as a consistory. “To be disciples of Jesus, then, means not letting ourselves be allured by the worldly logic of power, but bringing into the world the light of truth and God’s love,” he said. “To you, dear and venerable brother cardinals - I think in particular of those created yesterday - is entrusted this demanding responsibility: to bear witness to the kingdom of God, to the truth.” The new cardinals are American Archbishop James Michael Harvey, Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal, a major archbishop of the Syro-Malankara rite in India, Archbishop Ruben Salazar Gomez of Bogota, Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila, Beatitude Bechara Boutros Rai, patriarch of the Maronite Catholic Church in Lebanon, and Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan of Abuja. Indian women at the mass wore saris and African women wore traditional dresses.

Prayers were read in Arabic, Hindi, Yoruba and Tagalog as well as English, French and Italian.

“I think it’s about time that we have a diverse and more colourful bunch of cardinals,” said Leslie Ryan, a pilgrim who attended the consistory. “If you want to bring all the Catholics together you need to have a diverse group of cardinals and

it’s about time.”

The choice of the cardinals, ranging in age from 53 to 72, looked like an attempt to counter criticism that he has in the past neglected the needs of the developing world.

All six are “cardinal electors”, under 80 years old and therefore eligible to enter a conclave that will one day choose Benedict’s successor. Two of the new cardinals, Boutros Rai, 72, of Lebanon, and Onaiyekan, 68, of Nigeria, are from countries with significant Muslim populations.

In Nigeria, which is about 50 percent Muslim, the Islamist sect Boko Haram has killed hundreds of people in attacks since 2009. Many of the attacks have been on Christians and churches.

“The Boko Haram, the young men who are throwing bombs all over the place in Nigeria, have been rejected by the mainstream of Islam in Nigeria. But somehow, the way the Islamic religion is organised there’s nobody who can tell them ‘Stop it!’,” Onaiyekan told Reuters in an interview.

“So the rest of us are actually, you can say, suffering because of the inner difficulties within Islam. But that’s the reality we have to live with and we are doing our best. What is important for people to know is that it is not a case of Nigerian Muslims at war with Nigerian Christians.”

Tagle, 55, of Manila, heads the largest Catholic church in Asia, where Christians are minorities in most countries. “I think we have been used to a humble and hidden type of existence and it doesn’t lead us to pessimism,” he told Reuters. “Being a small minority doesn’t mean the church is dead,” he said. — Reuters

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

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

Hamas arsenal hit but rocket knowhow intact GAZA CITY: The distinctive whoosh of a longer-range rocket leaving Gaza set sirens wailing in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem within minutes, as Hamas militants broke new ground in the fight against Israel. And although the Islamists’ firepower was hard hit during its eight-day confrontation with Israel, Hamas has valuable technical knowledge at its fingertips which could be used to rebuild its arsenal. In the first hours of Israel’s bombardment of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, officials said the air force had destroyed the lion’s share of the enclave’s arsenal of rockets with a range longer than 40 km.

“The army took out most of the rockets aimed at central Israel and thousands that were aimed at southern Israel,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told pilots who took part in Gaza sorties yesterday. “Once the campaign achieved its goals, there was no reason to continue it,” he said in remarks relayed by his office. But Hamas and Islamic Jihad still managed to fire five rockets at the Tel Aviv area, three of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome defence system, with another two landing in the Mediterranean Sea. Another

rocket hit a block of flats in Rishon Letzion, south of Tel Aviv, causing extensive damage.

Four more rockets struck outside Jerusalem.

The strikes marked the longest distances ever reached by rockets fired by militants in Gaza. Ever since the 1991 Gulf War when Saddam Hussein’s Iraq fired 39 Scud missiles at Tel Aviv, the Palestinians have been waiting to see who would “launch missile number 40”, said Mukhaimer Abu Saada, professor of political science at Gaza’s Al-Azhar University. Even during a 2006 war between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, the Shiite militia warned it would “strike beyond beyond Haifa... but it never targeted Tel Aviv”, he said. “To be able to make the enemy - the Israelis - suffer, looking for shelter and screaming: that is the taste of victory for the Palestinians.”

The big question, analysts say, is how many rockets are left in Gaza beyond the initial 10,000 believed to have existed before the confrontation, and how quickly Hamas is able to rebuild its arsenal. During the operation, the Israeli military said it struck more than 1,500 targets, including 19 militant command

centres, 26 weapons manufacturing and storage facilities and hundreds of underground rocket launchers. In announcing his acceptance of the Egyptian-brokered truce deal on Wednesday, Netanyahu said Israel and the United States had agreed to work together to prevent the smuggling of weapons to Gaza militants, “most of which comes from Iran”.

According to a report published the same day in Israel’s left-leaning Haaretz daily, Iran has over the past two years smuggled a number of Fajr 5 rockets with a range of up to 75 km into Gaza via Sudan and Egypt. “At the same time, Hamas and Islamic Jihad manufactured 200-mm diameter rockets whose range is close to 80 kilometres - in the strip, using knowhow provided by Iran,” wrote the paper’s defence correspondent, Amos Harel. “Until now, roughly 10 mediumrange rockets have been fired toward the Tel Aviv area and the Jerusalem region. Most of these have been the improvised 200mm rockets produced locally in Gaza. Israeli intelligence believes that only a small number of these medium-range rockets remain,” he wrote. — AFP

GAZA CITY: A Palestinian boy looks from the rooftop of a destroyed house yesterday. — AP

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

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Sudan ‘plot’ linked to Islamists

By Ian Timberlake n alleged plot revealed last week to sabotage Sudan’s security is linked to hardcore Islamist military officers and highlights turmoil within the regime of President Omar al-Bashir, analysts say.

Information Minister Ahmed Bilal Osman announced on Thursday the arrest of 13 people, including high-profile members of the security forces, who “targeted the stability of the state and some leaders of the state”.

Unlike previous threats from political opponents, this one comes from within the military inner circles of Bashir’s 23-year regime, said Khalid Tigani, an analyst and chief editor of the weekly economic newspaper Elaff. “The government... has never been isolated like now,” he said. Tigani, a former activist in the National Islamic Front party which engineered the 1989 coup that brought Bashir to power, now calls himself an independent Muslim.

“This is a big mess,” said Magdi El Gizouli, a fellow at the non-profit Rift Valley Institute of training and research, which focuses on Sudan and nearby countries.

He said that although the regime is battling insurgencies believed backed by neighbouring South Sudan in its border states, the major threat comes from closer to home. “The biggest problem is in-house,” Gizouli said.

Columnist Abdullah Rizig wrote in The Citizen newspaper on Sunday that the plot, about which officials have given only vague details, reflects “discontent and protest growing within the regime”. Information Minister Osman highlighted the arrest of Salah Gosh, who served as national intelligence chief until 2009.

But analysts focused on another name: armed forces Brigadier Mohammed Ibrahim, who played a role in the 1989 coup. Earlier this year, he volunteered as a commander in the recapture of Sudan’s Heglig oil field from occupying South Sudanese forces in what he considered to be a jihad or Islamic holy war, said Tigani. “He’s a hardcore Islamist with a long history of battle in South Sudan and so on,” Gizouli added, referring to the 19832005 civil war that led to the South’s separation last year. He and Tigani named another arrested officer as Colonel Fateh Rahim Abdallah, who recently commanded the joint Sudan-Chad border force.

Most of the detained military men are close to a vocal group of ex-civil war volunteer mujahedeen fighters and an elite group within them called Al-Saeohoon or “tourists for the sake of God,” Tigani said. The war veterans, along with a youth movement within the ruling National Congress Party (NCP), have been calling for new national leadership and a return to Islamic values because they say the government is tainted by corruption and other problems. Those seeking “reform” had hoped for change earlier this month at a congress of the Islamic Movement, a social group at the heart of the ruling NCP. “I think their major concern... is to make the movement in charge of the government and its political party, and not the other way around,” said Safwat Fanous, a political scientist at the University of Khartoum. But the election of a regime loyalist to head the movement showed the reformers failed and the government had reinforced its control, he said. The hardcore Islamists were so incensed that, fearing possible violence, the authorities took a pre-emptive move against them, Tigani said. “Most people don’t think there was a real move to topple the government,” he said.

A witness saw armoured vehicles moving near Khartoum’s airport about the time state-linked media revealed the “plot”. “They expected maybe a military showdown,” Gizouli said. But there was no gunfire - only verbal volleys. In a letter posted on some Internet sites and emailed to journalists on Saturday, London-based former mujahedeen Abdelghani Ahmed Edries warned the government “will pay a high price” if it harms those arrested. “They are national heroes,” he said, speaking for a group called the NCP Reform Forum.

What to do with those it has arrested is problem for the government in a country which has experienced at least seven coups or attempted coups in its 56-year history. “They might try to talk to some, threaten others, and push some into exile,” Gizouli said. “I expect a great deal of suspicion on all sides.” —AFP

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

Fiscal battles could sideline immigration

By Susan Heavey and Richard Cowan S President Barack Obama’s re-election this month gave supporters of comprehensive immigration reform an immediate dose of optimism. They hoped that Obama, bolstered by the 70 percent-plus support he received from Hispanic voters, might now feel ready to champion the cause he largely avoided during his first term. And they thought that Republicans, after the thumping they got at the hands of Latinos in the Nov 6 election, might soften their resistance in order to stay competitive in future elections.

But as advocates mobilize for what is likely to be a two-year drive to get an immigration law enacted, their optimism may be tested by a dose of reality. However sympathetic Obama might be, he will be preoccupied with fiscal battles well into next year and less likely to engage in the kind of salesmanship analysts believe is essential to sell broad immigration policy changes to the public. And Republicans in Congress, as a group, may not be eager to reverse long-held and deeply felt positions on immigration in an era when so many are vulnerable to primary election challenges from the right. Plus, they may be just as consumed by fiscal issues as the rest of Washington.

Democratic Senator Mark Warner noted the fiscal cliff - the tax increases and spending cuts set to take effect in January - will suck up Washington’s energy early in 2013, even as his party wants to use the new Congress to tackle big issues like immigration, climate change and job creation. “We’re not going to get to any of that until we get this (fiscal cliff) fixed, until we lance this boil,” Warner said in a meeting with Reuters reporters and editors last week.

Immigration reform, which has failed repeatedly in Congress over the past decade, aims to

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accomplish several goals - none of them easy.

For Democrats and their labor union supporters, the 11 million undocumented foreigners, many having spent years in the United States, should be allowed to come out of the shadows and given a path to citizenship while working here legally. Many Republicans complain that this approach would reward those who broke the law by jumping in front of those waiting to emigrate legally.

The 11 million includes the children of illegals who have been brought into the United States through no fault of their own. Obama, impatient with Congress’ inaction and with an eye on reelection, last June moved on his own to allow some of them to avoid deportation for two years and obtain work permits. For Republicans, stronger enforcement measures are necessary to keep more illegals from entering the United States through states bordering Mexico, especially if an improving US economy begins creating more jobs. Democrats argue that tough controls already are in place. Both sides want to more efficiently verify legal workers in the United States, while the business community wants better access to low-paid farm workers and well-paid high-tech workers on a temporary basis, which troubles some union leaders.

Supporters of reform hope to see progress soon. “At a minimum, they’ll want to have a bill (introduced) by early spring, around April,” said Andrea Zuniga DiBitetto, who follows Congress for the AFL-CIO, the confederation of US labor unions. Senator Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat and a close ally of Obama, told Reuters he aims to get such a bill onto the Senate floor for votes next year. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, in an interview, said his panel would move early to write the measure.

It was Obama’s re-election that emboldened his fellow Democrats in Congress to move swiftly

with comprehensive immigration legislation next year. It also led some Republicans to conclude that they have to start responding to the concerns of the fastest-growing demographic group in the United States. Republicans’ Nov 6 election losses prompted House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner to note the need for immigration reform. But one senior House Republican aide, who did not want to be named, noted that House Republicans as a whole are “still pretty conservative”. He added that immigration “won’t be the first thing we do or even the second, but we have two years to act” before the 113th Congress ends. And Boehner, however open he may be, does not control the Republicans he leads in the House.

The next chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, the panel that would craft that chamber ’s immigration bill, could be Representative Bob Goodlatte, a conservative who opposes amnesty for those who came to the United States illegally. Goodlatte also has praised the controversial Arizona law cracking down on illegal immigrants, which has been par tially struck down by the US Supreme Court. Representative Steve King, also a conservative Republican, said during a post-election press conference that Obama could not be trusted to enforce any immigration reform law that Congress might produce.

And he downplayed any notion that an alienated Hispanic community contributed to Republican losses in this year’s elections.

But Representative Raul Labrador, a fellow conservative and a native of Puerto Rico, quickly rebutted King, arguing that Hispanic votes are essential to a healthy Republican Party. “One of the biggest things conservatives talk about often is that we want to fix a broken government. Well, if you know anything about immigration law, the immigration system is absolutely broken in the

United States,” said Labrador, adding that he is eager to tackle reform.

In the Senate, the work will start without some of the titans of earlier immigration battles.

Edward Kennedy, a Democrat, died in 2009.

Arlen Specter, a moderate Republican-turnedDemocrat, was defeated in a 2010 Democratic primary election and left the Senate before his death last month. Senator Richard Lugar, a moderate Republican, will leave at year’s end along with Joseph Lieberman, an independent. It is unclear whether John McCain, the Arizona Republican who ran for president in 2008, will help lead the fight or sit on the sidelines.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Durbin, joined by fellow Democrats Robert Menendez and Charles Schumer, will watch closely to see whether some fresh Republican faces become serious players. Among those Republicans are first-term Senator Marco Rubio of Florida and incoming Senators Jeff Flake of Arizona and Ted Cruz of Texas - all conservatives from states with large Hispanic populations. In his first term, Obama disappointed many Hispanics and Democrats with his aggressive deportation policy and failure to seek broad immigration reforms, opting for a policy decision that defers deportation for some younger illegal immigrants who are enrolled in school.

A House Democratic aide, who asked not to be identified, complained that Obama, when it came to immigration reform, “for the most part sat back and told Congress to work it out and ‘I’ll give a speech.’ He’s going to have to be more hands-on” this time around. Meanwhile, Hispanics are hoping that the 2012 election has finally opened the door to change. “We have a check to cash, and 2013 is going to be a new year,” said Daniel Rodriguez, an Arizona activist with United We Dream, a network of youth-led immigration groups. —Reuters

Catalans face dire warnings over independence

By David Williams fter taking to the streets to claim their own nation and break away from the rest of Spain, Catalans are being bombarded with warnings of a catastrophic economic price to pay. Hundreds of thousands flooded Barcelona’s streets calling for independence on Catalonia’s national day September 11, triggering a secessionist drive that led to snap elections yesterday. Economics is a key factor fanning emotions in the clash between Catalonia and the rest of Spain. Catalonia’s president Artur Mas says his region gets a raw deal, arguing that Madrid raises far more in Catalan taxes than it returns and estimating the gap at Ä16 billion ($21 billion) a year.

It was after he failed to secure greater taxing powers from Spain that Mas called the snap vote, vowing a referendum on self-determination if he wins a mandate to do so. “We could get along quite well,” Mas boasted on Spanish public television on Friday. As a separate nation, Catalonia would rank seventh in the 27-member European Union in terms of wealth creation and ninth in terms of its trade capacity, the Catalan chief said. But now some analysts are warning of an economic disaster if the northeastern region of 7.5 million people goes its own way, while others decry their forecasts as scaremongering exaggerations.

“The fall in income would be enormous,” warned Jose Luis Feito, president of the Instituto de Estudios Economicos, as he released a report by the body’s analysts full of dire predictions for the region. An independent Catalonia would be forced out of the European Union and eurozone and would lose access to the Eurosystem and the region’s financing mechanisms, he said.

The report, released four days ahead of the

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vote, predicted a 28-percent crash in Catalonia’s budget, an economic slump of up to 20 percent, unsustainable debt, high unemployment and plunging exports.

Certainly Catalonia has its problems. The region has 40 billion euros of debt, equal to one-fifth of its output, and was forced to go cap in hand to Madrid for more than five billion euros to help make the payments.

erations to come, businesses would be forced to pay crippling export duties, and the euro would have to be abandoned, it said. “All of these threats have a single objective: to scare people, often with preposterous scenarios,” the report said.

“Spanish leaders believe that if people are afraid Catalonia will get nervous and then the referendum will never be held.”

A woman holds her dog as she waits her turn to cast her vote in a polling station in Barcelona yesterday. —AP But many analysts say the dire warnings about the economic consequences for Catalonia go too far. “If we are to be intellectually honest, the truth is that the answer is not clear at all,” said a report by the Wilson Initiative, launched by six Catalan economists to combat misinformation.

Politicians and analysts had warned that Spain would be left out of Europe for gen-

A group of 15 Catalan economists said that in a new state Catalans would even retain their Spanish passports, which cannot be revoked under the Spanish constitution.

Catalonia could also hold on to the euro without being a member of the eurozone, they said in an article published in the Barcelona-based daily La Vanguardia. “I think the economic risk from the Catalan point of view is relatively low,” Xavier Cuadras

Morato, economist at Barcelona’s Universitat Pompeu Fabra, said in an interview.

The main risk would be the uncertainty during transition, he said, but the region had a diversified economy, a solid level of economic output per capita and a sound exporting base. The threat of excluding Catalonia from Europe sounded hollow, Cuadras Morato said. “The most rational and beneficial result for all is that it stay in the European Union and eurozone,” the economist said. “If it happens, taking revenge on Catalans for a democratic decision would mean punishing Catalans and inflicting an economic cost but the Europeans and Spanish would also be inflicting a cost on themselves.”

Catalonia’s economic and financial secretary, Albert Carreras, said the region had no intention of leaving the eurozone. In any case, the European Union offered various formulas to open its doors to trade to nonmembers. While analysts disagree on the consequences of a possible split on Catalonia, some warn of a grave impact on Spain if it loses one of its main motors of growth and also on the entire eurozone.

Catalonia is traditionally a powerhouse of Spain’s economy, with gross domestic product of around Ä200 billion ($250 billion) - a fifth of the national economy. Equipped with a significant industrial base, it accounted for 26.5 percent of Spain’s exports from January-July 2012, according to government figures, a far bigger share than any other region.

Asked about the price to Spain of losing Catalonia, Barcelona-based economist Edward Hugh said he did not like even to think about it. “They would lose one of the parts of Spain that has been most dynamic in modern times in Spain,” Hugh said. “If they have got problems implementing reforms and going forward anyway, what would it be like without the Catalans?” —AFP

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

NEWS A carrier-borne J-15 fighter jet lands on China’s first aircraft carrier - the Liaoning.— AP

Kuwait limps toward boycott-hit...

Continued from Page 1 The Election Commission yesterday issued an order banning media outlets from carrying news about the campaign of the disqualified candidates because it was against the law. The Information Ministry also asked the local media to abide by the new instructions of the commission.

The criminal court meanwhile freed yesterday a fourth detained tweeter Rashed Al-Enezi on a KD 2,000 bail. Enezi was the last to remain in prison out of four young tweeters who were arrested on charges of writing tweets deemed offensive to HH the Amir. The three others were freed on Thursday, two on KD 5,000 bail each and the third on KD 1,000. Another three tweeters, including a woman, who were arrested along with the four on Nov 14, had been released on the same day on a KD 1,000 bail each following interrogations.

Separately, Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah is scheduled to meet with the editors of the local dailies on the latest developments in the country in what was seen as a response from the premier to a campaign on Twitter urging him to talk. The premier rarely speaks to the media and the last time he spoke to reporters was in the National Assembly in June.

Information Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah said yesterday the government will not hide the results of the parliamentary elections including the percentage of turnout amid massive calls for a boycott.

The minister said that a decision by the ministry two weeks ago asking the media not to publish polls on elections from unauthorized sources was misinterpreted.

The opposition meanwhile stepped up its campaign to urge voters to boycott the election which they describe as illegitimate because of the unilateral amendment of the voting system by the government.

The opposition has been holding near-daily gatherings in most areas but in the last week to the Dec 1 polls, activists and former MPs from each of the five constituencies will be holding daily gatherings at various diwaniyas until a day before the huge demonstration it plans to stage on the Arabian Gulf Road. An opposition activist said yesterday he was called by the Interior Ministry and told that the ministry has accepted to grant a permit to the organizers of the demonstration.

Later in the day, the ministry denied that they called the activist who again reaffirmed that he was called.

The outcome Saturday is certain to hand the ruling family and its allies a near-sweep of friendly lawmakers.

Yet that is not necessarily good news for the stability of a country that has ricocheted from one political crisis to the next for nearly a year, including street clashes between security forces and an opposition coalition that ranges from hardline Islamists to youth activists.

For years, that legislature has served as a forum for the opposition to press their demands. But with the opposition’s boycott likely to take them into self-exile from the political system, the worry is their new soapbox will be the street demonstrations like those that have engulfed many other Arab states in the past two years.

The potential fallout goes well beyond its borders.

Any major upheavals in OPEC member Kuwait have potential repercussions on oil prices and the Pentagon’s plans to use the nation as its hub for ground forces in efforts to counter the growth of Iran’s military. Gulf Arab rulers have so far ridden out the Arab Spring uprisings through a combination of factors including crackdowns and payouts to buy off potential dissenters. But the Gulf ’s biggest unrest by far - a 21-month-old revolt against Bahrain’s Western-allied monarchy - shows no sign of easing and poses some the same quandaries as Kuwait for Washington: the need to maintain critical security alliances, but also to pay attention to shifting political forces in the region.

“There is a danger that the tensions between a ruling family (in Kuwait) intent on preserving its power and privilege and an energized opposition bent on security meaningful reform might escalate into open confrontation,” said Kristian Coates-Ulrichsen, a research fellow who follows Gulf affairs at the London School of Economics. “The example of Bahrain shows how everyone loses out in this scenario,” he added, “but that alone is no guarantee that Kuwaitis can or will pull back from the brink.”

Kuwait’s protest alliance is held together by claims that the Amir overstepped his authority by changing

voting laws in an apparent attempt to undermine opposition and reformist electoral chances. Beyond that, there are a wide range of demands from all the different factions involved in the boycott, from Islamists wanting a greater say in the government to liberals wanting more openness in general. The showdowns take forms similar to those in other parts of the region - clampdowns on Web activists and arrest sweeps against perceived backers of the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist group that now leads Egypt and has a resurgent profile since the Arab Spring.

Last week, the Interior Ministry announced the arrest of four people on charges of insulting the Amir with posts on Twitter. Similar arrests have taken place across the Gulf and, earlier this month, the United Arab Emirates imposed new Internet laws that can bring jail time for Web posts deemed offensive to rulers. Kuwaiti authorities also have echoed fears from other Gulf palaces over what they view as expanding threats from the Muslim Brotherhood. Dubai’s police chief, Lt Gen Dahi Khalfan Tamim, has warned of an “international plot” to overthrow the Gulf rulers.

The Islamists in Kuwait - while a powerful force insist they are a distinctive, homegrown group that does not seek to topple the ruling system but wants a greater say in how the country is run. Their critics worry that this means a push toward stricter Islamic codes such as limits on non-Muslim worship or censoring artists and writers in one of the most politically open societies in the Gulf. The past year has brought almost nonstop - and highly complex - political turmoil.

Islamists and their tribal allies won parliament elections in February and immediately pushed for greater clout in policy-making affairs. The Constitutional Court later disbanded parliament amid claims of flaws in the electoral district map, and reinstated the former governmentfriendly chamber from elections in 2009. That body, however, never managed to convene a session.

To further complicate things: The Amir stunned the nation by wiping out the country’s unusual four-votesper-person system in favor of the standard one vote.

Opponents say the new formula dilutes the ability of opposition groups to forge alliances and will increase the risks of vote buying and bribery. “We will have puppetry, not a real parliament,” said Mohammed AlHatlani, a former lawmaker supporting the election boycott.

Liberal and youth groups - while deeply opposed to the Islamist agenda - have joined the boycott drive as a way to press for their Arab Spring-inspired demands for greater political and social freedoms. The unexpected alliance with Islamists and conservative tribes has startled even veterans of Kuwait’s pugnacious politics.

Abdullatif Al-Duaij, a prominent Kuwait liberal figure now living in the US, worries that fellow liberals looking for more openness have “lost their compass” by siding with the Islamists and others pushing the boycott.

“Today it’s either you vote or you don’t,” he said. “There is nothing in between.”

A series of protests and street clashes in recent months led the Amir to order a ban on political gatherings of more than 20 people. In a message last week, he tried both threats and patriot appeals to cool down tensions. “It is a great tragedy to have calls to take to the street,” the emir said in comments carried by the official Kuwait News Agency. “Why the chaos and riots? Why the screaming and wailing and disrupting the business of the state and harming the interests of the people?”

It’s all likely to leave Kuwait even more politically fractured and the new parliament facing challenges over its legitimacy. In most of the Gulf, a parliament under pressure would matter little since elected bodies have very limited powers. Kuwait, however, stands out.

Its 50-seat parliament has wide authority to pass laws and question - or even dismiss - members of the government. Opposition lawmakers have publicly accused top officials, including members of the ruling family, of charges such as corruption and attempts to muzzle dissent. But even many protesters were stunned last month when an opposition leader, Musallam Al-Barrak, broke taboos and openly denounced the Amir. He was later arrested. “He crossed all the red lines and shattered the boundaries of permissible opposition,” said the researcher Coates-Ulrichsen. “The experience from North Africa and elsewhere in the Arab Spring shows that once these barriers are broken it is impossible to reconstruct them.”

Morsi insists new powers temporary Continued from Page 1 constitution and sparked charges by the opposition that Morsi was taking on dictatorial powers. The statement said it had been “deemed necessary in order to hold accountable those responsible for the corruption as well as the other crimes during the previous regime and during the transitional period.”

That was a reference to the regime of long-time president Hosni Mubarak, who was ousted by a popular uprising early last year. Some 850 protesters were killed during the revolt, and hundreds more since. Morsi ordered the reopening of investigations into those deaths, and new prosecutor general Talaat Ibrahim Abdallah said “revolutionary courts” would be set up that could see Mubarak, his sons and his top security chiefs retried “should there be new evidence”.

Mubarak and his interior minister were sentenced to life over the killing of protesters in last year’s popular uprising against him, but six security chiefs were acquitted in the same case sparking nationwide outrage. The statement said “these measures will preserve the rights of martyrs and victims, which is a fundamental issue for the Egyptian public opinion.” Yesterday’s statement said the presidency “stresses its firm commitment to engage all political forces

in the inclusive democratic dialogue to reach a common ground and bridge the gap in order to reach a national consensus on the constitution, which will be the cornerstone of Egyptian modern institutions.”

Meanwhile, Egypt’s powerful Muslim Brotherhood called nationwide demonstrations yesterday in support of Morsi in his showdown with the judges over the path to a new constitution. The show of strength on the streets by the president’s supporters had the potential for triggering clashes with opponents of the sweeping new powers he assumed on Thursday who remained camped out in Cairo’s Tahrir Square. Share prices on the Egypt Exchange plunged almost 9.5 percent by midday (1000 GMT) in the face of the deepening political crisis. The main EGX-30 index shed 9.49 percent to reach 4,923.19 points, according to the Egyptian Exchange, with trading suspended for half an hour due to intense investor selling.

Before dawn, the hardcore of liberal activists who spent the night in the iconic protest hub fought off an attempt

by Morsi supporters to burn down the 30 or so tents they had erected in the square, witnesses said. The US embassy warned Americans to avoid all places where demonstrations were likely to be held as Western concern mounted over the potential of Morsi’s power grab to spark new violence in the Arab world’s most populous state. — AFP

Hezb vows to hit all of Israel Continued from Page 1 Nasrallah has said Hezbollah could kill tens of thousands of people and strike anywhere inside Israel if hostilities break out again.

“If the confrontation with the Gaza Strip ... had a range of 40 to 70 km, the battle with us will range over the whole of occupied Palestine - from the Lebanese border to the Jordanian border, to the Red Sea,” Nasrallah said.

Hezbollah could hit targets “from Kiryat Shmona - and let the Israelis listen carefully - from Kiryat Shmona to Eilat”, he said, referring to Israeli’s northernmost town on the Lebanese border to the Red Sea port 290 miles further south.

The movement has warned that any Israeli attack against the nuclear facilities of its patron Iran, which has armed and funded the Lebanese Shiite militant group, would inflame the Middle East - though it has not specified its own response. In a move it said showed it could penetrate deep inside Israeli defences, it flew a drone over Israel last month. The drone was shot down after flying 25 miles into southern Israel. Israel says its Iron Dome missile defence system knocked out 90 percent of the rockets fired from Gaza which were on course to hit populated areas.

Nasrallah, who has lived in hiding since 2006 to avoid assassination by Israel, was speaking by video-link to tens of thousands of Shiite faithful in southern Beirut commemorating Ashoura. Wearing a black turban and robes,

the 52-year-old cleric said his Shiite movement wanted to prevent sectarian tension in Lebanon - fuelled by the civil war in Syria - plunging his country into renewed conflict.

“We want to avert strife and Israel is our only enemy. We have no enemies in Lebanon,” Nasrallah said.

Many Sunni Muslim political leaders blamed Hezbollah’s ally Syria for last month’s bomb attack which killed a top intelligence official and plunged Lebanon into political crisis. The opposition March 14 coalition blamed Syria for the assassination and called on the Lebanese government, dominated by allies of Hezbollah and Syria, to quit. Sporadic clashes have erupted since then, including a shootout in the southern city of Sidon two weeks ago when three people were killed after supporters of a Sunni cleric tried to tear down Shiite Ashoura banners.

On Saturday the army said it arrested five people and seized 450 gm of explosives in Nabatiyeh on the eve of an Ashura march in the southern Lebanese town which was attended by thousands of Shiite mourners, many striking their heads with blades to draw blood. Security sources said the arrested men were Syrians suspected of planning an attack on the Ashura processions but Nasrallah, speaking late on Saturday, suggested they were trying to send arms to the conflict in Syria. “We already know that many Syrians arrive in Lebanon to buy weapons,” he said. “Neither weather nor rain can frighten us, nor can explosions or security threats stand between us and Imam Hussein”. — Reuters

Garment factory blaze kills 112 in Bangladesh Continued from Page 1 Mahbub said firefighters recovered 69 bodies from the second floor of the factory alone. He said most of the victims had been trapped inside the factory, located just outside of Dhaka, with no emergency exits leading outside the building. Many workers who had taken shelter on the roof of the factory were rescued, but firefighters were unable to save those who were trapped inside, Mahbub said. He said the fire broke out on the ground floor, which was used as a warehouse, and spread quickly to the upper floors. “The factory had three staircases, and all of them were down through the ground floor,” Mahbub said. “So the workers could not come out when the fire engulfed the building. Had there been at least one emergency exit through outside the factory, the casualties would have been much lower,” he said.

Many of the victims were burned beyond recognition.

The recovered bodies were kept in rows on the premise of a nearby school. Army soldiers and paramilitary border guards were deployed to help police keep the situation under control as thousands of onlookers and anxious relatives of the factory workers gathered at the scene, Mahbub said. He would not say how many people were still missing. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed shock at the loss of so many lives in the blaze and asked

authorities to conduct thorough search-and-rescue operations.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association said it would stand by the victims’ families. Bangladesh’s garment factories make clothes for brands including Wal-Mart, JC Penney, H&M, Marks & Spencer, Carrefour, Kohl’s and Tesco. A Li & Fung spokeswoman told AFP: “We are very distressed and saddened by the deaths of workers and wish to express our deepest condolences to the families of the victims.” The company is “matching the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association’s financial assistance by pledging 100,000 Bangladeshi taka ($1,200) to each family of every victim,” the spokeswoman added. Thorsten Rolfes, C&A spokesman in Berlin, said the company had commissioned the factory to make 220,000 sweaters to be delivered to Brazil. “The victims and their families are in our thoughts and prayers,” he said.

Separately, a flyover under construction fell onto a busy market, leaving at least 14 people dead including three construction workers in southeastern city of Chittagong, an official said yesterday. Local fire official Abdul Mannan said the concrete structure collapsed on Saturday night, and authorities recovered the bodies by yesterday morning from under the debris in the secondlargest city after Dhaka. — Agencies

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

sp orts Spartak sack Emery

Fans hail departing hero

Cooper set for boxing debut

MOSCOW: Former Valencia boss Unai Emery was sacked as Spartak Moscow coach following a 5-1 home defeat by bitter city rivals Dynamo in a Russian Premier League derby yesterday. “The club’s shareholders made a decision that Unai Emery will no longer coach Spartak,” Spartak director general Valery Karpin told reporters after the match, adding that a decision on a new coach will be made in the next few days.

Emery was given a vote of confidence by Spartak owner Leonid Fedun just five days ago following a 3-0 loss to Barcelona in the Champions League, but after a second home thrashing in a week the axe finally fell on the Spaniard.

Emery was appointed Spartak coach in May, replacing former Russia international Karpin despite the team finishing last season in second place and qualifying for the Champions League. The 41year-old was given a two-year contract after he led Valencia to three consecutive podium places in Spain behind Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Spartak, Russia’s most successful and popular club with nine league titles between 1992 and 2001, have not claimed any domestic trophies since winning the Russian Cup in 2003. —Reuters

SAO PAULO: Michael Schumacher’s fans made their presence felt at the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix yesterday as the seven times Formula One champion prepared to say farewell to the sport at the age of 43.

