09 Feb 2012

CR IP TI ON BS SU

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

Haniya hails Kuwait, Palestinian relations

www.kuwaittimes.net

RABIA ALAWAL 17, 1433 AH

Unrest in Maldives after leader ousted ‘at gunpoint’

Santorum triple win shakes up GOP race

Capello quits as England manager

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13 19 5Cabinet 12 makeup may be key to ending gridlock New lineup will have to reflect shift in power conspiracy theories

Salute to Nasheed

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

I

admire Mohamed Nasheed, who all of a sudden became the former Maldivian president. He surrendered so easily to a coup d’etat which happened the day before yesterday in the Maldives. He was asked by police and opposition-led protestors to resign. The man succumbed to the police peacefully and gently without any violence, bloodshed or prolonged protests in front of his palace.

He peacefully agreed that if people don’t want him, he does not want them too. How nice! When I heard the news about the Maldivian president, my mind immediately imagined our Arab leaders starting with Tunisia’s Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who only gave up when he knew he was going to be captured by the demonstrators after two months of struggle and escaped from the country.

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KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah (right) shares a light moment with HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah (left) and HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah at an annual gathering hosted by Capital Governor Sheikh Ali Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah yesterday at his Azayez farm. — KUNA (See Page 4)

Max 21º Min 13º High Tide 12:45 & 13:58 Low Tide 06:43 & 18:40

KUWAIT: Facing a bigger and bolder opposition swept into parliament by voters frustrated with Kuwait’s dysfunctional politics, there is pressure to appoint a Cabinet that can survive long enough to deliver muchneeded reforms. Opposition candidates won a solid majority in the 50-seat National Assembly last week, tapping into a surge of anger over the unpopular former prime minister and corruption, which drew rare protests onto the streets last year. New Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, as always handpicked by HH the Amir, will now appoint a new Cabinet before parliament holds its first session, due within two weeks.

The makeup of that Cabinet may determine, at least in part, how successful the next government will be in unfreezing the political gridlock that has paralysed the state. “You need now a magic formula to appease everybody and to make sure that this parliament will not from day one start bickering and fighting with the Cabinet,” said Abdullah Al-Shayji, chairman of political science at Kuwait University. The new lineup will have to make allowances for the shift in power on the ground, which could mean appointing more members of the elected Assembly. Under Kuwait’s constitution, at least one elected MP must also be given a ministerial position. In the previous administration, a single parliamentarian was selected.

“What is more important than the parliament is the formation of the Cabinet,” said Ghanim Al-Najjar, professor of political science at Kuwait University. Without an enemy, the opposition, which is united by little more than antagonism toward the government given that political parties are banned, could even be forced to join the Cabinet at the table instead of challenging it.

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CONDOLENCES Kuwait Times Editor-in-Chief, management and staff convey their deepest condolences to

Asaad Al-Banwan Chairman of Zain Kuwait on the sad demise of his aunt

Sherifa Al-Ghunaim May the Almighty Allah bestow His mercy on her departed soul

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

LOCAL

KUWAIT: The awardees pose with Advisory Council and Service Hero President Faten AbuGhazaleh. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

KUWAIT: One of the awardees (middle) receiving the award from the Advisory Council.

Mais Alghanim retains crown at ‘Service Hero Awards 2011’ 13,000 customers participate in survey

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: For the second time in a row, Mais Alghanim, was declared the first prize winner in the over-all category [countrywide] at the recently concluded 2011 Service Hero awards. Service Hero is a consulting firm that specializes in helping companies understand their customer experience assessment and advises them on ways to improve.

McDonald’s and American Eagle bagged the second and third place respectively in the overall category.

These companies received the highest scores on Ser vice Hero Customer Satisfaction Index for 2011 ahead of 346 companies in 17 different private industry categories.

The honoring ceremony was held on Tuesday at the Missoni Hotel, Salmiya in front of invitees who made it to the top three from each category. Service Hero, the curator of Kuwait’s only customer satisfaction index, organized the event with special guest speaker Dr John P

Hayes, Professor College of Business, Gulf University for Science and Technology. Service Hero is Kuwait’s first and only annual customer satisfaction index which started in 2010.

Categories and winners were announced and distributed by Service Hero President Faten Abu-Ghazaleh along with the members of Service Hero advisory council. She said that Service Hero helps to voice their customers’ service experiences by voting on six key service dimensions. AbuGhazaleh noted that the results, which are independently verified and adhere to international standards, will enable companies to gauge their standing against various demographic groups, competitors and industry averages.

