29 Jan 2012

CR IP TI ON BS SU

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

US military reaches further into Asia

Shawdagar: The baddest baddie in Bangladesh

27

Kuyt late show sinks Utd, Chelsea down QPR

20

NO: 15343

13

Twitter’s new censorship plan rouses global furor

www.kuwaittimes.net

Arab League halts Syria mission as violence rages

40 PAGES

150 FILS

8

RABIA ALAWAL 6, 1433 AH

Fighting flares in Damascus suburban towns

CAIRO/BEIRUT: The Arab League suspended its monitoring mission in Syria yesterday due to deteriorating conditions in the country, as state security forces battled rebels holding three suburbs just outside the capital Damascus. The decision comes days after the Arab League called for President Bashar Al-Assad to step down, following 10 months of revolt against his rule. It will take an Arab peace plan to the UN Security Council next week. It also comes as Gulf states and Turkey called in Istanbul for global efforts to focus on bringing the bloodshed to an “immediate end” and paving the way for the initiation of a political transition. “Given the critical deterioration of the situation in Syria and the continued use of violence ... it has been decided to immediately stop the work of the Arab League’s mission to Syria pending presentation of the issue to the league’s council,” Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby said in a statement.

Arab League foreign ministers are expected to discuss early next month the possibility of withdrawing monitors completely, a League official said, but added that the secretary general could pull monitors out at any time if necessary. Syria said it regretted and was surprised by the Arab League decision, official state television said yesterday. “Syria regrets and is surprised at the Arab decision to stop the work of its monitoring mission after it asked for a one-month extension of its work,” Syria Television reported in an urgent news flash.

The Arab League’s job was to observe implementation of its peace plan. Though its mandate was extended for a second month, critics lambasted the mission for its failure to stem bloodshed. It was further undermined when Gulf states withdrew their monitors last week, saying the team could not stop the violence. Diplomatic pressure, tempered by continued support from Russia and regional power Iran, has yet to halt Assad’s crackdown on unrest that it blames on foreign-backed militants.

Continued on Page 13

factbox

Road to Assembly II

By B Izzak KUWAIT: Kuwaitis head to the ballot boxes to elect the fourth National Assembly since May 2006 in one of the most politically turbulent periods since parliamentary democracy was introduced in 1962. Here’s a look at the main contests in the five constituencies by highlighting the main political groups and leading candidates.

Second Constituency • Main areas: Dahiyat Abdullah Al-Salem, Mansouriya, Qadsiya, Nuzha, Faiha, Shamiya, Sulaibkhat and Doha.

• 45,400 voters with women 24,004 or 52.9 percent and men 21,396 or 47.1 percent. It is the smallest constituency in terms of the number of voters and is almost a third of the number of voters in the fifth electoral district.

It has the third largest number of candidates with 61, including seven women, who represent almost all Kuwait’s political groups and sections with a strong Islamist, liberal and tribal bases. There is a small Shiite community which sometimes, like in 2009, manages to get an MP to the Assembly. Eight of the 10 members of the dissolved Assembly are bidding for reelection after Jassem Al-Khorafi, former speaker, and Mohammad Al-Mutair, a supporter of Salafists, opted out of the race. They also include eight former MPs from previous Assemblies, with liberals Mohammad Al-Sager, Mohammad Al-Abduljader and Mishari AlOssaimi and Salafist Islamists Abdullatif Al-Ameeri and Fahad Al-Khanna being the most prominent.

Continued on Page 13

in the

news

Saudi women to be allowed in stadium RIYADH: A government-run Saudi Arabian newspaper reported that for the first time in the conservative Muslim country, women will be allowed to attend football matches in one of the country’s stadiums. AlSharq newspaper yesterday quoted unnamed officials as saying that women will be able to watch the matches in a new facility that will be completed in 2014 in the western port city of Jeddah. The officials said that the new stadium will include a family section with private cabins and balconies for women who wish to attend the games. Saudi Arabia’s strict interpretation of Islam prohibits unrelated men and women from mingling. Women and men in Saudi Arabia remain highly segregated and are restricted in how they are allowed to mix in public.

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal (left), his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu (center) and GCC Secretary General Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al-Zayani speak at a news conference during the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) foreign ministers’ meeting in Istanbul yesterday. (Inset) An image grab taken from a video uploaded on YouTube shows a Syrian demonstrator holding a sign reading “Victory is coming, God willing” during an anti-regime protest in Karnaz in the central Syrian governorate of Hama yesterday. — AFP

Couple found ‘butchered’ at Andalous home

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A 70-year-old Saudi and his 65-year-old Kuwaiti wife were found dead in their house in Andalous yesterday. The wife’s nephew said he had been calling her for a week but no one answered the phone. He assumed that they had traveled abroad, but went over to their home yesterday to find his aunt lying butchered in the kitchen, while her husband was dead in the living room with his fingers missing. The safe was broken open and its contents were removed. Criminal detectives are working to solve this gruesome crime.

The killer could be the couple’s driver who is absconding. Separately, three Kuwaitis were found dead due to smoke inhalation in Kabd stables. The medical examiner report showed they were using drugs.

US weapons for future include relics of past

TEL AVIV: Amir Abbas Fakhravar, secretary general of the Confederation of Iranian Students, shakes hands with Israel’s Kadima party and opposition leader Tzipi Livni during a meeting yesterday. — AFP

Iranian students meet Israel’s Livni TEL AVIV: A delegation from an opposition Iranian student group met Israel’s centrist opposition leader and former foreign minister Tzipi Livni in Tel Aviv yesterday. An AFP photographer said the Confederation of Iranian Students delegation was headed by its secretary general, Amir Abbas Fakhravar, who said he was “happy to be in Israel, the only democracy in the region”. The CIS, founded in the United States, says it has 8,000 members, mostly in Iran, America, Britain, France and Germany, although it has no branches in the Islamic republic. Livni, in a statement issued by her Kadima party, said she hoped the visit would help show that “Israel only has a problem with the leaders of Iran and not with the Iranian people”. Israel accuses arch-foe Iran, whose President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly predicted the destruction of the Jewish state, of pursuing a nuclear weapons program, a charge denied by Tehran.

WASHINGTON: The lineup of weapons the Pentagon has picked to fit President Barack Obama’s new forwardlooking defense strategy, called “Priorities for 21st Century Defense,” features relics of the past. They include the Air Force’s venerable B-52 bomber, whose current model entered service shortly before Obama was born. There is the even older U-2 spy plane, which began flying in 1955 and burst into the spotlight in May 1960 when Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union.

When Obama went to the Pentagon on Jan 5 to announce his new defense strategy he said that as the US shifts from a decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan it will “get rid of outdated Cold War-era systems.” He was not specific. But when the first details of the Pentagon’s 2013 budget plan were announced Thursday, it was clear that some prominent remaining Cold War-era “systems” will live on.

That includes not just the B-52 bomber and the U-2 spy plane, but also the foundation of US nuclear deterrence strategy: a “triad” of nuclear weapons that can be launched from land, sea, and air. That concept, credited by many for preventing nuclear conflict throughout the Cold War, is now seen by some arms control experts as the kind of outdated structure that the United States can afford to get rid of. Some think the US should do away with at least one leg of that “triad,” perhaps the bomber role. That would not just save money and clear the way for larger reductions in the number of US nuclear weapons - an Obama goal in line with his April 2009 pledge to seek the elimination of nuclear weapons.

Continued on Page 13

Max 19º Min 05º High Tide 03:12 & 16:06 Low Tide 09:18 & 21:52

Indian singer killed in crash on Kuwait arrival

By Sajeev K Peter

Airport Road, wrecking one side of it and killing Shah on the spot. The driver of the car, an employee of the KUWAIT: Celebrated Indian singer Deepali Joshi Al-Mulla Group, and a staff member were also injured Shah, 35, died in a gruesome car crash on in the accident. Al-Mulla Group was the Friday night in Kuwait. Her manager official organizer of the show.

Ishaal Naqvi, who sustained serious “It is a very tragic and unfortunate inciwounds in the accident, is battling for his dent,” Indian Ambassador Satish C Mehta life at Farwaniya Hospital. Shah arrived in told Kuwait Times. He said the musical Kuwait to present a ‘Patriotic Song Only’ program scheduled for yesterday evening music program yesterday at the Indian was cancelled. The singer’s body will be embassy auditorium as part of India’s flown to Mumbai once formalities are 63rd Republic Day celebrations. completed, the ambassador informed.

The tragedy struck the singer and her A very popular singer, Shah hailed manager on their way to a hotel from from Dharwad region of Karnataka. She is Kuwait International Airport after their survived by husband Paresh Shah, a wellarrival from Mumbai. Their car was hit by known Gujarati music composer, a sister a speeding vehicle from behind off the Deepali Joshi Shah Continued on Page 13

2

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

LOCAL

KUWAIT: Indian Ambassador Satish C. Mehta hosted a party at the Crowne Plaza hotel over the weekend to celebrate his country’s 63rd Republic Day. A number of diplomats and other dignitaries attended the function.

— Photos by Joseph Shagra

Vote counting process to take only four hours Candidates active in electoral camps KUWAIT: Election results could be announced as early as the first few hours past midnight on Friday morning, as the vote counting process is only expected to take four hours during Election Day on Feb 2. Abdul-Aziz Al-Majid, Ministry of Justice Undersecretary stated this and added that around 800 judges will take part in supervising the elections at all constituencies. Meanwhile, a local daily repor ted a source from the Ministr y of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs who said an investigation is underway regarding complaints made against imams accused of bringing up the elections during the Friday Prayer’s ‘khutba’ speech; this violates the MAIA regulations.

The source who spoke on condition of anonymity further said that the suspected imams are accused of urging citizens to avoid electing candidates of certain social backgrounds or sectarian groups.

During the weekend, candidates stayed active in their electoral campaigns which featured multiple calls for adopting a politi-

cal parties’ parliamentary system in Kuwait. “Amending the current poll system is necessary, given the large difference in the number of voters between constituencies”, said former MP Ahmad Al-Saadoun, saying that this difference violates the standards of equality among citizens. The third constituency candidate further added during a recent seminar that adopting political par ties system is the first step towards reorganizing the elections system.

Likewise, third constituency candidate and former MP said that a political parties system is essential to organize the political process in Kuwait. He further called for “reconsidering [some articles in] the Kuwaiti constitution”, suggesting that the Cabinet exploited loopholes to force a lack of quorum in the parliament or control voting results.

Third constituency candidate Mohammad Al-Dallal agreed in the meantime that certain constitutional articles need to be reconsidered “after becoming outdated

since they have been enforced 50 years ago”.

Changing Kuwait’s elections system was also mentioned in a seminar organized recently at election camp of fifth constituency AlHumaidi Al-Subai’ei, in which former Information Minister Dr Saad bin Tiflah called for a single constituency system which he said is the best way to “elect honorable MPs capable of committing to duties towards achieving reform”.

He also called for the establishment of a supreme elections committee “that allows local and international monitoring to the electoral process, capable of exposing funding resources for election campaigns”.

Third constituency candidate and former MP Dr. Faisal Al-Mislem urged fifth constituency candidates during the same seminar to elect “efficient MPs” to the parliament, arguing that MPs who represented the fifth constituency in the previous parliament “were the second worse, only next to first constituency MPs”.

In other news, the Islamic Constitutional Movement and Islamic Salafist Assembly reportedly agreed to form an alliance between their candidates in the first constituency : Osama AlShaheen and Dr Mohammad AlKandari respectively. Sources familiar with the issue told Annahar in the meantime that the coalition comes a few days ahead of Election Day “as sectarian alliances are starting to shape up”. The same report also hints that candidates Abdullah Al-Roumi and Abdullah Al-Turaiji could join the coalition, but later mentions that both of them are likely to remain alone “in order to avoid losing Shiites’ votes in the first constituency”.

Meanwhile, 83 percent of 200 voters who took part in a recent survey carried out by Al-Qabas daily expressed suppor t to the prospect of imposing stricter conditions for nomination to parliamentary elections, with the belief it would help come up with “better quality MPs”.

—Al-Qabas, Al-Rai, Annahar

Students protest against low grades KUWAIT: A large crowd of high school students and their parents are expected to gather this morning outside the Ministry of Education building in protest against low mid-term grades.

An invitation to the gathering was released on Friday by the Council of Kuwait High School Students, who called students and their parents to lodge a complaint against Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education Ahmad Al-Mulaifi at the UNESCO office in Doha, Qatar “for violating international regulations in university admittance”. There are growing speculations in Kuwait that the ministry deliberately used hard mid-term exams in a bid to reduce the number of high school graduates who would apply

at the already overcrowded Kuwait University. Moreover, statement also mentions calls to high school students and teachers to stage a strike at the start of the second semester “in protest against procedures that endanger fate of high school graduates”.

In the meantime, a local daily suggested in a report yesterday that the MoE could be studying the possibility of canceling mid-term results, and instead compensate students by doubling the results of final exams set for June. These rumors could not be confirmed however as the report merely states they were heavily circulated on social networking websites over the past few days.

— Al-Jarida, Al-Anbaa

Health employees banned from using mobiles in Ahmadi area KUWAIT: Dr Fahad Al-Fory, Ahmadi Governorate health area director, has banned the use of personal laptop in addition to mobiles (BlackBerry, iPhone, Galaxy etc) during official timing in all hospitals and health centers in Ahmadi area, except for extreme necessity, while on duty.

The ban as per the circular issued in this respect is using such technology equip-

ments has affected negatively the work process and it contradicts Article 24 that employees should work in full honesty and nicely.

Calling upon all employees to abide by this decision, the circular warns that anyone acting contrary to the instruction or any case of violations will be liable for legal questioning, reported Al-Anbaa.

Kuwait shines under leadership of Amir KUWAIT: Sheikha Fareeha Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah, head of the Kuwait Association for the Ideal Family and Girls Sports Club, congratulated HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on his sixth year in office yesterday.

On the occasion of the six-year ascendance of HH the Amir to the reign of the nation’s leadership, she said in a speech that “Kuwait continues to shine under the wise leadership of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. This year is witness to several achievements on the political and economic scales, whereby it has managed to acquire a regional and international role at the forefront of the developed world.

“These achievements are highlighted by

the evident development in democratic practice under the directions of the Amir, who has taken it upon himself to making sure this remains a symbol of modernity.

“Under these achievements, the Kuwaiti people have the right to be proud. The future, which is being drawn up, is illustrating further prosperity built on the fundamentals of sustainable development and progress.”

She added: “We congratulate HH the Amir on the occasion of his six-year ascendance to power ... and this is an occasion for the Kuwaiti people to announce their support of the democratic process HH the Amir supports, along with HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah”. —KUNA

Maliki’s visit stands, date to be set — Photos by Joseph Shagra

Adrenaline rush: 200 bikers vroom at Kuwait’s bike show

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: An annual bike show organized by Harley-Davidson Kuwait was held last Thursday at the Marina Mall in Salmiya. Over 200 bikers paraded and showcased their bikes from the Movenpick Hotel in Al-Bidaa towards the Fifth Ring Road down to Kuwait City and back to Gulf Road, Marina. The 8th bike show was attended by a numerous number of bikers from GCC countries including Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The bike show is a competition held in different categories, which include Best Softail FX,

Best Softail Custom, Best Softail FL, Best SoftailFL Custom, Best Dyna, Best Dyna Custom, Best Spotster, Best Sportster Custom, Best Touring, Best Touring Custom, Best V-Rod, Best V-Rod Custom, Best Paint Job and Best CVO. Exhibition of best customized designs and its winners were announced at the venue right after the show. Speaking with the Kuwait Times, Tommy Dixon, Harley-Davidson Kuwait Operation Manager said the event objective is to see the best modified bikes in each category and give them a chance to showcase their skills in front of other bikers.

“Bikers from Kuwait constitute around 50

percent; the rest are bikers from GCC countries,” he said. Winners will get trophies in addition to a cash reward, courtesy Harley-Davidson. “When people see Harley-Davidson at a show like this, I am sure they will admire it; that’s what HarleyDavidson is all about. Harley-Davidson is like a canvas, you can paint the canvas itself; you can modify it the way you want it, and put your own thumbprint on it. That is how Harley-Davidson is different from the rest of the bikes. We are unique and we are giving you options to customize your bike. So each bike has an individual personality which is reflected by your uniqueness.”

Gathering outside Bahraini embassy dispersed KUWAIT: Twenty Bahrainis gathered outside their country’s embassy building in Surra on Fr i d a y i n s u p p o r t o f a n t i - g o ve r n m e n t protests in Bahrain, but their gathering was cut short by police intervention.

The demonstrators, who were reportedly joined by four Kuwaiti citizens, returned home half an hour after the gathering started, as soon as police showed up and reminded them that public gatherings are illegal for

non-Kuwaitis.

Meanwhile, heavy security procedures were taken around the Iradah Square parameters in anticipation of a demonstration called by citizens on Friday to press for a governmental decision to scrap citizens’ loan similar to a decision taken recently in the United Arab Emirates. While the gathering never happened, police kept a close watch until 6:00 pm to make sure that the situation

remained under control.

Very limited police presence was seen in Taima and Al-Sulaibiya in the meantime, as stateless residents never went out on a mass gathering. No bedoon demonstrations were expected to take place this past Friday. In other news, dozens of Syrian residents gathered inside their country’s embassy building re c e n t l y i n s u p p o r t o f S y r i a n Pre s i d e n t Bashar Al-Assad. — Al-Qabas, Al-Rai

KUWAIT: The date for the anticipated visit of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki to Kuwait is yet to be determined, said a senior consultant to the Iraqi government recently who rejected speculations that the delay is caused by disputes between Baghdad and Kuwait. “[Al-Maliki’s] official visit remains on the prime minister’s schedule, yet the date hasn’t been set either by the Kuwaiti or Iraqi sides”, said Ali Al-Moussawi, the media advisor to the Iraqi prime minister, in statements on Friday.

Al-Maliki is expected to discuss with the Kuwaiti government several pending topics between the two countries, including Iraq’s UN Chapter VII sanctions, the Mubarak AlKabeer port, the joint borders and boosting economic cooperation. Several Iraqi news

agencies reported recently that the visit was canceled “due to multiple delays since the original date of late December 2011”.

Al-Moussawi categorically denied these reports however, insisting that Al-Maliki received an official invitation from his Kuwaiti counterpart to visit Kuwait. He also rejected speculations which hinted that Iraq had requested Kuwait’s approval of lifting the Chapter VII sanctions in exchange for the visit. The sanctions are pending fulfillment of compensations due to Kuwait for the damage created by the 1990/91 invasion. Several reports quoting Iraqi politicians close to Al-Maliki indicate that the Iraqi premier looks to renew relationships between the two countries, and start a new era of positive bilateral relations based on mutual respect.— Al-Rai

Wataniya Telecom introduces new, attractive Wnet bundles KUWAIT: Wataniya Telecom continues to introduce new offers and tailor the best deals for the benefit of its customers. Wataniya has introduced new Wnet offers on cash or installments allowing postpaid customers to enjoy an electronic gadget at just KD 1.5 per month.

The offer starts today (Sunday Jan 29) and entails four different attractive bundles. In the first bundle the customer gets a PS3 and a Wnet Pocket Router, in the second bundle an iPod Touch and a Wnet Pocket Router, the third bundle grants customers an iPad 2 with the Wnet MicroSIM and last but not least the fourth bundle includes a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1” with a Wnet SIM. Commenting on the exclusive and special offer, Abdolaziz Al-Balool Public Relations Director at Wataniya telecom said: “Following the success achieved by the new and improved Wnet packages we recently introduced which offered all users high-speed internet, we seized the opportunity to bring them new deals bundled with the latest and most desired electronic gadgets to improve our customer’s day to day experience and enhance their communication

Abdolaziz Al-Balool methods.” Al-Balool also added: “Social networking, online gaming and surfing the internet have become essential activities in people’s daily lives and that is why we focus on improving and updating our Wnet packages and offers. We promise our customers to provide the latest and most attractive offers to suit the different segments of our community.”

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

local

Actress faces deportation KUWAIT: A known actress in Kuwait appealed to the officials in Ministry of Interior to protect her from being “killed” by her family after she returns home following deportation.

The 22-year-old actress has been detained at the deportation center for three weeks now. The young actress who was considered a promising face last

year, said she is being controlled by her brother who is also an actor and her Syrian husband who canceled her residency without her knowledge.

She said that her brother and husband want to deport her back to her country because she worked as an actress and her punishment on reaching home will be death.—Al-Anba

KUWAIT: Jahra municipality officials removing abandoned vehicles over the weekend. Director of Public Cleanliness Mamdouh Al-Enezi said that the municipality will continue inspection campaigns in the coming days. —Photos by Hanan Al-Saadoun

Drug dealers covered by amnesty to be deported KUWAIT: A number of expatriate drug dealers who spent nearly 20 years in Kuwaiti prisons are set to be released as part of this year’s Amiri amnesty during the national holidays towards late February.

They will be immediately deported however and blacklisted so that they don’t return back to Kuwait in the future.

This was mentioned in a report published yesterday which indicates that a committee formed by the Ministr y of Interior to examine files of inmates and look for those who meet the amnesty’s conditions. According to security sources with knowledge of the committee’s work, nearly 2,200 prisoners will enjoy this year’s amnesty, as they will either be released

from jail or have their jail terms reduced.

Other amnesty stipulation includes canceling deportation orders as well as dropping fines owed to the state.

The sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity also indicated that 300 women are among the prisoners expected to be covered by the amnesty. Moreover, the sources revealed that drug convicts released via the amnesty will be subjected to parole.

Files of inmates who meet conditions of the Amiri amnesty are set to be referred to the Amiri Dewan this week, where they will be reviewed until they are announced during Kuwait’s national celebrations late next month. — Al-Rai

KUWAIT: A fire broke out in a Rumaithiya house, as the South Salmiya and Mishref back up centers responded. A woman was reported dead, as the fire was brought under control. Meanwhile a fire also broke out in a small tent in one of the elections headquarters and it was brought under control. — Photo by Hanan Al-Saadoun

Spoilt meat redistributed

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: Ministry of commerce and industry confiscated eight tons of spoiled meat from a warehouse in the capital. A warrant was obtained from the prosecution to storm the store which was placed under surveillance for two weeks. The meat was being distributed to restaurants. Capital supervisor Eid Al-Rashidi said the storming was done following information that a cooler owned by a Syrian contained large quantities of meat and meat products which had expired a year ago. The owner of the cooler redistributed it to restaurants at a lower price, despite knowing that it was spoilt. He said the warrant was obtained when the expat felt that he was being watched.

Six accidents A 33-year-old Kuwaiti suffered a head

injury during an ATV accident in Kabd. He was admitted to Farwaniya ICU. A 70-year-old Kuwaiti suffered a broken left leg when a car hit him near Jahra cooperative.

A 12-year-old Kuwaiti had a laceration in the face and a bruised eye during an ATV accident in Jlaiah. He was taken to Adan Hospital.

A 13-year-old Iranian suffered a broken left leg during an ATV accident in Jlaiah. He was taken to Adan Hospital.

An unknown female was killed, while a 31-year-old Indian suffered dizziness and another 24-year-old ended up with a broken right shoulder during a car accident on Airport Road. They were taken to Farwaniya Hospital.

A 50-year-old Kuwaiti woman was killed, while a 45-year-old Kuwaiti sustained a head injury during a car accident on Nuwaiseeb Road. He was taken to Adan Hospital.

expats to get increment KUWAIT: Abdul Aziz Al-Zabin, Director of Civil Service Commission has announced financial privileges for both citizens and expats, informed sources revealed. AlZabin’s revelations are based on the economic consulting committee decision.

Sources said that everyone will take his just share of the due allowance through equalizations among all specializations in all min-

istries. Sources added that increment will be based on groups and not cadres. Increment for expats working in government sector will be KD 50 to meet the increase in cost of living. Increments for Kuwaitis in the private sector will be KD 250 and will be paid by the program of supporting national labor and with this the file of allowances will be closed, reported Al-Shahed.

Twitter users boycott tweets to protest against filtering New regulations ‘annoying’

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: A number of Twitter users in some Arab countries, especially in Kuwait and the G CC h e l d a B oyco t t Tw i t te r Campaign yesterday. The campaign, starting from 12am yesterday would last 2 4 h our s when it is over at 12am, today.

As part of the boycott, the users did not tweet or use Twitter during the boycott day, which saw a big decrease in the use of the social network site. This campaign was in response to the announcement of Twitter on Thursday that it may block specific content on a countryby- countr y basis if required.

This raised fears Twitter’s commitment to free speech as it expands into new countries.

Many users consider these new regulations as annoying.

“Twitter is one of the most used social-media tools respecting freedom of expression. I think th at with th ese restr ic tions through blocking and censorship the freedom of expression

will be limited. The tweeters found ways and tricks to overcome these restrictions, so we still can deliver our voice to the world and send our tweets. I’m boycotting Twitter Saturday along with the majority of my Twitter friends, and this is clear from our tweets,” Nawal, a 31year- old Kuwaiti told the Kuwait Times.

28 years old Ibtisam noted that over 90 percent of her friends on Twitter were boycot t i ng Tw i t te r ye s te rd ay.

“Us ua l l y w he n I op e n my account at this time of the day I find more than 500 tweets at least. But today I didn’t see more than 20 tweets, as most of t he m a re b oycot t i ng t he Twitter. Personally I don’t send many tweets. I only read the tweets I receive. Today I won’t have much to read,” she noted.

“I think that some users who misused the freedom of expression by committing crimes on Twitter forced the administration to set such restrictions. I’m with the freedom supporters.

But I’m against those who use Twitter to post porno pictures or videos or to insult people.

The restrictions then affected t h e m a j o r i t y w h o a re u s i n g Tw i t te r p ro p e r l y,” a d d e d Ibtisam.

However, it seems very easy to get around these upcoming limitations. Indeed, Twitter ’s Help Center itself gives a good clue on how to bypass them very easily. The user can find a step-by-step explanation on the official website.

In case of any breech or violation, the first thing to identify is that some content has been blocked in your countr y. The us e r w i l l s e e t he fol l ow i ng warnings: Tweet Withheld or @ Username Withheld. Previously the user could change his country settings to ‘Worldwide’. Thus it seems that Twitter automatically rever ts to the user ’s IP country if he tries to set it to “Worldwide”. But changing the IP address to another country works fine. So all you have to do if you want to see a ‘blocked’

tweet is to change your country setting after reading the warning.

What’s particularly clever is its ease of use, even in countries w h e re te c h n i c a l workarounds may be difficult to a cce s s. Us e r s won’t ne e d to hi d e t he i r I P w i t h a p rox y : Tw i t te r l e t s t he m c ha nge i t manually.

Before, when Twitter erased a tweet it disappeared throughout the world. Now, a t weet containing content breaking a law in one country, can be out in one place and still be seen elsewhere. Twitter will post a censorship notice wherever a tweet is removed.

A S a n Fra n c i s co co m p a ny came up with the new filtering technology in recognition that it will likely be forced to censor more tweets as it pursues an ambitious agenda. Expanding to more countries will mean Twitter will be more likely to have to submit to laws that run counter to the free-expression protections.

4

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

LOCAL Letters to Muna Al-Fuzai

kuwait digest

The Syrian resistance

Moves to improve Pakistani image

By Saud Al-Subaie he Syrian regime turned down all the decisions taken by Arab foreign ministers during their last meeting in Cairo a few days ago. The regime considered the decision ‘provocative’ to Syrian national sovereignty, and interference in their internal affairs which was aimed at infuriating the Arab League. The refusal of the Syrian regime to follow the league’s decision is not the first and certainly will not be the last. The political crisis in Syria would not have grown to this extent if it wasn’t for the wrong methods adopted by Arab coun-

T

Muna Al-Fuzai

muna@kuwaittimes.net Hi Muna, I read your column ‘Is Kuwait anti-Pakistani?’ Thanks for raising therein an important issue that relates to journalistic ethics. I have had the same feeling which has been conveyed to you by another Pakistani fellow.

It is an undeniable fact that there is a big conflict between the perception created by crime reporting and statistics published by Ministry of Interior. This could be an issue for Kuwait Journalists Association to deal with.

Thanks and best regards, Reader Salaam Muna, This is regarding your rude neighbors’ article. I agree fully with you that wherever you are and whoever you are, always respect fellow people staying around you, I had the same problem and when I spoke out politely, the same happened, soon the people were out of the building (not of my doing). May I comment on your statement “I won’t go to their country even if they offer me a free ticket?” If I had a free ticket, I would certainly go and still keep my ethics and values in place, wherever I am. You cannot profile a country because of certain people who are inconsiderate and rude. In that case, looking at Kuwait Times and the articles published with regard to expat exploitation and crime, people can very well profile you and Kuwait as a whole as bad, ridiculous and moronic because of certain people in the country. Profiling a country because of certain people from that country is wrong; remember that in every country, you always get the good, the bad and the ugly. Every country in the world has beauty - all you have to do is look for it.

Have a great day.

Regards, Reader Dear Muna, I am a Pakistani living in Kuwait. I observed the same thing which you mentioned in your article in Kuwait Times on Thursday, Jan 26. A group of my friends and I are trying hard to improve our community’s image in Kuwait. During this month, we held a Blood Donation Campaign through Kuwait Central Blood Bank, In near future, we have some other programs in the pipeline and are planning to work hard to improve our community image in Kuwait, which we consider as our second home land, as we are living here. We feel responsibility to play a positive role in the economic and social development of this country. Inshallah in near future, I will keep you updated with our latest activities and aims to create a soft image for Pakistani community in Kuwait as well as develop good public relations with the Kuwait community as well.

Mirza

kuwait digest

kuwait digest

‘Ambassador of Liberation’

The refusal of the Syrian regime to follow the league’s decision is not the first and certainly will not be the last. The political crisis in Syria would not have grown to this extent if it wasn’t for the wrong methods adopted by Arab countries, especially the GCC states, with regard to dealing with the Syrian regime.

By Waleed Al-Rujaib But Sheikh Saud showed the project to the Cabinet any columnists paid tribute over the past few days to late Sheikh Saud Al-Nasser Al-Sabah who soon after receiving it, and pushed hard to convince the passed away recently. This only reflects the popu- government about its importance. His efforts are credited larity he garnered among Kuwaitis for his love towards as the festival continues even to this day ever since it was Kuwait and its people, and for the high sense of leader- held for the first time under the patronage of then Crown Prince and Prime ship and responsibility Minister His Highness he devoted to his coun“You know better than I do”: This was the late Sheikh Saad Altry.

Everybody knows Sheikh Saud Al-Sabah’s common response Abdullah Al-Sabah.

“You know better Sheikh Saud Al-Sabah’s whenever the NCCAL would propose an than I do”: This was role during the Iraqi idea about a cultural project in Kuwait Sheikh Saud Al-Sabah’s Invasion crisis when he appealed to the before he approved it immediately. At a common response Congress and to the meeting, I personally proposed that dur- whenever the NCCAL would propose an idea American people while ing the awarding ceremony at the Qurain about a cultural project serving as Kuwait’s ambassador to the Cultural Festival, the state would give in Kuwait before he United States of America. separate awards for novels and short sto- approved it immediately. At a meeting, I perHis efforts to draw attenries. Sheikh Saud inquired about the need sonally proposed that tion to his country’s cause got him the title for two separate awards when the two during the awarding ‘Ambassador of fields basically pertained to the art of sto- ceremony at the Qurain Cultural Festival, the Liberation’. rytelling. But after I explained the artistic state would give sepaI had a personal friendship with Sheikh differences between them, he humbly rate awards for novels Saud Al-Sabah which apologized before approving my propos- and short stories.

Sheikh Saud inquired started when he was the al without hesitation. about the need for two Minister of Information, separate awards when and I was the Culture and Arts Director at the National Council for Culture, Arts the two fields basically pertained to the art of storytelling. and Letters (NCCAL) at the time. I remember the day But after I explained the artistic differences between when I was assigned to come up with visions for the Al- them, he humbly apologized before approving my proQurain Cultural Festival. I thought I was going to struggle posal without hesitation. Sheikh Saud Al-Sabah had deep trying to convince the minister and the government respect for Kuwait’s early cultural activists, and made sure about such an event with a huge budget in which hun- he expressed appreciation towards their role in Kuwait’s dreds of intellectuals, artists and music groups were to be cultural development. Last time I spoke with the late invited to Kuwait for the duration of one month. I hardly Sheikh was during an expected phone call he made to thought the government was interested in culture to applaud one of the articles I wrote. God bless Sheikh fund it so much. I reached a point in which I was con- Saud Al-Nasser Al-Sabah; a man who will forever be known for his civility, nobility and acumen.— Al-Rai vinced that the project will be rejected.

M

Beauty and the beast

kuwait digest

No other choice

tries, especially the GCC states, with regard to dealing with the Syrian regime.

They have ignored the psychological structure of the Syrian regime and also overlooked the science based on which political dealings take place.

Therefore, US and its followers, the British and French have lately realized that Syria is not Egypt or Libya. They have taken one step backwards, and thrown the ball into the grounds of the Arab League. The ball was taken by Qatar which lead the Arab team but its shooting never resulted in a goal.

The more the regime is asked to go, the more it will resist and refuse any reforms coming from outside. Everyone now knows that removing the Syrian regime is a priority to introduce reforms, and the International Community will not accept any initiative from Basher Al-Assad’s regime, regardless of its importance. In my opinion, things like this will make it worse. For the Syrians, stopping the bloodshed is of prime importance, ever since the regime has started killing. ‘People want the grapes, but not kill the guard’: This means that they want the regime to depart, but it needs to happen through democracy. — Al-Anba

kuwait digest

Inverted approach

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij irst of all, I would like to say that I don’t trust results of election surveys in Kuwait. Not only because they lack solid credibility, but also due to the peculiarity of the Kuwaiti society which makes it almost impossible to come up with a survey that accurately expresses citizens’ opinions.

After making this important note, I believe it’s safe to say that the panic some people had over recently released survey results has only led to more panic and more of the same policies that brought these opinions in the first place.

F

By Thaar Al-Rashidi

By Khalifa Al-Khurafi don’t know the scientific reason behind every fat woman who has an angelic voice. Fat women have a very attractive voice, especially on the phone. On the contrary, although it is not a general rule, you find a beautiful girl who has a good figure but with a relatively bad voice. Anyhow, I found this contradiction in voice and shape is not far from our governments. As long as the government is politically “ugly” and corrupt, its voice which is heard through its weekly reports is very soft and calm. You will think for a while that they are reading ‘Al-Fatiha’ and not a ministerial report. They will promise raises in salaries and allowances and give advice and address people softly and send a report with pictures of smiling ministers who look like they just heard a good joke.

However, if the government was implementing the law and doing its work very well, you will find strength in its reports and in its answers.

Therefore, in order to know the shape of our upcoming government after those elections, we should pay attention to its voice through the first and second reports issued. If the report was talking about things people love like allowances and salary increases, then you should know that it will be a “political joke”; something which applies to National Assembly candidates. If they use promising words and you find the candidate speaking softly and promising you allowances and increments and luxury things, then you should know that he is a candidate with bad intentions.

Note: It is easy to discover the ugly girl on the phone, especially if you ask her about her shape. If she tells you that beauty is not everything or if she said that beauty lies in the soul, then you should know that she is an ugly girl.

Anybody who uses diplomacy to answer your question is covering his real intention or lying, and in both cases isn’t that what most politicians do, whether MPs or ministers? When have they ever been honest with us or told us the truth? Therefore, we should vote for the one who lies the least amongst all the candidates. — Al-Anba

I

et’s turn a new page and put the past dark phase officials and lawmakers feel guilty for the deterioration behind us. We’ve grown so weary of the continu- in almost all aspects in Kuwait in light of their constant ous case of frustration and despair over the politi- struggles? Are we destined to be witness for the contincal situation, that we became in dire need of starting uous corruption and chaos spreading for years?

The current situation gives the impression that anew. Today we prepare to elect new members in our parliament which coincides with the beginning of a Kuwaitis have no other alternative but to elect candinew year following a dissolution that ended a year of dates who claim to be fighting corruption, yet failed to pass anticorruption legislation during their 15-year parpolitical struggles.

Today we share a common hope that this year would liamentary careers (during which they also broke the law through wasta). Maybe be better than last year, deterioration in Kuwait which witnessed so little Kuwait is lost between a struggling the is a result of the people’s to no positive performCabinet that seeks help of bribed MPs inability to elect parliaance from the Cabinet or Parliament. Instead, last in the parliament, a reckless opposition ment members who are capable of meeting ambiyear featured increase in which breaks the law and fails to pass tions of development. corruption, as well as Kuwait is lost between a record breaking number anticorruption laws, and citizens struggling Cabinet that of political conflicts and unable to tell the difference between seeks help of bribed MPs in exchange of accusations. candidates with clear program for the parliament, a reckless This situation made people unable to tell who is reform and candidates with enough opposition which breaks the law and fails to pass truly fighting corruption, speech skills to fool them into believing anticorruption laws, and and who can fool the public into believing that they adopt reform. Meanwhile, voters citizens unable to tell the between candithey are. are torn between electing MPs who difference dates with clear program How can someone seek loyalty with the government ‘by for reform and candidates claim to be adopting combating corruption as any means necessary’ for personal with enough speech skills to fool them into believing a top priority, yet failed to interests, and oppositionist MPs who they adopt reform. legislate anticorruption laws and broke the law break the law and fail to pass anticor- Meanwhile, voters are torn between electing MPs who multiple times through ruption legislations. seek loyalty with the govwasta (unlawful mediaernment ‘by any means tion)? We need MPs who respect the intelligence of citizens who seek develop- necessary’ for personal interests, and oppositionist MPs ment and anticorruption methods in our country. We who break the law and fail to pass anticorruption legisdefinitely don’t need the return of MPs who spent years lations.

Kuwaiti voters need to focus today on selecting canyelling without pushing for the enforcement of anticordidates capable of diagnosing our problems and proruption legislations.

Actions speak louder than words: the opposition posing solutions, in order to achieve reform and develmust change its chaotic approach and start working on opment. Otherwise, we only would be driving the country to further chaos and corruption, because neilegislating anti corruption laws.

Citizens are tired of years of political infighting; ther the government nor the current opposition can shouldn’t politicians be tired as well? Do government help us avoid this scenario. —Al-Qabas

L

In advanced countries where political parties rely heavily on survey results to reshape their policies, groups that survey results don’t come in their favor tend to examine these surveys before adjusting their own policies to eliminate unpopular ones in an attempt to improve their popularity among voters. The result of such approach would usually be positive as groups would either be able to garner more supporters or limit the growth of their opponents’ support.

In advanced countries where political parties rely heavily on survey results to reshape their policies, groups that survey results don’t come in their favor tend to examine these surveys before adjusting their own policies to eliminate unpopular ones in an attempt to improve their popularity among voters. The result of such approach would usually be positive as groups would either be able to garner more supporters or limit the growth of their opponents’ support.

In Kuwait however, it is the other way around.

Instead of regrouping and readjusting their policies, political groups would start attempts to change public’s opinions regarding policies that these groups adopt. In other words, if election surveys show that voters don’t like a certain approach that a political group follows, said group would make desperate attempts to convince voters by their programs, instead of reconsidering the policy. Political groups in Kuwait picture themselves in a position of being more aware than people about what is best for the public, and that people must follow them in whatever they decide to do instead of adopting what people actually want. — Al-Qabas

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

LOCAL

Authority decisive factor in tribes: Arab researcher ‘Awazem from Hawazen’ KUWAIT: Fa’ez Bin Moussa Al-Badrani Al-Harbi is an active researcher in the History of Arabia, particularly of the Ottoman era and Ottoman domination of Arabia. He has a long history in highlighting documents related to the history of Arabian tribes. He has many publications, to his credit, including documentaries and historic literature about the history of the Tribe of Harb and others. He has been known for his accuracy and relying on more written sources rather than oral traditions. He has taken part in various studies and seminars and has delivered a number of lectures in his line of specialty.

Al-Harbispeaks in response to the following questions in an interview with Albayda e-paper’s editor-inchief, Mohamed M. Al-Sawakh.

Q: How do you interpret Islam’s interest in tribes that were clearly dominant in Arabia in pre-Islam era?

A: I believe that tribes have always been integral constituents of human communities and that cannot be changed. Almighty Allah says, “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (with each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)” in verse 13, Al-Hojorat.

The problem is not in the exisAl-Harbi’s Biodata Full name: Fa’ez Bin Moussa AlBadrani Al-Harbi

tence of a tribe. It’s rather in practices of this tribe and whether the practices are positive or negative. In the pre-Islamic ‘ignorance period’, tribalism was practiced in the worst manner whereas it positively changed under the reign of the prophet (PBUH) and under his caliphs. Such positive or negative practices mainly

depend on how righteous a regime or authority is. The ugliness of tribes appears under corrupt regimes whereas under sound righteous authority tribes have more positive contributions. Take Yemen and Oman, for example. Though adjacent neighbors comprising of tribes, contributions of tribes in both countries are totally different because of the huge difference in political and administrative structure.

Q: History is scientifically as important as any human activity. Whom do King Abdul Aziz University, Jeddah.

Previous Occupations:

• Prince Sultan Cardiac Diseases Qualifications: • Graduated from Enaizah Scientific Institute in 1976.

• Got a diploma in hospital administration from the general Administration Institute in 1978.

Continued study while working.

• Underwent an advanced course in Hygiene Management, USA • Got a Bachelor in Business Administration from Emam Mohammed Bin Saud Islamic University in 1987.

• Got a Masters Degree in Hospital Management from King Saud University, 1990.

• Currently in the process of getting PH.D in Modern History from

and Surgery Center executive (19922000).

• Historic Research consultant, King Abdul Aziz directorate (20002006).

• Hamad Al-Jasser Cultural Center manager (2006-2008).

Current occupation:

• Dedicated full-time researcher.

• Consultant Cultural Board member, Abdulrahman Bin Ahmed AlSadeeri cultural establishment, Riyadh.

• Greatly involved in history and pedigree researches. Has published over 25 publications in addition to many lectures, papers and articles in

you consider a good historian?

A: It’s the one who acquires both science and honesty.

Q: How has pedigree historically affected tribal lives? Does such an effect still exist?

A: Pedigree is one of a tribe’s elements, though not the main one of its history. Geographical location, the economic status or the tribe size can have more influence in its history. This is applicable to tribes at all times.

Q: We believe that Arabia is the origin of all genuine Arab tribes. What do you think?

A: Arabia is the cradle of Arab tribes, but I don’t think the tribes have the same origins. Arabian tribes may have come from different origins but were ‘Arabized’ by living in Arabia.

Q: Globalization, integrating cultures and attempts to end individualism are dangerous threats facing Islamic Arab culture. From our tribal perspective based on harmony of both tradition and modernity, how can we face such an invasion?

A: Indeed, globalization is a threat to the nation’s religious and ethical principles, which can only be faced with more awareness and religious and cultural educations. This can be done when the nation is proud of its heritage. A weak and oppressed nation can be easily wiped off!

Q: Some people deny the Arab tribes’ role in spreading and protecting Islam. How can we respond to that? specialized history papers and magazines.

Most Important Documentary Publications 1-Legal & Judiciary Regulations of Hijaz Tribes before Saudi Era (2 volumes, 2000).

2-Iconic Tribal Figures as per Madina’s Legal Court Documents (published in Kuwait in 2002, Riyadh in 2010).

3-Most Famous Judge and Documentarian in Wadi Al-Far’, Madina (Riyadh, 2004).

4-Historic Documents From Madina, Kuwait 2004, Riyadh 2005, Riyadh 2007.

5-Badareen of the Harb Tribe; Pedigree, History, Homes( Kuwait, 2006-Beirut 2006).

6-Historic Documents from Madina II ( Riyadh2009- Riyadh 2010).

A: This is only done by those who have never read the history of Islamic Conquests. However, the role of tribes should not be over-exaggerated as non-Arab had also played great roles in this regard.

Q: How have inter-tribal relations reacted under Islam in Arabia?

A: Islam is based on religion and ignores tribes and races. Therefore, Islam has worked on twinning tribes, defusing their conflicts, prejudices and origin bragging. Whenever a Muslim state fails to do so, the problem is not in Islam. It’s rather because of the authoritarian corruption and the attempts from the authority to divide and weaken the society according to their certain interests.

Q: Historic and scientific honesty and objectivity mandate historians who care about their work to deal with pedigree without effect from subjective opinions. How can we identify and deal with such historians?

A: Well, you said it yourself. The main principle to be followed is knowledge and honesty.

Q: Arab tribes have had a great role in reinforcing Arab identity and values versus foreign cultural penetrations. How do you see this?

A: That’s absolutely right. A tribe is a miniature social structure that has certain bonds that prevent penetrating or infiltrating into it.

Q: The Awazem tribe is of one of the oldest and most deep-rooted Arab tribes in Arabia. What about its pedigree?

A: It’s like other Arabian tribes.

Kuwait’s prime historian, Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Rasheed says that Awzem is pedigreed back to the Tribe of Hawazen. I tend to believe that it is an Arab Adnani tribe with clear pedigree.

Q: What are the most important highlights in Awazem’s history?

A: There are too many to discuss them all. Yet, readers of Arabian Tribes’ history can clearly recognize its historical role, namely in the eastern region of Arabia.

Q: Can we rely on information provided in the Oriental historians’ books?

A: They’re human and can either believe or reject what they say. Their books include true and untrue things but a wise reader can examine what he reads and has the choice to pick up the true literature.

Car thieves on the loose KUWAIT: Police are looking for thieves who stole contents of 26 cars they broke into in Sabah Al-Nasser recently.

Investigations further revealed that the suspects specifically targeted registration documents which could be used in forgery crimes. Criminal investigators headed Friday morning to a street in the area where all the thefts were reported.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the crimes were committed by an organized gang who could be looking to use the stolen registrations to smuggle vehicles outside Kuwait. A case was filed at the area’s police station.

Drunk couple held Two people were arrested in Salmiya for intoxication and possession of alcoholic drinks. The couple was inside a vehicle that was pulled over at a street in the area for reckless driving. Patrol officers soon learned that the male driver and his female companion were heavily inebriated, and immediately placed them under arrest. A bottle of homemade liquor was found in their car. In addition to the charges mentioned above, the Kuwaiti young man faces DUI charges, while the expatriate woman faces charges of illegal residency status.

Drunk vs. stoned Two citizens face multiple charges that include assaulting a police officer on duty following their arrest for public intoxication. A patrol officer approached two people arguing and fighting near a stationary car at a location in Mubarak Al-Kabeer. The two were arrested after attempting to attack the officer; but intervention of the policeman’s partner brought the situation under control. It was later revealed that one of the suspects consumed alcohol while the other was on hashish - and they were fighting over who was going to drive the car.

They remain in custody pending legal action.

Dead body illusion Criminal investigators rushed to an open location opposite the Jaber AlAhmad Stadium after a Kuwaiti man reported witnessing a dead body of what appeared to be a female victim.

After examining the site, police found a black plastic bag filled with sand, which looked like a dead woman in an abaya.

No case was filed.

Missing girl Abdullah Al-Mubarak police are cur-

rently searching for a high school student who suffers from a mental illness.

She was reported missing by her family. In their statement to police, the girl’s family said that their daughter was previously lured by a young man who exploited her mental disability to make her escape from home, suggesting that the same thing might have happened in the most recent case. The family explained that their daughter disappeared when she went to school but never came back. Investigations in the case are ongoing.

Embezzlement An employee at a cell phone shop in Hawally was placed under arrest after trying to embezzle a female customer who sold him her iPhone which contained private photos. The woman reportedly deleted all private data from her phone before sale, but apparently the suspect was able to use a certain technique to retrieve deleted data, including the private photos. The girl called police soon after hanging up from a phone conversation with the suspect in which he offered to give her back her photos for KD 500.

KUWAIT: Ahmadi Governor Sheikh Dr Ibrahim Al-Duaij Al-Sabah met recently with psychology teacher Layla Al-Ajmi and geography teacher Anwar Al-Mea from AlRetqa High School for girls in Fahad Al-Ahmad area, in order to discuss preparations for the ‘National Unity and Democratic Development in Kuwait’ competition to be organized by Al-Ahmadi Educational Directorate in March.

GCC-Turkish relation on an upwards trend ISTANBUL: Relations between Gulf states and Turkey are undergoing a growing trend, noted Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled AlHamad Al-Sabah yesterday.

These relations in the political, economic, defence-related, logistical and energy domains will serve the best interests of both sides, Sheikh Sabah, also the State Minister for National Assembly Affairs, said while attending the fourth GCC-Turkey Strategic Dialogue ministerial meeting, hosted by Istanbul.

Discussions focused on mutual interests and the current situation in the Middle East, he said. The meeting comes after an earlier hosted in Kuwait in 2010. The former meeting focused specifically on economics and trade.

GCC Secretary General Abdullatif Al-Zayani reiterated the Kuwaiti minister’s remarks.

He said relations were on a steady path and are up to the aspirations of both sides, expressing confidence that a lot more was to come.

The current political and social changes in the Middle East require both sides to work closely together, he said. GCC and Turkish officials welcomed Bahrain’s initiative to host the next meeting. The Istanbul meeting’s closing statement, which will be issued later today, is expected to touch up on mecha-

nisms for a larger cooperative role between both sides. —KUNA

MoI officials visit Nuwaiseeb border KUWAIT: Lt Gen Abdullah Abu Slaib, assistant undersecretary for supporting services affairs in Ministry of Interior, accompanied by Abdul Hakeem Al-Falah, general director for construction and maintenance and other officials visited the Nuwaiseeb border entry to verify the necessary needs for the center.

They were welcomed by Lt Gen Anwar Al-Yaseen, assistant undersecretary for border affairs and other officials. They inspected the police station at the border and emphasized the necessity to do a full maintenance for the station which will be set out in a tender.

They further visited the residences of the employees and entry and exit gates and passport cabins, to ensure that they are compatible with the requirements.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

LOCAL

ABU DHABI: Members of the Kuwait Dive Team participating in the coral reef conference entitled ‘Coral Reef in Gulf.’

Kuwait diving team participates in coral reef conference in Abu Dhabi KUWAIT: The Kuwait Dive Team at the Environmental Voluntary Foundation took part in a three-day coral reef conference entitled “Coral Reef in Gulf,” under sponsorship of New York Abu Dhabi University, with involvement of universities and institutes.

The head of environmental projects of the team, Mahmoud Ashkanani, said the Kuwaiti team had

decided to take part in the conference, out of keenness on marine environment and examining latest studies as well as scientific researches on coral reefs.

Ashkanani pointed out that one of the main points discussed at the conference is global warming and its negative impact on coral reefs around the world and Gulf region, in addition to studying scientists’ know-how on adapting coral bays with increasing

Al-Anjari slams ‘erratic behaviors’ in elections KUWAIT: Behaviors that are not traditionally our own have emerged recently in election campaigns in Kuwait, stated parliamentary election candidate Nabila Al-Anjari. Theses ‘foreign’ behaviors leave destructive effects on society which include damaging national unity and boosting sectarianism, posing a more serious threat than a foreign military invasion, she said.

Al-Anjari also expressed disappointment about recent rumors regarding vote buying, as well as baseless accusations against certain candidates.

Al-Anjari, the third constituency candidate expressed full faith in voters’ good sense of awareness and ability to make assessment for what ‘our beloved Kuwait needs in the future’.

She identified actions towards building instead of “conflicts and yelling” as the characteristics voters should look for in candidates.

“As election day approaches, we count on the Kuwaiti people to take an active role in building the future of their countr y ”, Al-Anjari said, adding that patriotic citizens would

rates of heat. There are types of corals in the Gulf which are not classified or recorded in the books.

Many researchers have confirmed that man-made corals cannot replace or substitute natural coral reefs, he said. The Kuwaiti team joined in studies presented by the Assistant Professor at Biological Department at the College of Sciences in Kuwait University, Huda Mahmoud, and distributed publi-

cations in the conference, which show the Kuwaiti team activities, he noted.

Ashkanani said at the end of conference, the Kuwaiti team honored the organizer, John Bert, of New York Abu Dhabi University. He also thanked the researchers and participants for their contributions in enriching the scientific field of coral reefs in the Gulf. — KUNA

Top priority to democracy, security, national unity Anniversary of Sheikh Sabah’s proclamation as Amir

Nabila Al-Anjari

never vote for candidates “who practice behavior erratic to the Kuwaiti society”.

Al-Anjari is set to host a seminar tonight in Al-Adailiya to discuss subjects that include the role of female citizens in building Kuwait, as well as the need for Kuwaiti women to have equal rights with their male counterparts.

KUWAIT: Kuwait celebrates today the sixth anniversary of the proclamation of His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as the Amir of the country. On Jan 29, 2006, HH the Amir swore in at a special National Assembly session, signaling his assumption of the top post, following steps of his ancestors in preserving the National Constitution, solidifying democracy and maintaining the national unity. Such principles, bases of ruling in Kuwait, have been governing the relationship between the ruler and the ruled. They are fruits of a political doctrine, adopted by the ancestors and inherited by their sons till today. That what has rendered Kuwait a minaret in the Gulf and the Arab worlds.

Such values have been core issues in most, if not all, speeches of HH the Amir. On Feb 24, 2011, HH the Amir in his address that marked the 50th anniversary of independence and the 20th anniversary of Kuwait Liberation stated, “Kuwait as a homeland has never been possessed by a certain group and has never been viewed as a tribal, sectarian or factional entity.

“All the achievements that have been made are fruits of solidarity of all natives of Kuwait who have been pursuing the march of the ancestors.”

Democracy in Kuwait is a unique contract,

accepted by the ruler and the ruled, HH the Amir said. “Our abidance by the democratic approach, responsible freedom is deeply rooted and is our irreversible choice, thus the Constitution is the contract we have accepted for just governing reference.”

Acknowledging that the people of Kuwait have faced some obstacles on the path for maintaining national solidarity, HH the Amir urged the natives to renounce chaos and fanaticism.

On June 15, HH the Amir in an address warned that he would no longer tolerate further chaos and bickering that would threaten security and resources of the homeland.

The National Constitution is a red line that cannot be crossed, he warned.

“I have repeatedly affirmed that I protect the Constitution and that I will not allow breaching it.” On Aug 21, HH the Amir addressed the people of Kuwait on the last 10 days of the fasting month of Ramadan, warning against misuse of freedoms. He also urged the media to abstain from exaggeration and misguidance. HH the Amir asserted that combating corruption was among the priorities of the government.

On Oct 25, HH the Amir said in a statement upon inauguration of the fourth legislative term of the National Assembly that he was dismayed

with behaviors of some citizens who had become preoccupied with non-constructive issues and waging rhetorical attacks on persons, rather than focusing on actions for the development of the country.

Addressing the second Arab economic summit, held in Sharm El-Sheikh, on Jan 19, 2011, HH the Amir praised the founding of the fund for financing small enterprises in the Arab world and urged conferees to pursue efforts for resolving economic problems in the Arab countries.

On Aug 15, HH the Amir addressed the consultative committee noting that structural defects in the national economy were the result of misuse of excessive financial resources. He also warned against excessive spending.

On Oct 10, HH the Amir opened the 10th Asian Cooperation Forum affirming in his speech that the international economic crises impacted on “our states.” He affirmed that Kuwait had worked out plans for transforming the country into a lucrative business and investment hub.

On Nov 22, HH the Amir opened the 8th forum that grouped representatives of the 8-G states, Middle Eastern and North African nations expressing hope that these nations would succeed in overcoming contemporary challenges through development. — KUNA

Elections news on ministry’s online pages KUWAIT: The Ministry of Information will be covering news on the elections via its website and official accounts on social networking sites such as facebook and twitter, said an media official here yesterday.