“On 25 Nov 2012, last day of the golden age of F1,” declared one banner in the grandstand overlooking the main Interlagos straight. “Michael, F1 is nothing without you” and “Michael, we love you,” said others.

Schumacher will start the race in 13th place, hoping to finish in the points at least at the end of a career that started in 1991 when Red Bull’s current world champion Sebastian Vettel was four years old.

“We’re not really in a position to offer a lot of fireworks in this last race although I wish to do,” the German said, standing next to championship leader Vettel on a truck as they went around the circuit for the pre-race drivers’ parade. “It’s been a pleasure to come back,” added the sport’s most successful driver, who won his titles and 91 races with Benetton and Ferrari before returning with Mercedes. —Reuters

BRISBANE: Australia flyhalf Quade Cooper is set to follow close friend and rugby World Cup winner Sonny Bill Williams into the professional boxing ring. Australian and New Zealand media reported on Sunday that Cooper would announce the decision of his move to the ring on Monday at a news conference in Brisbane.

Cooper, recuperating from a knee injury, is listed as 92 kilos on his Queensland Reds profile, just over boxing’s cruiserweight limit but putting him in the same heavyweight category as Williams.

The 24-year-old’s future with Australia could also be revealed on Monday, with the talented playmaker yet to announce if he has signed a new contract with the Australian Rugby Union.

Last week reports from Australia said the controversial Cooper, who had previously described the Wallabies camp as a ‘toxic environment’, would not renew his contract after being offered an insentive-based deal usually awarded to fringe squad members. Cooper was fined A$40,000 ($41,800) for his comments which capped a disappointing 12 months as the New Zealand-born player fell drastically from his perch as key Wallaby figure to an injury-prone sideshow. — Reuters

Bobcats keep Wizards winless WASHINGTON: Byron Mullens scored 27 points, Ramon Sessions had 20 and Ben Gordon added 19 as the Charlotte Bobcats earned their seventh win of the season and kept the Washington Wizards winless with a 108-106 double-overtime victory on Saturday night.

Last season, the Bobcats went 7-59 in the lockout-shortened season, the lowest winning percentage in NBA history, but have already equaled that victory total in their 12th game.

Washington fell to 0-11 despite the spark supplied by Nene, who energized the Wizards during most of his 29 minutes, but in the end, the Bobcats pulled out the win. Martel Webster had 21 points for Washington and Nene scored 19.

Lakers 115, Mavericks 89 In Dallas, Metta World Peace hit three early 3pointers to spark a Los Angeles barrage from long range, and the Lakers scored 36 points before Kobe Bryant took his first shot.

Bryant, the league’s leading scorer, finished with 19 once he did start shooting as the Lakers hit the century mark for the first time in four games under hobbled coach Mike D’Antoni.

The Lakers won for the first time in five road games and avoided their worst start away from home in nearly 20 years. OJ Mayo, who led the league in 3-pointers going in, was 0 of 5 from long range and finished with 13 points. Vince Carter led Dallas with 16.

SENDAI: Marissa Castelli (left) and Simon Shnapir of the US perform their pairs free skating at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating. — AP

Russian skaters win pairs event SENDAI: Russian figure skaters Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov won the pairs event at the NHK Trophy on Sunday to secure a place at next month’s Grand Prix final.

Bazarova and Larionov, who were first after the short program, finished first with 192.02 points after yesterday’s free skate, ahead of Canadians Kirsten MooreTowers and Dylan Moscovitch, who were second with 180.63 points. Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir of the United States were third with 174.51 points.

“We’re very happy to win,” Bazarova said. “This is the first time for us to win a GP event at the senior level. There were a few mistakes with our jumps and that is something we have to work on. We’re also happy to qualify for the GP final in Russia.”

Barazova and Larionov were deducted points for an under-rotated combination

jump early in their routine but recovered by executing some difficult throws to impress the judges.

Moore-Towers and Moscovitch also advanced to the GP final, which will be held in Sochi, Russia, from Dec. 6-9. The NHK Trophy is the sixth event of the International Skating Union’s GP series.

“Our skate wasn’t ideal and we could have been better but we’re happy to go the GP final,” Moscovitch said. “The fans here today were incredible, the love they have for the sport is remarkable.”

Russians Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov had previously qualified for the GP finals along with compatriots Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov.

“The level of figure skating is improving in Russia,” Bazarova said. “We have many new skaters in pairs, especially before the Olympics, so it is very competitive right now, which is good.” — AP

Heat 110, Cavaliers 108 In Miami, Ray Allen took a pass from LeBron James and made a 3-pointer with 18.2 seconds left, and Miami rallied from a seven-point deficit in the final 1:52 to beat Cleveland.

James finished with 30 points for the Heat, who remained perfect at home despite leading for only 2 minutes, 29 seconds. Chris Bosh scored 23 points, Dwyane Wade added 18 and Allen finished with 17 for the Heat, who lost Shane Battier in the third quarter to a sprained right knee.

Cleveland had a good look at the lead, but Wade blocked Jeremy Pargo’s jumper with 3 seconds left, and Allen added one free throw to stretch the lead to two. Cleveland controlled the rebound with 0.6 seconds left, but never got anything near the rim.

Thunder 116, 76ers 109 In Philadelphia, Kevin Durant scored 37 points, Russell Westbrook had 30 and Oklahoma City beat Philadelphia. Serge Ibaka added 18 points for the defending Western Conference champions, who’ve won nine of 11 to go to 10-4.

Thad Young had a season-high 29 points and career-high 15 rebounds, and Evan Turner scored 26 points for Philadelphia, which has lost two in a row after winning three straight.

Hawks 104, Clippers 93 In Atlanta, Jeff Teague had 19 points and 11 assists, Zaza Pachulia added 19 points and 12 rebounds, and Atlanta won its fifth straight by beating Los Angeles. Blake Griffin scored 22 points and Chris Paul had 19 for the Clippers.

Los Angeles has lost a season-high three consecutive games after winning six in a row. Lou Williams finished with 18 points and Josh Smith added 17 for Atlanta.

Bulls 93, Bucks 86 In MIlwaukee, Carlos Boozer and Richard Hamilton scored 22 points apiece to lead Chicago over Milwaukee, breaking a four-game losing streak. The win by the Bulls was the ninth straight over the Bucks and the fifth straight at the Bradley Center. The last time Milwaukee beat Chicago was on April 10, 2010, in Chicago.

Boozer also grabbed 19 rebounds for the

DALLAS: Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant (24) and teammate Chris Duhon (21) work to contain Dallas Mavericks shooting guard Dominique Jones (20) during the second half of an NBA basketball game. — AP

NBA results/standings Oklahoma City 116, Philadelphia 109 (OT); Charlotte 108, Washington 106 (OT); Atlanta 104, La Clippers 93; Miami 110, Cleveland 108; LA Lakers 115, Dallas 89; Chicago 93, Milwaukee 86; Sacramento 108, Utah 97; Golden State 96, Minnesota 85.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT NY Knicks 8 3 .727 Brooklyn 7 4 .636 Philadelphia 7 6 .538 Boston 7 6 .538 Toronto 3 10 .231 Central Division Milwaukee 6 5 .545 Chicago 6 6 .500 Indiana 6 8 .429 Detroit 3 10 .231 Cleveland 3 10 .231 Southeast Division Miami 10 3 .769 Atlanta 8 4 .667 Charlotte 7 5 .583 Orlando 5 7 .417 Washington 0 11 0

GB 1 2 2 6 0.5 1.5 4 4 1.5 2.5 4.5 9

Bulls, who outrebounded the Bucks 54-40.

Brandon Jennings led the Bucks with 23 points and Monta Ellis added 17 points.

Kings 108, Jazz 97 In Sacramento, Tyreke Evans scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half and slumping Sacramento beat Utah. The Kings squandered a 13-point lead in a two-point loss Friday in Utah, but this time held on to win for only the second time in eight games.

Jason Thompson had 16 points and nine rebounds for Sacramento, which outscored the Jazz 56-41 in the second half. Aaron Brooks made three 3-pointers and scored 13 points.

Sacramento committed 12 first-half turnovers, but had just two after intermission.

Kings center DeMarcus Cousins was ejected with 1:35 left in the third quarter after arguing over a foul he committed against Enes Kanter.

Cousins, the Kings’ leading scorer and rebound-

Western Conference Northwest Division Oklahoma City 10 4 .714 Denver 7 6 .538 Utah 7 7 .500 Portland 6 6 .500 Minnesota 5 7 .417 Pacific Division LA Clippers 8 5 .615 Golden State 8 6 .571 LA Lakers 7 7 .500 Phoenix 6 7 .462 Sacramento 4 9 .308 Southwest Division Memphis 9 2 .818 San Antonio 10 3 .769 Dallas 7 7 .500 Houston 6 7 .462 New Orleans 3 8 .273

number one tennis player. “I guess in a way Justin gave me the opportunity to win it in the way that I did.

“Seeing a target there and shooting at it definitely makes you get more focused. This is a great tournament and this is a great way to end the European Tour

season,” added McIlroy. “I’m over the moon. There are so many strong players on the tour and there will continue to be a lot of strong players coming through on this tour,” added McIlroy who complained of feeling unwell in the middle of the event.

DUBAI: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland (right) holds the trophy with Mohammed Sharaf, Group CEO DP World, after he won the final round of DP World Golf Championship in Dubai. — AP

0.5 1.5 2 4 3.5 4 6

er, had 13 points and nine rebounds.

Warriors 96, Timberwolves 85 In Oakland ,Klay Thompson scored a seasonhigh 24 points, Stephen Curry added 20 points and six assists, and Golden State beat Minnesota.

The Warriors trailed most of the game but went on a 19-2 run, with reserves Carl Landry, Draymond Green and rookie Harrison Barnes providing the bulk of the scoring. Landry had five points, Green had four and Barnes - who had a thunderous one-handed dunk over Minnesota’s 6-foot-11 center Nikola Pekovic in the second quarter - added three to help Golden State go ahead for good.

David Lee added 17 points and eight rebounds for the Warriors, who have won 10 of 12 against the Timberwolves. Kevin Love had 15 points and 15 rebounds for Minnesota, his third straight double-double since returning from a broken right hand. — AP

McIlroy repels Rose’s record charge to triumph in Dubai DUBAI: World number one Rory McIlroy picked up $2.33 million worth of desert treasure after repelling a record-breaking charge from Ryder Cup team mate Justin Rose to win the DP World Tour Championship yesterday.

Rose almost spiked the guns of the Northern Irishman, who shared the overnight lead with Luke Donald, when he carved two shots off the previous Earth course record with a breathtaking 10-under final round of 62 containing eight birdies and an eagle.

The Englishman set his target early but U.S. PGA winner McIlroy finished with the flourish of a true champion, birdying the last five holes to clinch victory by two strokes with a closing 66 and a 23-under tally of 265. “I just wanted to finish the season the way I think it deserved to be finished,” McIlroy told reporters after winning for the fifth time in 2012.

“I didn’t want the year to just tail off, I wanted to end it in real style. On the back nine I knew I needed to pull out something special and I somehow summoned up the energy from somewhere to finish with five birdies in the last five holes.” Donald (71) was tied third on 270 with South African Charl Schwartzel (68) in the final event of the European Tour season.

The 23-year-old McIlroy, who started the final round with a bogey five at the first, collected $1.33 million for landing the trophy and an additional $1 million from the tour’s bonus prize pool.

“It means a lot to me to win here in this fashion,” said the 2011 U.S. Open winner who was cheered on by girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki, the former world

2.5 3 3 4

The billboards in the city called the tournament ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’ and McIlroy and Rose did their best to live up to the billing with a red-hot exhibition of low-scoring on another sun-kissed day in the Emirate.

Dutchman Joost Luiten (276) and Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher (276) also recorded hole-in-ones while Spain’s Sergio Garcia shot his second 64 of the week to finish tied for ninth on 274 in his first outing since the Ryder Cup in September.

The highly-anticipated duel between McIlroy and Donald never materialised as the world number two failed to keep up the inspired form that had seen him go 102 holes in the tournament, this year and last, without a bogey.

The Englishman’s remarkable scoring sequence ended when he dropped a stroke at the third and he was never able to mount a sustained final-round challenge. Rose said he had been feeling a sense of frustration with his putter but he put that right on Sunday, especially at the last where he left a brilliant 70-foot eagle attempt hanging tantalisingly on the lip. The big crowd circled around the 18th green were perched on the edges of their seats as the ball almost slowed to a halt at the top of a ridge before it picked up pace again and nearly went in.

“It was hero or zero there,” said Rose. “I was one roll away from looking like an idiot. “I was just trying to putt to a point on the hill and let gravity take its course. I actually got goosebumps because for a second I thought it was going to go in.” —Reuters

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

sp orts

Best sparks 10-wicket victory for West Indies KHULNA: Tino Best took a career best 640 in an innings to set up a crushing 10wicket victory for West Indies in the second test against Bangladesh in Khulna yesterday.

Best helped West Indies skittle Bangladesh for 287 runs in their second innings on the fifth day, setting up a target of 28 runs to win for the tourists, who won the first test by 77 runs. The West Indies reached 30-0 in just 4.4 over complete a 2-0 sweep in the series.

“It’s a good feeling when you are winning, good to see when you plan, go out and execute, your teammates go out and perform consistently,” said West Indies captain Darren Sammy.

“The slow steps that we have taken are bettering ourselves and moving us up in Test cricket.” Kieran Powell smashed Naeem Islam for two successive fours to bring up the win while Chris Gayle was unbeaten on 20 at the other end.

Bangladesh resumed play at 226-6 and lost a wicket on the fourth ball of the morning when Mahmudullah was caught

by Denesh Ramdin off Veerasammy Permaul for two. Best added three wickets in the morning to his three overnight, giving him a five-wicket haul in succes-

sive tests. He struck with his first ball of the day, bowling Sohag Gazi for seven before the paceman uprooted the leg stump of Nasir Hossain with the batsman on 94.

Nasir, who began the day on 64, has now missed his maiden century in second successive test after he was out for 96 in the first innings of first test in Dhaka. “In this test, there were a couple of guys who put up their hand and did a good job,” said Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim. “Congratulations to Shakib for his 100th wicket and Nasir for his good form but we need to work harder to have more players performing like them.

“One of our challenges is to overcome our problems and bat much better.” Best removed the final wicket of Rubel Hossain for 14 a ball after the batsman was dropped by Fidel Edwards off Permaul. Marlon Samuels was named man of the match for his 260 runs in the first innings.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who scored a double century and a century in two tests, was named man of the series. The five-match ODI series between the teams begins on Nov. 30. —Reuters

ADELAIDE: Australia’s fielders surround a South African batsman late on the fourth day of their cricket Test match in Adelaide. —AP

Australia close in on victory in second Test ADELAIDE: A fired-up Australia attack skittled South Africa’s top order late on the fourth day to march to the brink of victory in the second Test yesterday. Set a mammoth target of 430 for victory, the tourists’ chase began disastrously, captain Graeme Smith out for a duck with the sixth ball of the innings and three more wickets tumbling quickly in the afternoon heat at Adelaide Oval.

Wicketkeeper batsman AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis dug in for more than an hour and a half, but South Africa staggered to 77-4 at the close, 353 runs adrift of their target.

De Villiers was on 12 and Du Plessis on 19, with injured Jacques Kallis the last specialist batsman in the Proteas’ dressing room. South Africa assistant coach Russell Domingo conceded a draw was the best they could hope for. “Definitely, yeah ... We know that 370 on the last day, four wickets down is probably out of the window,” he told reporters.

“The target is far away, but they’re still out there. “There’s every possibility that something special could happen, so there’s an opportunity for someone to make a major play for his country.” South Africa’s hopes may again rest on all-rounder Kallis, who battled a hamstring strain to score a half-century in the first innings and help the tourists avoid the follow-on.

With Smith and number three Hashim Amla out before tea, Jacques Rudolph and opener Alviro Petersen resumed at 40-2 but their partnership lasted only five more runs before spinner Nathan Lyon claimed his second wicket of the innings.

Lyon, who two years ago worked as a groundsman at Adelaide Oval, had Rudolph poke the ball to Ed Cowan, who lunged low and to his left to take a sharp catch at short leg. Out for three, Rudolph’s dismissal was his fourth at the hands of the 25-year-old offspinner from four innings in the series.

Petersen’s celebrations for his 32nd birthday were tempered an over later, when he

KHULNA: West Indies’ cricket captain Darren Sammy poses with the trophy after West Indies won the second and final cricket Test against Bangladesh by 10 wickets to wrap up a 2-0 series victory. —AP

SCOREBOARD KHULNA, Bangladesh: Scoreboard after West Indies beat Bangladesh in the second test by 10 wickets at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium yesterday.

Bangladesh first innings 387 (Abul Hasan 113, Mahmudullah 76, Nasir Hossain 52; Fidel Edwards 6-90) West Indies first innings 648-9 declared (Marlon Samuels 260, Shivnarine Chanderpaul 150 not out, Darren Bravo 127; Shakib Al Hasan 4151, Sohag Gazi 3-167) Bangladesh second innings (overnight 226-6) Tamim Iqbal b Best 28 Nazimuddin lbw b Edwards 0 Shahriar Nafees c Sammy b Best 21 Naeem Islam b Best 2 Shakib Al Hasan c Best b Permaul 97 Mushfiqur Rahim b Permaul 10 Nasir Hossain b Best 94 Mahmudullah c Ramdin b Permaul 2 Sohag Gazi b Best 7 Abul Hasan not out 7 Rubel Hossain c Bravo b Best 14 Extras (lb-3, w-1, nb-1) 5 Total (all out; 70.1 overs) 287

Fall of wickets: 1-1 2-49 3-51 4-62 5-82 6-226 7-228 8-254 9-269 Bowling: Edwards 17-0-95-1 (1nb), Narine 9-0-48-0, Permaul 20-2-67-3, Best 12.1-1-40-6 (1w), Gayle 4-0-15-0, Sammy 8-3-19-0 West Indies second innings C. Gayle not out 20 K. Powel not out 9 Extras (w-1) 1 Total (no loss; 4.4 overs) 30 Did not bat: D. Bravo, S. Chanderpaul, M. Samuels, D. Ramdin, D. Sammy, V. Permaul, S. Narine, T. Best, F. Edwards Bowling: Sohag Gazi 1-0-8-0, Rubel Hossain 2-0-14-0 (1w), Naeem Islam 1.41-8-0 West Indies won by 10 wickets.

West Indies won the series 2-0 Man of the Match: Marlon Samuels Man of the series: Shivnarine Chanderpaul

Kuwait ready for Asia press conference KUWAIT: Preparations are underway for hosting the Asian Sports Press Union (ASPU) conference which takes place in Kuwait on Dec 1-2, said head of the organizing committee Faisal AlQana’ei who announced that the committee managed to overcome financial problems that threatened the event.

The event takes place at the Radisson SAS Hotel featuring delegations representing 26 Asian countries,

in addition to President of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) and other top AIPS members.

The delegations are scheduled to meet with Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad AlSabah who will host a luncheon on Dec 1, while they are also invited to a dinner hosted by Information Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah AlMubarak Al-Sabah following the closing ceremony.

was out for 24, dragging a delivery from fellow birthday boy Peter Siddle onto his stumps to leave his team reeling at 45-4.

“Obviously I guess I can have a bit of a happier one than him tonight, so that’s always nice,” Siddle told reporters. Charged with steering South Africa to safety, De Villiers and Du Plessis slowed their scoring to a crawl, with all thought of victory banished.

The pair added only 10 runs in little more than an hour after the last session’s drinks break, with every score drawing ironic cheers from sections of the crowd of 16,000.

Any wafer-thin South African hopes may lie with the Australians running out of steam on the final day, with paceman James Pattinson ruled out for the rest of the series with a rib injury and Australia’s bowlers forced to shoulder a greater workload.

“Obviously we’re in a good position but

there’s still a lot of work tomorrow morning to be done,” said Siddle. “I think if we can stick to the same stuff we did this afternoon we can finish on a good note.

“We’ll keep charging in tomorrow, keep banging that wicket and we’ll keep having a crack at getting those six wickets.” Pattinson’s injury soured a dominant day for the hosts, who resumed on 111-5 and declared after lunch at 267-8 following a feisty ninth-wicket stand of 47 from the bowler and Ben Hilfenhaus.

Smith, who anchored the tourists’ first innings with a defiant century, was out for a duck when he sent a thick edge to Ricky Ponting at second slip. Amla and Petersen added 33 runs for the second wicket before Lyon struck to remove the number three for 17 off 36 balls, caught behind by Australia captain Michael Clarke at slip. — Reuters

SCOREBOARD ADELAIDE: Scoreboard at the close of the fourth day of the second test between Australia and South Africa at Adelaide Oval yesterday: Australia won the toss and chose to bat Australia first innings 550 South Africa first innings 388 Australia second innings (overnight 111-5) D. Warner c du Plessis b Kleinveldt 41 E. Cowan b Kleinveldt 29 R. Quiney c de Villiers b Kleinveldt 0 R. Ponting b Steyn 16 M. Clarke lbw Steyn 38 P. Siddle c de Villiers b Morkel 1 M. Hussey c Steyn b Morkel 54 M. Wade c De Villiers b Morkel 18 J. Pattinson not out 29 B. Hilfenhaus not out 18 Extras (b-4 lb-10, nb-9) 23 Total (for 8 wickets decl, 70 overs) 267 Fall of wickets: 1-77 2-77 3-91 4-98 5-103 6-173 7-206 8-220 Did not bat: N. Lyon

Bowling: Steyn 17-5-50-2 (nb-1), Morkel 19-450-3 (nb-1), Kleinveldt 19-2-65-3 (nb-5), Tahir 14-1-80-0 (nb-2), F. Du Plessis 1-0-8-0 South Africa second innings G. Smith c Ponting b Hilfenhaus 0 A. Petersen b Siddle 24 H. Amla c Clarke b Lyon 17 J. Rudolph c Cowan b Lyon 3 AB De Villiers not out 11 F. Du Plessis not out 18 Extras: (1-b, 1-nb) 2 Total (for four wickets, 50 overs) 77 Fall of wickets: 1-3 2-36 3-45 4-45 Still to bat: Kallis, Morkel, Steyn, Tahir, Kleinveldt Bowling: B. Hilfenhaus 12-6-23-1, P. Siddle 115-23-1 (1-nb), M. Clarke 5-2-4-0, N. Lyon 15-715-2, D. Warner 3-0-10-0, R. Quiney 3-2-1-1, R. Ponting 1-1-0-0.

New Zealand in driver’s seat COLOMBO: New Zealand captain Ross Taylor led from the front with an unbeaten 119 as New Zealand ended the first day of the second Test against Sri Lanka on 223 for two wickets yesterday.

It was Taylor’s eighth Test hundred and his third as captain while Kane Williamson was on 95 not out at the close which came 9.1 overs early due to rain. The duo’s patient partnership of an unbroken 214 was the highest stand for any wicket by New Zealand in nine matches in 2012.

The stand was the perfect response by New Zealand’s batsmen after the debacle of the first test in Galle, when they crumbled for 118 in the second innings and lost by 10 wickets in less than three days.

“With all the pressure and the things that happened during the week (with the loss in Galle) and with all the distractions it’s up there with the other hundreds I’ve scored,” Taylor told Reuters. “But test match cricket is played over five days and how good today was depends on how we get on in the morning.”

Taylor chose to bat first but must have been wondering about the wisdom of that decision as his side slipped to 14 for two.

Martin Guptill opened his account with a straight-driven four off Nuwan Kulasekera’s medium pace, only to edge the final ball of the first over to first slip where Angelo Mathews took a straightforward catch.

Brendon McCullum fell three overs later, adjudged leg-before wicket to Shaminda Eranga by umpire Marais Erasmus. McCullum was clearly frustrated by the decision and replays showed he got an inside edge on to the ball before it cannoned into his front pad.

There was no reprieve, however, as the Decision Review System is not in operation during this series.

Taylor enjoyed some good fortune early on, slashing Eranga over Mathews at third slip and then inside edging the same bowler past legstump, but otherwise played a model innings.

He has faced 241 balls and hit 10 fours and of the five test hundreds scored by New Zealand batsmen this year, Taylor’s haul is now three.

COLOMBO: New Zealand’s Kane Williamson (center) plays a shot as Sri Lanka’s Prasanna Jayawardene (left) and Tharanga Paranavitana look on during the first day of their second Test cricket match. —AP Right-hander Williamson, who has another one of those five, faced 229 balls and hit eight fours in an exhibition of risk-free batting.

“Kane Williamson has struggled a bit in recent times and for him to come out and play like he did under a lot of pressure is credit to him,” said Taylor. “He’s worked very hard during the week and it’s nice when you work hard and get some rewards. He’s still got to go on tomorrow but I’m very pleased for him.”

The man who tore New Zealand’s batting apart in Galle with 11 wickets, left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, finished the day wicket-less after bowling 21 overs for 45 runs.

“He can still get 11 wickets so we don’t want to get too carried away,” said Taylor.

“He’ll still play a big part in this test match but hopefully the way Kane and I played him, the rest of the team can get confidence from that.” New Zealand are seeking to avoid a sixth successive test defeat which would equal their worst sequence of results from 1954 and 1955. —Reuters

SCOREBOARD Scoreboard after the first day of the second test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Colombo.

New Zealand won the toss and opted to bat New Zealand first innings M.Guptill c Mathews b Kulasekara 4 B.McCullum lbw b Eranga 4 K.Williamson not out 95 R.Taylor not out 119 Extras (nb1) 1 Total (for two wickets; 80.5 overs) 223 To bat: K.van Wyk, T.Astle, D.Flynn, J.Patel, T.Southee, D.Bracewell, T.Boult Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-14 Bowling: Kulasekara 13.5-2-42-1 (1nb), Eranga 14-0-70-1, Mathews 5-1-14-0, Herath 21-2-45-0, Randiv 23-3-47-0, Dilshan 4-0-5-0 Sri Lanka lead the series 1-0

18

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

S P ORT S

Notre Dame defeat USC LOS ANGELES: Theo Riddick ran for 146 yards and a touchdown, Kyle Brindza kicked five field goals, and Notre Dame earned a chance to play for its first national title since 1988.

Everett Golson passed for 217 yards as the Fighting Irish (12-0) completed their first perfect regular season since that title campaign.

Although they did little with flash on an electric night at the Coliseum, the Irish woke up more echoes of past Notre Dame greats with a grinding effort in this dynamic intersectional rivalry with USC (7-5), which has lost three of four.

Notre Dame’s hard-nosed defense appropriately made the decisive stand in the final minutes, keeping USC out of the end zone on four plays from the 1 with 2:33 to play.

Alabama 49, Auburn 0 In Tuscaloosa, AJ McCarron passed for four touchdowns and Eddie Lacy ran for 131 yards and two scores in the most lopsided Iron Bowl in 64 years. The Crimson Tide (10-1, 7-

BCS national title but still has an outside shot at finishing No. 1 in the final Associated Press Top 25 if other contenders lose. Michigan (8-4, 6-2) will now await a minor bowl bid. Drew Basil matched his season output with four field goals and the defense did the rest, forcing three turnovers in the second half.

Oregon 48, Oregon State 24 In Corvallis, Kenjon Barner ran for 198 yards and two touchdowns despite leaving the game for a time with an injury and the Ducks kept alive their hopes for a spot in the Pac12 title game and even an outside chance at the national championship.

De’Anthony Thomas, who helped picked up the slack while Barner was on the sidelines, ran for 122 yards and three scores for the Ducks (11-1, 8-1).

After Oregon’s undefeated season was thwarted by a 17-14 overtime loss to Stanford last weekend, the Ducks had to wait for UCLA’s game against the Cardinal later Saturday to see who would be headed to the

bit. Manziel added 67 yards rushing and completed 32 of 44 passes on Saturday. He has thrown for 24 touchdowns and ran for 19 this season. The win snaps A&M’s three-game losing streak to Missouri (5-7, 2-6 SEC), and kept the Tigers from becoming bowl eligible for the first time since 2004.

Stanford 35, Ucla 17 In Pasedena, Stepfan Taylor ran for 142 yards and two touchdowns, Kevin Hogan passed for 160 yards and another score, and Stanford won the Pac-12 North and a rematch with the Bruins in the conference championship game.

The Cardinal (10-2, 8-1 Pac-12) found out about 10 minutes before the opening kickoff that No. 5 Oregon (11-1, 8-1) had beaten No. 16 Oregon State 48-24, meaning they had to win to qualify for another shot at UCLA - a game Stanford will host next Friday.

The Cardinal, who have three straight 10-win seasons for the first time, beat Oregon 17-14 in overtime last weekend. Brett Hundley was 20

on a 4-yard keeper on fourth-and-1.

Joseph Randle ran for 113 yards and matched his career-high with four touchdowns for Oklahoma State (7-4, 5-3), which settled for Quinn Sharp’s 26-yard field goal in overtime. On the Sooners’ second play, Clay got through traffic at the line of scrimmage and then broke through attempted tackles by Daytawion Lowe and Shamiel Gary to score the winner and set off a celebration on Owen Field.

Pittsburgh 27, Rutgers 6 In Pittsburg, Tino Sunseri passed for 227 yards and two touchdowns in his final home game as Pittsburgh overwhelmed No. 21 Rutgers 27-6 on Saturday. Ray Graham ran for 113 yards and a score for the Panthers (56, 2-4 Big East), who kept their hopes for bowl eligibility alive while drumming the Scarlet Knights.

Rutgers (9-2, 5-1) will play No. 19 Louisville on Thursday with a Bowl Championship Series berth on the line, though the Scarlet Knights head home with little momentum after the Panthers dominated in their last game Heinz Field as a member of the Big East, racing to a 21-0 halftime lead and coasting.

Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova passed for 157 yards with a touchdown and an interception but the Scarlet Knights were never in it on a day the Panthers played like the team with everything on the line.

Connecticut 23, Louisville 20 In Louisville, Chad Christen’s 30yard field goal in the third overtime gave Connecticut the victory. Blidi Wreh-Wilson set up the Huskies’ winning score by intercepting Teddy Bridgewater’s pass intended for DeVante Parker in the end zone. The Huskies ran three plays for 12 yards before Christen’s second OT kick gave Connecticut (5-6, 2-4 Big East Conference) its second straight win.

Louisville (9-2, 4-2) dropped its second straight but still has a chance for a BCS bowl bid by beating firstplace Rutgers (9-2, 5-1) on Thursday.

Bridgewater completed 30 of 53 passes for 331 and two touchdowns but was sacked four times and broke his left wrist. He is expected to play against Rutgers.

CHICAGO: Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall (15) gives a stiff arm to Minnesota Vikings cornerback A.J. Jefferson (24) in the first half of an NFL football game. —AP 1 Southeastern Conference) clinched the Western Division title outright and a spot in the conference title game against No. 3 Georgia.

None of that will come as easily as this one. Auburn (3-9, 0-8) completed the worst season for any team within two years of winning an Associated Press national title in what might have been the last game for embattled coach Gene Chizik. The biggest Iron Bowl margin was Alabama’s 55-0 victory in 1948.

Georgia 42, Georgia Tech 10 In Athens, Aaron Murray threw two touchdown passes, Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall each ran for a pair of TDs, and Georgia stayed right in the thick of the national championship race.

The Bulldogs (11-1) extended the domination of the Yellow Jackets, beating their state rival for the 11th time in 12 meetings. This one was a laugher from the start as the home team scored just over a minute into the game, built a 28-3 halftime lead and was up 42-3 before Georgia Tech (6-6) scored its lone TD. Ohio State 26, Michigan 21 In Columbus, Carlos Hyde ran for 146 yards and Ohio State’s defense shut out Michigan in the second half to complete a 12-0 season. It was a sweet win for the Buckeyes, just 6-7 last season with a loss to their archrivals in a transitional year in which they were facing heavy NCAA penalties. After Urban Meyer took the job as head coach a year ago, they were socked with a bowl ban after this season - and still ran the table. Ohio State (12-0, 8-0 Big Ten) is ineligible for a

conference championship game.

Both Oregon and Stanford started the day with one conference loss in the league’s northern division. Sean Mannion threw for 311 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted four times for the Beavers (8-3).

Florida 37, Florida State 26 In Tallahassee, Mike Gillislee ran for two touchdowns and the Gators beat their rivals to stay in the national title hunt. Florida regained the lead 23-20 on Gillislee’s 37-yard run with 11:01 left in the final period on the first play after Florida State’s EJ Manuel fumbled, his fourth turnover of the game.

Gillislee finished with 140 yards rushing.

Florida (11-1, 7-1 Southeastern Conference) came into the game fourth in the BCS standings. Florida State (10-2, 7-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) was hurt by five turnovers in the game. The Seminoles will play Georgia Tech next week in the ACC title game.

Texas A&M 59, Missoui 29 IN College Station, Johnny Manziel threw for 372 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two more scores in his last chance to make a Heisman statement. The Aggies (10-2, 6-2 SEC) scored touchdowns on their first six drives to build a 42-7 halftime lead and coast to their first 10-win season since 1998.

About the only drama in this one came when Manziel was shaken up on a tackle at the end of a run in the first quarter. But Johnny Football missed just four plays before returning with a brace on his left knee. And it didn’t seem to slow him down one

of 38 for 261 yards and a TD with one interception while being sacked seven times for UCLA (9-3, 6-3).

Johnathan Franklin, the Bruins’ leading career rusher, was held to 65 yards on 21 carries.