Before announcing the winners, AbuGhazaleh thoroughly explained the criteria for the Service Hero Awards. She said the results are comprehensively studied and evaluated by the panel of exper ts after interacting with consumers online.

Around 13,000 genuine and qualified customers participated in the survey and voted for eight service dimensions, namely: reliability, speed, product quality, value for money, location, staff quality, call center, and the website. “The voting started on October 1 and went on till December 31 last year.

We have evaluated ever y vote to ensure its validity. We received more than 13,000 votes but cleaned the sample for a final vote count of 10,077, which met our sample requirement of valid assessment to ensure quality results.”

According to Abu Ghazaleh, as a member of a respected international organization, Service Hero ensures the highest standards and methodology.

She said that everyone who works in the company from the cleaners and tea-boys to receptionists, right up to the management and CEO, everyone plays a proactive role in customer satisfaction. “The most important thing in a company or the success of the compa-

Jordanian-Kuwaiti media forum AMMAN: Jordanian-Kuwaiti media forum is scheduled to kick off on Sunday within the framework of the two countries’ efforts to bolster media relations.

The event’s general coordinator Mansour Al-Ajmi said that the two-day event would gather media, political, and economic participants from Kuwait and Jordan as a measure to bolster relations

between the two nations, adding that the event, held under the auspices of Jordanian Prime Minister Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawneh, would witness the participation of 250 people.

Kuwait Ambassador to Jordan Dr Hamad Al-Duaij, Secretary General of Kuwait Journalists Association Faisal Al-Qinaie, and others would deliver speeches during the event, said the official. — KUNA

Faten Abu-Ghazaleh, Service Hero president ny is to retain its loyal customers, not to win another customer,” she added.

List of winners per category Cafes - Caribou, Fast-food McDonald’s, Casual Dining - Mais Alghanim, Retail Clothes - American Eagle, Home Furniture - Ikea, Regional Arab Airlines - Qatar Airways, Retail

Banks - National Bank of Kuwait, Islamic Banks - Boubyan Bank, Hospitals - Royale Hayat, Electronics - Eureka, ISP’s - KEMS, Mobile Operators - Zain Telecom, Car Sales - Mercedes Benz, Car Service Center - Honda and Supermarkets Carrefour.

Most of the winners in 2010 featured in the Service Hero Awards 2011 again.

Winners for the second time in a row include Caribou CafÈ, McDonald’s, Mais Alghanim, Ikea, NBK, Boubyan Bank, Royal Hayat, Eureka, KEMS and Mercedes Benz. Only five were added to the list of new winners and they are: Sakura Japanese Restaurant, American Eagle, Qatar Airways, Zain Telecom and Honda.

Service Hero adheres to ESOMAR [European Society of Opinion and Market Research] principles, the world organization for enabling better research into markets, consumers and societies. Esomar aims to promote the value of market and opinion research in illuminating real issues and bringing about effective decision-making.

‘GCC states to keep missions in Syria’ KUWAIT: Despite a decision to pull back ambassadors in Syria, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states will keep their respective diplomatic missions at the troubled Arab state, says a recent report quoting senior diplomatic sources in Kuwait.

Speaking anonymously to AlQabas because they are not authorized to talk to the media about the subject, the sources indicated that three diplomats are currently running the Kuwaiti embassy in Damascus, which have been the case for a while as the Kuwaiti ambassador had already returned to Kuwait at a previous date.

M eanwhile, the sources appealed through the report to citizens in Syria to return home immediately given the deteriorating security conditions, and urged

citizens in Kuwait to avoid traveling to Syria for any reason at the present time. Regarding the fate of the Syrian ambassador in Kuwait, the sources confirmed that he will be given a few days to leave after receiving the dismissal order.

In other news, MP Dr Waleed AlTabtabaei criticized reports hinting of a potential demonstration in front of the Bahraini embassy in Kuwait similar to the one held near the Syrian embassy which the Islamist lawmaker himself led. In a recent statement to Al-Rai, AlTabtabaei rejected the notion of connecting between the “inhuman acts and murder of innocent civilians in Syria”, and the events in Bahrain “which is subjected to a blatant Iranian intervention”.

Al-Tabtabaei fur ther warned that any person who marches

towards the Bahraini embassy “will find all Kuwaitis standing in defense of the embassy”. Also, the Islamic lawmaker announced that he will be joined by other MPs who plan to board an emergency aid plane next Thursday which intends to enter Syria via Turkey.