Head of news broadcasting at the Ministry Ali Karam said that news and results of the 2012 National Assembly elections in the five constituencies would be broadcasted live on www.news.gov.kw, adding that the Ministry had allocated

RunQ8 helps boost road, traffic safety KUWAIT: Over 1,000 members from the local community in Kuwait gathered last week at Marina Crescent to participate in RunQ8, a 10km race organized by Agility and Fawzia Sultan Rehabilitation Institute (FSRI). In its second year, RunQ8 was held under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmad Al-Humoud Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Kuwait’s deputy prime minister, minister of defense and minister of interior and sponsored

by Porsche Centre Kuwait, Behbehani Motors Company and Zain.

RunQ8 is supporting two initiatives this year; first is the Porsche Early Childhood Traffic Safety Education Project, which will teach local school children about being safe passengers and understanding road and traffic safety rules.

About 7,000 children will receive training in the coming year. The second is the Post-Crash Rehabilitation Training Center supported by Zain, the leading telecommunication company in Kuwait, which helps those affected by traffic accidents. This includes drivers, passengers and family members that have lost a loved one in an accident.

These initiatives will help promote the UN Decade of Road and Traffic Safety that was launched with the aim of stabilizing and reducing global road traffic fatalities by 2021.

Brig Dr Mustafa Al-Zaabi from the Ministry of Interior started the race after giving a speech that outlined the importance of road and traffic safety in Kuwait. Following a brief warm-up, the participants started the race at the Marina Crescent went up to the Third Ring Road and looped back to finish again at the Marina

Crescent.

The three winners in the male category were on the first place Naif Rabei and on second place Galbourdin Emmanuael, and on the third place. Abdullah Failakawi and Bev Masom, Rabaa Al-Hajiri and Patricia Fennimore won the first, second and third place in the female category.

Representatives from Porsche Centre Kuwait, Behbehani Motors Company and Waleed AlKhashti, Corporate Communications and Relations Department Manager for Zain along with Dr Elham Hamdan, President of FSRI and Ali Mikail, Area Leader, Kuwait & Levant for Agility presented the prizes to the winners.

A special village was created by ProVision, the logistics managers of the race, to provide entertainment for the spectators of the race.

The village included a kid’s entertainment area courtesy of Baroue, free coffee and juices from Caribou Coffee, Hotel Missoni and Six Senses Spa, Marina World, Kiddy Kruzzers, Pilates & More, UAS, Nestle, Qadsia Club and a media booth. FSRI presented information on road and traffic safety while the Metal & Recycling Co. (MRC) offered household recycling. Ali Abdul Wahab and Sons group were the silver sponsors of RunQ8 with brands like Curves, Nike, The Athletes Foot and Crocs.

Last year ’s beneficiar y of RunQ8, the Community Eye Healthcare Initiative was also present to provide an update on their program.

In additional to the participants, over 100 volunteers helped with the logistics of RunQ8 and also assisted in the post-event clean up.

MRC ensured that RunQ8 was an environmentfriendly event by providing recycling bins and collecting all the plastic waste generated from the water consumed by the participants during the race. All of this plastic will be recycled at MRC. The Fawzia Sultan Rehabilitation Institute is a non-profit rehabilitation institute established on the pillars of service through clinical care, education, training and research. FSRI is committed to offering the finest-quality orthopedic, cardio-pulmonary, neurological and pediatric rehabilitative care in the Gulf. However, our greatest commitment is to improving the standard of health care in Kuwait and working on preventative health initiatives targeting the local population.

FSRI works towards: initiating research to gather data on Kuwaiti health to support our evidence-based practice; supporting and offering free or low-cost international-standard training to local healthcare professionals; supporting local researchers and clinicians in their professional development; supporting the efforts of local civil society working in the areas of improving rehabilitation and health, providing consistently high quality physical rehabilitation services with clinicians trained in the North American model; implementing programs to allow equal access to quality rehabilitative care to vulnerable patients who would otherwise be unable to receive adequate treatment; and educating the public on health and rehabilitation issues through articles in local newspapers, lecture series, and outreach programs.

another page www.news.gov.kw/omah2012 to broadcast news. He noted that the ministry would also use its Youtube account to cover the elections.

Social networking sites such as facebook and twitter would also join the coverage, added Karam, revealing that facebook/vote4kuwait and @vote4kuwait were the official accounts for the elections. —- KUNA

Bahraini official praises wisdom of Amir MANAMA: Bahrain’s Minister of State for Follow-Up Affairs Mohammad Al-Mutawaa has praised wisdom of His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah and his relentless efforts for maintaining unity of the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Al-Mutawaa, during a meeting with the Kuwaiti ambassador, Sheikh Azzam Mubarak

Al-Sabah, affirmed that the ties between Bahrain and Kuwait have been solid, noting the brotherly bonds and elating level of these ties under sponsorship of the leaders of the two countries. For his part, Sheikh Azzam underlined the depth of these brotherly relations and keenness of the Kuwaiti and Bahraini leaderships on bolstering them further at various levels. — KUNA

Gulf Bank Announces 2012 Quarterly Draws for KOC Employees KUWAIT: Gulf Bank announced its continuation of the four quarterly draws for 2012, exclusive to KOC employees who have a Gulf Bank salary account. The eligible employees will be automatically entered into the draw to win a new GMC Yukon.

Yaser Sulaiman, Executive Manager, Consumer Banking Group said: “ The Quarterly KOC draws conducted to win a new GMC Yukon comes within the many benefits offered by Gulf Bank’s KOC salary account, which is designed to meet the needs of KOC employees.”

The KOC Quarterly Draw launched exclusively for KOC employees serves as an auxiliary benefit to the KOC salary tailored banking package. The package provides a non interest bearing current account specially designed to fulfill KOC employees’ banking needs. The package further consists of several benefits exclusive to KOC employees such as; vouchers from X-cite by Alghanim Electronics, free issuance charges for Visa and MasterCard Credit Card, special discounts upon using Gulf Bank cards at over 300 outlets in Kuwait and 10% discount on motor and travel insurance. Upon entering the draw, KOC employees are further qualified to win a new GMC Yukon as an added bonus to adhering to the KOC salary tailored banking package.

According to the previous four winners of the 2011 KOC Quarterly Draws,

Yaser Sulaiman Preethy Varghese, Kallankara Jayakumar, Ibrahim Ismael Al-Tamimi and Mohammad Abdulaziz Qasem Bouland all agree that the bank’s quality, prompt service and the thrilling prizes that may be won is a result of their constancy to Gulf Bank and its specially tailored banking package for KOC employees.

It is worth mentioning that Gulf Bank is the only bank available at the KOC Head Office and all KOC employees that transfer their salary and hold a valid Gulf Bank credit card are eligible to enter the quarterly draws making the bank the premium establishment for KOC employees to receive great prizes and enjoy the high quality financial services that Gulf Bank provides.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

Resurgent Romney regains momentum

US military reaches further into Asia Page 8

Page 10

Iran fights sanctions with sanctions Tehran threatens to hit EU with oil embargo RISKS Asian buyers might be tempted but are also wary of US disfavour. “Even though China and India could take the opportunity to capitalize on Iran’s weakness, they currently have little appetite for the resulting international fallout,” said Paul Tossetti at consultancy PFC Energy in Washington. Iran’s clerical establishment, having faced down popular protests which followed Ahmadinejad’s disputed re-election in 2009, is dealing with internal disagreement on policy while preparing to seek public

WASHINGTON: This US Air Force file image shows pilots checking the GBU-28 “bunker Buster” a 5,000lb (2268kg), unpowered, hard target laser-guided weapon, with a range of more than six miles (9.65km). The US military has concluded that its largest conventional bomb is not capable of destroying Iran’s most heavily fortified underground facilities suspected to be used for building nuclear weapons, The Wall Street Journal reported late January 27, 2012. — AFP TEHRAN: Fighting sanctions with sanctions in a test of strength with the West over its nuclear ambitions, Iran warned yesterday it may halt oil exports to Europe this week in a move calculated to hurt ailing European economies. The Tehran government grappling with its own economic crisis under Western trade and banking embargoes, will host a rare visit today by UN nuclear inspectors for talks that the ruling clergy may hope can relieve diplomatic pressure as they struggle to bolster public support.

Since the UN watchdog lent independent weight in November to the suspicions of Western powers that Iran is using a nuclear energy program to give itself the ability to build atomic bombs, US and EU sanctions and Iranian threats of reprisal against Gulf shipping lanes have disrupted world oil markets and pushed up prices. Amid forecasts Iran might be able to build a bomb next year, and with President Barack Obama facing re-election campaign questions on how he can make good on promises - to Americans and to Israel - not to tolerate a nuclear-armed Islamic Republic, a decade of dispute risks accelerating towards the brink of war.

The US Treasury Department said on Friday it would send its undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, David Cohen, to Britain, Germany and Switzerland next week to talk about how to enforce sanctions against Iran’s central bank.

Those sanctions aim to starve Iran of funds for developing nuclear weapons. Western diplomats see little immediate prospect that renewed talks between Iran and the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency, scheduled from Sunday to Tuesday in Tehran, would result much in the way of concessions to Western demands.

For all the tension, there was little clear market response to Friday’s talk by members of Iran’s parliament that they may vote on Sunday to stop sending oil to the European Union - its second biggest customer - as early as next week, to spite EU states that gave themselves until July to enforce an oil import embargo on Iran. Greek and Italian refineries which rely on Iranian crude face hardships - recession-hit Greeks have bought more than half their oil from Iran lately. But analysts see Arab producers satisfying some shortfall, and demand for Iranian oil from China and other Asian countries that do not back Western sanctions may mean world oil flows are merely diverted rather than blocked.

RHETORIC Traders admit to wearying of rhetorical thrust and parry.

“They are the masters of bluffing,” one Mediterranean crude oil trader said of remarks by Iranian lawmakers on Friday. “And they aren’t very reliable when they threaten extreme measures,” he said, noting the serious practical difficulties for tankers and storage plants of diverting 700,000 barrels of oil per day. “That said, we are living in strange and difficult times,” he added, as Brent crude futures gained 0.8 percent to $111.64 on the threat, while disappointing US GDP data pushed prices back.

In Tehran, Hossein Ibrahimi, vice-chairman of parliament’s national security committee, was quoted by the semi-official Fars news agency as saying: “On Sunday, parliament will have to approve a ‘double emergency’ bill calling for a halt in the export of Iranian oil to Europe starting next week.” Moayed HosseiniSadr, a member of the energy committee in the legislature, said there would be no delay of the kind the EU allowed to its members on Monday when it imposed a ban on oil imports from Iran that would take full effect only on July 1. “If the deputies arrive at the conclusion that the Iranian oil exports to Europe must be halted, parliament will not delay a moment,” Hosseini-Sadr said.

“The Europeans will surely be taken by surprise and will understand the power of Iran.”

Echoing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who said on Thursday that Europe would be the loser from its sanctions policy, the hardline cleric leading Friday prayers at Tehran university jibed: “Why wait six months, why not right away? The answer is clear. They are in trouble; they are grappling with crisis.” That comment from Ahmad Khatami indicated the pre-emptive export ban is backed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The EU accounted for 25 percent of Iranian crude oil sales in the third quarter of 2011. But China, India and others have made clear that they are keen to soak up any spare Iranian oil, even as US Treasury measures to choke Tehran’s dollar trade make it harder to pay for supplies.

SANCTIONS Highlighting the difficulties of securing global sanctions when many governments, including Russia and China, question

their value or say they will only harden Iranian defiance, Turkish state-controlled Halkbank, a key player in handling payments for Iranian oil, said it would keep on doing so. A manager at the bank told Reuters that, as far as it was concerned, it was not in breach of US financial sanctions. The EU’s response was muted, saying that Iran’s intentions had been reported. “We want to see Iran coming back to the negotiating table, engaging in meaningful discussion on confidence-building measures and demonstrate the willingness to address concerns over its nuclear program, without preconditions,” said Maja Kocijancic, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

In Paris, where President Nicolas Sarkozy has been vocal in criticizing Iran, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero stressed that EU countries were already in the process of finding alternative supplies of oil and he was dismissive of the comments from Tehran. “It’s the little game of statements that they carry out artistically,” Valero said. A senior European executive for an oil company that buys Iranian crude told Reuters there could still be problems for some if Tehran cut off supplies immediately.

“We have to wait and be ready. The Iranians have been backed into a corner and it’s hard to predict how they will react,” he said.

Iran’s conservative-dominated parliament has previously shown it is ready to force the government to take action against what it sees as hostility from the West, and oil analyst Samuel Ciszuk said it was likely the assembly would pass the EU ban. “It makes sense to demonstrate Iranian resolve and that it is not on the back foot, particularly as the measure could hit European refiners at a time of deep economic weakness,” said Ciszuk of London consultancy KBC Energy Economics. An abrupt halt might, however, force Iran to offer discounts to other buyers in order to shift excess output, he added.

endorsement at a closely managed parliamentary election in March. Defending Iran’s right to civilian nuclear has been popular, but galloping inflation, which saw the rial formally devalued this week, is fuelling discontent with a ruling class that is also accused of corruption and putting its own interests first. The diplomatic battleground will move to Tehran with the weekend arrival of an IAEA delegation, expected to number about half a dozen led by inspections chief Herman Nackaerts.— Reuters

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

i n t e r n at i o n a l

US military reaches further into Asia WASHINGTON: The United States is forging ahead with plans to expand its military power in Asia, with the Philippines and other allies welcoming troops and the Pentagon devoting funds to design cutting-edge weapons. Despite pressure to curb spending, President Barack Obama has made clear that he will put a top priority on maintaining the US military’s dominant role in East Asia at a time when China is rapidly building its own armed forces.

After two days of talks, senior officials from the United States and the Philippines pledged Friday to enhance security cooperation. The former US colony is locked in increasingly acrimonious disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea. In Manila, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said the Philippines was looking to doing more joint exercises with the United States as well as having a greater number of US troops rotate through the Southeast Asian country. The offer comes two months after Obama, on a visit to Australia, announced that the United States would post up to 2,500 Marines in the northern city of Darwin by 2016-17.

The United States also plans to forwarddeploy littoral combat ships in Singapore, a longtime US partner with a strategic position. Such moves are in line with the strategy of US military planners, who want

News

in brief

Pakistan ‘knew’ of bin Laden hideout WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta still believes someone in authority in Pakistan knew where Osama bin Laden was hiding before US forces went in to find him, he said in a TV interview to air today. Intelligence reports found Pakistani military helicopters had passed over the compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan where US Navy SEALs discovered and killed bin Laden last year, according to excerpts of an interview Panetta gave to CBS News. “I personally have always felt that somebody must have had some sense of what was happening at this compound. Don’t forget, this compound had 18-foot walls... It was the largest compound in the area. “So you would have thought that somebody would have asked the question, ‘What the hell’s going on there?’”

Panetta told CBS. The Pentagon chief said that concern played a significant factor in Washington not warning Pakistan officials of the impending raid: “it concerned us that, if we, in fact, brought (Pakistan) into it, thatthey might...give bin Laden a heads up,” he said.

Panetta acknowledged he did not have “hard evidence” Pakistan knew of the Al-Qaeda leader’s whereabouts. US Navy SEALs killed Bin Laden on May 2 in a raid on a compound in the Pakistani garrison town of Abbottabad, north of the capital Islamabad, and later buried the 9/11 mastermind at sea. ‘

Barefoot Bandit’ jailed SEATTLE: A federal judge on Friday sentenced “Barefoot Bandit” Colton Harris-Moore to 6 1/2 years in prison for his infamous two-year, international crime spree of break-ins, and boat and plane thefts that ended in 2010. Harris-Moore hopscotched his way across the United States, authorities said. He flew a plane stolen in northwestern Washington to the San Juan Islands, stole a pistol in British Columbia and took a plane from Idaho to Washington state, stole a boat in southwestern Washington to go to Oregon, and took a plane in Indiana and flew to the Bahamas, where was arrested. The 20-year-old earned his nickname because he committed several of the crimes without wearing shoes, and he attracted fans across the nation for his ability to evade police. But on Friday, HarrisMoore apologized to his victims shortly before US District Judge Richard Jones imposed the sentence, which will be served concurrently with state prison time. “I now know a crime that took place overnight will take years to recover from,” the he said in court. He particularly apologized for stealing planes, saying his arrogance led him to keep alive his dream of flying.

BISHKEK: One of the prisoners, who sewed his lips, looks on in a remand prison in the Kyrgyzstan’s capital in Bishkek. —AFP ‘Lip-sewing’ hunger strike BISHKEK: Thousands of Kyrgyz prisoners have ended a hunger strike against jail conditions that saw 1,200 inmates sew up their lips in protest, an official said yesterday. “All the prisoners in Kyrgyzstan have ceased their hunger strike,” the deputy head of the prisons service Kubanychbek Kenenbayev told reporters, saying that a women’s prison in the village of Stepnoe was the last to agree. “They ended the hunger strike after being convinced that there would be no more excesses on the part of their guards,” added Kyrgyzstan’s rights ombudsman Tursunbek Akun, without giving further details. At total of almost 7,000 prisoners had been on hunger strike from January 17, in a protest which inmates hoped would force the authorities to relax the conditions of their imprisonment in Kyrgyzstan’s notorious jails.

forces to be more agile and closer to potential trouble zones without the costs both financial and political-of permanent bases. Admiral Robert Willard, the chief of the US Pacific Command, said that the United States was not looking for more bases in the region beyond those for the more than 85,000 troops in Japan and South Korea. “There is no desire nor view right now that the US is seeking basing options anywhere in the Asia-Pacific theater,” he told a news conference in Washington. “Initiatives such as Australia offered or such as Singapore offered to allow us to rotate forces from locations that are closer and more adjacent to Southeast Asia afford Pacific Command the opportunity to more conveniently have its presence there and felt,” he said. Pentagon spokesman Captain John Kirby said: “We’re going to rebalance our focus more to the Asia-Pacific, which is going to require a much more robust partnering program than we’ve had in the past with many nations in that region.”

The Pentagon, under pressure to cut spending, unveiled a plan Thursday that would take some 100,000 troops off active duty, although the total would remain above the level before the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. The plan-which will likely be the subject of intense debate on Capitol

Hill-would withdraw two brigades from Europe and slow down or retire cargo jets, cruisers and the latest Ohio nuclear submarine. But the proposal funds research on a number of projects considered key to any potential conflict with China, including a next-generation super-stealth bomber that could penetrate deep past enemy defenses. The Pentagon also wants to fund upgrades to air and ship radar systems and to design the fast-attacking Virginia-class submarine to be able to fire more cruise missiles. China’s territorial disputes with countries including Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam have grown rockier in recent years, with the Asian neighbors accusing Beijing of aggressive behavior. China has insisted that its growth is natural and that it does not pose a threat to any other nation. Beijing has repeatedly warned the United States to be careful and not aggravate conflicts.

US officials are careful in public not to describe China as a threat. They argue that Washington’s hefty defense investment in post-World War II Asia has benefited China by allowing it to concentrate on domestic growth instead of external threats.

“The interest by Pacific Command and the interest from the United States is that this be a secure and stable and prosperous region of the world,” Willard said. While the

focus on Asia enjoys broad support in Washington, some liberal members of Obama’s Democratic Party have called for greater cuts by the Pentagon.

Four House Democrats-Barney Frank, Rush Holt, Barbara Lee and Lynn Woolseysaw no need to expand to Australia and

called for savings by closing the unpopular Futenma base in Okinawa that has long plagued ties with Japan. “It is time to bring our defense spending in line with the actual threats we face, and invest the savings in nation-building at home,” they wrote in a letter to Obama.— AFP

ARLINGTON: US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta (left) and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Martin Dempsey conduct a briefing on major budget decisions stemming from the defense strategic guidance at the Pentagon on January 26, 2012 in Arlington, Virginia. — AFP

Khartoum to release ships seized from South Sudan S Sudan shutting down oil output in retaliation ADDIS ABABA: Sudan will free ships carrying cargos of crude it seized from South Sudan to ease tensions between the former civil war foes and help the two states agree on a deal over oil revenue, Sayed El-Khatib, deputy head of negotiating team said yesterday. “President Bashir is ready to make this gesture. Sudan is going to release the vessels detained in Port Sudan,” he told a media conference in the Ethiopian capital. South Sudan became independent in July under a 2005 peace agreement with Khartoum that ended decades of conflict but both sides have failed to agree how to untangle their oil industries.

The new landlocked nation needs to use a northern pipeline and the port of Port Sudan to export its crude but has failed to reach an agreement with Khartoum over a transit fee, prompting Sudan to start seizing oil as compensation. South Sudan said on Monday it had started shutting down oil production and accused Sudan of seizing $815 million worth of crude. South Sudan’s top negotiator said on Friday his country would complete the shutdown by yesterday, after Sudanese President Omar AlBashir and South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir met on the sidelines of a meeting of East African officials in Ethiopia.

Sudan said it was freeing the ships to help end the deadlock. “By doing this step, we expect the cover agreement to be signed, the shutdown to be halted, and the terms of the cover agreement to be respected,” said ElKhatib. “Before the end of today, we could be able to sign the cover agreement. We, at least, are ready to sign.”

Officials said in November South Sudan was producing about 350,000 barrels of oil per day. China is the biggest buyer of oil from the two countries, some 12.99 million barrels last year. That amounted to five percent of last year’s crude imports by China, which is also the top investor in South Sudan’s oilfields. — Reuters

Islamists, protesters scuffle at Egypt rally CAIRO: Muslim Brotherhood supporters and secular protesters have hurled bottles and rocks at each other and gotten into fistfights in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, as their political differences boiled over at a rally by tens of thousands marking an anniversary in the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak. The Friday scuffles, in which there were no reports of injury, were the first time the two sides have come to blows over resentments that have been rising between them since they worked together during the 18 days of protests against Mubarak a year ago.

Now they are locked in a competition to shape the transition. The differences do not focus on the Brotherhood’s religious agenda though it worries many in the other camp.

Instead, the divisions are over the military, which have ruled since Mubarak’s fall, and ultimately whether dramatic change will be brought to Egypt’s long autocratic system. The “revolutionaries,” the leftist and secular activists who launched the anti-Mubarak revolt, now demand the ruling generals quit power immediately and have vowed protests to force them out.

The Brotherhood, meanwhile, has vaulted to political domination by winning the largest bloc in the new parliament and has been willing to let the military follow its own timetable for stepping down. The revolutionaries suspect the Brotherhood will strike a deal with the ruling generals - giving them a future say in politics to ensure the Brotherhood’s hold on authority and influence on the writing of a new constitution, effective shelving serious reform. They also bristle over what they see as the Brotherhood’s attempts to monopolize the political scene.

Nevertheless, the two sides have been uneasily trying to share Tahrir Square this week since a giant rally Wednesday marking the Jan. 25 start of the anti-Mubarak protests.

But on a new rally Friday, tempers broke. “Out, out, out!” revolutionaries chanted at the Brotherhood’s main stage in the square, holding their shoes in the air in a sign of contempt at a line of Brothers forming a human chain in front of the podium. “Dogs of the military council,” others chanted at the Brothers. The political differences have translated into a dispute over the very meaning of the anniversary.

The Brotherhood has presented this week as a celebration of the revolution’s successes particularly their own parliament victory. The secular groups say there is nothing to celebrate when so many demands of the revolution are left unachieved and killings of protesters have gone unpunished. The fights erupted over the Brotherhood’s giant stage in the square, bristling with loudspeakers. Some protesters complain the Brotherhood sought to drown out other protesters by blaring religious anthems, Quranic recitations and music.

Others were angered a celebratory banner on the stage proclaiming, “Holiday of the Revolution.” Another note of triumphalism

that irritated many was a song played repeatedly celebrating the military’s victories in the 1973 war with Israel and proclaiming “may the victory be bigger” in the revolution.

Arguments about the stage turned into pushing and shoving then fistfights and exchanges of hurled bottles and rocks.

The scuffles reflect both the frustrations and the growing confidence of the revolutionary groups. The military has been seeking to isolate them from a public tiring of turmoil, and the Brotherhood’s election victories left them with little say in parliament. But on Wednesday and Friday, they succeeded in bringing out numbers of protesters that rivaled or even surpassed the Islamists’ presence, raising their hopes that they can push the Brotherhood to a firmer line on the military. The leftists and secular groups accuse the military of being as dictatorial as Mubarak and of intending to preserve their power even after a handover to civilians. There is widespread resentment that little has been done to dismantle Mubarak’s regime and prosecute security officers for the deaths of hundreds of protesters during the past year in crackdowns by both Mubarak and the military. The Brotherhood insists it wants the military to leave power, but it is willing to let it stay until late June when the generals have promised to hand over rule to a civilian president.

In Tahrir, Ahmed Kamal, a 39 year old engineer who voted for the Brotherhood in recent parliament elections but is not a member, said he hopes the movement takes a stronger tone. “Their rhetoric has been too soft” on the military, he said. “In the end, the military council won’t hand over power unless the Square and the parliament are on the same wavelength.” The day’s protests, which included mass rallies in other Egyptian cities, commemorated the first anniversary of the “Friday of Rage,” one of the bloodiest days of the 18-day protests that led to Mubarak’s Feb. 11 ouster.

In last year’s “Friday of Rage,” Mubarak’s security forces fired on protesters marching toward Tahrir from around the capital, killing and wounding hundreds. Protesters battled back for hours until the police collapsed and withdrew from the streets. “This is a day of mourning, not celebration,” said Abdel-Hady El-Ninny, the father of a slain protester, Alaa Abdel-Hady. He and his family carried large posters of his son around Tahrir.

In Friday’s rally, large marches organized by the leftist and secular groups streamed from mosques around Cairo to join the tens of thousands in Tahrir. “We want civilian, not military,” they chanted in the marches, and some young men shaved the words “down with military rule” in their hair cuts. One protester, carried on his comrades’ shoulders, portrayed a slain protester. Several thousand also protested in front of the state television building, near Tahrir - a focus of anger because state media have served as a mouthpiece for the military and its denunciations of protesters, just as it did under Mubarak.— AP

ADDIS ABABA: Said Khatib, a senior member of North Sudan’s negotiating team addresses a press conference yesterday — AFP

15 dead, 40 missing as boat capsizes off Libya TRIPOLI: At least 15 Somali migrants were killed and 40 left missing after their boat capsized off the coast of Libya last week, the Somali ambassador to Tripoli said yesterday. “Fifteen bodies, including one child and 12 women, were recovered off the coast of Misrata after their boat sank,” ambassador Abdelghami Wais said, adding the bodies were found Wednesday on the shore of the western port city.

The boat had been carr ying 55 Somalis, Wais said, and the other passengers were still missing. “I’ve just returned from Misrata after the burials,” the envoy said. The International Organization of Migration, contacted by AFP, said it was unaware of the accident. Libya has for decades been a destination and a transit country to European shores for hundreds of thousands of African migrants seeking jobs and a better life. The ousted regime of slain dictator Muammar Gaddafi used the issue to exert pressure on Europe and asked for five billion euros (more than 6.5 billion dollars) from the European Union last year to stem the flow of illegals.

The new rulers of the North African country have adopted a different approach, with Interior Minister Fawzi

Abdelali saying Libya will not be the “border guard” for Europe. Citing “enormous problems” for Libya caused by the influx of thousands of migrants, Abdelali called upon Europe and neighboring countries to help deal with the flow. He specifically asked for assistance to rehabilitate 19 detention centers and with a system of border surveillance. On January 19, interior ministr y spokesman General Abdelmonem Al-Tunsi said that illegal immigration had resumed since the end of the anti-Gaddafi revolt.

He said thousands of people from unrest-swept Syria were also entering through the Massad terminal on the border with Egypt, apart from Africans infiltrating through the southern borders.

Tunsi said that on January 10 the authorities intercepted 260 such illegal migrants who were aided by three Libyans armed with Kalashnikovs. He said the flood of illegal immigrants began at the end of the conflict as the country’s borders were not fully guarded. When the anti-Gaddafi revolt erupted in February, tens of thousands of illegal immigrants fled Libya and few dared venture into the North African nation while fighting against Gaddafi’s forces raged last year.— AFP

CAIRO: An Egyptian veiled woman wearing a headband with a slogan which reads in Arabic “The revolution continues” flashes a victory sign during a protest yesterday outside the state television headquarters demanding the “cleansing” of state media.— AFP

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

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

Could another Republican join the 2012 race?

Mud-slinging contest damages Romney, Gingrich JACKSONVILLE: Is it too late for another Republican to jump into the 2012 US presidential race? Mitt Romney is riding high in Florida and threatening to take charge of the Republican nomination with a win in Tuesday’s primary there. But even as some party conservatives appear to be coming around to supporting him, many are concerned that the bitter fight between Romney and Newt Gingrich has damaged both of them to the extent that neither would be able to defeat Democratic President Barack Obama in the Nov 6 election. Grassroots conservative activists are worried that Gingrich’s attacks on Romney’s business background have given Democrats a big hammer to use against the former Massachusetts governor this fall. Meanwhile, mainstream Republicans think Romney is right when he says Gingrich is a Washington insider with deep personal and political baggage and more half-baked ideas than the corner pastry shop. The Romney-Gingrich battle has left many Americans in a sour mood about the Republican contenders.

A Washington Post poll this week found that Romney and Gingrich each were viewed favorably by only about 30 percent of Americans. So is there a chance that a popular Republican might come to the rescue and snatch the presidential nomination? Analysts say there is still a sliver of time for another Republican candidate to jump into the race.

This year’s campaign calendar is loaded with spring contests, meaning a Republican could enter the race in early February and still compete directly in states with at least 1,200 of the 2,282 or so

PORT ST LUCIE: Supporters of Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, cheer during an event at The PGA Center for Golf Learning and Performance yesterday. — AFP

Republican delegates, according to the University of Virginia Center for Politics. It takes 1,150 delegates to win the nomination. “If Republicans look at both Gingrich and Romney and think they can’t win, it’s an opening for another candidate,” said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics. “What that candidate has to do is win a series of big primaries and prove the point that this individual is electable, and that Republicans want a new candidate.”

‘THERE’S AN OPENING’ It would take a powerhouse politician to pull it off. Think New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, for example. Or Indiana

Governor Mitch Daniels, or former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Those three and other big names have repeatedly ruled out a 2012 campaign and seem content to wait until 2016, if a Republican does not win this year.

Christie has endorsed Romney. Anyone who did attempt to jump into the race would need to be able to muster large amounts of money and support quickly, and be more politically nimble than the last late entrant-Texas Governor Rick Perry, who abandoned the race a week ago after poor performances in debates.

“There’s an opening, but there’s a big impediment,” said Ipsos pollster Chris

Jackson. “Any individual who wants to exploit that has to hit the ground at a full sprint.” Leading Republicans do not expect someone else to enter the race.

But they do foresee an increasingly aggressive movement to persuade conservatives to give up their flirtation with the fiery Gingrich and make peace with the more moderate Romney. An example of this came Thursday from former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole. He told National Review Online that when Gingrich was speaker of the US House of Representatives, he “had a new idea every minute, and most of them were off the wall.” “If Gingrich is the nominee, it will have an adverse impact on Republican candidates running for county, state, and federal offices,” Dole added.

“Hardly anyone who served with Newt in Congress has endorsed him, and that fact speaks for itself.”

Ari Fleischer, a Republican analyst who was a White House press secretary for President George W Bush, told Reuters that a Gingrich victory in Florida’s primary would have repercussions extending to the Republican nominating convention in Tampa in late August. “If Newt wins Florida, I expect serious conversations to develop about how to stop Newt at the convention,” said Fleischer, who is neutral in the 2012 Republican contest. “My sense is that enough people who know Newt are scared of Newt winning. Enough congressmen and senators who have to run for re-election this year are scared at what he might do at the top of the ticket,” he said.

One reason the battle has been so tough this year is because Republicans do not have an obvious choice as their nominee. “We always have a competitive race and it always gets kind of rough when it narrows to two people,” said Republican strategist Charlie Black. “The parlor game in Washington these days is, these guys are killing each other and we need to find an alternative candidate. It never happens. Since 1964 we’ve always been able to rally behind our candidate.”

One complicating factor: Ron Paul. The libertarian Texas representative is running fourth in the Republican race, behind the two leaders and former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum.

Paul has insisted he will not launch a third-party bid in order to rally his devoted supporters to his causes, which include a greatly reduced military presence overseas and budget cuts at home.

But he is leaving the door open, a crack. A third-party bid by Paul could have a profound influence on the Nov 6 elections. A third-party effort by Texas businessman Ross Perot in 1992 contributed to incumbent Republican President George HW Bush’s loss to Democrat Bill Clinton that year by drawing Republicans and independents from Bush. Paul draws a mix of supporters across the political spectrum, from Republicans fed up with conventional candidates to anti-war Democrats. Paul told NPR this week that “it’s awfully premature” to say whether he will launch a third-party run. “We have a few months to go before I will need an answer,” he said. — Reuters

Resurgent Romney regains momentum Two rivals barnstorm battleground state CAPE CANAVERAL: Republican White House hopeful Mitt Romney stepped up his campaign in Florida yesterday after a new opinion poll showed he was gaining momentum in a race against archrival Newt Gingrich. With only three days to go until the vital Florida primary, the two rivals barnstormed the huge battleground state which could prove a make-orbreak stop in their battle for the Republican Party crown. After a shock defeat by Gingrich in South Carolina last weekend and a slew of attacks, Romney’s campaign got a fresh boost as he bids to be the party’s nominee to take on Democratic President Barack Obama in the November elections.

A Quinnipiac University survey showed the former Massachusetts governor at 38-29 percent over former House of Representatives speaker Gingrich in Florida, re-capturing the lead after slipping badly over recent days. The poll of likely Republican voters was taken before the candidates’ televised debate on Thursday, but it indicated the race may be swinging back in favor of multimillionaire businessman and former venture capitalist Romney. “Newt Gingrich’s momentum from his South Carolina victory appears to have stalled and governor Mitt Romney seems to be pulling away in Florida,” said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

Texas congressman Ron Paul, who has done virtually no campaigning in the Sunshine state, was on 14 percent, and former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum was in fourth place, with 12 percent, the survey said. The field has now narrowed in Florida to a two-man race between Romney and Gingrich, who traded bitter attacks in a debate late Thursday.

Gingrich supporters were still firmly behind their man, manning the phones and handing out pamphlets in the final countdown towards Tuesday’s Republican presidential primary here.

“The country is underwater, the house is flooded, we want the best plumber regardless of the flaws he can have,” said campaign official Bert Ralston at Gingrich’s Jacksonville headquarters. After a string of debates where he was criticized for lacking passion, Romney came out swinging, rounding on Gingrich for alleging he was against immigrants and dodged his taxes. “We are not anti-immigrant. We are not antiimmigration,” the former Massachusetts governor said.

“We are the pro-immigration, pro-legality, pro-citizenship nation.” Immigration policy is high on the agenda in Florida, a vote-rich battleground state where the large Hispanic bloc forms a key constituency.

On Friday, Romney pledged at a conference organized by the Hispanic Leadership Network that he would appoint “a presidential envoy responsible for democracy and freedom in Latin America.” He scored another important victory later in the day when he secured the endorsement of Puerto Rico Governor Luis Fortuno. “Mitt Romney is the one candidate who has the record, leadership, experience, and progrowth plan to continue the course of private-sector job creation we’ve begun in Puerto Rico and provide economic stability for generations,” said Fortuno, who appeared with Romney at a campaign rally in Orlando, Florida.

Before the endorsement, Romney told the Hispanic group that he hoped Puerto Ricans would follow the governor’s lead and vote for statehood for the island. Meanwhile, former Florida governor Jeb Bush, brother of ex-president George W Bush, warned that the candidates ignored the Hispanic community at their peril. “If we ignore the aspirational nature of the Hispanic communities across the country and say, ‘well, we can just keep doing it the old way’, and expect a different result, I think conservative candidates will lose,” Bush said.

Romney already has a win in New Hampshire

PENSACOLA: Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney holds a veterans rally in Pensacola yesterday. Florida will hold its Republican primary on January 31, 2012. — AFP

Ship carrying rocket parts hits Ky Bridge LOUISVILLE: The voyage of a cargo boat that carries space rocket components to Florida’s coast for NASA and the Air Force has stalled in a western Kentucky river after it slammed into an aging traffic bridge. The bow of the Delta Mariner was covered in twisted steel and chunks of asphalt from the two-lane bridge. The boat hit the bridge Thursday night on the Tennessee River on its way to Cape Canaveral, Fla. Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear has promised speedy work to begin replacing the structure, formerly known as Eggner’s Ferry Bridge. The five-story high Delta Mariner was too tall to pass through the portion of the bridge that it struck, and the resulting collision left a 300-foot wide gap. “We were very fortunate that no one was

under his belt, and a victory in Florida on Tuesday could once again anoint him as the man to beat in the race. Gingrich was often caught off guard in Thursday’s debate and his usual agility in mounting a pugnacious counter-attack seemed to desert him.

Such was the heat of early exchanges that Gingrich offered a truce: “How about if the four of us agree for the rest of the evening, we’re going to talk about issues?” But the offer was quickly knocked down when Gingrich refused to answer for earlier remarks about Romney’s Swiss and Cayman Island bank accounts.

Instead Romney went on the attack. “Wouldn’t it be nice if people didn’t make accusations somewhere else that they weren’t willing to make here?”

Romney asked rhetorically. He also ripped Gingrich’s plans to establish a permanent base on the moon, largely with private funding. “It may be a big idea, but it’s not a good idea,” Romney said. Meanwhile, The New York Times reported that New York investment bank Goldman Sachs, which is managing much of Romney’s $250-million fortune, has emerged as the largest single source of campaign money for the former governor so far. Its employees have contributed to his campaign at least $367,000, the report said. — AFP

on the span at that time,” Beshear said Friday. No injuries were reported on the bridge or boat, which was carrying space rocket parts from Decatur, Ala, to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The ship was traveling on its typical route to Florida’s Atlantic coast when it hit the aging steel bridge, which was built in the 1930s and handles about 2,800 vehicles a day.

US Coast Guard officials investigating the collision declined to comment Friday evening on a possible cause. Lt Ron Easley in the Louisville office said a report would be issued but the investigation was not finished. Sam Sacco, a spokesman for the ship’s owner and operator, Foss Maritime of Seattle, said the Coast Guard inspected the vessel and interviewed crew members. —AP

US Republican senator wants Keystone XL bill WASHINGTON: US Republican Senator John Hoeven is set to introduce legislation on Monday seeking to bypass President Barack Obama and empower Congress to approve the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, an aide said on Friday.

Obama put TransCanada’s $7 billion Canadato-Texas pipeline on ice last week, saying that the administration needed more time to review its environmental impacts. Hoeven’s bill would seek to put Congress effectively in control of the pipeline decision and take it away from the Obama administration.

But any such measure faces the steep hurdle of having to be approved by the Democratic-con-

trolled Senate. And even if it did, it would have to be signed by the president in order to become law.

Environmentalists pushed for Obama to block the 1,700-mile pipeline. They loathe the idea of increasing the flow of oil sands crude from Canada because of its bigger carbon footprint in the mining process. Republicans say the pipeline would create jobs but environmentalists say the job-creation claims are inflated. “We’ve been working with (the Republican) leadership in the Senate and all our colleagues, and we believe Senator Hoeven’s bill has support from a lot of people in the Senate,” said Ryan Bernstein, an energy advisor to Hoeven.—Reuters

NEW HAVEN: Photo shows Joshua Komisarjevsky who was sentenced on January 27, 2012 to die for killing a woman and her two daughters during a night of terror in their suburban home, a gruesome crime that unsettled the suburbs and halted momentum to abolish the death penalty in Connecticut. — AFP

Long road ahead for US home invasion survivor NEW HAVEN: How does a man move on with his life after losing his wife and daughters to two ruthless home invaders who tormented, then killed them? For more than four years, a nation both disgusted and captivated by a chilling crime in prototypical suburbia has wondered that. Only one man Dr. William Petit, the sole survivor - can provide the answer.

On Friday, with the second killer sentenced to death and the book closed after two long, graphic trials, Petit gave a clue as to how he copes with pain he has been forced to revisit continually in court. “My only hope is for justice to be served and to do my best to honor the lives of my family, who should all still be here to share their gifts and love with the world,” Petit said Friday right before a judge sentenced Joshua Komisarjevsky, 31, to death. “I hope to continue to honor my family,” said Petit, who survived being beaten with a baseball bat and tied up. “I push forward in the hope that good will overcome evil, and feel the need to tell the world that evil lives among us and we need to rid the world of it.”

The gruesome crime evoked comparisons to Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood,” about the brutal murders of a Kansas farmer and his family. Komisarjevsky admitted in an audiotaped confession played for the jury in his trial late last year that he spotted Petit’s wife, Jennifer Hawke-Petit, and their 11-year-old daughter, Michaela, at a supermarket and followed them to their house in Cheshire, a suburb of New Haven. After going home and putting his own daughter to bed, he and Steven Hayes, now 48, returned to the Petit house in the middle of the night, while the family was sleeping, to rob it.

Dr Petit was beaten, tied up and taken to the basement. Michaela and Hayley, 17, were tied to their beds. In the morning, Hayes took Jennifer to the bank to withdraw money, while Komisarjevsky stayed at the house. It’s believed that’s when he sexually assaulted Michaela, the 11-year-old. Hayes was convicted of sexually assaulting the mother.

After Hayes arrived back at the house with the girls’ mother, she was strangled. The pair doused the house and beds with gasoline, set it ablaze and left. The sisters, bound helplessly while flames and fumes rose around them, died of smoke inhalation.

Dr Petit managed to escape the basement and hop, roll and crawl across a yard to a neighbor’s house for help - too late to save his family. “July 23, 2007, was our personal holocaust,” Petit said Friday. “A holocaust caused by two who are completely evil and actually do not comprehend what they have done.” Petit called his wife a friend, confidant and wonderful mother. He

noted that Hayley would be in medical school by now and that Michaela loved to cook and sing. “I lost my family and my home,” he said. “They were three special people. Your children are your jewels.” Petit said he has difficulty sleeping and trusting.

Family gatherings are subdued, he said, with no one quite sure what to do or say.

Jennifer’s sister, Cynthia Hawke-Renn, said via a video played in court that everyday items like gas, rope and bedposts conjure horrific memories. “There is no escaping the horrors of that night,” she said.

Petit’s father, William Petit Sr, said his son is not the same person now as he was in the days when he was a happy husband and father. “Not only did we lose Jennifer, Hayley and Michaela, we have lost the Bill that we knew, and it is heartbreaking daily to watch him,” Petit said. “He puts on a brave face and tries to hide his anguish and despair by working hard.”

Petit has found what he calls occasional moments of peace, dedicating himself to a charity named for his family that raises money for education, the chronically ill and those affected by violence; and by campaigning for tougher laws, including the death penalty.

He has admitted he contemplated suicide many times. But this month he became engaged to a woman who volunteered at foundation events. Petit has maintained his composure in court through three trials, even as the defense referred to him and his family as the “Petit posse.”

Komisarjevsky’s lawyers had worked to spare him the death penalty by describing sexual abuse their client endured as a child.

The jury and the judge - who had been subjected to grim evidence including pictures of charred beds, rope used to tie up the family and autopsy photos - were unmoved. The crime led to the defeat of a bill to outlaw the death penalty in Connecticut and sparked tougher state laws for repeat offenders and home invasions. “This is a terrible sentence, but it is in truth a sentence you wrote for yourself with deeds of unimaginable horror and savagery on July 23, 2007,” Judge Jon Blue said.

Komisarjevsky conveyed a mixture of regret and insistence in court Friday, saying that he didn’t intend for anyone to die, that he didn’t rape Michaela and that he didn’t start the fire. “I wonder when the killing will end,” he said of his death sentence. He described regrets and the devastating consequences of his decisions - but blamed Hayes for the killings. “I know my responsibilities, but what I cannot do is carry the responsibilities of the actions of another,” Komisarjevsky said. “I did not want those innocent women to die.”—AP

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

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

Shekau: Leading Nigeria’s Boko Haram from the shadows KANO: Abubakar Muhammad Shekau was once thought to have been killed, but has re -emerged to lead Islamist group Boko Haram from the shadows as it carries out a bloody onslaught in northern Nigeria. Very little is known about Shekau, but this week he appeared on YouTube, threatening more attacks and saying Boko Haram was responsible for the Januar y 20 violence which killed 185 people in Kano in reprisal for the arrest and torture of its members. Aged 43, he was born in a farming village also called S h e k a u i n n o r t h e a s te r n Yo b e s t a te. H e moved to the nearby city of Maiduguri, Boko Haram’s base, about a decade ago, a cco rd i n g to s o u rce s f a m i l i a r w i t h t h e group. Shekau studied theology under local clerics in the Mafoni area of Maiduguri and enrolled in a government-run school for Islamic studies.

He is often shown in photos wearing a keffiyeh and seated next to an AK-47, his face intense. A video released on YouTube

earlier this month portrayed a markedly different man compared to earlier images-he appeared considerably heavier, for examp l e - b u t a We s te r n d i p l o m a t s a i d “ we assessed it was Shekau.” He was seen as the second-in-command of Boko Haram at the time of a 2009 uprising put down by a brutal military assault which left some 800 peop l e d e a d. Th e l e a d e r a t t h e t i m e, Mohammed Yusuf, was captured by soldiers and handed over to police. He was later killed when police claimed he was trying to escape, though rights groups have called it a summary execution.

The two were said to have met through a man named Mamman Nur, thought to be the group’s third-in-command at the time of the uprising and who authorities labeled the mastermind of an August suicide attack on UN headquarters in Abuja that killed 25 people. Police also claimed Shek au had been k illed in the 2009 assault, but he appeared less than a year later in video clips

being circulated in Nigeria. Some say he had been shot in the leg and went into hiding in Chad and Sudan. Shekau had been seen by some as more eager to resort to violence than Yusuf and has having pushed the late leader into carrying out attacks sooner than he might have liked.

In videos, Shekau also appears far less charismatic than Yusuf, who rallied youths to his cause by excoriating corruption and lashing out at authorities in his rousing speeches. The voice said to be Shekau in the message posted on YouTube on Thursday said “we attacked the security formations because our members were arrested and tortured. Our women and children have also been arrested. “They should know that they also have wives and children,” he said. “We can also abduct them. It is not beyond our powers.” In another part of the message, he says, “I enjoy killing anyone that God commands me to kill the way I enjoy killing chickens and rams.”— AFP

UNKNOWN: This still picture posted on YouTube reportedly shows Abubakar Shekau, the leader of Nigeria’s Boko Haram Islamist militants, dressed in a black turban and a white gown and bullet-proof vest - holding an AK 47 rifle.— AFP

British police raid News Intl offices, arrest four Police officer among those arrested

KANO: A street vendor passes by a partially burnt police station in Sheka neighborhood in northern Nigerian city of Kano. — AFP

Gunmen attack police post in flashpoint Nigerian city KANO: Gunmen in Nigeria have killed at least one officer after opening fire on a police station in the city of Kano, where attacks claimed by Islamists left 185 dead last week, police said yesterday. Security forces in Africa’s most populous nation and top oil producer are struggling to contain the menace by the Boko Haram Islamist sect that has used increasingly bold tactics to kill more than 200 people this year alone. The latest attack in Kano, the economic heart of Nigeria’s mainly Muslim north, occurred just before 7:00 pm (1800 GMT) on Friday, police said yesterday, confirming the assault first reported by residents. Gunmen “opened fire on our men and the policemen on duty fired back leading to a shootout,” city police spokesman Magaji Majia said, adding that one officer was killed. Witnesses had previously told AFP two officers had died.

The attack came at the start of a nighttime curfew that has been in effect in the northern city since a January 20 assault by Boko Haram killed 185 people. Kano had previously escaped the worst of Boko Haram’s violence, and the brazen, coordinated strikes that primarily targeted police stations in a major city highlighted the group’s renewed strength. Since then in Kano, another police station was attacked on Tuesday night, with authorities reporting three people wounded and a German engineer was kidnapped on the outskirts of city on Thursday. The Friday night attack happened in the Mandawari neighborhood. Residents said they heard the gunmen shouting “Allahu Akbar” as they converged on the police station, travelling on motorcycles and in an all-terrain vehicle. The purported head of Boko Haram, Abubakar Muhammad Shekau, threatened more violence in an audio recording recently posted on YouTube. Shekau has been seen by some as more eager to resort to violence than his predecessor, Mohammed Yusuf, and under his leader-

ship, Boko Haram is seemingly able to strike at will. Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has faced scathing criticism for failures to stem the violence and fired the country’s police chief this week, vowing to overhaul a force that had lost public trust amid the deepening security crisis. The police in southeastern Enugu state said that 25 armed men believed to have come from the violence-plagued predominantly Muslim north were arrested Friday while travelling on a bus headed to the mainly Christian south. The men were found with 19 home-made guns and some machetes during a search at a highway police checkpoint. There were no initial indications the men were Islamist fighters, said spokesman Ebere Amaraizu, but added “the timing (of their trip) is wrong,” clarifying that the arrests were made amid heightened security concerns. Boko Haram has previously said that it wants to create an Islamic state in Nigeria’s deeplyimpoverished mainly Muslim north, and has charged the government with harassing Muslims and raiding Islamic schools.

The group was also blamed for coordinated attacks on Christmas Day, the mostly deadly at a Catholic Church near the capital Abuja where at least 44 people were killed, but the group’s victims in general, also include scores of Muslims.

Top Nigerian politicians have denied that the Boko Haram insurgency is being fuelled by religious tensions, linking the group to like-minded external Islamist groups like Al-Qaeda. Many analysts however doubt the strength of those links and say Boko Haram remain focused on a domestic agenda and is boosting its strength by exploiting religious tension within Nigeria. The group launched an uprising in 2009 that was put down by a brutal military assault. It went dormant for about a year before re-emerging in 2010 with renewed strength, but its current objectives remain largely unclear. — AFP

Japan, Russia ‘far apart’ on territorial dispute TOKYO: Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba said yesterday that a heated, decades-long territorial dispute with Russia was far from solved even as they agreed to boost security and economic cooperation. Gemba, standing next to his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, told a news briefing in Tokyo that the two sides “remain far apart” on claims to the Kuril Islands off the coast of northern Japan’s Hokkaido Island. “I said (to Lavrov) that it is now more necessary than ever that the two countries solve the territorial issue and sign a peace treaty so as to build a true friendly relationship,” Gemba said.

The two nations have never formally signed a peace treaty as Japan maintains its claim over the islands, which Russia has controlled since Japan’s surrender at the end of World War II. Tokyo still claims the chain’s four southernmost islands, a sore spot that continues to cast a cloud over Russian-Japanese relations.

President Dmitry Medvedev outraged Japan in November 2010 when he became the first Russian leader to visit the resource-rich islands.

Gemba said the territorial issue must be solved before Japan, the world’s thirdlargest economy, invests further in the islands and Russia’s underdeveloped Far East region.

“We would consider joint business activities if it helps solve the sovereignty issue,” Gemba said. “But we must not violate Japan’s legal stance...In that sense, the positions (between Japan and Russia) remain far apart.” Lavrov said Russia wants “a solution acceptable to both countries.” “We would like to do so in calm atmosphere, without getting emotional,” he added. Also yesterday, the pair agreed to boost cooperation on security, defense and economic issues while simplifying visa requirements for Japanese business and non-tourist visitors to Russia.— AFP

LONDON: Police said yesterday they were searching the London offices of Ruper t Murdoch’s News International and had arrested four people, including a policeman, in an investigation into suspected payments to police officers for information. The probe is linked to a continuing investigation into phone hacking at the now-closed News of the World tabloid, published by News International, the British arm of Murdoch’s News Corp media empire.

Yesterday’s operation was the result of information passed to police by News Corp’s Management and Standards Committee, set up in the wake of the phone hacking scandal, London’s Metropolitan Police said. One of those being questioned on suspicion of

corruption was a 29-year-old police officer ser ving with the Met Police’s Territorial Policing Command, who was arrested at the central London police station where he worked.

The others, all arrested at their homes, were a 48-year-old man from north London and two men from Essex, east of the capital, aged 48 and 56. Searches at News International’s offices in Wapping, east London, and at the arrested men’s homes, were expected to continue until the afternoon, police said. The operation takes to 12 the number of arrests in a probe into allegations journalists paid police in return for information, known as Operation Elveden, one of three criminal investigations into the

news-gathering practices of the News of the World. Last week, News International settled a string of legal claims after it admitted that people working for the tabloid had hacked in to the private phones of celebrities and others to generate stories. The phone hacking scandal drew attention to the level of political influence held by editors and executives at News International, and other newspapers in Britain. It embarrassed British politicians for their close ties with newspaper executives and also the police, who repeatedly failed to investigate allegations of illegal phone hacking. News International had no immediate comment yesterday’s police operation, a spokeswoman for the media group said.— Reuters

Senegal opposition vows to stop Wade presidential bid

PAJU: Members of Seoul-based aid group North Korea Peace release a large balloon containing socks in Paju near the Demilitarized zone dividing the two Koreas yesterday. — AFP

S Korea activists float socks over to N Korea SEOUL: South Korean activists yesterday released huge gas-filled balloons filled with socks over the border into impoverished North Korea despite threats from Pyongyang. The socks can be worn to help survive the harsh winter, be sold for cash or exchanged in the communist North for food that can keep a person going for a month, the campaigners say.

About 1,000 pairs of socks were launched by five large plastic balloons from the northern South Korean city of Paju. Each pair of socks was attached with a leaflet containing a “politically innocuous” message, said the Seoulbased group North Korea Peace, which has been sending socks to the North once a month over the past few months.

“We’re not interested in sending political messages or sparking any troubles there.

All we want is that people in the North wear warm socks over their frozen feet,” Sunny Kim, a spokeswoman for North Korea Peace said.

“Warm socks are so rare and they can easily be traded for cash in the North.

One pair of socks fetches about 22 pounds of corn, which is enough to sustain a person for a month.” Socks and

many other daily necessities are in short supply in North Korea, which pours money and resources into building up its 1.2million-strong armed forces under its Songun, or military-first, policy. Activists, many of them defectors from the North, regularly send leaflets over the border lambasting the regime and urging popular uprisings like those in the Middle East and North Africa in the past year.

The launches infuriate Pyongyang, which has threatened to open fire at launch sites. Tensions have been high on the Korean peninsula since the conservative administration in Seoul rolled back the previous liberal government’s “Sunshine Policy” of reconciliation and took a tougher stance toward Pyongyang. Seoul also stopped its annual major food and fertilizer shipments to the North although it has been allowing humanitarian aid by civic groups, mostly modest in scale. North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-Il died on December 17 to be succeeded by his youngest son Jong-Un. The North under its new leader has taken a hostile tone with the South’s government, accusing it of failing to respect the mourning period for the late leader.— AFP

DAKAR: Senegal’s opposition vowed yesterday to force President Abdoulaye Wade out of office as the capital reeled from violent riots that erupted after the top court said the octogenarian could run for a third term. Riot police cordoned off streets around the presidency after the opposition threatened to march on the palace after a night of what local newspapers dubbed “fire and blood” in which rioters killed one policeman.

The streets in flashpoint suburbs were littered with still-smouldering debris after rioters engaged in running battles with police, overturning and torching cars, setting alight tyres and shops along the city’s main arteries. In the working class suburb Colobane where a mass opposition gathering turned violent, Chinese immigrants surveyed the remnants of several of their shops torched in the riots. The violence erupted late Friday after the west African nation’s Constitutional Council gave Wade, 85, the green light to run in February 26 polls, sparking anger among opponents who accuse him of fiddling with the constitution.