South Carolina 27, Clemson 17 In Clemson, Backup quarterback Dylan Thompson threw for three touchdowns, Jadeveon Clowney had 4 1/2 sacks and South Carolina won its fourth straight over Clemson.

Thompson got the call for the Gamecocks (10-2) because starter Connor Shaw sprained his left foot last week against Wofford. And the Gamecocks sophomore made the most of it with TD passes of 13 and 6 yards to Bruce Ellington and 34 yards to Ace Sanders.

The Tigers (10-2) were grounded

by Clowney, the Gamecocks star defensive end who set his school’s single season-record with 13 sacks.

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier won his 65th game in eight seasons, surpassing Rex Enright for most victories by a South Carolina coach. The Gamecocks finished with 10 victories for a second consecutive season, a first in program history. Tajh Boyd was 11 of 24 for 183 yards and two crushing interceptions for Clemson.

Oklahoma 51, Oklahoma State 48 In Norman, Landry Jones threw for 500 yards and three touchdowns, and Brennan Clay scored on an 18yard run in overtime to lift Oklahoma. The Sooners (9-2, 7-1 Big 12) never led during regulation, overcoming double-digit deficits in both halves. Backup quarterback Blake Bell tied it with 4 seconds left

Utah State 45, Idaho 9 In Logan, Chuckie Keeton passed for two touchdowns, Kerwynn Williams rushed for 110 yards and senior Will Davis returned an interception 59 yards for a touchdown as Utah State secured its first outright conference title in 76 years.

The Western Athletic Conference champion Aggies (10-2, 6-0) also earned their first 10-win season. The Aggies intercepted three of Taylor Davis’ passes in the first half and forced him to fumble. Williams’ 52yard run set up Keeton’s 3-yard TD pass to Kellen Bartlett early in the third quarter for a 28-9 advantage for the Aggies.

Williams added a 14-yard TD run in the fourth after opening the scoring with a 19-yard TD reception. Lou Groza Award finalist Trey Farquhar kicked field goals of 38, 46 yards and 52 yards - his 11th career field goal of 50 yards or more for Idaho (1-11, 1-5).

Mississippi 41, Mississippi State 24 In Oxford, Bo Wallace threw for 294 yards and five touchdowns, Donte Moncrief caught three TD passes and Mississippi snapped a three-game losing streak in the Egg Bowl. The Rebels (6-6, 3-5) also earned bowl eligibility for the first time since 2009. Mississippi State (84, 4-4) made a field goal late in the second quarter to tie the game at 17-17 going into halftime. But the Rebels reeled off 24 straight points in the second half to push past the Bulldogs.

Moncrief caught seven passes for 173 yards and tied a school record with three receiving touchdowns.

Jeff Scott added 111 rushing yards.

Chad Bumphis led Mississippi State with six catches for 146 yards and two touchdowns. Tyler Russell completed 18 of 33 passes for 268 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. —AP

KSSC adopt environmental emblem KUWAIT: The Kuwait Sea Sports Club announced adopting an emblem recognized by the Gulf Cooperation Council countries in spreading environmental awareness, to be used as an official emblem during the 7th Kuwait International Sailboats Championship

that takes place next month. As per the decision, the ‘sail is environment friendly’ emblem will be printed on all publications pertaining with the competition.

“Supporting this project reflects the KSSC’s commitment to support purposeful

projects and utilize sports activities to spread environmental values”, said Vice President of the Sailing, Rowing and Kayak Committee Mahmoud Abu Al-Qassem. The project was adopted by the executive committee for sailboat competitions in the GCC.

MANCHESTER: Britain’s Ricky Hatton (left) fights against Vyacheslav Senchenko of the Ukraine at the Manchester Evening News Arena. —AP

Hatton retires after ninth round knockout MANCHESTER: Britain’s Ricky Hatton announced his retirement from boxing for a second time after his comeback ended in a ninth-round knockout defeat

by Ukrainian welterweight Vyacheslav Senchenko in Manchester, England on Saturday.

Britain’s 34-year-old two-weight former world champion had lost 4-1/2 stone in preparation for his first fight in 3-1/2 years and 20,000 raucous fans turned up at the MEN Arena to see his return to the ring in his home city.

He seemed to heading for a points win but began to tire in the later rounds and the 35-year-old Senchenko, himself a former world champion, unleashed a fierce left hook to the body.

Hatton hit the canvas and failed to beat the count leaving the Ukrainian, who only lost his world title to American Paulie Malignaggi in April, as the only man to beat him in England.

“I needed one more fight to see if I had still got it - and I haven’t,” Hatton told a post-fight news conference. “I found out tonight it isn’t there no more. “I can look at myself in the mirror and tell myself I did my best, but there is always an excuse to find.

“I got in the best shape I possibly could but if I hadn’t been hit with that body shot I would have just scraped over the line with a points win and I honestly think I would still be telling you all the same thing.

“A fighter knows and I know it isn’t there any more. I got the opportunity

and I got the answers and, no matter how upsetting it is, I have got to be a man and say it is the end of Ricky Hatton,” he added.

Former WBA world welterweight champion Senchenko, who has lost just once in 34 fights, winning 22 by knockout, was a stern test for Hatton whose hopes of another world title fight were left in tatters by the defeat.

“I thought I was maybe four rounds up but there were clear signs of ring rust,” a tearful Hatton said just after the fight on Primetime TV. “I hurt him a few times, and I was winning. It was a good shot, I should have realised he was looking for that.

“I suppose that is what three-and-ahalf years out of the ring does. I think I did alright - this guy only lost his unbeaten record in his last fight,” Hatton added.

Britain’s former welterweight and light-welterweight world champion, who had quit after a devastating two-round knockout by Manny Pacquiao in May 2009, lost three of his 48 fights.

His best performance came in 2005 when he stopped Australia’s Kostya Tszyu to add the IBF light-welterweight title to the WBU belt he already held. He had a perfect 43-0 record until he was floored

by Floyd Mayweather Jr in Las Vegas in 2007 and was never the same again.

Unconvincing wins followed over Juan Lazcano and Malignaggi but he was outclassed by Pacquiao and after a long period of inactivity retired for the first time in July last year. —Reuters

ONTARIO: Andre Berto walks to his corner after the 11th round of a WBC interim welterweight title fight with Robert Guerrero. —AP

Guerrero stops Berto ONTARIO: Robert Guerrero knocked down Andre Berto twice on the way to a unanimous-decision victory in a welterweight bout on Saturday. Guerrero (31-11) floored the former champion in the first round and again in the second round before persevering through a physically punishing bout. Berto’s eyes were both swollen shut by the final bell, and Guerrero’s right eye was nearly closed after multiple rounds of closerange punching.

“I did tell Andre I was going to beat him down, so I had to be a man of my word,” Guerrero said. “But he did defend himself like a true champ. ... I had to get on the inside with him, work his body and fight him on the inside.”

Guerrero, the former champion at featherweight and super featherweight, called out Floyd Mayweather Jr. after the fight. Guerrero and Mayweather both have promotional relationships with Golden Boy, making a matchup possible.

“Pretty Boy, let’s do it,” Guerrero said.

Berto (28-2) recovered from a slow start to test Guerrero despite a closed right eye from the second round onward.

Guerrero took significant damage, but hung on for his eighth consecutive win.

All three judges at Citizens Bank Business Arena scored the bout 116-110 for Guerrero.

Returning to the ring for his first fight in 14 months, Berto complained about the officiating after his second loss in three outings. Berto failed a doping test earlier this year, wiping out a lucrative rematch with Victor Ortiz.

“I just didn’t understand,” Berto said.

“He was coming in, grabbing and holding me. Every time I tried to get off, the

referee kept warning me for shots. ... At the end of the day, Robert fought a good fight and he got the win. If you want to do it again, we’ll definitely do that.”

Guerrero landed 35 percent of his 731 punches, while Berto connected with 44 percent of his 411 blows, including 50 percent of his power punches. Guerrero dropped Berto with a left hand over Berto’s defense and a series of additional left hands while a dazed Berto attempted to hold. Guerrero also appeared to use his right hand to keep Berto close during the flurry, but wasn’t called for a hold. Berto went down again in the opening seconds of the second round when Berto connected with a body shot and a left uppercut. Berto, whose eye was injured by a left cross moments earlier, gathered himself and clutched his way through the rest of the round, although Berto’s corner also complained about Guerrero’s tactics.

Berto picked up his aggression in the middle rounds, catching Guerrero with uppercuts and hooks. Both fighters traded big shots in the 12th round, which ended with Guerrero and Berto both claiming victory. “He didn’t hurt me at all,” Guerrero said. “I took some good shots from him. He’s a strong guy, punched hard, but I’ve got a good chin.”

On the undercard, rising 154-pounder Keith Thurman battered Carlos Quintana and eventually stopped the veteran with 41 seconds left in the fourth round.

Thurman (19-0, 18 KOs) knocked down Quintana in the first round with a hook to the body and never stopped pursuing Quintana, with referee Jack Briggs eventually stopping the bout with Quintana nearly out on his feet. —AP

19

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

SPORTS

Chelsea hold Man City Chelsea 0

Man City 0

ITALY: Sampdoria defender Jonathan Rossini (right) challenges Bologna midfielder Panagiotis Kone of Greece during a Serie A soccer match.—AP

Fiorentina escape with draw MILAN: Serie A surprise packages Fiorentina fought back twice to level in a 2-2 draw with Torino as Roma stayed in touch with the pacesetters thanks to a precious 1-0 win away to struggling Pescara yesterday.

Fiorentina had the chance to leapfrog Inter Milan into second place behind leaders Juventus, who are away to AC Milan in yesterday’s late match.

But in the end La Viola were happy to settle for a share of the points after Moroccan striker Mounir El Hamdaoui produced a superb late equaliser which took their unbeaten run to eight games.

Already without Stevan Jovetic, who is on his way back from injury, Fiorentina almost lost another striker in Luca Toni when the big Italian fell victim to a spectacular clash of heads on the half hour.

However it was Torino defender Kamil Glik, who came running in to challenge for a corner and instead smashed his head hard into Toni’s, who came worse off. He was left lying on the ground receiving treatment for several minutes before being carried off on a stretcher.

Torino were keeping Fiorentina on their toes and took a deserved lead through former Fiorentina striker Alessio Cerci, whose first-timer beat Emiliano Viviani in goal. Toni, still appearing dazed, came off to be replaced by Haris Seferovic two minutes later. Fiorentina were handed a lifeline when a penalty was awarded after Colombian Juan Cuadrado was clipped as he weaved his way into the area and Gonzalo Rodriguez stepped up to send Jean-Francois Gillet the wrong way.

Torino, however, restored their lead

only moments later when Viviani failed to reach a speculative shot by Valter Birsa, who whipped in a cross from the right wing only to see the ball land in the net.

Fiorentina were handed another lifeline when El Hamdaoui collected Cuadrado’s square ball inside the area to turn and beat Gillet with a powerful angled drive.

Roma, meanwhile, kept up with the pacesetters thanks to Mattia Destro, who got his foot to a rebound from Pescara ‘keeper Mattia Perin following a free kick to send the ball home in the fifth minute.

The Giallorossi’s seventh win of the season means they remain in sixth. There was movement, however, at the other end of the table.

Strugglers Genoa secured a shock 1-0 win away to Atalanta, thanks to Andrea Bertolacci’s 40th minute strike, to move off the bottom. Sampdoria moved up three places to 12th, one place ahead of AC Milan thanks to a 1-0 home win against 10-man Bologna.

The Genoese side were given a helping hand when Bologna defender Archimede Morleo was shown a straight red card for a late tackle on Emmanuel Icardi as he powered down the left wing.

Bologna’s ninth defeat of the campaign leaves them second from bottom with 11 points from 14 games, the same as basement side Pescara. In other games third from bottom Siena held Chievo, who sit one place above, to a scoreless draw. Serie A continues Monday when Cagliari host Napoli and Inter Milan visit Parma. Lazio then host Udinese on Tuesday.—AFP

Italian League results/standings Torino 2 (Cerci 40, Birsa 76) Fiorentina 2 (Rodriguez 75-pen, El Hamdaoui 84); Pescara 0 Roma 1 (Destro 5); Sampdoria 1 (Poli 61) Bologna 0; Atalanta 0 Genoa 1 (Bertolcacci 39); Chievo 0 Siena 0.

Playing today Cagliari v Napoli, Parma v Inter.

Italian League table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Juventus Inter Milan Fiorentina Napoli Lazio Roma Catania Atalanta Parma Udinese Cagliari Sampdoria

13 10 13 9 14 8 13 8 13 7 14 7 14 5 14 6 13 4 13 3 13 4 14 5

2 1 4 3 2 2 4 2 5 7 4 2

1 3 2 2 4 5 5 6 4 3 5 7

29 26 25 22 19 31 18 14 16 18 13 17

9 15 12 11 17 23 20 20 18 20 19 19

32 28 28 27 23 23 19 18 17 16 16 16

AC Milan 13 4 3 6 20 18 15 Torino 14 3 7 4 15 14 15 Palermo 14 3 5 6 14 21 14 Genoa 14 3 3 8 14 22 12 Chievo 14 3 3 8 13 25 12 Siena 14 4 5 5 13 14 11 Bologna 14 3 2 9 15 19 11 Pescara 14 3 2 9 9 25 11 Note: Sampdoria (one point), Torino (one point), Atalanta (two points) and Siena (six points) all docked points for involvement in ‘Calcioscommesse’ illegal betting scandal

Freiburg rout Stuttgart BERLIN: Freiburg warmed up for the visit of league leaders Bayern Munich in midweek with an impressive 3-0 victory at home to VfB Stuttgart yesterday to break into the Bundesliga’s top six.

Bayern will be the visitors on Wednesday, with a round of Bundesliga matches being played midweek, and they can expect a tough match at Freiburg’s Mage Solar Stadion ahead of next Saturday’s showdown in Munich against champions Dortmund.

“We need to regenerate well. We have a tough match in Freiburg on Wednesday, and then we play Dortmund. That’s a challenging week,” admitted Bayern’s France wing Franck Ribery who scored in Munich’s 5-0 win over Hanover at the weekend.

Freiburg took the lead over Stuttgart when Jan Rosenthal fired home from just outside the penalty area on 22 minutes just moments after Stuttgart’s Serbia midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic had slammed his shot off the post.

Freiburg turned the screw in the second-half as Czech Republic defender Pavel Krmas netted their second on 67 minutes, then midfielder Max Kruse netted the third just six minutes later.

The defeat left Stuttgart 12th in the league. Yesterday, Bayer Leverkusen stayed fifth with a 2-1 win at a Hoffenheim side without Germany goalkeeper Tim Wiese, who injured his right knee in the final training session. Midtable Borussia Moenchengladbach needed a late equaliser from Patrick Herrmann to rescue a point at bottom side Augsburg as it finished in a 1-1 draw.

On Saturday, Bayern ran riot at the

Allianz Arena in their 5-0 victory at home to Hanover 96 which extended their lead at the top to nine points. Bayern set another Bundesliga record of 34 points from the first 13 games, but defending champions Borussia Dortmund moved up to second after they came from behind to win 2-1 at Mainz and secure their third straight away win.

Schalke dropped to third after drawing 1-1 with Eintracht Frankfurt, who are fourth, in Gelsenkirchen. Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who has been linked with a move to Arsenal in the winter break, opened the scoring on 11 minutes to claim his first Bundeliga goal in 580 minutes.

The lead lasted only 105 seconds as Stefan Aigner headed Frankfurt level, but Eintracht were reduced to 10 men when Karim Matmour was dismissed for a second yellow card on 87 minutes.

Wolfsburg held Werder Bremen to a 11 draw as Wolves’ director of sport Klaus Allofs met the north German team he left earlier this month after 13 years. It was goalless in the Bundesliga’s first Franconian derby as Nuremberg were held by their neighbours Greuther Fuerth as both sides finished with 10 men.

On Friday, Hamburg’s Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart looks to hgave been ruled out for the rest of this year after suffering a suspected hamstring tear in his team’s 2-0 defeat at Fortuna Duesseldorf.

Hamburg are 10th in the league, while Duesseldorf, 14th, earned their first home win this season since their promotion-their first home victory in the Bundesliga for 15 years.0.—AFP

LONDON: Rafael Benitez was given a toxic welcome by Chelsea supporters as his first match as manager ended in a 0-0 draw at home to Premier League champions Manchester City yesterday.

The Spaniard became a hate figure at Stamford Bridge in the previous decade when he was in charge of Liverpool, where he made a number of comments about Chelsea that were deemed unforgivable by a section of the Blues support.

Yet just how strongly the majority of those present for this match felt about him was a surprise, as Benitez’s name was loudly booed by thousands of supporters as soon as it was mentioned by the on-pitch announcer. It only stopped when news that former Chelsea manager Dave Sexton had died was conveyed.

There was a minute’s applause in Sexton’s memory but afterwards the home fans sang in praise of Roberto Di Matteo, the man sacked to make way for Benitez, who was soon also told that he was “not wanted here”.

Placards with the words ‘Rafa out’ were also held up for the benefit of the television cameras.

Less eyebrow-raising was the restoration of Fernando Torres to the Chelsea starting line-up, after he was dropped for the 3-0 Champions League defeat at Juventus on Tuesday that prompted Di Matteo’s dismissal.

Torres enjoyed the most productive spell of his career under Benitez while they were together at Anfield, and there were rumours Di Matteo

LONDON: Manchester City’s Matija Nastasic, 33, heads a shot on goal which he failed to score from, watched by his teammate Vincent Kompany (second left) and Chelsea’s David Luiz (third left) and Ramires (7) during the English Premier League soccer match.—AP was fired for defying a directive from owner Roman Abramovich that Torres had to play.

Abramovich was in the stands for this game, watching impassively as usual, and it was noticeable that no chants were aimed directly at him.

The opening minutes saw neither side fashion a clear-cut chance, and the 16th minute saw Chelsea fans burst into sustained applause to hail Di Matteo, who had worn the number 16 shirt as a player at Stamford Bridge. The first chance went to City, with David Silva heading just over after Pablo Zabaleta had picked him out in the box with a cross from the right. Sergio Aguero was next to have a go as the Premier League champions began to get a grip on the game,

Tottenham sink West Ham

Liverpool in drab draw Swansea 0

Liverpool 0

SWANSEA: There were no goals but no shortage of goalmouth action as the return of Brendan Rodgers produced a lively 0-0 draw between Swansea City and Liverpool yesterday. The former Swansea manager saw his Liverpool side fashion half a dozen genuine opportunities against a Swansea team who were equally inventive. In the end, it was a case of close but not close enough as the sides shared the points at the Liberty Stadium.

Thankfully, the pre-match handshakes passed without incident, too. Swans captain Ashley Williams criticised Liverpool striker Luis Suarez in a book that was released this week but he shook hands with the Uruguayan prior to kick-off.

The early exchanges belonged to Swansea, with Pablo Hernandez and Michu posing one or two problems for a Liverpool side who came into the game as one of the division’s underachievers this term.

That said, it was Liverpool who had the first genuine opportunity. Suarez was foiled by Chico Flores and, when the ball broke to Raheem Sterling, the 17-year-old scuffed his shot.A Glen Johnson header from a Steven Gerrard corner sailed harmlessly over, before Pepe Reina was called into action to push aside a smart strike from Wayne Routledge at the other end. The best chance of the opening quarter, however, came in the 17th minute when Jose Enrique failed to find the target from six yards after a pin-point centre from Johnson. It was certainly living up to its billing as a game for the football purist. Both sides played through midfield with both team’s players comfortable on the ball under pressure.

Suarez failed to connect with a whipped cross from Enrique and moments later, Martin Skrtel cut out Leon Britton’s cross with Michu waiting to pounce on the penalty spot.

Liverpool’s patience was almost rewarded in the 25th minute when Johnson, arriving late, was denied by a wonderful save from Gerhard Tremmel. For Swansea, the real concern was

LONDON: Liverpool’s Luis Suarez, foreground and Swansea City’s Chico battle for the ball during their English Premier League match at the Liberty Stadium.—AP the ease with which Joe Allen and Gerrard opened up a back four that included Flores for the first time in three weeks.

Hernandez was next to threaten. The Spaniard worked himself into an acre of space on the edge of the Liverpool penalty area but saw his measured shot curl narrowly wide of Reina’s far post.

Sterling went closer on the half hour when he struck the bar from 18 yards and both Gerrard and Suarez had shots blocked as the visitor turned up the heat. Enrique then had a goal chalked off for offside after a delicate chip from Suarez, 11 minutes before the interval, and there was no let-up after the break, with both sides desperate to gain the ascendency.

After Gerrard’s left-foot shot was gathered

by Tremmel, Suarez was denied by the German goalkeeper at his near post and Sterling was forced into a corner after an initial break that had Swansea at sixes and sevens.

Michu’s header gave Reina his first work of the half but the goalkeeper had little or no chance when Williams rose above Daniel Agger to head goalwards. Thankfully, for the visitors, Allen was on the far post to clear.

With both sides unwilling to settle for a share of the spoils, chances continued to come thick and fast. They were far from as clear cut as they had been in the first half, until Suarez and Sterling butchered a two-on-one situation eight minutes from time.—AFP

Saints blank Newcastle Southampton 2

Newcastle 0

LONDON: There was no happy return to the south coast for Newcastle manager Alan Pardew yesterday as his side were roundly beaten 2-0 by Southampton, the club who sacked him two years ago.

A goal in each half from Adam Lallana and Uruguayan playmaker Gaston Ramirez lifted Saints out of the bottom three and left Pardew’s team with a long trek home north with nothing to show for their efforts.

In driving rain, the Southampton faithful gave Pardew a warm reception on his first

powerful enough to beat Hart, it was also too high.

City were pressing and Ashley Cole had to clear in front of his own goal after Dzeko, who was about to be replaced by Carlos Tevez, crossed from the left. With seven minutes remaining, Torres went down in the box but referee Chris Foy was not interested in awarding a penalty.

There was a chance for City in stoppage-time but Cech was able to save Aleksandar Kolarov’s header from a corner and the final whistle marked 90 minutes that had failed to live up to the hype. It left City in second, a point behind leaders Manchester United, and Chelsea in fourth, a point below West Bromwich Albion.—AFP

but Cesar Azpilicueta threw himself in the way to make a block.

Chelsea threats were more sporadic, although City goalkeeper Joe Hart did have to punch away under pressure, but it was not long before Zabaleta was again posing problems at the other end and Petr Cech had to beat away a low drive.

City should have been ahead in the 42nd minute when Edin Dzeko’s knock-down fell perfectly for Aguero, but the Argentina international inexplicably headed straight into Cech’s arms. Chelsea looked more lively in the second half, which saw Ramires fire a long-range effort over and at last a chance came Torres’ way after Eden Hazard had flicked the ball into his path, but though his shot was

return to St Mary’s since his sacking, in recognition of the vital part he played in shaping the current squad.

But there was no love lost on the pitch as in difficult conditions it turned into something of a war of attrition. The early exchanges were all too familar as Southampton created half-chances but were unable to put them away. First Newcastle defender Cheick Tiote’s disastrous back pass almost let in Rickie Lambert, but goalkeeper Tim Krul raced off his line to clear the danger.

Ramirez unleashed a peach of a left-footed free kick which curled awkwardly before Krul palmed it away and then Jason Puncheon pounced on Lambert’s clever cutback, but Krul was there again to save with his legs.

Saints finally got the reward for their pressure when they took the lead on 35 minutes through Lallana, another survivor from the Pardew era at St Mary’s.—AFP

LONDON: A virtuoso performance by Gareth Bale and a brace of Tottenham 3 goals from Jermain Defoe saw Tottenham Hotspur beat West Ham West Ham 1 United 3-1 yesterday to end a run of three straight league defeats.

Defoe opened the scoring on the cusp of half-time with an excellent individual effort, with Bale doubling Spurs’ lead in the 58th minute before Defoe tapped home his second goal.

Andy Carroll’s first West Ham goal provided consolation for the visitors, who face Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool in their next three games. The victory took Andre Villas-Boas’ side above West Ham and Swansea City into seventh place, level on points with north London rivals Arsenal and five points below the Champions League places. The game at White Hart Lane also marked the return of referee Mark Clattenburg, who was the fourth official in his first engagement since he was cleared over allegations he racially abused Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel. Bale’s play was full of purpose throughout and his first sight of goal in the 11th minute saw him slam a shot against the crossbar. West Ham goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen saved from Clint Dempsey shortly after but he had no response to Defoe’s scorching strike in the 44th minute. The former West Ham striker picked up possession wide on the right and darted past two defenders before jinking inside Mark Noble and thrashing a low drive into the bottom-right corner from 20 yards.

Bale saw a 35-yard free-kick whistle narrowly wide early in the second half and also tested Jaaskelainen from distance, while at the other end, Hugo Lloris saved from Matt Jarvis after a lay-off from Kevin Nolan.

Bale scored the goal his performance merited shortly before the hour, collecting Dempsey’s scooped through-ball and adjusting his body in mid-air to guide an awkward halfvolley into the bottom-left corner. Defoe made it 3-0 six minutes later, touching home Aaron Lennon’s low cross after Carroll was dispossessed in midfield.

The on-loan Liverpool striker partially atoned eight minutes from time, sending a looping header over Lloris after Steven Caulker’s clearance fell straight to Jarvis.—AFP

EPL results/standings Swansea 0 Liverpool 0; Southampton 2 (Lallana 34, Ramirez 60) Newcastle 0; Chelsea 0 Man City 0; Tottenham 3 (Defoe 44, 64, Bale 58) West Ham 1 (Carroll 82).

English Premier League table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Man Utd

13

10

0

3

32

18

30

Man City

13

8

5

0

25

10

29

West Brom

13

8

2

3

23

15

26

Chelsea

13

7

4

2

24

13

25

Everton

13

5

6

2

23

17

21

Arsenal

13

5

5

3

23

13

20

Tottenham

13

6

2

5

23

22

20

West Ham

13

5

4

4

16

15

19

Swansea

13

4

5

4

18

16

17

Fulham

13

4

4

5

25

23

16

Liverpool

13

3

7

3

17

16

16

Stoke

13

3

7

3

11

11

16

Norwich

13

3

6

4

10

19

15

Newcastle

13

3

5

5

13

19

14

Wigan

13

4

2

7

15

23

14

Sunderland 12

2

6

4

12

16

12

Southampton13

3

2

8

20

30

11

Aston Villa

13

2

4

7

10

22

10

Reading

12

1

6

5

16

22

9

QPR

13

0

4

9

10

26

4

Chelsea hold Man City

Guerrero stops Berto

19

18

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

Australia close in on victory in second Test

Page 17

BRAZIL: Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel, of Germany, steers his car during the Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix at the Interlagos race track in Sao Paulo. (Inset) Sebastian Vettel celebrates as he sits on his car after the Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix.—AP

Vettel makes history with third title SAO PAULO: Sebastian Vettel became the youngest triple champion in Formula One history yesterday when he finished sixth behind the victorious Jenson Button in a tumultuous Brazilian Grand Prix.

The 25-year-old German, who was involved in an opening lap collision with Williams’ Bruno Senna, which sent him to the rear of the field, made light of the damage to his Red Bull car as he fought back in a dramatic race run in treacherous rainswept conditions at the Interlagos circuit.

Vettel’s only title rival, two-time champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso, finished a fine second after a courageous drive for Ferrari, but it was not enough to overhaul a pre-race 13-point deficit as his German rival won the crown by just three points.

The race was littered with accidents and incidents and ended behind a safety car with Vettel bringing his car home in the rain in tears, unable to

respond to the screamed congratulations from Red Bull team chief Christian Horner.

“This is really special. Right to the end I didn’t know if I’d done enough. Trundling along behind the safety car and then dragging over the line was just torture,” said Vettel. Regarding his early collision which so nearly wrecked his race Vettel said: “I just kept trying to race. We always believed. “I was so very happy to climb back after being hit like that at the start you imagine spinning backwards on the M25 (British motorway)... Not a very comfortable feeling. “I really want to thank everyone in the team here and in the factory and all of us. Nobody feels more important than anybody else. It is unbelievable for me.

“I had to avoid everyone and I was lucky nobody hit me. Fortunately, the front wing was intact which was important. I forced back and in the mixed conditions I was the slowest car out there on the straight. “We just did our thing. That’s

the way we do it and it works in our team.

“To do this, for all of us in the team it is unreal... also to win a third title here, where one of the greatest Ayrton (Senna) came from...” “Christian came on the radio and told me the names of all the threetimes champions and I cried.”

Vettel became only the third driver in history to win three successive titles, equalling the feats of the great Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio and childhood idol Michael Schumacher, who finished seventh for Mercedes in his final race before retiring.

Alonso’s Ferrari team-mate, local hero Brazilian Felipe Massa, drove brilliantly to finish third ahead of Australian Mark Webber in the second Red Bull and German Nico Hulkenberg of Force India. “We lost communication at the start but Sebastian stuck at it. He drove with determination,” said Horner.

“He just never gives up. After the first lap spin I thought that was it because we knew Fernando would be on the podium. But he got back to the

top six, the rain came, we went to inter (tyres) and then slicks. “It was maximum stress throughout the race, but Seb stayed cool. Fernando did a great job but he knew he was up against one of the best.

What Seb achieved was incredible.”

Hulkenberg played a prominent role in the race, not only leading for a spell but also crashing into Lewis Hamilton’s McLaren to wreck the Briton’s hopes of a triumphant conclusion to his career with the British team just when he looked sure of winning. Vettel was sixth, Schumacher seventh and Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne eighth for Toro Rosso ahead of Japan’s Kamui Kobayashi of Sauber and Finn Kimi Raikkonen of Lotus.

Vettel, whose Red Bull team took a third constructors’ championship in succession last weekend in Texas, finished with 281 points and Alonso with 278. “First of all I’m very proud of the team. We lost the championship before today, not in Brazil, this is a sport after all,” said Alonso. “When you do some-

Svindal clinches world Cup super-G LAKE LOUISE: Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal completed a Lake Louise double yesterday, winning the first super-G of the men’s alpine World Cup season a day after capturing the opening downhill.

France’s Adrien Theaux was second and Austria’s Joachim Puchner third. Svindal’s downhill triumph on Saturday was his first at Lake Louise, but he claimed his fourth super-G victory at the resort in the Canadian Rockies to go with those he earned in 2005, 2007 and last year. He clocked 1min 34.96sec to finish 85-hundredths of a second in front of Theaux, the first Frenchman to claim a World Cup podium place this season, and 90-hundredths of a second in front of Puchner.

Svindal notched the 18th World Cup victory of his career and joined American Bode Miller and Austrian Stephan Eberharter as the only men to complete a downhill-super-G double at Lake Louise since it became a regular stop on the World Cup circuit in 1999. Miller accomplished the feat in 2004 while Eberharter did it in 2002.

On Saturday, Lund Svindal made the most of his experience and terrain knowledge to clinch his fourth World Cup victory in Lake Louise, this time in a downhill. “To me, it’s like home here.

The snow, the cold, the landscape, it’s very similar to Norway and I’ve always had good feel-

ings here,” said the Norwegian, who won his maiden World Cup victory on the same piste seven years ago. The 2007 and 2009 overall World Cup champion, winner of three Super-Gs in past seasons in the Canadian resort, beat the Austrian duo of Max Franz and Klaus Kroell and American Marco Sullivan for the sixth downhill win of his World cup career.

Sullivan, starting after a long break following a crash by Italy’s Mattia Casse, was joint third with Kroell. In one minute and 48.31 seconds, Svindal beat the up and coming Franz by 0.64 seconds while downhill World Cup holder Kroell and Sullivan were 0.02 seconds further off the pace. It was Svindal’s second back-to-back victory in the blue-ribband alpine discipline after his top spot in Schladming at the World Cup finals in March.

In all, the 29-year-old allrounder has now won 17 World Cup races and will be a leading contender once again this winter, especially in speed events. “It’s very important for me to start a season like this. It shows that the morale is high, that the equipment is good. I feel I’m as strong and possibly stronger than ever in the speed events,” he said.

The retirement of Swiss Didier Cuche at the end of last season, the injury of fellow-Swiss Beat Feuz, who ended his season prematurely with a knee injury, and

thing with your heart and do it 100 percent you have to be proud of yourself and your team and we’ll try again next year.”

It was Button’s first win in Brazil, his third of the season and the 15th of his career. “First of all I want to congratulate the whole team. This is the perfect way to end the season. We have had ups and downs and to end on a high bodes well for 2013,” said the McLaren driver.

In the emotional build up to a race of farewells and coronations, Schumacher did a lap in his Mercedes, carrying a flag to thank his fans. “It was very emotional for me, but I wanted to share my passion,” said the veteran seven-time world champion. Massa said: “The second part of the year was preparation for next year. It was so emotional to race here and I think the race was fantastic. “For sure, it could have been a better position than I finished but I don’t know what to say or feel. I just started crying, it is so amazing.”—AFP

Atletico ease past Sevilla

LAKE LOUISE: Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal skis to victory in the men’s Alpine Skiing World Cup SuperG.—AFP

the laidback approach of American Bode Miller, who has not resumed competition yet, left the downhill a much more open discipline this winter.

But the men on the Lake Louise podium were also the inform specialists, having dominated the practice runs. “It was a morale-booster to win the training run. Now I’m looking for consistency all winter in downhills and super-G’s as it will be impossible to compete with Ted Ligety and Marcel Hirscher in giant slaloms,” Svindal said. Canada’s

Erik Guay pleased home fans by finishing sixth, 1.17 behind Svindal, while Germany’s Tobias Stechert was a surprising fourth.