S e p a ra te l y, t h e M i n i s t r y o f Interior reportedly made a decision to allow Syrian nationals to issue dependency visas to their relatives, as long as they work as physicians and teachers in public medical facilities and schools respectively. Yet, said decision is subject to approval of assistant undersecretary for migration, said security sources with knowledge o f t h e i s s u e. Th e Sy r i a n s a re among five nationalities banned from labor related procedures sans residency renewal, imposed by the ministry this year. — Rai

Steps to boost Gulf media cooperation KUWAIT: The 26th meeting for directors of television channels of the GCC Joint Production Program Institution (GCCJPPI) is vital for cooperation amongst Gulf media institutions, said undersecretary for television affairs at the Information Ministry Ali Al-Rayes here yesterday.

He said during the opening of the meeting that the event would help coordinate efforts amongst GCC media personnel, adding that such meeting would determine the strategy of the GCCJPPI in the future.

On his par t, director of the Saudi Arabia’s channel two Suleiman Al-Humoud said that GCCIPPJ was the official umbrella that allowed GCC states to cooperate on a regional level, pointing out that the meeting would touch on achievements during 2011 and

Ali Al-Rayes means to continue the progress in the current year.

Meanwhile, GCCJPPI’s Executive Director Abdulmohsen Al-Bannai said that the institution had been very active in 2011 and

Suleiman Al-Humoud produced a number of documentaries focusing on the women contributions in the region and other media related programs. He hoped such success would continue in 2012. — KUNA

Virgin store set to close KUWAIT: Virgin Megastore yesterday announced the closing of its Kuwait store in Marina Mall by the end of February as part of the company’s commitment to maintaining a healthy portfolio of stores. “Virgin Megastore is saddened to leave Kuwait. We thank our loyal customers for their relentless support over the years. We have grown to know you and have appreciated your business. We hope to see you in our other outlets across the GCC, Egypt and Jordan very soon. This has been a difficult decision, but it is one that will allow us to better manage our resources and focus on growing the markets that support the Virgin Megastore business model,” said Nisreen Shocair, President of Virgin Megastore MENA in a press release.

Sources said that increasing government censorship lead to this step as almost 60 percent of products sold

at Virgin Megastore are banned in Kuwait. The Ministry of Information has forbidden sales of music CDs of international bestselling artistes like Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and Eminem over their objectionable lyrical content. Sources who spoke to a local daily revealed that other Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and the UAE have more relaxed regulations regarding books, music, and software.

Virgin Megastore is dedicated to treating employees affected by the store closure fairly. Staff displaced by the store closing will be offered positions at Azadea Group, the same holding company that operates the Virgin Megastore franchise in the MENA region and other brands within Kuwait. The final clearance sale at Virgin Megastore has commenced and will run until the store’s final day.

local

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

Health goes hi-tech at GCC conference

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: Harnessing the power of information technology is just one of many subjects being discussed at a two-day e-Health GCC Conference organized by Universal Conferences and Exhibitions being held at the JW Marriott in Kuwait City. Speaking with the Kuwait Times yesterday, Dr Ahmed Al-Barrak, Associate Professor of Health Informatics, Medical Informatics and Conference Chairman said their objective was to bring together healthcare providers and information technology experts to exchange information and demonstrate the market-ready applications.

“Technology is invading every place now; it is a platform where we conduct our activities. Healthcare is one of the fields and we are trying to address the challenges connected to electronic health records, telemedicine, tele-health, decision support, medication, medical errors, patient safety and security,” he said.

According to Al-Barrak, the e-Health Program goes hand-inhand with quality, since it supports health care providers, organizations to document and take knowledge-based decisions, diagnose, treat and help provide accurate solutions to nurses, and physicians. He said e-Health is very important for the safety of patients, and for the accessibility of healthcare records. “In the long term, it is very cost-effective,” he said.

According to Al-Barrak, the e-Health Conference is important for GCC countries as they continue to accept workers from several countries. “One of the panelists talks about an on-going scheme being implemented where GCC is connected to a system or health database that monitors sickness of visitors; if one country in the GCC has detected it, then it will be shared automatically with the other GCC countries,” he said.

“If you are here today in Kuwait and if you want to work in Saudi, your health record here can be transferred to Saudi,” he said. The first e-Health GCC Conference saw presentations from different health care professionals and companies that offer technology solutions. Two of the companies are Kofax and Open Text.