“Wade rejoices, the country burns,” read the headline of the Walfadjiri newspaper while le Quotidien declared: “Wade burns Senegal.” Amid the resulting unrest, Wade told his opponents to stop throwing “temper tantrums”. The June 23 Movement of opposition against Wade’s candidacy, which called Friday’s rally, appealed to Senegalese to march on the presidential palace in downtown Dakar. Spokesman Abdoul Aziz Diop said the M23 “calls on the Senegalese people to mobilize and march on the Presidential Palace and remove Wade who is squatting there.”

He reiterated his call Saturday, saying leaders of the movement “deliberated all night on the best way to organize a response” such as more protests. “If Wade’s candidacy is maintained there will not be an election,” he warned, adding no M23 candidate would participate in a poll whose results would be “prefabricated from the first round.” Abdoulaye Wilane, a leader of the opposition Socialist Party said there would be a “legal and political battle” to ensure Wade leaves power. “The fight will continue to the end.”

Presidential spokesman Serigne Mbacke Ndiaye said on French International radio (RFI) that Wade’s camp would also challenge several opposition candidacies. “Of 12 million inhabitants there were 200, 300 even 1,000, 2,000 people protesting the Constitutional Council decision, really that is not a concern.” The fivejudge council unveiled a list of 14 contenders but rejected the candidacy of music icon Youssou Ndour, who warned of rising tension in the country and vowed to challenge his disqualification. Ndour, who shocked the music world when he announced this month he was quitting singing for politics, was left off the list with the council saying many signatures he provided could not be verified. A minimum of 10,000 were needed.

The ruling seals months of speculation over the interpretation of the constitution on presidential mandates. When Wade was elected in 2000 for a seven-year mandate there was no term-limit in the constitution. In 2001 he revised the laws instituting the two-term limit and reducing the mandate to five years. He was reelected on this basis in 2007. Then he again revised the text in 2008, reverting to a seven-year mandate, renewable once. Wade argues that the law does not apply retroactively and that he is thus due two sevenyear terms from 2012. The Constitutional Council also approved three ex-prime ministers, Idrissa Seck, Macky Sall and Moustapha Niasse, and main opposition leader Ousmane Tanor Dieng. Amnesty International has warned the “potential for destabilization is huge” in the run up to the polls, with France and the United States calling for calm. On Friday, the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) appealed for calm and restraint in a statement expressing “serious concern for the rising tensions among political parties and citizens.” —AFP

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

i n t e r n at i o n a l

Despair, crackdowns breed more violence in Tibet BEIJING: A young man posts his photo with a leaflet demanding freedom for Tibet and telling Chinese police, come and get me. Protesters rise up to defend him, and demonstrations break out in two other Tibetan areas of western China to support the same cause. Each time, police respond with bullets. The three clashes, all in the past week, killed several Tibetans and injured dozens. They mark an escalation of a protest movement that for months expressed itself mainly through scattered individual self-immolations. It’s the result of growing desperation among Tibetans and a harsh crackdown by security forces that scholars and pro-Tibet activists contend only breeds more rage and despair. That leaves authorities with the stark choice of either cracking down even harder or meeting Tibetan demands for greater freedom and a return of their Buddhist spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama - something Beijing has shown zero willingness to do. “By not responding constructively when it was faced with peaceful one-person protests, the (Communist) party has created the conditions for violent, large-scale protests,” said Robbie Barnett, head of modern Tibetan studies at New York’s Columbia University.

This is the region’s most violent period since 2008, when deadly rioting in Tibet’s capital Lhasa spread to Tibetan areas in adjoining provinces. China responded by flooding the area with troops and closing Tibetan regions entirely to foreigners for about a year. Special permission is still required for non-Chinese visitors to Tibet, and the Himalayan region remains closed off entirely for the weeks surrounding the March 14 anniversary of the riots that left 22 people dead.

Video smuggled out by activists shows paramilitary troops equipped with assault rifles and armored cars making pre-dawn arrests. Huge convoys of heavi-

ly armored troops are seen driving along mountain roads and monks accused of sedition being frogmarched to waiting trucks. For the past year, selfimmolations have become a striking form of protest in the region. At least 16 monks, nuns and former clergy set themselves on fire after chanting for Tibetan freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama, who fled to India amid an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in 1959.

China, fiercely critical of the Dalai Lama, says Tibet has been under its rule for centuries, but many Tibetans say the region was functionally independent for most of that time. In a change from the individual protests, several thousand Tibetans marched to government offices Monday in Ganzi prefecture in Sichuan province. Police opened fire into the crowd, killing up to three people, witnesses and activist groups said. On Tuesday, security forces opened fire on a crowd of protesters in another area of Ganzi, killing two Tibetans and wounding several more, according to the group Free Tibet.

On Thursday in southwestern Sichuan province’s Aba prefecture, a youth named Tarpa posted a leaflet saying that self-immolations wouldn’t stop until Tibet is free, the London-based International Campaign for Tibet said. He wrote his name on the leaflet and included a photo of himself, saying that Chinese authorities could come and arrest him if they wished, group spokeswoman Kate Saunders said in an email.

Security forces did so about two hours later. Area residents blocked their way, shouting slogans and warning of bigger protests if Tarpa wasn’t released, Saunders said. Police then fired into the crowd, killing a a 20-year-old friend of Tarpa’s, a student named Urgen, and wounding several others.

The incident, as with most reported clashes in

Tibetan areas, could not be independently verified and exact numbers of casualties were unclear because of the heavy security presence and lack of access. The topic is so sensitive that even government-backed scholars claim ignorance of it and refuse to comment.

The government, however, acknowledged Tuesday’s unrest, saying that a “mob” charged a police station and injured 14 officers, forcing police to open fire on them. The official Xinhua News Agency said police killed one rioter and injured another.

“The Chinese government will, as always, fight all crimes and be resolute in maintaining social order,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in comments on the incident. The harsh response points to a deep anxiety about the self-immolations, said Youdon Aukatsang, a New Delhi-based member of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile. “They’re worried that there is an underground movement in Tibet that is coming to the surface,” she said. Tibetan desperation has been fed both by the harsh crackdown - security agents reportedly outnumber monks in some monasteries - along with a deep fear that the Dalai Lama, probably the most potent symbol of Tibet’s separate identity, will never return.

The 76-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate handed his political powers to an elected assembly last year.

That was intended to ensure the Tibetan cause would live on after him, but was met with considerable anxiety among many Tibetans who saw it as a sign he was giving up his role as leader of their struggle. Dibyesh Anand, a Tibet expert at London’s University of Westminster, said resistance to Chinese rule is likely to grow more fierce. “Protests will get more radicalized since the Tibetans in the region see no concession, no offer of compromise, no flexibility coming from the government,” he said.— AP

CHENGDU: An Ethnic Tibetan woman begs for alms on a street in Chengdu in southwest China’s Sichuan province. The Tibetan-inhabited region of West Sichuan appeared to be under lockdown after it was rocked by deadly clashes, as exile groups gave grisly details of how the unrest unfolded. — AFP

Afghans blast French plan to withdraw troops early Sarkozy ‘puts re-election ahead of Afghans’ safety’

NEW DELHI: A T 72 tank rolls down during a National Cadet Corps (NCC) Prime Minister’s rally parade in New Delhi yesterday, two days after India’s 63rd Republic Day celebrations. The NCC rally started with the presentation of a Guard of Honor by the Army, Navy and Air Force wing of the NCC to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. — AFP

Rebels shoot dead five in Indian election violence NEW DELHI: Rebels shot dead five people at a polling station in India’s northeast yesterday as voting began in the first of five local elections seen as a popularity test for the national Congress government. The separatist rebels sprayed the voting booth with bullets, killing three election officials, a paramilitary trooper and a civilian in Thangpi, a village south of Manipur state capital Imphal, police chief Priya Singh said.

“The militants opened random fire,” Singh said, adding two other people were hurt in the attack which came despite tens of thousands of security forces deployed in a bid to thwart attacks during the voting for a new assembly. The rebels who staged the attack on the crowded polling booth in far-flung Manipur were believed to be from the National Socialist Council of Nagaland, Singh said, but added no group had claimed responsibility.

The voting in Manipur was the first of five assembly elections viewed as a mini-referendum for Premier Manmohan Singh’s embattled Congress coalition which is at the centre of a storm of corruption and mismanagement scandals. National polls are due in 2014.

Tensions were already elevated in impoverished Manipur after five explosions in the runup to the polls killed two people, along with rebel calls for a boycott of the election, police said. India’s northeast has been wracked by deadly separatist insurgencies since the country’s independence in 1947. At least 30 ethnic rebel groups are active in highly milita-

rized Manipur, a state of just 2.7 million people. The voting in the states of Manipur, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Goa is being staggered through February and early March with the results to be announced in early March. While regional issues will weigh heavily in the five elections, the polls are putting to the test not only the standing of Congress but also of 41-year-old Rahul Gandhi, tipped as a future prime minister.

Gandhi, scion of the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty that has dominated India for most of its post-independence history, has taken centre stage during campaigning for the elections. Next weekend’s elections take place in caste-riven Uttar Pradesh which traditionally influences the formation of the national government and where Gandhi has been focusing his campaigning energies. The pivotal state of 200 million people, governed by the mercurial chief minister Mayawati-known as India’s “Dalit Queen”-will send 80 members to the 552-seat parliament in the next national elections in 2014. Mayawati, who comes from an “untouchable” or Dalit community on the bottom of India’s caste hierarchy, has built up a reputation as a populist leader who taps into massive support among low-caste Indians, who are often marginalised.

Congress is not tipped to win in Uttar Pradesh, but if the bachelor Gandhi can improve on his party’s woeful performance in the last elections in 2007, he can look forward to a shot of “political Viagra,” said analyst Uday Bhaskar. —AFP

Beleaguered India’s Congress face tests NEW DELHI: Voters cast ballots in the Indian state of Manipur yesterday, kicking off a string of five local elections that are seen as a mini-referendum on the embattled national government’s performance. Voting was held under tight security in the violent and highly militarized northeastern state of 2.7 million people, home to a diverse mix of fractious tribes as well as at least 30 rebel groups.

Security forces were keen to keep a lid on violence in the impoverished state where several blasts took place in the run-up to the vote. One person was hurt Friday when rebels detonated a bomb at the house of a former government official, the Press Trust of India reported.

The beleaguered ruling Congress were almost certain to extend its rule after winning all but one election there since 1984.

While regional issues will weigh heavily in the five elections, the polls are putting to the test the reputation of Congress and also the credibility of Rahul Gandhi, tipped to be the party’s next prime minister. Gandhi, the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty that has dominated India for most of its postindependence period, has taken centre stage during campaigning for the legislative elections.

The 41-year-old leader has campaigned

vigorously to sell the Congress party whose reputation has been assailed at the national level by accusations of rampant corruption and economic and political mismanagement. Next weekend elections take place in caste-riven Uttar Pradesh that traditionally influences the formation of government at the national level where Gandhi has been mainly campaigning. The pivotal state of 200 million people, governed by the mercurial chief minister Mayawati-known as India’s “Dalit Queen”-will send 80 members to the 552-seat parliament in the next national elections in 2014.

Mayawati, who comes from an “untouchable” or Dalit community on the bottom of India’s caste hierarchy, has built up a reputation as a populist leader who taps into massive support among low-caste Indians, who are often marginalized. Congress is not tipped to win in Uttar Pradesh, but if the bachelor Gandhi can improve on his party’s woeful performance in the last elections in 2007, he can look forward to a shot of “political viagra,” said analyst Uday Bhaskar. The voting in Manipur, Uttar Pradesh, neighboring Uttarakhand, the wheat-bowl region of Punjab and the coastal resort state of Goa will be staggered throughout February and early March with results due March 6.— AFP

KABUL: France’s plans to withdraw its combat troops from Afghanistan a year early drew harsh words yesterday in the Afghan capital, with critics accusing French President Nicolas Sarkozy of putting his re-election campaign ahead of Afghans’ safety. A wider proposal by Sarkozy for NATO to hand over all security to Afghans by the end of next year also came under fire, with one Afghan lawmaker saying it would be “a big mistake” that would leave security forces unprepared to fight the Taleban insurgency and threaten a new descent into violence in the 10-year-old war.

Sarkozy’s decision, which came a week after four French troops were shot dead by an Afghan army trainee suspected of being a Taleban infiltrator, raises new questions about the unity of the USled military coalition. It also reopens the debate over whether setting a deadline for troop withdrawals will allow the Taleban to run out the clock and seize more territory once foreign forces are gone. “Afghan forces are not self-sufficient yet. They still need more training, more equipment and they need to be stronger,” said military analyst Abdul Hadi Khalid, Afghanistan’s former minister of interior.

Khalid said the decision by Sarkozy was clearly political. The French president is facing a tough election this year, and the population’s already deep discontent with the Afghan war only intensified when unarmed French troops were gunned down by a supposed ally Jan 20 at a joint base in the eastern province of Kapisa. Sarkozy announced France’s new timetable on Friday alongside Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who was in Paris for a previously planned visit. He also said Karzai had agreed with him to ask for all international forces to hand security over to the Afghan army and police in 2013, a plan he would present it at a Feb. 2-3 meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels.

He said he would call President Barack Obama about his plan.

Afghan lawmaker Tahira Mujadedi said Afghan security forces will not be ready in time for any early NATO withdrawal, saying the current timetable already is rushing the training of national forces.

“That would be a big mistake by the Afghan government if they accept it,” she said of Sarkozy’s plan. “In my view, they should extend 2014 by more years instead of cutting it short to 2013.” She said she sympathizes in the matter of the French soldiers’ deaths, but argued that they present no logical reason for France to deviate from the US timetable for NATO to hand over security by 2014.

“When military forces are present in a war zone, anything can happen,” Mujadedi said. The French troops “are not here for a holiday,” she added.

France now has about 3,600 soldiers in the international force, which is mostly made up of American troops. Afghan forces started taking the lead for security in certain areas of the country last year and the plan has been to add more areas, as Afghan

police and soldiers were deemed ready to take over from foreign forces. According to drawdown plans already announced by the US and more than a dozen other nations, the foreign military footprint in Afghanistan will shrink by an estimated 40,000 troops at the close of this year. Washington is pulling out the most - 33,000 by the end of the year. That’s one-third of 101,000 US troops that were in Afghanistan in June, the peak of the US military presence in the war, Pentagon figures show.

Sarkozy also said France would hand over authority in the province of Kapisa, where the French troops were killed this month, by the end of March.

Karzai’s office confirmed that decision yesterday, saying it was made at the French president’s

cide attacks in Kapisa,” Mujadedi said.

“Unfortunately, our national police and army, while present in Kapisa, are unable to provide good security for people.”

France’s early withdrawal announcement could step up pressure on other European governments like Britain, Italy and Germany, which also have important roles in Afghanistan - even if the US has the lion’s share by far. Karzai, who praised the role of France and other NATO allies, didn’t object at Friday’s joint news conference when Sarkozy said the 2013 NATO withdrawal timetable was sought by both France and Afghanistan.

However, the Afghan leader appeared to suggest that it was a high-end target. “We hope to fin-

ELLESBOROUGH: British Prime Minister David Cameron (left) and President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan sign an agreement which aims to achieve the goal set in 2010 of establishing a new framework for the relationship between Britain and Afghanistan at the Prime Minister’s country residence of Chequers, west of London yesterday. — AFP request. The NATO coalition has started to hand over security in several areas of Afghanistan, aiming to transfer about half of the country in the coming months. But Kapisa was not one of the provinces earmarked for handover, according to US Navy Lt James McCue, a coalition spokesman.

Member of parliament Mujadedi, who represents Kapisa, argued that Afghan forces in her province particularly are not ready to go it alone in fighting the Taleban insurgency, which is especially strong in several of the province’s districts. She warned that if NATO forces do pull back from Kapisa, it could also destabilize nearby Kabul. “We have had so many attacks, ambushes and also sui-

ish the transition ... by the end of 2013 at the earliest - or by the latest as has been agreed upon - by the end of 2014,” Karzai said. Nick Witney, a senior policy fellow at the Paris-based European Council on Foreign Relations, said public support of the war in Europe started sliding fast after the coalition agreed to end the combat mission in 2014. “It has become more and more difficult to justify every single casualty, since it’s now clear that these are wasted lives,” said Witney, a former head of the European Defense Agency. “Most European policymakers realize that on a purely cost-benefit assessment, we would all leave Afghanistan tomorrow,” Witney said.— AP

Flood survivors rebuild in Philippine danger zones ILIGAN: Less than six weeks after killer floods swept away their slum homes along a Philippine river, Lydia Abulanda and her neighbors are rebuilding despite warnings disaster could strike again. In a poverty-driven tale repeated with depressing frequency across the storm-plagued Southeast Asian nation, Abulanda said they had no other option but to take their chances again in the danger zone. “We have nowhere else to go,” the 41-year-old housewife said as she stood amid the shantytown ruins of Ilagan city, where tropical storm Washi swept away entire communities in mid-December. The government said at least 1,268 people were killed in the storm, but the total number of fatalities may never be known as entire families were washed away, leaving no survivors in unofficial slum areas to report the

deaths.

Government officials said many of the victims were slum dwellers who had flocked to dangerous riverbanks because they could not afford to buy land or build homes in safer areas.

Slums hugging riverbanks, exposed coasts and other areas vulnerable to extreme weather are seen across the Philippines, where roughly a quarter of the country’s 100 million people live on a dollar a day or less. An average of 20 tropical storms or typhoons hit the Philippines each year, many of them deadly, and the floods and winds typically punish the poorest members of society the most. In Ilagan and other parts of the southern Philippines hit by Washi, the government and aid groups are trying to find safe new homes for thousands of survivors, but many will inevitably end up living back in dan-

gerous areas.

As she visited the flood-hit city last week, the United Nations’ top disaster official said she was troubled by the way people seemingly refused to learn from the disaster.

“Yes, it bothers me that people forget so quickly,” Margareta Wahlstrom, the UN special representative for disaster risk reduction, told AFP as she inspected the affected areas. On both sides of a shattered bridge near Iligan, Wahlstrom saw residents using plywood and tarpaulin to erect shanties on the riverbank where homes had been swept to sea 40 days earlier. The mayor of Iligan, Lawrence Cruz, told Wahlstrom in a meeting witnessed by AFP that the city government did not have the 300 million pesos ($7 million) needed to buy land for the relocation of survivors.

The government initially sheltered thousands of displaced people in schools and gymnasiums but, with classes resuming in the new year, has been trying to move them out to temporary shelters. Mother of three Maria Teresa Tampang, 37, said conditions were hard in the makeshift centre where she and about 180 families were living in tents donated by a South Korean aid organization.

“It is really hard in this evacuation area. There are a lot of people getting sick, with recurring coughs,” Tampang said, holding her baby in her arms. “The tents are hot, even at night. But our bed is the hard ground and that is cold.” Wahlstrom said she noted overcrowding at evacuation centers and said there was a need to lift spirits. “It’s critical that people (in the shelters) stop being unhappy,” she said.— AFP

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

NEWS

An Egyptian man rides a cart pulled by a horse as a tour bus drives near the historical site of the Giza Pyramids near Cairo yesterday. — AP

The baddest baddie in Bangladesh DHAKA: Whenever Misha Shawdagar appears on screen, things always turn nasty. Bangladesh’s “baddest baddie” has acted in over 750 films - and he is proud of being typecast as the nation’s number-one villain.

“Eighteen years ago I started with the dialogue: ‘you bloody swine’. And I’ve never looked back,” Shawdagar told AFP on the set of his latest movie, “Amar Challenge”, which will be his 765th bad-guy role. In the film, he plays a ruthless political activist who is determined to rise to the top through any means - even offering his wife to a senior government minister.

“It will take me six or seven years to reach 1,000 films.

After that, I’ll check with the Guinness Book of Records whether I can have an entry,” he said, as he changed into a dark suit to play a gangster on another set next door. Shawdagar is indispensable for directors who call him a “full package” for being a one-man solution for all sorts of baddies: thugs, mafia dons, mass killers, corrupt officials, feudal lords or rogue tycoons.”The directors can’t do without me. All my rivals are either dead, or have been made redundant because of my success,” he said, recalling parts as a villain with blazing red eyes and even one who had lost a leg.

Most Bangladeshi movies are unabashed copies of Indian Bollywood hits, focusing on old-fashioned formula stories of unrequited love, or a hero fighting for justice against the odds. But rapid social change in the country has also meant demand for film plots based in one of the huge garment export factories or in urban slums, rather than in sleepy villages. “This age requires modern baddies who can use a rocket-propelled grenade or a machine gun or who know how to fight kung-fu. In one recent film, I was cast as a mass killer who buries people alive,” said Shawdagar.

Shawdagar, 46, began his career in 1990 as a hero after he was discovered in a talent search by a stateowned film agency. But soon, after a few flops, a director persuaded him to be a villain because of his height and deep voice. “I told him I don’t want to be an oldstyled Bangladeshi villain,” he said. “I wanted to be a Mumbai-styled villain with idiosyncrasies or mannerisms like stammering at a particular word. I even invented some mannerisms on my own, which became hugely popular.”

Last year Shawdagar had five blockbusters - the best tally by any local actor - and he still insists on doing

US weapons for future include relics...

Continued from Page 1 Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said recently that maintaining the current structure of American nuclear forces was “not in keeping with the modern world.” He and like-minded lawmakers argue that nuclear weapons play no role in deterring threats such as global terrorists. The US now has about 5,000 operational nuclear weapons, about half as many as a decade ago. They can be launched from ballistic missile submarines, from underground silos housing intercontinental ballistic missiles, and from B-52 and B-2 bombers at air bases in Louisiana, North Dakota and Missouri.

The Air Force, which provides the land and air legs of the triad, argues for preserving that Cold War-era configuration. “It remains our conviction that as you go down (in numbers of nuclear weapons), the triad actually becomes more important,” Gen Norton Schwartz, the Air Force chief of staff, told reporters Friday. “The diversity, the variety, the attributes associated with each leg of the triad reinforce each other to a greater degree.”

Both the B-52 and the B-2 are capable of doing more than carr ying nuclear weapons. The B-52 has been modernized many times and is now

used in a variety of roles, including close-air support of troops in conflict and can carry missiles, bombs and mines. The first of the current H models entered service in May 1961. The land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) force dates to 1959.

Ballistic missile subs, known as “boomers,” were first launched in 1960; the current Ohio-class fleet dates to 1981.

The administration is nearing completion of an internal review of how many nuclear weapons are required to meet today’s security needs; that process will lead to decisions on whether to reshape the nuclear arsenal. That effort is linked to consultations with NATO allies on whether to withdraw the remaining US nuclear weapons from Europe, an arrangement that also is rooted in the Cold War. Also at play is how to set the stage for a new round of nuclear reduction talks with Russia. The only move the Pentagon is making on the nuclear weapons front in the 2013 budget is a proposed two-year delay in development of a new generation of submarines to replace those now equipped with Trident nuclear missiles.

The Arms Control Association, which favors cutting nuclear weapons, estimates that the new fleet of ballistic missile submarines would cost $350 billion to build and would

last for 50 years. It advocates shrinking the number of subs to eight, which it says would save $27 billion over 10 years. Laicie Olson, senior policy analyst at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, said in an interview Friday that she was surprised, given Obama’s commitment to reducing the number of nuclear weapons, that the administration is not using its 2013 defense budget to take substantial steps in that direction. “All of these things are sticking around,” she said, referring also to the U-2 spy plane, which was to have been retired in 2015 and replaced by a high-tech successor, the Global Hawk, which is flown without a pilot aboard.

Preserving such Cold War-era weapons “actually seems like the opposite of what the president set out to do,” she said. The Pentagon announced Thursday that the Global Hawk turned out to be a disappointment and no cheaper to use, so it is being canceled. As a result, the Air Force is extending the lifespan of the U-2, nicknamed “Angel” by Kelly Johnson, the Lockheed engineer who helped design the high-altitude spy plane. Since 1994 the Air Force has spent $1.7 billion to modernize the U2, whose claims to fame include the Oct 1962 flights over Cuba that confirmed the presence of Soviet nuclear missiles, touching off the Cuban missile crisis. — AP

Road to Assembly II Continued from Page 1 The Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM), the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, is fielding two candidates - former MP Jamaan Al-Harbash and Hamad Al-Matar. The Islamic Salaf Alliance is also fielding two candidates - former MPs Khaled Al-Sultan and Al-Ameeri. But Khanna and a number of leading Islamist candidates are running on their own like Abdullah Al-Arada and Duaij Al-Shemmari, former MPs Adel Abdulhadi and Orub Al-Refai.

Observers expect that up to four Islamist candidates will be elected but they think that the presence of a large number of Islamist candidates may reduce the number. The picture is almost similar with the liberals. At least seven leading liberal candidates are running, five of them former MPs. Besides Sager, Abduljader and Ossaimi, others include for-

mer MPs Abdulrahman Al-Anjari and Marzouk Al-Ghanem, in addition to Abdullah Al-Ahmad and Nasser Al-Abdali.

The large number of liberal candidates is expected to harm some of them. This is because under the unique Kuwaiti voting system, 10 MPs are elected from each electoral district while voters are allowed to cast a maximum of four votes. The pro-government camp is also important. It consists of former minister and MP Ali Al-Rashed and former MPs Khalaf Dumaitheer, Salwa Al-Jassar and Shiite Adnan Al-Mutawa. Rashed appears to have the support of part of his former liberal base and a large part of the Shiite voters. In addition, there are some independent leading urbanite candidates like Adel Al-Khorafi, a relative of the former speaker, and Riyad Al-Adasani. Opposition members from the liberals, Islamists and independents are hoping they will bag a majority of the seats - as many as seven.

many of his own stunts. These days he is mobbed by people whenever he visits Dhaka’s markets or its public parks and by fans waiting outside the city’s film studios, and he also has a popular sideline starring in television advertisements. “They want to touch me to see whether I am real. Many are amazed when they saw me reading a book or wearing a Muslim skull-cap in my car,” he said, as he shooed away half a dozen fans swarming around his Toyota Corolla.

Despite his fearsome on-screen persona, Shawdagar is a devout religious man who always carries prayer beads.

He has two teenage children, and does charity work by paying for poor people’s weddings. His success, he says, is down to his muscular build, healthy lifestyle and trademark long moustache, as well as his acting. “I am fit because I don’t have so-called ‘filmy’ diseases”, he said, referring to the drinking and womanising reputed to be rife among the acting set in Bangladesh.

This year Shawdagar adds his most controversial role yet to his vast repertoire of baddies: an Islamic terrorist launching a “jihad” (holy war) with bombs and grenades in 2005. “The Bangla Bhai”, named after the country’s most notorious Islamic terrorist, portrays the life of Siddiqur

Rahman, a leader of the Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) group that is blamed for many deadly attacks. “I took up the role despite the danger because someone should portray this man. Unless we saw Hitler in films, we wouldn’t know what kind of danger he posed to the world,” he said. “To be honest, I am a bit afraid. Bangla Bhai has been executed, but his sympathisers may still be there. As a Muslim, it’s my duty to unmask the false jihad of these groups,” he said. The government’s censor board has asked the director to change the movie’s title and cut some scenes out of concern it may spark violent reprisals.

The biggest threat now to Shawdagar’s dream of acting in 1,000 baddie roles is the decline of Bangladesh’s local movie industry as Bollywood imports take over.

“Cinemas are closing because of poor quality films. Who wants to see the same old plots when you can see a better Hindi version in bootleg CDs or TV channels,” said film critic and historian Anupam Hayat. But Shawdagar defends the domestic industry. “Some ridicule us, saying we churn out the same old pieces time after time, like garment girl falling in love with tycoon’s son,” he said.

“The so-called art films can earn some praises, but they don’t sell.” — AFP

Arab League halts Syria mission...

Continued from Page 1 Fighting raged outside three rebelheld suburbs of Damascus yesterday, activists said. They said the army was trying to prevent insurgents from solidifying a stronghold just 15 minutes outside the capital. But insurgents were emboldened by a string of reports of army desertions amid the fighting. Activists said a group of deserters brought with them the three tanks they operated. A spokesman for the rebel forces, known as the Free Syrian Army (FSA), said he did not have a complete tally but estimated that over 100 soldiers deserted in the area. Activists told Reuters by telephone that rebels who control the towns of Saqba, Kafr Batna and Jisreen were exchanging fire with soldiers. Military forces earlier fired from tanks and had used antiaircraft guns and mortars, they said.

Six residents were killed and dozens wounded as fighting raged, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. A video uploaded by activists, purported to be from a rebel-held Damascus suburb, showed smoke rising from behind a mosque and heavy gunfire erupted in the background as residents screamed “Allahu Akbar (God is greatest).” It was not possible to verify the video or many of the details from activists, as media access is restricted in Syria. The FSA agreed a truce last week for state forces to withdraw from rebel-held

Zabadani, 30 minutes from Damascus. It says the number of desertions there had forced the army’s hand.

What began as peaceful protests against four decades of Assad family rule last March has grown more violent as rebels, including army defectors, began fighting back. “I think they want to try to avoid another Zabadani situation here, so they hope to crush this. But there have been several army defections and we hope this will force them to negotiate,” Abu Ishaq said on Skype from the town of Saqba.

Fighting also flared in central Homs province, activists said, after an oil pipeline was blown up yesterday morning.

The United Nations said in December that more than 5,000 people had been killed by Syrian forces.

Syria says over 2,000 security forces have been killed by militants. The state news agency SANA said “terrorist groups” killed seven soldiers, including an officer, in the Damascus suburbs yesterday. SANA also reported the burial of 28 members of Syrian security forces killed in several revolt hotspots across the country, showing pictures of bloodied corpses and a funeral procession lead by soldiers carrying flower wreaths.

In the central city of Hama activists said they found the bodies of 17 men previously in security force custody, shot in the head. They said the killing took place during a military offensive

on the town this week. On Friday, the Security Council discussed a European-Arab draft UN Security Council resolution aimed at halting the bloodshed in Syria. Britain and France said they hoped to put the draft resolution to a vote next week.

The Arab League’s deputy secretary general said the group was also in talks with Russia ahead of its Security Council meeting this week. There was no comment yet from Russian officials, but Moscow’s UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin previously said Russia found the plan unacceptable though he said Moscow was willing to “engage”.

Russia joined China in vetoing a previous Western draft resolution in October and which has since promoted its own draft. Churkin said Moscow wanted a Syrian-led political process, not “an Arab League-imposed outcome of a political process that has not yet taken place” or Libyan-style “regime change”. The prominent opposition Syrian National Council said it was joining the Arab League at its Security Council meeting to request “protection”. The SNC has previously called for international forces to implement a no-fly zone in Syria.

Turkish officials say the number of Syrians seeking sanctuary in Turkey has risen in the past six weeks, with 50 to 60 arriving daily, taking the total living in refugee camps to nearly 9,600.

More than 6,000 Syrian refugees have fled to Lebanon. — Agencies

Indian singer killed in crash on Kuwait...

Continued from Page 1 and a brother. Groomed by Pandit Sunil Borgaonkar, Deepali was recognized by music director Khayyam in the ‘Awaz ki Dunia’ show. Inspired by India’s legendary singers Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle, Shah gave countless performances across India and abroad. Her performances in Baltimore, Washington DC and New

York earned her big fame in the US as well. She also brought out numerous music albums and videos.

Before leaving for Kuwait, Deepali posted on her Facebook wall, “Off to Kuwait for two concerts...will be back on 29th to perform at Dinnanath, Vile Parle..Gonna be hectic... but I am excited.” And apparently her last post on Facebook, a final adieu to her fans, read, “Thank u so much for the wishes...”

14

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

opinion

THE LEADING INDEPENDENT DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULF ESTABLISHED 1961

Founder and Publisher

YOUSUF S. AL-ALYAN Editor-in-Chief

ABD AL-RAHMAN AL-ALYAN EDITORIAL : 24833199-24833358-24833432 ADVERTISING : 24835616/7 FAX : 24835620/1 CIRCULATION : 24833199 Extn. 163 ACCOUNTS : 24835619 COMMERCIAL : 24835618 P.O.Box 1301 Safat,13014 Kuwait.

E MAIL :info@kuwaittimes.net Website: www.kuwaittimes.net

Washington Watch

Bridging the divide

By Dr James J Zogby ’ve just finished teaching a three week January term course at New York University’s Abu Dhabi campus (NYUAD). I’ve had the great fortune to teach before at some wonderful schools across the US. But this, for me, was a special experience, the result of the unique mix of students who had been brought together in this one place. The course I had been invited to teach was called “Bridging the Divide between the Arab World and the West”. It was to be an examination of how the West and Arabs have interacted with each other in the past century, their mutual misperceptions, and the resultant and often tragic problems that have ensued, putting both sides at risk.

In the lead up to the start of the course, I had planned my lectures and prepared class exercises. The students would create, conduct, and analyze their own polls of US and Arab attitudes and would develop their own class blog about the divide and the ways they experience it. On day one, I was set to begin and to proceed according to my plan, and then I met my students. The class was made up of mostly first year students. There were sixteen in all - from twelve different countries on four continents! The range was extraordinary.

Four were Arabs (one each from the UAE, Egypt, Libya, and a Palestinian from Lebanon - each with a fascinating story to tell). There were four Americans (from Minnesota, Ohio, Virginia, and New Jersey). They were joined by colleagues from: the UK, Denmark, Bosnia, Kenya, India, Indonesia, and South Korea. Though different in so many ways, they were, for the most part, “cut from the same cloth”, variations on a theme. They were bright and inquisitive, expressive and insightful, and open to learning from each other.

After interviewing each of the students on the first day, it became clear to me that while they were eager to learn about the place they were in, and the Arab World, in general, they also had a great deal to share about their own experiences in confronting the many “divides” that make up our modern world. My students from Columbus, Ohio and St Paul, Minnesota, for example, wanted to tell about how their respective communities were dealing with the influx of large numbers of Somali refugees. The ethnic and religious divides that have shaped the modern histories of India, Indonesia, and Bosnia became subjects for conversation, as did the more recent tensions that have confronted Muslim immigrants to the UK, US and Denmark.

Some of my American students shared the apprehension expressed by their parents and peers when they made known their choice to go to a school in the Arab World, while some of my Arab students told of similar reactions they received when they declared their intention to attend an American school. We had much to talk and write about, and we did. What was so extraordinary was how supportive the students were of one another. Although NYUAD is only two years old, a new culture had been created in this remarkable place, itself an important learning experience. As I watched the students engage in conversation, or when I read their posts and their comments on their colleagues’ posts, or when I saw them just mingling with one another in the cafeteria, it became clear what a remarkable thing was being done here.

There were times I felt as though this were a sort of Hogwarts Castle. And that these little wizards had been plucked from their respective worlds and brought together where their special skills could be developed before they were to be sent back home. But I came to realize that this wasn’t the case at all. The students weren’t magical, nor was the place. It was the opportunity that had been created for meeting and learning from each other that was the magic. It was the vision behind this place that had brought these few hundred very bright young men and women from every continent to learn together, that would create lessons that would last a lifetime. The UAE will be bidding to host the World Expo in 2020. Their theme is “Connecting the World, Creating the Future”. In many ways, this is being done across this young country every day, in business, in culture and the arts, and in the meetings of peoples in everyday life. This also describes the NYUAD experience - in every classroom and in every lunch table conversation. The students who are fortunate enough to be a part of this experience are being connected to the world in a very personal way and out of this experience a new generation of global leaders is being created. And because these students are being transformed by their encounters here, they will be better able to heal the many divides they face in our increasingly complex world. I leave here enriched and invigorated by the time I spent with my students in this place.

I

NOTE: Dr James J Zogby is the President of the Arab American Institute.

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

Romney would rank among richest presidents ever

By Connie Cass ust how rich is Mitt Romney? Add up the wealth of the last eight presidents, from Richard Nixon to Barack Obama. Then double that number. Now you’re in Romney territory. He would be among the richest presidents in American history if elected probably in the top four. He couldn’t top George Washington who, with nearly 60,000 acres and more than 300 slaves, is considered the big daddy of presidential wealth. After that, it gets complicated, depending on how you rate Thomas Jefferson’s plantation, Herbert Hoover’s millions from mining or John F Kennedy’s share of the vast family fortune, as well as the finer points of factors like inflation adjustment.

But it’s safe to say the Roosevelts had nothing on Romney, and the Bushes are nowhere close. The former Massachusetts governor has disclosed only the broad outlines of his wealth, putting it somewhere from $190 million to $250 million. That easily could make him 50 times richer than Obama, who falls in the still-impressive-to-most-of-us range of $2.2 million to $7.5 million. “I think it’s almost hard to conceptualize what $250 million means,” said Shamus Khan, a Columbia University sociologist who studies the wealthy. “People say Romney made $50,000 a day while not working last year.

What do you do with all that money? I can’t even imagine spending it. Well, maybe ...”

Of course, an unbelievable boatload of bucks is just one way to think of Romney’s net worth, and the 44 US presidents make up a pretty small pond for him to swim in. Put alongside America’s 400 or so billionaires, Romney wouldn’t make a ripple. So here’s a look where Romney’s riches rank - among the most flush Americans, the White House contenders, and the average American:

J

Within the 1 percent “Romney is small potatoes compared with the ultra-wealthy,” said Jeffrey Winters, a political scientist at Northwestern University

who studies the nation’s elites. After all, even in the rarefied world of the top 1 percent, there’s a big difference between life at the top and at the bottom. A household needs to bring in roughly $400,000 per year to make the cut. Romney, who headed the private equity firm Bain Capital, and his wife, Ann, have been making 50 times that - more than $20 million a year. In 2009, only 8,274 federal tax filers had income above $10 million.

Romney is solidly within that elite 0.006 percent of all US taxpayers.

Congress is flush with millionaires. Only a few are in the Romney realm, including Rep Darrell Issa, a California Republican, and Massachusetts Sen John Kerry, who was the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004.

Kerry’s ranking would climb much higher if the fortune of his wife, Teresa Heinz, were counted. She is the widow of Sen. John Heinz, heir to the Heinz ketchup fortune.

Further up the ladder, top hedge fund managers can pocket $1 billion or more in a single year. At the top of the wealth pile sits Microsoft founder Bill Gates, worth $59 billion, according to Forbes magazine’s estimates.

As a potential president Romney clearly stands out here. America’s super rich generally don’t jockey to live in the White House. A few have toyed with the idea, most notably New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whom Forbes ranks as the 12th richest American, worth $19.5 billion. A lesser billionaire, Ross Perot, bankrolled his own third-party campaigns in 1992 and 1996.

Many presidents weren’t particularly well-off, especially 19th century leaders such as Abraham Lincoln, James Buchanan and Ulysses S Grant. Nor was the 33rd president, Harry Truman. “These things ebb and flow,”

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov Mitt Romney, campaigns at Astrotech Space Operations in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Friday.— AP

said sociologist Khan. “It’s not the case that all presidents were always rich.”

A few former chief executives died in debt, including Thomas Jefferson, ranked in a Forbes study as the third-wealthiest president. Comparing the landlocked wealth of early Americans such as Washington, Jefferson and James Madison, with today’s millionaires is tricky, even setting aside the lack of documentation and economic changes over two centuries. Research by 24/7 Wall St, a news and analysis website, estimated Washington’s wealth at the equivalent of $525 million in 2010 dollars. Yet Washington had to borrow money to pay for his trip to New York for his inauguration in 1789, according to Dennis Pogue, vice president for preservation at Mount Vernon, Washington’s Virginia estate. His money was tied up in land, reaping only a modest cash income after farm expenses. “He was a wealthy guy, there’s no doubt about it,” Pogue said, and probably among the dozen richest Virginians of his time. But, “the wealthiest person in America then was nothing in comparison to what these folks are today.”

How does Romney stand next to the average American?

He’s roughly 1,800 times richer. The typical US household was worth $120,300 in 2007, according to the Census Bureau’s most recent data, although that number is sure to have dropped since the recession. A typical family’s income is $50,000. Calculations from 24/7 Wall St. of the peak lifetime wealth (or peak so far) of Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H W Bush, Bill Clinton, George W Bush and Obama add up to a total $118 million - while Romney reports assets of up to $250 million. If you consider only those presidents’ assets while in office, without millions earned later from speeches and books, their combined total would be substantially lower, and Romney’s riches would leave the pack even further behind. — AP

Sarkozy to lay down his last cards

By Clare Byrne he image was unfortunate, to say the least. On the day French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s challenger for president, Francois Hollande, was delivering a rousing speech to over 10,000 cheering supporters in Paris, the front pages of French newspapers Sunday showed a photograph of Sarkozy floating down a river in French Guyana. The photo of Sarkozy, sitting in the bottom of a canoe with three government ministers, fuelled the image of a president adrift.

With under three months to go until the first round of the election on April 22 there is panic aboard the presidential dugout. “We have two weeks to turn it around, otherwise, we’re finished,” Le Parisien newspaper quoted an unnamed government minister Tuesday as saying. The panic set in Sunday after Hollande’s speech in Le Bourget, north of Paris. In recent weeks Hollande, who is the favourite to win the election, had seen his advance over Sarkozy slide as he came under sustained attack from the government for being vague about his program, inexperienced and generally “too soft”. The government’s strategy, which aimed to insinuate doubt among the population about Hollande’s leadership ability, proved effective. Many people began to question whether the affable Socialist, whom a leftwing rival famously branded a “pedal boat captain”, could steer France through a worsening economic crisis.

Sunday’s performance went a long way towards banishing those doubts, as a passionate Hollande shouted himself hoarse about his vision for a fairer France, bringing his audience repeatedly to its feet.

On Tuesday came the shock revelation that the usually combative Sarkozy had begun to prepare for defeat.

“It’s the first time in my life that I find myself in the situation of envisaging the end of my career. Today the question has to be asked,” he told a group of journalists who accompanied him on his visit to French Guyana, a French territory. His remarks, which came with an “off

T

the record” warning (not to be quoted) that the journalists promptly ignored, stunned both his supporters and his critics. Was Nicolas Sarkozy, the “hyper president” really being defeatist? Or was the unpopular incumbent trying to reconnect with voters by feigning selfdoubt? His glamourous ex-model wife, Carla BruniSarkozy, rowed into the debate on Monday, assuring: “My husband loves his job.” “He’s not at all discouraged. That’s not his temperament at all,” she told Liberation.

But the remarks nonetheless sapped the morale of some of his troops and raised questions about his reelection strategy. In the past month, Sarkozy has suffered a number of setbacks, from the slashing of France’s AAA credit rating by Standard & Poor’s ratings agency - part of a mass downgrading of eurozone countries - to the release of figures Wednesday showing 150,000 people joined the dole queue in 2011. The figures show unemployment climbing to around 9.5 per cent, the highest level in 13 years, making a mockery of Sarkozy’s promise at the outset of his presidency to achieve full employment by 2012.

Today evening, Sarkozy will go on national television to try rescue his campaign and boost his record. In an hour-long interview, he will set out his proposals for how to make France more competitive by driving down labour costs, which increased 20 per cent over the past decade. His plan will include a controversial increase in value-added tax of between 1.5 and 2 percentage points to pay for a decrease in employers’ social security contributions. He is also expected to loosen restrictions on working hours.

Whether the measures will suffice to convince the French to give him another five-year term is uncertain.

Reviewing Sarkozy’s achievements over the past five years, L’Express news weekly concluded: “In the end, we can credit him for good reforms, but we can also blame him for having attacked the underlying problems too little and too late.” — dpa

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

sp orts FA foregoes traditional ritual LONDON: Anton Ferdinand was spared having to decide whether to give John Terry a pre-match handshake yesterday after the Football Association allowed Queen’s Park Rangers and Chelsea to forego the traditional ritual before their FA Cup match. The match, which Chelsea won 1-0, was the London rivals’ first meeting since Chelsea captain Terry was alleged to have racially abused Ferdinand during a Premier League match in October.

Terry was investigated by police and faces a criminal charge over the incident. Terry will appear in court Wednesday. “The FA agreed to the request by both clubs in an attempt to further defuse tensions before the match,” the FA said in a statement, adding that it made the decision “following discussions on Friday evening and Saturday morning involving senior officials from QPR, Chelsea and the FA.” The west London rivals issued a joint statement this week appealing for calm at Loftus Road but the Metropolitan Police opened an investigation Friday after Ferdinand was reportedly sent a package containing a bullet. Fans were searched by police on their way into the match and Terry was taunted throughout by the Loftus Road crowd but seemed unaffected.—AP

Evans gets fresh challenge

Harrison in US Davis Cup team MELBOURNE: US Davis Cup captain Jim Courier has selec ted teenager Ryan Harrison in a fourman squad that will play Switzerland next month in the first round. The 19-year-old Harrison joins Mardy Fish, John Isner and Mike Bryan on the team that will play on clay indoors in Fribourg, Switzerland, from Feb. 10-12.

Bob Bryan is missing the match because his wife is due to have a baby, so Courier said Fish and Mike Bryan are the likely doubles pairing, with Fish also playing singles along with Isner.

Andy Roddick had already decided not to play before he sustained a right hamstring injury dur-

ing his second-round loss at the Australian Open, where Courier named his team Saturday.

Harrison, who lost to Andy Murray in four sets in the first round at Melbourne Park , was picked ahead of two other young players, Donald Young and Jack Sock.

“Honestly it’s unlikely that the third singles player is likely to play,” Courier said. “But we need someone and Sam Querrey’s knee is not quite right. Ryan is healthy, hungry and he’s eager.”

Switzerland’s team will be led by 16-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer, who hasn’t played a first-round match since 2004.—AP

PARIS: Australian Cadel Evans believes recent additions to his BMC team will play a crucial role as he bids to cement his place in cycling’s history books by defending his Tour de France crown in July.

But the yellow jersey champion admits his historic feat could pale in comparison with a longer-term challenge-that of being a father to his newly-adopted son.

“A Tour de France win only lasts until you lose one, a son you have for the rest of your life,” Evans told media in a BMC team conference from Spain late Friday.

Evans, Australia’s first winner of cycling’s premier event, revealed barely two weeks ago that he and his Italian wife Chiara had adopted a baby boy.

Robel, who was found abandoned in a box at the side of the road as a baby, was adopted from an orphanage in Ethiopia just days after Christmas. With no brothers or sisters of his own, Evans admits he is taking to his new role tentatively, but with optimism.—AFP

Rose blooms for Bulls CHICAGO: Chicago’s Derrick Rose scored a season-high 34 points to lead the Bulls to a 107-100 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, maintaining its lead in the NBA standings. Rose outdueled Milwaukee counterpart Brandon Jennings, hitting 14 of 24 from the floor.

Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 13 rebounds as Chicago bounced back from its first home loss of the season against Indiana.

Jennings led Milwaukee with 25 points and seven rebounds. The Bucks played without center Andrew Bogut, who fractured his left ankle on Wednesday. The Bucks are now 0-6 without the Australian this season.

Parker scored 20 points to lead San Antonio, which was held to 20.5 points below its season average.

Celtics 94, Pacers 87 In Boston, Paul Pierce scored 17 of his 28 points in the third quarter, hitting a 3-pointer and two more baskets as the Celtics ran off 11 consecutive points to pull away and beat Indiana. Pierce added 10 rebounds and eight assists to help Boston win its fourth consecutive game despite playing without starters Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo and Jermaine O’Neal.

scored 28 of his 30 points after halftime, including a tying 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds left in regulation, and Atlanta went on to beat Detroit.

Atlanta forced overtime with a pair of late 3-pointers. Marvin Williams made one with 33.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to three, then Johnson stole a pass inside and brought the ball up the court, sinking a tough 3 to tie the game. The Hawks started the extra session with a 12-2 run.

Greg Monroe scored 22 points to lead the Pistons.

reeling from blowing a 27-point lead in a loss to Boston a night earlier. Starting with the third quarter against the Celtics, the Magic have now gone six straight quarters without scoring 20 points in any of them. Orlando shot only 39 percent (24 of 61).

Nets 99, Cavaliers 96 In Cleveland, Deron Williams scored 27 points and the New Jersey Nets won consecutive games for the first time this season with a victory over Cleveland.

New Jersey came into the game battling ill-

Mavericks 116, Jazz 101 In Dallas, Roddy Beaubois scored 22 points in his first start of the season to lead Dallas over Utah. Lamar Odom added 19 points, his most since joining the Mavericks at the start of the season. He has been struggling since his departure from the Los Angeles Lakers, but he made three 3-pointers and was 7 for 12 from the floor to help the Mavs to a seasonhigh for points. Odom has been starting in place of the team’s top scorer, Dirk Nowitzki, sidelined for a fourth straight game while he improves his conditioning and gets treatment for a sore right knee.

Thunder 120, Warriors 109 In Oakland, Oklahoma City began a crucial sequence of road games with a victory over Golden State. Kevin Durant had 37 points and 14 rebounds, while Russell Westbrook dazzled with 28 points and 11 assists for the Thunder, who notched their fourth straight win.

Oklahoma City pulled away with a 14-3 run late in the fourth quarter to successfully begin a string of nine of 11 away from home.

Dorell Wright scored 23 for the Warriors, who pushed another one of the NBA’s elite to the brink. While Golden State already topped Miami, Chicago and Orlando this season, it came up short this time.

Heat 99, Knicks 89 In Miami, LeBron James scored 31 points to lead Miami over a 3-pointer-obsessed New York. Dwyane Wade scored 28 in his return from a sprained right ankle as Miami tuned up nicely for Sunday’s game against Chicago - a reprise of last season’s Eastern Conference finals. Bill Walker scored 21 points for New York, which took 43 shots from 3-point range, the most in the NBA this season and a total that had the Knicks flirting with Dallas’ NBA record of 49 set in 1996. The Knicks connected on 18 from beyond the arc, Walker making seven of them. New York actually tried more 3’s than 2-point shots (41).

T’wolves 87, Spurs 79 In Minneapolis, Ricky Rubio scored nine of his 18 points in the fourth quarter and dished out 10 assists to lift Minnesota to victory over San Antonio.

Kevin Love had 18 points and 16 rebounds for the Wolves, who have beaten the Spurs in the opening two clashes of the season for the first time since 2000. Tony

NBA results and standings on Friday: Philadelphia 89, Charlotte 72; New Jersey 99, Cleveland 96; Atlanta 107, Detroit 101 (OT); Boston 94, Indiana 87; Miami 99, NY Knicks 89; Houston 103, Washington 76; Minnesota 87, San Antonio 79; Chicago 107, Milwaukee 100; New Orleans 93, Orlando 67; Dallas 116, Utah 101; Denver 96, Toronto 81; Portland 109, Phoenix 71; Oklahoma City 120, Golden State 109.

Philadelphia Boston NY Knicks New Jersey Toronto Chicago Indiana Milwaukee Cleveland Detroit Miami Atlanta Orlando Washington Charlotte

OAKLAND: Thunder’s Kevin Durant (right) drives against Golden State Warriors’ Dorell Wright during the second half of an NBA basketball game. — AP Kevin Garnett and Mickael Pietrus added 13 points and eight rebounds apiece as the Celtics matched their longest winning streak of the year. Danny Granger scored 21 points for the Pacers, which had beaten Boston twice this season - both times by more than 10 points.

Nuggets 96, Raptors 81 In Denver, Rudy Fernandez scored a season-high 23 in his return from a sore Achilles tendon as Denver beat undermanned Toronto. Danilo Gallinari added 21 points for the Nuggets in their sixth straight win. They capitalized on a Toronto lineup that was missing leading scorer Andrea Bargnani, out indefinitely after aggravating a strained calf.

The Raptors took a while to adjust to his absence, and by the time they did, it was too late as they fell to 0-7 in games Bargnani has been sidelined. They missed 14 of their first 15 shots, fell behind 16-2, scored just a dozen points in the first quarter and trudged off the court at halftime trailing 54-32.

Hawks 107, Pistons 101 In Auburn Hills, Michigan, Joe Johnson

Trail Blazers 109, Suns 71 In Portland, LaMarcus Aldridge had 23 points and seven rebounds and the Trail Blazers blew out the Suns for their sixth straight win at home. Gerald Wallace added 17 points for the Blazers. Grant Hill had 12 points for Phoenix, which was held to a season-low in scoring.

76ers 89, Bobcats 72 In Philadelphia, Lou Williams scored 17 points in Philadelphia’s win over Charlotte.

Jrue Holiday had 15 for the Sixers, who bounced back from a rare home loss and still haven’t lost successive games all season.

The Bobcats scored only 10 points in the first quarter and lost their seventh straight game. Kemba Walker scored 14 points.

Hornets 93, Magic 67 In New Orleans, the hosts snapped a ninegame losing streak with a victory over Orlando. Carl Landry scored 17 points and Marco Belinelli added 15 points for New Orleans. Dwight Howard had 28 points and 16 rebounds, but was the only player in double figures for the Magic, who appeared to be still

ness and injuries. Forward Kris Humphries missed Friday morning’s shoot-around with the stomach illness, but was in the starting lineup and scored 18 points with 11 rebounds in 33 minutes. The Nets played without center Mehmet Okur (back injury) and guard MarShon Brooks (strained Achilles), but New Jersey led from the start despite dressing only 10 players. Rookie point guard Kyrie Irving scored a season-high 32 points, including 21 in the fourth quarter, for Cleveland, which has lost five of six.

Rockets 103, Wizards 76 In Houston, Chase Budinger scored a season-high 21 points to help Houston blow out Washington. Luis Scola added 19 points for the Rockets, who scored 41 points off Washington’s season-worst 24 turnovers. The win came despite leading scorer Kevin Martin sitting out with plantar fasciitis on his right foot. The Wizards had 10 turnovers in the last 18 minutes, helping Houston outscore them 46-21 over that span to win for the eighth time in nine games. John Wall had 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists for Washington.— AP

Red Bull Car Park Drift Qualifications in Kuwait on Feb 10 Following the tremendous success of the past two years, “Red Bull Car Park Drift” has become a highly anticipated yearly event, not only in Kuwait but in most of the Middle Eastern countries participating in the regional competitions. Once again this year, drifting shows and exhilarating performances take off from Kuwait, opening a whole new season of heightened and exciting challenges, to conclude with an outstanding finale in Lebanon.

The opening local championship kicks off on Friday 10th of February, with heady rounds of drifting competitions, leading up to the crowing of the “King of Drift”

NBA results/standings

and the representative of Kuwait in the Beirut finals. The competition which is tak ing place at Park ing Lot 4 of the Kuwait International Fair is sponsored by Chevrolet and in collaboration with the “Quarter Mile” club in Kuwait. It returns once again to provide motorsport lovers in addition to the thrilling show performances, a chance to experience high speed and utmost suspense.

Rally and hill climbing champion and Red Bull driver, Abdo Feghali, will be evaluating the drivers’ performances along with a panel of esteemed judges. The evaluation will mainly assess the drift shows

presented by the drivers in their modified cars, through the use of hand breaks and exertion of outstanding skills to take on turns in the most dazzling and accurate ways. In addition, judges will consider the engines’ roars and the external look of the car, the smoke produced by the friction of the tyres and finally the audience’s excitement and cheers for each performance to make their final decision.

Last year ’s competition led to the crowning of Salah bin Aidan in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8, as he represented Kuwait in the final qualifications in Lebanon, after taking on 27 other drivers

who fiercely competed in front of a raging crowd of three thousand spectators at the Kuwait International Fair, in Mishref.

Besides Kuwait and Lebanon, participating countries in the Red Bull Car Park Drift 2012 include the UAE, KSA, Oman, Jordan, Egypt, Iran and Bahrain. Before gaining international fame and exposure, this sort of competition started in Japan back in the 1970’s based on the idea of competing in a parking lot.