Franz’s first-ever World Cup medal spot, at 23, was a reward for a young and promising skier whose early career has already been hampered by injury.

Kroell also was most surprised to be back on a podium so early as he broke his foot in a motorcross accident in April and only resumed training recently.

“Only two weeks ago, I was three seconds off the pace of my

team-mates’ in training. This goes to show I have reserves,” he said.

Sullivan’s joint third spot, in spite of his number 42 bib, was hardly a shock as the American had finished second in the Lake Louise downhill in 2007.

The race also marked the return to competition of 2009 downhill world champion John Kucera after a three-year hiatus.

The Canadian broke his leg in Lake Louise three years ago, missing the Vancouver Olympics because of the fracture. He finished 36th.—AFP

MADRID: Atletico Madrid thrashed Sevilla 4-0 to draw level with Barcelona at the top of La Liga ahead of Barca’s away game at Levante yesterday. Radamel Falcao, Arda Turan and Koke got first-half goals and Miranda one in the last minute to make it seven straight home wins in the league against a Sevilla side that played with only 10 men from the 22th minute and finished with nine.

Barcelona can go three points clear if they win at Levante, but of equal importance for Atletico is they now move eight points ahead of local rivals Real Madrid in third, who lost 1-0 at Betis on Saturday, before next Saturday’s derby in the Santiago Bernabeu.

After dominating the opening exchanges Atletico finally made a breakthrough on nineteen minutes. Falcao went up for a header in the area and appeared to be fouled by Emir Spahic but when the referee waved play on Koke was pulled down by Federico Fazio, who received a straight red.

The Colombian striker smashed the penalty straight down the middle of the goal to put Atletico ahead with his eleventh league goal of the season and Sevilla were facing more than an hour of play with ten men.

On 38 minutes Turan doubled the home side’s lead when Falcao received a defensive clearance and broke at speed before releasing the Turkish winger, who hit a shot that caught a slight deflection of Spahic on the way to goal. On the stroke of half-time it was three when Koke stroked home a Diego Costa cross after good work on the right from him. It was one way traffic in the second period but Sevilla held firm for most of it, despite losing Ivan Rakitic to a second yellow on 83 minutes, before Miranda hit the fourth from close range in injury time.

Earlier yesterday, Athletic Bilbao and Deportivo La Coruna shared the points in a 1-1 draw in the San Mames stadium.

Oscar de Marcos put the home side ahead on 24 minutes when he converted a Markel Susaeta cross, but against the run of play Abel Aguilar hit an equaliser early in the secondhalf to earn Deportivo a point and move his side out of the relegation zone.

Getafe won 2-0 at Espanyol to keep the Barcelona side bottom of the table, two points behind Deportivo. Pedro Leon put Getafe ahead on 15 minutes before Mane doubled the lead in the last minute.—AFP

Business MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

Mobily suspended from selling prepaid sim cards Page 22

Portugal MPs set to adopt unpopular austerity budget Page 23

Battered EU budgeting for more painful talks Page 25

Adoboli affair rocks London’s scandal-hit financial hub Page 24

CAIRO: Stock market brokers gesture during trading at the Egyptian Stock Market yesterday in Cairo. Share prices on the Egypt Exchange declined almost 9.5 percent by midday yesterday, after President Mohamed Morsi assumed sweeping powers that sparked clashes and polarized the country’s politics. —AFP

Egypt stocks plunge after Morsi power grab Saudi hits 10-month low as Egypt’s crisis weighs CAIRO: Egypt’s stock market plunged yesterday in its first day open since Islamist President Mohammed Morsi’s seizure of new powers set off street violence and a political crisis, unraveling efforts to restore stability after last year’s revolution.

More than 500 people have been injured in protests since Friday, when Egyptians awoke to news that Morsi had issued a decree widening his powers and shielding them from judicial review.

Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood supporters were expected to turn out again on the streets in a show of support after prayers yesterday afternoon. His supporters and opponents are both planning massive demonstrations tomorrow that many fear will lead to more violence.

Yesterday’s stock market fall of nearly 10 percent - halted only by automatic curbs - was the worst since the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak in

Feb 2011. Images of protesters clashing with riot police and tear gas wafting through Cairo’s Tahrir Square were an unsettling reminder of that revolution.

“We are back to square one, politically, socially,” said Mohamed Radwan of Pharos Securities, an Egyptian brokerage firm. Judges announced on Saturday they would go on strike.

Liberal politician Mohammed ElBaradei called Morsi a “dictator”. Forged out of the once-banned Muslim Brotherhood, the Morsi administration has defended his decree as an effort to speed up reforms that will complete Egypt’s democratic transformation.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s shares slumped yesterday, dragging the market down to a 10-month low as political turmoil in Egypt sparked by President Morsi’s new powers spooked regional

Global gets nod to restructure KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Global Investment House said yesterday that it had secured the approval of creditors to restructure two bonds worth 95 million dinars ($337 million) as part of the company’s second debt overhaul in three years.

Bond holders have approved the restructuring of a 50 million dinar bond maturing in 2013 and of a 45 million dinar bond maturing in 2012, according to filings on the Kuwait Stock Exchange. Global, which has suffered from a real estate slump and market turbulence, lost KD14.9 million ($52.8 million) in the three months to Sept 30 versus a KD15.5 million loss for the same period of 2011. Its shareholders approved a debt plan in September to create new special purpose vehicles that will carry the company’s debt as part of the group’s $1.7 billion debt restructuring. The company, whose major shareholders include the governments of Kuwait and Dubai, said earlier this month that three of its creditors had failed to back this restructuring plan and that it would work on winning them over. It will also ask shareholders to approve delisting its stock from the Kuwait bourse after failing to secure a regulatory waiver needed to implement its restructuring plan, Global said. This came a year after Global asked bank creditors to suspend payments under its $1.7 billion debt deal agreed in December 2009 to allow for negotiations over a new restructuring. —Reuters

Italy sees economic recovery from 2013 ROME: Italian Finance Minister Vittorio Grilli said in remarks published yesterday that the recession-hit economy would start to recover halfway through 2013 but warned that the country was not yet in the clear. “The recovery will begin in the middle of next year,” Grilli said in an interview with the influential daily La Stampa. “Even if the emergency phase was over, which it isn’t, the markets wouldn’t stop being on edge without the certainty that whoever is to govern in the future will continue on the path of rigor.”

Italy, which is the euro-zone’s third largest economy and slid into recession at the end of last year, is set to hold a general election in the spring. —AFP

investors, while other Gulf markets closed mixed.

Saudi’s heavyweight sectors - petrochemicals and banking - were the main drag. Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC) , the world’s largest chemicals producer fell 2.3 percent. Al Rajhi Bank dropped 1.2 percent and Samba Financial Group shed 2.2 percent.

The kingdom’s index dropped 2.1 percent to its lowest close since Jan. 25 and marked its biggest one-day loss since early June. “The index broke the key support of 6,550 sharply to the down side,” said Mohabeldeen Agena, head of technical analysis at Cairo’s Beltone Financial. “We are expecting the bears to continue pushing it downward towards 6,300 levels.

In Dubai, property stocks helped lift the index, which gained 0.3 percent, after plans announced for a new mega project in the emirate.

Dubai’s Emaar Properties climbed 2.2 percent, Drake & Scull added 0.6 percent and builder Arabtec rose 1.3 percent. The emirate’s ruler on Saturday unveiled a master development that appeared to include re-starting projects that were halted following a property price crash.

“Real estate stocks are back on the move with Dubai’s plans,” said a Dubai-based analyst who asked not to be identified.

“This not only gives the market a signal that strong demand is back on track but also a positive push to market sentiment and appetite for these highly liquid stocks.”

Abu Dhabi’s Dana Gas climbed 5.1 percent, the most active stock on the index. The natural gas producer, in talks to restructure a $920 million Islamic bond, is offering bondholders cash and an average 8 percent coupon on two new sukuks to replace the

existing one, two sources said.

In Kuwait, the index slipped 0.2 percent from Thursday’s five-week high as retail investors booked recent gains. “It was a seller’s market with retail investors making a quick buck - people were buying again into small and big-cap stocks which is a good sign,” said Fouad Darwish, head of brokerage at Global Investment House. “They believe the momentum will continue.” The market has gained around 4 percent since slumping to an eight-year low hit on Nov. 4, in part due to state-linked funds buying blue-chip stocks to stabilize the market.

Dawish said this buying was muted yesterday as the market held its ground.

Elsewhere, Qatar Navigation jumped 6.4 percent after the company said it scraped plans for a 20 percent capital increase. Doha’s benchmark rose 0.5 percent to its highest close since Nov 15. —Reuters

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

BUSINESS

Dollar tumbles as risk markets rebound NBK WEEKLY MONEY MARKETS REPORT KUWAIT: The major highlights of last week revolved around the continuing worries of reaching a deal regarding the fiscal cliff in the US as well as the eurozone and Greece emergency aid deal. Ever since the US presidential election has ended, the fiscal cliff has been a hot topic on the table heading toward the deadline by the end of this year. Last week, representatives from both Republican and Democratic parties suggested that shift in tone may help reaching an agreement. Moreover, different lawmakers expressed confidence that a deal to avert the fiscal cliff could be reached. On the other hand, international lenders failed for the second week to reach a deal to release emergency aid for Greece and will try again this week.

The US dollar gained some strength toward the middle of last week, as it started the week strong before turning the momentum around and losing some strength towards the end of the week. This is shown in the performance of the dollar Index, which mounted from a high opening level of 81.26 before erasing some of its gains going towards the end of short week for the greenback, which was curtailed by the long Thanksgiving weekend closing sessions trading at 80.192.

The euro, on the other hand, was fairly supported over the week, started with somewhat positive note until it slipped against the US dollar after a downgrade of France’s sovereign credit rating late on Monday.

However, the 17-nation currency managed to trade upwards supported by expectation on a definite deal on Greece on Monday and after a better-than-estimated German Ifo Business Climate. The currency started the week trading at 1.2740 levels to a low of 1.2730 before turning the momentum hitting a high of 1.2991 on Friday and ending sessions at 1.2976. The Sterling Pound had a somewhat similar performance opening at 1.5880 levels, then dropping due to a worse-thanexpected Public Sector Net Borrowing figure came on Wednesday, before gaining some strength trading as high as 1.6051 on Friday, closing sessions trading at 1.6028. The Japanese Yen was the biggest loser last week weakening against the greenback, as a reflection of expectations that elections on December 16 will return a new government in Tokyo, one that could push the Bank of Japan toward more dramatic monetary stimulus. The currency opened the week trading at 81.32 and going as high as 82.84 on Thursday, and closing sessions trading at 82.40 level.

As far as commodities are concerned, Gold rose 1% on Monday, recovering the previous week’s losses, on increased risk appetite as the Dollar softened, while violence in the Middle East mounted during the week before reaching an agreement to cease-fire in Gaza on

Wednesday. Moreover, talks to resolve an imminent fiscal crunch in the US lent support to the commodity as it was seen trading as safe haven. Therefore, gold was trading last week with a positive momentum opening at $1,713.72 an ounce, and mounting as high as $1,754.46 and closing the week trading at $1,753.00.On the other hand, oil dropped toward the end of the week, erasing a weekly advance, after a truce between Israel and Hamas held for a second day, easing concern that the conflict would disrupt supplies from producers in the Middle East. The commodity closed the week trading at $88.28 per barrel.

Steady US housing From purchases and prices to builder sentiment and construction, the US housing market is making consistent gains. The latest evidence came in reports last week showed that sales of previously occupied

homes rose solidly in October and that builders are more confident than at any other time in 61/2 years.

However, existing home sales are near five-year highs; sales rose 2.1% in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.79 million, compared with 4.69 million, previously.

US unemployment The number of people actively seeking unemployment benefits remained elevated for a second week as Hurricane Sandy forced many people to seek temporary assistance. The Labor Department said last week that applications for jobless benefits fell by 41,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 410,000 applications, versus 451,000 applications, previously.

Greece aid plan Euro-zone Finance Ministers, the International Monetary Fund, and the European Central Bank were

unable to agree in 12 hours of overnight talks in Brussels last Tuesday on how to make Greek debt sustainable. They want a solution before paying the next loan tranche, which is urgently needed to keep Greece afloat. Several European officials played down the delay, commenting that the disagreements were technical and a deal would be reached when they meet again on November 26. Moreover, European governments want to give Greece an extra two years, until 2022, to cut its debt to a sustainable level of 120% of GDP but the IMF does not agree. In addition, the Europeans, led by Germany, are refusing to write off any loans. Both options would make it easier for Greece to meet the targets in the bailout program.

More of the troubled euro-zone, the credit rating agency Moody’s downgraded France’s sovereign debt by one notch from Aaa, the top rating, to Aa1 last week. It also warned that its outlook on France’s

creditworthiness remained negative. Such a downgrade aims to pressure French President Francois Hollande to intensify his reactionary and unpopular austerity policies. Markets proved that the cut did not come as a surprise after Standard & Poor’s downgraded France in January. However, the reaction was short-lived in the market and quickly the attentions were driven back to Euro group meeting.

Euro area services Both services and manufacturing output in the Euro area shrank for a 10th month in November as the debt crisis continued to weigh on confidence across the currency bloc. A composite index based on a survey of purchasing managers in the services sector fell from 46.0 previously, to 45.7 currently.

German business confidence unexpectedly rose from a 21/2-year low in November, signaling growth in Europe’s largest economy may rebound. The

Munich-based Ifo institute said that its business climate index climbed to 101.4 from 100 in October, the first gain in eight months.

UK public sector The United Kingdom public sector borrowing plunged less-than-estimated in the last quarter. An official report came last week showed that UK Public Sector Net Borrowing fell to a seasonally adjusted 6.5B Pounds from 9.9B Pounds in the preceding quarter. However, the UK economy has spent most of the past year in a recession and is broadly unchanged from a year ago.

Japan The central bank said last week that it would not implement additional monetary easing in November after two consecutive months of easing measures.

Therefore, they decided to keep the size of the assetpurchase program at 66 Trillion Yen. Moreover, the bank voted unanimously to hold its key interest rate at zero to 0.1%, as was widely expected. On the other hand, the political risk continues to play a role when it comes to Yen trading; Shinzo Abe, the leader of Japan’s opposition Liberal Democratic Party and a frontrunner to win the election on December 16th, has been pushing hard for more aggressive BOJ moves on easing monetary policy.

Gold recovers The commodity gained some strength last week, recovering the previous week’s losses, on increased risk appetite as the Dollar softened. In addition, talks to reach an agreement regarding the fiscal cliff in the US along with worries over the unresolved Euro zone debt crisis gave gold some support. The commodity’s safe haven status would shine in the case of failed talks and political paralysis, while success in avoiding the fiscal disaster may dampen sentiment in gold, which ended the week trading at $1,753.00 for the ounce. Crude dropped toward the end of last week, erasing a weekly advance, after a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas held starting late Wednesday, easing concern that the conflict would disrupt supplies from this region’s producers. The commodity closed sessions trading at $88.28 per barrel.

Kuwait Kuwaiti dinar at 0.28155 The USDKWD opened at 0.28155 yerterday morning.

Congress, Obama set to resume ‘fiscal cliff’ talks

THESSALONIKI: Demonstrators carrying felled trees march in Thessaloniki Saturday during a protest against efforts by Hellenic Gold, a subsidiary of the Canadian firm Eldorado Gold, to mine the Skouries quarry on Mount Kakkavos, in the Halkidiki Peninsula in Northern Greece. — AFP

Europe mulls Greece ‘haircut’ in 2015 BERLIN: Euro-zone finance ministers are considering a possible “haircut” for Greece in 2015, a German newspaper reported yesterday, in a bid to reduce the debt mountain of the recession-wracked country.

Other euro-zone countries and institutions like the European Central Bank could be ready to discuss writing down a part of their Greek debt holdings to put Greece’s debt on a more sustainable footing, said the Welt am Sonntag. The issue was discussed at a secret meeting of ministers and officials in Paris on Monday, said the paper, without citing sources.

Such a haircut might be used as an added incentive for Greece to carry out the reforms required in its second aid package, which runs out in 2014, according to the Welt am Sonntag. Germany has been firmly opposed to taking a loss on its holdings of Greek debt, unwilling to ask German taxpayers to foot the bill for keeping Athens in the euro-zone.

The ECB has also ruled out such a move,

saying it is tantamount to financing Greece directly, strictly forbidden by its founding treaties. But the Spiegel newsweekly reported on Sunday that the ECB, as well as the International Monetary Fund, now considered a haircut unavoidable.

By writing off half of their Greek debt holdings, euro-zone governments and institutions could drive down Greece’s debt to 70 percent of output in 2020, compared to 144 percent, wrote Spiegel.

Euro-zone ministers meet today for their third effort to agree on unlocking a 31.2-billion-euro ($40.5-billion) slice of aid for Greece as it teeters on the verge of bankruptcy.

Both Welt am Sonntag and Spiegel wrote that the haircut issue would not be decided at Monday’s talks. According to Spiegel, Berlin is still desperately trying to avoid taking a haircut on its holdings and instead is pushing for a reduction on the interest Greece pays on aid from its existing bailout programs. — AFP

BAE may close major UK shipyard: Paper LONDON: British defense contractor BAE Systems may close one of its major shipyards in Britain as it looks to balance capacity with future workloads, a top executive has told a newspaper in an interview published yesterday.

Nigel Whitehead, who is group managing director, programs and support, told the Sunday Telegraph that BAE, which operates a shipyard in Portsmouth and two in Glasgow, “anticipate(s) that there will be a reduction in footprint”.

“We anticipate ... that part of that might actually be the cessation of manufacturing at one of the sites,” he was quoted as telling the paper. “We will be making decisions this year, so we have a number of weeks in which to do that.” The company is facing a drop in work

once work on the two Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers are completed. The paper said industry insiders believe BAE’s base at Portsmouth is most at risk, with an estimated loss of 1,500 jobs. It said the Royal Navy’s base at Portsmouth, where BAE also does repairs, is not at risk.

The news comes just weeks after talks between BAE and EADS on the world’s largest defense and aviation merger collapsed. “We continue to work closely with the Ministry of Defence to explore all possible options to determine how best to sustain the capability to deliver complex warships in the UK in the future,” a spokeswoman for BAE told Reuters.

“This work is ongoing and we are committed to keeping our employees and trade unions informed as it progresses.” — Reuters

WASHINGTON: Congress returns from its weeklong Thanksgiving holiday today, as lawmakers and President Barack Obama try to avert a looming fiscal crisis that could send the entire US economy plunging into recession again.

Officials in Washington are hoping to find a way to avoid what has been described as a year-end “fiscal cliff”: a convergence of tax hikes and massive spending cuts, including slashes to the military, which some experts say could bring dire economic consequences-possibly sparking another crippling economic slowdown. Both Republicans and Democrats are well aware of the need for the country to get its fiscal house in order, as America tries to rein in a huge debt that has been growing bigger by the day and reduce deficit spending.

After months of stalemate, congressional leaders met on November 16 with Obama-who is deemed to have a considerably stronger negotiating hand after handily winning reelection 10 days earlier.

Just five weeks now remain in the calendar year to conclude an agreement before the expiration of tax cuts put in place during the presidency of Obama’s predecessor, George W. Bush.

Obama has said that any deal he concludes would have to include an increase in taxes on wealthy taxpayers, something congressional Republicans so far have rejected. The plan he proposes-and presented to voters on the campaign trail-would raise the tax rate for top earners, but keep Bush-era tax rates for individuals who make less than $200,000 per year and families earning less than $250,000.

Republicans insist that raising taxes on the wealthy would be counter- productive and only serve to slow economic growth and ensure that the country continues to be plagued by economic stagnation. They insist that higher taxes would dampen spending and hiring and investment by business owners. The top income tax rate, which now stands at 35 percent, will automatically revert to 39.6 percent at the beginning of 2013 unless there is a new budget deal. Republicans say they prefer to look at ways to bring in more tax revenue by completely

ARLINGTON: US President Barack Obama (right) and his daughters Malia (left) and Sasha shop at One More Page Books on Small Business Saturday, which promotes shopping at local small businesses, in the Falls Church neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia. — AFP overhauling the old and unwieldy US tax code, including closing what they say are “special interest loopholes” likely to hit the poor and the middle class as well as the rich. Several economists also have said, however, that closing loopholes and ending deductions likely would not generate sufficient money to chip away at the $16-trillion national debt, and that a combination of tax increases and spending cuts will be needed. Some experts said that there need not be a “grand deal” by the end of the year, because they could give themselves an extension by passing new legislation. “Anytime Congress puts handcuffs on itself, it still has the key to those handcuffs. It can open the handcuffs anytime they

want, or say. ‘OK, we’ll change the lock’,” said Roberton Williams at the Tax Policy Center, an independent think tank.

“At this point the most likely scenario is some small compromise-not a big grand compromise that solves all the problems, but something that says, ‘We’re going to get ourselves past January 1st, we’ll raise taxes a little bit, we certainly won’t let all the tax cuts expire. “The question is how much and for whom?” said Williams, who served at the Congressional Budget Office from 1984 through 2006. Further complicating efforts to reach a deal is the fact that Congress is in “lame duck” mode. —AFP

Portugal MPs set to adopt unpopular austerity budget Desperate bid to placate creditors LISBON: Portugal’s parliament is due to adopt on Tuesday a massively unpopular 2013 budget that will make unprecedented austerity reforms in a bid to satisfy international creditors helping the country fight off economic collapse. Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho’s centre-right government has a comfortable majority in parliament, virtually guaranteeing the budget will pass.

But lawmakers will face anger from many constituents, with a protest outside parliament against “austerity and recession” called by the country’s main labour federation, the CGTP. The CGTP organised a crippling general strike on November 14, a day of anti-austerity protests across southern Europe that boiled over into sporadic clashesincluding in Portugal, where protests outside parliament turned violent, leaving 50 people wounded.

Police officers, soldiers, firefighters and students have also staged major protests in recent weeks as

public angst over the country’s dire economic straits has grown. The Portuguese economy, in recession since 2010, is expected to contract by three percent this year and one percent in 2013, while unemployment hit a record 15.8 percent of the workforce in the third quarter of this year.

The European Union and International Monetary Fund granted the country rescue funding of 78 billion euros ($100 billion) in May 2011 in exchange for drastic economic reforms aimed at reducing the country’s swollen public deficit and debt. But the austerity underpinning the reforms is weighing heavily on economic activity and the government’s ability to fight unemployment. The new budget aims at 5.3 billion euros in additional savings, achieved in part through further spending cuts but mostly through a tax hike that even Finance Minister Vitor Gaspar acknowledged is “enormous”.

Next year, the government will also introduce a

package of state reforms seeking to cut public spending by another four billion euros by the end of 2014. German Chancellor Angela Merkel warmly praised the government for its efforts at reform during a visit to Portugal this month, and the country has just passed a new quarterly audit by its creditors, the EU, IMF and European Central Bank-the socalled “troika”.

But the IMF has acknowledged the country faces serious economic risks. “The near-term outlook is uncertain, and sizeable medium-term economic challenges remain,” said an IMF statement on November 20. As the government fights an uphill battle to cut spending and raise tax revenues wherever it can, the IMF said the success of Portugal’s international rescue plan would depend in part on a factor beyond the country’s control: the economic environment across the 17-nation euro-zone. —AFP

24

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

business

Crude futures rise on Egypt tensions KUWAIT: US crude futures rose as fresh protests in Egypt once again stoked supply concerns, with additional support coming from optimism about talks on releasing aid to Greece. Crude prices moved higher as US equity markets got a boost from hopes for strong consumer buying on “Black Friday”, the start of the holiday shopping season. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude oil settled at $88.28 a barrel, rising by $1.61 for the week.

In London, Brent crude, settled at $111.38, up by $2.43. NYMEX RBOB gasoline settled at $2.7439 a gallon, for the week, the contract rose by 0.34 cents. NYMEX

heating oil closed up at $3.0771.

For the week, it was up by 0.90 cents. World oil markets are well supplied despite the loss of nearly 1mn barrels a day (bpd) of crude from Iran following sanctions by the United States and European Union, the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Maria Van der Hoeven, told Reuters. Supply was sufficient despite the efficacy of the US and European sanctions in choking Iran’s oil exports, she said.

Oil production in Saudi Arabia fell to 9.724mn barrels a day (bpd) in September, compared with 9.753mn (bpd) the previous month, official data showed. The

GLOBAL INVESTMENT HOUSE REPORT kingdom exported 7.281mn bpd of crude oil and condensate in September, up from 7.076mn bpd in August, according to figures posted on the Joint Organization Data Initiative, or JODI, website.

US crude stocks fell last week as plants processed more crude and imports dropped, data from the US Energy Information Administration showed. Total US crude oil inventories fell 1.47mn barrels in the week to November 16 to 374.47mn barrels, after ana-

KSE indexes mixed KUWAIT: Indexes of Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) performed in a mixed manner upon closing yesterday’s session after remaining bearish most of the day. Weighted index read 419.09, gaining 1.16 points, but the price index fell to 5,878.75, shedding 9.55 points.

KSX 15 index, which reflects trading in bluechips, also dropped to the level of 1,023.55, decreasing by 1.56 points.

Number of trades, at the closing of the session, stood at 4,798, value of traded shares reached KD 25,013,269.117 and volume of the exchanged stocks 303, 816,049. The bearish trend of the national bourse at opening of the

new week sessions followed bullish performance that persisted over the past three weeks.

According to a report released by Bayan Investment Company on Saturday, the KSE continued its upward trend for the third week in a row, buoyed by reports about expected government measures to tackle “imbalances in the national economy.” The weekly report said the market has continued making gains amid growing purchase operations that almost covered all kinds of equities, particularly the leading and large-cap ones. Data showed that for the annual performance, the price index of KSE ended last

week recording 1.27 percent annual gains compared to its closing in 2011. Oula Wasata Brokerage Company said in its weekly report that the market has ended trading last week up by one percent, which is the highest rise since October 18. Meanwhile, exchange rate of the US dollar stood at 0.281 dinar (KD) yesterday. The euro was up to KD 0.365, compared to Thursday’s figures, said the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK). The exchange rate of the Sterling pound rose to KD 0.451.

The Japanese yen remained unchanged, at KD 0.003, while the Swiss franc rose to KD 0.303. —KUNA

lysts polled by Reuters had forecast a build of 900,000 barrels. US crude imports fell 102,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 7.73mn bpd. US gasoline stockpiles fell 1.55mn barrels to 200.39mn barrels.

Forecasters had predicted a 1mnbarrel build. Along the East Coast, which is still recovering from Hurricane Sandy, stockpiles of the fuel were up 1mn barrels.

US inventories of distillates, which include diesel and heating oil, fell 2.68mn barrels to 112.84mn barrels, compared

with forecasts for a smaller, 1.4mn barrel drawdown.

US natural gas futures ended higher as cold weather crept across the nation, increasing the prospect of gas-powered heating demand. Front-month February natural gas futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange settled up at $3.901 per million British thermal units (mmbtu). The EIA gas storage report showed total domestic gas inventories fell by 18 bcf to 3.911 trillion cubic feet.

Stocks hit a record high of 3.929 tcf the prior week. It was the first withdrawal of the heating season following what was likely the top for inventories the prior week,

but even with a drawdown this week, current stocks are still high, offering a comfortable cushion to meet any winter spikes in demand or unexpected disruptions in supply. This is the fourth straight year that gas inventories began the heating season at a record high. The Euro had its biggest gain against the Yen in nine months on speculation Europe’s policy makers will agree to keep aid flowing to Greece next week. The shared currency gained the most in two months versus the US dollar as German business confidence unexpectedly rose from the lowest in 2 1/2 years.

Adoboli affair rocks London’s scandal-hit financial hub LONDON: The jailing of rogue UBS trader Kweku Adoboli, convicted of Britain’s biggest ever fraud, is the latest damaging scandal to rock London’s financial district and spark fresh concerns over its conduct.

Adoboli was jailed last week for seven years after gambling away $2.3 billion (1.8 billion euros) of the Swiss bank’s money in a spectacular fall from grace that highlighted the City’s risk culture, analysts said.

A jury in London found the Ghanaian-born banker, 32, guilty of two counts of fraud, though it cleared him of four charges of false accounting. “Adoboli is very much a symbol” of the City, or London’s financial quarter, independent banking analyst Ralph Silva told AFP. “He is an old school guy.”

Silva noted that London-based traders had been willing to take greater risks than their ounterparts across the Atlantic in the run-up to the financial crisis beginning in 2008.

“London was far more risky than anywhere else, they (traders) took bigger risks even than the US because New York took risks only in America, (but) London took risks in the world,” he said. Adoboli admitted losing the enormous sums but denied any wrongdoing. He claimed that senior UBS managers were fully aware of his activities and encouraged him to take risks and raise profits. “There is a strong streak of the gambler in you,” judge Brian Keith told Adoboli, as he sentenced him. “You were arrogant to think the bank’s rules for traders did not apply to you.” Government crackdown on “casino” bankingBritain’s coalition government is eager to crack down on so-called “casino” or high-risk banking that was partly blamed for the notorious global financial crisis, as traders pursued vast bonuses and excessive pay. Finance minister George Osborne has urged lawmakers to support his plans for costly structural reform of the country’s banks-which include ringfencing investment and retail activities-to avoid a repeat of the devastating crisis.

“I would be very wary of unpicking a consensus that has been arrived at” over reform of the nation’s banks, Osborne told Britain’s Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards last week. The Commission, a scrutiny panel set up by Osborne, is looking into banking standards and culture in the wake of scandals that include Libor rate-rigging, product mis-selling and money laundering.

Osborne’s warning came as he appeared to back the creation of a potential professional standards body to oversee the behaviour of lenders like Barclays, HSBC and state-rescued pair Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland. Bank of England (BoE) governor Mervyn King meanwhile told the Commission that the government’s ringfencing proposals will “certainly help” drive further improvements in the industry’s culture.

Next year, the BoE will take over

banking sector oversight from the Financial Services Authority (FSA) watchdog, as part of a major regulatory revamp. Scandal-hit year for CityThis year the City-also known as the Square Mile-has been plagued by problems, with banks facing huge compensation bills for mis-selling cover on credit products-or payment protection insurance (PPI).

British banks have ramped up the amount of cash they are setting aside to compensate clients who were missold PPI to more than £10 billion ($16 billion, 12.4 billion euros), significantly

make it a criminal offence to manipulate the rate.

HSBC was meanwhile thrown into a separate crisis in July when a US Senate report found it had allowed affiliates in Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh to move billions of dollars in suspect funds into the US without adequate controls. The Asia-focused lender has so far set aside $1.5 billion to cover potential fines and warned it could face criminal charges over the matter.

Elsewhere, emerging marketsfocused lender Standard Chartered

LONDON: City of London Police Commander Steve Head (left) and the Crown Prosecution Service’s Andrew Penhale (right) make a statement to the media after former UBS banker Kweku Adoboli (below) was found guilty of two counts of fraud and sentenced to seven years in prison at Southwark Crown Court in London on November 20. —AFP

slashing their profits. Meanwhile in June, the Libor (London Interbank Offered Rate) affair erupted when Barclays was fined £290 million by British and US regulators for attempted manipulation of interbank rates between 2005 and 2009.

The episode sparked top-level resignations, while other banks remain under investigation. The Libor system was found to be open to abuse, with some traders lying about borrowing costs to boost positions or make groups seem more secure.

The government subsequently launched plans to overhaul Libor and

was recently plunged into crisis when a US regulator accused the bank of hiding $250 billion in transactions with Iran.

The Britain-based emerging markets lender-which derives 90 percent of its profits across Africa, Asia and the Middle East-denied the allegations but paid $340 million to settle the dispute.

In the latest blow to London’s finance sector, US tech giant HewlettPackard last week reported a massive quarterly loss and blamed deliberate financial misstatements from British software firm Autonomy, which it bought last year.

However, the London office of audit firm Deloitte rejected claims by HP that it missed “accounting improprieties” at Autonomy ahead of the takeover. And Autonomy founder Mike Lynch has “flatly rejected” the accusations, according to various media reports. “Just when one thought things couldn’t get any worse for the reputation of the City of London,” said the Wall Street Journal in an opinion piece. “HewlettPackard’s allegations... that Autonomy ‘used accounting improprieties, misrepresentations and disclosure failures to inflate the underlying financial metrics of the company prior to its acquisition by HP’ comes at the end of a terrible year for the UK’s financial district.” —AFP

S&P downgrades Hungary over unorthodox policies BUDAPEST: Hungary’s increasingly unpredictable policies have caused Standard & Poor’s to lower the country’s credit rating by one notch to “BB” with a stable outlook, the rating agency said. “In our view, the predictability of Hungary’s policy framework continues to weaken, which could affect the country’s medium-term growth prospects,” S&P said in a statement.

“We are therefore lowering our long-term foreign and local currency sovereign credit ratings on Hungary to ‘BB’ from ‘BB+’,” it added. The move could make it more expensive for Hungary to borrow money on public debt markets.

S&P similarly lowered its long-term counterparty rating on Hungary’s central bank from “BB” from “BB+.” The

agency underscored Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s “unorthodox, and possibly unsustainable, economic policies,” which were affecting growth by discouraging investment, which in turn could impact efforts to reduce government debt. Among the measures that S&P criticized were tax hikes and levies on the banking, telecommunications and energy sectors. On Wednesday, Hungary said it would do away with controversial “crisis taxes” on the retail and telecommunications sectors from January 2013, after the European Union (EU) called for them to be scrapped.