In an interview yesterday, Neil Briody, Sales Manager Kofax said they participated in the conference as it gave them an opportunity to understand the challenges that the healthcare organizations within the GCC is facing, particularly Kuwait. He aimed to comprehend how technology can help them address their issues with efficiency, reduce cost and ultimately provide excellent service for patients. Kofax deals with the private and public sectors, providing various products and solutions to health organizations, capturing information regardless of formats and types, streamlining the process and ultimately, managing the information.

Dr Ahmed Al-Barrak

Neil Briody

Saji John

“Lots of organizations still rely on paper-based documents for their day-to-day activities. We are an organization that can eliminate the unnecessary paperwork,” Briody said. Kofax technology is important as it helps organizations become more efficient and importantly, provide better services to customers. For over 20 years, Kofax has been a leading provider of document-driven process automation solutions.

Briody admitted that their solution displayed in Kuwait is quite expensive compared to low-cost solutions being offered by competitors. “We are proud of the company since we have the support, and the R&D. We have several innovative products that we launched, in addition to a range of Kofax products that are now in the market. We have attractive products being used, capi-

talized and recognized by several companies worldwide. Kofax can offer solutions that can benefit companies in the long run,” he said. The global financial crisis has affected almost all the companies, but according to Briody, Kofax somehow managed to capitalize on the crisis and helped many companies lower their expenses and save money. “We weathered the crisis, and in fact, it somehow helped us in a way because it generated more trade, especially from emerging markets like the Middle East and Africa,” Briody said. He also deemed Kuwait their key market considering it’s the ‘the future sophisticated market’ in the making.

Saji John, Partner Manager, OpenText, Middle East also explained products and services they offer. OpenText offers healthcare records management, enhancing the existing EMR

[Electronic Medical Record] systems which were originally created on paper to hardcopy-handwritten notes, prescriptions, faxed test results, emailed referrals and other data.

“What we do is aggregate the content in a single repository so that it can be available in order to provide better healthcare at reduced cost,” he said. OpenText focuses on the return of investment as fast as possible and adopts systems to their requirements. Security wise, OpenText according to John ‘is absolutely fantastic’. “It is certified by lots of government regulations and the US Department of Defense, for example, has awarded OpenText for having the highest level of security for ECM systems. We comply with about 20 different regulations,” John said.

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LOCAL

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

(Left) HH the Amir, HH the Crown Prince and HH the PM being received by their host Sheikh Ali Al-Jaber (right).

Day-out activity at Azayez farm KUWAIT: The Capital Governor Sheikh Ali Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah yesterday organized his annual day-out activity at his Azayez farm to which he invited His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, HH the PM, members of Al-Sabah family, the Sheikhs of main tribes, dignitaries, diplomats and members of the media to emphasize how solid and united Kuwait is.

kuwait digest

New winds of political change

By Dr Shamlan Yousuf Al-Essa irstly, I would like to congratulate all members of number to 25 members.

The opposition, despite its considerable size, is not parliament who won the people’s confidence. We wish them success in their difficult mission of legis- united. The popular faction may share some opinions lating and strengthening the state of law, development with the Muslim brotherhood or the Salaf movement, but and reform. There are many questions we would like to it may also differ with them. Furthermore, they may clash put forward so that we have a clearer idea of what the with the views of the tribes and the new MPs. Each side future will hold. Firstly, what will the performance of the has its own opinion and political program that it wants to new assembly be like now that the opposition holds a achieve, however the point uniting the opposition is the disapproval of the government’s performance, and that majority with 32 MPs? Furthermore, is there a common vision and agreement of the former Prime Minister in particular. Now, the foron the direction the opposition is planning to take? The mer Prime Minister is gone and the opposition has formed its presence in MPs of the Muslim Abdallah Al-Salem chamber.

Brotherhood and the Salaf Some say that our new NA council is The question is if they will movement already hold their own opinions, so how the council of “5s.” Winners were a implement the demands they were calling for. Will we will the new tribal MPs and total of five from Hadas, five from see new laws that combat all the youth fit into this, and will their demands agree Salaf, five from Popular Bloc, five illegal practices, an improvein transparency, the with those of the popular from Ajman, five from Awazem, five ment eradication of corruption in factions and groups? from Mutairi, five from Rashayda, the government and new Will the new assembly be a body of stability and calm? and therefore, five months are left to legislation drawn up that holds MPs accountable? The Will it deal with the issues of dissolve this council. Personally, I am opposition has a tremendous development, economy and public services, including optimistic, and hopeful that the five responsibility to legislate and the reformist health and education, with parties in the council (Government, implement ideas they put forward prior new vision or will it be conSunni power, Shiite power, tribes, and to the dissolution of the stricted by criticism and demands for more services urban) could reach a high level of assembly.