To participate in Kuwait’s local championship, please call 66406020.

Participating cars must be four-wheel or rear drive.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L 13 6 9 9 7 12 7 13 6 14 Central Division 17 4 12 6 7 11 7 11 4 16 Southeast Division 14 5 14 6 12 7 3 16 3 17

PCT .684 .500 .368 .350 .300

GB 3.5 6 6.5 7.5

.810 .667 .389 .389 .200

3.5 8.5 8.5 12.5

.737 .700 .632 .158 .150

.5 2 11 11.5

Western Conference Northwest Division Oklahoma City 16 3 .842 Denver 14 5 .737 Portland 12 8 .600 Utah 10 7 .588 Minnesota 9 10 .474 Pacific Division LA Clippers 10 6 .625 LA Lakers 11 8 .579 Phoenix 6 12 .333 Golden State 6 12 .333 Sacramento 6 13 .316 Southwest Division San Antonio 12 8 .600 Dallas 12 8 .600 Houston 11 8 .579 Memphis 10 8 .556 New Orleans 4 15 .211

2 4.5 5 7 .5 5 5 5.5 .5 1 7.5

Serbia, Denmark in handball final BELGRADE: Hosts Serbia reached their first European handball championship final as an independent nation after an absorbing 26-22 win over bitter Balkan rivals Croatia in a charged atmosphere on Friday.

They will face Denmark in today’s final after the Scandinavians edged Spain 25-24, having recovered from a poor start to the tournament in which they lost two of three preliminary group stage games.

The Balkan derby was played amid tight security, with thousands of riot police deployed in and around the Belgrade Arena to prevent crowd trouble which marred the 16-nation tournament earlier this week in the northern city of Novi Sad. Croatian fans were attacked by Serbian hooligans on motorways and petrol stations as they made their way back to Croatia after the games with Spain and France.

Dozens of cars with Croatian number plates were smashed and had their tyres punctured in parking lots around the SPENS Arena in Novi Sad, where Croatia played their second group stage matches supported by 5,000 of their fans who made daily trips.

Serbian police had arrested the perpetrators of the attacks and on Friday they escorted some 200 Croatian fans all the way from the border into the Belgrade Arena.

On the court, Serbia produced an effervescent second-half performance as goalkeeper Darko Stanic pulled off a string of superb saves while captain Momir Ilic rifled in eight goals from 12 shots, including four penalties.

“What we saw today was victory of handball because these two teams from the former Yugoslavia showed an abundance of talent and I wish the Croatian team the best of luck in their third-place match against Spain,” Ilic told a news conference.

“I relished the prospect of playing against Croatia in the semi-finals not because I wanted an emotionally charged clash, but because we play the kindred entertaining handball we all thrive in,” he said.

Denmark, who won Euro 2008 and finished second in last year’s world championhsip, overcame threetimes runners up Spain in a dramatic finish after the lead had changed hands several times.

The Danes trailed 7-3 early on and then led 17-13 midway through the second half before their key player Mikkel Hansen unleashed a fierce shot which found the back of the net with 40 second left on the clock.

Macedonia registered their best result in a major event when they pipped Slovenia 28-27 in the fifthplace playoff and snatched an Olympic qualifying berth.

The winners of EHF Euro 2012 will qualify for the 2012 games in London automatically while Macedonia and one other team will take part in qualifying tournaments to be held in April. — Reuters

16

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

S P ORT S

Woods joint-leader after three rounds in Abu Dhabi ABU DHABI: Tiger Woods shared the joint lead in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship after yesterday’s third round, firing a 66 to stand at 11-under for the tournament.

That was level with England’s Robert Rock who also had a 66 and two shots clear of Irishman Rory McIlroy (68), Sweden’s Peter Hanson (65), Francesco Molinari of Italy (66) and Paul Lawrie of Scotland (64).

A further stroke back came South African pair George Coetzee (65) and James Kingston (67) alongside Jean-Baptiste Gonnet of France (69) and Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark (71).

Woods started the day in the $2.7million dollars European Tour event tied for fifth with McIlroy and seven others on five under, two shy of leader Olesen.

Playing confident, controlled golf off the tee in what is his season-opener, the 36-year-old American completed a second bogey-free round in three days and added five birdies for his 67.

“I played well today.” he said.

“Not doing a lot of things right, but not doing a lot of things wrong either. Just very consistent. Things are progressing.

“There are a ton of guys with a chance to win. We have not separated ourselves from the field. I need to go out there and put together a solid round of golf.”

The lead changed hands several times on a day of perfect playing conditions which allowed for low-scoring on Abu Dhabi’s testing National Course.

Kingston, Gonnet, Hanson and Rock all took command at one stage or another before Woods edged ahead with his fifth birdie of the day at the 14th.

From there on in he parred the next four holes and birdied the par-five last after reaching

ABU DHABI: Tiger Woods from US reacts on the 2nd hole during the third round of Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. —AP the green comfortably in two.

His six-under 66 was his best tournament score since he shot

the same number in the second round of last year’s Masters.

It was while playing at

Augusta National that Woods picked up the leg injury that sidelined him for most of the rest of the season.

His playing partner for the third straight day, McIlroy, stayed in touch with a 68 to settle in at two strokes off the lead, and he was pleased that he showed more consistency than on the two previous days.

“It would be nice to eliminate the mistakes tomorrow and have a good round,” he said. Rock, ranked 117th in the world, birdied the last two holes to draw level with Woods and will play alongside him for the first time in Sunday’s finale, an experience he said he was looking forward to.

“How many chances I will get to do that, it’s not clear. I want to at least say that I’ve done that once. I think it will be all right,” he said.

World number two Lee Westwood, shrugged off the effects of a jarred nerve in his neck to fire a 68 which left him at four under par, but fellow Englishman Luke Donald, the top ranked player in the world, is out of contention.

He failed to get anything going and had to settle for a 73, which left him at level par for the tournament.

The event is the fourth tournament in the 2012 Race to Dubai after three in South Africa and it opens a three-week long Desert swing in the Gulf which takes in Doha next week and the Dubai Desert Classic the week after.

It also is the season-opener for most of the big names in golf as they shake off the winter cobwebs and start preparations for the first major of the year, The Masters which takes place at Augusta National in early April. —AFP

SHEFFIELD: Evgeni Plushenko of Russia performs in the Men’s Free Skating on day six of the ISU European Figure Skating Championships. —AFP

Plushenko wins 7th European title SHEFFIELD: Russian great Evgeni Plushenko produced a career-best performance to beat protege Artur Gachinski and win his seventh men’s European figure skating title yesterday.

The 2006 Olympic champion compiled a compelling routine to “Tango de Roxanne” from Moulin Rouge to score a personal-best 176.52 points in the free skate and total 261.23 - the 29-year-old Plushenko’s highest ever overall mark.

Plushenko’s breathtaking display included a quadruple jump - an exploit he claimed he couldn’t perform this week because of injuries to his left knee and back.

“I did a little bit of history in figure skating today,” an overjoyed Plushenko told the crowd. The 18-year-old Gachinski led his mentor and training partner by 0.09 points after the short program but finished 14.96 points behind in second. Gachinski scored 161.47 points in his free skate to total 246.27.

Defending champion Florent Amodio

of France took the bronze with an overall score of 234.18. With the spectators at Motorpoint Arena already rising to their feet, Plushenko - dressed in a glitter-lined black outfit - finished his routine with repeated fist pumps.

Even with Gachinski and three other skaters to come, the greatest male skater of his generation knew the gold was again his. “I’m proud of myself, believe me,” said Plushenko, whose first European gold came back in 2000.

Plushenko is a sporting icon in Russia, and the only living male skater with 3 Olympic medals to his name. Having started his senior career in 1997, he will attempt to stay on until the 2014 Olympics on home soil in Sochi, fitness permitting.

“When I am going to be healthy, I will do a little bit more,” Plushenko said. His previous best overall score was 258.33, achieved in winning Olympic gold in Turin. He scored 167.67 in free skate in that competition, his previous best mark for the longer of the two disciplines.—AP

Biarritz fall to Castres

SAN DIEGO: Phil Mickelson tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course. —AFP

Stanley sets Torrey pace SAN DIEGO: Little-known American Kyle Stanley birdied his final hole to grab a one-shot lead in Friday’s second round at the Farmers Insurance Open where fan favorite Phil Mickelson was the biggest name to miss the cut.

In light breezes and dazzling sunshine at Torrey Pines, the bighitting Stanley carded a fourunder-par 68 on the tricky South Course, one of two layouts hosting the fourth PGA Tour event of the year.

Fellow American Brandt Snedeker was alone in second after firing a sizzling eight-under 64 on the easier North layout with South Korean Bae Sangmoon (67) and American Martin Flores (67) a further stroke back at 12 under.

Three-times champion Mickelson ended a disappointing week prematurely, however, as his five-birdie 68 on the North

Course was not good enough to help him make the cut.

The American left-hander had faced an uphill task coming into Friday’s second round after opening with a woeful 77 on Thursday.

“I don’t feel like there’s any one area that I feel bad about my game,” Mickelson told reporters after finishing at one-over 145.

“It’s just that I’m not bringing it from the practice session on to the golf course yet. I’m not sure why that is, but the good news is my practice sessions have been great in every area.”

Stanley, co-leader with compatriot Spencer Levin overnight, recovered from a double-bogey on his front nine to take control of the tournament with a sevenbirdie display.

“I just kept telling myself I was playing well and just keep doing what I’m doing,” said Stanley, a PGA Tour rookie last year. “I’ve

played too much good golf so far this week to let one hole get in the way.

“I feel like I’ve got a pretty good game plan for this golf course and I just had to focus on executing that,” added Stanley, who covered his back nine in four-under 32.

“I recovered nicely. It’s still a long ways to go, but I’m happy with where I am.”

Snedeker was especially delighted to be in title contention, having been on crutches for five weeks at the end of last year following hip surgery in early November.

“I feel great,” the double PGA Tour winner said after mixing nine birdies with one bogey. “I’m driving the ball as good as I’ve ever driven it in my career, which isn’t saying a lot but it’s saying enough for me right now.

“I didn’t start playing really regularly until New Year’s Day ...

and decided to give Palm Springs (last week’s Humana Challenge) a shot because I felt pretty well.

“It held up pretty well last week and feels great now. The warm weather’s helping and being here’s helping, so hopefully it stays like that the rest of the week.”

Keegan Bradley, winner of last year’s PGA Championship, was at seven under after carding a 68, one stroke better than fellow American and world number nine Dustin Johnson (72).

Former world number one Vijay Singh of Fiji was at five under, after following his opening 64 with a 75, while threetimes major champion Ernie Els was at three under after a 70.

The cut fell at two-under 142 with former major winners Angel Cabrera of Argentina and South Korea’s Yang Yong-eun among those failing to advance. —Reuters

PARIS: Ailing French rugby giants Biarritz’s relegation worries increased yesterday after a 29-23 defeat to Castres in their Top 14 clash.

Castres kicker Romain Teulet contributed 16 points and in-form winger Romain Martial two tries with Biarritz’s only consolation taking a defensive bonus point which at least allowed them to stay off the bottom.

That dubious honour fell to Bayonne, who were thrashed 50-10 by Toulon after they were reduced to 14 men in the firsthalf when Yoann Huget was sent-off for headbutting an opponent.

Lyon came off the bottom, joining Biarritz on 24 points a point ahead of Bayonne, with a surprise 19-11 win over Agen. Biarritz fell behind to an early penalty by Teulet, but looked to have taken the initiative themselves when Ian Balshaw set up flanker Benoit Guyot, who broke three tackles to run in the try from 35 yards out.

Dimitri Yachvili converted to make it 7-3 but poor Biarritz defending was to cost them dear on the stroke of half-time as Teulet passed to Martial, who should have been brought down by Julien Peyrelongue but instead he brushed him aside easily and ran in under the posts.

Teulet converted for a 10-7 half-time lead. The second-half saw both sides’ fortunes swing back and forth as first Biarritz went back into the lead after a try

by Pelu Taele-Pavihi, set up by a nice pass from Damien Traille, with Yachvili converting.

Romain Teulet

However, a penalty by Teulet and then a second try for Martial, converted by the fullback, sent Castres 20-14 ahead before a Yachvili penalty reduced the gap to three points and the two kickers exchanged penalties to leave Castres leading 23-20 with just over 10 minutes remaining.

Teulet and team-mate Rory Kockott slipped over two more penalties to give Castres the breathing space they needed with Traille kicking a drop goal one minute before time to at least ensure they left with a point.

Toulon and Bayonne had an explosive first-half, with a brawl seeing blighted France wing Huget — who missed the World Cup as he served a ban for missing three dope tests — receiving a straight red card for headbutting a Toulon player while the hosts’ volatile centre Mathieu Bastareaud was sin-binned for punching Renaud Boyoud.

None of this affected former England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson, who kicked 25 of their points, five conversions and five penalties.

Toulon made hay in the second-half with their one man advantage, running in five tries including two from former England international flanker Steffon Armitage, as they gave president Mourad Boudjellal something to smile about after he was banned for 130 days for lurid language about the level of refereeing in the Top 14. Boudjellal made do by watching the match from the roof on top of the players tunnel.—AFP

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

sp orts

Team India ‘drown’ under Australia sweep series

ABU DHABI: Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal (center) leaps in the air as he celebrates with his teammates Adnan Akmal (left) and Mohammad Hafeez (right) after taking the wicket of England’s Ian Bell during the fourth day of the second cricket Test match. —AP

Rehman humbles England as Pakistan clinch series ABU DHABI: Spinner Abdur Rehman took six wickets as Pakistan beat England by 72 runs in the second Test yesterday to clinch the three-match series, bowling out the tourists for 72 in their second innings after another abject batting display.

England, the number one test side in the world, had earlier dismissed Pakistan for 214 to give themselves a target of 145 to win in Abu Dhabi. But Andrew Strauss’s men again failed to deal with the host’s triple spin threat of Rehman, Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez. Rehman ended on 6-25, while Ajmal’s figures were 3-22.

“The way the ball was turning it was really difficult to play left-arm spinners on that wicket,” Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq told reporters. “So we were thinking we can put pressure on England and make a match of it.

“It’s a big win for us - even in these kinds of conditions to beat the number one side is a big effort from our team.” For England, only Strauss (32) and Matt Prior (18) managed double figures in the second innings, the tourists losing all 10 wickets in the space of 22 overs. “Those (low) totals are the hardest to chase because you know you are almost there and it’s easy to be caught between two stools, whether to be patient and wait for scoring opportunities to appear or to take the bull by the horns,” Strauss told reporters.

“It’s bitterly disappointing ... having done all that hard work you need to go on and complete the job and we just didn’t play well enough, individually and collectively.”

Alastair Cook (7) was the first to go, caught and bowled by Hafeez, who stooped to get his fingers to the ball inches from the turf.

Ian Bell (3) came in at number three in place of Jonathan Trott who had been off the field with a stomach complaint and the Warwickshire batsman lasted just three balls before deflecting an Ajmal delivery on to his stumps with an inside edge.

Kevin Pietersen (1) and Eoin Morgan (0) then continued their miserable form, falling to Rehman in the space of three balls.

Pietersen was trapped lbw after lunging forward to defend, while Morgan saw his leg stump felled.

Strauss had earlier escaped, deflecting a Rehman delivery off his bat and pad to Azhar Ali at short leg. Ali sunk to his knees to scoop the ball up before it hit the ground, but the third umpire thought otherwise, earning the England captain what was to prove to be a fleeting reprieve.

Strauss went lbw to Rehman, as did the returning Trott (1), while the slow left-armer clean bowled Broad through the gate as England offered little resistance.

Earlier, Monty Panesar bagged six wickets in his first test since 2009 as England thrived in the field, but their subsequent collapse was reminiscent of their woes in the first test in Dubai, when they slumped to 43-5 in their first innings and went on to lose by 10 wickets. Pakistan play their home matches in the Gulf due to security problems at home. —Reuters

SCOREBOARD ABU DHABI: Scoreboard at the end of the second test between Pakistan and England at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium yesterday: Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat.

Pakistan first innings: 257 (Misbah-ul-Haq 84, Asad Shafiq 58; S. Broad 4-47, G. Swann 352).

England first innings: 327 (A. Cook 94, J. Trott 74, S. Broad 58 not out; Saeed Ajmal 4108, Mohammad Hafeez 3-54).

Pakistan second innings (overnight 125-4) Mohammad Hafeez lbw b Panesar 22 Taufeeq Umar b Swann 7 Azhar Ali c Prior b Anderson 68 Younis Khan b Panesar 1 Misbah-ul-Haq lbw b Panesar 12 Asad Shafiq c Anderson b Panesar 43 Adnan Akmal c Strauss b Broad 13 Abdur Rehman lbw b Swann 10 Saeed Ajmal c Anderson b Panesar 17 Umar Gul not out 10 Junaid Khan b Panesar 0 Extras (b-5, lb-6) 11 Total (all out; 99.2 overs) 214 Fall of wickets: 1-29 2-29 3-36 4-54 5-142 6170 7-172 8-198 9-208.

Bowling: Anderson 14-3-39-1, Broad 20-936-1, Panesar 38.2-18-62-6, Swann 27-5-66-2.

England 2nd innings: A. Strauss lbw b Rehman 32 A. Cook c & b Hafeez 7 I. Bell b Ajmal 3 K. Pietersen lbw b Rehman 1 E. Morgan b Rehman 0 M. Prior c Shafiq b Ajmal 18 J. Trott lbw b Rehman 1 S. Broad b Rehman 0 G. Swann lbw b Ajmal 0 J. Anderson c Gul b Rehman 1 M. Panesar not out 0 Extras (lb-9) 9 Total (all out; 36.1 overs) 72 Fall of wickets: 1-21 2-26 3-33 4-37 5-56 6-68 7-68 8-71 9-72.

Bowling: Mohammad Hafeez 8-3-11-1, Umar Gul 3-0-5-0, Saeed Ajmal 15-7-22-3, Abdur Rehman 10.1-4-25-6.

Pakistan lead the three-match series 2-0.

ADELAIDE: Resurgent Australia ruthlessly ripped through the last flagging remnants of Indian resistance in less than an hour at the Adelaide Oval yesterday to record a fourth crushing test win and sweep the series.

It was a remarkable turnaround for a team that 12 months ago were in crisis after a first home Ashes defeat in 26 years saw them slump to fifth in the world test rankings.

For an India team packed with some of the best batsmen ever to have played the game, the 298-run defeat was a humiliating eighth successive overseas test loss.

“I think the job we’ve done over the last month has been outstanding,” said Australia captain Michael Clarke, named Man of the Series for his brilliant unbeaten 329 in Sydney and double century in Adelaide.

“It hasn’t been easy despite the 4-0, we’ve had to work our backsides off. We certainly should be proud of what we’ve done.” Last year’s 4-0 series defeat in England saw India relinquish the top spot in the world rankings but they had still arrived Down Under confident they could finally claim a first series triumph in Australia.

It was not even close. The hosts won the first test in Melbourne by 122 runs and followed that with an innings and 68-run victory in Sydney and an innings and 37-run triumph in Perth.

“In England we didn’t bat well and here we didn’t bat well,” admitted stand-in captain Virender Sehwag. “Six or seven batsmen didn’t score enough runs for the bowlers to win the games.

“The best way out is to forget what happened and concentrate on what we will do in coming matches and coming series and practise hard and plan well and execute your plans in the game,” he added.

India had resumed on 166 for six in their second innings on Saturday chasing an improbable 500 runs for victory but their tail-end batsman lasted just 58 minutes on another hot and sunny morning.

With world class batsmen like Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman all having failed to fire yet again on Friday, there was little hope of India rescuing a draw by batting through the final day.

Nighwatchman Ishant Sharma (2) was the first to go in the third over of the morning when he got a nick to a delivery from quick Ryan Harris and was caught behind without any addition to the overnight score.

Wriddhiman Saha, standing in as wicketkeeper for banned India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, was dismissed in the next over in similar style off Peter Siddle for three. Zaheer Khan hit a typically bullish 15 off 18 balls before swinging at a short Ben Hilfenhaus delivery and getting a thick edge to David Warner at short cover, leaving Umesh Yadav and Ravi Ashwin (15 not out) as the final partnership. Spinner Nathan Lyon (4-63) performed the coup de grace when he had Umesh Yadav caught behind for one to leave the tourists all out for 201 to add to their 272 first innings tally in reply to Australia’s 604-7 and 167-5 declared. It was appropriate that it was Australia’s bowlers who got the team over the line.

Although there were some memorable batting performances - notably Clarke’s two big innings, Ricky Ponting’s first century in two years and David Warner’s quickfire 180 in Perth - it was Australia’s bowling which proved the difference.

Siddle, who claimed 23 wickets in the series, and Hilfenhaus (27) had looked workmanlike at best when they were flogged all over the park by England’s batsmen in the Ashes defeat but were transformed against India.

With the addition of youngsters like James Pattinson and Mitchell Starc as well as old stager Ryan Harris, they bowled as a unit, suffocated the vaunted Indian batsmen and took 20 wickets in all four tests.

“No matter what attack we had, we stuck to our guns and did the job,” said Siddle, who won the Adelaide Man of the Match award for his 5-49 in India’s first innings.

“We didn’t steer away from that. We knew every morning we rocked up we had our plan - bowl good lengths and be patient - and I think it showed.”

Dhoni, who missed the match because of India’s slow over rate in Perth, said Australia had played “brilliantly” and was reluctant to usher any of his team mates towards the exit. “Our next test series is only in September, there is plenty of time, we don’t want to take decisions quickly.”—Reuters

Cuche wins World Cup downhill GERMANY: Didier Cuche is retiring at the top of his game. Cuche is making sure his farewell season is a memorable one - and it could turn out to be the most successful of a World Cup career that started back in December, 1993.

The 37-year-old Swiss veteran won his second consecutive World Cup downhill race, on a shortened Kandahar course yesterday.

Cuche was coming off his record fifth win in Kitzbuehel, Austria, which was also run on a shortened course, and where he announced that he was retiring at the end of the season. “I am very proud of this win today,” Cuche said.

Cuche’s third downhill victory of the season took him to the top of the discipline standings.

Cuche’s most successful season was 2009-10, when he won five races. He now has 20 for his career. “ There are still five downhills and 500 points and it’s going to be close, but today it looks good,” Cuche said. Erik Guay of Canada finished second on the slope on which he won the world championship title last year ahead of Cuche. Hannes Reichelt of Austria was third, leaving his team still without a win in a speed event this season.

Guay, still feeling the effects of a cold, had a rocky run on the course, nearly hitting the snow with his hip, then almost crossing skis and going off his line, but made up in the bot-

GERMANY: Switzerland’s Didier Cuche speeds down the course on his way to win an alpine ski, men’s World Cup downhill.—AP

tom part. Guay does well in the German resort, where he also clinched the super-G World Cup by winning the last race of the 2010 season.

“I always feel relaxed here, I love skiing here,” Guay said. “I took some chances today. I hit the snow with my boot, I thought it would be tough to make it to the finish and I was ecstatic when I saw I was first.

“Didier then beat me today, but it’s only fair because I beat him here last year,” Guay said.

“I’ve no idea why I do so well here, but I feel relaxed and it’s a course that encompasses everything that a downhill course should have.”

Thick fog forced organizers to lower the starting gate, taking a significant chunk out of the classic course - nearly half of the vertical drop - and making the race about 50 seconds shorter.

“It was clear to me early today that they would have to shorten it, the fog was very thick at the top and it wasn’t going away,” said Cuche, a former butcher who also won on the Kandahar course eight years ago.

“It was good to know that we would race and that we would start on time, even if it was shorter,” he said.

Cuche covered the 1,890-meter course down from the normal 3,256 meters - in 1 minute, 9.10 seconds, to beat Guay by 0.27 seconds and Reichelt by 0.30 seconds.

Christof Innerhofer is another skier who seems to thrive on the slope in southern Germany. The Italian finished in a tie for fourth with Andrej Sporn of Slovenia.

Innerhofer won the super-G gold medal at the world championship last year, silver in the super-combined and bronze in the downhill.

Bode Miller of the United States was penalized for showing up a few minutes late for Friday’s draw and had to start 46th rather than 16th. Miller did well early on the course and was close to Cuche but lost speed at the bottom and finished outside the top 30 who win points. A super-G is scheduled for today. — AP

ADELAIDE: Australia’s cricket players celebrate victory over India after the cricket Test match in Adelaide yesterday. —AP

SCOREBOARD ADELAIDE: Scoreboard on the fifth day of the fourth and final Test between Australia and India at the Adelaide Oval yesterday: Australia 1st innings 604 for 7 declared (R. Ponting 221, M. Clarke 210; R. Ashwin 3194) India 1st innings 272 (V. Kohli 116; P. Siddle 5-49) Australia 2nd innings 167 for 5 declared (R. Ponting 60 not out; R. Ashwin 2-73) India 2nd innings (166 for 6 overnight) G. Gambhir c Haddin b Harris 3 V. Sehwag c Ponting b Lyon 62 R. Dravid c Hussey b Harris 25 S. Tendulkar c Cowan b Lyon 13 V.V.S. Laxman c Marsh b Lyon 35 V. Kohli run out (Hilfenhaus) 22 I. Sharma c Haddin b Harris 2 W. Saha c Haddin b Siddle 3

R. Ashwin not out 15 Z. Khan c Warner b Hilfenhaus 15 U. Yadav c Haddin b Lyon 1 Extras (lb3, w2) 5 Total (all out; 69.4 overs) 201 Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Gambhir), 2-80 (Sehwag), 3-100 (Dravid), 4-110 (Tendulkar), 5-162 (Laxman), 6-166 (Kohli), 7-166 (Sharma), 8-170 (Saha), 9-193 (Zaheer), 10201 (Yadav) Bowling: Harris 19-5-41-3 (1w), Hilfenhaus 11-2-35-1 (1w), Siddle 14-5-47-1, Lyon 21.44-63-4, Hussey 2-0-3-0, Clarke 2-0-9-0.

Australia won by 298 runs Australia won series 4-0 Man-of-the-match: Peter Siddle (AUS) Man-of-the-series: Michael Clarke (AUS)

New Zealand rout Zimbabwe NAPIER: New Zealand posted their biggest winning Test margin when they demolished Zimbabwe by an innings and 301 runs on the third day of their one-off Test at Napier’s McLean Park yesterday.

After starting the day at 392-5, New Zealand added 103 in 18 overs, giving BJ Watling time to notch his maiden Test century before declaring at 495-7.

Man-of-the-match Chris Martin then lead a bowling attack that routed Zimbabwe twice in the same day-first for the tourists’ lowest Test innings of 51 followed by 143 in their second innings.

The winning margin was seven runs better than New Zealand’s previous record of an innings and 294 runs set in 2005 and also against Zimbabwe.

“I can’t recall a Test match like that for New Zealand,” said Martin, a 65-Test veteran.

“Bangladesh, maybe, we bowled out twice in a day, but it happens very rarely so it’s something to savor.” Martin took two for five off six overs in Zimbabwe’s first innings followed with six for 26 off 8.3 to draw level with Chris Cairns as New Zealand’s third most successful bowlers with a career haul of 218.

Zimbabwe never recovered from losing their top order batsmen cheaply in both innings, Martin said, adding he was surprised at the lack of fight from their batsmen.

“As well as we bowled, you would expect a Test-match side to at least, probably, have one bad innings and then come out and put together more of a competitive showing in the second innings. “I suppose there were flutters in (their) dressing room each time to be three down for under 10.”

The McLean Park wicket held no fears for New Zealand as Watling (102 not out) and his skipper Ross Taylor (122 retired hurt) both scored centuries, with support roles from Brendon McCullum (83) and Martin Guptill (51).

But Zimbabwe, whose previous worst Test score was 54 against South Africa in Cape Town in 2005, could not cope with the seaming deliveries of the four-pronged New Zealand pace attack.

Malcolm Waller’s 23 was the only score in double figures in their disastrous first innings, while Regis Chakabva in only his second Test, managed 63 in the second innings.

Zimbabwe’s one show of resistance was Chakabva’s 63-run second-innings stand with Graeme Cremer (26) for the seventh wicket.

They dealt positively with the best of the New Zealand attack only to be undone in bizarre fashion when part-time spinner Kane Williamson floated a full toss to Cremer which was patted straight to Doug Bracewell at midwicket.

In the tourists’ first innings the New Zealand fast bowlers Martin, Trent Boult, Bracewell and Tim Southee all took two wickets, while Bracewell backed up Martin in the second innings with a further three wickets.

The series continues with the first of three one-day internationals in Dunedin on Friday in which New Zealand will be without captain Taylor who has a torn calf and will be sidelined for at least three weeks.

McCullum has taken over the leadership in the meantime with Taylor expected to be available again when the South Africans arrive in late February. — AFP

SCOREBOARD NAPIER: Completed scoreboard on the third day of the one-off Test between New Zealand and Zimbabwe in Napier yesterday: New Zealand 1st innings (392 for five overnight) B. McCullum lbw b Jarvis 83 M. Guptill c Taibu b S. Masakadza 51 K. Williamson run out 4 R. Taylor retired hurt 122 D. Brownlie c Taibu b H. Masakadza 0 D. Vettori stumped Taibu b Cremer 38 B.J. Watling not out 102 D. Bracewell b Vitori 11 T. Southee c Waller b Cremer 44 T. Boult not out 5 Extras (b 1, lb 21, w 2, nb 11) 35 Total (7 wickets, 123.4 overs) 495 Fall of wickets: 1-124 (Guptill), 2-131 ( Williamson), 3-195 (McCullum), 4-196 (Brownlie), 5-278 (Vettori), 6-392 (Bracewell), 7-466 (Southee) Bowling: Jarvis 32.4-7-120-1, Vitori 25-3-941 (8nb), S. Masakadza 23-2-102-1 (3nb, 2w), H. Masakadza 21-6-45-1, Cremer 22-2-112-2.

Zimbabwe 1st innings T. Mawoyo b Martin H. Masakadza c Brownlie b Boult F. Mutizwa b Martin B. Taylor c Guptill b Bracewell T. Taibu c Brownlie b Boult M. Waller c Brownlie b Southee R. Chakabva lbw b Bracewell A. Cremer lbw b Vettori S. Masakadza not out K. Jarvis run out (Bracewell/Southee) B. Vitori c Brownlie b Southee Extras

2 0 6 9 2 23 3 3 3 0 0 0

Total (all out; 28.5 overs) 51 Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Mawoyo), 2-8 (Mutizwa), 3-8 (H. Masakadza), 4-19 (Taylor), 5-19 (Taibu), 6-24 (Chakabva), 7-46 (Cremer), 8-50 (Waller), 9-50 (Jarvis), 10-51 (Vitori) Bowling: Martin 6-2-5-2, Boult 9-3-24-2, Bracewell 6-2-12-2, Vettori 4-3-2-1, Southee 3.5-0-8-2.

Zimbabwe 2nd innings (following on) T. Mawoyo c Guptill b Martin 2 H. Masakadza c McCullum b Martin 0 F. Mutizwa c Watling b Bracewell 18 B. Taylor c Watling b Martin 2 T. Taibu C Williamson b Bracewell 4 M. Waller lbw Bracewell 0 R. Chakabva c Brownlie b Martin 63 A. Cremer c Bracewell b Williamson 26 S. Masakadza c Watling b Martin 21 K. Jarvis not out 0 B. Vitori c Watling b Martin 0 Extras (lb 7) 7 Total (all out; 48.3 overs) 143 Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Mawoyo), 2-3 (H. Masakadza), 3-5 (Taylor), 4-12 (Taibu), 5-12 (Waller), 6-37 (Mutizwa), 7-100 (Cremer), 8134 (S. Masakadza), 9-143 (Chakabva), 10-143 (Vitori) Bowling: Martin 8.3-3-26-6, Southee 8-2-200, Bracewell 10-4-26-3, Vettori 10-1-25-0, Boult 9-4-15-0, Guptill 1-0-12-0, Williamson 2-0-12-1.

New Zealand won by an innings and 301 runs Man-of-the-match: Chris Martin (NZL)

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

S P ORT S

Guinea demolish Botswana

LIBREVILLE: Gabon Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (right) kicks the ball to score in front of Morocco Youssouf Hadji during their African Cup of Nations Group C soccer match. — AP

Gabon win thriller to reach last eight LIBREVILLE: A stunning last-gasp freekick from substitute Bruno Zita Mbanangoye sent co-hosts Gabon into the African Nations Cup quarter-finals after a dramatic 3-2 win over Morocco on Friday.

The strike from outside the penalty area in the fifth minute of stoppage time, much to the delight of some 40,000 fans, completed a come from behind win and ensured an early exit for Morocco, one of the pre-tournament favourites.

Gabon’s win also ensured Tunisia’s progress from Group C. Gabon, whose young players were hailed by coach Gernot Rohr for their fighting spirit, had fought back from a halftime deficit with two goals in a three minute spell late in the game but that proved only the start of the drama to come. They went 2-1 ahead, only to give away a penalty in the 89th minute. But then Mbanangoye hammered home a thunderbolt to lift the lid on delirious celebrations in the Gabon capital.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang brought Gabon level with a volley in the 77th

minute and then two minutes later provided Daniel Cousin with the second goal.

Cousin, brought on at halftime, turned and squeezed a shot from Aubameyang’s pass in off the post to spark a mini crowd invasion by home fans. Appeals for the home crowd to stay calm were repeatedly broadcast over the tannoy.

“The turning point came when PierreEmerick scored, the crowd gave us new energy to push on,” said Rohr. “But then to lose the 2-1 lead and still fight back and win the game shows an incredible determination from my players.”

A handball in the 89th minute by defender Charly Moussono saw Houcine Kharja calmly convert the resultant penalty to make it 2-2.

Kharja had also fired Morocco ahead in the 24th minute but they lost momentum in the second half, coach Eric Gerets said. “Tactically we lost in the last 20 minutes, the team did not seem capable of doing what we had done so many times in the past,” he said.— Reuters

Preview

E Guinea a point away from top spot MALABO: Equatorial Guinea are one point away from winning Group A at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations just eight days after being 125/1 no-hopers.

A draw for the co-hosts and shock pool pacesetters against second-place Zambia at the 15,000-seat Nuevo Estadio de Malabo today will complete one of the most amazing first-round achievements in the 55 years of the competition.

It will take the team nicknamed National Lightning into the quarter-finals next weekend with top spot virtually guaranteeing a knockout showdown against Angola or Sudan.

Although a draw will also ensure Zambia advance to the last-eight phase of the biennial African football showcase, the Copper Bullets want a win to overtake the Equatoguineans and dodge a clash with title favourites Ivory Coast.

Should Zambia lose for the first time in this tournament, fairytale qualifiers Libya would come back into the reckoning provided they overcome already eliminated Senegal in a match that kicks off simultaneously in Bata.

Equatorial Guinea have six points, Zambia four, Libya one and Senegal none with the only certainty being that the Teranga Lions are heading back to Dakar early next week whatever the results.

The co-hosts are ranked only 151 in the world and had a disastrous build-up with a series of friendly losses, including a 4-1 drubbing from fellow minnows Guinea Bissau, before widely travelled French coach Henri Michel quit twice.

He was persuaded to return soon after

Today’s matches on TV

AFRICAN NATIONS CUP Libya v Senegal .........................21:00 Aljazeera Sport +9 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD Equatorial Guinea v Zambia.....21:00 Aljazeera Sport +10 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD

his first resignation, but his departure less than a month before the kick-off saw 62year-old Brazilian Gilson Paulo take charge despite having no national team experience.

It seemed like a recipe for disaster, but midfielder, stand-in captain and unofficial team spokesman Juvenal Edjogo was happy to see the end of Michel and his policy of choosing mainly home-based players. The starting line-up in victories over Libya and Senegal included six players born in Spain who qualified because a parent or grandparent comes from the small part-mainland, part-island central African state with huge oil and gas reserves.

Naturalised players complete the lineup with two from Ivory Coast and one each from Brazil, Liberia and Cameroon, although Monrovia-born Laurence Doe misses the Zambia clash through suspension.

An international football magazine has labelled the team “mercenaries” and “cheats”, but a country of 750,000 people has fallen in love with Edjogo and his never-say-die fighters.

“We feel no pressure and our fans are loving every minute of the tournament,” said the Spanish second-tier footballer who wears the armband because striker Rodolfo Bodipo is injured.

“Zambia are next and we want to continue winning. I said before this competition kicked off that Equatorial Guinea could go far if the right players were chosen,” added the arch critic of Michel.

Copper Bullets coach Herve Renard has set a bottom line of a semi-finals spot and after shocking Senegal his fleet-footed stars got bogged down in a Bata mudbath and had to rally twice for a 2-2 draw.

Apart from a natural desire to succeed, Zambia are desperate to honour the 1993 national squad whose plane crashed off the central Africa coast en route to a World Cup qualifier in Senegal, killing all 30 on board. “Imagine if we could lift the trophy-it would be a fantastic way to honor the memories of those who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving the country they loved,” said Franceborn Renard. —AFP

FRANCEVILLE: Guinea revived their 2012 Africa Cup of Nations hopes after a record-equalling 6-1 rout of 10-man Botswana here yesterday.

Guinea were matching the record victory margin for a Nations Cup match and are only the third team after Egypt in 1963 and Ivory Coast in 1970 to have scored six goals in a tournament match.

The Syli National, who lost their first Group D game to Mali, fired four first-half goals past debutants Botswana, who narrowly lost 1-0 to Ghana in their opening match.

Guinea, on three points, will on Wednesday take on Ghana in the final batch of Group D games in Libreville, while Mali tackle Botswana.

Guinea enjoyed more of the early play and in the 14th minute, goalkeeper Modiri Marumo was called to make the first save off a powerful shot from outside the box by Mamadou Bah. They took the lead one minute later when Sadio Diallo finished off a low cross by the tricky Abdoul Camara from the left.

Dipsy Selolwane drew Botswana level in the 23rd minute from the penalty spot at the second attempt after Jerome Ramatlhakwana was brought down inside the box by Guinea goalkeeper Naby Yattara.

Selolwane was back after serving out a onematch suspension. In the 27th minute, Diallo scored his second goal for Guinea when he connected with another low cross from the left by the fleet-footed Camara.

Camara made it 3-1 for Guinea in the 42nd minute when he followed up a quick free kick

by Pascal Feindouno before he fired a low shot past the diving Marumo from a very tight angle.

Botswana substitute Patrick Motsepe saw red for dangerous play in first half stoppage time, when he fouled Feindouno on the edge of his goal area.

GABON: Botswana’s Pontsho Moloi and defender Tshepo Mothabankwe try to stop Guinean attacker Razzagui Camara from advancing during the clash between the two countries for the quarter-final slot at the 2012 African Cup of Nations. —AFP And from the resulting free kick, Ibrahima Traore, always a constant danger against The Zebras, netted Guinea’s fourth goal after four minutes of additional time to worsen Botswana’s problems.

Diallo should have got his hat-trick in the 55th minute, but he blasted wide off target when he was clear on goal. Four minutes later, Feindouno’s shot crashed against the underside of the Botswana post and television replays later showed that it should have been given as a

goal for Guinea.

Ismael Bangoura missed an easy chance to extend Guinea’s lead in the 69th minute after he turned past his marker sharply inside the box only to misdirect his shot.

Bah made it 5-1 in the 84th minute, when he thundered home from 24 metres after he was set up by the impressive Camara.

Two minutes later, Naby Soumah added to Botswana woes with a sixth goal as he shot home from inside the box. — AFP

Preview

Senegal play for pride, Libya want much more MALABO: Senegal have already been eliminated, while Libya want to win this Africa Cup of Nations Group A match today to boost their chances of advancing to the knockout stage.

Pre-tournament Group A favorites Senegal were the first major casualty to crash out of the Nations Cup after they lost their first two matches to Zambia and co-hosts Equatorial Guinea.

Libya, on the other hand, kept alive their hopes after they drew 2-2 with Zambia following a 1-0 loss to home team Equatorial Guinea in the opening match of the competition.

The North Africans could now make it into the quarter-finals along with Equatorial Guinea if they win well against Senegal and the co-hosts do them a big favour and also beat second-placed Zambia, who are on four points from two matches.

“We still have a chance to qualify, but it partly depends on the outcome of the other game (Equatorial Guinea against Zambia),”

said Libya coach Marcos Paqueta. “Senegal are a good team, but we want to fight and win and stay in this tournament.”

Libya reached the final of the championship when they hosted it in 1982, but in subsequent participations they have failed to go past the first round.

However, for a country that has been ravaged by a civil war, which forced the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to withdraw their hosting rights for the 2013 edition of the competition, they have done well so far.

They lost by one goal to an inspired Equatorial Guinea in their first game, where they played with some caution. They were a lot more daring against Zambia only to be forced to a 2-2 draw under terrible conditions caused by a tropical rain storm that delayed the match kick-off by an hour and made the pitch water logged and almost unplayable.

For the Teranga Lions from Senegal, they want to exit this championship with their heads held high after a rather disappointing

showing.

Their pride has again been hurt after they were kicked out in the first round as was the case at the 2008 Nations Cup in Ghana.

The team’s premature exit has been described as a national disgrace and they can no longer look forward to a 30,000 euros bonus and a house, promised to each player by the country’s President Abdoulaye Wade if they won the competition.

“We will prepare very seriously for the match against Libya and play with honour till the end,” vowed captain Mamadou Niang, one of several of Senegal’s top strikers who have failed to find the back of the net so far.

“We have been unlucky and also we are a young team with most of the players here for the very first time. “This disappointment can only make us grow and make progress.”

Senegal will now turn their attention to the qualifying campaign for the 2014 World Cup, which starts in June and they are drawn against Uganda, Angola and Liberia in the first league phase. —AFP

Ghana blank Mali to leave Group D on a knife edge

GABON: Ghanaian attacker Sulley Muntari (left) and Malian defender Drissa Diakite struggle for possession of the ball during a clash for the quarter-final slot at the 2012 African Cup of Nations. — AFP

FRANCEVILLE: Ghana defeated Mali 2-0 here yesterday night to leave Group D at the Africa Cup of Nations wide open after Guinea earlier hammered Botswana 6-1.

The 2010 World Cup participants are now top of the group on six points from two matches, while Guinea and their opening-day conquerors Mali are on three points, with all three teams still in the reckoning to advance to the knockout stage. To add to the suspense, even point-less Botswana are not mathemetically out of contention.

On Wednesday, Mali will battle Botswana in Libreville and Ghana take on Guinea in Franceville in the final throw of the Group D dice.

Star striker Asamoah Gyan opened the scoring for Ghana in the 63rd minute with a well-struck free-kick from the edge of the Mali box after Andre Ayew was brought down by Bakaye Traore.

‘Baby Jet’ Gyan had struggled with an ankle injury leading up to the game but Ghana coach Goran Stevanovic insisted on fielding the UAE-based star and it paid handsome dividends.

Mali came close to restoring parity two minutes after Gyan’s opener through Sochaux forward Modibo Maiga, who perfectly met a header from a corner only for the ball to roll out for a goal-kick.

Ayew doubled Ghana’s lead in the 76th minute when he was stylishly set up by Gyan on the edge of the Mali goal area and drove in to unleash an

unstoppable pile-driver past Soumaila Diakite in the Mali goal.

This was a typical derby with no fewer than six bookings as both teams cancelled each other out in a packed midfield with tough tackles flying in all directions.

Big Mali striker Cheick Diabate proved in the first half to be a thorn in the flesh of the young Black Stars central defence of Jonathan Mensah and John Boye, playing in the absence of the more experienced John Mensah and Isaac Vorsah.

It was a cagey start by both teams and it was not until the 25th minute that Asamoah Kwadwo made the first real attempt at goal.

The Udinese midfielder, who was starting his first game of the tournament, fired from distance only for Diakite to parry into the path of Sulley Muntari, who shot wide.

Ten minutes later, the same player blasted another fierce shot from the edge of the Mali goal area, but again it was off-target.

On 38 minutes, Mali responded nicely with a Diabate free-kick on the edge of the box that struck both posts with diving Ghana goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey beaten.

In first-half additional time, Ayew rose above two Mali defenders to meet a cross from the right by standin skipper John Pantsil, but again it was off the mark.

The hard-working Ayew then forced a fine save from the Mali goalkeeper with a low drive from well outside the box in the 54th minute.—AFP

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

S P ORT S

Stop shrieking about women’s tennis noise MELBOURNE: On serve and when whipping his forehand, Novak Djokovic’s grunt is that of a bullfrog, “WooooAH-UH.” Rafael Nadal goes for a throatier, “AAArrgggHH.” Occasionally, Andy Murray offers up a more hushed, constricted, “Eeeeeehhh.”

From Roger Federer, of course, we tend to get the sound of silence.

Yet here is a selection of headlines you’ll never read about tennis’ top men: “Earplugs ready, it’s the scream queen final,” “Shrieks of nature,” or “It’s squeally not on.”

I didn’t make those up. Oh-so-witty, that is all stuff written about Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova before their women’s final at the Australian Open yesterday. Anyone else spot the sexist doublestandards here?

The issue, if it really deserves to be called that, of women players disturbing fans and perhaps the odd opponent with their shrieks is not new but it’s an easy story for reporters to reheat and serve up when a ready excuse presents itself. The

Azarenka-Sharapova match was one such moment, because, yes, they both make a fair bit of noise.

The WTA also is partly to blame for this hoary old chestnut again becoming a topic of discussion. It played to the gallery with a statement this week saying it is “exploring how to reduce excessive grunting, especially for younger players just starting out” and is “aware that some fans find it bothersome.” Which is surprising and somewhat confusing given that just three months ago, the WTA’s CEO, Stacey Allaster, said: “Grunting is part of our sport, full stop.

Athletes hitting the ball as hard as they do, they expel, and there are sounds. Guys do it, women do it, been doing it for a long time.”

Noise, of course, is a very personal issue.

To some, Bob Dylan or Yoko Ono singing is music, to others it’s torture. If we all agreed on such things then the drone of South Africa’s vuvuzela trumpets at the soccer World Cup of 2010 would have been universally loved or universally recognized as

the nuisance they were.

Azarenka and Sharapova’s tennis is far more interesting and noteworthy than the noise they make when hitting a ball. Yes, some people find their hoots too loud and too shrill and that irritates them. But my ears seem to screen out the racket. Is that perhaps because I’m marveling at the athleticism, shot-making and mental strength it takes to win and didn’t tune to the tennis to poke fun at the women? Or is that unfair to those genuine tennis fans who say the din really does spoil their enjoyment?

Possibly. In which case, I sympathize and suggest a simple answer: the volume button. But there are others with minds like a railway through a rural backwater one track and dirty - who seemingly can only think of the bedroom. Maybe the same sort of people for whom women tennis players are eye candy to be seen but not heard and who don’t want their fantasies punctured by high-pitched yelps.

For such dinosaurs, there can be no sympathy at all. Unfair? Possibly. But, again,

why isn’t this an issue with the men?

Because their grunts and groans are manly, and thus acceptable, even expected?

Please.

Being aware of what fans want is important for any sport that wants to keep revenues flowing. But so, too, is educating them and not pandering to their every whim or basest instincts. Allaster said in October that she does seem to be getting more comments now from fans about grunting. She wondered whether that might be because improved technology has cranked up the volume on TV broadcasts. She promised the WTA will share fans’ concerns with players and, “if this is a real issue,” speak to coaches about what might be done.

But more important than fans’ enjoyment must be what the athletes think.

Some, when asked, do complain.

Agnieszka Radwanska did so this week about Sharapova, calling her noise “pretty annoying and it’s just too loud” - which was somewhat uncalled for given that the Pole

didn’t actually play against the Russian in Melbourne. Radwanska did play Azarenka, losing in three sets, but said she’s grown accustomed to her hoots having known her for years - proof, again, of how tolerance to noise is a personal thing.

Sharapova returned Radwanska’s swipe with interest - “Isn’t she back in Poland already?” she said - and made clear she’s not about to gag herself. “No one important enough has told me to change or do something different,” she said. Nor should she. As Allaster noted in October: “No one is doing this on purpose. It’s the way they’ve trained. It’s the way they hit the ball. The athletes are very ritual and habitual, and it might be such that this generation, this is the way it’s going to be.”

Even more to the point, she added: “I have not had one player come to me and complain, not one. It is not bothering the athletes.” Azarenka and Sharapova reached yesterday’s final because of better tennis and stronger will, not the loudest shrieks.—AP

Azarenka crowned Open queen and world No.1

MADRID: Real Madrid’s Kaka from Brazil (center) gets between Zaragoza’s Javier Paredes (left) and Timislav Dujmovic from Croatia (right) during a Spanish La Liga soccer match. —AP

Real ease past Zaragoza MADRID: Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil scored to help Real Madrid beat Zaragoza 3-1 yesterday and move eight points clear at the top of La Liga, ahead of second-placed Barcelona’s game away to Villarreal.

Angel Lafita had given the side rock bottom of the league an early lead but the leaders were dominant throughout and could have scored more.

The result makes it fifteen wins in sixteen league games, the home defeat to Barcelona in December being the only blip, for a Madrid side showing great consistency in the league.

Lafita surprised Madrid when he opened the scoring on ten minutes against the run of play, turning in a right wing cross from ex-Madrid youth player Carlos Aranda.

However, Madrid were quick to press forward and Kaka came close on 25 minutes flicking wide a Xabi Alonso free-kick with his head before Ronaldo headed high from close range three minutes later.

Kaka then found himself in space but stretching when he sent the ball wide before moments later latching on to a Ricardo Carvalho pass and slotting the ball home for the equaliser on 31 minutes.

Madrid continued in the same vein after the break and Ozil supplied Ronaldo for an easy finish on 48 minutes after clever buildup play by Esteban Granero and Marcelo.

Then Kaka was the supplier for Ozil who finished well with a powerful shot from a tight angle on the left hand side of the area

for Madrid’s third on 55 minutes.

Iker Casillas had to save well to deny Hector Postiga on 71 minutes, but Madrid were never in trouble of losing control of the game against a side marooned six points behind their closest competitor at the foot of the table.

Earlier yesterday Espanyol beat a tenman Mallorca with a Vladimir Weiss goal to remain fifth and move level on points with fourth placed Levante, who play Getafe at home today.

Slovakian winger Weiss, on loan from Manchester City, grabbed his second goal of the season for Espanyol on 18 minutes after a huge mix up between Dude Aouate in the Mallorca goal and his defender Pablo Caceres.

Aouate then received his marching orders in the first minute of the second-half for what seemed to be a clean tackle on the advancing Espanyol forward Rui Fonte.

Spain centre-forward Fernando Llorente scored a hat-trick for Athletic Bilbao in a 3-2 win at Rayo Vallecano to keep the Basque side in sixth, two points behind Espanyol and Levante.

Llorente’s hat-trick was enough to overcome a plucky Rayo side for whom Miguel Cuesta ‘Michu’ and Alejandro Arribas grabbed goals.

The winner came on 67 minutes when Llorente reached to head home a Gaizka Toquero cross from the right to make it eleven league goals for him for the season.—AFP

PSG end Brest’s home record PARIS: Title favorites Paris Saint-Germain preserved their three-point lead in Ligue 1 after ending Brest’s unbeaten home record with a narrow 1-0 victory at Stade Francis Le Ble yesterday.

Second-placed Montpellier remain on the leaders’ tail, however, after Olivier Giroud’s last-minute strike earned them a 1-0 win at Nice, while Lyon overcame a controversial goal to beat Dijon 3-1 and move above Lille into third place.

Brest goalkeeper Steeve Elana had to save from Nene in the early stages against PSG but from the resulting corner, Serbian defender Milan Bisevac bundled the visitors ahead.

PSG were missing both Javier Pastore and Jeremy Menez through injury and were made to endure some nervous moments towards the end of the first half, notably when Salvatore Sirigu had to save from Brest debutant Alexandre Alphonse.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side assumed the upper hand in the second period, however, with Mathieu Bodmer and Nene both going close to extending Paris’ lead.

Giroud, Ligue 1’s top scorer, had seen a first-half penalty saved by Nice goalkeeper David Ospina but he redeemed himself in the final minute to take his tally for the season to 15 league goals.

The result left Montpellier on 43 points, three points shy of PSG but five points clear of Lyon. Lyon took an eighthminute lead against Dijon when Jimmy Briand headed home Michel Bastos’ inswinging cross but Dijon drew level in

contentious circumstances in the 61st minute.

OL centre-back Samuel Umtiti crumpled to the ground inside his own box after an apparent foul by Brice Jovial but play continued and, with the home defence anticipating the referee’s whistle, Younousse Sankhare slammed the ball home.

Referee Bartolomeu Varela ignored the furious Lyon protests but in the 82nd minute Bafetimbi Gomis restored the hosts’ advantage, brilliantly turning past two defenders before lashing a left-footed shot into the roof of the net.

Alexandre Lacazette finished off a crisp team move in the dying stages to kill off Dijon’s hopes of a comeback.

Former Brest striker Nolan Roux is set to make his Lille debut in Saturday’s late game, when the defending champions will look to recover third place from Lyon by winning at home to Saint-Etienne.

Giroud’s late intervention meant that Nice slipped one place to 19th, with Sochaux climbing above them after rescuing a 1-1 draw at Lorient through a stunning late strike from Cedric Bakambu.

Romanian striker Daniel Niculae returned to haunt former club Auxerre by scoring twice in a 3-1 away win for Nancy.

In the day’s other game, Toulouse drew level on points with sixth-placed Marseille courtesy of a solitary strike from Emmanuel Riviere in a 1-0 win at home to Caen.—AFP

MELBOURNE: Victoria Azarenka won her first grand slam title and became the new world number one when she thrashed a disappointing Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open final yesterday.

The third-seeded Belarusian overpowered the 2008 champion to win 6-3, 6-0 in 82 minutes to lift the trophy and become the fourth women’s first-time grand slam winner in a row.

“I can’t wait to be back next year, I’ve had an amazing month in Australia. It’s a dream true,” said Azarenka. Azarenka came from 0-2 down in the first set to win 12 of the next 13 games for a comprehensive victory, as Sharapova’s game disintegrated in the face of all-out aggression from the Belarusian.

Sharapova made 30 unforced errors, while Azarenka played almost flawlessly at times with only 12 errors across the two sets.

“As in any sport you have your good days you have your tough days and you have days where things just don’t work out. Today Victoria was just too good,” Sharapova said.

“It all comes down to the last two athletes, winner takes it all after all the players in the draw. I’ve had great wins here and I’ve had tough losses but there’s no doubt I’ll be back.”

Azarenka won the toss and chose to serve, but she started nervously and dished up two double-faults on her way to dropping the first game.

Sharapova consolidated to open a 2-0 lead and got to 0-30 on Azarenka’s next game, but the

Belarusian seemed to shake off her nerves and slowly took control.

She stepped up to the baseline and took the ball early, pressuring Sharapova into mistakes. And soon Azarenka was dominating in all departments, matching the Russian’s power from the baseline and volleying confidently.

The 22-year-old broke back in the fourth game and broke again in the eighth before confidently serving for the first set.

And Azarenka started the second set with the same self-belief, breaking Sharapova’s first serve and coming back from 15-40 to hold her own and open a 2-0 lead.

Sharapova was becoming increasingly frustrated and, unusually for the three-time grand slam winner, she began to look to her coach Thomas Hogstedt in frustration. Azarenka was in full control, however, and she broke Sharapova twice more to go to 5-0 lead.

The Belarusian stepped up to serve for the championship, saving a break point and falling to her knees in delight when a Sharapova backhand crashed into the net.

Azarenka, who won the girls’ singles crown in 2005, became only the third woman in the open era to win the junior and senior titles at the Australian Open after Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Chris O’Neil.