The special levies were “discriminatory” as they disproportionately affect non-Hungarian operators, Brussels said. However, a revenue-based tax

levied by Hungary on the banking sector and also introduced as a temporary “crisis tax,” was made permanent at its 2013 level as part of a package of fiscal adjustment measures announced by the economy ministry a week ago. The austerity package, which also increased taxes on energy companies, was the third in six weeks, as Budapest tries to keep its budget deficit under 3.0 percent of the nation’s output to avoid losing access to vital EU cohesion funds.

According to the European Commission’s autumn economic forecasts released earlier this month, Hungary’s public deficit will reach 2.5 percent of gross domestic product in 2012, 2.9 percent of GDP in 2013, and 3.5 percent in 2014. —AFP

25

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

business Commodities weekly update

Prices supported by rising stocks and weaker dollar holding long positions were happy to reduce exposure having survived a trong gains were seen few downside attempts at across global stock 105 during the previous markets this week couple of weeks. The failure which further helped to to move higher despite tailimprove investors’ attitude wind from stronger equitowards riskier assets such ties and a weaker dollar as commodities. The dollar could indicate that the fell against an index of curglobal supply situation rencies despite making Ole S Hansen continues to improve and good gains against the Japanese yen, while bond yields in therefore does not warrant higher Southern Europe fell as investors con- prices at this stage.

A report in the Financial Times on tinue to chase yields in a world of Friday under the headline “China diminishing returns and low volatility.

Both of the major indices as seen stops filling strategic oil reserve” is below recorded strong gains during very interesting. The market and the week ending November 21 (due traders have been fully aware that to the US Thanksgiving holiday), espe- parts of China’s continued strong cially the energy heavy S&P GSCI demand for oil despite the economic which notched up a two percent slowdown were driven by the need to return due to strong gains across the build strategic reserves in order to energy complex, especially natural build a supply buffer against future gas which continues to be bought as supply disruptions. The IEA estimates winter demand increases. Agriculture that China diverted 106 million barrels was the second best performing sec- into its SPR during the first seven tor with strong gains seen in sugar months of the year which is equivaand live cattle. Precious metals also lent to 500k barrels per day. In a world notched up some gains led by palladi- where the price of oil is determined by um and silver while gold continue to the marginal barrel of oil and by oil producers’ available spare capacity, consolidate within a confined range. such an extra draw helps to explain some of the price strength witnessed Gold upstaged While gold continue to consolidate during the first quarter of 2012 espein a relatively confined range between cially. The second phase of China’s $1705 and $1740 USD/oz, other met- effort to build SPR is estimated to conals have done better, especially palla- tinue in early 2014 as some extra 200 dium. Although still the worst per- million barrels of capacity will be former of the four metals during 2012 ready to receive deliveries. A third it has been doing a lot of catching up phase will follow which in 2020 could over the last month, especially follow- bring Chinas SPR to 500 million baring a report last week from Johnson rels and become the world’s second Matthey, a leading specialist on largest reserve behind the US. Price action on Brent Crude oil is Platinum Group Metals (PGM). This report forecast a deficit of palladium currently confined to a USD 4+ tradin 2012 due to diminishing supplies ing channel as seen below and judgfrom Russia and South Africa as well ing from the market behavior this as solid investment and auto catalyst week the support looks more likely to demand. From being in a surplus in be tested than resistance, unless 2011, the reversal to deficit in 2012 is geopolitical tensions flare up once also expected to continue in 2013 again. leaving the price well supported on Soybeans stabilizing both a relative and an absolute basis.

The grain markets have witnessed Palladium’s biggest problem is that the market is very small and many very different fortunes during investors tend to shy away from it due November with the biggest casualty to low liquidity and occasional high being soybeans which at one stage dropped by 23 percent from the volatility.

Silver, meanwhile, has not been August highs following a recent USDA bound by the same technical shackles report which lifted the outlook for as gold and has moved higher and 2012/13 inventories as the harvest reached its highest level since was not as badly hit as previously October 15 despite a small pull back expected. As a result, soybeans have

by ETF investor after the total hold- underperformed the other crops with ings, according to Bloomberg, the price ratio to corn sliding to levels reached and breached the record of last seen in early August and this 18,350 metric tons. This was amount could potentially now begin to proof silver invested in ETFs was last seen vide some support. The CBOT soybean during the frantic rally to 50 USD/oz in future for March delivery spent the April 2011. With silver often pointing week consolidating and this effort was the way we believe that the direction further assisted by renewed worries has been set and that gold will follow about the state of the South American soon as the fundamental drivers crop. Too much rain in parts of behind precious metals have not gone Argentina and too little in Brazil has away combined with the overall the potential of causing an upset to investment friendly environment production from this region when the often seen this time of year. The tech- harvest is carried out during the first nical level on gold to look out for is half of 2013.

1740, a break of which should open Paris wheat strong up for a renewed attempt on the The biggest winner in terms of important 1800 level. Silver meanwhile will have to navigate through price movement has undoubtedly resistance at 33.60 before potentially been Paris milling wheat. While moving back into the higher range Chicago wheat has succumbed to selling pressure amid ample supplies seen during September and October. stateside, the opposite can be said about Europe where reduced supplies Crude oil struggling Brent crude oil moved back above from the Black Sea region have kept $110/barrel earlier in the week follow- the price of Paris wheat elevated. ing the escalating tensions between Since August the price of Paris comIsrael and Gaza but once again techni- pared with CBOT has moved from an cal resistance around $112/barrel 80 cents/bushel discount to an 80 proved difficult to break as investors cents/bushel premium. — Saxo Bank

By Ole S Hansen

S

Battered EU budgeting for more painful talks Divided bloc mired in intractable debt crisis BRUSSELS: The collapse of EU talks Friday without agreeing a seven-year budget is not calamitous, the bloc will continue to function, but it does heap yet more pressure on a divided European Union mired in an intractable debt crisis. “The psychodrama will play in two acts,” wrote Belgium’s Le Soir newspaper in the wake of the collapse of the two days of summit talks in Brussels, with a second round of negotiations now needed next year after the EU leaders “shot themselves in the budget.”

“It’s depressing,” said Le Libre Belgique. The failed talks “prolongs an already long list of misses, blockages, retreats, and other avowed European failures.” The leaders of the EU’s 27 member nations predictably beg to differ.

There’s “no need to dramatize” the delay, said EU President Herman Van Rompuy as the leaders broke off the talks without reaching a deal. “These budget negotiations are so complex they generally take two gos.” “I’ve always said that it is not dramatic if we take only as a first step today,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said as the talks neared breakdown late Thursday. “If we need a second round, then (we must) devote the time to it,” she added. But the bickering that killed

budget talks came only days after Eurogroup finance ministers failed to agree a compromise on releasing crucial funds to Greece, which is desperate to receive a 31-billion-euro aid slice held up amid feuding by euro-zone creditors and the IMF. Those ministers will go back to the drawing board Monday in yet another shot at solving the crisis in Athens.

A collapse of the broader budget talks is bad for the EU image, a European diplomatic source told AFP just before the talks ended, while former Prime Minister of Belgium Guy Verhofstadt warned a breakdown in budget talks “would send a bad signal.”

Long before the debt crisis, agreeing an EU budget was no easy task. It became so tricky that in the 1980’s leaders agreed to pool negotiations into multi-year deals to avoid the pain of annual meets. The budget talks for 20142020, which many had forecast would last deep into the weekend, instead ended Friday after leaders of richer nations to the north, led

by Britain, insisted the EU push through deep budget cuts to match sacrifices made by austerity-hit citizens back home.

But have-not nations to the south and east, led by Poland and Portugal, insisted that cherished cohesion funds — that pay for major

German business rebound breaches gloom, lifts euro

RBS Chief Executive Stephen Hester

UK’s RBS could face separate Libor fines LONDON: Royal Bank of Scotland is facing the increasing likelihood of having to settle separately with the UK and US authorities investigating its involvement in the global interest rate-setting scandal, the Sunday Telegraph said.

The British newspaper said RBS is concerned it could receive a “double hit” of separate fines - one from the UK’s Financial Services Authority and one from the US authorities. The bank had been hoping to agree a single collective deal, similar to the one agreed by Barclays, which became the first, and so far only, bank to settle with regulators over the allegations that traders attempted to manipulate the setting of key inter-bank lending rates such as Libor, paying fines in June totalling 290 million pounds ($464 million).

RBS said earlier this month that it wanted to settle with regulators as soon as possible, enabling the partnationalized bank to draw a line under the affair and continue with the recovery plan being led by Chief Executive Stephen Hester. Hester warned this month that the bank faces a “miserable day” when it is eventually punished and the danger of separate settlements is that the resulting negative publicity will be dragged out over a longer period of time. Libor and other past mistakes are threatening to overshadow Hester’s attempts to turn the bank around and get it into a shape that will make it possible for the government to start selling down the 81 percent stake which it acquired in rescuing the bank during the global financial crisis. The bank was initially expected to settle the Libor case with regulators early in the fourth quarter. However, Reuters reported in October that a settlement had been delayed and was more likely at the end of 2012 or early next year because the authorities around the world were working to competing agendas and at different speeds.

The Sunday Telegraph reported that settlements could come as early as next month. Hester said this month that he expected details of a settlement to emerge between now and the bank’s full year results next February. RBS and the FSA declined to comment on the report. More than a dozen banks are under investigation by regulators for suspected rigging of interbank rates used to price trillions of dollars worth of financial products. — Reuters

Dana Gas offers bondholders sweetened deal EADS orders internal corruption probe BERLIN: Tom Enders, head of European aerospace giant EADS, has ordered an internal investigation into suspected corruption at the firm, newsweekly Spiegel reported yesterday.

Enders has appointed law firm Clifford Chance to look into alleged graft involving the sale of fighter jets to Austria after authorities raided several German-based sites of EADS earlier in November.

“I want to clear up this matter as quickly as possible,” Spiegel quoted Enders as saying to close advisers on Wednesday. “This case is harming our relations with Austria and its armed forces and if nothing else our image and credibility,” Spiegel quoted Enders as saying.

The aim of the internal probe is to obtain “a comprehensive picture of this very complex affair to be able to draw possible conclusions,” added Enders.

An investigation was already set up in 2007 to look into possible bribes surrounding the 2003 Eurofighter deal with Austria-worth around two billion euros ($2.6 billion) — but came to no firm conclusion.

Prosecutors in Vienna and the southern German city of Munich are now looking into allegations that EADS officials paid millions of euros via advisory firms to secure the contracts, said Spiegel. — AFP

projects like highways and infrastructureremain crucial, especially in a time of recession and crisis. France and Italy meanwhile defended the EU’s massive farm subsidies, the budget’s most expensive item. “The European spirit can have its feet and body stuck in national politics,” opined Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo to La Libre Belgique.

“We’ll meet again when there are 10 or 15 points to sort out, not 50,” he said. Amid the national demands, many EU leaders such as Merkel and France’s Francois Hollande, still maintain that a closer-knit Europe, including a banking union promised for as early as next year, is what is needed to end the crisis and bring the union forward. But Friday’s talks collapse only serves to remind that reaching that goal remains far from given. Amid the cacophony, critics, including financial investors, have bet against the European project and the early, unsuccessful end of the budget talks will have done little to change their thinking.

“Brussels continues to exist as if it is in a parallel universe,” British Prime Minister David Cameron said as he prepared to leave Brussels.

Italian Premier Mario Monti counterpunched that he saw “demagoguery” in such attacks and found them “incoherent”. — AFP

DUBAI: Dana Gas, in talks to restructure a $920 million Islamic bond, is offering bondholders cash and an average 8 percent coupon on two new sukuks to replace the existing one, two sources said.

The natural gas producer became the first United Arab Emirates company to miss a bond redemption when the sukuk matured on Oct 31.

Dana reached the restructuring deal on Nov 7, potentially averting the seizure of its Egyptian assets. Bondholders will be paid between $80 million and $90 million in cash and the new bonds will be equally split between a sukuk and a convertible bond, one person familiar with the matter said.

After the cash payment, the balance on the Islamic bond - which is mainly held by investment firms such as Ashmore Group and BlackRock - will be replaced by two equal tranches that mature in 2017.

The coupon on the combined bond is 8 percent, slightly above the 7.5 percent on the original sukuk but on a lower amount of debt.

“Bondholders are quite happy with the offer which does not include a hair cut as the market had previously expected,” the source said. “The other alternative of seizing the underlying assets wasn’t the

bondholders’ best option.” A Dana spokeswoman declined to comment. In 2008, Dana repurchased about $80 million of the five-year sukuk.

Dana’s restructuring agreement with its ad-hoc committee of creditors gives it a breather to sort out its finances. The Abu Dhabi-listed firm, which is based in the emirate of Sharjah, has been hit by payment delays on gas it supplies to Egypt and Iraq’s Kurdistan region.

The terms of the proposed new sukuk instruments have been agreed by bondholders and are expected to be made public as early as next week, the source said. Dana, in which Crescent Petroleum has a 20 percent stake, had 516 million dirhams ($140 million) cash at Sept. 30, its third-quarter earnings statement showed.

But receivables delays continued to soak up cash. The company is owed $350 million from the Kurdistan government and $200 million from Egypt. The company has a 3 percent stake in Hungarian group MOL worth close to $280 million.

London-based investment firm Exotix said in a research note on Nov 8 that the announced restructuring terms were “creditor friendly” and “a sharp turnaround from Dana’s previously harsh stance towards creditors.” — Reuters

BERLIN: German business confidence halted a six-month slide to stage an unexpected rally in November, data suggested, despite a somber overall economic climate due to the euro-zone crisis.

The head of the Ifo economic think tank, Hans-Werner Sinn, said that the business climate had brightened slightly after six falls in a row which had seen business confidence slump to a two-anda-half-year low in October.

“Companies expressed slightly greater satisfaction with their current business situation,” he said in a written statement.

“They were also far less pessimistic about future business developments.

The German economy is holding up in the face of the euro crisis,” he said.

Germany has the biggest economy in Europe and the strength of business activity there is critical to trade and activity in the debt-stricken euro-zone, and also throughout the wider European Union. European stocks markets steadied and the euro rallied after the German data emerged.

On Thursday, a key leading indicator, the Markit PMI composite index published in Brussels, put the index for eurozone private sector activity at 45.8 in November from 45.7 in October, the lowest since June 2009. Analysts said that this pointed to an “alarming” slowdown and possibly that the euro-zone would dig into recession in the fourth quarter of the year.

But the news from Germany on Friday coincided with a slight lifting in France’s industrial gloom. French industrialists gained some confidence in November about their business outlook, according to the official statistics institute INSEE, after plunging in October into the deepest gloom since the middle of 2009. However France’s private sector activity fell in November for the ninth month in a row, albeit less than it had for three months, according to the Markit PMI leading indicator released on Thursday.

“Although the contraction of activity is slowing a bit in the French private sector in November, the new marked drop in new business shows a still fragile economy” in France, Markit economist Jack Kennedy said in a written statement.

France’s economy has been stumbling along at almost zero growth for about a

year but in the last quarter rallied to show a gain of 0.2 percent, the same level as in Germany where the economy had been resilient but has been hit by a slowdown in business activity.

Germany’s economy slowed to 0.2 percent growth in the third quarter of 2012 as the euro-zone crisis took its toll, final official data showed on Friday. That compared to growth of 0.5 percent in the first quarter and second-quarter growth of 0.3 percent. The Ifo economic institute’s closely watched business climate index rose to 101.4 points in November, back to its September level, from 100.0 points a month earlier, contrary to analysts’ expectations.

Analysts sur veyed by Dow Jones Newswires had anticipated the indicator slipping to 99.5 points.

However economists at Capital Economics saw no reason for overall optimism.

“The unexpected rise in November’s German Ifo survey did little to alter the big picture of near-stagnation in the euro-zone’s ‘growth engine’,” they said in a written note.

Christian Schulz, of Berenberg bank, was also cautious. “Although the Ifo points in a better direction, a degree of caution is warranted,” he wrote. “Business confidence in the most important sector, manufacturing improved only slightly and stays negative on balance.

“The strongest increase was reported for the volatile wholesale trade sector, the only sector where optimists now outnumber pessimists,” he added.

Ifo calculates its headline index on the basis of companies’ assessments of their current business and the outlook for the next six months. The sub-index measuring current business also rose to 108.1 points in November, and the outlook sub-index rose to 95.2 points.

Unlike many of its neighbors, Germany has shown strong resistance to the debt crisis that has swept through the 17country euro-zone, relying on its powerful export motor to keep the economy humming.

However signs have appeared that Europe’s top economy is starting to feel the pinch. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development warned earlier in the month that the euro-zone economy was slowing further, with the possible exception of Italy. — AFP

HAMBURG: Containers at Hamburg terminal. German business confidence halted a six-month slide to stage an unexpected rally in November, data suggested on Friday.

26

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

business

Al Sayer Group represented by CEO Mubarak Nassir Al-Sayer Tatweej Academy for Excellence Awards nder the auspices of Crown Prince and Chairman of Executive Council, Dubai, Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohamed Ben Rashed AlMaktoum, on behalf of the Minister of Education UAE Hameed Mohamed Al-Qatami, crowned Arab leadership and management figures who made such achievements and initiatives in the areas of business activities among the elite companies in the Arab region, and that on Thursday, 8 November 2012 in a grand ceremony organized by Tatweej Academy in Armani Royal Ballroom, Burj Khalifa, Dubai.

Al-Sayer Group represented by CEO Mubarak Nassir Al-Sayer, from Kuwait, was awarded and crowned for outstanding organizations with ISO certification as one of the oldest and time tested organizations in the Arab region.

Al-Sayer Group is one of the oldest and largest organizations in Kuwait with ISO certification for more than 15 years. It is one of few organizations in the middle east who had the privilege of ISO certification for all Group divisions and operations .

Al-Sayer Group is a highly reputed organization in

U

List of crowned/awarded organizations

Mubarak Naser Al-Sayer, CEO Al-Sayer Group crowned and awarded by the Minister of Education UAE - Mohamed Al-Qatami on behalf of Crown Prince and Chairman of Executive Council, Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohamed Bin Rashed Al-Maktoum.

• Al Sayer Group, Kuwait • King Abdul Aziz and Men Establishment for Talent and Innovation • Riyadh Area District • National Water Company • Oman Gas Company • Public Authority for Islamic Affairs and Awqaf • Dubai Court District • General Command of Abu Dhabi Police • General Command of Ajman Police • Qatari Industrial Equipment • Qatar Petrochemical • Leban Post • Lebanese Handicapped Society • Zatar & Zait Restaurants • Tanoreen Waters • Khateeb & Alami • Public Authority for Youth and Sports, Bahrain • Bahrain National Gas Company • Bahrain University • Zain Electronic Learning Center, Eastern Chamber • Al Farabi development Center, Iraq • Legal Advisors Society, Egypt • Dr. Muna Rashid Al-Gaith, Managing Officer, Cultural Office, Embassy of Kuwait, Lebanon List of crowned/awarded figures

both Kuwait and abroad with such excellent reputation over the years since inception back in 1954 it engaged in general trading and automotive activities .

Since then, Al-Sayer is ever expanding and diversifying which rightfully earned the company its position as one of the key leading organizations.

Al-Sayer Group Companies & ISO International Certification Al-Sayer Group is not new to the system of quality but one of the first company managed to obtain quality certification in the State of Kuwait as it obtain the certificate of ISO 9002 / 1994 (for both Group Service and Parts) in 1998 thereby achieving unprecedented breakthrough in the middle east as the first Lexus / Toyota distributor in the region to achieve such certification. In 2004 it sought and ISO 9001 / 2000 for group Services and Parts in keeping with the changes created by the International Organization. BTC and Group IT also achieved such certifications in 2005 and

2006, respectively.

But today virtually the whole group operations achieved ISO 9001 / 2000 certification as a best example the evidence of ASG keen concern and commitment to keep its customer satisfied and even delighted with quality products and services offered.

This award of such Arab leadership and management figures and elite companies is held for the second year in a row by Tatweej Academy in association with The Arab League - Arab Organization for Management Development, in order to highlight part of Arab creativity and innovation .

The objective of such crowning award is to highlight the vision of distinguished companies and pro-

motion of their objectives and activities by one single electronic network . In addition, it is to enhance their aspirations and facilitate communication among such organizations in order to motivate other organizations in the other region to develop and improve their management strategies to international quality standards .

This annual forum seeks to promote relationships and exchange of information among such organizations for wider cooperation and coordination between such vital sectors in the Arab country .

Dr Abd Al-Raheem Alam, Acting Minister, Arab Organization, addressed the event and emphasized the importance of awarding such Arab figures and leading organizations for wise and distinct manage-

• Dr. Fahad Ben Motad Al Hamad, Assistant Vice Chairman, Saudi Shora Counsil • Dr. Arwa Al Ama, Assistant General Secretary, IT Affairs, Jeddah Governorate • Shaikh Sultan Ben Mohamed Al Naemi, Deputy Genral Commander, Ajman Police • Major General Mohamed Ben Awadh Al Minhal, GM - HR, Head of Quality and Distinction Team, General Command, Abu Dhabi Police • Dr. Mohamed Matar Salim Ben Abed Al Kabi, Director, Public Authority for Islamic Awqaf • Engineer Mohamed Al Nouri, Chief of Environment Center for Arab Towns • Dr. Abd Al Wahad Al Mawlawi, Executive Manager, Al Ahli Hospital, Qatar • Engineer Marwan Al Hayik, Chairman - Alfa Communications Company • Miss Randa Budair, Director - Electronic Exchange and Cards Services, Ouda Bank, Ouda Sardar Group • Laila Karama, Founder and Chairperson of Lebanese Business Women • Michal Byood, Chairman, Poiker International for Food Safety • Adnan Youssif, Chairman of Arab Banks Union, CEO, AL Baraka Group, Bahrain ment who rightfully deserved such golden awards .

Then, Mohamed Al-Qatami on behalf of crown prince crowned 14 Arab figures and 22 companies who had their own clear achievements in excellence and quality .

Al-Tijari announces winners of Najma Account daily draw KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait held the Al Najma Account Daily draw yesterday. The draw was held under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry represented

by Ahmed Al-Hamad.

Winners of Najma daily draw • Jassem Ibrahim Mohammed Al Musaibeeh —KD 7000, • Mohammed Mustafa Ahmed Mohammed —KD 7000, • Jawazy Mohammed Shaheed— KD 7000,

Artist’s rendering of the Dubai, UAE Expo 2020 site at night.

Expo 2020 team reveals plan for Dubai Trade Centre-Jebel Ali Expo 2020 site masterplan unveiled in Paris DUBAI: In a major step for the UAE’s 2020 World Expo campaign, the Expo 2020 team unveiled the masterplan for Dubai Trade Centre-Jebel Ali, the proposed site to host the six-month event if the country’s bid is successful. The site was selected due to its strategic location, equidistant between Dubai and Abu Dhabi and adjacent to the Dubai World Central airport and Jebel Ali Port, providing ease of access for the millions of international and local visitors expected. The unveiling took place in Paris, France, during a presentation at the 152nd General Assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the intergovernmental body in charge of overseeing the bidding, selection and organization of World Expos.

The site masterplan, which was designed

by HOK, Populus and Arup, is a manifestation of the countr y ’s Expo bid theme: Connecting Minds, Creating the Future. At the core of the site is an open plaza called Al Wasl (“the connection”) - a historical name for Dubai, and branching out from the plaza are three main zones that symbolize the bid’s sub themes of sustainability, mobility and opportunity. Inspired by traditional Arab souks, the site integrates the UAE’s unique architectural heritage and environment of vibrancy and trade with the requirements of the Expo to foster the fundamental principles of innovation, partnership and collaboration between participants and visitors.

Reem Al-Hashimy, UAE Minister of State

and Managing Director of the Higher Committee for Hosting the 2020 World Expo in Dubai, highlighted the site’s visitor capacity and plans for its long-term use after 2020.

“Today, we are very pleased to share the masterplan for Dubai Trade Centre-Jebel Ali, our proposed site to host the 2020 World Expo,” Her Excellency said. “This 438-hectare site will be one of the largest ever used for a World Expo and will ensure an unforgettable experience for the event’s 25 million visitors, who will collectively make upwards of 33 million visits. Throughout the development process, we have also sought to ensure that the site will serve as a permanent attraction beyond 2020 and will enhance further the UAE’s long-term appeal as a premier destination for high-profile global events.”

The design is aligned to the legacy proposition and future use of the site, with the main walkways shaded by a photovoltaic fabric structure, which will capture solar energy to generate clean power, plus contribute nearly 50 per cent of the power requirements that are needed for Expo.

Commenting on the environmental sustainability of the site, Helal Saeed Al-Marri, CEO of Dubai World Trade Centre, said: “Legacy planning will be deployed at the earliest stages of Expo preparations, leveraging every opportunity for Dubai Expo 2020 to re-energize research, innovation and collaboration across the site, and truly resonating the core principles of our bid theme and sub themes.

Mashhour Thabet Harbe Othman— KD 7000, • Anwar Abdullah Mohammed Al Awadhi — KD 7000.

The Commercial Bank of Kuwait announces the biggest daily draw in Kuwait with the launch of the new Najma account. Customers of the bank can now enjoy a KD 7,000 daily prize which is the highest in the country and another 4 mega prizes during the year worth KD 100,000 each on different occasions: The National Day, Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha and on the 19th of June

FASTtelco sponsors NUKS annual conference in Washington DC KUWAIT: FASTtelco, the leading Internet Service Provider in Kuwait, announced its sponsorship to the annual conference of The National Union of Kuwaiti StudentsUSA, which is currently held in Washington DC. CEO of FASTtelco, Abdul-Wahab AlNaqeeb, commented: “One of our main social responsibilities is offering support and care to the Kuwaiti youth in general and the university students in particular.

FASTtelco CEO Abdul-Wahab AlNaqeeb Hence was the sponsorship to the annual conference in the United States, which is considered an important arena for exchanging intellectual discussions. The outcome of this conference will help us better understand the mentality of our youth, their capability of facing obstacles,

and their ambition to build a stronger nation.”

“We are glad to contribute to the success of this annual conference and hope that this sponsorship will help bridge a strong bilateral foundation between FASTtelco and the union during the coming years. We also hope it will set an integrated strategy that allows the youth to combine national identity and global openness, in addition to solving the problems faced by the Kuwaiti youth in general. This comes part of the organizations’ national duty and government care, given that providing the youth with hope and jobs that best fit their potential is Kuwait’s main base foundation,” he added.

Abdul-Wahab Al-Naqeeb “affirmed that development is a challenge that requires the collaboration of both the government and private institutes in order to set a national strategy based on a well integrated learning system, which combines technology and encourages the development of innovation amongst the youth.

Moreover, he stressed on the importance of discovering new talents, as it will help with the nation’s development plan.

“FASTtelco will spare no effort in seeking to apply these concepts on the ground through its permanent and continuous cooperation with these kinds of educational youth events,” he said.

Abdul-Wahab Al-Naqeeb concluded his statement wishing the Kuwaiti students abroad the best of luck and continuous success in their endeavors.

which is the date of the bank’s establishment.

With a minimum balance of KD 500, customers will be eligible for the daily draw provided that the money is in the account one week prior to the daily draw or 2 months prior to the mega draw. In addition, for each KD 25 a customer can get one chance for winning instead of KD 50. Commercial Bank of Kuwait takes this opportunity to congratulate all lucky winners and also extends appreciation to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for their effective supervision of the draws which were conducted in an orderly and organized manner.

Burgan Bank names of daily winners KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced yesterday the names of the five lucky winners of its Yawmi account draw, each taking home a prize of KD 5,000. Winner’s names will also be announced through Marina FM on a daily basis during their prime shows.

The lucky winners took home a cash-prize of KD 5000 each, and they are: • 1. Saud Falah Hamad Alazmi • 2. Yaqoub Yousef Taha Alyousef • 3. Halema Mahmoud Shalish • 4. Khaled Mubarak Mohammad Alharshani • 5. Aisha Abdullah Al Mehrey The newly re-launched Yawmi Account is better, easier and faster than any day before. With its new and enhanced features, the Yawmi Account has become more convenient, easier, and faster for customers to benefit from. Now, customers will be eligible to enter the draw after 48 hours only from opening the account. Customers are also required to deposit KD 100 or equivalent only to enter the daily draw, and the coupon value to enter the draw stands at KD 10.

The newly designed Yawmi account has been launched to provide a highly innovative offering along with a higher frequency and incentive of winning for everyone. Today, the Yawmi account is a well understood product, where its popularity can be seen from the number of increasing account holders.

Burgan Bank encourages everyone to open a Yawmi account and/or increase their deposit to maximize their chances to becoming a daily winner. The more customers deposit, the higher the chances they receive of winning the draw. Opening a Yawmi account is simple, customers are urged to visit their nearest Burgan Bank branch and receive all the details, or simply call the bank’s Call Center at 1804080 where customer service representatives will be delighted to assist with any questions on the Yawmi account or any of the bank’s products and services, or log on to Burgan Bank’s www.burgan.com for further information.

27

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

38% use primitive passwords to protect their data in GCC DUBAI: A brute-forced or stolen password can give access to a user’s every last detail - starting with personal photos and finishing with credit card details. That’s why it’s highly advisable to use complex passwords to access online services. It is also important not to use the same password for different services, for fear of losing not only important data but also your “online” personality, for example, via accounts on social networking sites. A survey carried out for Kaspersky Lab by O+K Research in 25 countries worldwide shows that the risks of simple passwords is not fully understood by users in GCC 38 percent of respondents are practically unprotected (34 percent globally).

According to the survey, users in GCC use insecure passwords which are easily brute-forced without any special tech-

niques are used far too often. Examples include a date of birth (10 percent), a middle name (4 percent) or a pet’s name (3 percent). This sort of information may be known not only by your close friends or relatives. A creative fraudster can easily find it on the Internet, for example, on social networking sites. Another 16 percent of those surveyed use a simple combination of figures such as ‘123456’ or similar, and 9 percent of respondents simply use the word “password”. This type of “protection”, like other passwords based on easy-to-guess words, can be easily and quickly brute-forced.

Another problem which is often overlooked is the repeated use of the same password. In theory, this avoids the danger of forgetting passwords. In practice, though, if this universal password is com-

promised, fraudsters have an easy path into several accounts, services and programs. According to O+K Research, 16 percent of users within the GCC region use one password for all accounts while 30 percent use different passwords for each account. Given one third of the survey participants (37 percent)never heard of applications or services that allow users to centrally manage and protect multiple devices, so we can imagine the size of the potential security breach.

As mentioned above, the place where you store your password is very important when it comes to data security. The good news at least is that most users (73 percent) prefer to memorize and not to write them which is not bad in itself, but often results in simple passwords or one password for several accounts. 39 percent

admitted that they have forgotten a vital password at least once. 8 percent just write the password on a piece of paper and leave it near their computer, while 13 percent use an ordinary paper notebook for this purpose.

Passwords are just the first and basic line of protection when it comes to securing online operations. Kaspersky Internet Security 2013 provides a wider range of technologies to protect your privacy and your identity - including two unique security features for entering personal information online. Secure Keyboard is a new Kaspersky technology that automatically activates whenever you open a bank website or payment website - or you enter a password within any web page to ensure that information you enter using your physical keyboard can’t be

What makes wacky Korean singer the hottest thing on YouTube?

Psy set to release new album next year SEOUL: Psy made his quirky debut in South Korea’s K-pop industry back in 2001 but it wasn’t until July that he began shooting to global fame with “Gangnam Style”-now the most-watched video of all time on YouTube. A rare sense of humour and irony distinguished the chubby rapper, now 34, from his peers in the manufactured world of K-pop and made him an unlikely worldwide

weeks in a row after sweeping the charts in countries including Australia and Britain.

World figures swept up in the fever include UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon, British Prime Minister David Cameron and US President Barack Obama, who either tried out the dance or marvelled at its popularity. Psy, whose real name is Park Jae-Sang, gained the ultimate

four months compared to more than two years for “Baby”, calling it “nothing short of a pop culture phenomenon”.

Psy’s dramatic rise has been viewed with a mixture of pride and surprise in his home country, whose music industry has long been dominated by prettified, highly-manufactured girl and boy bands. Having taken Asia by storm over the past

FRANKFURT AM MAIN: This file photo shows South Korean singer Psy giving a thumbs up for photographers after winning the Best Video Award at the 2012 MTV European Music Awards (EMA). —AFP success. As of yesterday “Gangnam Style”-whose wacky music and dance moves mock the hedonistic lifestyle of the upmarket southern Seoul neighbourhood-had registered almost 814 million views in four months. The video has inspired thousands of online imitations of Psy’s famous horse-ride dance, and flash mobs of tens of thousands in Paris, Rome and Milan. The song peaked at number two on the US Billboard’s pop chart for seven

showbiz accolade by teaming up with Madonna in the pop diva’s concert and performing a special version of “Gangnam Style” with MC Hammer in the American Music Awards.

YouTube called the music videowhich Saturday overtook Justin Bieber’s “Baby” in number of views”a massive hit at a global level unlike anything we’ve ever seen before”.

Billboard.com noted it racked up the YouTube milestone in about

decade with bubblegum hooks and dance moves staged with military precision, K-pop in recent years has garnered a small but growing fan base among teenagers in parts of Europe and America.