What about the governto be opened in new areas? understanding and deliver the coun- ment? Will it be able to face What about the new govthe new assembly with new ernment? How will it cil to its four years without problems. vision? If the answer is yes, approach key issues after the opposition’s win? Will it be able to face the new how can it promote its vision given that it does not assembly members and stand its ground, or will it bow to have a majority in the new assembly?

The government could be strong enough and able their demands? What programs will the government present in order to satisfy the MPs, given that the MPs to face the assembly if members of the ruling family are able to unite and put their differences aside. The ruling hold different ideologies?

Despite the fact that the opposition forms a majority family supported some of the opposition’s points, yet in the new assembly, it is fragmented and sometimes other parts of the family backed previously pro-governcontradicts itself. There is the popular faction of the old ment MPs. The political game is different now: we have MPs, plus political Islam in the form of the Muslim a new assembly and we will have a new government, so Brotherhood who have five seats as well as the Salaf can the government unite to guarantee the continuamovement who have 13. Salaf, however, have supporters tion and stability of Kuwait as a state? Only time will from various tribes and independents, which raises their tell. —Al-Watan

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

local

Premier set to pick Deputy PM from outside ruling family

KUWAIT: Hamas leader Ismail Haniya attends a dinner banquet at the diwaniya of the late Abdullah Al-Mutawa in Mansouriya as part of his current visit to Kuwait on Tuesday. Haniya met with several political and social figures as well as a number of citizens who attended the event. — Photos by Joseph Shagra

Haniya praises Kuwaiti-Palestinian ties KUWAIT: Ismail Haniya praised here yesterday the deep-rooted historic KuwaitiPalestinian relations, underscoring Kuwait’s interest in Palestine as a central issue.

Haniya, in a statement after meeting with the President and members of the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) expressed his happiness

to visit the State of Kuwait and meeting His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

He said he reviewed during his meeting with the KCCI officials economic conditions experienced by the Gaza Strip as well as the future needs of the Palestinian people.

He also briefed the KCCI officials

about housing, infrastructure, business and agricultural projects in which the Kuwaiti private sector can assist to help the Palestinian people in general and Gaza-Strip residents in particular.

He said that he felt a great keenness that was expressed by the KCCI official to help the Palestinian people through the Kuwaiti private sector in order to allevi-

ate their suffering as a result of the Israeli blockade and aggression.

For his part, KCCI Chairman Ali AlGhanem welcomed Haniya’s visit saying that the Palestinian people have demonstrated to the whole world the meanings of struggle and sacrifice and have proven that liberation cannot be achieved without them. — KUNA

(Left) Haniya speaks to the press as he stands next to chairman of Kuwait’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Ali Al-Ghanem following a meeting yesterday. (Right) Haniya stands between Kuwaiti Islamic preacher Ahmad Al-Qattan (left) and the Chairman of Kuwait Social Reform Society Hmoud Al-Roumi during a ceremony yesterday. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

MoH files await new govt actions KUWAIT: Ministry of Health files deserve the prime priority when the new government takes over, as many ministerial works await the new administrative decisions. Formation of the new government is the most talked about topic of the diwaniyas. People are on the guess game about the prospective ministers but an equal consideration is the right of the pending files in the ministries.

The Ministry of Health has a number of files that need decision as some of those issues have been transferred from one minister to another in a short period and still remain unresolved.

There are many open files for the new prospected minister, like the file of supervision jobs in the ministr y star ting with assistant undersecretaries; National authority for health proposal, which was

Kuwaiti injured in accident

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A 33-year-old Kuwaiti sustained a broken left foot while a five-year-old girl had a lacerated nose during a car accident on Nuwaiseeb Road.

They were taken to Adan Hospital. A 26-year-old Kuwaiti sustained back injuries following a car accident on King Fahad Road. He was taken to Mubarak Hospital. A 12-yearold Kuwaiti had various wounds while a four-year-old had a bruised right knee when they were run over by a car in Faiha area. Both were taken to Amiri Hospital. An Egyptian and a Saudi, both in their late twenties had various injuries during a fight in Farwaniya. They were taken to Farwaniya Hospital. A 54-year-old Kuwaiti broke his ribs and left leg while a 55-

year-old complained of pain in the head and a 23-year-old felt dizzy following a car accident.