She is also the first Belarusian to win a grand slam title, going one better than Natasha Zvereva, who finished runner up at the French Open in 1998.

Sharapova has now been runner-up at two of the last three grand slams, after losing last year’s

MELBOURNE: Victoria Azarenka of Belarus kisses the trophy during the awarding ceremony, after defeating Maria Sharapova of Russia in their women’s singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship. —AP Wimbledon decider to Petra Kvitova.

The three-time grand slam winner had been attempting to win her first major title since coming back from major shoulder surgery

in October, 2008.

Azarenka will be confirmed as world number one in the new women’s rankings released next week, ending Caroline Wozniacki’s long stay at the top.—AFP

Preview

Nadal, Djokovic fire shots ahead of final MELBOURNE: All the top three’s charitable talk of new challengers ready to end their grand slam hegemony at the Australian Open has come to nothing and the top two seeds Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal will contest their third consecutive major final today.

The rivalr y between Nadal and Serb Djokovic appears set to challenge that of the Spaniard’s long double -act with former world number one Roger Federer.

But where Nadal and Swiss Federer ’s matchups inspired mutual admiration, the Spaniard’s relationship with Djokovic, the man who poached his top ranking last year, is far more complex and the barbs have been flying from both camps in the leadup.

Defending champion Djokovic, dragged into a near five-hour slog with fourth seed Andy Murray on Friday, has a day’s less rest to recover than Nadal, and was thus more happy to talk of their recent head-to-head record.

“I know that I maybe have a mental edge because I’ve won six finals the five or six times we played in 2011 and I’ve had lots of success against him,” said the 24-year-old Djokovic who holds a losing 16-13 record to Nadal, but has beaten him the last six times they have played. The losses, all in finals, included last year’s Wimbledon and US Open crowns.

“On the other hand, it’s a new year. It’s a new challenge,” added Djokovic. “It’s a different situation. As I said, he has maybe a day advantage over me for recovery and for getting ready for the finals.”

While pushed, Nadal finished his four-set semi-final against third seed Federer on Thursday full of running and brimful of confidence, having inflicted an eighth defeat of the Swiss in their record-equalling 10th grand slam encounter.

That allowed the 25-year-old the luxury of watching Djokovic on television as the Serb closed out the match against Murray with spare fuel in the tank , despite having appeared a panting, sweating wreck halfway through.

Djokovic, who also appeared to struggle before blasting fifth seeded Spaniard David Ferrer in straight sets in their quarter-final, blamed an allergy for giving him a blocked

Novak Djokovic

Rafa Nadal

nose and breathing difficulties.

A skeptical Nadal, looking relaxed and assured in a white T-shirt, suggested it was mere naked gamesmanship.

“It’s funny, no? I saw the match yesterday on the TV show on the channel seven when he was in the fifth set moving fantastically well, and they show images from two hours fifty (minutes) before and seems like he was destroyed,” the 10-times grand slam champion said on Saturday.

“Two hours fifty later he was in perfect condition. So it is difficult to imagine that he has these problems. I don’t know.”

Nadal also returned serve at the suggestion that his extra day’s rest was unfair on Djokovic, given the Spaniard had recovered from a similar position to upset Roger Federer for the 2009 title.

Then, Nadal had played a five-hour, 14minute semi-final over compatriot Fernando Verdasco, the longest match on record at Melbourne Park, before beating Federer in a five-set classic for his first title on the blue hardcourt of Rod Laver Arena.

“I had only one day and Federer had two, no?” he said. “I was recovered for the final, so I think you can say it’s unfair, yes, but not crazy unfair.

“Having one day off, I believe you are not in big trouble.” While fitness may ultimately

decide who wins the tournament, a lack of it is unlikely to concern either Nadal or fourtimes grand slam champion Djokovic, bidding for his third title at Melbourne Park.

Two of the fittest players on the tour, neither Djokovic nor Nadal will sweat about the possibility of a five-set marathon.

Nadal came to Melbourne Park brushing off queries about a shoulder injury, and despite suffering a painful knee twinge the night before his opening match, has steadily returned to his scrambling fist-pumping best.

Nadal’s quarter-final win over Czech seventh seed Tomas Berdych, where he came back from being one point shy of a two-sets to love deficit, appeared the circuit-breaker and he later spoke of playing his best tennis since the first half of 2011 — before his long run of losses to the Serb.

Prior to Murray, Djokovic had only conceded one set for the tournament, to gritty Australian former world number one Lleyton Hewitt, and for all his declared breathing issues, has motored through the tournament with a succession of clinical victories. “(Nadal) has a fighting spirit. He has very few weaknesses. He’s very eager and motivated to win the title — as much as I am,” said Djokovic. “It’s unpredictable what’s going to happen.”—Reuters

Guinea demolish Botswana

Team India ‘Drown’ Under

18

17

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

Woods joint-leader after three rounds in Abu Dhabi

Page 16

LONDON: Liverpool’s Dutch striker Dirk Kuyt (left) scores their winning goal watched by Manchester United’s French defender Patrice Evra (right) during the English FA Cup fourth round football match. —AFP

Kuyt late show sinks United Chelsea down QPR in FA Cup LONDON: A last-gasp goal from substitute Dirk Kuyt saw Liverpool snatch a 2-1 victory over Manchester United yesterday as the Merseysiders booked their place in the last 16 of the FA Cup. Kuyt punished poor Manchester United defending in the 88th minute, lashing a low shot past David de Gea to send Anfield into raptures after United had failed to deal with a Pepe Reina goal kick.

The Dutch forward’s late winner was the dramatic final act of a largely trouble-free first meeting between the clubs since the acrimony of the Luis Suarez racism affair earlier this season. The game had seemed set for a replay at Old Trafford after South Korean midfielder Park Ji-Sung had swept in a deserved equaliser for United to cancel out Daniel Agger’s opener for Liverpool.

“It’s been a fantastic week for the players.

Everyone realises the history of the football club and the players want to be part of it,” said Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish, whose side had reached the League Cup final on Wednesday.

“It was a magnificent effort from them. After the game on Wednesday, to come back on Saturday morning and win showed tremendous commitment and great heart.

“United might have been the better side and had more possession but other than them hitting the woodwork once Pepe (Reina) didn’t have that much to do.” United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was adamant his side had not deserved to lose. “I don’t know how we lost it,” Ferguson said. “But I think in the

context of an FA Cup game it can happen. One bad breakaway and you can lose a game. “It was a bad goal because we didn’t deserve to be beaten. We were the better team. But that’s FA Cup football. It can happen.” The build-up to the match had been marked by appeals for calm from both Dalglish and Ferguson.

United captain Patrice Evra, who Suarez had been found guilty of racially abusing during their league game in October, was booed relentlessly throughout.

But the contest was played out in a good spirit, with referee Mark Halsey brandishing only one yellow card throughout. Liverpool had taken the lead on 21 minutes when a corner from Steven Gerrard was nodded home by defender Agger. United’s Spanish goalkeeper de Gea was at fault for the goal, stranded in no-mans-land as Agger headed in.

But United, who dominated possession throughout the opening half, drew level six minutes from halftime. A deft flick from Antonio Valencia released Rafael down the right who crossed for the byline for Park, the midfielder driving in a low shot first time to beat Reina for 1-1. With a replay looming, Reina launched a hopeful long goal-kick forward. Andy Carroll got the flick-on and Kuyt pounced to rifle home only his second goal of the season. In the other early kick-off, Chelsea meanwhile booked their place in today’s fifth round draw after a disputed penalty settled another match which failed to live up to its potentially explosive billing at Loftus Road.

The game was the first meeting of the two sides since the stormy clash in October which led to

Chelsea captain John Terry being accused of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand. Rangers defender Ferdinand was spared the awkward dilemma of whether or not to shake Terry’s hand in the pre-match build-up after the FA ruled there would be no handshake shortly before kick-off.

A disappointing fourth round tie was settled on 62 minutes when Chelsea midfielder Juan Mata sent Paddy Kenny the wrong way from the penalty spot.

However Rangers were seething at referee Mike Dean’s decision to award a penalty, the official ruling that Clint Hill had fouled Daniel Sturridge as the two players came together in the box. Television replays later suggested Hill had made only the slightest contact with Sturridge, but Dean remained unmoved by QPR protests and Mata stepped up to coolly stroke home the winner. Elsewhere Saturday, promotionchasing League Two side Crawley revived memories of last year’s fairytale FA Cup run by downing Championship outfit Hull, a side 45 places above them. Crawley, a non-league side a year ago when they reached the last 16 before losing to Manchester United, pulled off a 1-0 win after Matthew Tubbs scored in the 57th minute. There were wins for Premier League teams in action on Saturday. Bolton beat Swansea 2-1 in an all-Premier League clash, while Stoke downed Derby 2-0.

Norwich meanwhile snatched a late victory over West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns, Simeon Jackson pouncing in the 85th minute to clinch a 2-1 win for the Canaries.—AFP

Gomez keeps Bayern on top BERLIN: Bayern Munich stayed top of the German League yesterday as Mario Gomez claimed his 17th goal of the season in a 2-0 win over Wolfsburg, but Shinji Kagawa-inspired Borussia Dortmund are hard on their heels.

Japan winger Kagawa scored twice in Dortmund’s 3-1 win over Hoffenheim, which means the defending champions remain second and level on 40 points with Bayern, but Munich stay top by virtue of goal difference.

Germany striker Gomez has now scored 17 goals in 18 league games this season, after Bayern bounced back from their shock 3-1 defeat at Borussia Moenchengladbach with a win over Wolves.

The 26-year-old fired home at Munich’s Allianz Arena with an hour on the clock after France winger Franck Ribery was fouled and Gomez converted a free-kick from Germany team-mate Toni Kroos.

Dutch winger Arjen Robben added Bayern’s second in the 92nd minute when the ball went in off his stomach. “We had good chances in the first half, but we didn’t take them,” said Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes.

“This time (unlike against Gladbach), we had the luck and the ability to take the lead through

a set-piece. “In terms of our scoring chances and the way we played, the win was deserved.”

Dortmund stayed in touch after their home win over Hoffenheim, with Kagawa in dazzling form for the hosts. The champions suffered bad news in mid-week when it was revealed teenage midfield star Mario Goetze will be out for up to eight weeks with a groin injury.

But Kagawa teamed up with Kevin Grosskreutz to compensate for Goetze’s loss.

The Japan star put Dortmund ahead after just 16 minutes before Grosskreutz slotted home the hosts’ second after 31 minutes.

The pair then combined for the stunning third goal, when a crisp back-heel from Grosskreutz fell into Kagawa’s path and he fired home from close range on 55 minutes.

USA defender Fabian Johnson scored a 63rd-minute consolation for Hoffenheim, but it was too little, too late. “We were very strong in the opening phase, but didn’t convert all our goal chances,” said Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp.

“In the second half, we saw what can happen if we hadn’t put in so much work in the first half (as Hoffenheim came back). “It was an excellent home game.”—AFP

MUNICH: Wolfsburg’s Japanese midfielder Makoto Hasebe (left) and Bayern Munich’s German midfielder Toni Kroos vie for the ball during the German First Division Bundesliga football match. —AP

English FA Cup results LONDON: English FA Cup results yesterday: 4th round Blackpool 1 (Phillips 90-pen) Sheffield Wednesday 1 (Morrison 52); Bolton 2 (Pratley 45, Eagles 56) Swansea 1 (Moore 43); Derby 0, Stoke 2 (Jerome 5, Huth 81); Hull 0, Crawley 1 (Tubbs 57); Leicester 2 (Beckford 5, 53) Swindon 0; Liverpool 2 (Agger 21, Kuyt 88) Man Utd 1 (Park 39); Millwall 1 (Henderson 86) Southampton 1 (Lambert 31); QPR 0 Chelsea 1 (Mata 62pen); Sheffield Utd 0, Birmingham 4

(Redmond 18, Rooney 38, 78, Elliott 58); Stevenage 1 (Stewart 12-og) Notts County 0; West Brom 1 (Fortune 54) Norwich 2 (Holt 35, Jackson 85).

Played Friday Watford 0, Tottenham 1 (Van der Vaart 42); Everton 2 (Stracqualursi 27, Fellaini 73) Fulham 1 (Murphy 14-pen).

Playing today Arsenal v Aston Villa Sunderland v Middlesbrough

Rangers thrash Hibs to reduce Celtic lead GLASGOW: Rangers took advantage of Celtic’s involvement in the League Cup to reduce the gap at the top of the Scottish Premier League to a single point with a comprehensive 4-0 win over ten men Hibernian at Ibrox.

Steven Davis gave Rangers a first half lead with a fine breakaway goal before his Northern Irish international colleague David Healy took advantage of a defensive error to make it 2-0 just after the break.

New Hibernian captain James McPake had a debut to forget as he saw red in the 71st minute for his second bookable offence.

Sone Aluko curled the resulting free-kick past Mark Brown and Davis added a fourth late on to seal the win. Celtic, who have a game in hand on the Gers, face Falkirk in the League Cup semi-final today.

At Ibrox, both sides were without their top scorers as Nikica Jelavic missed out through injury for Rangers while Hibs pair Gary O’Connor and Leigh Griffiths began suspensions.

Healy was the lone striker for Rangers in the absence of Jelavic but the Northern Irishman was more of a hindrance than a help in the opening minutes when he got in the way of Aluko’s goalward strike to divert it out for a goal kick.

On-loan Coventry City defender McPake’s first contribution to the game was to pick up a booking in the seventh minute for pulling the shirt of Aluko.

Hibernian had a great chance in the 13th minute when Eoin Doyle was sent clean through on goal but Kyle Bartley showed great determination to race back to make a crucial

block as the Irishman pulled the trigger.

Maurice Edu fizzed a strike just wide after good set-up play from Aluko before Rangers took a 27th-minute lead after they quickly turned defence into attack. Allan McGregor’s quick throw out to Edu was then played to Aluko and the Nigerian then played a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Davis, who raced in on goal and curled his low shot past Brown.

A mix-up in the Hibs defence allowed Rangers to double their lead in the 55th minute.

Keeper Brown failed to deal with a weak headed back pass and dropped the ball at the feet of Healy at the edge of the box who turned and fired a low shot into the empty net.

Aluko then showed great skill to dance round four Hibs defenders but sent his shot high and wide before Edu struck the post with a deflected drive as Rangers looked to increase their advantage.

McPake’s debut turned into a nightmare in the 71st minute when the new Hibs captain saw red for his second bookable offence when he crudely blocked Edu’s run. Things got worse for Hibs when Aluko scored direct from the freekick as he sent a superb curling effort into the top left-hand corner.

Davis got his second in stoppage time when he drilled a low angled shot past Brown to seal the win. Elsewhere, a goal from Dean Shiels in extra-time put Kilmarnock into the League Cup final after their match with First Division Ayr United had stood goalless after 90 minutes.

In the SPL Motherwell held on to third spot with a 3-2 win over St Johnstone, Aberdeen defeated Dunfermline 1-0 and Inverness against St Mirren ended goalless.—AFP

GCC economies to see solid growth in 2012 Page 22

US economy not healthy yet, but it is healing Page 25

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

KSE up on renewed investor confidence

Page 24

Deficit focus questioned as answer to euro crisis Page 23

DVOS: French Christine Lagarde (center), Managing Director of International Monetary Fund (IMF) addresses participants about “ Global Economic Outlook 2012 “, yesterday during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the congress center of the Swiss resort of Davos.— AFP

IMF leads global push for euro-zone firewall Paymaster Germany remains reserved DAVOS: International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde led a global push yesterday for the euro-zone to boost its financial firewall, saying “if it is big enough it will not get used”.

Lagarde, supported by the British finance minister, George Osborne, said the IMF could boost its support for the euro-zone but pressed its leaders to act first. Some attendees at the Davos Forum still doubted the viability of the currency union. Countries beyond the 17-country bloc want to see its members stump up more money before they commit additional resources to the IMF, which this month requested an additional 500 billion euros ($650 billion) in funding.

“Now is the time - there has been a lot of pressure building in order to see a solution come about,” Lagarde told a Forum panel discussion on the economic outlook from which euro zone leaders - most notably Germany - were conspicuously absent.

“It is critical that the euro zone members develop a clear, simple firewall that can operate

both to limit the contagion and to provide this sort of act of trust in the euro-zone, so that the financing needs of that zone can actually be met,” she said. Lagarde’s comments rounded out a crescendo of calls at the Davos Forum for the euro zone to boost its financial defenses. The annual five-day conference began with German Chancellor Angela Merkel deflecting pressure to do so. In a carefully worded keynote address, Merkel suggested doubling or even tripling the size of the fund may convince markets for a time, but warned that if Germany made a promise that could not be kept, “then Europe is really vulnerable.” On Friday, US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner pressed Europe to make a “bigger commitment” to boosting its firewall. Two bankers who attended meetings with Geithner at the Forum said on Friday the United States was looking for the euro zone to roughly double the size of its firewall to 1.5 trillion euros. There was no immediate comment from the US Treasury.

Osborne said the currency bloc must beef up

its firewall before other countries increase their funding to the IMF. “I think the euro-zone leaders understand that,” said Osborne, the only European minister on yesterday’s panel discussion on the global economic outlook in 2012.

“There are not going to be further contributions from G20 countries, Britain included, unless we see the colo of their money,” he added, calling for the euro zone “to provide a significant increase in available resources”.

Japanese Economics Minister Motohisa Furukawa echoed Osborne’s comments, saying: “Without the firm action of Europe, I don’t think the developing countries like China or others are willing to pay more money for the IMF.” On condition that the euro-zone boosts its own defenses, he said Japan and other countries were willing to additional support via the IMF. Lagarde said, however, that if the international lender’s resources were boosted sufficiently, this would raise confidence to such a degree that they would not be needed. “If it is big enough, it

Spanair shut-down strands passengers BARCELONA: Passengers were stranded at Spanish airports yesterday after airline Spanair abruptly went bust, cancelling all its future flights at half an hour’s notice. “The company has decided to cease its operations as a measure of caution and safety,” Spanair said in a statement late Friday, citing a poor financial outlook. Its last scheduled flight landed at 10:00 pm (2100 GMT), leaving rivals such as Iberia, Vueling and Easyjet to share out the passengers left stranded by the airline, which runs flights within Spain and Europe.

Spanish media said at least 22,000 passengers were affected over the weekend. A queue of 200 surprised passengers formed at Spanair counters at Barcelona airport on Friday evening shortly after the announcement. By yesterday airports authority AENA said the situation was normal at Madrid’s Barajas airport and Barcelona’s El Prat, where special lounges had been allocated for Spanair customers. “Passengers are turning up at these zones and the other companies are putting them on flights,” an AENA spokeswoman told AFP. She said 55 Spanair flights were scrapped at Madrid and 54 at Barcelona yesterday alone, with a handful of flights cancelled on two of Spain’s major islands, at Palma de Mallorca and Gran Canaria.

“The Spanair management regrets this and apologizes to all those people who are affected by this situation,” the company said. The Spanish government

• Osborne says EU must act first

BARCELONA: Passengers wait at a Spanair desk at Barcelona airport in Barcelona yesterday. The regional government of northeastern Catalonia says it can no longer supply struggling airline Spanair with funds to continue operating. —AP said it was taking disciplinary action continue investing in Spanair at a time against Spanair for breaching rules on of heavy public spending cuts.

“When we learned this morning continuity of services and passengers’ rights in the course of its sudden shut- that the merger was not going to hapdown, and may fine it up to 9.0 million pen in time and that the Catalonia euros. The public works ministry said in government was not going to cona statement it was launching “sanction tribute more funds, the most sensible proceedings for two serious breaches of and safe decision was to close down the Air Safety Law which could lead to operations,” he said. In 2008 one of Spanair’s jets crashed on take-off at fines of 4.5 million euros in each case.”

Spanair, which was founded in 1986 Madrid airport with the deaths of 154 and has about 2,000 staff, had tried to people. Spanair ’s former owner, survive by a tie-up with Qatar Airways Scandinavian airline SAS, retained a 10 which fell through. The company’s chair- percent share in the Spanish carrier man Ferran Soriano told Spanish televi- and said the bankruptcy would hit its sion the Catalonia regional authorities, own results to the tune of 191 million who part of the company, would not euros or $252 million. — AFP

will not get used. And the same applies to the euro firewall for that matter,” she added.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, speaking to the Forum by video link from Tokyo, said Japan was working with South Korea and India to reduce the risk of the euro zone crisis spreading to Asia. “Japan stands ready to support the euro zone as much as possible,” he added.

Mexico’s central bank chief, Agustin Carstens, said on Friday he believed a consensus was building on boosting the IMF’s resources to help European countries and others that might need aid from the global lender.

There has been a palpable sense of hope at the Davos Forum that the euro zone is pulling back from the brink of catastrophe, though business leaders are equally worried that Europe’s woes will hold back a global recovery. Osborne saw some signs of optimism.

“People have commented on the mood of this conference being quite somber but having been here for a couple of days people have also

pointed out that actually people are slightly more optimistic at the end of the week than the beginning,” he said. However, Davos 2011 also ended on upbeat note about the euro-zone and a feeling that worst of the crisis was over - only for the situation to deteriorate and financial markets to turn their fire on Italy, the bloc’s third biggest economy. “The euro-zone is a slowmotion train wreck,” said economist Nouriel Roubini, made famous by predictions of the 2008-09 global banking crisis.

He expected Greece, and possibly Portugal, to exit the bloc within the next 12 months and believed there is a 50 percent chance of the bloc breaking up completely in the next 3-5 years.

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, Donald Tsang, said no matter how strong the euro zone’s firewall is, the market will look at the nature of the economies it is protecting.

“If it is protecting insolvent economies...no matter how strong the firewall is, it won’t survive,” he said. — Reuters

Sanctions take their toll on ordinary Iranians TEHRAN: A raft of Western economic sanctions on Iran over its controversial nuclear program are increasingly stifling the lives of ordinary Iranians, hit by rising inflation and growing isolation.

EU and US banking sanctions put in place 18 months ago, and reinforced on Monday, have fuelled Iran’s runaway inflation and triggered a collapse in the value of the rial, with implications for the country’s residents and Diaspora.

Millions of struggling Iranians have supportive relatives living abroad, especially in the United States, Canada and Europe. “The cost of foreign products, whose value is linked to the dollar, has risen by 20 and 50 percent in recent months,” says Ali, who runs a grocery in north Tehran.

“On the other hand, the government closely controls the price of products made in Iran,” which represent 90 percent of consumed products. “Dairy products for example have not risen by more than five to 10 percent.”

But with inflation officially now pegged at around 21 percent, the real cost of numerous consumer goods is significantly higher, aggravated by the weaker rial.

Iran’s long overvalued currency, which the central bank allowed to weaken in recent months to shore up its foreign currency reserves, has almost halved in value over the past year. The rial tumbled in black market trading to a new record low against the dollar, news agencies said earlier this week, with the unofficial rate in central Tehran at around 20,500 for one greenback.

All imports, notably electronic equipment such as computers, mobile phones, televisions and fridges, have shot up in price by more than 50 percent.

“Luckily I bought my laptop two weeks ago. Its price has since gone from 15 million rials to 24 million rials,” said Ahmad, a retiree. The minimum monthly wage in Iran is around seven million rials.

The price of certain types of imported medicine has risen by around 30 percent, and foreign books have become unaffordable for most Iranians. “Before, books costing 20 euros would sell for 300,000 rials. People would buy them rather reluctantly. But now they would go for 500,000 to 600,000 rials, and no one will pay that,” said one vendor, who just cancelled his latest order of English and French books. For all these products, importers had to buy their currency on the parallel market, now a black market where prices have soared as the government limited the official sale of foreign currency to importers of essential goods, particularly industrial ones. Sanctions have also choked most of the banking channels for trade in dollars or euros, making it difficult for the many Iranians who have family abroad to send or receive money.

The Iranian Diaspora is estimated at nearly five million people, with the majority based in the United States, Canada and Europe. Even the most well-off are feeling the pinch of the crisis.

“It becomes really difficult,” says Alireza, a doctor who must send a monthly $10,000 stipend to his wife and two children living in the United States. The currency crisis means this transfer now costs him 175 million rials, compared to 125 million three months ago, while the parallel market exchange offices he turned to after the West imposed sanctions in 2010 are now under pressure from the authorities.

Another area affected by the crisis is international tourism. Millions of Iranians spend their vacations outside the country each year, mainly in Turkey, Thailand, Dubai, but also in Europe, Malaysia, Indonesia and India.

“We planned to go to Bali for Nowruz (the Iranian New Year, March 21), but I told my wife that if the dollar remained at 20,000 rials, we should cancel the trip,” said Mohsen, manager at a luxury watch store. — AFP

22

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

BUSINESS

GCC economies to see solid growth in 2012

10 secrets of effective management

NBK GCC BRIEF KUWAIT: Despite the prospect of further turmoil in global financial markets, GCC economies should see another year of solid growth in 2012.

Real GDP growth is seen at 4.6%, compared to an oil output-boosted 7.9% in 2011. Oil markets are assumed to remain firm, while further increases in government spending will support investment and consumer spending. Meanwhile, the risks from an external financial shock from Europe or elsewhere seem manageable: GCC banks are liquid and well-capitalized, direct exposure to risky euro-zone government debt is negligible, and financial and economic excesses are much smaller now than in 2008.

Qatar will once again be the region’s strongest performer, although its growth is likely to decelerate as gas production levels off.

Regional crude oil production leapt by 11% in 2011 as OPEC countries - led by Saudi Arabia and the GCC - moved quickly to replace 1.5 mbpd of lost Libyan output. Even with the gradual return of Libyan production and the risk of an economic downturn, oil market fundamentals are expected to remain tight through 2012 and worldwide inventory levels could decline again.

As such, GCC countries may avoid large cuts in oil production, leaving average output more or less unchanged this year. Oil prices are assumed to average $110 per barrel (pb) after $108 in 2011.

GCC government spending could record its lowest rate of increase in several years in 2012, at 6%.

However, this more reflects the super-strong 17% increase of 2011 driven by $27 bn of exceptional

Bayt.com report

spending in Saudi Arabia - than any deliberate belt tightening. The Arab protest movement of 2011 will help ensure that governments remain focused on their medium-term development goals and that fiscal polic y remains suppor tive of growth. Private sector activity - still held back by deleveraging and sluggish credit growth in some countries - should continue to recover. Real non-oil GDP is seen growing 5.6%.

In spite of decent growth and big increases in government spending, inflation remained generally in check through 2011, averaging an estimated 3.2%, up fractionally from 2010. Key to this was the deceleration in food price inflation in 2H 2011, led by softer global commodity prices. But ‘core’ inflation has also remained low, at around 2%.

Another year of solid economic

growth and an improvement in monetar y conditions across the region could presage a slight pickup in inflation in 2012 to 3.8%. Given regional currenc y pegs, the 6% strengthening of the US dollar trade-weighted index in 2H 2011 will help cap ‘imported’ inflation through 2012.

With oil production high and prices remaining above the $100 pb mark, the GCC will see a further year of large fiscal and current account surpluses, possibly in the range of 10-20% of GDP for the region as a whole. This will once again mark the region out in a year of austerity and deficits elsewhere in the world.

Indeed, one major challenge for the region will be to decide how to invest these surplus revenues safely given the uncertain global economic outlook.

Exxon to sell large part of Tonen stake: Report TOKYO: Exxon Mobil plans to sell a large part of its 50 percent stake in TonenGeneral Sekiyu KK back to its Japanese refining partner in a deal that could be worth about 300 billion yen ($3.9 billion), and will make an announcement as early as Monday, four sources with direct knowledge of the matter said. Exxon Mobil will retain about a 20 percent stake in TonenGeneral but the deal will mark a de facto retreat from the world’s third-largest economy by the US oil giant, which is focusing its resources on emerging markets and development of natural resources.

The move could also spark realignment among Japan’s oil refiners, which have been cutting capacity to cope with falling demand caused by a weak economy and a shift to more efficient and environmentally friendly forms of energy, analysts have said. Reuters reported earlier this month that Exxon was in talks to sell part of the stake back to TonenGeneral.

TonenGeneral, which imports and distributes Exxon oil in Japan, ranks as the country’s No. 2 refiner behind JX Holdings . Smaller rivals include Idemitsu Kosan Co, Cosmo Oil and Showa Shell. Exxon and TonenGeneral aim to complete the deal around summer, the sources told Reuters on condition of anonymity. TonenGeneral will seek funds from Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp, Sumitomo Trust Banking, Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ and Mitsubishi Trust Bank to buy back the stake, the sources said. —Reuters

ERFURT: Visitors walk beside the new Mercedes SL 500 at the Car Fair 2012 in Erfurt, central Germany, yesterday. —AP

Saudi seeks balanced oil market: Minister ISTANBUL: Having a balanced oil mar k e t i s i m p or t a n t fo r Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest producer and expor ter, the k ingdom’s Foreign Minister Prince Saud AlFaisal said yesterday, amid mounting uncer tainty over Iranian oil supplies due to sanc tions.

Responding to a question whether Gulf Arab oil expor te rs would replace supplies to Turkey, should Ankara halt imports from Iran, the

Saudi minister said: “What Saudi Arabia wants to see is a balanced market in oil. That is important for Saudi Arabia.”

Speaking at a meeting of foreign ministers from Turkey and the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, he said Gulf Arab countries in general held a common view on this issue.

Turkey imports over 200,000 barrels per day, around 30 percent of

its consumption, from Iran. Tupras, a unit of Turkey’s largest conglomerate KOC Holdings and the country’s sole refiner, is seeking to buy more oil from Saudi Arabia, according to industry sources familiar with the company’s strategy.

The annual strategic dialogue meeting between Turkey and the GCC touched on escalating tensions between the international community and Iran over its nuclear pro-

gram, and the 10-month-old revolt in Syria, as well the regional view of a brewing global economic crisis.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu noted that trade between Turkey and the GCC countries had risen 36 percent from $9 billion in 2010 to $10.8 billion in the first 11 months of last year. He said investment into Turkey from the Gulf Arab countries since 2002 amounted to $30 billion. —Reuters

Poor management, in any organization, makes its presence felt in countless negative ways, including de-motivated and demoralized staff members, high staff turnover, reduced employee productivity and increased customer complaints. To avoid these potential pitfalls, here are ten basic management tips from Bayt.com, the Middle East’s #1 Job Site, to up your performance ante.

1. Lead, don’t manage Leaders ‘inspire’ their teams to perform by example. They also communicate excitement for a common vision, mission, and set of values and goals. This approach is far more effective in the long run compared to managers who ‘manage’ rather than ‘lead’. Leaders manage less and guide their teams on broad strategic issues while communicating closely with them. They do not micromanage or interfere in the teams’ day-to-day tasks.

2. Hire the best There is absolutely no substitute for a talented team. Confident managers are not afraid to hire Grade-A players. These individuals are motivated, driven, have the right attitude and their enthusiasm affects the entire organization. A good manager knows that just as excellence is contagious, so is mediocrity and incompetency.

3. Set clear goals Setting goals is the first step towards achieving peak performance.

These goals must be SMART - specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely. Once the expectations are set, training programs and resource allocation can be tailored around these. A good rule to follow is to tell your team “what” needs to be done and “why” and leaving them to determine the “how”, based on their professional judgment.

4. Listen to your team A good manager listens to his team and acts as a sounding board for their concerns, problems and ideas. Good listening however is not only restricted to the team. Ideas, feedback and advice can come from anywhere, often from unlikely sources, and a good manager is always receptive to them.

5. Communicate effectively Effective communication is clear, concise and timely. For it to be carried out well in any department/organization, effective managers will make sure that the lines of communication between them and their teams are always open.

6. Respect your team Good managers never belittle, humiliate, embarrass or undermine the integrity of their employees. When they need to criticize they do so professionally, constructively and in private; in public they laud, commend and motivate.

7. Create a learning culture In the current knowledge-based-economy, where education, skills and technology rapidly become obsolete, it is essential to stay ahead of the innovation curve through constant training and education. Effective managers have to allocate key resources, including some of their own time, to ensure regular and ongoing training and development of their teams.

8. Delegate, don’t abdicate Delegating does not mean a handing over and washing your hands clean of the project. In fact, delegation without supervision is abdicating!

Make sure you follow-up and regularly track progress towards agreed upon goals - this will also hold in check low motivation levels among your team members. However, it is important to set the balance right to avoid being carried away into micromanaging the team.

9. Remove barriers to success Make sure the policies and procedures in your company help rather than hinder peak performance. Workplace rules and regulations should be minimal, easy to understand and simple to follow so that they do not block the road to success. A good manager encourages innovation in the employees’ work processes.

10. Focus on the customer Effective managers realize that the customer is the real boss. A boss’s focus on the customer will permeate the organization, and will create a customer-driven mindset among the team too. A successful manager will take responsibility for training the employees in the fine art of getting and keeping customers.

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds

.2730000 .4320000 .3620000 .2980000 .2750000 .2920000 .0040000 .0020000 .0752680 .7333180 .3850000 .0710000 .7188860 .0040000 .0430000

.2800000 .4410000 .3690000 .3070000 .2810000 .3010000 .0070000 .0035000 .0760250 .7406880 .4000000 .0760000 .7261110 .0072000 .0520000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2772500 .2793500 GB Pound/KD .4340630 .4373500 Euro .3634190 .3661720 Swiss francs .3006720 .3029500 Canadian dollars .2764350 .2785280 Danish Kroner .0488840 .0492550 Swedish Kroner .0411600 .0414720 Australian dlr .2942320 .2964600 Hong Kong dlr .0357290 .0360000 Singapore dlr .2204600 .2221290 Japanese yen .0035680 .0035950 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 .0056250 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 .0024590 Pakistan rupee .0000000 .0031090 Bangladesh taka .0000000 .0033230 UAE dirhams .0755140 .0760860 Bahraini dinars .7357040 .7412760 Jordanian dinar .0000000 .3951200 Saudi Riyal/KD .0739530 .0745130 Omani riyals .7204110 .7258670 Philippine Peso .0000000 .0065620

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal - Transfer Irani Riyal - Cash

ASIAN COUNTRIES 3.598 5.337 3.154 2.436 3.341 213.250 35.672 3.580 6.336 8.873 0.271 0.273

GCC COUNTRIES 74.150 76.402 722.230 738.540 75.715

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Egyptian Pound - Cash Egyptian Pound - Transfer Yemen Riyal/for 1000 Tunisian Dinar Jordanian Dinar Lebanese Lira/for 1000 Syrian Lier Morocco Dirham

ARAB COUNTRIES 47.500 46.282 1.272 189.860 392.670 1.865 6.003 33.814

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 277.950 Euro 370.650 Sterling Pound 431.930 Canadian dollar 268.420 Turkish lire 153.940 Swiss Franc 300.620 Australian dollar 277.000 US Dollar Buying 277.750

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria

SELL CASH 298.800 740.670 3.690 280.900 547.000 44.500 49.500 167.800 48.140 369.000 36.570 5.750 0.032 0.206 0.246 3.710 394.970 0.188 93.060 46.100 4.280 231.100 1.804

48.300 723.410 3.190 6.760 77.040 74.360 220.530 37.770 2.642 440.000 42.200 305.600 4.400 9.190 198.263 75.930 278.900 1.280

723.230 3.100 6.500 76.610 74.360 220.530 37.770 2.441 438.000 304.100 4.400 9.090 75.830 278.500

10 Tola

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 438.000 278.500

Sterling Pound US Dollar

SELL DRAFT 297.300 740.670 3.315 279.400

220.500 46.153 367.500 36.420 5.570 0.031

COUNTRY Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

SELL DRAFT 301.18 282.79 307.99 369.31 440.50 3.67 3.299 5.631 2.444 3.521 3.086 75.80 740.66 46.12 396.14 723.67 76.78 74.35

SELL CASH 297.00 280.00 307.00 370.00 440.00 3.70 3.700 5.730 2.660 4.250 3.260 76.50 741.60 48.20 396.00 728.00 77.25 74.85

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd 394.840 0.187 93.060 3.490 229.600

Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar

Selling Rate 278.400 280.800 437.110 367.605 302.380 737.235

UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

75.775 76.415 74.200 391.885 46.106 2.441 5.562 3.093 3.309 6.486 682.905 3.680 8.895 5.860 3.575 92.475

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

GOLD 1,790.260

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

GOLD 315.500 159.000 81.500

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

Norwegian krone Omani Riyal Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

Currency Rate per 1000 (Tran) US Dollar 278.400 Pak Rupees 3.084 Indian Rupees 5.580 Sri Lankan Rupees 2.450 Bangladesh Taka 3.310 Philippines Peso 6.530 UAE Dirhams 75.895 Saudi Riyals 74.395 Bahraini Dinars 740.100 Egyptian Pounds 46.084 Pound Sterling 441.400 Indonesian Rupiah 3.190 Yemeni Riyal 1.550 Euro 370.700 Canadian Dollars 283.300 Nepali rupee 3.690

Al Mulla Exchange Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000) US Dollar 278.050 Euro 369.200 Pound Sterling 439.600 Canadian Dollar 279.200 Japanese Yen 3.595 Indian Rupee 5.560 Egyptian Pound 46.084 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.441 Bangladesh Taka 3.255 Philippines Peso 6.485 Pakistan Rupee 3.088 Bahraini Dinar 740.550 UAE Dirham 75.750 Saudi Riyal 74.250 *Rates are subject to change

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

BUSINESS

Iran oil boss cautious on impact of EU embargo TEHRAN: The National Iranian Oil Company has no firm projection of the impact on world crude prices of a looming EU embargo on Iranian exports, its managing director said in comments published yesterday.

Ahmad Qalebani told the government newspaper Iran that the size of any hike in prices would depend on the European Union’s success in finding alternative output to make up for Iranian deliveries lost to the market. “One cannot have an accurate prediction of prices, but it seems that in the future we will witness 120 to 150 dollars a barrel,” Qalebani said.

He said the reason that EU foreign ministers had decided on Monday to give the bloc’s existing purchasers of Iranian oil until July 1 to find alternative

Deficit focus questioned as answer to euro crisis FRANKFURT: Europe is getting tougher on government debt. After more than two years struggling to rescue financially shaky governments, leaders of the 17 countries that use the euro are ready to agree on a treaty that will force member countries to put deficit limits into their national laws.

At first glance, it seems logical - after all, the crisis erupted after too many governments spent and borrowed too much for too long.

But a number of economists - and some politicians - say the focus on cutting deficits is misplaced and that more fundamental problems are being left unaddressed. It’s how the euro was set up in the first place, they say - one currency, but multiple government budgets, economies moving at different speeds and no central treasury or borrowing authority to back them up.

Until those institutional flaws are tackled, the economists say, the euro will remain vulnerable. So far, Greece, Ireland and Portugal have turned to other euro-zone governments and the International Monetary Fund for emergency funds to avoid defaulting on their debts.

Nonetheless, European leaders are pushing a new anti-debt treaty as the leading edge of their effort to reassure markets. European Union leaders hope to agree on the treaty’s text at a meeting starting Monday, and sign it by March.

The proposed treaty pushes countries to limit “structural” deficits - shortfalls not caused by ups and downs of the business cycle - to a tight 0.5 percent of gross domestic product or face a fine. That comes on top of other recent EU legislation intended to tighten observance of the euro-zone’s limits: overall deficits of 3 percent of GDP and national debt of 60 percent of GDP. European leaders are also urging countries to improve growth by reducing regulation and other barriers to business.

Yet economists like Jean Pisani-Ferry, director of the Bruegel think tank in Brussels, says it’s striking that governments are focusing on budget rules, given Europe’s earlier experience with them. An earlier set of rules were largely ignored at the behest of France and Germany in the first years after the euro’s 1999 launch.

And some of the countries that now are in the deepest trouble - such as Spain and bailed-out Ireland - stayed well within the debt limit for years.

“This suggests that the simplistic view - that a thorough enforcement of the rules would have prevented the crisis - should be treated with caution,” PisaniFerry wrote in a recent article for Bruegel.

Some European politicians are also voicing doubts about focusing primarily on deficits.

They include new Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, who has warned that growth is the real answer to shrinking debt in the long term.

International Monetary Fund head Christine Lagarde has urged a broader approach. She calls for a willingness to share the burden of supporting banks and other financial risks so troubles in one country don’t become a crisis for the entire currency bloc.

Here are four reasons for concern cited by economists - but not yet on the summit agendas of the euro-zone’s leaders.

Without a central, pan-European treasury, there’s no steady central source of support for eurozone countries that run into economic or financial trouble.

Many economists say issuing jointly guaranteed “eurobonds” would make sure no one country would ever default and governments would always be able to borrow. Governments would give up some of their sovereignty, allowing review of their spending and borrowing plans, to get the money.

Pisani-Ferry argues that this would protect governments from the kind of self-fulfilling bond market panic fueled by fears of default, that pushed Greece, Ireland and Portugal over the edge.

Yet the idea of more collective responsibility remains unpopular in prosperous EU countries such as Germany, Finland and the Netherlands. They can borrow cheaply due to their strong finances and would likely pay more to borrow at the rate that includes the shaky ones.

Eurobonds would also likely require a time-consuming change to the European Union’s basic treaty - which currently bans members from assuming each other’s debts. There would also have to be a mechanisms in place to stop countries with shoddy finances from borrowing too much. Opponents say that’s unrealistic. “If you have mutual debt responsibility, and freedom of each country to borrow, then each country can drive the euro-zone into bankruptcy,” said Kai Konrad, managing director of the Max Planck Institute for Tax Law and Public Finance in Munich.

Europe currently has no safety mechanism that would stop a country from sinking under the weight of having to bail out banks based in that country.

At the moment, each country bears the brunt of rescuing its own banks. This can create serious problems in a crisis. —AP

suppliers was to try to minimize the impact on prices. “The reason for this six-month postponement is to buy time-they want to use this opportunity to pass the peak winter season and find a suitable replacement for Iranian oil,” he said. “If the Europeans successfully achieve it, then there won’t be any price hike. But if they don’t, then certainly there will be price hikes.”

Iran’s Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi said in late December that EU and other Western sanctions against its exports could see prices soar to $200 per barrel. In New York on Friday, benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude for delivery in March closed at $99.56 a barrel. London’s main contract, Brent North Sea crude for March, finished the week at $111.46 a barrel.

An International Monetary Fund report released on Wednesday said that a somewhat broad embargo on Iranian oil, effectively taking 1.5 million barrels a day of Iran’s exports off the world market without another producer compensating for it, risked pushing the market price up 20-30 percent, “about $20-30 a barrel currently.”

The IMF said that if Iran made good on its threat to retaliate by closing the Strait of Hormuz-the strategic oil waterway at the mouth of the Gulfthere could be a far greater impact.

“A Strait of Hormuz closure could trigger a much larger price spike, including by limiting offsetting supplies from other producers in the region,” the report said. The EU imported some 600,000 barrels per day of Iranian oil in the first 10

months of last year-equivalent to nearly 20 percent of Iran’s exports-making it the key market alongside India and China.

The EU imposed an immediate ban on Monday on all new contracts for Iranian oil but gave the bloc’s existing purchasers-principally Greece, Italy and Spain-the grace period to find new suppliers.

The bloc’s decision came in response to a USled drive for tough new economic sanctions against Iran to punish it further for its defiance of repeated UN Security Council ultimatums to suspend uranium enrichment to allay Western concerns over its nuclear ambitions. The other big purchasers of Iranian oil-energy-hungry China and India-have made clear that they will continue to buy. — AFP

NBK reports net profit of $1,086 million for 2011 Dabdoub: Results confirm bank’s strong financial position KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK), the largest Kuwaiti bank and the highestrated in the Middle East, reported net profits of $1,086 million (KD 302.4 million) in 2011 compared with $1,083 million (KD 301.7) in 2010.

NBK Group’s total assets stood at $48.9 billion (KD 13.6 billion), up 5.6% compared to 2010, while total shareholders’ equity rose by 4.5% Y-o-Y to $7.8 billion (KD 2.2 billion). NBK Group’s net operating income grew by 8.4% Y-o-Y reaching $1,939 million (KD 540 million).

Despite the ongoing turmoil in regional markets and the stagnant operating environment in Kuwait, NBK continued to maintain exceptionally strong asset quality indicators with NPLs/Gross loans ratio dropping to 1.55% as of year-end 2011 compared to 1.65% in 2010 and coverage ratio mounting to 243% in 2011 up from 209% in 2010.

Ibrahim Dabdoub, NBK’s Group Chief Executive Officer, commented on the Group’s solid and robust performance saying, “2011 was another challenging year that confirmed NBK’s ability to deliver strong results in turbulent times. NBK’s strong performance despite the weakening operating environment, the ongoing pressures on the global economy as well as the political unrest in the Middle East is testimony to the success of the bank’s conservative strategy and focus on its core banking operations.”

“NBK’s regional plans remain generally

intact. We have tightened our levels of control and risk management in light of the ongoing operating challenges in the Arab world. While we remain optimistic about our regional presence in the long run, we continue to focus on leveraging our strong franchise in the GCC and reap the benefits of expanding into Islamic banking as Boubyan Bank’s (47% owned) per formance continues improving. “ Dabdoub added. NBK owns 47% of Kuwait-based Boubyan Bank, which oper-

ates according to Islamic sharia.

Dabdoub also highlighted that NBK’s fundamental strengths, along with its clear strategic vision, robust risk management practices and sustainable financial performance helped the bank maintain its strong position through different crises and continued to earn it international recognition. In 2011, NBK maintained its top ranking among Middle Eastern banks and was named the “Best Bank in the Middle East” by Euromoney, The Banker

Ibrahim Dabdoub NBK’s Group Chief Executive Officer

Mohammed Al-Bahar NBK chairman

German call for EU curbs on Greek budget riles Athens FRANKFURT: Germany wants the EU to take control of the Greek budget as the euro-zone loses patience with Greece’s reform efforts, officials said on Saturday as Athens categorically dismissed the idea.

“There are discussions and proposals in the heart of the euro-zone, including one from Germany” to “reinforce control over programs and measures already in place,” a European source said.

The source was confirming a report in the Financial Times that under Germany’s plan a commissioner appointed by the other euro-zone finance ministers would be able to veto budget decisions made by the Greek government. The report came as Greek officials were in talks with private creditors on a major debt writedown to avoid a looming default, and ahead of a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels on Monday focused on a new fiscal pact.

“Budget consolidation has to be put under a strict steering and control system,” the Financial Times quoted the proposal as saying, adding that it had been circulated

by Germany on Friday to other euro-zone officials.

“Given the disappointing compliance so far, Greece has to accept shifting budgetary sovereignty to the European level for a certain period of time.” Said the European source: “A clear priority has to be given to reducing the budget deficit... In Greece, there is a particular problem of a very

decentralized budget policy. A constraining legal framework could bring more coherence and ease and accelerate the decisionmaking.” “External expertise on the ground could be run by European institutions and could also have certain decision-making powers,” the source said, requesting anonymity.

But Greece dismissed the idea amid increasing resistance in Athens to demands for ever greater sacrifices. “There is effectively a ‘non-paper’ that was presented to the eurogroup,” a Greek government source told AFP in comments echoed by others. “Greece will not discuss such a possibility,” said the source. “It is out of the question that we would accept it, these are matters of national sovereignty.”

Such a move would “require a change in (EU) treaties.” Greek Education Minister Anna Diamantopoulou, a former EU commissioner, slammed the idea as “the product of a sick imagination” in an interview with Mega television.

The latest row comes as Greece’s threeparty coalition, ranging from socialists to the extreme right, is showing signs of cracks under the strain of battling the debt crisis.

The coalition was formed in November after socialist prime minister George Papandreou was forced from office for his handling of the crisis. — AFP

ATHENS: Bank of Greece governor George Provopoulos arrives for a meeting with Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos and the senior international debt inspectors in Athens on Friday. Debt inspectors from the IMF, European Central Bank and European Commission, known collectively as the “troika,” are currently in Athens to negotiate details of the country’s second bailout, worth 130 billion euros. — AP

and Global Finance magazines.

Additionally, NBK maintained its position among Global Finance’s list of the 50 safest banks in the world for the fourth consecutive time.

NBK’s Board of Directors has recommended the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 40% of the nominal value of the share (40 fils per share). The Board also recommended a bonus share distribution of 10% (10 shares for every 100 shares) to shareholders on record at the time of the General Assembly meeting.

NBK continues to enjoy the widest banking presence in Kuwait with 67 branches, which together with its growing international presence totals 176 branches worldwide. NBK’s international presence spans many of the world’s leading financial centers including London, Paris, Geneva, New York and Singapore, as well as China (Shanghai). Meanwhile, regional coverage extends to Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Turkey.

NBK continues to enjoy collectively the highest ratings among all banks in the Middle East from the three international rating agencies Moody’s, Fitch Ratings and Standard and Poor’s. The Bank’s ratings are supported by its high capitalization, prudent lending policies, and its disciplined approach to risk management, in addition to its highly recognized and very stable management team.

Samsung Q4 profit rises 17% on smartphone sales SEOUL: Samsung Electronics Co reported a 17 percent jump in fourth quarter profit on the strength of smartphone sales even as the company battled claims it had copied Apple’s iPhone. Samsung said in a regulatory filing that its net profit reached 4 trillion won ($3.5 billion) in the three months that ended in December. The company earned 3.4 trillion won in the same quarter a year earlier.

The Suwon, South Korea-based company said its operating profit jumped 75.8 percent to 5.3 trillion won in the fourth quarter. The figure was closely in line with the company’s estimate earlier this month of a 73 percent rise. The company, however, posted an operating loss of 220 billion won in its display division in the fourth quarter despite a sales increase of 19 percent from the previous year.

“If profit in handsets continues to stream in, this year will also likely be a solid one for Samsung,” said Jae Lee, an analyst at Daiwa Securities in Seoul. “The biggest threat would be if the global economy worsens.” Samsung, the world’s biggest manufacturer of memory chips and liquid crystal displays, said demand for semiconductors in mobile products and servers remained solid despite weakness in person-

al computers, which face stiff competition from the rising popularity of tablets.

Samsung has over the decades grown into a key global manufacturer of components that let PCs, digital music players and handsets store data and display it on flat, high-resolution screens. The company has recently been stepping up its challenge against Apple Inc. in the global smartphone business, releasing models such as the Galaxy S II. Cupertino, California-based Apple, which spurred the smartphone boom with the launch of its iPhone in 2007, has accused Samsung of “slavishly” copying its smartphone and iPad in design, user interface and packaging. Apple sued Samsung in April last year in the United States.

The legal battle has now spilled into 10 countries, according to Samsung officials.

Court rulings so far have tended to side with Apple. Lee said legal battles with Apple would start weighing less on Samsung this year as the South Korean company is expected to release models with new designs. The quarterly profit brought 2011 net profit to 13.7 trillion won, down 15 percent from the previous year.

Samsung shares rose 0.4 percent to 116,000 won in Seoul. — AP

ECB liquidity moves avert major credit crunch DAVOS: The European Central Bank (ECB) said that a series of measures it took in the last two months helped avert a major funding crisis for banks in Europe, but stopped short of saying the worst is over.

Mario Draghi, President of the European Central Bank, told a plenary session of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2012 that, about two months ago, the Central Bank was aware that the first quarter of 2012 would be an extraordinarily taxing period for the banking system. This was because some 230 billion euros in bank bonds would soon be due, in addition to the funding needs of several sovereign states. At the same time, liquidity pressures in the banking system were exacerbated by the drying up of the inter-bank market as risk-averse banks held back from lending.

Anticipating the coming crunch, the ECB implemented a series of measures, including cutting its interest rates twice, launching three -year Long-term Refinancing Operation (LTRO) loans and

revising eligibility rules for collaterals. As a result, around half a trillion euros were injected into the system but, after netting off the reimbursement of short-term facilities, a net amount of about 220 billion euros roughly matched the bank loans that were coming due.

“So we know for sure we have avoided a major, major credit crunch - a major funding crisis,” Draghi underlined. Asked if he was satisfied with the health of European banks after all that was done, he replied: “Satisfied is probably too big a word.”

Draghi also noted that banks that have implemented the raft of recommendations introduced by the Financial Stability Board in the aftermath of the collapse of Lehman Brothers are better able to withstand the current crisis than those that did not, as reflected in their credit spreads. In the last four years, the markets have also gained a better appreciation of the different sovereign risks, using spreads as the “most potent engine” to force governments to undertake reforms, he said. — KUNA

24

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

business

KSE rises on renewed investor confidence BAYAN WEEKLY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) ended last week in the green zone. The price index ended the week with an increase amounted to 0.93%, while the weighted index raised by 0.55% compared to the closings of the week before. Furthermore, last week’s average daily turnover increased by 6.19%, compared to the preceding week, reaching KD 32.09 million, whereas trading volume average was 12.04 million shares, recording increase of 372.77%.

The speculations continued to dominate the market and concentrated on small stocks, especially on Investment sector, which possessed most of the daily turnover. On the other hand, the leading stocks were subject to profit taking operations on the shadow of its previous performance, yet it wasn’t strong enough to push the weighted index to the weekly losses area.

Moreover, some investment groups witnessed notable activities during last week, however many traders are waiting for the listed companies’ annual results to determine their investment targets for 2012. By the end of the week, the price index closed at 5,852.2 points, up by 0.93% from the week before closing, whereas the weighted index registered a 0.55%

weekly gain after closing at 405.09 points.

Sectors’ Indices Six of KSE’s sectors ended last week in the green zone, while the other two recorded declines. Last week’s highest gainer was the Non Kuwaiti Companies sector, achieving 5.76% growth rate as its index closed at 5,622.7 points. Whereas, in the second place, the

Industry sector’s index closed at 4,174.3 points recording 2.30% increase. The Investment companies sector came in third as its index achieved 1.40% growth, ending the week at 3,660.9 points. The Services sector was the least growing as its index closed at 13,127.0 points with a 0.25% increase.

On the other hand, the Food sector headed the losers list as its index declined by 2.88% to

end the week’s activity at 4,205.3 points. The Real Estate sector was second on the losers’ list, which index declined by 0.19%, closing at 2,057.9 points.

Sectors’ Activity The Investment sector dominated total trade volume during last week with 671.40 million shares changing hands, representing 36.02% of the total market trading volume. The Services sector was second in terms of trading volume as the sector’s traded shares were 26.41% of last week’s total trading volume, with a total of 492.31 million shares. On the other hand, the Investment sector’s stocks where the highest traded in terms of value; with a turnover of KD 53.11 million or 33.10% of last week’s total market trading value. The Services sector took the second place as the sector’s last week turnover of KD 45.36 million represented 28.27% of the total market trading value.

Market Capitalization KSE total market capitalization grew by 0.61% during last week to reach KD 28.52 bil-

lion, as five of KSE’s sectors recorded an increase in their respective market capitalization, whereas the other three recorded declines. The Non Kuwaiti Companies sector headed the growing sectors as its total market capitalization reached KD 1.73 billion, increasing by 4.07%. The Investment sector was the second in terms of recorded growth with 1.35% increase after the total value of its listed companies reached KD 2.14 billion. The third place was for the Industry sector, which total market capitalization reached KD 2.15 billion by the end of the week, recording an increase of 0.91%. The Insurance sector was the least growing with 0.80% recorded growth after its market capitalization amounted to KD 302.30 million. On the other hand, the Food sector headed the decliners list as its total market capitalization decreased by 2.72% to reach, by the end of the week, KD 695.98 million. The Services sector was second on this list, which market value of its listed companies declined by 0.55%, reaching KD 6.90 billion, followed by the Real Estate sector, as its market capitalization amounted to K.D. 1.73 billion at a 0.09% decrease.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

business

Medium-term momentum looks bullish WALL STREET WEEKLY OUTLOOK NEW YORK: January has turned out strong for equities with just two trading days to go. If you’re afraid to miss the ride, there’s still time to jump in. You just might want to wear a neck brace.