But none has come close to the worldwide popularity of the homely Psy. “Psy is right at the opposite of our typical K-pop stars who are extremely preened and whose every single move is strictly dictated by their agent,” prominent music

critic Kang Hun told AFP. Humour, especially satire, is rare in the mainstream Korean music scene and that, coupled with Psy’s embrace of his anti-pop idol looks, has set him apart.

The singer, well known at home for his humorous and explosive stage performances, has long been a somewhat provocative figure in Korea. He was once convicted in Seoul of smoking marijuana. Several of his earlier songs and music videos were banned for those aged under 18 because of what state censors deemed to be overly sexual lyrics or bad language.

In 2007 Psy was forced to serve a second period of compulsory military service after it was revealed that he had continued with his showbiz interests during his first two-year stint. “Psy has long had very freewheeling, humorous and even provocative elements in his songs which are utterly lacking in most young K-pop idols,” Kang said.

“I think ‘Gangnam Style’ is a pinnacle of such a humourous, nonserious bad-boy style of his. And apparently people around the world can relate to his self-deprecating sense of humour.” Psy himself says he invites laughter and not ridicule. “My motto is to be funny, but not stupid,” he once said in an interview with Yonhap news agency.

It remains to be seen if “Gangnam Style” will prove anything more than a one-hit wonder. Psy is set to release a new album in English and Korean early next year which will be distributed globally. But even if it takes off, it will be hard to replicate the success of “Gangnam Style”, said Han Koo-Hyun, the head of the Korean Wave Research Institute.

“His next song will be able to rack up at least hundreds of millions of views due to the popularity of ‘Gangnam Style’ but will never be more popular than ‘Gangnam Style’, said Han. “This is too huge a success to accomplish twice.” —AFP

Accidents involving ‘pedtextrians’ rise BALTIMORE: The night started out right - good friends, carousing, the lead-up to an out-of-town wedding. But between festivities, after Nicole King popped into her hotel room to change clothes and was heading back out, she wanted to text her pals to find out where to meet them. Hurrying along in the dark, punching letters into her phone, she tripped over a heavy decorative bench.

“My face hit the bench on the way down,” the University of Maryland Baltimore County professor says. “It was bad.” It was six stitches from nose to lip bad. Big, ugly black eye bad. And yet - somehow not quite bad enough for King to stop walking and texting. “The moral of the story is don’t text while walking,” she says. “But I still do it... all over Baltimore.”

Just as people are doing it and doing it and doing it nationwide - to the point that they’ve earned a derogatory name: pedtextrians. The Urban Dictionary defines the noun as): “Someone who’s texting while walking, and is completely oblivious to what’s going on around them. These people have a tendency to walk into things like parking meters, light poles and fall down stairs.”

To see the most legendary klutzes, just peek on YouTube. Behold the woman in the mall so caught up in her texting that she tumbles face-first into a fountain. Or the young lady who leaves a building, texting away, and fails to notice the steps. Her tumble is captured by a TV news crew doing a live spot. And who could forget the guy who’s texting his way down an alley and nearly runs smack into a wayward bear.

And we’re not talking teddy. He missed a fullgrown, burly, brown bear. Though researchers and lawmakers have spent considerable time and energy worrying about distracted driving, distracted walking is low on the radar, but possibly beginning to get a little bit of attention as both an annoying menace and possible danger. What’s apparently the only serious study on the topic came out of Ohio State in 2008. Researchers found the number of emergency room visits attributed to walking and texting injuries doubled every year since 2006. The professor who led the study, Jack Nasar, told The Sun that unpub-

lished follow-up data showed that the numbers continued to double through 2010.

A related study, done more recently at the University of Maryland Medical Center, looked at pedestrians who got hurt while wearing headphones. They found 116 deaths or injuries between 2004 to 2011 - mostly to men younger than 30 in urban areas. Baltimore, with its relatively light pedestrian traffic, isn’t seeing the number of pedtextrian mishaps as true walking cities like Manhattan, or even DC. That’s according to Dr Leigh Vinocur, an Owings Mills, Md, physician who’s spent 15 years

working in emergency rooms and is a member of the American College of Emergency Physicians.

She has another theory, too: That people who hurt themselves texting and walking won’t necessarily admit it at the ER. “There’s a big embarrassment factor to it,” Vinocur says. “They’ll say, ‘I rolled my ankle’ or ‘I tripped in a hole’ or ‘I cut my face walking into a pole.’ I’m like, ‘How do you walk into a pole?’”

When they don’t put their phones down - even as she’s treating them - the unspoken becomes pretty clear.

In just the last few weeks, the walking and texting phenomenon has flared in the news media a couple of times. First, out of Philadelphia, officials set off a

frenzy in April by announcing what they said was a first in the nation: a sidewalk lane for cell phone users. Turns out it was an April Fool’s Day prank by the city. But plenty of folks were more than ready to believe.

A city spokesman called it a laugh and told the Philadelphia Daily News that the city hoped the deluge of press it got raised some awareness. Then reports came out that the town of Fort Lee, NJ was going to start ticketing people caught walking while texting. Turns out, story wasn’t quite right - Fort Lee is only going to start ticketing jaywalkers, many of whom are texting. But no one found that out until the story went viral, with smartphone addicts fuming and those annoyed with them toasting the town.

Though Baltimore bicycle messenger Eric Lipstein considers distracted drivers his No 1 threat, he’s had regular run-ins - almost literally - with texting pedestrians. Once he was cycling past Lexington Market and someone with his nose in a phone emerged from between two parked cars, about to walk into the street. The guy never saw Lipstein, who had to swerve to avoid hitting him. “I see them all the time, people just stopped in mid-step to text or stopped in the middle of a crosswalk,” he says. “They’re just wandering off and almost into things.”

Just before lunch one day last week, the intersection of St Paul Street and 33rd in Charles Village buzzed with activity - students and workers hurried across the intersection from every direction as cars sped by toward downtown. If one couldn’t spot someone walking and texting, one wasn’t trying. Of those who weren’t messaging or chatting, most had phones poised in their palms ... ready.

Michelle May, a Johns Hopkins University junior was in the mix, heading south on St Paul, pecking away at her pink smartphone. Asked about it, she smiled, a bit sheepishly, and said she had just finished exams and wanted to text everyone to see what they were up to. The irony was, just a week or so earlier, at the university’s Spring Fair, she had signed a pledge to be a safe pedestrian in exchange for a T-shirt that said, “I Practice Safe X-ing.” —MCT

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Kaspersky Internet Security has always included additional layers of security that help to keep your information safe during online transactions. Now, with the introduction of our unique Safe Money technology, users benefit from even greater protection. Safe Money automatically checks that the website you’re visiting is secure - and it also offers to open the website in a special, protected mode to help keep your credit card number and other personal data safe from cyber thieves.

Google Fiber experiment draws would-be Web entrepreneurs KANSAS CITY: Suffice it to say Demarais is convinced his little Web-based startup could revolutionize manufacturing, customize products such as clothing to each consumer’s likes, and make assembly lines as we know them obsolete. At least for the time being, while he massages this idea into something possible, Demarais has an affordable place to hang - in a house that should be pulsing, any day now, with a second-to-none gigabit connection.

“This is all I need,” said Demarais, tapping the lid of his laptop on the coffee table. He lives here for free - thanks to a local Web designer doing his part to make the region a magnet for gig-hungry geeks of the entrepreneurial variety. Across this region, civic and government leaders, development groups, colleges, foundations and task forces are rolling out grand plans to capitalize on the first-in-the-nation Google Fiber hype. But the actual doing has begun a half-dozen houses down the street from the modest digs Demarais moved into this month.

Online startups with names that pop FormZapper, EyeVerify, SquareOffs, Leap2 and LocalRuckus - are clustering in the Hanover Heights area of Kansas City, Kan., creating what’s called the KC Startup Village. As white Google Fiber vans crawl down residential roads to hook up houses, an aging district once dominated by antique shops, salons, bars and boutiques is becoming a humble nativity for Kansas City’s fledgling entrepreneurial class.

Or so the community hopes. Those leading the effort envision a metro where doctors can peer into your son’s aching ear as he sits miles away at a home computer. A place where video gamers move in just to smite their enemies at unmatched speeds. Where high-tech products are developed and launched from the banks of Brush Creek or the bluffs above the Kaw River - Silicon Prairie, they’re calling it.

“The challenge is in tying all of these possibilities into a coherent story line - one that says Kansas City is serious about next-generation technology,” said Aaron Deacon, selected by the Mid-America Regional Council to direct a push called KC Digital Drive. Deacon pitched

the Kansas City story line last week to Istanbul, Turkey, where he was invited to give a talk.

About 30 members of the Turkish media quizzed him about Google Fiber.

“It can get kind of comical,” he told the Kansas City Star. “There are all these people, and all these cities, who believe they have the next big idea. But the only value comes when it gets created, when it happens.” In the fiberhood, a Google-defined district of potential customers for the search giant’s Internet connections, Ben Barreth is trying his best to make it happen.

Barreth, a local Web developer, drew cash from his IRA and took out a mortgage on a $48,000 house for budding entrepreneurs, including Demarais, to live in rent-free for three months. A wild impulse, Barreth admits.

Two months ago, when he raised the idea to his wife, “both of us just busted out laughing.”

A home for hackers, Barreth dubbed it - heck, he’d even cover utility costs. (To the most gifted of geeks, the term “hacker” means nothing deviant. It applies to anyone willing to spend all night immersed in computer coding - for creative purposes, not illegal ones.)

“We want to be an innovative city? Let’s make it easier for these young people to move here and start a business,” said Barreth. He attributed part of his thinking to being a devout Christian, striving to do good, though he acknowledged: “There’s a cool factor. I’m really pumped about fiber.” The fiber being installed around Hanover Heights should make Demarais’ laptop operate a little smoother. But he could have stayed in Boston, where his partner in the startup plan remains.

Or he could have plunged into debt trying to launch a business in the Silicon Valley.

He thought of going to Chile, known for its broad incentive programs for startups. Then he stumbled upon Barreth’s blog, urging Kansas Citians with spare bedrooms or empty basements to make “Homes for Hackers.” (Go to homesforhackers.com for details.) “This allows me to not have to raise money right away,” Demarais said. “We still have a lot of work to do in developing our idea. ... “But I don’t have to work all day at Starbucks just to survive.” —MCT

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

health & science Pink pumpkins in war against breast cancer MINNEAPOLIS: Bert Bouwman doesn’t consider himself a trendsetter. But when he planted 15,000 pumpkin seeds at his Brooklyn Park, Minn., farm this year, he became part of a fledgling national campaign to add a new product for Breast Cancer Awareness Month - the pink pumpkin. “There’s a lot of pumpkin farmers out there, but not a lot of pink ones,” said Bouwman, standing in a field of light pink pumpkins last week. “This was a combination of a new product, a new opportunity, and most important, a way to support a cause that affects nearly every family.”

After years of blitzing shopping malls, grocery stores and restaurants, the breast cancer charity movement has landed in farmers’ fields. At least three Minnesota vegetable growers, and about 50 nationally, are launching the unusual campaign organized by a new foundation prodding farmers to think pink. The board chairman of the aptly named Pink Pumpkin Patch Foundation (pinkpumpkinpatch.org) is Don Goodwin, president of Golden Sun Marketing in Minnetrista, Minn.

The fruits of the foundation’s labor can be found at some of Minnesota’s best-known grocery stores as well as smaller grocers across the metro area.

They’re among about 900 retailers nationally that have picked up the product during its trial season, said Goodwin. “It’s going surprisingly well,” said Gunars Sprenger-Otto, produce manager at Fresh Seasons Markets in Victoria and Minnetonka, Minn., which sold about 80 pumpkins over the past two weeks. Sales picked up after he set up a pink poster announcing, “American Pumpkin Growers have donated a portion of Porcelain Doll Proceeds to Cancer Research.”

The “porcelain doll” is the name of the new seed. The poster comes courtesy of the foundation, which has begun marketing the product in earnest. The pumpkin fundraiser sheds light on how some other pink products wind up on store shelves every October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A Colorado pumpkin breeder discovered a pink pumpkin in his field about five years ago, said Bouwman, and spent several years developing the seed.

The breeder approached Goodwin, a marketing veteran who had previously worked with Target produce. They decided to associate the product with breast cancer awareness, and to use an October roll-out to coincide with breast cancer events and Halloween. Farmers who bought the seeds signed a contract pledging to give 25 cents from every pink pumpkin to breast cancer research.

Their donations are funneled through the small foundation, which has a five-person board of directors.

The foundation will evaluate its earnings later this year and solicit grant applications from community groups, said Goodwin, who like most Minnesotans knows friends who have battled breast cancer. “It’s hard not to find an adult who hasn’t been affected by this terrible disease,” he said.

Bouwman and several of his children were harvesting hundreds of pumpkins on Friday as winds whipped the fields of his farm, which also put on the Twin Cities Harvest Festival and Maze. Shivering children clipped the pumpkins from the vines and Bouwman transported large boxes of the picked fruit with a front-end loader.

Bouwman grows other unusually colored pumpkins, such as white and peach. He’s been pleasantly surprised by the demand for the pink, which aren’t ideal for carving jack-olanterns, but make for attractive fall displays. “I’m shipping them to other states, too,” he said. “Missouri wanted two semi loads. I told them they could have one.”

Since the pink pumpkins have not been grown in Minnesota before, Bouwman is hyper-alert to such weather stresses as lack of water and cold temperatures. But so far, so good, he said. The folks at Bergmann’s Greenhouse and Gardens in Stillwater, Minn., weren’t quite so lucky. Their pink pumpkin patch near Marine on St. Croix, Minn., attracted some unwanted admirers. “The deer loved them,” said Peggy Neurer, a greenhouse worker. “They’re very sweet.” So sweet that the deer essentially wiped out the entire crop, she said. That said, Bergmann’s is likely to make a donation to breast cancer research anyway, she said.

Jerry Untiedt, of Untiedt’s Vegetable Farms based in Waverly, who’s selling pumpkins at a half-dozen pumpkin lots around the Twin Cities, has had better luck. Like Bouwman, he thought he’d check them out this first year, see how they fared. He grew a couple thousand this season. Untiedt said he was drawn both to the cause and to the foundation running the pink pumpkin campaign, which has no paid staff or office overhead. He expects he’ll grow even more pink pumpkins next year. — MCT

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

WHAT’S ON

SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS hat’s more fun than clicking a beautiful picture? Sharing it with others! This summer, let other people see the way you see Kuwait - through your lens. Friday Times will feature snapshots of Kuwait through Instagram feeds. If you want to share your Instagram photos, email us at instagram@kuwaittimes.net

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Awawdah responding to an inquiry.

Ongoing discussion while survey is being analyzed.

Jaber Al-Ali explores social media education

Greetings

he English Department at Jaber AlAli Secondary School for boys (of Mubarak AL-Kabeer Educational Area) recently organized a workshop on applying social media in teaching in general and teaching English in particular.

Presented and administered by English teacher, Anas Al-Awawdah, the workshop discussed the role of various social networking sites, such as

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Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and others, in teaching and making teacher-learner communications.

Several heads of departments, teachers and ELT supervisor, Mohammed Taha Samahah were invited and cordially received by the school assistant director, Fadhel Ghadhanfar, HOD, Samir ALSa’eed and the English department staff.

Participants during the workshop.

Ayurveda experts to visit Kuwait

appy Birthday to Sathivika. Best wishes comes from father Kishor, mother Sujini and Shiv Sankar.

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Announcements Basketball Academy he new Premier Basketball Academy offers coaching and games every Friday and Saturday from 10 am onwards for 6 to 18 year olds, boys and girls. Located in Bayan Block 7, Masjed Al-Aqsa Street by Abdullah Al-Rujaib High School. Free Basketball and Tee Shirts for all participants, with certificates and special awards on completion of each 6 week course. Qualified and experienced British and American Coaches, Everyone Welcome.

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wo Ayurveda experts Dr A R Ramdas and Dr Ramkumar will arrive in Kuwait to spread the knowledge of how to ‘live simple; live well; live healthy; live happy through Ayurveda’. The doctors will speak during seminars in Kuwait from 29th Nov to 2nd December.

Dr A R. Ramdas is currently offering his services in the field of Ayurveda care and Ayurveda teaching in the capacity of medical director at Vaidyagrama. Dr Ramdas completed his B.A.M.S graduation from Ayurveda College in Coimbatore, Tamilnadu.

He underwent three years’ training in NethraChikitsa (Ophthalmology in Ayurveda) under the guidance of the famous traditional Ayurveda ophthalmologist, Manakunnath Gopalan Vaidya.

Dr Ramkumar, the brain behind of the vaidyagrama concept, hails from a tradi-

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tional Ayurveda family. Since completing his formal Ayurveda education in 1991 from the Ayurveda College, Coimbatore,

He is the founder-director of Punarnava Ayurveda, an institution committed to Authentic Ayurveda for

Dr Ramkumar

Dr Ramdas

he has continuously been occupied in education and strengthening Ayurveda, the primary health tradition in India.

Universal well-being, with the primary objective of “creation and sustenance of health for the global community in a

cost-effective manner through Ayurveda and other traditional medical knowledge systems”.

Ayurveda is considered the knowledge of life and longevity and perhaps the oldest existing body of knowledge on the healing process.

It is a way of life, a way of cooperating with Nature and living in harmony with nature. Health in Ayurveda means harmony. Ayurveda balances and rejuvenates an organism, reducing its susceptibility and empowering its immunity to prevent new disease from developing.

Ayurveda believes that every individual is a unique phenomenon. The individual is indivisible from the cosmos. Whatever is there in the macrocosm, the same exists in the microcosm. Every individual is a manifestation of cosmic consciousness.

Arabic courses WARE will begin Winter 1 Arabic language courses with new textbooks and curricula will begin on December 2, 2012 until January 24, 2013. AWARE Arabic language courses are designed with the expat in mind. The environment is relaxed & 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. For more information or registration, please log-on to our website.

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Winter 2012 AMIE examination

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he AMIE Winter 2012 examinations will be held between Dec 01-07, 2012 as follows:

Section A (Diploma) - December 1-4, 2012 Section A (Non-Diploma) - December 1-7, 2012 Section B - December 1-7, 2012 The last date for submission of examination application forms are given hereunder: Candidates not appeared at Summer 2012 Exam: Aug 21 - Sept 21, 2012 Candidates appeared at Summer 2012 Exam: Sept 21 - Oct 19, 2012.

Candidates who intend to appear for the Winter 2012 examination must apply directly to Kolkata by filling the prescribed application form along with requisite amount of demand draft in favour of The Institution of Engineers (India), payable in Kolkata.

Joyous Children’s Day celebration at ICSK Junior f joy had a face, it would be the faces of the children of ICSK Junior on 14th November 2012. On this day, children’s day was celebrated with great enthusiasm not just by children but by their teachers too.

The teacher’s of the Indian Community School, Junior Branch, toiled hard to make the day special for the children. The lobby of the school was covered with photographs of all the stu-

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dents of ICSK Junior set into different designs of buses, flowers, house and even a boat race! The students gleefully came to school in their most colourful clothes. The highlight of the day was the special assembly organised by the teachers of ICSK Junior for the students.

The special programme for children’s day featured a medley of songs in different languages. The electrifying dance performances by the teachers not just

delighted the students but also proved to the students that their teachers were, indeed, their gurus in all aspects! The children’s excitement was apparent as they applauded rhythmically with each background number.

As the students trooped back happily to their classes, their hands aching with the continuous clapping, there was no doubt that they had enjoyed every minute of it. Some students felt that their

teachers had put up “the world’s most wonderful programme”.

Though the celebration of the Children’s Day at ICSK Junior was an unforgettable experience, ICSK celebrates its student community not only on children’s day, but all the year round.

Suhaani Shaam fter hosting ‘Bappi Lahiri Live Concert’ Indian Cultural Society brings you live excitement & entertainment with renowned young Ghazal Maestro Jaswinder Singh for romantic geet & ghazal.

An evening accompanied by laughter machine & Hindi poet sardar Manjit Singh. Special guest of honor & attraction from Bollywood will be famous film actress Raveena Tandon. Join us on 30th Nov at 7 pm at Dr. Kamil Al Rays Auditorium AIS - near police station Maidan Hawally, Kuwait.

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Goan Culinary Club he Goan Culinary Club - Goa encourages you to log on to their website where you can find a video of Odette and Joe Mascarenhas sharing their thoughts on Goan cuisine. These videos were recorded at the launch of the Goan Culinary Club in Goa on March 3, 2012. Thanks to support from all at the Goan Culinary Club, we have made great progress in six months.

Safir Hotel & Residences Fintas hosts barbeque night for the media

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Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

ollowing the success of the Shrimp and Barbeque Festival, the Safir Hotel & Residences Kuwait Fintas hosted again another special night for the media on 22nd October at the Anchor Beach Garden as a show of appreciation for their continuous support for the hotel’s marketing activities.

The event was attended by the Kuwait local media, advertising agencies, hotel guests and visitors, public relations companies, consultancy firms and market researchers.

The General Manager of Safir Hotel & Residences Fintas Saif Eddin Mohammed received and welcomed the huge crowd of gusets and wished them all to enjoy the night. Saif Mohammed also pointed out that Shrimp & BBQ Festival is available every Thursday night at the beach garden of the hotel.

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The event combines the celebration of the finest Gulf Shrimps dishes and BBQ, the world of Shish Taouks and Shish Kebabs. The target is to create a unique and cozy venue at the Beach Garden, appealing to walk in guests as well and to external customers like open days for companies from Kuwait and neighborhoods with the objectives to be recognized as the best place combining good quality of Shisha, food, variety of beverage and a friendly, attentive, market style set up with helpful and professional service.

The fresh breeze of winter, the hotel’s spacious beach garden, fine food and relaxing shisha guaranteed a wonderful evening enjoyed by everyone in attendance of the occasion.

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WHAT’S ON

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

Embassy Information

KNES at the Innovation Camp group of 40 students in year 10, 11 and 12 from KNES took part in the Innovation camp which was organized by INJAZ and hosted by Agility on 12th November, 2012. This exciting one day workshop was also attended by students of BSK and ICS. The students

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had to find the most innovative solution to a business challenge that was presented to them by Agility.

Students were trained on using leadership, critical thinking and teamwork to arrive at a solution which was then presented in front of a panel of judges. The event proved

to be fun-filled, creative, and educational and undoubtedly helped students to expand their thinking in a professional manner. KNES students displayed high levels of creativity, participation and impressed with their teamwork and skills of presentation.

The Regency celebrates five-days of Scottish fare by award-winning chef rom Saturday 1st to Wednesday 5th December 2012 inclusive, The Regency’s Silk Road celebrates a cornucopia of culinary treats from Scotland, conjured up by its award-winning Executive Chef, Austen Reid.

Born in Glasgow, Reid was mentored

by Scotland’s only 2-Michelin Star Chef, Andrew Fairlie, and won three medals in the highly prestigious Scottish culinary competition known as ScotHot, including the highly coveted gold medal. The affable Reid has had the rare privilege of cooking for numerous celebrities including government dignitaries at Britain’s Houses of Parliament in London, and received a personal thank you from His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei for his stellar cooking skills during the Sultan’s recent stay at The Regency.

Scotland is renowned not only for its fairytale castles and landscapes but for its unrivalled produce. Fish and seafood

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Austen Reid thrive in its cold pristine waters, abundant rain produces lush grazing for its world famous cattle. These delicacies are complemented by a wide variety of high quality fresh fruit and vegetables, local honey and of course, Scottish oats and barley.

For five days only, Chef Austen is recreating the taste of his homeland in a fourcourse set menu that presents Scotland’s most iconic produce.

Diners can choose from a starter of delightful Scottish salmon or warm scallops with poached egg; next is either a hearty smoked fish broth or mint and pea soup; the main dishes are a choice of panseared cod or the mouthwatering Angus beef; to end is the classic dessert called Cranachan: featuring Scottish raspberries, cream and toasted oats mixed with Scotland’s famous heather honey, or the rich, buttery Ecclefechan tart made with dried fruits and served with poached strawberries. (Ecclefechan is a small village in the south of Scotland in the area known as Dumfries and Galloway). To end, tea and coffee is accompanied of course, by the chef’s own traditional recipe for Scottish shortbread.

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The assembly was graced by the presence of Rajan Daniel, Honorary Vice Chairman to the Board of Trustees and Vijay Karayil, Honorary Secretary to the Board of Trustees. Dr Binumon , Principal ICSK Senior, welcomed the esteemed members of the Board of Trustees. He asked the children to be thankful for all that they have been blessed with and also reminded the children to spare a thought for the less privileged members of the society.

In his address, the Honorary ViceChairman Rajan Daniel enumerated the various virtues of Jawaharlal Nehru. He urged the students to look up to Pandit

Jawaharlal Nehru for his humility, knowledge, oratory skills and exemplary leadership qualities. Jawaharlal Nehru’s favorite quote “Woods are lovely, dark and deep but I have promises to keep before I sleep” from Robert Frost’s poetry was remembered by him on the occasion to motivate the children to pursue their goals without being distracted by the trivial happiness around.

The Honorary Secretary to the Board, Vijay Karayil, then addressed the gathering and appreciated their enthusiasm in celebrating the day. He eulogized Jawaharlal Nehru as a visionary who foresaw that India could progress only if

the bane of illiteracy was removed from India. Karayil also took this opportunity to congratulate the ICSK under-19 Basketball team for lifting the prestigious under-19 Basketball championship trophy at the CBSE Kuwait Cluster meet. He said that this victory has added another leaf in the glorious history of ICSK. The distinguished guests then presented all the team members with trophies.

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Group-B: Ist Prize- Gokul Sunil Sodar, 4th Std., IES-Bharatiya Vidhya Bhavan, Abbassiya. . IInd Prize- Aleena Augustine, 3rd Std, Carmel School, IIIrd Prize- Rhea Jacob, 4th Std, Fahaheel Al-Wataniya Indian Private School (DPS).

Group-C: Ist Prize- Riya Mercy Jacob, 8th Std, Indian Community School, Khaitan.

IInd Prize- Liya Elsa Jacob, 8th Std, Fahaheel Al-Wataniya Indian Private School (DPS), Fleno Thankachan, 6th Std,

Indian Community School, Khaitan. IIIrd Prize- Amanda Augustine, 7th Std., Carmel School.

Group-D: Ist Prize- Flency Thankachan, 9th Std, Indian Community School, Khaitan. IInd Prize- Juliana Sairah John,

11th Std., IES-Bharatiya Vidhya Bhavan, Abbassiya, Arjun Narayanan Kutty, 10th Std, Indian Community School, Sr. Salmiya, IIIrd Prize- Dilruba Rukhsana, 10th Std, Gulf Indian School, Fahaheel, Aavani

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Canadian Embassy in Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visa and immigration matters including enquiries is conducted by the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, UAE Individuals who are interested in working, studying, visiting or immigrating to Canada should contact the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, website: www.UAE.gc.ca or www.goingtocanada.gc.ca, E-mail: abdbi-im-enquiry@international.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakei St, Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 7:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is closed for lunch from 12:30 to 13:00. Consular services for Canadian citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00, Sunday through Wednesday.

EMBASSY OF CYPRUS In its capacity as EU Local Presidency in the State of Kuwait, the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus, on behalf of the Member States of the EU and associated States participating in the Schengen cooperation, would like to announce that as from 2nd October 2012 all Schengen States’ Consulates in Kuwait will use the Visa Information System (VIS). The VIS is a central database for the exchange of data on short-stay (up to three months) visas between Schengen States. The main objectives of the VIS are to facilitate visa application procedures and checks at external border as well as to enhance security. The VIS will contain all the Schengen visa applications lodged by an applicant over five years and the decisions taken by any Schengen State’s consulate. This will allow applicants to establish more easily the lawful use of previous visas and their bona fide status. For the purpose of the VIS, applicants will be required to provide their biometric data (fingerprints and digital photos) when applying for a Schengen visa. It is a simple and discreet procedure that only takes a few minutes. Biometric data, along with the data provided in the Schengen visa application form, will be recorded in the VIS central database. Therefore, as from 2nd October 2012, first-time applicants will have to appear in person when lodging the application, in order to provide their fingerprints. For subsequent applications within 5 years the fingerprints can be copied from the previous application file in the VIS. The Cypriot Presidency would like to assure the people of Kuwait and all its permanent citizens that the Member States and associated States participating in the Schengen cooperation, have taken all necessary technical measures to facilitate the rapid examination and the efficient processing of visa applications and to ensure a quick and discreet procedure for the implementation of the new VIS. ■■■■■■■

Kala (Art) Kuwait NIRAM winners ala(Art) Kuwait has announced that the winners of “Niram 2012 - B Natural “ Childrens’ Day painting competition. The prize distribution will take place at Indian Community School, Khaitan on Friday, 7th December 2012.

The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 2:30 PM. Kala(Art) Kuwait has stated that this is the Eighth time NIRAM is being held on the occasion of Childrens’ Day, the birth day of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India. It is worthwhile to note that students of different nationalities from all Indian Schools in Kuwait with the active participation of more than 2100 children in the competition. The School Managements as well as Indian Community including a number of business establishments have also voluntarily extended their total support to the event.

Winners of Painting Competition Niram 2012 - B Natural” have been announced by the judges appointed by “Kala(Art) Kuwait” on 25th November 2012. According to the List of Winners released by the organizers which are awarded as follows: Group-A: Ist Prize- Abdullah Khan, 1st Std., Indian Public School, Hawally, IInd Prize- Sanskruti Shetye, 1st Std, Indian Community School, Amman, IIIrd PrizeAnanth Milan, 1st Std, IES-Bharatiya Vidhya Bhavan, Abbassiya.

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Children’s Day at ICSK Senior he Indian Community School, Senior Branch, held a grand celebration on 14th November, 2012 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. The day is celebrated all over India as a day of celebration of childhood and symbolizes Pt. Nehru’s deep affection and concern for children.

ICSK campus wore a festive look as children walked in wearing coloured clothes. Various quotes by Pandit Nehru embellished the school campus. A special assembly organised by the students of class XI-C set the mood for the celebration that lasted throughout the day.

EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Australian Embassy Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department.

All processing of visas and immigration matters in conducted by The Australian Consulate-General in Dubai. Email: info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VFS) immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office); Tel: +971 4 355 1958 (VFS) - +971 4 508 7200 (Visa Office); Fax: +971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office).

In Kuwait applications can be lodged at the Australian Visa Application Centre 4B 1st Floor, Al-Banwan Building Al-Qibla Area, Ali Al-Salem Street, opposite the Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Working hours and days: 09:30 - 17:30; Sunday - Thursday. Or visit their website www.vfs-au-gcc-com for more information. Kuwait citizens can apply for tourist visas on-line at www.immi.gov.au/e visa/e676.htm.

Jayaprakash, 9th Std, Indian Community School, Khaitan.

Clay Sculpture: Ist Prize- Samreen Jawed., 9th Std., Indian Community School, Khaitan. IInd Prize - Eyarin Islam Ety, 9th Std, IES-Bharatiya Vidhya Bhavan, Abbassiya. IIIrd Prize- Vyshak K Philip, 7th Std, Indian Central School, Abbassiya.

Open Canvas (for Parents & Gusts): Ist Prize - Manikandan, IInd Prize - Dhananjay Vijayrao Sevalkar, IIIrd Prize- Ms. Sunitha R. Merit Prize: Group-A: Safwana Sabeer, Savithri Bindu Kartha, Angelina Merin Abraham, Ayana Muneer, Ayush Sharma, S.Valliammai, Hima Murali, Lakshmi Nanda Madhusoodhanan, Gauri Sajith, Sahar Raud Parkar, Armav Tater, Chris Tomy Philip. Group-B: Sarah Grace Mathew, Mishaal Kandapath, Shashwat Dash, Nova Catherine Shygen, Rejoice Paul Egi, Sundus, Vaisakh Melaveetil Shaju, Jemimah Ann George, Abdul Aziz, Ananthapadmanabhan S, Ailan. Group-C: Hanan Abdullah, Santhra Dineshkumar, Sreerag Mahadevan, Aditya Jaypal, Catherine Vismaya Biju, Nayama Elsa Christy, Rajalekshmi P Mathew, Karthikeyan Suresh, Isra Mohd, Vyshnavi Kunnamkattu, Aadithya S Krishnan. GroupD: Benitha, Keerthiga Nagarajan, Krupa Sara John, Vivek Unnikrishnan, Sibil Sara Sen. Clay Sculpture: Ankith S.Nair.

EMBASSY OF INDIA Due to maintenance work being done in Sharq area by the Ministry of Electricity on Tuesday, November 27, 2012, BLS International Sharq Branch will remain closed between 08:00 Hrs and 11:30 Hrs. The working hours on 27-11-2012 will be from 16:00 Hrs to 19:30 Hrs. Fahaheel Branch will remain open during regular working hours 08:00 - 11:30 and 16:00- 19:30.

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TEMBASSY OF KENYA The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to inform the Kenyan community residents throughout Kuwait and the general public that the Embassy has acquired new office telephone numbers as follows: 25353982, 25353985 - Consular’s enquiries 25353987 - Fax Our Email address: info@kenyaembkuwait.com.