They were taken to Jahra Hospital. A 39-year-old Egyptian complained of neck pain, while a 56-year-old had dislocated his shoulder during a car accident on King Fahad Road. They were taken to Adan Hospital.

Family dispute Two citizens were injured, one of them with two bullets in the shoulder following a family dispute in a social hall in Ardhiya area. Police received a call about the shooting, causing some of the people to leave. Few minute later some of the family members went to Taima and fired at the others, before handing themselves up to the police.

KUWAIT: Drug authorities arrested a dealer after being tipped off about his nefarious activities. When the necessary warrants were obtained, his house was stormed where half a kilo of hashish, half a kilo of heroin and KD 2,000 were recovered.

almost approved by ex NA council; The file of medical mistakes in the light of cases lost by the ministry; Health assurance hospital for expats; High prices in hospitals and private clinics; halted projects like hospital expansion; and the media file for Ministry of Health.

These files all need immediate attention by the new minister of health, reported Al-Anbaa.

Molesters sentenced KUWAIT: Two Asian female workers were recently sentenced to two years in prison after they were found guilty of molestation and physical assault of an elementary school student. The Criminal Court also ordered the suspects to be deported after they served their time, and placed a KD 100 release bail for each. The incident reportedly happened at a local private school where the two attacked the boy with hot water and molested him.

Domestic violence A Gulf female citizen pressed physical assault charges against her ex-husband at Al-Jahra police station. She explained to officers that she was staying at her family’s camp in Al-Salmi when the suspect stormed the place and beat her up. A

Harasser gets harassed KUWAIT: A male harasser escaped with his tail between his legs from a Salmiya mall after a female shopper he was following gave him the beating of his life.

The thug never knew what kind of trouble was waiting for him when he decided to harass two girls who were shopping together at the mall. He was not given a chance as one of the girls caught him by surprise with swift punches, kicks and handbag swings that none of the nearby shoppers could stop. Eventually, the beating stopped when security guards intervened and the disgraced youngster fled the scene immediately.

domestic worker in Sulaibiya recently.

The victim, who works for a police officer, was taking the trash out of her employer’s house when two suspects forced her inside their car and drove away to a remote location, where they sexually assaulted her before sending her back.

The woman immediately informed her employer about the incident, at which point he helped her to the area’s police station to report the case. Police are trying to locate the suspect via descriptions provided by the victim, who reportedly failed to collect the license plate number of the suspect’s car.

Shooting in Jahra Two people were hurt in a shooting recently during a fight in Jahra, and police arrested four suspects involved.

According to security sources, a dispute was sparked between two Kuwaiti men during a wedding ceremony in AlNa’eem. After that, one of them was accompanied by a friend and followed his foe to his home, where they shot him on his shoulder. Before they could escape, relatives of the victim rushed and reportedly started shooting at the two youngsters, injuring one of them mildly in the process. Police arrived soon and placed the four suspects under arrest, while the two injured men were hospitalized.

Pedestrian mugged Search is currently ongoing for four suspects who beat up and mugged a pedestrian in Farwaniya recently. The victim, an Asian man, was walking alone when four men surrounded him and forced him to a remote location. The suspects then tied up their victim and beat him up, before escaping with his wallet which had KD 90, and his cell phone. The victim reported the case after he was able to free himself, and a case was filed for investigations.

Rapists at large Police are looking for two male suspects accused of abducting and raping a

Bootlegger held An unemployed man was arrested with possession of alcohol during a recent patrol mission at the Salem AlMubarak Street in Salmiya. The suspect was pulled over when patrol officers were alerted by his attempt to drive away upon seeing them.

case was filed for investigations. In the meantime, investigations are ongoing in a domestic violence case filed at Al-Mahboula police station recently, where a Kuwaiti woman reported being physically assaulted by her husband at their house in the area. She provided a medical report showing a head injury she said was inflicted when her husband hit her with a hard object.

KUWAIT: His Highness the prime minister looks to shake up the Cabinet’s approach by selecting competent ministers who are not only popular but also capable of meeting upcoming challenges, says a report quoting sources close to the government.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the sources said that Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah is set to abandon the quotas-based approach while forming the Cabinet, by selecting the first deputy prime minister from outside the ruling family for the first time in Kuwait’s history. Sources hinted that former Justice Minister Meshary Al-Anjari could be the premier’s choice for the coveted post. Moreover, sources also hinted that Sheikh Jaber is looking to hand the Interior Ministry to a candidate from outside the Sabah family noting that Hawally Governor Lt Gen Abdullah Al-Faris is a likely candidate for the post.