The new year lured buyers into growth-related sectors, the ones that were more beaten down last year. The economy is getting better, but not dramatically. Earnings are beating expectations, but at a lower rate than in recent quarters. Nothing too bad is coming out of Europe’s debt crisis - and nothing good, either - at least not yet. “No one item is a major positive, but collectively, it’s been enough to tilt it towards net buying,” said John Schlitz, chief market technician at Instinet in New York.

Still, relatively weak volume and a six-month high hit this week make some doubt that the gains are sustainable. But then there’s the golden cross.

Many market skeptics take notice when this technical indicator, a holy grail of sorts for many technicians, shows up on the horizon. As early as Monday, the rising 50-day moving average of the S&P 500 could tick above its rising 200-day moving average.

This occurrence - known as a golden cross - means

the medium-term momentum is increasingly bullish. You have a good chance of making money in the next six months if you put it to work in large-cap stocks.

In the last 50 years, according to data compiled

by Birinyi Associates, a golden cross on the S&P 500 has augured further gains six months ahead in eight out of 10 times. The average gain has been 6.6 percent. That means the benchmark is on solid footing to not only hold onto the 14 percent advance over the last nine weeks, but to flirt with 1,400, a level it hasn’t hit since mid-2008.

The gains, as expected, would not be in a straight line. But any weakness could be used by long-term investors as buying opportunities. “ The cross is an intermediate bullish event,” Schlitz said. “You have to interpret it as constructive, but I caution people to take a bullish stance, if they have a short-term horizon .”

Less than halfway into the earnings season and with Greek debt talks over the weekend, payrolls data next week and the S&P 500 near its highest since July, there’s plenty of room for something to

go wrong. If that happens, the market could easily give back some of its recent advance.

But the benchmark’s recent rally and momentum shift allow for a pullback before the technical picture deteriorates. “We bounced off 1,325, which is resistance. We’re testing 1,310, which should be support. We are stuck in that range,” said Ken Polcari, managing director at ICAP Equities in New York.

“If over the weekend, Greece comes out with another big nothing, then you will see further weakness next week,” he said. “A 1 (percent) or 2 percent pullback isn’t out of the question or out of line.”

On Friday, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite closed their fourth consecutive week of gains, while the Dow Jones industrial average dipped and capped three weeks of gains. For the day, the Dow dropped 74.17 points, or 0.58 percent, to close at 12,660.46. The S&P 500 fell 2.10 points, or 0.16 percent, to 1,316.33. But the Nasdaq gained 11.27 points, or 0.40 percent, to end at 2,816.55.

For the week, the Dow slipped 0.47 percent, while the S&P 500 inched up 0.07 percent and the

Nasdaq jumped 1.07 percent.

Next week is filled with heavy-hitting data on the housing, manufacturing and employment sectors.

Personal income and consumption on Monday will be followed by the S&P/Case-Shiller home prices index, consumer confidence and the Chicago PMI - all on Tuesday.

Wednesday will bring the Institute for Supply Management index on US manufacturing and the first of three key readings on the labor market namely, the ADP private-sector employment report.

Jobless claims on Thursday will give way on Friday to the US government’s non-farm payrolls report.

The forecast calls for a net gain of 150,000 jobs in January, according to economists polled by Reuters.

Another hectic earnings week will kick into gear with almost a fifth of the S&P 500 components posting quarterly results. Exxon Mobil, Amazon, UPS, Pfizer, Kellogg and MasterCard are among the names most likely to grab the headlines. With almost 200 companies’ reports in so far, about 59 percent have beaten earnings expectations - down from about 70 percent in recent quarters. — Reuters

US economy not healthy yet, but it is healing 2.8% rate fastest since 2010

DAVOS: Japanese Minister for Economic and Fiscal Policy, Motohisa Furukawa, looks on prior to his talks about “ Global Economic Outlook 2012”, yesterday, during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the congress center of the Swiss resort of Davos. — AFP

EU crisis biggest threat to world economy: Noda PARIS: Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda urged the euro-zone to get to grips quickly with its debt crisis yesterday, branding it the biggest threat to the global economy.

“It is indeed the major source of risks for the global economy,” Noda, speaking via videolink from Tokyo, told the Davos forum in Switzerland. “Within the euro-zone there should be major steps to alleviate the concerns of the international community and the markets.”

Noda said Japan “stands ready to support the European efforts as much as possible”, recalling that it contributed to the European Financial Stability Facility, a warchest designed to forestall a default in struggling economies.

The prime minister warned that European nations would face a long struggle to regain market credibility. Japan lost its triple A credit rating in 2001 and has still to win it back.

“The forces of global financial markets assail nations relentlessly,” he said. “Once the credibility of a nation is lost there is no way to get it back easily. The European debt crisis is a clear case in point.”

He was speaking the day after the credit rating agency Fitch cut the ratings of five euro-zone members, including Italy and Spain, citing their poor finances and vulnerability to sharp turns in market sentiment. France, the euro-zone’s second largest economy, lost its gold-plated triple A rating two weeks ago. —AFP

DAVOS: World Bank Group president Robert B. Zoellick, looks on prior to his speech about “ Global Economic Outlook 2012 “, yesterday, during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the congress center of the Swiss resort of Davos. —AFP

Public workers call mass protest in Barcelona BARCELONA: Police, firefighters, teachers and hospital staff vowed a mass demonstration in Barcelona yesteday in growing anger at spending cuts hitting key services in Spain’s Catalonia region.

The protest march through the streets will be marked by the presence of regional police officers, prison guards and firefighters who are warning that the budget cuts prompted by the financial crisis are undermining security. “It’s an explosive cocktail,” said David Miquel, a spokesman for the Catalan police union SPC. “We lack equipment and vehicles.

The situation is pathetic. In some cases there are no vehicles to carry out operations.”

Union sources told AFP that attendance at yesterday’s march could exceed the last one on January 18 which they said brought 20,000 people into the street on a week day.

Police gave the figure for that march as 11,000. Spending cuts aimed at stabilizing Spain’s public finances are hitting its regions hard, adding to the pain of an unemployment rate that crept close to 23 percent at the end of 2011, with more than five million people

out of work. Tens of thousands of public sector workers in several towns in Valencia, Spain’s most heavily indebted region, demonstrated on Thursday to protest cuts there.

Catalonia’s regional parliament is currently debating the budget for 2012 which includes cuts of 625 million euros ($826 million) to rein in its deficit to 1.3 percent of gross domestic product this year.

Cuts to health, security and education budgets began last year and at the end of 2011 the region also proposed to hike taxes and fees for services such as universities, public transport and water.

The Madrid government said Friday it had approved a new budget law that bans the country’s 17 powerful regions from sliding into deficit from 2020. Yestreday’s march unites civil servants from all the main sectors of Catalonia’s public services, including prison guards who blocked the entrances to some prisons last weekend in protest at planned pay cuts. “Sometimes there are just two guards for 500 inmates,” a prison guards representative, Albert Anton, told AFP. — AFP

WASHINGTON: The American economy may not be truly healthy yet, but it’s healing. The 2.8 percent annual growth rate reported Friday for the fourth quarter was the fastest since spring 2010 and was the third straight quarter that growth has accelerated.

Experts cautioned, however, that the pace was unlikely to last and that it’s not enough to sharply drive down the unemployment rate.

Unemployment stands at 8.5 percent - its lowest level in nearly three years after a sixth straight month of solid hiring. And Friday’s Commerce Department report suggests more hiring gains ahead.

For the final three months of 2011, Americans spent more on vehicles, and companies restocked their supplies at a robust pace. Still, overall growth last quarter - and for all of last year - was slowed by the sharpest cuts in annual government spending in four decades. And many people are reluctant to spend more or buy homes, and many employers remain hesitant to hire, even though job growth has strengthened.

The outlook for 2012 is slightly better. The Federal Reserve has estimated economic growth of roughly 2.5 percent for the year, despite abundant risk factors: federal spending cuts, weak pay increases, cautious consumers and the risk of a European recession.

Economists noted that most of the growth in the October-December quarter was due to companies restocking their supplies at the fastest rate in nearly two years. That pace is expected to slow. “The pickup in growth doesn’t look half as good when you realize that most of it was due to inventory accumulation,” said Paul Ashworth, an economist at Capital Economics.

Ashworth expects annualized growth to slip below 2 percent in the current January-March quarter. Other economists have similar estimates. Stocks opened lower after the government reported the growth figures. The Dow Jones industrial average closed down about 74 points. Broader indexes were mixed.

In a normal economy, roughly 3 percent growth is a healthy figure. It’s enough to keep unemployment down - but not so much growth as to ignite inflation. But coming out of a recession, much stronger growth is needed. By some estimates, the economy would have to expand at least 5 percent for a full year to drive down the unemployment rate by 1 percentage point.

In many ways, the economy did end 2011 on a strong note. Companies invested more in equipment and machinery in December. People are buying more cars, and consumer confidence has risen. Even the depressed housing market has shown enough incremental gains to lead some economists to detect the start of a turn-

around. In the final three months of 2011, consumer spending grew at a 2 percent annual rate.

That was up modestly from the July-September quarter. Consumer spending is critical because it fuels about 70 percent of the economy.

Much of the growth was powered by a 15 percent surge in sales of autos and other longlasting manufactured goods. Incomes, which have been weak because of still-high unemployment, grew ever so slightly, at a tepid 0.8 percent annual rate, following two straight quarter-

end of the year were a key factor. With Congress aiming to shrink budget deficits, the likelihood of further federal spending cuts could weigh on the economy. Economic growth is measured by the change in the gross domestic product, or GDP. The GDP reflects the value of all goods and services - from machinery to manicures to hotel bookings to jet fighters - produced in the United States. Friday’s estimate of GDP growth was the first of three for the October-December quarter.

The figure will be revised twice, in February and

HAMTRAMCK: Assembly line worker Edward Houie moves a door into position for a 2012 Chevrolet Volt at the General Motors Hamtramck Assembly plant in Hamtramck, Michigan. The US economy grew at a 2.8 percent annual rate in the final three months of last year, the fastest growth in 2011, according to the Commerce Department. — AP ly declines. Unless pay picks up, consumers who have dipped into savings in recent months may pull back.

“Consumers don’t have much income growth, and to even achieve a 2 percent growth rate in spending in the fourth quarter, they had to run down their saving rate,” said Nigel Gault, chief economist at IHS Global Insight.

And government spending at all levels fell at an annual rate of 4.6 percent in the fourth quarter and 2.1 percent for the year - the sharpest drop since 1971. Defense cuts at the start and

then in March.

Ian Shepherdson, an economist at High Frequency Economics, is among the more optimistic analysts. He said he thought business investment in capital goods would be stronger and consumer spending higher this year. Many fear that a likely recession in Europe could cool demand for US manufactured goods. Growth would slow. Without many more jobs and better pay, consumer spending could weaken. The Fed signaled this week that a full economic recovery could take at least three more years. — AP

Vanishing inflation bolsters case for Fed easing WASHINGTON: It has only been a few days since the US Federal Reserve adopted a formal goal for inflation, and already policymakers are missing their target. The US central bank’s preferred measure of inflation sank to its lowest level in more than a year in the fourth quarter, data showed on Friday.

Growth in the government’s personal consumption expenditure index, which the Fed now targets at 2.0 percent, dropped to a 0.7 percent annual rate, about a third of its pace during the previous three months.

Of course, the Fed aims to hit its target over the longer run and will be willing to look through often volatile food and energy prices.

But even stripping those costs out, the inflation rate fell sharply to 1.1 percent over the past three months, a potentially troubling sign that the trend is not the Fed’s friend.

With unemployment still at an elevated 8.5 percent, Friday’s data could buttress the case within the central bank for taking new action to boost the economy.

“Clearly, much work remains to achieve the Fed’s dual mandate of maximum sustainable employment in the context of price stability,” said New York Fed President William Dudley, who has hinted he supports doing more to lower borrowing costs.

“Inflation has retreated and may be headed down further,” Dudley told reporters on Friday.

The Fed’s policy-setting committee is divid-

ed between officials who want to pump more money into the economy and others known as hawks who worry inflation could get out of hand. Currently, many investors think the Fed will try to lower borrowing costs further this year through “quantitative easing,” which entails purchasing securities on the market in order to bring down interest rates for mortgages and business loans.

Economists at 12 of 18 primary dealers, the large financial institutions that do business directly with the Fed, said the central bank would do further quantitative easing, a Reuters poll showed. The poll was conducted after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke’s news conference on Wednesday.

If that happens, this would amount to “QE3” or the Fed’s third round of quantitative easing since November 2008 when its first QE program was launched about two months after Lehman Brothers collapsed, during the depths of the financial crisis. The inflation reading “very much supports the idea from the nonhawkish core of the committee that inflation has a downward trajectory right now,” said Michael Hanson, an economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Still, some temporary factors likely pushed inflation numbers lower during the fourth quarter, which could keep officials from rushing into more monetary stimulus.

Prices for durable goods fell at a 2.7 percent

annual rate, which analysts attributed to automakers recovering from supply-chain disruptions created by an earthquake in Japan in March. That suggests while inflation is well below the Fed’s target, the economy does not appear poised to slip into deflation, a debilitating spiral of falling prices and wages. Fears of deflation were a major justification for a $600 billion quantitative easing program in late 2010. “ This isn’t really deflationary,” Paul Ashworth, economist at Capital Economics in Toronto, said of the price data. Nonetheless, the sharp easing in inflation potentially gives the Fed more room to ramp up efforts to boost employment. The PCE price index will likely rise just 1.4 percent this year, said Jeff Greenberg, an economist at Nomura in New York. The jobless rate, however, remains several percentage points higher than where most Fed officials would prefer it to be, even though it has fallen in recent months. In December, it stood at 8.5 percent. With this in mind, both Greenberg and Ashworth expect the Fed will launch a new bond-buying program by mid-year.

One factor that could force policymakers to spring to action more quickly is a possible worsening of Europe’s banking crisis, which could drag large US financial institutions into a rut and trigger a new credit crunch. Argued Hanson of BofA-Merrill: “That’s the wild card and that would potentially change the way the Fed reacts.” — Reuters

26

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

business

George Wills, Managing Director of Porsche Middle East and Africa FZE

Porsche Mideast celebrates best ever year DUBAI: Porsche Middle East and Africa FZE, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dr Ing. hc F Porsche AG, Stuttgart, has had a remarkable 2011, as the latest sales figures show that the brand is more popular than ever.

The regional office, with a presence in the Middle East since 1999, celebrates its most successful year ever in the region, with a 16 per cent sales increase on its previous record year of 2010.

Close to 8,000 (7,949) vehicles were sold in the region in 2011.

The highlight of this record-breaking year was August - which was Porsche Middle East’s best ever sales month; with 924 vehicles being delivered to customers. Globally, Porsche is also celebrating a new delivery record in 2011: 118,867 vehicles were sold worldwide; a 22.2 per cent increase compared with the year before.

George Wills, Managing Director of Porsche Middle East and Africa FZE, says: “2010 was already a record breaking year for us, but the

2011 performance has surpassed even that! Back in August, we celebrated our best month ever, and I hoped that 2011 overall would be a good year, but this is a fantastic tribute to the hard work of our importers; to the excellence of the brand in the region, and most of all, to the trust our customers continue to place in Porsche.”

In fact, since setting up a direct presence in the region, Porsche has enjoyed a continuous sales growth, with figures surpassing expectations. The Porsche model range continues to surprise and delight discerning customers across the region and with the announcement of the exciting new 911, the order book is bulging with more than 600 pre-orders.

Despite the launch of the new version of the iconic 911 Carrera, sales of the existing model saw a 31 per cent increase in 2011. The Porsche Cayenne enjoyed an enormous 35 per cent sales increase over 2010 figures, with a high number of pre-orders underlining the popularity of the

New partners for My First Account and @Tijari Discount Program from CBK KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait Kuwait and bowling arena located in 360 announced the new partners for the mall. The returning partners include a 2012 discount program who are offering dental clinic, two of the leading athletic exclusive and amazing discounts for its sportswear shops for kids in addition to special kids segment, My First Account the biggest aquarium in Kuwait.

For the @Tijari account, which targets and its exceptional youth segment, @Tijari. The bank’s top priority is to satisfy youth customers from 15 to 21 years old, its customers, and to achieve this target Sabboury added that “the bank chose the bank endeavored to choose partners specific places that the youth in Kuwait from different sectors like health, enter- would love.” Popular returning partners who helped in the success tainment, education and of @Tijari when it was first others to cater to the needs launched are part of @Tijari of its young and youth cusagain for 2012. Now the tomer segment. bank has even more partThe special offers for My ners that offer exclusive First Account customers, discounts whenever @Tijari which is a kids tailored customers use their ATM account specifically targetcard including some of the ing children from 0 to 14 best restaurants in addiyears old, include some of tion to an international the bank’s loyal partners as football academy that prowell as numerous new vides youngsters with the partners who provide them best skills and techniques discounts reaching up to as well as free Spanish les50% when they use their Ramzi Sabboury sons, a bookstore filled ATM card. with the latest books and The Executive Manager of Marketing and Sales - Ramzi Sabboury novels and one of the top spas in Kuwait - mentioned that this year “we have a for men. Returning partners include the great list of new partners that will surely leading sportswear stores in Kuwait help make My First Account one of the which we are sure will satisfy this imporbest kids account in Kuwait.” The new tant segment plus a dental clinic and a partners include an international football nails salon for women located in the academy that provides youngsters with Avenues. Al Tijari will continue on arrangthe best skills and techniques as well as ing events and provide exciting offers free Spanish lessons, a bookstore filled throughout the year to keep customers with the latest books and novels as well satisfied and loyal, which is the ultimate as the biggest indoor theme park in goal of the bank.

Air Arabia carried 4.7m passengers in 2011 KUWAIT: Air Arabia, the first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) in the Middle East and North Africa, yesterday announced that it carried some 4.7 million passengers in 2011, a six per cent growth compared to the previous year.

The airline’s ambitious network expansion strategy was central to the significant growth in passenger numbers witnessed over the past year. In 2011, Air Arabia added six new routes to Moscow and Yekaterinburg in Russia, Kharkiv and Donetsk in Ukraine, and Gassim and Yanbu in KSA. In addition, the airline also launched non-stop services from its Alexandria hub to Milan in Italy, Riyadh and Dammam in KSA. “Air Arabia continues to witness signif-

icant year-on-year growth” said Adel Ali, Board Member and Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia. “2011 seen Air Arabia serving its 70th destination across the globe from its three operating hubs. Our long-term expansion strategy, underpinned by our proven business model, and customer driven value will continue to drive Air Arabia’s growth in the years to come.”

In 2011, the carrier also took delivery of six new A320 aircraft from Airbus as part of an order for 44 aircraft placed in 2007. Once completed in 2016, the order will more than double the size of Air Arabia’s fleet, in line with its aim to increase its total operating fleet to more than 50 aircraft.

unique Porsche high-performance SUV, which was the brand’s best selling model in 2011.

Despite run-out, the Boxster has proven to be an attractive model with an impressive 29 per cent increase over 2010. Meanwhile, Cayman sales also increased by 29 per cent year-on-year.

Now in its third year here, the Porsche Panamera has seen double digit growth across the region compared to 2010, especially with the Turbo, Turbo S and strikingly sporty GTS (available in March this year) models impressing clients old and new.

George Wills, Managing Director of Porsche Middle East and Africa FZE, adds: “These figures speak for themselves. Porsche is well known, well-loved and highly desired across the region.

Porsche is, and always will be, a strong lifestyle statement, and there’s no denying the brand is a legend.

“Those who buy a Porsche not only buy a vehicle, but they are buying into a rich history of

automotive excellence; they are buying something which exudes passion; something which exceeds all their expectations of what a modern, intelligent sports car should be; while both preserving tradition and welcoming the future.”

Innovations that continue to impress customers include the Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK), which offers seven automatic gears, shortening acceleration times. Compared to manual transmission, PDK offers lower fuel consumption, due to intelligent shifting strategy.

Porsche also offers the world’s first ever sevenspeed manual transmission; auto start/stop function; electro-mechanical power steering; Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) and Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) - all of which have been developed as part of Porsche Intelligent Performance, a philosophy of improving efficiency and lessening environmental impact which permeates the brand at every level, and will help ensure Porsche enjoys continuing success in future.

BMW ‘M meets X’ Drive event thrills customers Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive’s new initiative KUWAIT: Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive, the exclusive importer of BMW Group vehicles in Kuwait launched the second edition of BMW ‘M meets X’ driver training experience at the Sheikh Jaber International Racing Circuit, giving BMW enthusiasts the opportunity to experience sheer driving pleasure on the circuit. Customers and media representatives participated in the event, in which BMW driver trainers guided attendees through the wide range of driving options available on BMW M vehicles.

Organized by Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive and BMW Middle East Regional Office, participants benefited from personalized sessions on how best to enjoy the maximum performance of driving M vehicles in a variety of different conditions, such as braking and cornering. Attendees also enjoyed a unique track driving experience that allowed the drivers to test the limits of their vehicles in a safe and controlled environment.

“The heart of the BMW brand is the engine and experience our drivers feel when behind the wheel of any BMW, so events like ‘M meets X’ provide an opportunity for highly experienced BMW trainers to impart valuable knowledge on how best to utilize the power and driver assistant features of our M models in a safe and responsible manner. Furthermore, it showcases the full capabilities of the powerful M Series vehicles,” said Yousef Al-Qatami, General Manager of Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive.

Guests at the event had the opportunity to drive the full range of new vehicles from ‘M’, BMW’s exclusive, sporty and dynamic sub-brand.

Invitees got the chance to experience cars such as the BMW M3 Coupe and Convertible, X5M and X6M. “The popularity and excitement of our BMW M models still continues to grow, however, driving a car boasting the M logo remains an exclusive experience, as it offers a unique design, comfort, technology and engineering,” added Al Qatami.

Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive, and BMW are committed to promoting road safety through regular BMW Driver Training sessions at world class venues. Furthermore, the brand has increased safety on the roads through its ConnectedDrive driver assistance technologies such as Lane Departure Warning and Park Assist.

Customers can experience and have more details about the technologies by visiting Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive showrooms in Shuwaikh.

Abdulmohsen Abdulaziz Al Babtain honored Company wins ‘Majestic Mogul Platinum Award’ KUWAIT: Abdulmohsen Abdulaziz Al Babtain Co is pleased to announce that the company has won the “Majestic Mogul Platinum Award” yet again for ‘Volume Targets Achievement’, ‘Premium Product Sales’, ‘Finest Procedures’ and ‘Market Coverage & Visibility’ in retail lubricants segment by achieving the first place in the Middle East. This prestigious award was presented by the top management of TOTAL Middle East FZE, Philippe Cabus Managing Director, and A.S. Krishnan - Vice President at a glittering event held in Phuket, Thailand on 18th and 19th of November 2011.

Senior officials from TOTAL Lubricants France & the Middle East as well as TOTAL Lubricants Distributors from Kuwait, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan graced the

event with their presence.

Despite the global economic slowdown and sharp upward based oil trends in the year 2011, Abdulmohsen Abdulaziz Al-Babtain Co was able to double their TOTAL Lubricants business and was awarded for their remarkable achievement in Retail Lubricants market in Kuwait. “ We applaud the staff and leadership of Abdulmohsen Abdulaziz Al Babtain Co for demonstrating regional accolade in their quest for performance excellence,” stated Ghazi Al-Babtain, Business Development Manager, Al-Babtain Group “Being judged to be worthy of the Majestic Mogul Platinum Award demonstrates a commitment of Al-Babtain Group to a rigorous journey of continuous improvement and a good level of sus-

tainable performance. The growth achieved is due to the joint efforts put in by our proficient Sales and Marketing Team that helped us reach our desired goals” Mr. Ghazi Al Babtain stated while receiving the award.

In addition Hassan Ali, Lubricant Division Manager, stated, “Abdulmohsen Abdulaziz AlBabtain Co’s management strategy, sales forecast and balanced product mix were highly commended and set as an example before Middle East Distributors by the Total Management. Adding that the success achieved was mainly due to the professionalism and mutual understanding between both teams Total & Abdulmohsen Abdulaziz Al Babtain Co which is bound to grow in years to come.”

27

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

Gone for good: Getting rid of data the right way BERLIN: Out of sight, out of mind. That might work when you’re trying to get rid of regular garbage, but you have to be careful when removing old computer files. Just making them disappear is far from enough. Don’t just assume your computer’s delete function is thorough enough, especially if you want to sell your computer or hard drive and need to clear out your data before passing it on. In such cases, as thorough as you might have been, simply deleting files - or even formatting the disk is not enough.

It is true that applying Ctrl-Delete to a file lets users skip the wastebasket, deleting the data. But anyone with a special program can easily resurrect such files. That’s because

Windows, during a normal deletion, only removes the directory, but leaves the actual data behind. Or the operating system might delete certain portions of the hard drive, but doesn’t overwrite them. That makes it easy for recovery programs to restore files from their digital nirvana.

To make sure such revivals are impossible, computer users need to pull out the big guns, either within the standard Windows toolset, or with special deletion tools, many of which are easy to use and free. Hard drive files on Windows machines can be permanently deleted simply with the prompt command. Use the command “cipher /w: ‘folder or file.’” That deletes the folder or the particular file and then

immediately overwrites, several times, the place the data was stored. Files treated that way cannot be restored. However, it’s a tedious and slow way to delete an entire drive.

Secure Eraser, a freeware program, also offers a sure thing. The program comes with a graphical interface and overwrites deleted data several times, following multiple international standards meant to guarantee that the deleted data really isn’t coming back. The program is easy to use, even by people without much experience in such operations.

If you need to delete an entire hard drive, then start up from a live disc like the free Ultimate Boot CD and use its Linux operating system to access the mass storage. Use the

CopyWipe function to remove all data, first choosing the drive to be wiped and then setting how many times the tool should overwrite the pertinent sectors. Darik’s Boot and Nuke is another reliable alternative, also based on the Ultimate CD. However, deleting with Darik’s can take several hours, meaning you need to have some patience if you’re going to use it.

Another candidate on the Ultimate disc is the partitioning tool Parted Magic, which has a deletion function included.

To delete files from a solid state disc (SSD), check out the freeware SSD Toolbox from Intel.

It’s a very useful tool. The newest version, 3, includes a Secure Erase function that can reliably remove files from an SSD. However, some

users have complained about the way the software works with certain SSDs. Also check out Sdelete, of the Sysinternals troubleshooting program, owned by Microsoft. It also has functions for permanently removing files from SD cards or USB sticks, so long as the more secure NTFS data system is in use. But usually, Tool Eraser is enough for flash devices.

What if you realize that you did need that data after all? Then check out PhotoRec, which can put back together files that are even beyond the ability of Windows to repair or recover. The program does not need to be installed but can be started up directly. It’s not particularly easy to use, but there are step-bystep instructions on its download site. —dpa

Twitter faces censorship charges amid backlash Twitter users call for a boycott WASHINGTON: Twitter, championed as a tool of free expression during the Arab Spring, was facing censorship charges after announcing it can now block tweets on a country-by-country basis if legally required to do so.

San Francisco -based Twitter stressed the move in no way compromised its commitment to free speech, but the backlash was immediate with critics taking to the service by the thousands to tweet disappointment and outrage.

“This is very bad news,” said Mahmoud Salem, the Egyptian pro - democrac y ac tivist and blogger who tweets using the handle @sandmonkey. “Is it safe to say that #Twitter is selling us out?” “Yet another low for free speech,” said Jannis Leidel, or @jezdez. Some Twitter users called for a boycott of the service yesterday, punctuating their t weets with the hashtag #TwitterBlackout. Others questioned whether Twitter’s move was related to a $300 million investment in December by billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal of Saudi Arabia, a country with strong Internet censorship.

Olivier Basille, director of Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF), expressed “deep concern” in a letter to Jack Dorsey, executive chairman and co-founder of Twitter, which has over 100 million active users. “By finally choosing to align itself with the censors, Twitter is depriving c yberdissidents in repressive countries of a crucial tool for information and organization,” Basille said. “Are you going to block the accounts of Syrian c yberdissidents if the Syrian authorities tell you to do so?” he asked. Basille questioned

whether Twitter ’s move was motivated by a desire to enter China, where the service is currently blocked. “Is it possible that one day there will be a sanitized Chinese version of Twitter that has been rid of any reference to the Chinese Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo?” he asked.

In its blog post, Twitter said the ability to block tweets by specific country would allow the rest of the world to continue to see them. Twitter pledged to be transparent and said it would post details of any removal of content to ChillingEffects.org, a public database of takedown requests. “As we continue to grow internationally, we will enter countries that have different ideas about the contours of freedom of expression,” Twitter said. “Some differ so much from

our ideas that we will not be able to exist there. “Others are similar but, for historical or cultural reasons, restrict certain types of content, such as France or Germany, which ban pro-Nazi content,” Twitter said.

Technology bloggers said Twitter, by giving itself the abili-

ty to block content selectively for legal reasons, was falling in line with practices already followed by other Web giants such as Google, Facebook and eBay. Danny Sullivan, chief editor of MarketingLand.com, said “these types of censorship demands have long been placed against search engines like Google or anyone who hosts content.

“Twitter is preparing for potential demands in the way that Google already does, by alerting its users to when content has

been withheld and providing information about why,” he said on MarketingLand.com.

Twitter has already been removing content to comply with copyright complaints, Sullivan noted. “What’s new is that eventually, Twitter may expand to having staff based in other countries,” he said. “That makes the company more liable to legal actions in those countries, so it needs a way to comply with those legal demands.

“Overall, there doesn’t seem to be a particular reason to hit the panic button here,” Sullivan said.

Zeynep Tufekci, an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina and a fellow at the Harvard Berkman Center for Internet and Society, said that far from promoting censorship, Twitter ’s move was a “model policy.”

“Twitter’s latest policy is purposefully designed to allow Twitter to exist as a platform as broadly as possible while making it as hard as possible for governments to censor content, either tweet by tweet or more, all the while giving free-speech advocates a lot of tools to fight censorship,” Tufekci said. “The idea that Twitter can just ignore court orders everywhere is not only unrealistic, it would result in more countries (tr ying) to block Twitter completely,” she said on her blog. “The Internet is not a ‘virtual’ space, and cyberspace is not a planet which can float above all jurisdictions forever.” She said the plan to publicize where tweets have been blocked is a “level of transparency (that) should be the model for all Internet companies” and also a power ful tool for freespeech advocates. —AFP

Hacker group Anonymous targets Mexican websites MEXICO CITY: The activist hacker group Anonymous attacked three Mexican government websites on Friday in protest at a proposed bill that seeks to toughen local laws about online file-sharing. The affected sites belong to the Interior Ministry, the Senate

and the Chamber of Deputies.

The homepage of the Interior Ministry remained offline by mid-afternoon. “We demand the Mexican government not continue with this law because they will take away our freedom of speech and file sharing,”

Anonymous said in a video posted on Youtube ahead of Friday’s action.

The proposed law, floated last month by a senator from the ruling National Action Party, Federico Doring, would criminalize the uploading of music,

TEL AVIV: A general view shows the building of Israel’s leading Haaretz newspaper in Tel Aviv after Arab hackers claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on prominent Israeli websites, including that of the daily newspaper, whose Hebrew-language site was taken down by the Palestinian wing of the global hacker collective Anonymous, according to a message posted on Twitter. —AFP

videos or books to the Internet without the permission of copyright holders. Anonymous members and their supporters took to Twitter to coordinate the attacks under the hashtag “#OpDoring” with messages including “Senate TANGO DOWN !! FIREEE don’t hesitate to shoot” and “Change of target deputies ... FIRE.” Interior Minister Alejandro Poire confirmed his ministry’s website had been hit by a denial-of-service attack. He said the government was working to prevent such strikes, and that it would investigate and prosecute any crimes committed.

“We will certainly verify the security protocols of the ministry ’s website to ensure the integrity of its information and prevent future attacks,” he said.

Anonymous, a loosely knit group that has attacked financial and government websites around the world, compared Doring’s proposal with anti-piracy bills in the United States that were halted after a huge online protest this month. The hacker group had clashed with Mexican officials before.

Anonymous claimed responsibility in September after the websites of several Mexican government ministries, including Defense and Public Security, went offline. —Reuters

PALO ALTO: The reception area at Facebook headquarters is seen in this file photo in Palo Alto, CA. Facebook may file papers for an initial public offering next week that would value the social network at up to $100 billion, The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday. —AFP

Facebook may file for IPO next week NEW YORK: Facebook may file papers for an initial public offering next week that would value the social network at up to $100 billion, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday. The newspaper, citing people familiar with the matter, said Facebook could file IPO papers with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as early as Wednesday but the “timing is still being discussed.”

“Executives are also considering filing a few weeks later,” it said. The Journal said the Menlo Park, California-based social networking giant is looking at a valuation of $75 billion to $100 billion and is close to picking Morgan Stanley as the lead underwriter for the stock offering. It said Goldman Sachs is also expected to “play a significant role in the deal.” The Journal quoted its sources as saying that Facebook’s IPO could raise as much as $10 billion, making it one of the largest ever.

With a deal size of $10 billion, Facebook would slip into sixth place on the list of largest US IPOs between AT&T Wireless Group ($10.62 billion) and Kraft Foods ($8.68 billion), according to Renaissance Capital. It would be the largest IPO ever by a US Internet company, eclipsing that of Google in 2004 which raised $1.9 billion and valued the Web search giant at $23 billion. A market capitalization of $100 billion would put Facebook on a par with McDonald’s ($101 billion), well ahead of Boeing ($56 billion) but behind Apple ($415 billion)

and Google ($186 billion).

Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has deflected IPO talk for years, saying he is focused on building the company and not on going public.

But Zuckerberg, who co-founded Facebook in his Harvard University dorm room nine years ago and has seen it grow to more than 800 million members, recently seemed to bow to the inevitability of selling stock to the public. In an interview with Charlie Rose of PBS television, Zuckerberg said an IPO was “not something I spend a lot of time on a dayto-day basis thinking about.” But, he added, “a big part of being a technology company is getting the best engineers and designers and talented people around the world.

“And one of the ways that you can do that is you compensate people with equity or options,” Zuckerberg said. “At some point we’re going to make that equity worth something publicly and liquidly.” Facebook’s current annual revenue, mostly from online advertising, is estimated to be around $5 billion.

Forrester Research analyst Josh Bernoff recently told AFP that a Facebook IPO would be “the biggest financial event in the tech industry for 2012.” Several other Internet companies went public in 2011.

Career-oriented social network LinkedIn was undervalued while online daily deals site Groupon and social games titan Zynga have both been trading at or below their list price. —AFP

Google overhauls its privacy policies SAN JOSE: As Google increasingly seeks to meld what were once separate services into a single overall experience, the Internet giant is also consolidating its network of privacy policies into a single umbrella statement. Google said it would consolidate a tangle of more than 60 privacy policies into a single, easierto-understand statement that would inform the company’s hundreds of millions of users about how Google collects and uses information about them. The company plans to put its new privacy policy into effect March 1.

“Our new policy reflects our desire to create a simple product experience that does what you need, when you want it to,” Google said in an announcement posted on its website Tuesday afternoon. At about 2,200 words, the new privacy policy is slightly longer than Google’s existing main privacy policy, but the company says a consumer who uses many of the most popular Google services would have to read more than 80,000 words now to digest all the specific policies that now cover those key services.

The move reflects the fact that important Google services such as Web search, Gmail, and the Google+ social network are increasingly joined at the hip. A Google customer who uses both Gmail and Google+, for example, now sees information about their Google+ connections in their Gmail contacts.

And Google recently launched a controversial new search feature that promotes content from Google+ and its Picasa photo-sharing service in search results.

Privacy groups have long called for Internet companies like Google and Facebook to rewrite their privacy policies in plain English and shorten them as much as

possible to help consumers make choices.

But privacy advocates may not rush to embrace the new Google privacy effort, if their response to Google’s recent privacy education campaign is any indication.

Google also recently launched a new education campaign about privacy dubbed “Good to Know” in newspapers and magazines across the country, and links to the “Good to Know” website are featured on the company’s new privacy page.

But the Washington-based Electronic Privacy Information Center plans on Wednesday to launch an alternative campaign called “Good to Really Know,” which will talk about how software “cookies” are used to target advertising to consumers, as well as other privacy issues that Google mentioned but did not prominently feature in its advertising campaign. “What they say on their ‘Good to Know’ website is really not helpful to users, and we think users should know that,” Marc Rotenberg, executive director of EPIC said Tuesday. “It puts the responsibility for privacy back on the users, when it’s Google and others that should be doing more to safeguard online privacy.”

The US Federal Trade Commission, which recently finalized a consent decree that requires Google to submit to 20 years of independent privacy audits, did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the company’s new privacy policy.

There will still be a handful of Google services that have their own separate privacy policies, such as for its Chrome browser and Wallet payments services, because those services require different disclosures under the law. —MCT

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

Renegade sperm donor triggers US probe WASHINGTON: A California man who donates his sperm for free to couples who want to have a baby is being investigated by US regulators but insists he will continue his efforts as a matter of goodwill. Trent Arsenault, 36, first attracted scrutiny from the US Food and Drug Administration in 2009 for his free sperm donations, which he says resulted in 14 births with several more babies on the way. A cease-anddesist letter from the FDA in November 2010 did not dissuade him - there have been five pregnancies and one birth since that notice arrived, he told AFP, adding that he still has no hearing date with the regulatory agency.

“I want to continue because the amount of e -mails from childless couples has been tremendous,” Arsenault said. “All of them have similar stories - that it is too costly to conceive via a sperm bank.” People who purchase from a registered sperm bank typically pay between $200 and $675 per dose, according to Fairfax Cryobank in Virginia. Arsenault’s personal website, trentdonor.org, describes him as a blond-

haired, brown-eyed Silicon Valley tech worker.

His background is half German, one quarter Irish and one quarter French. He learned to play piano by ear by the age of eight, speaks Spanish and English, is “amazed by nature” and studied engineering at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He donates his sperm at no cost to “married couples with fertility challenges and female domestic partners,” according to his site which links to a donor agreement that absolves him of responsibility and visitation rights. His recipients are not named but numerous pictures of babies are posted along with anonymous testimonials such as “advanced for her age,” “healthy... strong,” and “everything I could ever ask for in life”.

The FDA declined to comment because the matter involves an open investigation. However the agency said in an email to AFP that sperm donations must be screened for a host of sexually-transmitted diseases, including HIV, hepatitis and gonorrhea. “Under FDA’s regulations, sperm donors are required to be screened for

risk factors that may increase the chances of transmitting a communicable disease,” it said.

“FDA regulations apply to tissue intended for transplantation only.”

Arsenault has posted online copies of lab results showing he tested negative for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis A, B and C, and herpes. However his sperm samples are labeled: “For immediate transfer to SIP (sexually intimate partner),” “Not evaluated for infectious substances,” and “Warning: advise recipient of communicable disease risks,” his website says.

Arsenault has appealed the FDA’s order on the basis that “he could provide documentation by and testimony from women to whom he had donated.... that he was a sexually intimate partner,” according to legal documents. In that case, he should be considered “exempt from the regulatory requirements,” his lawyer argued in the documents. Arsenault said he is currently awaiting a response from the FDA. According to Trina Leonard, a spokeswoman for Fairfax Cryobank in Virginia, people who use

his services may be saving a few hundred dollars but are risking a lot. “There is so much testing and protection involved with donor sperm from a reputable bank that is not in place for people who are using this renegade sperm donor,” she told AFP. “This is like conceiving a baby with somebody you just met, or unprotected sex on a first date with. It is completely unprotected, unscreened, un-anything-ed. That is just crazy,” she added. Only one to two percent of all would-be sperm donors are accepted by official sperm banks, and donors tend to be paid $100 to $150 per donation, Leonard said.

As to what motivates Arsenault, his website contains 10 bullet point descriptions including his “spirit of volunteering to the community,” his respect for women, his faith in God, and his rejection of powerful corporations that profit from commercial sperm banks. “One of Trent’s closest childhood friends was an only child whose parents tried for years to conceive,” it adds. “Trent knows first-hand the struggle families go through to have a child and he wishes to help.” — AFP

US detains orange juice imports over fungicide 11 shipments test positive for carbendazim WASHINGTON: US health regulators on Friday detained nine shipments of orange juice from Brazil and Canada that contained traces of an illegal fungicide, and rejected industry calls to overhaul the way they test for the banned substance. The Food and Drug Administration said carbendazim would remain illegal for citrus in any amount in the United States. Brazil and US industry groups asked the FDA to reconsider its stance on the fungicide, widely used in Brazil to combat blight blossom and black spot, a type of mold that grows on orange trees.

The FDA started testing for the fungicide on Jan 4, after an alert from Coca-Cola, roiling orange juice futures to record highs as traders feared a prolonged disruption to supply. Orange juice futures jumped almost 3 percent on Friday after the FDA announcement. Traders also fretted that the fungicide testing would further dent demand if it translated into higher prices for consumers, or sparked fears of a health risk.

Brazilian orange juice makes up about half of all US imports, and meets more than a tenth of domestic demand.

The US Juice Products Association and Brazil’s CitrusBR urged the FDA to raise the amount of the fungicide, carbendazim, it will allow into the

country by raising the legal limit for frozen concentrated juice. “If this were considered, the whole problem would have been already resolved,” CitrusBR’s Christian Lohbauer told reporters on Friday. These were the first public efforts by the two countries’ industries to persaude the FDA to restore juice imports into the United States since testing began almost a month ago.

The industry groups called on the FDA to differentiate between ready-to-drink juice and frozen concentrate. Since the concentrate is diluted before drinking, the level could be close to 60 parts per billion (ppb) without exceeding the FDA’s legal limit for drinkable juice, industry groups said. The FDA said any imports with detectable levels of fungicide, which means above 10 ppb, would not be allowed in the country. The European Union allows 200 ppb, and the FDA has said any level of fungicide below 80 ppb poses no health risk. The agency did not recall any juice already on store shelves in the United States.

Ready-to-drink juice, which makes up about 65 percent of Brazil’s juice shipments to the United States, does not seem to have a problem with traces of the fungicide. Only frozen juice

RIO DE JANEIRO: Oranges for sale are seen at a market in this Sept 21, 2011 file photo. — AFP

Bus-sized asteroid shaves by Earth WASHINGTON: An asteroid about the size of a bus shaved by Earth on Friday in what spacewatchers described as a “near-miss,” though experts were not concerned about the possibility of an impact. The asteroid, named 2012 BX34, measured between six and 19 meters in diameter, said Gareth Williams, associate director of the USbased Minor Planet Center which tracks space objects. The asteroid, which had been unknown before it popped into view from a telescope in Arizona on Wednesday, came within about 60,000 kilometers (37,000 miles) of Earth on Friday at about 1500 GMT, he said.

“It’s a near miss. It makes the top 20 list of closest approaches ever observed,” Williams told AFP. NASA had announced on Twitter on Thursday that the asteroid would “safely pass Earth on January 27.”

Williams explained that since the asteroid was so small, it could only be detected when it was close to the Earth, but that the fly-by, while a surprise, was not terribly uncommon. “This came about a sixth of the distance from the Moon,” he said. “In the past year we have had some 30 objects that were observed to come within the orbit of the Moon.”

Williams said his pager went off in the middle of the night Wednesday after the asteroid was first sighted, but once he

checked he went right back to sleep because he knew it would not hit Earth from its projected distance. But where it goes next is less certain. “If we have radar on it from last night then we can probably predict it decades into the future,” he said.

“If we don’t have radar, then we only have a two- to three-day arc of observations and extrapolating that into the future will be very uncertain.”

However, since the asteroid is so diminutive, it poses little threat to the vast Earth, he added. “This object is so small that even if it hits us the next time around it won’t survive passage through the atmosphere in one piece,” Williams said. “Objects in that size range - six to 19 meters - will typically break up due to the force of entering the atmosphere. All that may remain are a few fist- or football-sized rocks that make it to the ground as meteorites.”

In November last year, a much a larger asteroid called 2005 YU55 made its closest fly-by of Earth in 200 years. The near-spherical asteroid, 400 m in diameter, passed by at a distance of 324,600 km, as measured from the center of Earth, NASA said. In 2008, a small asteroid estimated to be a few meters wide sparked a fireball in the night sky plunged down over Sudan, scattering fragments over the Nubian desert, NASA said. — AFP

spikes above the limit because it is in concentrate form and would be diluted for drinking, Lohbauer said. “The agency is using this lower maximum level ... because the letter of the law requires the agency to do so,” the US Juice Products Association said in a statement, and said a higher tolerance level would be the logical choice to protect consumers. But the FDA did not budge on its testing policies. “We’ve stated before that we would test imports on an ‘as is’ basis, and that’s still our policy,” FDA spokeswoman Siobhan DeLancey said in an email.

Brazil juice imports will continue to falter unless the FDA raises its tolerance level for fungicide, or Brazilian growers find an alternative way to keep trees free from mold, growers said.

However, US consumers still have plenty of juice to drink for now because of a large crop this season, analysts said. The Brazilian juice industry said it would study alternatives if the United States continues to reject its juice shipments.

The industry’s pressure on the FDA came after the agency announced on Friday that it had blocked three shipments of Brazilian orange juice and six from Canada that tested positive for carbendazim. Canada, which makes up less than 1 percent of US imports, does not grow its own oranges, and traders assumed the Canadian juice was grown in Brazil. The South American country often ships juice to Toronto, to get it to consumers in Chicago.

Of the six shipments detained from Canada, none had levels of fungicide higher than 31 ppb, and most were below 20 ppb. The Brazilian shipments that tested positive had carbendazim levels between 20 ppb and 52 ppb. Two other Brazilian concentrate shipments tested positive for the fungicide, but the companies decided not to import the juice into the country, the FDA said. The FDA said 29 of the 80 orange juice samples it had taken since testing began on Jan 4 had no traces of carbendazim, including two from Brazil and seven from Canada. Importers will have 90 days to export or destroy the product, the agency said.

The FDA said it would test all shipments twice, and detain any that tested positive for carbendazim at least once. In the United States, trace amounts of the fungicide are still allowed in 31 food types including grains, nuts and some non-citrus fruits. The fungicide had been allowed for citrus until 2009 as a temporary measure, regulators said. — Reuters

Drone finds ‘river of blood’ in Texas CHICAGO: A drone enthusiast testing out his airborne camera discovered a river of blood behind a Texas meatpacking plant, prompting outrage and investigations by local authorities. “We were very concerned with the fact that this discharge was going into the creek which is going into one of our treasures - the Trinity River,” Zachary Thompson, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services, told AFP. “People should be able to use it as a fun and recreational area. You don’t want to see it impacted by any kind of discharge.”

Especially not pig blood. “I was looking at images after the flight that showed a blood red creek and was thinking, could this really be what I think it is? Can you really do that, surely not? “ the drone operator told sUAS News - an online magazine for small unmanned aerial system enthusiasts.

“Whatever it is, it was flat out gross.”

The plant operator said the spill was caused by a clogged sewer pipe and lashed out at the city for waiting 41 days after the drone operator called in his report to do anything about it. “If the city had contacted us on December 9, the problem would have been fixed on December 10,” Joe Ondrusek, whose family has run Columbia Packing for 99 years, said in a statement. He insisted that the spill was unintentional and noted that the city installed a box on the plant’s sewer line years ago that monitors the amount of waste water going through the line and the substances contained in it. A spokesman for the city of Dallas’s attorney - who has reportedly filed charges in the case - did not return a request for comment. — AFP

KABUL: In this picture taken on Dec 20, 2011 an Afghan doctor talks with patients at a psychiatric ward of a local hospital. – AFP

Mental trauma takes toll in Afghan war KABUL: Mohammad Qasim, a 58-year-old butcher, is traumatised, depressed and anxious - like 50 percent of his fellow Afghans after 30 years of war, according to government figures. Qasim saw his wife, daughter-in-law and two grandsons aged five and six die in a horrific suicide bombing in Kabul last month. More than 70 other people were also killed in the attack on a crowd of worshippers at a shrine during the Shiite holy day of Ashura on Dec 6. “We are destroyed, our hopes are shattered,” mourned Qasim, sitting alone on a ragged carpet in an empty house once filled with his grandsons’ joyful playing. “I always shout when that incident comes to my mind. I am sleepless. When I do sleep sometimes I dream about that dreadful attack, I wake up, cry and yell,” he told AFP. Even while awake he has flashbacks, haunted by vivid images of the attack, causing him to lose track of where he is and feel that he is back at the scene of the carnage. The intensity of the shock experienced by people as their lives change in an instant was captured in a powerful image

by AFP Kabul photographer Massoud Hossaini, who was at the shrine when the explosion happened. His photograph showing a girl dressed in green screaming in horror, surrounded by dead and wounded relatives, featured on newspaper frontpages around the world and has become one of the emblematic images of the Afghan war.

Qasim is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, an affliction he shares with half of his fellow Afghans, according to the director of the health ministry’s mental health department, Doctor Bashir Ahmad Sarwari. “Two out of four Afghans suffer from trauma, depression and anxiety - they make up some 50 percent of the population,” he told AFP. “They are in trauma mainly because of three decades of war, poverty, family disputes and migration issues.”

Sarwari says that although the number of mental health specialists is growing there are now about 70 - they cannot cope with the demand for treatment in a population of some 30 million people. Hospital facilities are also pitiful - there is just one state-run mental health hospital with 100 beds, backed by small care centres in some

private hospitals.

But that is also an improvement. After the fall of the hardline Islamist Taleban government in the 2001 US-led invasion, there were no mental health services at all. The experience remains bleak for victims, however, with a visit to a ward in the state-run hospital revealing two patients sitting on beds with their knees drawn up to chests, another on his side, eyes open, face grey.

The floor is concrete, the sheets are worn and the dimly lit ward is warmed in midwinter only by a small electric heater.

The United Nations says the number of civilians killed in violence in Afghanistan rose by 15 percent in the first six months of last year to 1,462, with Taleban insurgents blamed for 80 percent of the killings. Many men in Afghanistan suffer the same trauma as Qasim, but remain silent about it, believing that to admit mental problems is a sign of weakness, says Wolfgang Tissen, chief of the mental health project run by the humanitarian International Medical Corps.

“If you say there is a population of 30 million and 100 psychiatric beds, normally it would be overcrowded, but it isn’t, because of the stigma. People are ashamed to say when they have psychiatric problems,” he said.

“I believe men are suffering from (depression and anxiety like the women) but they don’t want to come to hospital,” said Dr Abdul Qawi Alimi, a mental health expert. “It’s because of our culture. Some people don’t want to show their problems.

People will call the patients ‘crazy’ or ‘useless’. There is a lot of shame involved.” But Alimi said he hoped that community awareness projects were helping more people accept the need for treatment.

Qasim, the traumatised butcher, ran his shop before his life changed in an instant on Dec 6. Now he is unable to work and his two sons are taking care of the family. “I want another suicide attack to take my life.

After the death of my wife, daughter-in-law and my two grandsons this life is meaningless,” he said. His only hope for a faint echo of his old family life now lies with his two young granddaughters, who were injured in the blast. They have been discharged from hospital, but their wounds - mental and physical - mean they cannot play as they used to do. — AFP

MAGDEBURG, Germany: Rhino offspring Mala stands next to its mother Mana in their enclosure at the zoo yesterday. The rhino born on Dec 24, 2011 was given the name ‘Mala’ yesterday. — AFP

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

US electronic health records still need work WASHINGTON: America may be a technology-driven nation, but the health care system’s conversion from paper to computerized records needs lots of work to get the bugs out, according to experts who spent months studying the issue. Hospitals and doctors’ offices increasingly are going digital, the Bipartisan Policy Center says in a report released Friday. But there’s been little progress getting the computer systems to talk to one another, exchanging data the way financial companies do. “The level of health information exchange in the US is extremely low,” the report says.

At the consumer level, few people maintain a personal health record on their laptop or electronic tablet, partly due to concerns about privacy, security and accuracy that the government hasn’t resolved.

“How will sensitive health data be kept confidential and secure in digital data-sharing environments?” the report asks. “Many consumers ... are waiting for a reassuring answer to this question.”

The report offers a window on progress toward a

goal set by President Barack Obama, and President George W Bush before him, that everyone in the United States should have an electronic medical record by 2014. While making no predictions, the report offers a collection of details indicating that the goal is a long shot at best. “Will 100 percent of our nation have electronic health records by 2014?” asked Janet Marchibroda, who directs the center’s health technology initiative. “I would say getting to that last mile is difficult.” She expects the majority of hospitals and doctors to meet the goal, but it’s another matter when it comes to consumers.

In politically polarized Washington, the center tries to tackle national problems from a pragmatic perspective. The report, more than six months in the making, was produced by a panel representing hospitals, doctors, insurers, consumers and technology companies. The review was led by two former senators with ties to the health care industry, Democrat Tom Daschle of South Dakota and Republican Bill Frist of Tennessee.

Electronic medical records are seen as a crucial component in creating a system that’s more efficient and less prone to error. The government has committed up to $30 billion to encourage this shift, mostly through incentive payments to hospitals and doctors that were authorized in 2009 under Obama’s economic stimulus law. Payments started flowing last year. The report found that 5 percent of eligible doctors received payments last year, while about 33 percent had registered with the government that they intend to qualify. Overall, about one-third of doctors’ offices had some form of electronic records last year, compared with one-fourth in 2010. Among hospitals, 32 percent received the incentive payments last year, the report said, while 61 percent notified the government they intend to qualify.

Those are signs of momentum, but the report found little progress in devising ways for the different computer systems to communicate with each other. Part of the problem is that there isn’t much financial incentive for competing health care

providers to share information. If an emergency room orders a test on a patient that a family doctor had run a week ago, the hospital gets paid for it. If the emergency room doctor relies on the test results from the family doctor, that’s less revenue for the hospital. “Health information exchange will not occur at optimal levels ... without a viable, sustainable business model,” the report said.

Only from 7 percent to 11 percent of individuals have a personal electronic medical record. Some early adopters still run into problems with basic tasks such as downloading test results, renewing prescriptions online or scheduling appointments. The report also says the government must address gaps in privacy protections. For example, a federal health privacy law that applies to hospitals, doctors, insurers and data transmission companies doesn’t apply to companies that market electronic medical records directly to the public. “This uneven coverage of federal health privacy law can be confusing for consumers and contributes to reluctance,” the report said. — AP

30

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

W H AT ’ S O N Greetings

H

appy birthday to Shantha Maria James.

May life be wonderful enough to return to you what you have been doing all your life. With best compliments from Johnarts Kalabhavan.

Upcoming events Music album An Indian music album, ‘Pranayam Madhuvasantham’, to be shot in Kuwait invites actors and associates, album’s creator Hari Paravoor said. The 9-songs audio album, which was released at a function at Gulf Indian School about a year ago is penned by Hari Paravoor and tuned by Bashir Koyilandi. The video album of the songs will be released shortly. The album creators would like creative contributions from artistes and common folks who can give a try in creative participation in the album. Please contact: 55442649.

Music festival On March 1, 2012, the “Blend Music Festival,” a mellow acoustic get-together of several local musicians, will take place in Bayt Lothan, the official sponsor, host, and curator of the event. This event will be FREE of charge and open to everyone to attend. We hope to see you all there, and here’s to a great start to 2012! The “Blend Music Festival” will be the first of many concerts to be held; there are a handful of musicians on board, and more will be added to the sets at a later stage. Here is the program for March 1st: 1- Ali Sleeq with Gary Ruston & Kevin Owen = JAZZ; 2- Hadi Sarieddine, Bader Nana, & Sarj = ROCK; 3- Lewis Chapman - FOLK / ROCK. Acting workshop The British Academy of International Arts (BAIA) is holding a world class acting workshop over three days.