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EMBASSY OF UKRAINE The Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait would like to remind that the external polling station No 90046 was created in the Embassy’s premises at the following address: Hawalli, Jabriya, bl.10, str. 6, build. 5. The working hours of the polling station: Sunday from 13.00 to 17.00 pm; Monday from 13.00 to 17.00 pm; Tuesday from 13.00 to 17.00 pm; Wednesday from 13.00 to 17.00 pm; Thursday from 13.00 to 17.00 pm; Friday from 10.00 to 13.00 pm; Saturday from 10.00 to 13.00 pm On October 28, 2012 the working hours of the polling station from 8.00 am to 20.00 pm. Please be advised to refer to the Embassy to check your data in the Electoral Register as well as to pick up your personal invitation from the polling station if you did not receive this document by post.

Classifieds MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

FOR SALE Golden chance Nissan TIIDA HB 1.8 SL 2011, 13,600 km only, full option, power warranty 5 year open mileage, like showroom, 1st owner, mostly lady driven, price KD 3,800/-. Contact: 66489351. (C 4229) 22-11-2012

MATRIMONIAL Proposals invited for a beautiful girl, aged 28 years, height 164 cms, belonging to Malankara Catholic denomination, working with MOH Kuwait as B.Sc nurse and shortly moving to Kerala on annual vacation. Email: bijily92@gmail.com (C 4231)

Proposal invited for my son MBBS Doctor, a Pakistani working in Kuwait from parents of Pakistani lady doctor or highly qualified girl age not more than 27 years can contact at email: shah-54@hotmail.com (C 4232) 26-11-2012 Proposals invited for a girl God-fearing (Marthomite, 27 yrs/166cm, B.Sc nurse), working in Kuwait MOH. Professionally qualified boys can contact varghese.aaron@yahoo.com (C 4227) 24-11-2012

CHANGE OF NAME I, Wahid Hussain, s/o Abdul Hakim Ansari, Vill & PO.

Nawada, P/S Barauli, Dist.

Gopal Ganj, Bihar, India, is declaring that my name, Vahid Husen Abdul Hakim Ansari (Surname to Given name order), written in my Passport (No. K7916220) is wrong. The correct name is Wahid Hussain. (C 4233) 26-11-2012 I, Taza, s/o Shabbir Husain Raswala, holder of Indian Passport No. J0977787 have changed my name to Murtaza Shabbir Husain Raswala. (C 4228) I, Rolina Furtado Passport No. J5391581 have changed my name to Roulina Baigustavina Rubiana Santana Godinho.

(C 4230) 22-11-2012

SITUATION WANTED Western educated “Project Manager ” with 2 Engineering-Degrees (Civil/Elec.), 4-Master Degrees (Project Mgmt/ Engineering/ Education & Training/ MBA), plus 17years experience in Middle East/ Australia, seeking Executive Position. Contact: 65695468 email: rav@engineer.com (C 4195)

TUITION Learn Holy Quran in prefect way, private tuition available for elders and children,

by Hafiz-e-Quran. Contact: 66725950. (C 4225) 21-11-2012

Prayer timings

GOVERNMENT WEB SITES Kuwait Parliament www.majlesalommah.net

The Public Institution for Social Security www.pifss.gov.kw

Ministry of Interior www.moi.gov.kw

Public Authority of Industry www.pai.gov.kw

Public Authority for Civil Information www.paci.gov.kw

Prisoners of War Committee www.pows.org.kw

Kuwait News Agency www.kuna.net.kw

Ministry of Foreign Affairs www.mofa.gov.kw

Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affair www.islam.gov.kw

Kuwait Municipality www.municipality.gov.kw

Ministry of Energy (Oil) www.moo.gov.kw

Kuwait Electronic Government www.e.gov.kw

Ministry of Energy (Electricity and Water) www.energy.govt.kw

Ministry of Finance www.mof.gov.kw

Public Authority for Housing Welfare www.housing.gov.kw

Ministry of Commerce and Industry www.moci.gov.kw

Ministry of Justice www.moj.gov.kw

Ministry of Education www.moe.edu.kw

Ministry of Communications www.moc.kw

Ministry of Information www.moinfo.gov.kw

Supreme Council for Planning and Development www.scpd.gov.kw

Kuwait Awqaf Public Foundation www.awqaf.org

Fajr:

04:58

Duhr:

11:36

Asr:

14:30

Maghrib:

16:50

Isha:

18:11

No:

112 Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.kw

15639

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines PIA JAI THY JZR JZR QTR ETH QTR GFA UAE ETD QTR FDB MSR DHX THY JZR BAW KAC KAC FDB KAC UAE KAC ABY QTR FDB ETD KAC GFA BAB KAC TMA IRC JZR MSC MEA UAE MSR GFA FDB KNE KAC SVA KAC QTR JZR KAC

Arrival Flights on Monday 26/11/2012 Flt Route 205 LAHORE 574 MUMBAI 772 ISTANBUL 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 148 DOHA 620 ADDIS ABABA 6130 DOHA 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 138 DOHA 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 170 BAHRAIN 770 ISTANBUL 503 LUXOR 157 LONDON 412 MANILA 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 855 DUBAI 284 DHAKA 121 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 301 ABU DHABI 352 COCHIN 213 BAHRAIN 436 BAHRAIN 344 CHENNAI 213 BEIRUT 6521 LAMERD 165 DUBAI 403 ASSIUT 404 BEIRUT 871 DUBAI 610 CAIRO 219 BAHRAIN 57 DUBAI 472 JEDDAH 672 DUBAI 500 JEDDAH 546 ALEXANDRIA 140 DOHA 561 SOHAG 788 JEDDAH

Time 0:15 0:30 0:35 0:45 0:50 1:00 1:45 1:45 1:50 2:35 2:45 3:01 3:05 3:10 5:15 5:30 5:55 6:40 6:45 7:40 7:45 7:55 8:40 8:45 9:05 9:10 9:15 9:20 9:50 9:55 10:05 10:40 11:00 11:10 11:20 11:30 11:55 12:50 13:05 13:35 13:50 14:10 14:10 14:30 14:30 14:45 14:50 14:55

JZR RBG QTR OMA JZR KAC UAE ETD RJA GFA SVA JZR ABY UAL KAC JZR KAC BAB FDB MSC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC OMA FDB JAI AXB MSR ABY QTR MSC ALK MEA QTR GFA ETD UAE JZR JAI DHX FDB AIC TAR JZR GFA JZR UAL BBC DLH

257 3553 134 645 535 118 857 303 640 215 510 777 127 982 542 177 786 438 63 405 618 742 104 674 774 647 61 572 389 618 129 146 401 229 402 136 221 307 859 135 576 372 59 975 327 239 217 185 981 43 636

BEIRUT ALEXANDRIA DOHA MUSCAT CAIRO NEW YORK DUBAI ABU DHABI AMMAN BAHRAIN RIYADH JEDDAH SHARJAH WASHINGTON DC DULLES CAIRO DUBAI JEDDAH BAHRAIN DUBAI SOHAG DOHA DAMMAM LONDON DUBAI RIYADH MUSCAT DUBAI MUMBAI MANGALORE ALEXANDRIA SHARJAH DOHA ALEXANDRIA COLOMBO BEIRUT DOHA BAHRAIN ABU DHABI DUBAI BAHRAIN COCHIN BAHRAIN DUBAI CHENNAI TUNIS AMMAN BAHRAIN DUBAI BAHRAIN DHAKA FRANKFURT

15:05 15:20 15:30 15:40 16:25 16:35 16:40 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:45 17:55 17:55 18:05 18:15 18:30 18:40 18:45 19:15 19:20 19:30 19:35 19:35 19:50 19:55 20:00 20:10 20:20 20:25 20:35 20:45 20:50 20:55 21:20 21:25 21:30 21:35 21:40 21:50 21:55 22:00 22:00 22:30 22:45 22:45 22:50 23:05 23:25 23:45 23:55

Airlines AIC AFG UAL DLH JAI PIA ETH THY QTR FDB UAE ETD MSR QTR QTR JZR GFA THY KAC JZR FDB BAW JZR JZR KAC KAC ABY UAE FDB ETD QTR GFA BAB KAC KAC IRC JZR KAC MSC TMA MEA KAC JZR MSR UAE GFA FDB KAC

Departure Flights on Monday 26/11/2012 Flt Route 982 AHMEDABAD 737 KABUL 777 WASHINGTON DC 637 FRANKFURT 573 MUMBAI 206 PESHAWAR 621 ADDIS ABABA 773 ISTANBUL 6131 DOHA 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 306 ABU DHABI 613 CAIRO 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL 545 ALEXANDRIA 560 SOHAG 54 DUBAI 156 LONDON 256 BEIRUT 534 CAIRO 787 JEDDAH 671 DUBAI 122 SHARJAH 856 DUBAI 56 DUBAI 302 ABU DHABI 133 DOHA 214 BAHRAIN 437 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 165 ROME 6522 LAMERD 776 JEDDAH 103 LONDON 406 SOHAG 214 DUBAI 405 BEIRUT 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 872 DUBAI 220 BAHRAIN 58 DUBAI 673 DUBAI

Time 0:05 1:00 1:10 1:20 1:30 1:35 2:45 2:55 3:15 3:45 3:50 4:00 4:10 4:50 6:05 6:55 7:00 7:35 7:45 8:15 8:25 8:45 9:05 9:15 9:25 9:35 9:45 9:55 10:00 10:05 10:30 10:40 10:50 11:30 11:50 12:10 12:15 12:20 12:30 12:30 12:55 13:00 13:50 14:05 14:15 14:20 14:30 15:05

KNE SVA KAC RBG QTR KAC KAC OMA JZR ETD JZR QTR UAE RJA GFA JZR SVA ABY JZR UAL FDB BAB MSC KAC FDB OMA KAC JAI KAC ABY MSR MSC DHX ALK MEA ETD QTR GFA KAC FDB KAC UAE JAI DHX KAC QTR JZR TAR GFA KAC

473 501 617 3554 141 773 741 646 238 304 538 135 858 641 216 184 511 128 134 982 64 439 404 283 62 648 331 571 351 120 619 402 171 230 403 308 137 222 301 60 361 860 575 373 205 147 502 328 218 411

JEDDAH JEDDAH DOHA ALEXANDRIA DOHA RIYADH DAMMAM MUSCAT AMMAN ABU DHABI CAIRO DOHA DUBAI AMMAN BAHRAIN DUBAI RIYADH SHARJAH BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DUBAI BAHRAIN ASSIUT DHAKA DUBAI MUSCAT TRIVANDRUM MUMBAI KOCHI SHARJAH ALEXANDRIA ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN COLOMBO BEIRUT ABU DHABI DOHA BAHRAIN MUMBAI DUBAI MUSCAT DUBAI KOCHI BAHRAIN ISLAMABAD DOHA LUXOR DUBAI BAHRAIN BANGKOK

15:10 15:45 15:45 16:00 16:15 16:25 16:30 16:40 17:15 17:35 17:40 17:45 17:50 17:55 18:15 18:30 18:35 18:40 19:05 19:10 19:25 19:30 20:15 20:30 20:40 20:55 20:55 21:10 21:10 21:15 21:25 21:50 21:50 21:55 22:20 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:40 22:50 22:55 23:00 23:00 23:10 23:35 23:45 23:50 23:55

34

s ta rs CROSSWORD 20

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) You will find yourself spending most of this day in cleaning and rearranging your living area. You could decide to add some new piece of furniture to your home. Attending a garage sale may be more fun than you expected. You could be comparing your style of living to those around you. There could be trouble adapting to situations or to the demands of the people around you this afternoon—your mind seems elsewhere.

You may feel that you just want time to yourself. This is a good time to appreciate where you are in the world. You are your most poetic self this evening—able to put your dreams and thoughts into words and communicate them through speaking and writing. You are in the mood to create a love poem to a loved one tonight.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) There is a chance to understand those around you and to have a special time with someone you love. Quiet mornings with family members will help you to teach family values. Show your allegiances. Young people need to know how you stand on certain issues. Before rushing out today, you may want to plan some exercise time together. There is an instinctive urge to get serious about diet, exercise and goals—these things are not so tough when there is group participation and support. Financial ties to other people are highlighted this afternoon. It may be that you or someone you loaned money to, repays a debt. You encourage good study habits and provide the tools, support, opportunity and understanding for better education. Relax tonight.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. Inquire about.

4. A railroad employee responsible for a train's brakes.

12. A health resort near a spring or at the seaside.

15. An accountant certified by the state.

16. Winner of a Nobel Prize.

17. A human limb.

18. (Brit) A tough youth of 1950's and 1960's wearing Edwardian style clothes.

19. A midnight meeting of witches to practice witchcraft and sorcery.

20. The capital city of Vietnam.

22. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike.

24. An administrator in charge of a division of a university or college.

26. A quantity of no importance.

27. A metrical unit with unstressed-stressed syllables.

29. A republic on the island of Malta in the Mediterranean.

31. Being ten more than one hundred ninety.

33. A mountainous landlocked communist state in southeastern Asia.

35. The longer of the two telegraphic signals used in Morse code.

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

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

43. An award for winning a championship or commemorating some other event.

45. A Powhatan Indian woman (the daughter of Powhatan) who befriended the English at Jamestown and is said to have saved Captain John Smith's life (1595-1617).

47. Freetail bats.

48. The ninth month of the Hindu calendar.

49. A member of the Pueblo people living in northern New Mexico.

51. Beside one another in a row or rank.

52. One of the most common of the five major classes of immunoglobulins.

53. Block consisting of a thick piece of something.

55. Cleanse (one's body) with soap and water.

56. Immature of its kind.

59. A Greek epic poem (attributed to Homer) describing the siege of Troy.

61. Someone who is morally reprehensible.

62. An anti-TNF compound (trade name Arava) that is given orally.

64. A piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep.

66. Dried bark of the cascara buckthorn used as a laxative.

73. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill.

74. Any of a group of heavenly spirits under the god Anu. 77. Jordan's port.

78. (informal) Very tired.

79. Of or relating to or containing the mineral augite.

81. Take something away by force or without the consent of the owner.

82. A self-replicating protein molecule that occupies a fixed place on a chromosome.

83. Being of the age 13 through 19.

84. A nucleic acid consisting of large molecules shaped like a double helix.

DOWN 1. A book of the New Testament.

2. A detailed description of design criteria for a piece of work.

3. A family of Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in southeastern Asia.

4. A bachelor's degree in naval science.

5. A guidebook describing the roads of a country.

6. A French abbot.

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

8. A feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause).

9. An engineering university in Cambridge.

10. A very poisonous metallic element that has three allotropic forms.

11. Last or greatest in an indefinitely large series.

12. The capital and largest city of Yemen.

13. A verbalization that encourages you to attempt something.

14. Type genus of the Amiidae.

21. (botany) Capable of fertilizing female organs.

23. The basic unit of money in Panama.

25. An interest followed with exaggerated zeal.

28. Informal terms for a mother.

30. A Tibetan or Mongolian priest of Lamaism.

32. A Bantu language spoken by the Chaga people in northern Tanzania.

34. Singing jazz.

36. A city in Veneto.

37. Having a claw or claws.

39. Essential oil or perfume obtained from flowers.

41. An island consisting of a circular coral reef surrounding a lagoon.

42. A Nilotic language.

44. English theoretical physicist who applied relativity theory to quantum mechanics and predicted the existence of antimatter and the positron (1902-1984).

46. The capital of Turkey.

50. The largest continent with 60% of the earth's population.

54. A very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk.

57. Leave voluntarily.

58. A long noosed rope used to catch animals.

60. Mar or spoil the appearance of.

63. Not clearly understood or expressed.

65. East Indian tree bearing a profusion of intense vermilion velvet-textured blooms and yielding a yellow dye.

67. On or toward the lee.

68. The act of scanning.

69. Evergreen tree of eastern Asia and Philippines having large leathery leaves and small green-white flowers in compact cymes.

70. One of a set of small pieces of stiff paper marked in various ways and used for playing games or for telling fortunes.

71. Very dark black.

72. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

75. One of the five major classes of immunoglobulins.

76. Strong liquor flavored with juniper berries.

80. A class of proteins produced in lymph tissue in vertebrates and that function as antibodies in the immune response.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

There are plenty of chores to keep you busy this morning. A club or group meeting may be enjoyed later. You may be teaching or lecturing about your favorite cause. A question and answer period at the end to review or to make things clear is the beginning of some stimulating conversations. Change happens when someone sees the next open door and takes a brave step through the opening. Many people like you have been the leader—showing people the way to solve problems and to not be afraid of learning new things. Later this afternoon you may enjoy the idea of quiet time with a friend or relative, perhaps a movie. Close relationships take on emotional depth. There is an emphasis on close relationships and ideas of harmony.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Cleaning up your living surroundings and making some plans really helps you focus on what you want to accomplish. In addition, you gain a sense of good health and starting anew. A clean environment helps lend itself to good relaxation and good relaxation encourages a strong immune system, creative thinking, concentration and inventiveness. An art project gets off to a fun beginning this afternoon. Talking with family and friends prepares you for the holiday season—maybe in learning the particulars about gifts to buy. Unusual ideas and novel ways of expressing them play a bigger than usual part in your life. Plan to be home for the next few weekends; it is a very good thing to do at this time of year. Bring your joy and you will take away the same.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Religious, cultural or philosophical controversies and crusades have a way of stirring your blood. You are often inspired and at this time, you may find yourself diving into some decorating project for the holidays ahead. Everything seems to be working out accordingly. It should be easy for you to have others help and add a bit of their own personality to the project of decoration. Everyone works together. Careful, however, in the pursuit of happiness, you can try too hard. Let the good stuff happen and do not worry so much about the details. Conversations of an inspiring kind may be in order with young people or others around you. Shopping and general preparations for the week ahead may rank as the most important activity later this afternoon.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Visitors or pressures on your time may make it difficult to concentrate on some spiritual matters today. However, you have an opportunity to interview or question a spiritually educated person. You may find answers to some long-time questions. Gaining connections with groups or people may help to involve you in continuing along this line of questions later. Religious, cultural or philosophical controversies and crusades have a way of stirring your blood. This is a time during which you are unusually motivated or driven in new and unexpected directions. You may also find it very easy to overdo this afternoon, particularly if you are entertaining out-of-town company. Relax through laughter this evening.

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22) Lately you have gotten into the habit of thinking about tomorrow or worrying over what happened yesterday. Take care of today, then you will eliminate those worries. Enjoy some type of fun involvement with the youth in your family this afternoon. NOW oriented activities will bring you back to your focused self and automatically aid in any problem solving you may have had earlier in the day. Your timing should be perfect and those around you should find you most spontaneous and alive. Your friends want to plan your evening but you may lean more toward family relations for now. This evening you may feel the urge to catch up on communications with those distant relatives or seldom seen family members.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Someone you care about may be a cause for concern. Self-control and setting limits are important and if you are teaching by example, this should not be a long lasting problem. You may decide to sit down and have some earnest talk of changes. Making one or two suggestions with no preaching or criticism makes for successful results. Unusual ideas and novel ways of expressing them play a large part in your life.

Games that use the imagination to bring about mind-pictures are wonderful tools for training young people in creative, positive thinking. The ways you get around at the everyday level are the topic of conversation this evening. Plans are in the making to find an answer to any transportation problems.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Phone calls and family discussions about the holidays ahead can be put aside by the end of this morning. This morning there is time to dream. These days do not come too often—do not ignore this opportunity to let your imagination loose.

Perhaps a good book or movie will take on that more-than-real dimension. Consider the stars. Ideas, opinions and curiosity may take hold of your day. You and your loved one may have decided to do a bit of volunteer work in your community. If you have only talked about doing volunteer work, use this time to begin the routine. Religious contacts will help lead you in this matter—good things happen. Faith, optimism and a yearning to explore all kinds of new horizons are central points in your life now.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) This may be one of those days when the youngest in the family is cutting new teeth or taking new medicine. Whatever the case, a child may be cranky for good reason—pay attention. Also, previous obligations may have set up the day to be fairly crowded. There are lessons to be learned here. Patience with others and the ability to change your plans as well as becoming flexible to other people’s needs can have a rewarding outcome. Fortunately, days like these do not come too often, but they certainly help in molding a person’s character. Take time to listen this evening—it may help you to gain a better focus. General good feeling and a sense of support and harmony make this a happy time. Use this evening to firm up your holiday plans.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Ideals or a sense of belonging to something bigger than the merely personal becomes a greater focus in your life. You attach more importance to friendships and taking part in group activities that center on idealistic goals. Your practical skills are linked to your almost mystical inner vision. You manifest your ideals and dreams in an organized and clear-headed manner. You would be great at giving the public a sense of the ideal via films, advertising, spiritual work. You may be able to involve yourself in some charity or volunteer work this day. Now is the time to organize or become a part of the organization that helps families at this time of the year. You may see value in or feel love for an older person today. There are untold stories to be told.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Lovers, children and other people dear to your heart are emphasized. Being appreciated and admired for your gifts and talents are powerful needs.

Speaking up and helping others bring unexpected rewards. You may be able to bring a group together with words or ideas that transport others. Poetry and art may be possible now. Movies, books and all forms of escape could prove very enjoyable. There is extra support for whatever you want to become involved with today. You may feel that you are in touch and in harmony with others; the lines of communication are open. Any support you might need is available. Material things have a great deal of importance for you and this evening you could be looking at new or barely used car.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

Kaizen center

25716707

Rawda

22517733

Adaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Kaifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salem

22549134

Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Qadsiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Gar

22531908

Shaab

22518752

Qibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Qibla

22451082

Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Hawally

ST TATE T OF K KUW WAIT A

Te el.: 161

DIRECTORA AT TE GENE GENERAL OF CIVIL AV VIA AT TION PA ARTMENT METEOROLOGICAL DEP DA AY: Y Sunday

25/11/2012

BY Y DA AY:

Visibility isibil i will improve gradually and it is partly cloudy with variable wind changing to light to moderate north easterly wind, with speed of 06 - 28 km/h with a chance for scattered rain later on

BY Y NIGHT:

Unstable with light to moderate north easterly becoming south easterly wind, with speed of 15 - 38 km/h with a chance for rain that might be thundery at times No Current Warnings arnin a

WARNING A

17 °C

KUW WAIT A AIRPOR RT

24 °C

14 °C

NUW WAISEEB A

26 °C

16 °C

WAFRA A

26 °C

15 °C

SALMI

20 °C

14 °C

ABDAL LY

24 °C

16 °C

JAL ALIY YAH A

22 °C

13 °C

25623444

FAILAKA A

24 °C

17 °C

Bayan

25388462

AHMADI POR RT

24 °C

17 °C

Mishref

25381200

UMM AL-MARADEM

26 °C

20 °C

W Hawally

22630786

WARBA A A - BUBY YA AN

24 °C

16 °C

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

ST TAT TION

SFC. CHART

25/11/2012 0000 UTC

4 DA AYS Y FORECAST Temperatures DA AY

DA AT TE

WEA AT THER

MAX.

MIN.

Wind Direction

Wind Speed

Monday

26/11

unstable + heavy rain

22 °C

18 °C

SE

15 - 40 km/h

Tuesday

27/11

Wednesday e

28/11

sunny + blowing dust

20 °C

14 °C

NW

22 - 42 km/h

sunny + scattered clouds

19 °C

11 °C

NW

15 - 38 km/h

Thursday

29/11

sunny

19 °C

10 °C

NW

20 - 38 km/h

PRA RA AY YER TIMES

RECORDED YESTERDA AY AT KUW WA AIT AIRPORT

Fajr

04:56

MAX. Temp.

24 °C

06:20

MIN. Temp.

16 °C 89 %

Ardhiya

24884079

Sunrise

Firdous

24892674

Zuhr

11:35

MAX. RH

Asr

14:31

MIN. RH

Sunset

16:50

MAX. Wind

Isha

18:11

TOT TA AL L RAIINF FALL A L IN 24 HR.

Fintas

All times are local time unless otherwise stated.

23900322

57 % SW 71 km/h .99 mm

25/11/12 03:33 UTC

V1.00

T1.06

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist

25665898 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

22618787

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

Dr. Salem soso General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil

22639939

Dr. Mousa Khadada

22666300

Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

3729596/3729581

Neurologists Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Kaizen center 25716707

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Faiha

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Al-Jahra

25610011

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Expected Weeather for the Next 24 Hours

25 °C

24710044

22545171

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

07:00

Issue Time

KUW WAIT A CITY

N Khaitan

Al-Shuhada

WWW.MET.GOV V.KW .

MIN. REC.

24719048

22418714

Fax: 24348714

MAX. EXP P.

Omariya

Ext.: 2627 262 - 2630

Al-Madeena

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062

Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677

36

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

LIFESTYLE F e a t u r e s

Londoners find warmth at cuddle workshops

People embrace during a ‘Cuddle Workshop’ in London on November 4, 2012. he lilting beat of “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” sets the tone. Green and red scatter cushions fill the floor and nervous strangers sit around awkwardly, preparing to get up close and personal at a “cuddle workshop”.

Organiser Anna Nathan announces the rules in a comforting voice. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do,” the 36-year-old tells the two dozen men and women sat round in a circle in a dance studio in north London.

“Keep a layer of clothes on. Place your sexual energy to one side. No kissing.” Today’s students include a recently divorced 30-something “in need of a hug”, some long-term singletons, a young man who’s “very annoyed” with his girlfriend, and a retired man-who are all about to get to know each other much better. The room is cool, and apart from one or two people in T-shirts, the participants are all wrapped up warm.

Exercise one: walk around in time to the music, clicking your fingers, and get to know people by briefly touching their fingers, shoulders, feet, ears and finally their hips.

The first moves are hesitant, but laughter quickly erupts, breaking the tension. Over the next four hours, Nathan and her co-host Neil Urquhart, 42, divide the class first into pairs, then small groups, and guide them through stroking each other all over their body, torso and pelvic area excluded. “At some point, I was like: wait, I am just cuddling someone I just met,” said Bailey, a 20-

T

year-old American student. “In any other place this would be weird. But because we are coming to a workshop, it’s fine.”

She admitted to being surprised at finding such a class in London-”if I expected this type of thing to be anywhere, it’s in California, with some hippies.”

For the final exercise, the small

(36 euros, $46) for a session and takes place about twice a month on a Sunday afternoon, is not met with exclusively positive reactions. “Some guy had a really freshly laundered shirt, and I was like, ‘that’s nice, that’s so comforting’,” said Bailey.

“But the next person, I was like

innocent cuddle. But Nathan and Urquhart keep a watchful eye on the proceedings, and they insist they have only had to intervene a few times since the workshops started two years ago.

“We’ve never had to separate people or pull them apart,” said Urquhart.

The aim of the workshop, similar to

together nearby. “If I had to go straight to the street and public transport, I would feel kind of cold and alone,” said Andrew, a single man aged 42 with 10 workshops under his belt. “I want to hug everybody I see, if they are going my way or not.” Dinner also offers participants a chance to arrange to meet peo-

groups break up and everyone is asked to lie down together on the floor, where they touch and hold each other-while still respecting the rules. “I feel really relaxed. I likened it to taking ecstasy tablets. It reminds me of that experience,” confessed one euphoric cuddler, Grace. The workshop, which costs £29

‘noooo, that’s not that comforting, you could have tried better, come on!’ And I was like: ‘Oh my God, I hope I don’t smell’.” Participants are advised beforehand to avoid wearing strong perfume or aftershave. The inevitable concern about such workshops is they might attract people wanting more than an

the cuddle parties that have taken off in the United States, is to provide some comfort in a society where social interaction increasingly takes place via telephone or a computer screen. Returning to the outside world is a jolt, but the organizers soften the blow by arranging for those who want to have dinner

ple they have met at the workshop for more cuddles-this time perhaps with no rules. —AFP

crisis on Spanish surf

Riding out the ather than mope around at home, legions of unemployed Spaniards are riding out the economic crisis on some of the best waves in Europe, driving a surf boom on the country’s northern breaks. With one in four now out of a job in Spain, surf professionals say the number of surfers has jumped these past two to three years on the stretch of rugged coastline from western Galicia to the border with France. “I think people are taking their unemployment money and just deciding to surf as much as they can,” said Michael Dobos, who runs a surf school in the village of Mundaka, home to some of the continent’s most sought-after waves.

“Since the crisis broke there are three times more people in the water,” said Federico Ibazetor, who runs the Cabo Billano surf school in nearby Plentzia. Both Dobos and Agustin Ciriza, a surf instructor who runs the San Sebastian-based activity tour company, Gorilla Trip, agreed with the estimate. “They don’t have work, so they have more time to surf. They are mainly young because it is easier to lay off young people than older ones,” Ibazetor added.

Surfers in Plentzia point at beach parking lots which once stood almost empty on weekdays, now full. “At 10 am on a Monday there are lots of people getting ready to surf or in the water,” said Nicolas Vazquez, stripping out of his wetsuit.

Vazquez is finishing an economics degree, but the friends he surfs with in and around Plentzia are mainly unemployed construction workers or car mechanics. And it’s not only manual workers who have more time to surf. Marine biologist Mikel Serrano has been out of college for two years and hasn’t had a fixed work contract yet.

“It’s a month here, four months there. We are all unemployed,” he said, pointing to a group of surfers eating sandwiches in Plentzia’s car park.

“There is less work, fewer grants, less research and less scientific investigation. It’s tough.”

Another man from Bilbao, who didn’t want to give his name, wished he had less time to surf.

“I’ve been out of work for nine months now. It’s very hard,” he said as he locked up a spotless Jaguar, grabbed his board and headed for the water.

‘You can see three generations in the water’ While long-time surfers are slightly put out by the increased numbers, surf schools are delighted. Competition between schools has driven lesson costs down. In Mundaka a two-hour group lesson costs 30 euros ($40) including wetsuit

US Surfing teacher Mike Dobos sits with his board in the northern Spanish Basque village of Mundaka. —AFP photos

Mike Dobos stands on the seashore before getting into the water.

R

US Surfing teacher Mike Dobos poses in front of his ‘Surfin’ Mundaka’ school. and board rental. Prices in San Sebastian are similar or less. At the Prado Surf School in Galicia a set of four classes a month costs only 54 euros in winter. For the last two summers schools say classes were not only full, but business continued right up to and past, the mid-Autumn holidays, as cash-strapped families apparently decided to take domestic holidays rather than travel abroad. “You can see three generations in

the water together these days, grandfather, father and son,” said one manager.

School managers also say surfing in Europelong associated with drug-taking, skipping school and generally lazing about-has ditched that negative image. Instead, surfing manages to combine the image of a healthy, nature-oriented sport, and one that still gives off “cool” vibes, said Gorilla Trip’s Ciriza. Or as a Mundaka surfer said, “There are pijos (posh people) in the water now”. Spanish surf shops, on the other hand, have failed to cash in on the boom.

Ripped wetsuits and dinged-up boards are not a problem for surfers, generally indicating the owner is more than just a “grom”, or beginner.

Groms are voted most likely to ruin an experienced surfer’s wave, simply by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. If they have to buy, many surfers these days choose either cheaper board brands, or root around for second hand equipment. A used board, plus wetsuit, can be had for about 300 euros. The lack of cash for expensive new gear means retail businesses are fragile, said Jaime Azpiroz who is distribution manager for Olatu, Europe’s biggest surfboard factory.

The company, which is just outside San Sebastian, makes boards for up-market brands such as Lost, Channel Islands and one of Spain’s favorites, Pukas. That said, when it comes to basic surf equipment-fins, boards, leashes and wax-Azpiroz says between 2009 and 2012 he’s seen an annual increase of about 10 percent in sales. Billabong, another major surf brand, has seen a similar 10 percent increase in sales of basic surf gear over the period. By comparison, sales of Billabong’s clothing line-known as “nontechnical” goods-have been down about 20 percent a year since 2009, said the company’s Spanish representative, Dani Garcia. —AFP

Mike Dobos glides on a wave.

Giordano International sets up Logistics Hub in the UAE iordano International, one of the world’s leading international apparel retailers, has intensified its investment in the Middle East with the establishment of Giordano Middle East Free Zone Establishment at the Jebel Ali Free Zone.

Giordano Middle East FZE , a 100 % subsidiary of Giordano International , will continue to provide strategic support, logistics, and management to Giordano’s franchise partners across the region and will lead Giordano’s expansion outside Asia and the development of its international franchising.

The announcement came as Giordano International Chairman, Peter Lau, made a visit to the UAE from the company’s global headquarters in Hong Kong. Lau’s visit signifies the company’s confidence in the region as an engine for driving global growth. As well as touring the new facility in Jebel Ali, Lau met with the Middle East team and visited Giordano stores in the UAE. On the occasion of his visit, Lau said: “We look at the UAE, and fully appreciate the importance of our operations in the Middle East and its contribution to the group.

Giordano International’s operation in the UAE has managed to expand our brand into 23 countries across the Middle East, India, Africa, Central Asia and Eastern Europe.

G

Lau continued: “With its strategic location, coupled with the incredible infrastructure of Jebel Ali Free Zone and business friendly policy of the country, the UAE will now be our springboard to expand Giordano into other markets outside Asia.

Ishwar Chugani - Managing Director Giordano Middle East FZE, said: “We are delighted to welcome Lau to the UAE and to have the opportunity to showcase our operations, our stores and our people here in the region. Next year, we will celebrate 20 years in the region and the establishment of the new Logistics and Distribution Centre in Jebel Ali will be the next chapter. We look forward to more fruitful years for Giordano Middle East FZE as a key player in the apparel retail industry.”

Globally, Giordano International operates 2,800 stores in 40 countries. Giordano Middle East currently operates 240 stores and will continue to lead expansion particularly in and around the Middle East, Africa and emerging markets in Central Asia, Central and Eastern Europe. This new operation in UAE will enable Giordano to identify, nurture and develop new customers and partners in developing countries and regions across the globe, to which we consider our universal, stylish, affordable brand to be particularly suited.