Predicting a 70 percent change in the upcoming Cabinet, sources said that Sheikh Jaber Al-Sabah will adopt a new mechanism to assess ministers’ performance before parliamentarians bring up these issues.

In other news, former MP Dr Hassan Jowhar said he would agree to join the Cabinet “only if they accept my condition of being made MP No 51 in the Parliament” which is another way of saying that he refuses to join a Cabinet similar to the previous ones blamed for not cooperating with the Parliament. Dr Jowhar made this statement to a crowd of citizens who held a solidarity meeting outside his house while carrying flowers in appreciation of his earlier role as a lawmaker.

The gathering, dubbed ‘10,000 Roses for Hassan Jowhar’, was also attended by MP Musallam Al-Barrak who urged Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Sabah to pick the former MP to join his new Cabinet. Other MPs present at the gathering were Mohammad Al-Khalifa, Abdurrahman Al-Anjari, Khalid Al-Tahous, Faisal AlYahya and Khalid Shukhayyer.

Meanwhile, leading opposition figure MP Ahmad AlSaadoun released a statement in which he condemned the Partnerships Technical Bureau (PTB) for “illegal dealings” which occurred during a tender meeting to build the North Zoor power plant. Al-Saadoun said that certain big companies were eliminated in favor of some small group of companies. On a separate note, former MP Dr Aseel Al-Awadhi released a statement for the first time after losing the elections, in which she dismissed the capability of the elected Parliament to overcome political tension. —Al-Rai, Al-Qabas

CBK holds cultural gallery at 360 Mall KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait is set to organize a gallery for traditional Kuwaiti artifacts at the 360 Mall from today till Saturday, February 10, 2012, as a part of a three-month campaign launched recently to showcase Kuwaiti heritage. “Visitors are invited to see features showcasing traditional Kuwaiti artworks from Amani Al-Waraa 5:00-10:00 pm on Thursday, and from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm on Friday and Saturday”, said CBK’s Amani Al-Waraa Assistant General Manager for Advertisement and Public Reactions Department. Al-Waraa urged people to take part in the Kuwaiti heritage campaign, which lasts until May 5, 2012, by uploading cultural pictures and video footage on this website: www.cbkturath.com. She added that all uploaded material will be evaluated and the best contributions will win attractive cash prizes.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

local

DUBAI: Tareq Al-Hamad, Salah Al-Haddad and other officials at the opening of the Kuwaiti pavilion yesterday.

Kuwait launches pavilion in Dubai’s Global Village DUBAI: The Kuwaiti pavilion of the Global Village in Dubai in UAE was launched Tuesday night by the General Consul of the Consulate General of the State of Kuwait in Dubai and Northern Emirates Tareq Al-Hamad, and Kuwait Embassy Advisor Salah Al-Haddad.

This coincides with Kuwait’s national celebrations and ‘Hala February’ festival in Kuwait.

The ceremony was held under the auspices

of the Managing Director for Government and Parliamentary Relations, Public Relations and Media, Sheikh Talal Al-Khalid Al-Ahmad AlSabah. Al-Hamad and Al-Haddad toured various parts of the pavilion, accompanied by a number of Kuwaiti diplomats.

Some Kuwaiti folklore bands presented national songs, followed by simulation shows of the Kuwaiti traditional marriage ceremonies

NBK offer on Ivanka Trump jewelry KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) rewards Thahabi customers with an exclusive offer on Ivanka Trump jewelry, in corporation with Morad Yousuf Behbehani Group.

NBK Thahabi customers can enjoy a special offer on the luxurious jewelry collection by Ivanka Trump when they shop at the Marina Mall boutique and use their NBK credit cards. The exclusive promotion runs from Feb 10 to Feb 14.

“NBK seeks to reward its premium Thahabi customers with the best offers and promotions,” said Ahmed Al Khader, NBK’s Assistant General Manager, Consumer Banking Group. “ Thahabi clients live an affluent lifestyle and expect the best. NBK continues to meet those expectations by providing the most exclusive offers and benefits.”

Thahabi is the premier affluent package from NBK. It offers customers personalized and ‘best-in-class’ products and services delivered by profes-

sional Personal Banking Officers.

Thahabi customers also enjoy many banking-related discounts, fee waivers and value-added lifestyle benefits.

For more information on how to apply for Thahabi call 1801801.

Ahmed Al-Khader

called “Yalwa” and “Zafat Al-Meres”, presented by young girls and boys dressed in traditional Kuwaiti garb.