Nona Shepphard, Associate Director of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), will share her expertise as actor, director and playwright. The workshop will involve learning how to transform the written text into a successful performance. Shepphard is head of the audition panel at RADA and will also discuss how best to prepare for auditions. This workshop is a rare opportunity and a must for anyone interested in improving their acting skills and/or considering a career in Theatre. When: February 2nd, 3rd & 4th. For more information: info@thebaia.com or 6005-2087 Where: Shakespeare Theatre At The British School of Kuwait (BSK) Salwa.

Infoconnect expo to be held in Kuwait From January 29th till February 4th Infoconnect will be held at the Kuwait International Fair Grounds Infoconnect is one of the most professionally organized trade shows in Kuwait, dedicated exclusively to the computer applications and information technology sector. The show ranks high on the popularity count, drawing in a large number of exhibitors as well as qualified business visitors at each of its editions. The line of products put on exhibit at the show is quite extensive and includes computer peripherals, IT security tools, software solutions, data warehousing systems and a host of other related services and accessories. The show draws in active participation from eminent professionals from both the public as well as the private sectors and the latest innovations and developments in the IT industry are closely looked into here. The show is held over a period of seven days at the Kuwait International Fairground and enjoys large scale media coverage too.

Grand Cuisine of Kerala Festival celebrated at Regency Hotel

T

he Regency Hotel is hosting a weeklong feast of Kerala’s authentic cuisine which was inaugurated by the Indian ambassador, in the presence of the local media representatives, featuring vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies which demonstrated the rich culture and the blend of original and foreign array of dishes. The Kerala food fest which was held at the Silk Road Restaurant will continue for a week from January 24 and feature buffet with live stations that will offer different unique dishes on any day of the festival.

Speaking on the occasion of the festival, the Food & Beverage Manager, Yash Singhal said, “We take pride in celebrating

a variety of cultures, cuisines and traditions. Located in a multicultural country like Kuwait and being home to over 50 nationalities, The Regency Hotel is the perfect host for such a special event.”

Executive Chef, Austen Reid said, “This week, we will bring a taste of home to the numerous natives of Kerala and to all guests who enjoy cuisine rich in flavors, with a variety of spices and fresh herbs.”

During the festival you can experience the diversity flavors of Kerala cuisine with exquisite delicious buffet with wide array of authentic, traditional and unique dishes.

The first day of the festival will open with a dosa corner which is a dish of fermented

rice pancakes with stuffing or plain, chutney and sambar. On the following days, diners will be able to taste real Appam (laced rice crepe) with lamb stew drowned in coconut milk, Idiappam dishes (string

hoppers with chicken curry) and Kingfish pollichathu which is marinated kingfish wrapped in banana leaf and is grilled a Ia minute. On the last two days of the festival guests at the Silk Road Restaurant will sample the puttu corner with steamed rice cakes and chickpeas stew and the Paratta corner serving a layered flatbread with beef pepper fry.

Kerala boasts unique dishes based on coconut flavor and spices which will be available for tasting on any day of the festival. Come and join us from January 24-31 at The Regency Hotel and celebrate the rich culture and exquisite cuisine from Kerala.

GLEE-esque show choir This Valentine’s Day step into a musical Love Story performed by Vocal Rhapsody, KLT’s first ever GLEE-esque show choir. Vocal Rhapsody’s “Love Story” - is a show choir production with hit songs from artists such as Journey, Queen, Katy Perry and Meatloaf. It promises to be an exciting evening for all with some classic songs that everyone will enjoy. For contact: http://www.theklt.com Cultural program On the 10th of February 2012, Friday at 3:30 pm. A cultural program will be staged at the Carmel School Kuwait, Khaitan. This will include a Book Fair and an Art Competition with a Musical Drama (JanatarDak). It is written n Directed by Rafiqul Islam Bulu and organized by the Bangladesh Udjapon Committee Kuwait. This is an open invitation, All are welcome.

Burns Supper The Kuwait Caledonians are pleased to invite you to the 2012 Burns Supper to be held at the Movenpick Hotel, Al-Bida’a On Thursday 2nd February, 2012 Tickets will be available in January Please email kuwaitcaledonians@gmail.com Or call 60057882

BSK students visit Kuwait Towers

A

t the beginning of the new term a very excited group of Year 3 students from The British School of Kuwait went on a field trip to Kuwait Towers as part of their ongoing investigation of the local area and its features.

From their elevated position the stu-

dents were able to observe the coastline and how the land has been shaped by the sea; the students also had the opportunity to view Kuwait from above and made sketches of local landmarks and impressive buildings - as well as trying to see their own houses!

enjoyed themselves, at the same time learning a lot about features of their local area and landscape. It was a wonderful start to 2012 and the students look forward to lots more challenging trips in the year ahead.

KDMCA celebrates Christmas and New Year

K

uravilangad Deva Matha College Alumini Assocation Kuwait Chapter, popularly knows as KDMCA, organized Christmas-New Year celebration at Hi-Dine Auditorium, Abassiya.

Advisory Board Member KJ Johan gave out the introduction, Association President Johnson Sebastian chaired the function and KDMCA General Secretary Jayesh John welcomed the gathering.

Visiting parents inaugurated the function.

Advisory Board Chairman Raju Zacharias, Joby, and Maxi Mani, Daiju

NAFO to conduct Family Fiesta-2012

G

olden day is arriving for being together with all NAFO families! In view of promoting harmony and cordial co-existence among the member families and its inspiration to further strengthening and accelerating of socio-cultural activities, NAFO Kuwait is set to conduct ‘Family Fiesta-2012” (Kudumbasangamam) on Friday, February 3, 2012, at the Indian Community School, Amman Branch from 10:00 am onwards.

Nafo Family Fest is planned with a variety of cultural programs depicting the rich cultural heritage of India.

In addition, a lot of thrilling games will add flour to this whole day program, said Vijayakrishnan, convener.

Re-constitution of NAFO General Committee, Gold Medal Distribution in honoring of students departing for higher studies from NAFO family, felicitation of top achievers among NAFO students in Class X CBSC examination, ‘Open Debate’ on a subject of social significance with the participation of trainees excelled from the NAFO Leadership and Personality Development Workshop, release of the new issue of NAFO newsletter “Sadgama” will also include the events of “Family Fiesta”.

NAFO ‘New Year Gift’ will be distributed to all the families presented in the function and a delicious lunch also will be served, Vijay added.

Back on solid ground, children sketched the Towers from below, gaining an idea of perspective and paying particular attention to colours and patterns that caught their eye to use in their art work back at school. The visit was a great success and the students thoroughly

LOYAC rewards volunteers

G

eneral Manager of the Leaders Group for Consulting and Development Nabila Al-Anjari recently rewarded 15 young men and women from the Lothan Youth Achievement Center (LoYAC) who volunteered as part of the organizing committee for the 2012 HORECA Kuwait exhibition.

Kuncheriya made felicitation speeches and Treasurer Roy Kuriyan proposed vote of thanks. Variety of cultural programs included semi-classical, filmy dance, folk dance etc were performed by association members and their children. Boby Pattani was the program committee convener.

Association executive members, area/unit office bearers controlled and coordinated the celebration and delicious dinner were served which was controlled by Shibu John and Jaison Joseph.

31

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

W H AT ’ S O N

Embassy Information EMBASSY OF BRAZIL The Embassy of Brazil requests all Brazilian citizens in Kuwait to proceed to the website www.brazil.org.kw (Contact Us Form / Fale Conosco) in order to register or update contact information. The Embassy encourages all citizens to do so, including the ones who have already registered in person at the Embassy. The registration process helps the Brazilian Government to contact and assist Brazilians living abroad in case of any emergency. nnnnnnn

Pajama and Teddy Bear Day at ABS

W

ildcat spirit days are always full of fun and Pajama and Teddy Bear Day did not disappoint! What child doesn’t like to just get out of bed, eat breakfast and head to school without having to get dressed? We were all toasty and warm in our fuzzy PJs at morning assembly during which time we sang songs in Arabic and English about our beloved teddy bears. Sigrid and Tammy added to the fun by performing a funny play about going to school in pajamas.

Boy, did they look silly!

ABS’ Educational and Entertainment Movie Night The American Bilingual School (ABS) hosted a movie night event on January 16, in the school’s library where students gathered to watch the film “Curious George.” Students of various ages enjoyed as they watched the curious little monkey discover the city after following a man from the jungle to return his yellow hat. Boys and girls were intrigued to learn about the curiosity of the monkey, and how he helped the man achieve his work goals after losing his job in a museum that was very old and would soon be turned into a parking area.

They were surprised to know that the owner’s son had cheated the man and gave him a fake map to reach a giant status in order to bring it to the museum for more work. The “Curious George” movie night was the first of the school library’s activities to take place this year. It was a successful event and the librarian is very much looking forward to hosting celebrations like this each month.

nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF CYPRUS The Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus requests Cypriot citizens living in Kuwait to register with the Embassy. This registration service is provided so that the Embassy can update its contact list and assist Cypriot citizens in cases of emergencies. Registration information can be emailed to cyprusembassykwt@gmail.com or faxed to 22253227 or given by phone to 65906048 (Mrs Christine). nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF GERMANY The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kuwait wishes to announce that as of 1 May 2011, the external service provider Al Qabas Assurex is operating a Visa Application Centre in support of the German Embassy. Short-term visa applications for travels to Germany (e.g. for tourism, visits, business) are to be submitted to the service provider Al Qabas who for your convenience will ensure that all relevant documents are included in your application. Your personal appearance at the Application Centre is not required. Address of the Visa Application Centre: Al Qabas Assurex Sanabel Tower (Al-Babtain) Mezzanine (M3) opposite Sharq Mall Kuwait 22924444 Fax: 22924442 Further information are available on the following websites: www.kuwait.diplo.de www.qavisa.com

PGA Everton hosts Palestinian Club Al-Hilal

A

l-Hilal Jerusalem FC Under 14 team from Palestine enjoyed a six-day visit to Kuwait as guests of the Premier GOAL Academy in association with Everton FC - sponsored by Porsche Centre Kuwait, Behbehani Motors Company, and under the patronage of the British Ambassador to Kuwait Frank Baker.

The aim of the visit was to give their players an opportunity to travel outside Palestine and experience English Premier League standards with professional coaching from the Everton Academy coaching team, in addition to playing matches against international opposition. The players attended three coaching ses-

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, AlMutawakel St., Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is closed from 12:30 to 01:00 pm for lunch break. Consular Services for Canadian Citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00 on Sunday through Wednesday. Canada offers a registration service for all Canadians travelling or living abroad. This service is provided so that Consular Officials can contact and assist Canadians in an emergency in a foreign country, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or inform Canadians of a family emergency at home. The Embassy of Canada encourages all Canadian Citizens to register online through the Government of Canada Travel Website at www.voyage.gc.ca.

The Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi provides visa and immigration services to residents of Kuwait.

Individuals who are interested in visiting, working or immigrating to Canada are invited to visit the website of the Canadian Embassy to the UAE at www.UAE.gc.ca.

sions at Shaab Park where they joined the PGA Everton Under 14 squad, under the expert guidance of Everton coaches Darren Jarvie, Mike Finn and Liam OíBrien.

An international friendship tournament was then played between Al-Hilal Jerusalem, Everton Academy, AC Milan Academy at Salmiya Club, giving these young players the opportunity to compete and establish friendships at international academy level. The team from Al-Hilal also played friendly matches against Kazma Club and the Kuwait National Team at Under 14 level to complete their comprehensive fixture schedule.

The boys made the most of their leisure time with a trip to Entertainment City and a visit to the Porsche Centre Kuwait showroom in Al-Rai, where they were presented with individual gifts, before returning to Palestine. The visit was a memorable experience for all the young players and official presentations were made to the PGA officials for making the visit possible - Chairman Ahmad Al-Shatti, Academy Director Mike Finn, Executive Director Baker Al-Nazer and Event Co Ordinator Nasser Dakak. Officials and players from the PGA Everton Academy, Kuwait, have been invited to travel to Jerusalem as guests of Al-Hilal Club on a reciprocal visit next season.

nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF KENYA The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to request all Kenyans resident in or training through Kuwait to register with the Embassy.

We are updating our database. This information is necessary in order to facilitate quick assistance and advise in times of emergency. Kindly visit in person or register through our website www.kenyaembkuwait.com. The Embassy is located in: Surra Area - Block 6 - Street 9 - Villa 3 Tel: 25353362 - 25353314; Fax: 25353316. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF MYANMAR Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar would like to inform the general public that the Embassy will move its office to new location at Villa 35, Road 203, Block 2, Al-Salaam Area in South Surra. The Embassy wishes to advice Myanmar citizens and travellers to Myanmar to contact Myanmar Embassy at its new location from 26 January, 2012. Tel. 25240736, 25240290, Fax: 25240749, e-mail:myankuwait11@gmai1.com nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF PHILIPPINES The Embassy of the Philippines will be closed to public transactions on 29,30,31 January 2012 to give way to its transfer to Faiha, Block 6, Nauman bin Basher St. corner Damascus St. Villa 153. For emergency, please contact the Consular hotline at 65184433. The Philippine Overseas Labor Office and other attached agencies shall continue to operate and hold office in Jabriya until 15 March 2012. All your passports and other consular concerns will be processed at our new location, except of course labor issues. Regular working hours of the Embassy shall resume in Faiha on 01 February 2012. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF RUSSIA Embassy of the Russian Federation invites all the Russian residents in Kuwait to visit the Consulate for registration and updating your database. This information is necessary for prompt notice, assistance and warning in case of emergency. The consulate reception hours: 10:00 - 13:00, Sunday - Wednesday. The Embassy is located in Kuwait City, Daiya, Block 5, Diplomatic campus, Plot 17. Tel: (+965) 22560427, 22560428. Fax: (+965) 22524969, e-mail: rusposkuw@mail.ru, consdepkuw@mail.ru Information also available on the website: www.kuwait.mid.ru

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

A

y

e niv rsar n

00:50 Untamed & Uncut 01:45 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 02:40 Wildest Africa 03:35 Shark Attack File 3 04:30 Human Prey 05:25 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 06:20 Animal Cops Phoenix 07:10 Night 07:35 In Too Deep 08:00 Monkey Life 08:25 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip 09:15 Crocodile Hunter 10:10 Panda Adventures With Nigel Marven 11:05 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 11:30 Bondi Vet 12:00 Monkey Life 12:25 Talk To The Animals 12:55 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 13:50 Wildest India 14:45 Wildest India 15:40 Wild France 16:35 Must Love Cats 17:30 America’s Cutest...

18:25 Baboons With Bill Bailey 18:50 Baboons With Bill Bailey 19:20 Max’s Big Tracks 20:15 Into The Pride 21:10 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 22:05 Wildest Africa 23:00 Shark Attack Survivors 23:55 Whale Wars

01:00 01:15 01:45 02:35 03:05 03:30 04:00 04:20 04:30 04:45 05:00 05:05 05:25 05:35 05:50 06:10 06:20 06:30 06:45 06:50 07:10 07:20 07:35 08:05 08:35 09:20 10:05 10:55 11:25 12:10 12:45 13:35 14:05 14:35 15:05 15:35 16:05 16:50 17:20 17:50 18:40 19:10 20:00 20:55 21:45 Tests 22:40 23:05 23:35

Doctor Who Confidential Doctors Survivors One Foot In The Grave Little Britain dinnerladies Balamory Tellytales The Large Family The Roly Mo Show Buzz & Tell Tweenies 3rd & Bird Nina And The Neurons Balamory Tellytales The Large Family The Roly Mo Show Buzz & Tell Tweenies 3rd & Bird Nina And The Neurons Big Top dinnerladies Doctor Who The Weakest Link Casualty Chimp Family Fortunes The Weakest Link Big Top Lark Rise to Candleford Doctors Doctors Doctors Doctors Doctors Doctor Who Big Top dinnerladies Monarch Of The Glen Chimp Family Fortunes Lark Rise to Candleford Survivors Waking The Dead The World’s Toughest Driving

00:10 01:00 01:55 02:20 02:40 03:00 03:45 04:25 05:10

Masterchef Masterchef Masterchef Cash In The Attic USA Cash In The Attic USA Bargain Hunt Bargain Hunt Bargain Hunt Cash In The Attic USA

New Tricks dinnerladies Live At The Apollo

05:30 06:55 07:40 08:00 08:50 13:50 14:40 15:30 16:20 17:10 17:55 18:45 19:35 20:25 20:50 21:10 22:00 22:55 23:50

Cash In The Attic USA Bargain Hunt Cash In The Attic USA Come Dine With Me Come Dine With Me Antiques Roadshow Antiques Roadshow Celebrity Fantasy Homes Gok’s Fashion Fix Gok’s Fashion Fix What Not To Wear What Not To Wear What Not To Wear Cash In The Attic USA Cash In The Attic USA Antiques Roadshow Masterchef Masterchef Masterchef

00:00 00:10 00:35 01:00 01:25 01:50 02:15 02:40 03:05 03:30 03:55 04:00 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:10 06:35 07:00 07:15 07:40 08:00 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:40 09:55 10:20 10:45 11:10 11:35 12:00 12:30 14:00 14:50 15:15 15:40 16:05 16:30 17:20 Doo 17:45 18:10 18:35 18:55 19:20 19:30 20:20 20:40 21:00 21:30 21:50 22:05 22:40 23:05 23:30

Dexters Laboratory The Garfield Show Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Droopy: Master Detective The Flintstones Johnny Bravo Duck Dodgers King Arthur’s Disasters The Scooby Doo Show Popeye Classics Tom & Jerry Popeye The Jetsons The Flintstones Looney Tunes Pink Panther & Pals Tex Avery Duck Dodgers The Garfield Show Yogi’s Treasure Hunt Popeye Paddington Bear Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Jelly Jamm Puppy In My Pocket Pink Panther And Pals The Garfield Show The Scooby Doo Show The Flintstones Looney Tunes Scooby Cinema Tom & Jerry Top Cat Top Cat Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals The Garfield Show Scooby-Doo And ScrappyDastardly And Muttley The Flintstones Wacky Races Scooby Doo Where Are You! Popeye Classics Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes Pink Panther & Pals Top Cat Dastardly And Muttley Tom & Jerry Wacky Races The Scooby Doo Show Tom & Jerry Johnny Bravo

00:40 Samurai Jack 01:05 Samurai Jack 01:30 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 02:20 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 02:45 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 03:10 Best Ed 04:00 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 04:25 Adventure Time 04:50 Generator Rex 05:15 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 05:40 Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 05:55 I Am Weasel 06:55 Powerpuff Girls 07:45 Angelo Rules 08:00 Casper’s Scare School 08:25 Casper’s Scare School

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

Years

08:55 Angelo Rules 09:30 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 09:55 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 10:20 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 10:40 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 11:05 The Amazing World Of Gumball 11:30 Adventure Time 12:20 Courage The Cowardly Dog 13:10 Ben 10 13:35 Ben 10 14:00 The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 14:50 The Amazing World Of Gumball 15:15 Generator Rex 15:40 Generator Rex 16:05 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 16:30 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 16:55 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 17:20 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 17:45 Adventure Time 18:35 The Amazing World Of Gumball 19:00 Regular Show 19:25 Regular Show 19:50 Generator Rex 20:15 Generator Rex 20:40 Courage The Cowardly Dog 21:30 Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes 21:55 Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes 22:20 Star Wars: The Clone Wars 22:40 Star Wars: The Clone Wars 23:00 Ben 10 23:25 Ben 10 23:50 Courage The Cowardly Dog

00:00 World Report 00:30 News Special 01:00 Open Court 01:30 World Sport 02:00 World Report 02:30 Talk Asia 03:00 World Report 03:30 World Report This Week 04:00 CNN Marketplace Europe 04:15 CNN Marketplace Africa 04:30 African Voices 05:00 CNN Presents 06:00 CNN Newsroom 07:00 The CNN Freedom Project 07:30 Inside Africa 08:00 World Sport 08:30 Road To Durban 09:00 World Report 09:15 CNN Marketplace Middle East 09:30 Talk Asia 10:00 World Report 10:15 CNN Marketplace Europe 10:30 Ireport For CNN 11:00 World Sport 11:30 Aiming For Gold 12:00 African Voices 12:30 The Best Of Backstory 13:00 World Report 13:30 News Special 14:00 CNN Presents 15:00 World Report 15:30 The Gateway 15:45 Future Cities 16:00 Fareed Zakaria Gps 17:00 State Of The Union With Candy Crowley 18:00 International Desk 18:30 Inside Africa 19:00 Global Exchange 19:15 CNN Marketplace Africa 19:30 Global Exchange 19:45 CNN Marketplace Middle East 20:00 World Sport 20:30 Open Court 21:00 International Desk 21:30 African Voices 22:00 International Desk 22:30 Road To Durban 23:00 Fareed Zakaria Gps

00:40 01:35 02:30 03:00 03:25

TREMORS ON OSN ACTION HD

Miami SWAT Ross Kemp On Gangs How Stuff Works How It’s Made How Stuff Works

03:55 How It’s Made 04:20 How Stuff Works 04:50 How It’s Made 05:15 How Stuff Works 05:40 How It’s Made 06:05 How Stuff Works 06:35 How It’s Made 07:00 How Stuff Works 07:25 American Chopper: Senior vs Junior 08:15 How Do They Do It? Turbo Specials 09:10 Wheeler Dealers 10:05 Auction Kings 12:20 Border Security 12:45 Border Security 14:35 Cash Cab Us 15:05 Cash Cab Us 16:55 Cake Boss 19:10 Nextworld 20:05 Penn & Teller Tell A Lie 21:00 Mythbusters 21:55 Curiosity 22:50 American Chopper: Senior vs Junior 23:45 American Chopper: Senior vs Junior

00:40 Bang Goes The Theory 01:35 Science Of The Movies 02:25 The Tech Show 02:50 Superships 03:40 Superships 07:10 What’s That About?

08:00 What’s That About?

08:55 Head Rush 08:58 Sci-Fi Science 09:25 Weird Connections 09:55 Smash Lab 10:45 Scrapheap Challenge 11:35 Superships 15:45 Head Rush 15:48 Sci-Fi Science 16:15 Weird Connections 16:45 The Tech Show 17:10 What’s That About?

18:00 Science Of The Movies 18:50 Bang Goes The Theory 19:40 Science Of Storm Chasing 20:30 Human Body: Ultimate Machine 21:20 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 22:10 Tech Toys 360 22:35 Tech Toys 360 23:00 Science Of Storm Chasing 23:50 Human Body: Ultimate Machine

00:20 REPLACEMENTS 00:45 REPLACEMENTS 01:10 Fairly Odd Parents 01:35 Fairly Odd Parents 02:00 A Kind Of Magic 02:20 A Kind Of Magic 02:45 STITCH 03:10 STITCH 03:35 REPLACEMENTS 04:00 REPLACEMENTS 04:25 Fairly Odd Parents 04:50 Fairly Odd Parents 05:15 STITCH 05:35 STITCH 06:00 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 06:25 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 06:37 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 06:45 THE SUITE LIFE OF ZACK AND CODY 07:10 SO RANDOM 07:32 MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH 07:35 FISH HOOKS 07:55 SHAKE IT UP 08:20 SUITE LIFE ON DECK 08:45 THE SUITE LIFE MOVIE 10:15 FISH HOOKS 10:30 A.N.T. FARM 10:55 GOOD LUCK CHARLIE 11:15 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 11:40 SO RANDOM 12:00 SHAKE IT UP 12:25 SHAKE IT UP 12:50 GOOD LUCK CHARLIE 13:15 A.N.T. FARM 13:40 RECESS 14:00 SUITE LIFE ON DECK 14:25 SUITE LIFE ON DECK 14:50 SO RANDOM 15:15 FISH HOOKS 15:30 HANNAH MONTANA 15:55 SHAKE IT UP 16:20 GOOD LUCK CHARLIE 16:45 MY BABYSITTER’S A VAMPIRE 17:10 FISH HOOKS 17:30 A.N.T. FARM 18:00 PHINEAS AND FERB 18:20 SUITE LIFE ON DECK 18:45 SUITE LIFE ON DECK 19:10 SO RANDOM 19:30 MY BABYSITTER’S A VAMPIRE 20:50 HAVE A LAUGH 20:55 HAVE A LAUGH 21:05 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 21:25 MY BABYSITTER’S A VAMPIRE 21:50 GOOD LUCK CHARLIE 22:15 SHAKE IT UP 22:40 FISH HOOKS 23:05 THE SUITE LIFE OF ZACK AND CODY 23:30 HANNAH MONTANA 23:55 SONNY WITH A CHANCE

00:20 00:35 00:50 01:05 01:15 01:40 01:55 02:10 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:15 03:25 03:50 04:05 04:20 04:40 04:55 05:10 05:25 05:35 06:00 06:15 06:30 06:50 07:00 07:15 07:30 07:45

SPECIAL AGENT OSO SPECIAL AGENT OSO JUNGLE JUNCTION JUNGLE JUNCTION LITTLE EINSTEINS HIGGLYTOWN HEROES HIGGLYTOWN HEROES JO JO’S CIRCUS SPECIAL AGENT OSO SPECIAL AGENT OSO JUNGLE JUNCTION JUNGLE JUNCTION LITTLE EINSTEINS HIGGLYTOWN HEROES HIGGLYTOWN HEROES JO JO’S CIRCUS SPECIAL AGENT OSO SPECIAL AGENT OSO JUNGLE JUNCTION JUNGLE JUNCTION LITTLE EINSTEINS HIGGLYTOWN HEROES HIGGLYTOWN HEROES JO JO’S CIRCUS JUNGLE JUNCTION JUNGLE JUNCTION HIGGLYTOWN HEROES HIGGLYTOWN HEROES HANDY MANNY

08:00 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 08:15 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 08:40 TIMMY TIME 08:55 LITTLE EINSTEINS 09:20 THE HIVE 09:30 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 09:45 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 10:00 JUNGLE JUNCTION 10:10 HANDY MANNY 10:25 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 10:45 MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH 10:50 IMAGINATION MOVERS 11:15 MICKEY MOUSEKERSIZE 11:20 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 11:45 ART ATTACK 12:10 IMAGINATION MOVERS 12:30 THE HIVE 12:40 LazyTown 13:05 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 13:30 HANDY MANNY 13:45 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 14:00 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 14:15 THE HIVE 14:25 TIMMY TIME 14:35 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 14:50 HANDY MANNY 15:05 THE HIVE 15:15 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 15:40 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 16:05 HANDY MANNY 16:20 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 16:35 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 16:45 IMAGINATION MOVERS 17:10 MICKEY MOUSEKERSIZE 17:20 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 17:45 ART ATTACK 18:10 IMAGINATION MOVERS 18:35 LITTLE EINSTEINS 19:00 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 19:15 HANDY MANNY 19:30 HANDY MANNY 19:45 JUNGLE JUNCTION 20:00 MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH 20:05 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 20:30 ANIMATED STORIES 20:35 HANDY MANNY 20:50 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 21:05 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 21:20 THE HIVE 21:30 MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH 21:33 A POEM IS...

21:40 JUNGLE JUNCTION 21:55 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 22:20 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 22:35 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 22:50 LITTLE EINSTEINS 23:15 TIMMY TIME 23:25 HANDY MANNY 23:40 JUNGLE JUNCTION 23:55 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE

00:25 Fashion Police 00:55 Chelsea Lately 01:25 15 Most Shocking Political Sex Scandals 03:15 E! Investigates 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Then And Now 05:30 Wildest TV Show Moments 06:00 THS 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Extreme Close-Up 09:45 Extreme Close-Up 10:15 E!es 11:10 THS 15:00 E!es 16:00 THS 16:55 Behind The Scenes 17:25 Behind The Scenes 17:55 E! News 18:55 Scouted 19:55 Kendra 20:25 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 21:25 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 22:20 E! News 23:15 The Soup 23:40 Chelsea Lately

00:40 A Haunting 01:30 A Haunting 02:15 The Haunted 03:05 Ghost Lab 03:50 A Haunting 04:40 A Haunting 05:25 On The Case With Paula Zahn 06:15 Disappeared 07:10 Mystery Diagnosis 08:00 FBI Files 08:50 Forensic Detectives 09:40 Murder Shift 10:25 Mystery Diagnosis 11:10 Real Emergency Calls 11:35 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

11:55 On The Case With Paula Zahn 12:40 Disappeared 13:25 Murder Shift 14:15 Mystery Diagnosis 15:00 Real Emergency Calls 15:25 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

15:50 On The Case With Paula Zahn 16:35 Disappeared 17:20 FBI Files 18:10 Forensic Detectives 19:00 Murder Shift 19:45 Real Emergency Calls 20:10 Mystery Diagnosis 20:55 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

21:20 On The Case With Paula Zahn 22:10 Disappeared 23:00 The Will: Family Secrets Revealed 23:50 Kidnap And Rescue

00:00 Treks In A Wild World 00:30 Geologic Journey 01:00 On The Camino De Santiago 01:30 Nat Geo’s Most Amazing Photos 01:30 Word Travels 02:00 Cruise Ship Diaries 02:30 Shark Nicole 03:00 Pressure Cook 03:30 Master of Disaster 03:30 Pressure Cook 04:00 By Any Means 04:30 Megastructures 05:00 Nomads 05:30 Shark Nicole

A SINGLE MAN ON OSN CINEMA 06:00 Treks In A Wild World 06:30 Megastructures 07:00 On The Camino De Santiago 07:30 Geologic Journey 07:30 Word Travels 08:00 Cruise Ship Diaries 08:30 Nat Geo’s Most Amazing Photos 09:00 Pressure Cook 09:30 Megastructures 09:30 Pressure Cook 10:00 By Any Means 10:30 Secrets Of The King Cobra 11:00 Nomads 11:30 Master of Disaster 12:00 Treks In A Wild World 12:30 Megastructures 13:00 Food School 13:30 Bondi Rescue 13:30 Secrets Of The King Cobra 14:00 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 14:30 Naked Lentil 14:30 Naked Science 2.5 15:00 First Ascent 15:30 Geologic Journey 15:30 Market Values 16:00 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 2 16:30 Nat Geo’s Most Amazing Photos 17:00 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 17:00 Nat Geo’s Most Amazing Photos 17:30 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 17:30 Megastructures 18:00 Departures 18:30 Killer Dragons 19:00 Food School 19:30 Bondi Rescue 19:30 Mega Factories 20:00 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 20:30 Hunter Hunted 20:30 Naked Lentil 21:00 First Ascent 21:30 Market Values 21:30 World’s Toughest Fixes 22:00 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 2 22:30 World’s Deadliest Animals 23:00 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 23:30 Megastructures

00:00 Jackass 3.5-R 02:00 The Haunting In ConnecticutPG15 04:00 Time Machine: Rise Of The Morlocks-PG15 06:00 Coach Carter-PG15 08:15 Largo Winch 2-PG15 10:15 The Morgue-18 12:15 Universal Soldier: Regeneration-PG15 14:00 Largo Winch 2-PG15 16:00 Rocky III-PG15 18:00 Universal Soldier: Regeneration-PG15 20:00 The Clinic-18 22:00 Tremors-PG15 01:00 A Single Man-R 03:00 My Son, My Son, What Have You Done?-PG15 05:00 Love The Beast-PG 07:00 The Open Road-PG15 09:00 My Son, My Son, What Have You Done?-PG15 11:00 The Boys Are Back-PG 13:00 Freakonomics-PG15 15:00 The Maiden Heist-PG15 17:00 The Boys Are Back-PG 19:00 Slipstream-PG15 21:00 Brighton Rock-PG15 23:00 Letters To Juliet-PG15

12:00 Yes Dear 12:30 Dharma And Greg 13:00 Just Shoot Me 13:30 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 16:30 The Office 18:00 Friends 18:30 Friends 19:00 Modern Family 19:30 Parks And Recreation 20:00 Wilfred 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Saturday Night Live 23:00 Family Guy

00:00 The Killing 01:00 C.S.I. Miami 03:00 Breakout Kings

04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

The Gates The View Good Morning America Kojak Emmerdale Coronation Street The Martha Stewart Show The View Persons Unknown Breakout Kings Kojak C.S.I. Miami Live Good Morning America The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street Body Of Proof Unforgettable Pan Am Top Gear (US) The Gates

00:00 Cold Case 02:00 The Killing 03:00 C.S.I. Miami 04:00 Breakout Kings 05:00 Charlie’s Angels 06:00 Cold Case 07:00 How I Met Your Mother 07:30 Coronation Street 08:00 Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior 10:00 Breakout Kings 11:00 C.S.I. Miami 12:00 How I Met Your Mother 12:30 Coronation Street 13:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 14:00 Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior 15:00 Cold Case 16:00 How I Met Your Mother 16:30 Coronation Street 17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 18:00 House 19:00 Body Of Proof 20:00 Unforgettable 21:00 Pan Am 22:00 Top Gear (US) 23:00 Lights Out

01:00 Last Breath-PG15 03:00 Time Machine: Rise Of The Morlocks-PG15 05:00 Child’s Play 3-18 07:00 Top Gun-PG15 09:00 Patriot Games-PG15 11:00 Ong Bak 2-PG15 13:00 Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief-PG15 15:00 Patriot Games-PG15 17:00 Rocky v-PG15 19:00 Julia’s Eyes-18 21:00 Tremors-PG15 23:00 Midnight Meat Train-18

00:00 Charlie & Boots-PG15 02:00 The Perfect Score-PG15 04:00 I’ll Be Home For ChristmasPG15 06:00 Bad News Bears-PG 08:00 Josie And The Pussycats-PG15 10:00 The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie-PG 12:00 Coming & Going-PG15 14:00 Indian Summer-PG15 16:00 Charlie & Boots-PG15 18:00 All Night Long-PG15 20:00 Pretty Bird-18 22:00 The 41-Year-Old Virgin Who...18

01:00 Taking Woodstock-18 03:00 Soapdish-PG 05:00 PVC-1-PG15 07:00 Don’t Fade Away-PG15 09:00 The Lovely Bones-PG15 11:15 The Nutty Professor-FAM 12:45 The China Syndrome-PG 14:45 The Blind Side-PG15 17:00 Me And Orson Welles-PG 19:00 Romeo + Juliet-PG15 21:00 Sideways-18 23:15 Ma Vie N’est Pas Une Comedie Romantique-PG15

01:00 American Pie 7: The Book Of Love-18 03:00 Marmaduke-PG 05:00 Open Season 3-FAM

07:00 Post Grad-PG15 09:00 Dear John-PG15 11:00 A Lot Like Love-PG15 13:00 Cats & Dogs: The Revenge Of Kitty Galore-PG 15:00 Date Night-PG15 17:00 Dear John-PG15 19:00 Crazy Heart-PG15 21:00 A Nightmare On Elm Street-18 23:00 Barry Munday-18

00:00 Wrong Turn 3: Left For Dead-18 02:00 Last Night-PG15 04:00 Legendary-PG15 06:00 Fly Me To The Moon-PG 08:00 Everybody Wants To Be ItalianPG15 10:00 The Joneses-PG15 12:00 Sounds Like Teen Spirit-PG15 13:45 The Fighting TemptationsPG15 16:00 The Joneses-PG15 17:45 Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps-PG15 20:00 Uncorked-PG15 22:00 Fish Tank-PG15

02:00 03:00 10:00 12:00 16:00 17:00 19:00 20:00 23:00

WWE Bottom Line Live Test Cricket Trans World Sport Live PGA European Tour WWE Bottom Line WWE SmackDown UFC The Ultimate Fighter Cricket Twenty20 WWE SmackDown

02:00 03:00 10:00 13:00 20:00 23:00

Trans World Sport Live Test Cricket Cricket Twenty20 Test Cricket Cricket Twenty20 Scottish League Cup

01:30 03:30 04:00 05:00 06:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 16:00 18:00 20:00

Scottish Premier League Futbol Mundial World Cup of Pool World Pool Masters European PGA Tour Futbol Mundial Trans World Sports Live European PGA Tour Scottish League Cup Live Scottish League Cup European PGA Tour

00:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 08:00 09:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 15:00 16:00 17:00 19:00 20:00 23:00

WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line WWE NXT UFC The Ultimate Fighter Live UFC Fight Night WWE Bottom Line WWE SmackDown WWE Experience WWE This Week Powerboats WWE Experience WWE Bottom Line WWE Smackdown UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Fight Night WWE SmackDown

01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00

Roswell: Final Declassification Russia: Land Of The Tsars Cities Of The Underworld Earthquake Italy Mega Disasters Roswell: Final Declassification Russia: Land Of The Tsars Cities Of The Underworld Earthquake Italy Mega Disasters Roswell: Final Declassification Russia: Land Of The Tsars Cities Of The Underworld Earthquake Italy Mega Disasters Roswell: Final Declassification Pub Dig Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Ancient Aliens UFO Files

Classifieds SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines LMU AFR JZR KAC JZR JZR MLR ETH THY UAE QTR DHX MSR FDB RJA ETD GFA JZR KAC DHX FAH JZR JZR BAW KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR ETD FDB IRA ABY GFA FCX RBG IRC JZR IRA RKM MEA SYR KAC MSR JZR KAC KAC GFA KAC FDB UAL QTR SVA RJA ABY KAC KAC JZR KAC QTR JZR JZR JZR ETD UAE FDB GFA SVA RBG ABY JZR ALK JZR FDB KAC JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB JAI OMA AFG MLR KAC DHX GRF MEA GFA QTR UAE KAC JZR KAC KAC AIC JZR UAL AXB DLH

Arrival Flights on Sunday 29/1/2012 Flt Route 1109 ALEXANDRIA 6708 PARIS 185 DUBAI 154 ISTANBUL 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 1405 COLOMBO/DUBAI 620 ADDIS ABABA 772 ISTANBUL 853 DUBAI 138 DOHA 370 BAHRAIN 612 CAIRO 67 DUBAI 642 AMMAN 305 ABU DHABI 211 BAHRAIN 189 DUBAI 544 CAIRO 170 BAHRAIN 201 DUBAI 555 ALEXANDRIA 529 ASSIUT 157 LONDON 412 MANILA/BANGKOK 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 352 COCHIN 302 MUMBAI 332 TRIVANDRUM 676 DUBAI 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 301 ABU DHABI 55 DUBAI 603 SHIRAZ 121 SHARJAH 213 BAHRAIN 203 DUBAI 3555 ALEXANDRIA 6801 AHWAZ 165 DUBAI 615 SHAHRE KORD 310 RAS ALKHAIMAH 404 BEIRUT 341 DAMASCUS/ALEPPO 382 DELHI 610 CAIRO 201 DAMASCUS 672 DUBAI 744 DAMMAM 219 BAHRAIN 774 RIYADH 57 DUBAI 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 140 DOHA 500 JEDDAH 640 AMMAN 123 SHARJAH 788 JEDDAH 284 DHAKA 257 BEIRUT 550 SOHAG 134 DOHA 561 SOHAG 535 CAIRO 213 DEIREZZOR/ALEPPO 303 ABU DHABI 857 DUBAI 59 DUBAI 215 BAHRAIN 510 RIYADH 3564 ASSIUT 127 SHARJAH 777 JEDDAH 227 COLOMBO/DUBAI 177 DUBAI 63 DUBAI 542 CAIRO 787 RIYADH 786 JEDDAH 618 DOHA 674 DUBAI 166 PARIS/ROME 102 NEW YORK/LONDON 562 AMMAN 61 DUBAI 572 MUMBAI 647 MUSCAT 405 KABUL/DUBAI 1407 COLOMBO/DUBAI 512 TEHRAN 372 BAHRAIN 81 BAGHDAD 402 BEIRUT 217 BAHRAIN 136 DOHA 859 DUBAI 172 FRANKFURT 135 BAHRAIN 502 BEIRUT 678 MUSCAT/ABU DHABI 981 CHENNAI/HYDERABAD 239 AMMAN 981 BAHRAIN 389 KOZHIKODE/MANGALORE 636 FRANKFURT

Time 0:01 0:10 0:20 0:35 0:45 0:50 0:55 1:45 2:15 2:35 2:40 2:55 3:00 3:05 3:10 3:10 3:15 3:35 4:40 5:15 5:30 6:00 6:20 6:40 6:45 7:40 7:45 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:10 8:30 9:00 9:05 9:15 9:20 9:40 9:50 9:55 10:30 10:45 11:10 11:20 11:35 11:45 11:55 12:35 12:45 12:55 13:00 13:20 13:25 13:25 13:45 13:50 14:05 14:20 14:30 14:40 14:45 14:50 15:00 15:00 15:15 15:25 16:10 16:25 16:45 16:50 16:55 17:05 17:15 17:20 17:35 17:40 17:45 18:10 18:15 18:40 18:50 19:05 19:10 19:15 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:50 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:30 20:50 20:55 21:00 21:15 21:20 21:25 21:35 21:40 21:45 21:55 22:00 22:05 22:05 22:45 23:00 23:35 23:50

Airlines AXB LMU UAL AIC BBC DLH AFR MLR KAC ETH THY KAC FDB UAE DHX MSR ETD QTR JZR GFA RJA JZR FDB BAW KAC JZR KAC KAC JZR KAC JZR JZR UAE ABY KAC ETD FDB QTR KAC ABY IRA GFA KAC RBG FCX KAC IRC JZR KAC IRA RKM MEA SYR KAC JZR MSR GFA FDB KAC KAC UAL ABY KAC RJA SVA KAC JZR KAC KAC QTR JZR ETD JZR QTR FDB UAE GFA RBG ABY SVA JZR JZR ALK FDB JZR KAC FDB DHX KAC JAI OMA MLR KAC DHX MEA GFA FAH QTR KAC JZR UAE KAC KAC JZR KAC KAC AFG

Departure Flights on Sunday 29/1/2012 Flt Route 394 COCHIN/KOZHIKODE 1110 ALEXANDRIA 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 976 GOA/CHENNAI 44 CHITTAGONG/DHAKA 637 FRANKFURT 6708 DUBAI/VIETNAM 1405 COLOMBO 283 DHAKA 621 ADDIS ABABA 773 ISTANBUL 381 DELHI 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 371 BAHRAIN 613 CAIRO 306 ABU DHABI 139 DOHA 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 643 AMMAN 200 DAMASCUS 54 DUBAI 156 LONDON 549 SOHAG 256 BEIRUT 671 DUBAI 171 FRANKFURT 534 CAIRO 787 JEDDAH 560 SOHAG 212 ALEPPO/DEIREZZOR 856 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 117 NEW YORK 302 ABU DHABI 56 DUBAI 133 DOHA 773 RIYADH 122 SHARJAH 602 SHIRAZ 214 BAHRAIN 743 DAMMAM 3563 ASSIUT 204 DUBAI 541 CAIRO 6802 AHWAZ 776 JEDDAH 103 LONDON 614 SHAHRE KORD 311 RAS ALKHAIMAH 405 BEIRUT 342 ALEPPO/DAMASCUS 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 220 BAHRAIN 58 DUBAI 561 AMMAN 673 DUBAI 982 BAHRAIN 124 SHARJAH 677 MUSCAT/ABU DHABI 641 AMMAN 503 MEDINAH/JEDDAH 617 DOHA 786 RIYADH 501 BEIRUT 511 TEHRAN 141 DOHA 238 AMMAN 304 ABU DHABI 538 CAIRO 135 DOHA 60 DUBAI 858 DUBAI 216 BAHRAIN 3556 ALEXANDRIA 128 SHARJAH 511 RIYADH 266 BEIRUT 134 BAHRAIN 228 DUBAI/COLOMBO 64 DUBAI 184 DUBAI 361 COLOMBO 62 DUBAI 171 BAHRAIN 351 COCHIN 571 MUMBAI 648 MUSCAT 1407 COLOMBO 543 CAIRO 373 BAHRAIN 403 BEIRUT 218 BAHRAIN 102 DUBAI 137 DOHA 301 MUMBAI 554 ALEXANDRIA 860 DUBAI 205 ISLAMABAD 343 CHENNAI 502 LUXOR 415 KUALA LUMPUR/JAKARTA 411 BANGKOK/MANILA 406 DUBAI/KABUL

Time 0:40 0:45 0:45 0:50 1:00 1:20 1:55 1:55 2:40 2:45 3:15 3:30 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:00 4:00 4:55 6:55 7:00 7:10 7:30 8:25 8:40 8:55 9:00 9:00 9:05 9:15 9:25 9:30 9:35 9:40 9:45 10:00 10:00 10:05 10:10 10:25 10:30 10:40 10:40 10:45 11:25 11:45 12:00 12:10 12:15 12:30 12:35 12:50 12:55 13:35 13:40 13:50 13:55 14:20 14:35 14:45 15:05 15:20 15:25 15:25 15:35 15:45 15:50 15:50 16:15 16:25 16:30 17:15 17:35 17:40 17:45 17:50 18:10 18:15 18:20 18:25 18:35 18:45 19:05 19:10 19:20 19:55 20:20 20:40 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:50 21:55 22:00 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:45 22:45 22:50 23:00 23:30 23:35 23:45 23:55 23:59

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

ACCOMMODATION Indian Tamil Muslim family with small family, 2 working ladies, 2 bachelors, 2 bedroom flat, rent KD 65 with W&E, 4th Ring Road behind petrol station near Farah Jamiya Maidan Hawally.

Call: 97988528 / 66594790.

(C 3844) To let from 1 March 2012, 1 semi furnished big room with an attached small room consisting of toilet from a 3 bedroom spacious flat in B’neid Al-ghar. Rent KD 75 for single occupancy and KD 95 for double occupancy. For more details contact: 60914165.

(C 3846) 25-1-2012 Immediate sharing accommodation available for a decent Indian Christian couple or bachelor, near Salmiya garden. Please contact after 2:30 pm 66884273, 25657832.

(C 3843) ٢٤-١-٢٠١٢

FOR RENT A park in Wafra animal pens, very clean, over an area of 2500m, very large fenced yard in front (5) rooms, saloons, separate diwaniyas and swimming pool, fountain, children games tent. 94426116 For rent in Far waniya, basement 700m, car parking. 66920123 Flat in Maidan Hawally, one room, living room, bathroom, super deluxe finished kitchen, outstanding location. Rent KD 195.

Foreigners and expatriates only. Central satellite, CA/C and boiler. 66980123 A floor in Dasman, 300m, outstanding location, on main street can be sued by lawyer, consultations, clinics, health club, saloon, workshop, training center.

66980123 For rent in Salmiya, an apartment 3 rooms + 2 baths + saloon + swimming pool + DSL + Gym + Security + children games + other features. Rent start from KD 475. Foreigners and expats only. 66297171 For rent in Salmiya, an apartment 3 rooms + 3 baths + Saloon + Kitchen + Satellite. Outstanding location. Foreigners and expatriates only, no brokers.

66060299 For rent, basements in Jabriya and Hawally, good location, plastic floors, CA/C, serious only call: 66980123 For rent or investment, complete floors with a basement in Salmiya, good location, licensed for clinics, no brokers. 66060299 For rent, flat in Bneid AlQar (2 rooms, maid rooms, 3 baths, kitchen) deluxe finishing good location.

55117226

For rent in Fahaheel.

Complete building for companies (2 rooms, 2 baths, living room, kitchen) good location, car parking.

66233230 For rent, one floor in a villa in Salmiya, (3 rooms, 4 baths, large living room, maid room, driver’s room, diwaniya) parking. Centeral satellite. Rent KD 750.

67750024 A park for rent to families. 4 bed rooms + 4 bathrooms + living room + Diwaniya + rides in the garden + Isolated diwaniya. Fully furnished, A/C units, domestic help rooms. 99825160 For rent 1600m warehouse, can be used for ceramics, marble, electric or sanitary fittings, has electricity + 2 rooms + kitchen + bathroom. 99825160 An entire building for rent for companies, 30 flats in Kheitan (2 rooms, maid room, 2 baths + living room + kitchen) central satellite.

60658811

FOR SALE Expat owned Toyota Aurion, 2007 model, silver metallic color, done 73,000 kms, single owner.

Registration and full cover insurance valid up to Nov. 2012. Price KD 4,975/-.

Please contact Thomas only between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm at Tel: 22660301.

(C 3850) Well maintained Toyota Camr y 1998 for sale.

Contact: 99172842. (C 3852) 28-1-2012 Toyota Jeep Prado model 2009, white metallic color, 6 cylinder engine, full option (limited) sunroof, alloy rim, G.P.R screen, fog lamp, cruise control, wooden interior etc. Price KD 7,950/negotiable.

Contact: 66396517 (C 3845) 25-1-2012 Toyota Corolla 2011 model, white color, law mileage, excellent condition, lady driven, price KD 3650.

Contact: 60951195.

(C 3841) Toyota Camry 2007 GLX, silver color, law mileage,

No: 15343

excellent condition, alloy wheel, wooden decor, sensor fog lamp etc, wanted price KD 3350. Contact: 60099305. (C 3842) ٢٤-١-٢٠١٢

SITUATION WANTED Indian couple needs a job 12 years experience in Kuwait. Cleaning, cooking and driving, we are expecting good salary. Contact: 65585930.

(C 3851) 28-1-2012 Immediately available a Post graduate secretary having more than 12 years experience in Kuwait with full accounting background, experience in oilfield/ ministry tenders, foreign purchasing, correspondence, holding Kuwait driving license, part time acceptable. Call: 97669236/ 24315927. (C 3847) 25-1-2012 MBA Degree holder with 25 years multinational experience. Having own car and delivery van, having expertise in Management, Costing and Marketing fields. 10 years in Kuwait.

Looking for Bus. Development and consultancy opportunities.

Contact: 60647270 email: evzonekuwait@email.com (C 3839) 23-1-2012

CHANGE OF NAME I, Chinna Ravi Raj s/o Chinta Someswara Rao holding Indian Passport No: Z1852081 place of issue Kuwait would like to change my name as CHINTA RAVI RAJ. (C 3849) 28-1-2012 I, Shaik Jahangir Peera, holder of Indian Passport No. F4970741 is changing the name as Shaik Jahangir Ahmed. (C 3848) 26-1-2012

MATRIMONIAL Proposals invited for an Ezhava girl MBA 23 years old, looking for well educated Malayali boys from India or abroad. Email: shibusviji@yahoo.co.in, shibusmini@gmail.com (C 3853)

28-1-2012 Marthomite parents in Kuwait invite proposals for their daughter (26/160/Fair), B/ B in Kuwait, Masters from the UK and currently working in Bangalore as senior executive, from well qualified and employed MARTHOMA/ CSI/ ORTHODOX boys (preferably working in Bangalore/ Abroad). Email: thomaskw8@yahoo.com (C 3840) 23-1-2012

TUITION Business management teacher with doctoral degree for universities, institutions, corporate & all student levels. Over 10 years experience.

Call 66495951. (C 3817) Business management teacher with doctoral degree for universities, institutions, corporate & all student levels. Over 10 years experience.

Call 66495951. (C 3817) Mathematics teacher, Intermediate and secondary Exams models, Easy method, Exams from past years with solutions. 97301901 English teacher (3) years experience, looking for a job and ready to start with all educational stages.

55963993 Mathematics teacher for Universities, Institutions, Foreign Schools, Administrative, American, English, Australian, Bahrain, Electric and Gulf Sciences, Algbra Prel, Mathematics, intermediate, gmat, sat college, math98, 110 pre calculus geometry. 97619261 A Syrian Arabic language teacher. Masters in methods of teaching and follow up of 10th grade and 11th grade students. 97934291

34

s ta rs CROSSWORD 572

CALVIN & HOBBES

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) You may be super-sensitive today for a short duration. This can be rewarding or damaging, depending on how you handle it. If you focus on others, your understanding will enable you to fit into any group. This ability is also helpful when you work but you must know that there is continued progress for you on the job. Be alert for new opportunities to have a monetary gain at this time. Your passions may manifest themselves in art or love. You have a desire to succeed, not only financially, but personally as well. Try listening to other people’s needs before deciding for yourself how best to help them. You may be a bit restless; consider giving your creative energies free rein. Keep friends and family close—they are a great source of strength.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. A fatal disease of cattle that affects the central nervous system.

4. Line of defense consisting of a barrier of felled or live trees with branches (sharpened or with barbed wire entwined) toward the enemy.

10. A decree that prohibits something.

13. (informal) Of the highest quality.

14. Open to change.

15. How long something has existed.

16. A flexible container with a single opening.

17. Pasture grass of plains of South America and western North America.

18. A long projecting or anterior elongation of an animal's head.

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

21. Be a signal for or a symptom of.

24. The Uralic language spoken by the Yeniseian people.

25. On or toward the lee.

27. The sacred city of Lamaism.

30. A region of Malaysia in northeastern Borneo.

34. A gonadotropic hormone that is secreted by the anterior pituitary.

35. Botswanan statesman who was the first president of Botswana (1921-1980).

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

37. A plant hormone promoting elongation of stems and roots.

39. A small pellet fired from an air rifle or BB gun.

40. A rare silvery (usually trivalent) metallic element.

43. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill.

46. A member of a Turkic people of Uzbekistan and neighboring areas.

49. English psychologist who collaborated with I. A. Richards in designing Basic English (1889-1957).

52. Essential oil or perfume obtained from flowers.

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

57. The process whereby heat changes something from a solid to a liquid.

58. In no manner.

59. A coenzyme derived from the B vitamin nicotinic acid.

60. The highest level or degree attainable.

61. A family of Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in southeastern Asia.

62. (Irish) Mother of the ancient Irish gods.

DOWN 1. A small cake leavened with yeast.

2. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike.

3. A graphical record of electrical activity of the brain.

4. Primitive chlorophyll-containing mainly aquatic eukaryotic organisms lacking true stems and roots and leaves.

5. Capable of wounding.

6. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

7. The wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material.

8. A lake in northwestern Russia.

9. Largest city in Washington.

10. Giant shipworms.

11. American novelist (1909-1955).

12. The compass point that is one point north of northeast.

20. An appearance of reflected light.

22. A law passed by US Congress to prevent employees from being injured or contracting diseases in the course of their employment.

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

26. The syllable naming the sixth (submediant) note of a major or minor scale in solmization.

28. Block consisting of a thick piece of something.

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

31. A diacritical mark (an inverted circumflex) placed above certain letters (such as c) to indicate pronunciation.

32. A unit of weight used in east Asia approximately equal to 1.3 ounces.

33. God of love and erotic desire.

38. Hormone produced early in pregnancy by the placenta.

41. A member of the Nahuatl people who established an empire in Mexico that was overthrown by Cortes in 1519.

42. A list of dishes available at a restaurant.

44. United States pharmacologist (born in Germany) who was the first to show that acetylcholine is produced at the junction between a parasympathetic nerve and a muscle (1873-1961).

45. A city in southern Turkey on the Seyhan River.

46. The branch of engineering science that studies the uses of electricity and the equipment for power generation and distribution and the control of machines and communication.

47. Any of various aromatic resinous substances used for healing and soothing.

48. King of Saudi Arabia since 1982 (born in 1922).

49. Half the width of an em.

50. A feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause).

51. A quantity of no importance.

53. A liquid used for printing or writing or drawing.

54. Extinct flightless bird of New Zealand.

55. A state of southwestern India.

Yesterday’s Solution

A serious attitude may prevail today. This is an excellent time to sit down alone and get many things accomplished. This is a good time to exercise caution and care in business dealings, both in the physical and financial realm. You will find all sorts of new ways to build the cash flow today. Artistic activities are favored this afternoon, as well as just going out to have fun. Your personal magnetism is high, making you attractive to the opposite sex and popular in general. You may feel the urge to break out of monotonous patterns and engage in a spontaneous relationship with someone new. It’s important this evening, however, for you to be with your friends. This may mean a celebration of some sort and you have been invited!