37

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

LIFESTYLE M u s i c

&

M o v i e s

‘Dallas’ star accepted bag of cash from Ceausescu arry Hagman, the “Dallas” star who died last week, accepted a bag full of cash from Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in return for allowing the regime to use his image, Britain’s Sunday Times reported yesterday. Hagman, who won worldwide fame for his portrayal of villainous Texas oilman J.R. Ewing on the primetime soap opera, visited Bucharest in the 1980s with his wife, where they were feted by Romania’s Communist leaders, the newspaper said.

“Dallas” was hugely popular in Romania and Ceausescu apparently sought the actor’s permission to put a giant portrait of him on the side of a building. “Hagman said he had no objection provided a bag filled with hard currency was left in the ladies’ lavatory of a government office for his wife to pick up the next day,” the newspaper reported, in an article it said Hagman had asked it to hold until his death. “A brown paper bag stuffed with dollars was duly left to be collected, he (Hagman) recalled recently. ‘We spent it quickly like we did all the money in those days,’ he added.” The newspaper said it had agreed to Hagman’s request to wait until he was dead before publishing the story. The 81-yearold died at a Dallas hospital on Friday from complications of throat cancer. —AP

L

The World in the eyes of Arabs is explored in Arabian Nights he Arabian Nights programming segment of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) offers the best picks from Arab cinema around the world, and this year’s edition looks set to offer a bumper crop of award-winning stories from Arab filmmakers from the Middle East and beyond.

Masoud Amralla Al- Ali, DIFF’s Artistic Director, commented on this year’s program:

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“This year’s Arabian Nights submissions have raised the bar even further; each film offers a unique perspective and an incredible amount of thought and creativity has been invested into each film. The slate is made up of a diverse group of filmmakers from around the world, each with a story related to the Arab world that evokes many questions. There is a strong demand for true-to-life Arab stories and these directors are certainly helping to bridge the gap.”

In her accomplished debut, writer-director Sally El -Hosaini shuffles the deck of workingclass, multi-ethnic east London in her sensitively handled coming-of-age film, My Brother the Devil. Shot on location in Hackney during the riots, the film, which won a Best Cinematography accolade at Sundance Film Festival this year and Best British Newcomer for Hosani at BFI London Film Festival will make its Middle East Premiere at DIFF. The GCC Premiere of Valley of Tears, by Canadian Maryanne Zehil, will explore the psychological wounds and the conflicting desires of a Palestinian family who survived the unpunished massacre of Palestinian refugees in the camps of Sabra and Shatila in Lebanon.

From prolific Belgian director Joachim Lafosse comes Our Children, which earned lead actress Emilie Dequenne a Best Actress Award at Cannes this year. Based on a chilling true story, the film, which will make its Middle East Premiere at DIFF, tells the doomed loved story of a couple who live under the stern gaze and financial aid of family.

Filmed in Dubai and making its World Premiere, Love’s Improvisations by Canadian director Youssef El-Deeb illuminates the transient, unpredictable world of love and its many faces. Similarly, Shirin by Iraqi Hassan Ali, also making its World Premiere, explores the lengths to which a young couple will go to be reunited, even against social norms.

Beirut born Cynthia Choucair will present the

World Premiere of Powerless, which treats the electricity problem of her home country through the very personal investigation of four different characters whose lives were drastically affected by the shortage of electricity. Attack by Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri is a personal but powerful drama focused on an innocent surgeon and his beautiful wife, caught in the turmoil and coercion of the deadly IsraeliPalestinian conflict (GCC Premiere). In another

Lebanese selection, Lara Saba’s first feature film Blind Intersections tackles social issues in Lebanon through three characters with different social backgrounds, whose lives never intersect, but their destinies do (GCC Premiere).

Written and directed by Berkeley-based filmmaker John Slattery, Casablanca Mon Amour presents two bright and humorous Moroccan college students who explore a Moroccan perspective on the entwined relationship between Hollywood and The Arab World. The film will make its World Premiere at DIFF. Snackbar, the debut feature film by Dutch documentary-maker of Turkish origin, Meral Uslu recounts the days of a group of Moroccan boys in Holland, who gain strength from the pact of brotherhood which unites them (GCC Premiere).

The Middle East Premiere of Bag of Flour by Kadija Leclere supported by The Dubai Film Connection is a moving film about a 10-year-old girl that is torn away from her environment in Belgium by her father, and left in Morocco to fend for herself.

Syrian director Basil Khatib returns to cinema with his latest film, Mariam (World Premiere), after 12 years of absence. The film chronicles 100 years of Syrian history through the stories of three women living in different eras. The film, which was written by Khatib and his brother Talid, will feature a number of Syrian stars including as Sulaf Fawakherji, Sabah al-Jazaeri, and Assad Fidda.

In a spirited coming-of-age tale from firsttime feature director Rola Nashef, an ambitious Lebanese-American youth is forced to take over his family’s gas station after his father’s death in Detroit Unleaded (Middle East Premiere). Finally in the World Premiere of It’s About to Rain, IraqiItalian director Haider Rashid tackles issues of cultural and legal straddling thrust upon second generation Arab immigrants.

Antonia Carver, Programmer of Arabian Nights commented: “2012 has been an exceptional year for the evolution of Arab film, from the realization of Enjaaz-supported Blind Intersections - Lara Saba’s first feature and independent film which tackles social issues in Beirut head-on, to the remarkable filmmaker Ziad Doueiri’s Attack which is set in turbulent Tel Aviv.

Arab filmmakers are pushing the boundaries of creative expression and are no longer afraid to reveal the worries, expectations and dreams of the Arab world on screen. This program truly offers a unique and frank insight to traditional Arab life, love and politics.

“Friends of the Festival” packages are now available for the upcoming 9th edition of DIFF. Film enthusiasts can select from any of the six exclusive tiers - DIFF Platinum Partner, DIFF Gold Circle, Patron of DIFF, DIFF Supporter, DIFF Genre and DIFF 10 and 25 ticket deals. In return, patrons will receive insider access to the Festival as an acknowledgement of their support for one of the most anticipated events on the UAE’s cultural calendar.

File photo, people cross the street in downtown Bucharest, Romania near an unfinished apartment building draped with a poster of US actor Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing from the television show “Dallas.” —AP

China’s ‘Beijing Blues’ wins at Taiwan film fest hina’s “Beijing Blues” has won the best film award and Hong Kong’s Johnnie To took home the best director’s award at Taiwan’s Golden Horse Film Festival, an event considered the Chineselanguage Oscars. “Beijing Blues” portrays the lives of the urban dwellers through the work of a squad of plainclothes crimehunters. In receiving the award, director Gao Qun Shu was visibly shocked, and he thanked the “globe” for giving an inexperienced director like him such honor and recognition. To won best director for “Life Without Principle,” which is about ordinary citizens in Hong Kong who are caught in the fallout of the global financial meltdown.

The film also won veteran Hong Kong actor Lau Ching Wan the best actor award for his portrayal of a triad thug seeking to recover money lost in a loan shark scheme.

Lau said he was happy to receive the award “even though you don’t act in order to win an award.” Taiwan’s Gwei Lun-mei won the best actress award for portraying a woman involved in a romantic triangle in “GF-BF,” or “Girlfriend-Boyfriend.” She burst into tears on receiving the award after beating out hot contenders including Hao Lei and Bai Bai He, both of China.

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China’s Liang Jing won best supporting actress for playing a toothy midwife harpy in “Design of Death.” Best supporting actor went to Hong Kong’s Ronald Cheng for his role in “Vulgaria,” about the financial capital’s struggling film industry. Controversial Chinese director Lou Ye did not receive the widely expected award for directing boxoffice hit “Mystery.” But at the ceremony, Lou received a rare mention for eventually directing a movie that was screened in Chinese theatres.

“Mystery” - about a woman’s radical revenge after uncovering her husband’s infidelity - is seen as marking Lou’s entry into the commercial mainstream after years on the social and artistic edge. Lou’s films have long focused on sensitive subjects like sex, violence and politics, and have repeatedly been censored by China’s cultural authorities. A special award for outstanding movie worker was presented to Huang Yu-siang, a 25-year old blind Taiwanese pianist in real life, for his first movie shot in Taiwan’s “Touch of the Light,” about young artists pursuing their dreams. —AP

Marc Anthony poses for a photo with children from the Children of Christ orphanage in the eastern city of La Romana, Dominican Republic.

Marc Anthony comes to aid of Dominican orphanage inger Marc Anthony is coming to the aid of an orphanage in the Dominican Republic. A foundation run by Anthony with music and sports producer Henry Cardenas plans to build a new residence hall, classrooms and a baseball field for the Children of Christ orphanage in the eastern city of La Romana. Anthony attended the groundbreaking ceremony Friday with his model girlfriend Shannon de Lima.

Children of Christ Foundation Director Sonia Hane said Anthony visited the orphanage previously and decided to help. His Maestro Cares Foundation raised $200,000 for the expansion on land donated by a sugar company. The orphanage was founded in 1996 for children who were abused or abandoned or whose parents were unable to care for them. —AP

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Singer Gwen Stefani and musician Adrian Young of No Doubt perform at Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California. —AP

Marc Anthony and his girlfriend, model Sharon de Lima, arrive for the groundbreaking ceremony of the new facilities for the Children of Christ orphanage in the eastern city of La Romana, Dominican Republic, Friday. —AP photos

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

lifestyle T R A V E L

This picture taken on November 24, 2012 shows a large wrap around mural on the front of the Clemenger BBDO building to advertise “The Hobbit” movie in the central business district in Wellington. — AFP photos

A pedestrian standing under a large model of Gandalf to advertise “The Hobbit” movie on top of the Embassy Theatre in the central business district in Wellington.

New Zealand out to mine tourist magic from Hobbit movies

rom a giant, bug-eyed Gollum sculpture looming over passengers at Wellington Airport to promotional banners covering the facades of entire office blocks, the upcoming “The Hobbit” movie is impossible to ignore in New Zealand. Tourism chiefs, hoping to recreate the surge in visitors inspired by the original “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, have launched a massive marketing campaign around director Peter Jackson’s latest Middle Earth three-parter.

Like the first trilogy, “The Hobbit” movies use New Zealand’s mountainous scenery as a backdrop, amounting to what some tourism insiders gleefully describe as a nine-hour long advertisement for the country’s rugged charms.

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jumped from 1.5 million to 2.4 million between 2000 and 2006 on the back of “The Lord of the Rings” but have remained flat at about 2.5 million for the past four years. A recent Tourism Industry Association report expressed concerns New Zealand had “lost its edge” and was no longer regarded as a mustsee destination.

“New Zealand is perceived to have fallen off the global radar as a desirable destination to some extent,” the report found. “In part, as a result of increasing competition from other destinations, and in part because of economic conditions in (tourist) generating countries.”

The earthquakes that devastated Christchurch in 2011, resulting in 185 deaths, and a local currency pushing record highs have also not helped matters.

‘Rings’ demand surprised tourism operators Tourism operator David GatwardFerguson said that when the first “Rings” film was released in 2001, the industry was surprised by the influx of visitors wanting to trav-

A car driving past a billboard advertising “The Hobbit” movie at Wellington airport.

Tourism New Zealand has changed its “100% Pure” global branding to “100% Middle Earth” and Wellington has dubbed itself “The Middle of Middle Earth” for the premiere, contributing NZ$1.1 million ($905,000) to the event. Middle Earth coins have been minted, Hobbit stamps issued and Air New Zealand is running an in-flight safety video full of orc, elves and wizards (http://www.youtube.com/airnewzealand? gl=US&uid=tQp6YD3Uc7Q439xlWL6APA).

The national government is so convinced of the benefits to the tourism and movie industries that when a union dispute threatened to send filming offshore in 2010, it amended the country’s industrial laws to ensure it stayed.

Shop windows advertising the “The Hobbit” book and movie in the central business district in Wellington.

Tourism New Zealand chief executive Kevin Bowler does not go that far, but says the films offer the country invaluable global exposure that can be converted into increased visitor arrivals. “We aim to show potential travellers that the fantasy of Middle Earth is in fact the reality of New Zealand,” he said.

But behind the hype, official figures show the first of the new movies “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” cannot come soon enough for an industry struggling for momentum almost a decade on from the original Middle Earth saga.

New Zealand’s international visitor arrivals

Flags advertising “The Hobbit” movie fluttering at Wellington airport. a Middle Earth theme, taking tourists speaking elvish and wearing Tolkien costumes to set locations in the South Island.

With the entire tourism industry abuzz over potential spin-off benefits from Jackson’s latest project, there is little chance operators will be wrong-footed when the first Hobbit film premieres on November 28.

el to places featured in the movie. “We were initially caught out, yes, and geared up over the next year or two to meet demand,” he said, recalling a time when the currency was at a 25-year low and international travel was buoyed by a booming global economy.

Gatward-Ferguson’s Nomad Expeditions soon revamped its eco-adventure tours along

A customer entering a cafe decorated as a hobbit scene advertising “The Hobbit” movie in the central business district in Wellington.

Tolkien geeks not core market Glen Croy, a specialist in film-driven tourism at Australia’s Monash University, said research showed any jump in visitor numbers would not be driven by hard-core Tolkien fans sporting prosthetic Hobbit feet and pointy Gandalf hats. He said the film’s value lay in putting New Zealand on the agenda as a destination for ordinary travelers considering a long-haul holiday, adding that the country had become synonymous with Middle Earth and each movie release reinforced the association.

“People still talk about ‘Lord of the Rings’, people still remembers the films. You choose to watch a film, which you don’t do with an advertisement, and that makes people more receptive.” He said the incidental benefits

from filming in New Zealand-such as Orlando Bloom raving about Kiwi ski-fields or Stephen Fry waxing lyrical on Twitter about Wellington’s coffee-also drew people in.

Tourism New Zealand is not specifying how much of a lift it expects from “The Hobbit” but Gatward-Ferguson said the high local dollar and tough economic times meant it was unlikely to match “The Lord of the Rings”.

“It’ll be positive but it’ll be muted,” he said.

“There’s a lot of naysayers out there and we’re not going to get another wall of visitors, but New Zealand is small enough that we only need to win over a small proportion of the world market to make a big difference.”

The Kiwi dollar has almost doubled against the greenback since the first movie, currently around 83 US cents and tipped to threaten a record high of 88.43 US cents set in August 2011, compared to 43 US cents in late 2001.

The doubters have not prevented GatwardFerguson from expanding his fleet of off-road expedition vehicles by five and buying Hobbit-themed licence places to adorn them, including “Bilbo”, Smaug” and “Thorin”, all characters in the movies. “We’ve come to our own conclusions, made our investment and now we’ve just got to wait and see if we were right,” he said. — AFP

Luggage sitting on a conveyor belt decorated as a hobbit scene advertising “The Hobbit” movie at Wellington airport in Wellington.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

lifestyle T R A V E L

Hobbits, superheroes put magic in NZ film industry crate full of sushi arrives. Workers wearing wetsuit shirts or in bare feet bustle past with slim laptops. With days to go, a buzzing intensity fills the once- dilapidated warehouses where Peter Jackson’s visual-effects studio is rushing to finish the opening film in “The Hobbit” trilogy. The fevered pace at the Weta Digital studio near Wellington will last nearly until the actors walk the red carpet Nov 28 for the world premiere. But after “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” hits theaters, there’s more work to be done.

Weta Digital is the centerpiece of a filmmaking empire that Jackson and close collaborators have built in his New Zealand hometown, realizing his dream of bringing a slice of Hollywood to Wellington. It’s a one-stop shop for making major movies - not only his own, but other blockbusters like “Avatar” and “The Avengers” and hoped-for blockbusters like next year’s “Man of Steel.”Along the way, Jackson has become revered here, even receiving a knighthood. His humble demeanor and crumpled appearance appeal to distinctly New Zealand values, yet his modesty belies his influence. He’s also attracted criticism along the way.

The special-effects workforce of 150 on “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy a decade ago now numbers 1,100. Only five of Weta Digital’s workers are actual employees, however, while the rest are contractors. Many accept the situation because movie work often comes irregularly but pays well. Union leaders, though, say the workers lack labor protections existing in almost any other industry. Like many colleagues, Weta Digital’s director, Joe Letteri, came to New Zealand in 2001 to work on the “Rings” trilogy for two years. The work kept coming, so he bought a house in Wellington and stayed.

“People come here because they know it’s their chance to do something really great and to get it up on the screen,” he said in a recent interview. “And you want to do it in these next two weeks, because the two weeks after the movie’s finished are useless.” Jackson, who declined to be interviewed for this story, launched Weta in 1993

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power of 30,000 laptops, resembles a milk-processing plant because only the dairy industry in New Zealand knew how to build cooling systems on such a grand scale. Little of Weta’s current work was visible. Visitors must sign confidentiality agreements, and the working areas of the facilities are off-limits. The company is secretive about any unannounced projects, beyond saying Weta will be working solidly for the next two years, when the two later “Hobbit” films are scheduled to be released.

A Boeing 777-300 aircraft decorated with scenes and characters from the soon to be released movie, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

Digital director Joe Letteri with fellow filmmakers Jamie Selkirk and Richard Taylor. Named after an oversized New Zealand insect, the company later was split into its digital arm and Weta Workshop, which makes props and costumes. Loving homages to the craft are present in Weta Digital’s seven buildings around the green-hilled suburb of Miramar. There are oldtime movie posters, prop skulls of dinosaurs and apes, and a wall of latex face impressions of actors from Chris O’Donnell to Tom Cruise.

Its huge data center, with the computing

File photo shows film director Peter Jackson arrives for the Golden Globe Awards, in Beverly Hills.

The workforce has changed from majority American to about 60 percent New Zealanders.

The only skill that’s needed, Letteri says, is the ability to use a computer as a tool. Beyond having creativity as a filmmaker, Jackson has proved a savvy businessman, Letteri says. “The film busi-

ness in general is volatile, and visual effects has to be sitting right on the crest of that wave,” Letteri says. “We don’t get asked to do something that somebody has seen before.”

The government calculates that feature films contribute $560 million each year to New Zealand’s economy. Like many countries, New Zealand offers incentives and rebates to film companies and will contribute about $100 million toward the $500 million production costs of “The Hobbit” trilogy. Almost every big budget film goes through Jackson’s companies. “New Zealand has a good reputation for delivering films on time and under budget, and Jackson has been superb at that,” says John Yeabsley, a senior fellow at New Zealand’s Institute of Economic Research. “Nobody has the same record or the magic ability to bring home the bacon as Sir Peter.”

“You cannot overestimate the fact that Peter is a brand,” says Graeme Mason, chief executive of the New Zealand Film Commission. “He’s built

this incredible reputational position, which has a snowball effect.” Back in 2010, however, a labor dispute erupted before filming began on “The Hobbit.” Unions said they would boycott the movie if the actors didn’t get to collectively negotiate. Jackson and others warned that New Zealand could lose the films to Europe. Warner Bros. executives flew to New Zealand and held a high-stakes meeting with Prime Minister John Key, whose government changed labor laws overnight to clarify that movie workers were exempt from being treated as regular employees.

Helen Kelly, president of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions, says a compromise could easily have been reached. She says the law changes amounted to unnecessary union-busting and a “gross breach” of employment laws. “I was very disappointed at Peter Jackson for lobbying for that,” she says, “and I was furious at the government for doing it.” Weta Digital’s general manager Tom Greally compared it to the construction industry, where multiple contractors

A giant sculpture of Gollum, a character from “The Hobbit,” is displayed in the Wellington Airport to celebrate the upcoming premiere of the first movie in the trilogy, in Wellington, New Zealand. and mobile workers do specific projects and then move on.

Animal rights activists said last week they plan to picket the premiere of “The Hobbit” after wranglers alleged that three horses and up to two dozen other animals died in unsafe conditions at a farm where animals were boarded for the movies. Jackson’s spokesman Matt Dravitzki acknowledged two horses died preventable deaths at the farm but said the production company worked quickly to improve animal housing and safety. He rejected claims any animals were mistreated or abused.

Jackson’s team pointed out that 55 percent of animal images in “The Hobbit” were computer generated at Weta. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have asked Jackson in the future to create all his animals in the studio.

Controversies aside, the rise of Weta and the expat American community in and around Miramar is visible in everything from a Mexican restaurant to yoga classes. On Halloween, which in the past was not much celebrated in New Zealand, hundreds of costumed children roamed about collecting candy. Americans gave the tradition a boost here, but the locals have embraced it.

The National Business Review newspaper estimates Jackson’s personal fortune to be about $400 million, which could rise considerably if “The Hobbit” franchise succeeds. Public records show Jackson has partial ownership stakes in 21 private companies, most connected with his film empire. He’s spent some of his money on philanthropy, helping save a historic church and a performance theater. For all his influence, Jackson maintains a hobbit-like existence himself, preferring a quiet home life outside of work. In the end, many say, he seems to be driven by what has interested him from the start: telling great stories on the big screen. — AP

DC’s International Spy Museum salutes ‘50 years of Bond Villains’ o you have what it takes to be James Bond? You can test yourself at the new exhibit “Exquisitely Evil: 50 years of Bond Villains,” which just opened at the International Spy Museum. It runs through 2014. The character of James Bond was created by the late British writer Ian Fleming, a former Naval Intelligence officer during World War II. The character has become an icon known worldwide.

“When Ian Fleming wrote his books, in particular when the books began to be turned into films, nobody knew anything very much about British intelligence at all,” says Dame Stella Rimington, former director general of the British Security Service

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MI-5.”In those days the government didn’t even acknowledge that MI-6 existed, so the films came into a sort of blank world, and told us that British Intelligence contained men wearing black ties and dinner jackets and looking extraordinarily elegant and drinking martinis, shaken not stirred. I do believe that people actually thought that was true for a good long time.”

Starring six different actors over 50 years, the 23 Bond movies have always changed their villains to suit their times.

Megalomaniacs, evil global tycoons, men set on wiping out all of mankind, and, on a more personal level, disaffected secret agents have all run up against Bond-and

failed. This exhibit tells their stories.

“Exquisitely Evil” starts with Fleming artifacts, including a one-of-a-kind walking stick with a golden-eye grip. Props from all the films are represented. Many will remember the steel teeth belonging to Jaws from “Moonraker,” elaborately handled torture knives, and a small-scale model of the Aston-Martin DB5 first driven by Sean

The modern face of Bond and reality - cyberterrorism is on display at the International Spy Museum’s exhibit “Exquisitely Evil: 50 Years of Bond Villains.” — MCT photos

A visitor, Kate Michael, tests one of the interactive exhibits at the International Spy Museum’s exhibit “Exquisitely Evil: 50 Years of Bond Villains.”

Movie props - items of torture are on display at the International Spy Museum’s exhibit “Exquisitely Evil: 50 Years of Bond Villains.”

Connery in “Goldfinger.” “James Bond’s films exceeded by several billion dollars all the other franchises in Hollywood history,” says Milton Maltz, who founded the International Spy Museum 10 years ago.

His original concept for the museum was that it be about espionage in the real world, not fiction. So, along with Bond,

“Exquisitely Evil” includes 15 video clips from former CIA agents including Valerie Plame, whose cover was blown by the George W. Bush administration, and Robert Baer, author of “See No Evil,” explaining how intelligence gathering really works.

The clips are called “My Bond Moments.”

Rimington says, “As the films have moved on, the world has moved with them, and they’ve moved with the world. So with the latest film, ‘Skyfall,’ it’s a very different, different picture that’s presented.” The closing room is devoted to the dangers of modern day cyber-warfare.

Museum goers will enjoy the interactive

exhibits. There’s “Can you hang?” where you can test how long you can hang onto a metal bar-which starts to slowly turn after a certain point.

Anna Slafer, director of the museum, says they wanted to make people “reflect on ‘how have I been affected by fiction over the years.’” One question from an interactive poll is “007 has a license to kill. Do you think that real intelligence officers have a license to kill?”

Another question: Would today’s intelligence services accept James Bond as an agent?

Exquisitely evil: 50 years of bond villains.

The World in the eyes of Arabs is explored in Arabian Nights

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012

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A model sits in a redesigned vintage Volkswagen Beetle by Croatian artist blacksmith Sandro Vrbanus in Essen, western Germany during the Essen Motor Show. The Essen Motor Show runs from December 1 to December 9, 2012. —AFP

New neckwear line Tie the Knot

It’ s a fashion statement with political and personal ties mmy-nominated actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who plays the red-haired lawyer half of a gay couple on the hit ABC comedy “Modern Family,” and his real-life partner, Justin Mikita, are mixing fashion with political activism. The recently engaged pair are behind a limited-edition, 20-piece collection of neckwear called Tie the Knot that went on sale just a few days ago exclusively through online retailer the Tie Bar. Proceeds from sales of the jaunty, all-silk, self-tie bow ties are earmarked to benefit groups working for marriage equality.

On a Sunday afternoon, just days before the general election that would see the number of US states where same-sex marriages are legal grow by 50 percent (from six to nine), Ferguson, 37, and Mikita, 27, sat down with The Times in the Silver Lake home they share to talk about their Tie the Knot Foundation, their foray into fashion, what inspired the inaugural collection and the importance of humor in the fight for same-sex marriage.

Ferguson says he first started thinking about delving into the bow tie business about a year ago. “I wear a lot of bow ties, and we thought this would be a fun way to dip our toes into the fashion world in a simple, easy, low-key way,” he says. “I wasn’t looking to design a full clothing line.”

It was Mikita’s idea to make the fashion statement a philanthropic one. A development associate with the non-profit American Foundation for Equal Rights, the group that brought the federal court case seeking to overturn California’s Proposition 8 ballot initiative outlawing same-sex marriage in the state, he suggested using the proceeds to support groups working toward marriage equality.

Ferguson says that trying to line up manufacturing and retail partners in the early stages of the project “felt like a slow-moving train.” Mikita thinks that’s at least partially because of the cause it’s backing.

“It’s such a high-profile social issue right now,” he says, “that I think major corporations are tentative to get behind it.”

Then, this summer, Ferguson decided to reach out to the Tie Bar, a Chicago-based e-tailer of men’s furnishings from which he’d purchased neckties. “I think we just looked up their contact information on the website and called them up,” Ferguson says.

“And I think we were talking to them about an hour later. ... Once they said they’d do it, it was full speed ahead.”

Greg Shugar, who started the Tie Bar with his wife, Gina, in 2004, knows gay marriage can be a divi-

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sive issue. “As a business you try to stay away from hot-button political issues,” he says. “But for whatever reason (marriage equality) has always been an issue with me, and this was right around the time of the whole Chick-fil-A thing”-when the fast food restaurant’s president touched off a wave of controversy by expressing his opposition to same-sex marriage.

So when Ferguson and Mikita explained their plan for a line of bow ties that would generate funds that would go to US organizations working toward marriage equality, Shugar decided that the risk of alienating a few customers would be outweighed by the benefit to civil rights. And, as he had expected, he did lose a few customers.

“When the partnership was first announced back in September, we did get a few guys who said: ‘I’ll never order from you again’” he says. “But we also had customers who said, ‘I’m proud that your company is doing this,’ and ‘I used to like your company but now I love your company,’ and I wasn’t expecting that. All I’d been able to think about was the negative-about having customers leave us.”

The Tie Bar isn’t just the exclusive retailer of the bow tie collection. It also is the design and manufacturing partner for the line, helping shepherd Ferguson and Mikita’s vision from design inspiration to finished product.

“We would send them photos of things that inspired us,” Ferguson says, “and they would create fabric designs based on that inspiration and we would tweak them from there. I didn’t actually think it could be that easy.”

As Ferguson guides a guest through their house it becomes readily apparent that the design inspiration is as personal to them as the cause. Ferguson points first to an upholstered chair and then to a quilted wall hanging. “That was the starting point for one of the floral ties,” he said of the chair, “and that blanket we hung on the wall to cover a couple of outlets was the inspiration for the tie with the zigzag pattern.”

Mikita scoops up their dog Leaf (whose full name, Leaf Coneybear Ferguson-Mikita, is an homage to the character Ferguson played in the Broadway production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”) as Ferguson explains how the pet unwittingly inspired another design. “Our dog came back from the dog groomer’s one day wearing a bandanna, which is what inspired these,” Ferguson says, holding up two bandanna-print ties, one red and one blue.

“We named this style the Jack & Ennis after the characters in ‘Brokeback Mountain.’” Ferguson points to a navy blue tie with a silver, bubble-like pattern that he says was inspired by a favorite roll of wrapping paper and to several plaid patterns that are riffs on images he found in a book of tartans that had belonged to his grandmother.

There’s even a back story to the label’s logo,

“Modern Family” actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson and partner Justin Mikita are launching a line of bowties on Nov 15 in partnership with Thetiebar.com, with portion (most) of proceeds going to fund groups fighting for marriage equality.

Pictured, the Justin Wisteria bowtie. — Signature Navy bowtie

Carey bowtie

which appears as an allover embroidery on several of the ties. Mikita said he suggested the visage of a wide-eyed, bow-tie-wearing horned owl after noticing the bow-tie-wearing figure that serves as the logo of Beverly Hills’ Mr C Hotel. And why the specific choice of an owl over, say, a penguin (which, after all, already appears to be wearing formal attire)?

“Everyone knows the owl represents wisdom,” answers Ferguson. “But they also represent patience and dignity. That’s something I think the people who are in the fight for marriage equality have to embrace, that there’s a certain amount of patience that comes with (the fight).”

The initial offering consists of 15 hourglassshaped butterfly-style bowties and five with a slightly more fashion-forward diamond tip. Each tie was produced in a limited run of just 200 pieces. All net proceeds-roughly $20 of each $25 tie-will be donated by the Tie the Knot Foundation to US organizations working for marriage equality, with a single group as the beneficiary each season. Mikita says that the approximately $80,000 raised from the first fully sold collection will be donated to the group Human Rights Campaign.

A spring collection is already in the planning stages, and, if the concept catches on, the couple has discussed saying “I do” to a whole range of products.

“We’re thinking about doing cuff links with the owls on them,” Ferguson says, “or maybe teaming up with a really great stationery company to make wedding

Bernie bowtie invitations ... and we’ve talked about doing wedding bands, (scarves) for women and pocket squares. But we like the idea of keeping it in the wedding arena.”

As for their own wedding (Ferguson popped the question to his boyfriend of two years in July, during a trip to Mexico to celebrate costar Sofia Vergara’s 40th birthday), the couple has yet to decided where and when they’re going to make it legal. —MCT

Jack and Ennis bowtie

Signature Hunter Green bowtie

Kim Kardashian in Kuwait at Millions of Milkshakes launch l- Recardo General Trading is bringing Hollywood’s most famous Milkshake bar to Kuwait with the launch of ‘Millions of Milkshakes’ at The Avenues Mall on the 29th of November. The newest addition, which will be the second branch to open in the Middle East, will be in the brand-new ‘SoKu’ area of the Avenues Mall’s prestigious phase three.

Reality star, fashionista and Millions of Milkshakes enthusiast Kim Kardashian will visit Kuwait for the first time ever to attend the opening of the branch. Kim will be in Kuwait for a three-day visit to celebrate the opening of Millions of Milkshakes’ newest addition, meet her fans and explore the country. “I’m so excited to visit Kuwait, I’ve heard so much about the people and especially about the incredible fashion scene. Millions of Milkshakes and Al- Recardo have planned an opening to remember, so I’m really looking forward to it!”she said.

Kim has a long-standing relationship with Millions of Milkshakes who, along with AlRecardo, wanted to make sure that her fans in Kuwait get the chance to see the star at the

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opening. Shadi Al-Ghanim, CEO of Al-Recardo Trading, said, “We’re extremely excited to welcome Kim to Kuwait. She has a huge fan base here and we’ve had such an outpour of support and excitement surrounding her visit. Our goal here at Al-Recardo is to bring the very best, indemand brands to Kuwait and we know that Millions of Milkshakes will fit right in!”Bringing Millions of Milkshakes to Kuwait is part of Al- Recardo’s overall plan to increase their presence in the retail sector, said Ehab Al-Aradi, Chairman of Al -Recardo Trading, “We’re very excited to expand further into the retail sector, and this is just one of many projects we have coming up.”

Millions of Milkshakes enjoys a unique ‘fun factor’ thanks to its delicious shakes, unbeatable atmosphere and the celebrity attention it receives, all of which have helped to fuel exposure to over 500 million people worldwide from its West Hollywood branch alone. It was a smash hit in Dubai following its opening at Dubai Mall last year, attracting thousands of fans and wide-

spread media coverage. Founder of Millions of Milkshakes and PR extraordinaire, Sheeraz Hasan, said he is looking forward to continued expansion in the Middle East, “We’re excited to continue our expansion in the Middle East, and we’re especially thankful for

all of the support we continue to receive. The second I landed in Kuwait I knew it would be a hit here, especially in the Avenues’ beautiful new location, SoKu.” The Millions of Milkshakes experience is just as famous as their shake, with countless celebrities frequenting the US branches. From sporting legends like Shaquille O’Neal to award-winning Hollywood royalty like Leonardo DiCaprio, the concept is a definite crowd pleaser. The brand is such a hit with the celebrity crowd that many have created their own combinations, from Miley Cyrus’ cookie dough and peanut butter concoction to Kim’s strawberry and banana combo. With just a few days until the opening, Kuwait’s milkshake fans can look forward to creating their very own combinations including all of their favourite toppings and mixins at the Avenues’ buzzing new location, SoKu.