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Perhaps this is not a time to be very outward or to try to present you to the world. You are feeling reflective rather than expressive just now. You will be happiest if you allow the frustrations and confusions this day to fade into the background. Today is a good time to tend to business. You will find yourself getting many things accomplished. There could be a temptation to play devil’s advocate or analyze things to death. Just enjoy the exchanges of co-workers, customers, etc., and give the other guy a chance. You will probably receive calls from past friends, but tonight you may feel more like just sharing some time with a loved one. Romance is good and the possibility of deepening a relationship is present at this time.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

Staying up late and pushing the limits with your energy these past few days may have you moving rather slowly at this time. With regard to business . . . this is a good time to work out of your home or stick to a routine. Mental interests are highlighted. Guard against distractions. To refresh your energies this afternoon, step outside for a while. Being outside is most stimulating at this time of year. A desire for physical intimacy is great today as well, though you should be careful not to view others merely as a means to your own personal end.

Someone you may have met during some recent social event comes to your attention this evening. Your optimism is an appealing quality. There can be a most harmonious relationship deepening or beginning now.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

ZITS

You may find old business resurfacing when you least expect it. You will do well in problem-solving situations—paperwork, however, may resurface as not mailed—no signature. Being in the spotlight is common to you during this time—it is a good time to be humble and see where your energies can be most helpful. You create pleasant surroundings in the workplace and co-workers feel comfortable when they are in your presence. You should not let office gossip interfere with the normal flow of business. This is an excellent time to emphasize practicality in any endeavor with which you are engaged. Activities with close friends and relatives are favored this evening. Happy news comes from a distance. Your love life is enhanced tonight.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) This should be a busy day, your energy is high, probably higher than that of those around you—it may be better if you tend to chores in separate ways. If opinions are to be exchanged, your confidence should prevail. You have a keen interest in the way things work and who, or what, pulls the strings in your city. You may soon be able to design a project and have recognition for your own ideas soon. Your curiosity is aroused about such things and you find yourself asking questions about ways in which you could make a presentation, perhaps in a library. If you find a close relationship is strained, do for the other person exactly what it is you want the other person to do for you. Perhaps a little space between the two of you is the answer for now.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

You appear, perhaps, more charming and refined than usual. Now is a good time to make appointments, plan ahead, apply for a job—or otherwise make yourself known. Your mind may feel as if it is on a racetrack just now. It is moving in fast motion and insights are flashing in and out of the blue.

You could find yourself digging through paper stacks for answers to problems today.

You are successful in problem-solving adventures. Technical or scientific work or any kind of task that requires cleverness or imagination will be successful, perhaps an invention. If it seems that things are moving too fast, slow down . . . you will accomplish your work regardless of how fast you go. Neighbors or siblings will likely bring all kinds of good experiences to you.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) There may be a great deal of financial panic with your monetary situation now—it may be as difficult to gauge as an elevator. A shorttime budget may be in order. If you are part of a family, you might help the members of your family maintain a budget through your own example. In a few months all of you will be excited about the results. One member of your family may end up learning quite a bit about financing from the procedure. You show a great deal of interest in all family matters, particularly concerning the general living environment in the home. You strive for open communication and encourage creativity. Domestic happiness is important. This is a good time to use the home as a vehicle for entertaining.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You help others often and sometimes you deplete your own energy. You should be careful in this area as you will acquire what is known as burnout. Then, you will be of no help to anyone, including yourself. Be aware of balance in your life and see to it that you are creating a good balance. This is a good day to get many things accomplished. It is not a wildly romantic time, but one where small-scale endeavors are successful. Be sure to keep an open mind about all ideas or proposals that are made to you today—paying attention to all the details.

You encourage positive interaction with family members this afternoon as you ask about everybody’s day. You may spend a great deal of time enjoying good relations with family members.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) You should expend great zest in moneymaking efforts and exercise caution toward the activities in which you are engaged. Getting paid for racing cars, testing electrical equipment or taking a trip across the country on a motorbike just may not be the best thing for you this month. This is, however, a good time to finish up any unfinished business . . . the longer you wait the more complicated it becomes. You have outlined the big picture for today—now is the time to work out the pieces. While dealing with people, you may have to work hard to see the positive. Do not let this get you down—consider this a challenge to check out your problem-solving abilities. You will soon relax and begin to train yourself to take on an attitude of gratitude.

Yesterday’s Solution Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Today is a day to stay-the-course, so to speak. Steady, on-going routine work will get you where you want to go this day. You are apt to obtain success through the power of attraction. Now is when you must be judicious in personal decisions about investing. You are cheerful and friendly to all, making you popular with everyone. However, you should not let gossip or intrigue interfere with the normal flow of business. Take time to be with close friends or relatives this afternoon—this could prove beneficial. Perhaps if the weather is nice, an early evening meal in the park may be a great treat. Fresh air and a little exercise, with no threat of mosquitoes, do a lot for the mood. This is an excellent time for building or deepening special relationships.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

Your energy and optimism go hand in hand to help you grasp the big, grandiose picture. The whole, however, is made up of many parts. The decisions and actions of today will have long lasting effects but it is important that you think before you speak or act. There is a tendency for you to be extremely hard-working on the professional level. You may tend to ignore others. It is important then to develop a team attitude so as not to alienate fellow workers.

Additional responsibilities may be placed on you in the context of the home setting this evening. You will find yourself gradually letting go of any self-doubts and gaining confidence for whatever task is at hand. Be cautious while snacking this evening as you could eat a more than you meant.

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

i n f o r m at i o n

FIRE BRIGADE STATE ST TAT TE OF KUWAIT K KUW WAIT A

112

Tel.: T e el.: 161

DIRECTORA DIRECTORATE ATE T GENE GENERAL ERAL OF CIVIL A AVIATION V VIA ATION T DEPARTMENT METEOROLOGICAL DEP D PARTMENT A

Ministry of Interior

WWW.MET.GOV.KW WWW .MET.GOV V.KW . W

Expected Weather Weather for the Next 24 4 Hours Sunny with light to moderate freshening fresh hening gradually north westerly westeerly to northerly wind, with speed s of 15 - 40 raising dust km/h causing c

BY Y DA DAY: AY:

website: www.moi.gov.kw

Cold with w moderate wind in general generaal north westerly wind, with speed of 20 - 38 km/h

NIGHT:: BY Y NIGHT

For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128

No Current Warnings Warnin a gs

WARNING W ARNING A STATION ST TATION T

MAX. EXP EXP. P.

MIN.. REC.

KUWAIT KUW WAIT A CITY

21 °C

13 °C

24812000

KUWAIT AIRPORT KUW WAIT A AIRPOR RT

21 °C

09 °C

Amiri Hospital

22450005

NUW WAISEEB A NUWAISEEB

20 °C C

11 11 °C C

Maternity Hospital

24843100

WAFRA WAFRA A

21 °C

09 °C

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

SALMI

20 °C

07 °C

Chest Hospital

24849400

ABDALY ABDAL LY

21 °C

07 °C

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

YA AH JAL ALIY ALIYAH

21 °C

08 °C

Adan Hospital

23940620

FAILAKA FAILAKA A

19 °C

11 11 °C

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

AHMADI PORT POR RT

18 °C

14 °C

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

M UMM AL-MARADEM

18 °C

15 °C

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

WARBA A A - BUBY YA AN WARBA BUBYAN

18 °C

08 °C

Hospitals Sabah Hospital

Ext.: 2627 262 27 - 2630

Fax: 24348714

Clinics

SFC. CHAR CHART T

28/01/2012 0000 0 UTC

4732263

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya Keifan

Temperratures Temperatures DA DATE AT TE

WEA WEATHER ATHER T

Sunday

29/01

24848075

Monday

24849807

Tuesday T uesday

Shamiya

24848913

Weednesday Wednesday

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Fajr

05:18

MA AX. T emp.

MAX. Temp.

22 °C

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Sunrise S i

06:40 06 40

MIIN. IN T emp.

MIN. Temp.

10 °C

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Zuhr

12:01

MAX. RH M

76 %

Asr

15:02

MIN. RH M

20 %

Sunset

17:23

MA AX. Wind Wind i MAX.

Isha

18:42

TOT TA AL L RAI INF FA ALL L IN 24 HR. TOTAL RAINFALL

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

Al-Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W.Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Al-Omariya

24719048

N.Kheitan

24710044

Fintas

3900322

DAY DA AY

22418714

Al-Shohada’a

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Fayhaa

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Al-Jahra

25610011

Al-Salmiya

25616368

POLICE STATION

4 DA DAYS AYS Y FORECAST

Rabiya

Al-Madena

MAX.

MIN.

Wind Wind Direction Direction

Wind Wind Speed

sunny

18 °C

05 °C

NW

12 - 35 km/h

30/01

sunny

17 °C

04 °C

NW -NE NW-NE

06 - 28 km/h

31/01

blowing partly cloudy + blowi ing dust

19 °C

08 °C

SE

25 - 45 km/h

01/02

unstable + scattered d rain

21 °C

13 °C

SE

25 - 50 km/h

PRAYER PR RA AYER Y TIMES

RECORDED D YESTERDAY YESTERDA AY AT AT KUWAIT KUW WAIT A T AIRPORT AIRPORT

22434064 22435865 22544200 22547133 22515277 22616662 25714406 22530801

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry

SE E 46 km/h

about the Civil ID card is 1889988

.09 mm

28/01/12 05:34 UTC

unless All times are local time un nless otherwise stated.

Al-Madena Police Station Al-Murqab Police Station Al-Daiya Police Station Al-Fayha’a Police Station Al-Qadissiya Police Station Al-Nugra Police Station Al-Salmiya Police Station Al-Dasma Police Station

V1.00

T1.06

PHARMACIES

AIRLINES

ON 24 HRS DUTY GOVERNORATE

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Hawally

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Kuwait Airways Jazeera Airways Jet Airways FlyDubai Qatar Airways KLM Air Slovakia Olympic Airways Royal Jordanian Reservation British Airways Air France Emirates Air India Sri Lanka Airlines Egypt Air Swiss Air Saudia Middle East Airlines Lufthansa PIA Alitalia Balkan Airlines Bangladesh Airlines Czech Airlines Indian Airlines Oman Air Turkish Airlines Aeroflot

171 177 22924455 22414400 22423888 22425747 22434940 22420002/9 22418064/5/6 22433388 22425635 22430224 22921555 22438184 22424444 22421578 22421516 22426306 22423073 22422493 22421044 22414427 22416474 22452977/8 22417901/ 2433141 22456700 22958787 22453820/1 22404838/9

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist

25665898 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

22618787

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Mousa Khadada

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, Ph.D. 2290-1677 Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg, M.A. 2290-1677

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Dr. Salem soso

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Anguilla Antiga Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands

0093 00355 00213 00376 00244 001264 001268 0054 00374 0061 0043 001242 00973 00880 001246 00375 0032 00501 00229 001441 00975 00591 00387 00267 0055 00673 00359 00226 00257 00855 00237 001 00238 001345

Central African Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Cyprus (Northern) Czech Republic Denmark Diego Garcia Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador England (UK) Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia

00236 00235 0056 0086 0057 00269 00242 00682 00506 00385 0053 00357 0090392 00420 0045 00246 00253 001767 001809 00593 0020 00503 0044 00240 00291 00372 00251 00500 00298 00679 00358 0033 00594 00689

36

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Seal says he and Klum are not getting divorced he singer and the supermodel announced they had separated last weekend but Seal is refusing to accept their seven-year marriage is completely over yet just because they have “grown apart” at the moment. During an appearance on ‘Access Hollywood Live’, host Billy Bush asked “is a reconciliation possible at all?” Seal - who has continued to wear his wedding ring despite the break-up - replied: “There is nothing to reconcile. We haven’t fallen out. We’re not getting divorced. We’re not even legally separated. We are separated. The reality of the situation is we have grown apart. And so ... is there a chance of us getting back together? Honestly, Billy, I don’t know. I don’t know the answer to that.”

Since they announced their split, Heidi has been living at a Beverly Hills hotel without her four children - Leni, seven, Henry, six, Johan, five, and two-year-old Lou. The 38-year-old German beauty has needed some

T

Kirsten Dunst was scared to work with Lars Von Trier he 29-year-old actress stars in the legendary filmmaker’s ‘Melancholia’ but admitted she was nervous about making a movie with him because of his difficult reputation. Kirsten said: “I was scared about working with Lars because everyone made such a big deal about how he tortures actresses. When I first got to know him I was shocked by the things he would say, but you don’t make the movies he makes with a PC personality. But what I found was a really sensitive, funny and kind director who was emotionally intuitive. He loves women.” Kirsten also revealed she is happy to go naked for a part “when it’s appropriate”. She added: “There’s a scene in ‘Melancholia’ where I’m lying naked, bathing in the glow of the moon, but it looks like a painting as it’s lit so beautifully. You can almost forget that I’m nude. Whether your boyfriend minds seeing you naked depends on what kind of boyfriend you have. Some people would freak out but I wouldn’t want to be with a person who did. It’s art - I’d be proud if it was my girlfriend.”

T

time to herself, while Seal has been staying at the family’s Los Angeles home with the kids. An X17 Online photographer said: “Heidi has been by herself the past few days. Sometimes her assistant is around briefly, but it seems she really wanted some time to herself. A statement released by the couple said: “While we have enjoyed seven very loving, loyal and happy years of marriage, after much soul-searching we have decided to separate. “We have had the deepest respect for one another throughout our relationship and continue to love each other very much, but we have grown apart.”

Queen Elizabeth is ‘very important’ to Denmark’s Queen Margrethe he Danish monarch is celebrating her 40th year on the throne in the same year Elizabeth marks her 60th, and she admits the British royal has always served as an inspiration to her. She said: “It’s a very strange coincidence that our jubilees are in the same year. I really want to congratulate her and her nation for her fantastic years of service.

“Queen Elizabeth has always been somebody I’ve admired and I also happen to know her very well - fairly well, anyway. “I felt that very much the day when I was proclaimed; that I must somehow or other dedicate my life to my nation like she has done. In that way, she is very important to me.” However the 71-year-old monarch admits she struggled with the size of her job when she first came to power in 1972. She said: “I trembled with nerves during audiences at the beginning. But through my father I had a strong impression of what was required, in full knowledge of the fact that I was different to him.”

T

Olly Murs wants to be an icon at the Brit Awards he 27-year-old singer is “delighted” to have been asked to perform at next month’s ceremony and has promised to don an outfit that people will remember forever. He said: “I haven’t even discussed what I’m going to wear yet but I want to wear something pretty amazing on stage. Hopefully it’ll be something quite iconic. “It’s going to be a really great show. I’m looking forward to performing on it, you know, it’s a pleasure and honour to be asked.” Olly released his second album, ‘In Case You Didn’t Know’, last November and is so thrilled by how well it has performed, he is already thinking about releasing a followup in the near future. Speaking at the UK premiere of ‘The Muppets’ at London’s Mayfair hotel on Thursday, he told BANG Showbiz: “The album’s doing really well. It’s gone double platinum already, which was better than last year, so we’re on course for triple platinum and possibly even a million, which would be amazing.

Hopefully this year another album as well but I’m not sure at the moment, we’ll see how it goes.”

T

Arquette to guest star in ‘Cougar Town’ he actor - who separated from the former ‘Friends’ actress in October 2010 - will appear in the final episode of the upcoming third season of the TV show. In the episode, David will play a hotel concierge who help’s Courteney’s character Jules - a divorcee who dates much younger men get what she needs during her stay. The 40-year-old actor is delighted with his casting and took to his twitter page to share his excitement with his exlover and her co-star Christa Miller. David tweeted: “Can’t wait to work with you ladies!” Courteney replied: “I can’t wait to work with you. You better not be late, I’m a professional lady.” The 47-year-old actress recently revealed she and David - who have a seven-year-old daughter, Coco, together - had become “closer than ever” since their split. She said: “The great thing is that even though we are separated, David and I are still so close. We’re able to talk through everything that happens, so I know that we’re often both feeling the same way and that makes me feel less alone. In some ways, we’re closer than ever because we’re communicating more than we ever have. ‘Cougar Town’ returns to ABC on February 14.

T

Zachary Quinto doesn’t watch television he ‘Heroes’ actor insists he is too busy to make the time to view shows on a regular basis and he prefers to catch up with DVD box sets instead. He told Empire magazine: “I don’t really watch TV - is that awful? “I’m more of a box set gut. I just don’t have time to tune in every week. “However, I am obsessed with this show ‘Homeland’. Like, really obsessed. It is amazing.” Zachary believes he owes many of his personality traits to his Italian genes, but jokes his Irish heritage comes out in the kitchen. He said: “I think the Italian side comes out more strongly. I’m kind of fiery and I really enjoy a long lunch with bottles of wine and friends. “I’m maybe more Irish in the kitchen. Although I make an amazing egg sandwich and a fierce cranberry relish.” Last year, the 34-year-old actor revealed he is gay but insists he doesn’t want his sexuality to be a “big” issue. He said: “It was just the right time. I can’t explain it any other way. But I don’t want it to be this big thing. “I think things are changing for gay actors. I just have to do good acting work and that’s the contribution I can make.” —BangShowbiz

T

37

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

LIFESTYLE F e a t u r e s

Japanese girl group AKB48 members perform during their concert in Singapore yesterday. —AP

Loved and loathed, Lana Del Rey set to face the music First, full-length album ‘Born to Die’ debuts this week arely has a pop star just starting out been so loved and loathed as Lana Del Rey, the 25-year-old who has filled acres of newspaper column inches even before her debut album “Born to Die” hits shelves next week. First came the “breakthrough” when her video for the song “Video Games” was viewed millions of times on YouTube leading to the sultry chanteuse becoming the talk of the music business. That success prompted the question ‘just who is Del Rey?’ and inquisitive fans quickly uncovered that the New York native, whose real name is Elizabeth Grant, was the daughter of Internet domain investor Rob Grant and came from a wealthy background.

Then, it was learned singer had previously been signed to a label, which fueled debate about her authenticity as an indie music artist garnering success through a viral video. The backlash picked up steam after Del Rey’s recent, shaky singing as the musical guest on US sketch comedy show “Saturday Night Live.” It was attacked with vitriol by fans and critics alike. “She’s hit a nerve in some way, which is both a good thing and a bad thing as people are talking about her,” said Lyndsey Parker, managing editor at Yahoo! Music.

“There’s a huge curiosity about her and if that was what the label wanted, they’ve done a great job.” But rather than addressing the criticism directly, Del Rey’s response has been to retreat from the public eye and shun live performances ahead of the album’s release-a rarity these days when promotion is the name of the game in show business if stars want to sell records, books, movies or TV shows.

She appears to have given only one interview following the “Saturday Night Live” performance, published last week in

R

British newspaper The Telegraph. “I don’t want to talk about how it (the criticism) made me feel because I think it’s disrespectful to God to go to a dark place with this kind of thing. People just want to see me go off the rails. That’s the only reason they’re watching,” Del Rey told the Telegraph. That interview has seemed only to add to the intrigue surrounding the

with waves of tumbling auburn hair framing an often expressionless demeanor in a look that Yahoo’s Parker likened to an “icy, Hitchcock heroine.” Del Rey has denied that her look, which has earned her a modeling contract, and on-stage persona is a gimmick. But whether pre-meditated imagemaking or just personal taste, one thing is certain: the singer’s retro style and attrac-

singer who many have tipped as the next big thing among female solo acts. Del Rey, through her representatives, declined an interview with Reuters.

“It’s really hard to get people to stop and pay attention to you, and Lana Del Rey has done that. So, she’s cleared a hurdle that ninety-nine percent of millions of artists never clear,” said Bill Werde, editorial director of Billboard. “The next hurdle is, can she deliver a hit song or hit album?”

Part of Del Rey’s appeal has been her manicured, vintage-inspired appearance,

tive features have won over fans and critics.

“The image matches the music and it does make her stand out in an era where a lot of people dress in hotpants, almost naked, and her throwback image is kind of cool,” said Parker.

Del Rey cites a diverse group of musical artists such as Elvis Presley, Britney Spears and Leonard Cohen as influences on her Facebook page. Her voice ranges from syrupy sweet to huskily haunting on what Freddie Campion at Vogue calls “epic, scene-setting melodies” when she sings

Grammy-winning composer Clare Fischer dies at 83 lare Fischer, a Grammy-winning composer who wrote scores for television and movies and worked with legendary musicians like Dizzy Gillespie, has died. He was 83.

Fischer died Thursday at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank after suffering a heart attack two weeks ago, family spokeswoman Claris SayadianDodge said. An uncommonly versatile musician, Fischer worked as a composer, arranger, conductor and pianist for more than 60 years.

He is best known for his arrangements for Prince, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Branford Marsalis, Raphael Saadiq, Usher and Brandy. Nominated for a Grammy 11 times in the Best Instrumental Arrangement category, Fischer won in 1986 for his album “Free Fall” and in 1981 for “Salsa Picante plus 2+2.” Born in Durand, Mich., Fischer

C

got his start playing piano and writing jazzinspired arrangements for the group The Hi-Lo’s, an a capella quartet popular in the 1950s.

He worked as the arranger on Gillespie’s “Jazz Portrait of Duke Ellington.”

Fischer recorded 51 albums over his lifetime with his son Brent Fischer.

The music ranges in style from jazz to salsa to symphonies. “Clare Fischer was a major influence on my harmonic concept,” Herbie Hancock is quoted as saying on Fischer’s website. “(Fischer) and Bill Evans, and Ravel and Gil Evans, finally. You know, that’s where it really came from. Almost all of the harmony that I play can be traced to one of those four people and whoever their influences were,” Hancock said. Clare Fischer is survived by his wife, Donna; sons Lee and Brent; daughter Tahlia; and three grandchildren.— AP

lyrics such as “You were sorta punk rock, I grew up on hip hop, but you fit me better than my favorite sweater” on her single, “Blue Jeans.” Lyrically, the “Born To Die” album tracklist fluctuates between dark tales of star-crossed lovers in “Lucky Ones” and “Blue Jeans” and gritty stories of broken dreams in songs like “Carmen.” She references teen drinking and drug abuse in the ode “National Anthem” and in “This is What Makes Us Girls.”

Whether Del Rey earns hit status with her new album remains to be seen. Early reviews have been mixed. New York Times’ Jon Caramanica likened “Born To Die” to “a multiple choice test with every answer scanned ‘C’.” Andrew Hampp at Billboard.com called the record “as puffy as the singer’s oft-debated lips,” adding that some of the songs became stale throughout the album.

But there has been positive, too. James Lachno at The Telegraph gave the record four out of five stars, saying the “misty-eyed retro-pop makes for compelling listening.”

For Del Rey, the album marks a personal achievement after her struggle to break in to the industry. “I think it’s beautiful. I think it’s gorgeous. This album is myself in song form,” she told The Telegraph. “All I wanted to do was make something beautiful, and I think I’ve done that.” “Born to Die” will be released on Interscope, part of the Universal Music Group, on Jan. 30 in the United Kingdom and Jan. 31 in the United States. — Reuters

Jesse Jackson adds voice to Grammy protest ivil rights activist the Rev Jesse Jackson on Friday urged Grammy organizers to reinstate 31 ethnic and minority musical categories that have been cut from the music industry’s top awards. In a letter to Recording Academy president Neil Portnow, sent three weeks before the Feb. 12 Grammy Awards show, Jackson said the elimination of awards for Native American and Hawaiian musicians, and cuts in Latin Jazz, R&B and other categories were illconsidered and unfair.

Jackson said some of the categories dropped by the Recording Academy in a major overhaul last year “constitute the very heart of the music that nourishes and inspires minority communities.”

C

Writing on behalf of the Rainbow Push Coalition of US civil rights groups, Jackson called for an urgent meeting with Portnow to try and resolve the conflict that has spurred months of protests and a lawsuit by leading musicians.

Portnow said on Friday he was “receptive to meeting with the Rev. Jackson to explain how our nomination process works and to show the resulting diverse group of nominees it produced” for this year’s Grammy Awards. Paul Simon, Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt and Bobby Sanabria are among dozens of musicians who have protested the decision, announced last April, to slash the number of Grammy categories to 78 from 109 for the 2012 Grammy Awards. —Reuters

Leonard Cohen sings the blues or four decades Leonard Cohen’s brooding lyrics won him fans and accolades the world over, but the folkrock poet never felt legitimate singing the blues-until now. Elegantly clad in a suit and black trilby, the 77-yearold Canadian was in Paris this month to promote his new album “Old Ideas”, the first in eight years 10 pared-down songs with a strong blues flavor.

“I’ve always loved the blues, A picture taken on January 16, I’ve always loved 2012 shows Canadian singer the musical conand poet Leonard Cohen posing struction of the in Paris.—AFP blues, but I’ve always felt that I didn’t have the right to sing the blues,” he explained, in his distinctive baritone. “But somehow, the right was granted to me, I don’t know by what authorities, but I felt that I had the right to use that form and a number of songs came to me that way. “Now I have the permission to sing the blues,” he said.

Born in the tiny English-speaking quarter of Montreal, Cohen published books of poetry before embarking on a singing career with his debut album “Songs of Leonard Cohen”, featuring such tracks as “Suzanne” and “So Long, Marianne.” Since then the singer has inspired countless artists, who have produced more than 1,000 cover versions of his work including “Hallelujah”, a cult favorite covered by the late singer Jeff Buckley. Released on January 30, the sound of “Old Ideas” marks a departure from Cohen’s last work, the 2004 “Dear Heather”, but it returns to the often weighty themes he holds dear, of spirituality, love, sexuality, the past and death.

“I think like tofu the song takes on the flavor of the emotional gravy of what you sense,” he said. “If one needs one’s own suffering to be addressed, I think you can find that component in a song,” he added. But there is a vein of humor and self-deprecation on the album as well, like on the opening track “Going Home”, in which Cohen addresses “Leonard”, “a sportsman and a shepherd”, “a lazy bastard, living in a suit.”

Cohen suffered in the past from long-term depression, but says he has now escaped from under its shadow. “I am happy to report that at a certain point in my life that depression slowly dissolved and it has not returned with the same kind of ferocity that prevailed during most of my life.” “So hopefully that’s gone, and it won’t return,” he said. On the whole, Cohen said he was “quite in a good mood” when he wrote the 10 songs on the album, some as early as 2007. Asked about his reputation as a charmer, he said wryly: “For me to be a ladies’ man at this point involves a great deal of humor.”

And to another journalist’s question probing his interest in death: “I’ve come to the conclusion, reluctantly, that I am going to die, so the possibility produces some thoughts. “I’d like to come back as my daughter’s dog,” he quipped. Cohen quit the music scene in the early 1990s to join a Buddhist monastery in California, where he was ordained a Rinzai Zen Buddhist monk and took the name Jikhan, meaning “silence”.

But the singer-songwriter, whose music has featured in dozens of movie soundtracks from “Natural Born Killers” to “Shrek”, was forced to make a comeback after being swindled out of his retirement nest egg by his former manager. He went on a world tour from 2008 to 2010, with a series of performances that received rave reviews from the public and critics, although some shows had to be postponed due to a back injury. Nevertheless, Cohen says a return to the stage in 2012 is “certainly in my head”.

And a sequel to “Old Ideas” could also surface fairly quickly. “I have enough for a new record which I’m working on now. So, God willing, I’ll be able to finish another record within a year or so,” he said. “I have lot of unfinished material,” he said. —AFP

F

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

lifestyle

Dior

phone touch

A

pioneer in Haute Couture mobile phones, today Christian Dior is launching the new Dior phone: a compact, high-performance luxury touch telephone. Easy and intuitive navigation and the perfect measurements for slipping into even the smallest purse. With its world of pictures and sounds, the new Dior phone is a marvel of elegance and highly sophisticated, expert craftsmanship.

A real work of art, a reflection of the Dior spirit “I wanted to be an architect,” said Monsieur Dior. He was one. The architect of the New Look, the silhouette that revolutionized his age. Today the Dior phone is a real architectural gem, with complex and intelligent constructions: 99 pieces assembled by hand in a French workshop where the finest and most precious materials - sapphire crystal, steel, gold, diamond, mother-of-pearl - combine with the subtleties of inlaid work and fine jewelry. A technical feat on a par with the Dior caning motif chiseled in the signature sapphire crystal to produce an incredibly luminous effect. Caning, one of the house’s famous codes, is reminiscent of the Napoleon III chairs on which Monsieur Dior’s clients sat during his first show in 1947.

Dior phone touch encapsulates Christian Dior’s heritage of luxury and expertise down to the tiniest detail.

It is adorned in sapphire crystal in the couturier’s cult colors: Glamorous Black, Dazzling Red, Pure White, and Shanghai Blue.

Another of the brand’s hallmarks, the Dior oval becomes animated each time a number is dialed. An exceptional object of this kind needed a fitting setting: the case for the new Dior phone is made of supple leather, topstitched with the caning motif in a nod to Dior fine leather goods.

Icons, sound effects... the Dior universe comes to life Dior phone touch takes you wherever the Dior spirit blows. Browse the menus and applications to discover the House of Dior’s world and the unique atmosphere of 30 Avenue Montaigne; a moving stroll through history and time, from the fifties of Monsieur Dior to the present day. Even the Twitter, Facebook, Google, YouTube and Blogger icons are surrounded by a thin white line like the street nameplates in Paris.

Each function has a surprise in store. Camera, video, gallery, animations: each icon immortalizes on Polaroid a moment in Monsieur Dior’s life. The creative studio, fitting sessions, the backstage buzz: a journey into the legend and magic of the collections.

Everything is symbolic, even the sound effects. Each ringtone and touch tone has been exclusively composed by an audio designer. The titles and the rhythms have been designed to evoke the spirit of Dior.

Muguet, New Look, Tapis Rouge, Montaigne... an immersion in the very essence of the House of Dior and its legendary years.

Dior phone touch is a real privilege for those who love Dior and luxury.

A gem in the palm of your hand, an alter ego 103.1 x 50.3 x 12.8 mm, 137 grams: the compact new Dior phone has the perfect measurements for nestling in the palm of a woman’s hand. Elegant, intelligent and ultra-sophisticated, it is able to meet any desire for enhanced communication or information: what’s the latest on the stock market? What’s the weather going to be like? A Paris-Shanghai return trip?

A work of art and incredible expertise, in which tradition and technology have pulled off their bold gamble...

Technical specifications: * Touch screen phone * 103,1 mm H x 50,3 mm D x 12,8 mm W * Weight: from 137 grams * 3G+, Quad band, Wifi, Bluetooth(r) 2.1 stereo * A GPS, Google Maps(tm) * Real time, Facebook, Twitter, Widgets * 3.2 inches multi-touch LCD, 16 million colours, 854 x 480 pixels * MP3 player, Dolby Mobile sound enhancement, Video recorder * Auto Focus 5MP camera with stabiliser * Battery life Li-lon900mAh * 12 days standby time, 3 hours 45 minutes talk time * Directory 1000 contacts * Micro SD 8 GB

This photo shows courtroom sketch artist Carol Renaud in her Chicago home studio. Artists have drawn legal proceedings since the Salem witch trials to the recent corruption trial of impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich, but their ranks are thinning as states lift courtroom camera ban. —AP

Need for courtroom artists fade as cameras move in O

ne marker in hand and one in his mouth, Lou Chukman glances up and down from a sketchpad to a reputed Chicago mobster across the courtroom - drawing feverishly to capture the drama of the judge’s verdict before the moment passes. Sketch artists have been the public’s eyes at high-profile trials for decades, remnants of an age when drawings in broadsheet papers, school books or travel chronicles were how people glimpsed the world beyond their own.

Today, their ranks are thinning swiftly as states move to lift long-standing bans on cameras in courtrooms. As of a year ago, 14 states still had artists, but at least three, including Illinois this month, have begun procedures to end the prohibitions on cameras. “When people say to me, ‘Wow, you are a courtroom artist’ - I always say, ‘One day, you can tell your grandchildren you met a Stegosaurus,’” Chukman, 56, explained outside court. “We’re an anachronism now, like blacksmiths.”

Cutbacks in news budgets and shifts in aesthetic sensibilities toward digitized graphics have all contributed to the form’s decline, said Maryland-based sketch artist Art Lien. While the erosion of the job may not be much noticed by people reading and watching the news, Lien says something significant is being lost. Video or photos cannot do what sketch artists can, he said, such as compressing hours of court action onto a single drawing that crystallizes the events.

The best courtroom drawings hang in museums or sell to collectors for thousands of dollars. “I think people should lament the passing of this art form,” Lien said. But while courtroom drawing has a long history - artists did illustrations of the Salem witch trials in 1692, a century

before the United States existed - the artistry sometimes can be sketchy. A bald lawyer ends up with a full head of hair. A defendant has two left hands. A portly judge is drawn rail-thin. Subjects often complain as they see the drawings during court recesses, said Chicago artist Carol Renaud.

“They’ll say, ‘Hey! My nose is too big.’ And sometimes they’re right,” she conceded. “We do the drawings so fast.”

Courtroom drawing does not attract most aspiring artists because it does not afford the luxury of laboring over a work for days until it’s just right, said Andy Austin, who has drawn Chicago’s biggest trials over 40 years, including that of serial killer John Wayne Gacy. “You have to put your work on the air or in a newspaper whether you like it or not,” she said. The job also involves long stretches of tedium punctuated by bursts of action as a witness sobs or defendant faints. It can also get downright creepy.

At Gacy’s trial, a client asked Austin for an image of him smiling. So, she sought to catch the eye of the man accused of killing 33 people. When she finally did, she beamed. He beamed back. “The two of us smiled at each other like the two happiest people in the world until the sketch was finished,” Austin recalled in her memoirs, titled “Rule 53,” after the directive that bars cameras in US courts.

There is no school specifically for courtroom artists. Many slipped or were nudged into it by circumstance.

Renaud drew fashion illustrations for Marshall Field’s commercials into the 1990s but lost that job when the department store starting relying on photographers. That led her to courtroom drawing.

Artists sometime get to court early and sketch the empty room. But coming in with a drawing fully finished in

Kurt Geiger unveils new collection at The Avenues ‘Clothing without accessories, is like a party with no cake’: Creative Director, Rebecca Farrar-Hockley

E

verything but the Dress launches a toe to top collection of accessories with Kurt Geiger’s signature chic urban glamour.

Shoes, once the sole stars of Kurt Geiger, shine alongside an irresistible array of handbags, small leather goods, chic technology accessories, scarves, gloves, jewellery and hair accessories with attitude.

Fashionista’s can adopt a different style for every mood and build their ultimate wish list.

Whether designing your winter wardrobe or sharing your dream gift list, Kurtgeiger.com offers an array of choice. The site offers exclusive pieces, previews of the forthcoming collections, footage of exclusive events, trend information and behind the scenes reports.

The Accessories collection offers a strong, urban collection of stylish pieces. The handbags are created in soft European leathers in a palette of sophisticated colours, complete with heavy gold plated zips and hardware for a contemporary feel. The outerwear is inspired by urban street style with fingerless gloves, faux fur snoods and soft angora scarves. Jewellery pieces have a handmade feel that combine materials such as faceted glass, suede and plated gold.

Cool, kitsch and cute. Candy is a fun and playful collection of instantly desirable accessories such as purses, cardholders, technology accessories, key fobs, pencil cases, cosmetic bags and shoppers. Materials such as Perspex, nylon, printed satin and embossed snake all come in eye-popping colours. Small trinkets such as beaded necklaces in fluorescent colours, coloured friendship strings with star charms, hair accessories, earrings and rings all sit in gold star bubble packaging.

Walk into Kurt Geiger at The Avenues, Phase II and adorn yourself from toe to top.

advance is seen as unethical. Some artists use charcoal, water colors or pungent markers, which can leave those sitting nearby queasy. Most start with a quick pencil sketch, then fill it in. Austin draws right off the bat with her color pencils.

“If I overthink it, I get lost,” she said. “I have a visceral reaction. I just hope what I feel is conveyed to my pen.”

These days, Chukman and Renaud fear for their livelihoods.

They make the bulk of their annual income off their court work. Working for a TV station or a newspaper can bring in about $300 a day. A trial lasting a month can mean a $6,000 paycheck. Chukman does other work on the side, including drawing caricatures as gifts. Austin is semiretired and so she says she worries less. She also notes that federal courts, where some of the most notorious trials take place, like the two corruption trials of impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich, seem more adamant about not allowing cameras. Still, though Rule 53 remains in place, federal courts are experimenting with cameras in very limited cases. “If federal courts do follow, that will be the end of us,” Austin said. Renaud holds out hope that, even if the worst should happen, there still will be demand from lawyers for courtroom drawings they can hang in their offices. Lien plans to bolster his income by launching a website selling work from historic trials he covered, including of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh.

Chukman, a courtroom artist for around 30 years, jokes that if asked for his opinion, he would have told state-court authorities to keep the ban in place a few more years until he retires. “I recognize my profession exists simply because of gaps in the law, and I’ve been grateful for them,” he said wistfully. “This line of work has been good to me.” —AP

New Orleans celebrates anniversary of steamboat

T

wo hundred years ago, the first steamboat meandered down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, taking more than four months to reach New Orleans. The journey was marked by Indians chasing the paddlewheeled boat, a baby’s birth and an earthquake that made the Mississippi flow in the opposite direction for 45 miles (70 kilometers). Despite it all, the steamboat New Orleans successfully sailed into its namesake city, revolutionizing business for the port, and opening up the Midwest to economic growth.

The 200th anniversary of the first docking is being celebrated yesterday along the banks of the Mississippi and at the Cabildo museum in the French Quarter. The museum has a related exhibit: New Orleans Bound 1812: The Steamboat that Changed America. “A ship capable of sailing up the Mississippi had never sailed down it before,” said Frank Courtenay, a maritime attorney and president of the celebration sponsor River Heritage Foundation. “It was the first that could operate against the current, and that’s what made the port of New Orleans what it is today.”

These days, more than 6,000 vessels move through the port each year. In 1812, there were only flat boats coming down the Mississippi, and vessels under sail struggling up from the Gulf of Mexico. Still, when that first paddle wheeler arrived, it created surprisingly little stir, said Tony Lewis, curator of the Cabildo show. “It was certainly a historic moment, and it capped a trip full of adventure,” Lewis said. “But there was not a lot of excitement about it. I suspect they landed here and it was more of a curiosity than anything.”

Steam engines had already come to New Orleans, Lewis said, as had word of steamboats on the northern rivers. Built in Pittsburgh by a group of investors that included Robert Fulton, credited by many as the father of the modern steam-powered ship, the boat was 138 feet (42 meters) long and 33-feet (10 meters) wide. It carried 17 people, including an engineer, six deckhands, a cook, a waiter, two female servants, and a Newfoundland dog named Tiger. —AP

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

lifestyle

The Artist is a ‘love letter’ to world film

By Sunil Cherian

I

n one of my favorite scenes in the Oscarhopeful French film, ‘The Artist’, the fallen hero pours out the drink onto a table in desperation - as if to wash him out. But to his dismay, and to our delight, his narcissistic image stares him back from the puddle on the table. Beautifully crafted and hilariously acted out, The Artist will surprise you - as a silent, black-and-white 1927 story and as a fairy tale-like moral melodrama, pregnant with lessons: Technology can be married to tradition; pride and humility are not necessarily opposites, and, in the flux of time, the old has to give in for the new and for the youth.

The most surprising element of the film is its simplistic way of telling life’s greatest truths.

Enjoyable for everyone from 8-80 years, ‘The Artist’ brushes color on every age group, on many levels.

But does this one-and-a-half hour, old-fashioned but lively film really achieve the ideals it postulates? Well, a disappointing ‘No’ will be doing injustice to the film’s writer-director Hazanavicius, and to the charisma of the leading pair. Hazanavicius chose to tell the story of a fallen actor of silent films who refused to pair with the sound technology of the time and on a parallel level, the story of a rising actress - the toast of the town - who could speak! Can these two reconcile? Even if the director doesn’t want it, Time, the villain would want it.

Though the premise seems philosophical, Hazanavicius - who will compete against Scorsese at the Oscars next month - relies more on a style that has room for chick flick,

Larger than life, shorter than its theme

French actor Jean Dujardin and Argentine actress Berenice Bejo do a dance sequence (left) in the Oscar-hopeful French film ‘The Artist’. Dujardin immortalizes George Valentin, a silent film actor ‘who nobody wants’ against Bejo’s Peppy Miller who, from a dancer’s role rose to a dazzling star. Bejo, who is the wife of director Michel Hazanavicius in real life, symbolizes goodness, technology and change in ‘The Artist ‘. slapstick and the surreal. There is a scene at the Kinograph Studio which fires its most bankable actor George Valentin who meets his co-star, Miss Peppy Miller on the stairs. George is descending and Peppy is ascending. Also, George’s film is titled, ‘The Lonely Star’, where Peppy stars in ‘ The Guardian Angel’. The

scenes of George and his companion dog (a delightful creature named Uggy) are melodramatic: George burns his film-canisters and faints in suffocation. The dog runs and brings a policeman in.

In dream-like scenes, George shockingly realizes that he has lost his voice. He hides

British film ‘Shadow Dancer’ lifts crowd at Sundance A

tense British thriller about a mother deeply entrenched in the IRA and forced to choose between the organization and the family she loves has earned high praise among the foreign films at this week’s Sundance Film festival. “Shadow Dancer,” set against a backdrop of a Northen Ireland in transition, gave the festival a lift after it premiered earlier this week following some of the higher-profile US fiction films that have failed to live up to pre-festival hype.

The film stars Andrea Riseborough as a Belfast mother who, along with two of her brothers, is active in the Irish Republican Army when she gets offered a deal by a British intelligence officer (Clive Owen) to turn against her colleagues and become an informant or else go to prison. James Marsh, who made Oscar-winning documentary “Man On Wire,” directed “Shadow Dancer” which 1990s Northern Ireland TV correspondent Tom Bradby adapted from his book of the same name. Marsh said he was initially reluctant to work on the movie but ultimately won over by the idea of telling a more personal story of the conflict.

“In Britain you have this sort of exhausted sense of the Northern Irish troubles,” he told Reuters. “But I quickly got caught up in the premise of the story where you take a young single mother and you go and force her to spy on her own family. It’s an impossible bargain.” The moral quandar y of Riseborough’s character-choosing between loved ones and dealing with the guilt of

betrayal-are themes most audiences could relate to, said Marsh. Marsh applauded other films such as 2002’s “Bloody Sunday” that captured a par ticular episode of the Northern Ireland conflict, but said he was more interested in the microcosm of one family’s turmoil and how it reflected the region’s larger troubles.

“We didn’t try and bring in the bigger political story or the facts involved in this conflict. It felt like a very boiled down family thriller,” he said, adding he was not interested in getting “flashy and flamboyant.” His restrained style has been lavished with praise. The Hollywood Reporter hailed his “carefully crafted” film, while The Guardian called it “a poetic and unapologetically arthouse story of betrayal and loyalty that, with its terrific score, measured pacing and fierce female performances, is a raw reminder of a sad and painful past.”

Working alongside a support cast of Irish actors, the English-born Owen agreed only at the last minute to take the role, while American actress Gillian Anderson turns up in an unrecognizable role as Owen’s frosty British boss. In the main role is English-born Riseborough, 30, who was recently seen playing Wallis Simpson in Madonna’s “W E” Marsh said she was partly cast due to her turns as “a surprising actress, every role she did, you didn’t quite recognize her.”

“She has something of the quality of a silent movie actress, you can photograph her in close-up and so much is available so discreetly,” he said. Filmed over 5 weeks in

Dublin and one week in London, the cinematography features strong shades of gray in stark contrast to Riseborough standing out in a rich red raincoat in tones that Marsh said were inspired by the 1964 Hitchcock film “Marnie.” Marsh, 48, was offered the film after directing “1980,” the second movie of the “Red Riding” trilogy. “Shadow Dancer” is his largest fiction feature to date, but he said making fiction films-as opposed to documentaries like “Man on Wire” or last year’s “Project Nim”-was always a par t of his dream.

“The one thing you want from your career is one film leading to another film, and that hasn’t always been the case for me. So I am just thrilled to be working and making films,” he said.

“I am as happy as can be.” “Shadow Boxer” is not the only foreign film winning fans at Sundance, which is considered the premiere festival for US independent moviemakers but in recent years has lured more work from overseas and launched a world cinema competition. “ Wish You Were Here,” the Australian drama starring Joel Edgerton as a father struggling to keep his family and himself together after a disastrous holiday, has earned praise. As has “The Raid,” a bloody, bone-crunching, martial arts action drama from Indonesia that played at the Toronto film festival. Also receiving a warm response has been “Madrid, 1987”, Brazil’s “Father’s Chair,” Chile’s “Violeta Went to Heaven,” and Turkish drama “Can,” the first Turkish film to play Sundance.— Reuters

Bollywood actors Hrithik Roshan (L), Priyanka Chopra (2ndL), Producer Karan Johar (2ndR) and actor Sanjay Dutt attend a press conference to promote their movie ‘Agneepath’ in Mumbai. —AFP

from characters he acted who challenge him to come down. In another scene, George calls his shadow a loser. The shadow walks away from him amidst George’s frenzied yell, to “get back here” (shown as a subtitle as they used to do in the silent film era).

‘Beware of your pride, if I may say so sir.

Miss Miller is a good person’, reads the subtitle when George’s former driver who now works with Miller says after George refused Miller’s invitation to co-star with her. Miss Miller’s goodness saves George and the story. (‘If only you let me help you, George’). Perhaps it will save this year’s Oscars and good cinema.

Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana celebrate at Sundance

Actress Zoe Saldana, left, co-writer and co-director Lee Sternthal, center, and actor Bradley Cooper pose at the premiere of “The Words” during the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah on Friday. —AP

B

radley Cooper and Zoe Saldana came to the Sundance Film Festival to promote their closing-night film, “The Words.” The two actors play a married couple in the movie, which follows an aspiring writer who gains fame when he finds an old manuscript and passes it off as his own. The pair avoided any appearance of their reported off-screen romance by staying apart from one another while posing for photos and giving interviews to support the film. Saldana did affectionately touch Cooper as they passed in a hallway, though.

Both had been to Sundance before, where snow fell throughout the festival and the weather dipped into the teens.

Still, Saldana maintained her fashionista edge. “I did bring warm stuff but I also brought fashion-y stuff. Come on. You’ve got to pay the price, even if it’s too cold,” she said. The 33-year-old actress wore green suede shoes with spiked stiletto heels despite the slushy conditions.

“They’re kind of fabulous. They’re also lethal. So I have to be really careful, and somebody has to be careful not to piss me off,” she said with a smile. “Yeah right.

I’m just trying not to fall. It’s like ‘Please don’t fall. Please don’t fall,’ if I’m walking.”

Cooper’s first time at the festival was 12 years earlier with the eventual cult comedy hit “Wet Hot American Summer.”

“I wasn’t even able to get into the screening,” he recalled. Saldana said playing Cooper’s wife in “The Words” made her think about how she approaches relationships and the concept of unconditional love. “Like how unconditional am I when I’m in love. Do you bypass certain things?

Would I be able to be with a man - or

with someone - that feels incomplete, doesn’t matter what we do?” she said. “If we change this, if we get married, if we have a baby - just someone that feels incomplete. Would I be able to deal with that for so many years and accept them as who they are and go, ‘Come as you are.

This is who I fell in love with and I don’t want to change you?’

“I’m not like that, which is why I wanted to play her, because it was a challenge, you know. Look at me, I totally said I’m not unconditional at all. So awful.”

Cooper’s part as author-plagiarist Rory Jansen is his second writerly role after playing a novelist in last year’s “Limitless.”

But that’s just coincidence, he said.

Despite having a degree in English, the 37-year-old actor says he typically only writes in his “girlnal.”

“Journal, sorry,” he said. “That’s a ‘Wet Hot’ reference. Paul Rudd says that.”

Saldana, meanwhile, is in the midst of shooting the “Star Trek” sequel in Los Angeles with director J J Abrams and much of the original’s cast. “It’s wonderful because I’ve been dying to work with the cast again, to work with JJ,” she said. “I love him so much. He’s such an amazing human being and such an amazing storyteller and a great director, so what more can I ask for? I start the year and I’m literally going back to a very familiar environment and being a part of a great story.”

“The Words,” which also stars Dennis Quaid, Jeremy Irons, Ben Barnes and Olivia Wilde, premiered Friday. It was acquired early in the festival by CBS Films, which plans to release it theatrically in the fall. Sundance continues through Sunday.— AP

‘The Artist’ is a love letter to world film

39

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

Hundreds of Taiwanese release “sky lanterns” in hopes of good fortune and prosperity in the new year and to celebrate the upcoming traditional Chinese Lantern Festival yesterday, in the Pingxi district of New Taipei City, Taiwan. The start of the Chinese Lantern festival falls on Monday, Feb 6. —AP

Friend says Demi Moore was convulsing on 911 call D

emi Moore smoked something before she was rushed to the hospital on Monday night and was convulsing and “semi-conscious, barely,” according to a caller on a frantic 911 recording released Friday by Los Angeles fire officials. The woman tells emergency operators that Moore, 49, had been “having issues lately.” “Is she breathing normal?” the operator asks. “No, not so normal.

More kind of shaking, convulsing, burning up,” the friend says as she hurries to Moore’s side, on the edge of panic.

The recording captures the 10 minutes it took paramedics to arrive as friends gather around the collapsed star and try to comfort her as she trembles and shakes. Another woman is next to Moore as the dispatcher asks if she’s responsive. “Demi, can you hear me?” she asks. “Yes, she’s squeezing hands. ... She can’t speak.” When the operator asks what Moore ingested or smoked, the friend replies, but the answer was redacted. “Some form of ... and then she smoked something. I didn’t really see. She’s been having some issues lately with some other stuff. So I don’t know what she’s been taking or not,” the friend says. The city attorney’s office advised the fire department to redact details about medical conditions and substances to comply with federal medical privacy rules.

“She smoked something. It’s not marijuana.

It’s similar to incense,” the friend says to the

911 operator. While Moore’s friends don’t say exactly what she smoked, an increasingly popular drug known as Spice is sometimes labeled as “herbal incense.”

Spice is a synthetic cannabis drug and also called K2. It’s sold in small packets over the Internet, in smoke shops and at convenience stores. The packaging sometimes reads “not for human consumption” to conceal its purpose. In 2011, there were twice as many spicerelated calls to Poison Control Centers nationwide as in the previous year, according to the National Office of Drug Control Policy.

The adverse health effects associated with synthetic marijuana include anxiety, vomiting, racing heartbeat, seizures, hallucinations, and paranoid behavior. Asked if Moore took the substance intentionally or not, the woman says Moore ingested it on purpose but the reaction was accidental. “Whatever she took, make sure you have it out for the paramedics,” the operator says. The operator asks the friend if this has happened before. “I don’t know,” she says.

“There’s been some stuff recently that we’re all just finding out.” Moore’s publicist, Carrie Gordon, said previously that the actress sought professional help to treat her exhaustion and improve her health. She would not comment further on the emergency call or provide details about the nature or location of Moore’s treatment. The past few months have

been rocky for Moore. She released a statement in November announcing she had decided to end her marriage to fellow actor Ashton Kutcher, 33, following news of alleged infidelity. The two were known to publicly share their affection for one another via Twitter.

Moore still has a Twitter account under the name mrskutcher but has not posted any messages since Jan 7. Meanwhile, Millennium Films announced Friday that Sarah Jessica Parker will replace Moore in the role of feminist Gloria Steinem in its production of “Lovelace,” a biopic about the late porn star Linda Lovelace. A statement gave no reason for the change. The production, starring Amanda Seyfried, has been shooting in Los Angeles since Dec 20. During the call, the woman caller says the group of friends had turned Moore’s head to the side and was holding her down. The dispatcher tells her not to hold her down but to wipe her mouth and nose and watch her closely until paramedics arrive.

“Make sure that we keep an airway open,” the dispatcher says. “Even if she passes out completely, that’s OK. Stay right with her.” The phone is passed around by four people, including a woman who gives directions to the gate and another who recounts details about what Moore smoked or ingested.

Finally, the phone is given to a man named James, so one of the women can hold Moore’s

Demi Moore arrives at Variety’s 3rd Annual Power of Women Luncheon in Beverly Hills, Calif, in this Sept 23, 2011 photo. —AP head. There was some confusion at the beginning of the call. The emergency response was delayed by nearly two minutes as Los Angeles and Beverly Hills dispatchers sorted out which city had jurisdiction over the street where Moore lives.

As the call is transferred to Beverly Hills, the frantic woman at Moore’s house raises her voice and said, “Why is an ambulance not on its way right now?” “Ma’am, instead of arguing with me why an ambulance is not on the way, can you spell (the street name) for me?” the Beverly Hills dispatcher says. Although the estate is located in the 90210 ZIP code above Benedict Canyon, the response was eventually handled by the Los Angeles Fire Department.

By the end of the call, Moore has improved.

“She seems to have calmed down now. She’s speaking,” the male caller told the operator.

Moore and Kutcher were wed in September 2005. Kutcher became a stepfather to Moore’s three daughters - Rumer, Scout and Tallulah Belle - from her 13-year marriage to actor Bruce Willis. Moore and Willis divorced in 2000 but remained friendly.

Moore and Kutcher created the DNA Foundation, also known as the Demi and Ashton Foundation, in 2010 to combat the organized sexual exploitation of girls around the globe. They later lent their support to the United Nations’ efforts to fight human trafficking, a scourge the international organization estimates affects about 2.5 million people worldwide. Moore can be seen on screen in the recent films “Margin Call” and “Another Happy Day.” Kutcher replaced Charlie Sheen on TV’s “Two and a Half Men” and is part of the ensemble film “New Year’s Eve.” — AP

Convicted Jackson doctor seeks freedom pending appeal

T

Workers are busy to hang a giant dragon head for the Taipei Lantern Festival of the Chinese Lunar New Year of the Dragon in Taipei, Taiwan, yesterday. The festival opens for Feb 2-12. —AP

he doctor convicted of killing Michael Jackson asked on Friday to be released from jail, pending an appeal that could take a year to be heard. Dr Conrad Murray said in court papers filed in Los Angeles that he would agree to electronic monitoring or other conditions. But he asked to be set free while he appeals his conviction for involuntary manslaughter in the “ Thriller” singer’s 2009 death.

Murray, 58, was sentenced to four years in November after a six-week trial. Witnesses testified that he was guilty of gross negligence for giving Jackson regular doses of the powerful anesthetic propofol as a sleep aid, and failing to monitor him.

According to his defense attorney on Friday, Murray is being held in a solitary cell and has his hands chained to his waist, or to a table, when he is allowed out. Attorney J Michael Flanagan wrote in a declaration to Los Angeles Superior Court that Murray’s sentence “is very severe” considering the cir-

cumstances of the case. Flanagan wrote that Murray’s conviction stemmed from “an unusual situation, a close friendship with Michael Jackson and a desire to assist him through a difficult situation. Dr Murray may have made wrong choices and not have exercised good medical judgment at times, but he never intended to injure anyone.”

Murray, who pleaded not guilty and did not testify at his trial, said in the court filing that he had been told his appeal “will take well over a year before an opinion is rendered.”

He asked for his request for release be heard by the court on Feb 24.

Murray last month asked for a publicly funded lawyer because he could not fund his appeal himself.

He said in Friday’s papers that he would try and find work to support his children if he was allowed out.

Jackson, 50, died in Los Angeles on June 25, 2009 of an overdose of propofol and sedatives just weeks before a series of planned comeback concerts. — Reuters