The official in charge of the Kuwaiti pavilion Mohammad Al-Sayegh endowed the Chief Executive Officer of Global Village Saeed Ali Bin Reda, General Consul Al-Hamad, Deputy Consul General of Kuwait Consulate in Dubai and the Northern Emirates Khaled Al-Mutairi for their

pavilion. The 1,200-square-meter pavilion houses 50 shops selling various top quality Kuwaiti products like sweets, perfumes, houseware, and restaurants offering traditional food. Global Village established in 1997 claims to be the world’s largest tourist, leisure and entertainment project. It is the region’s first cultural, entertainment, family and shopping attraction visited by hundreds of thousands annually. — KUNA

support to the Kuwaiti national activities. AlSayegh said he was keen that the opening of the pavilion coincides with the Kuwaiti national celebrations held in February every year. All efforts were made to show the pavilion as a pure Kuwaiti one, like the outer wall which was similar to that of Al-Seif Palace in Kuwait, he said.

Al-Sayegh welcomed all companies, from Kuwait and other countries, to be part of the

Plans to establish research center for disabled in Kuwait Envoy, UNESCO chief hold discussions PARIS: The Kuwaiti representative to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Ambassador Ali Al-Tarrah discussed with UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova feasibility of establishing a regional center under the UNESCO’s supervision in the State of Kuwait which would conduct research and provide training for people with special needs. The ambassador said Bokova praised this humane gesture and noted Kuwait’s expertise and contributions in the field of care for and education of those with special needs. Such regional center, she said, would be a huge benefit for the entire Arab region. Al-Tarrah also discussed ongoing preparations for the 2012 UNESCO/Amir Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Prize to Promote Quality Education for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities.

The award ceremony is set for Feb 29 under the auspices of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The UNESCO chief expressed keenness on developing this award, noting it is indicative of the great concern and awareness the Kuwaiti government has in this field. The UNESCO/Amir Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Prize is a biennial award aiming “to

reward the activities of individuals, groups, organizations or centers to promote inclusive education for persons with intellectual disabilities. These contributions shall be in keeping with UNESCO’s policies and aims, while having a link with the programs that the Organization is carrying out in this field.”

The prize consists of a diploma and a sum of $20,000 each, for two prizewinners, one from the Arab region and one from beyond.

Al-Tarrah added he also discussed a US effort to freeze Syrian membership in the agreements and recommendations committee concerned with violations of Human Rights in the areas of education, sciences, culture, and communication. The ambassador said it was agreed it would be best to keep the UNESCO away from purely political issues.

The State of Kuwait was among the countries that agreed to the listing of the said US bill on the agenda of the executive council, which convenes Feb 27. In addition to noting the active Kuwaiti contributions, Bokova also praised the activities and level of enthusiasm of all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The ambassador added the official expressed hope to see more organized

and coordinated GCC action to help UNESCO initiatives, and particularly to help with UNESCO finances.

Al-Tarrah pointed out he communicated what had been discussed by the GCC UNESCO representatives in their meeting last Monday, upon invitation of the Bahraini delegate. Bokova also welcomed a proposal by the delegates to organize a visit by the GCC Secretary General, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, to UNESCO headquarters.

Also discussed was the Arab cultural development plan. Bokova congratulated Kuwait on presiding over the consultative committee for the Arab cultural development plan at the UNESCO. She expressed hope of continued communication and coordination with special interest in assessing the impact of recent and ongoing changes across the Arab region.

There is particular interest, the ambassador said, in the effect all these changes might have on UNESCO’s ability to build bridges of cultural interaction and understanding with Kuwait, which is party to the UNESCO’s 2005 “Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.” — KUNA

Turkish-Gulf business forum winds up ISTANBUL: The First Turkish-Gulf Business Forum concluded here yesterday by underlining the necessity of opening communications between Gulf and Turkish entrepreneurs.

The conferees said in a final communique that Turkey and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states should tap their joint strategic openings, thus positively reflecting economic per formance and

boosting exchange of investment projects and trade.

The two-day forum was organized by the GCC Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Turkish Chamber of Commerce and Ministry of Commerce.

“Communication should be opened between Gulf entrepreneurs and their Turkish counterparts,” according to the commu-

nique. Several agreements of cooperation and partnership were hammered out between Gulf and Turkish partners.

The gathering, which kick-started on Monday, included working sessions on energy, oil, gas, communications, transport, banks and finance.

Turkish-GCC trade exchange jumped to $20 billion in 2010 from roughly $2 billion in 2000. — KUNA

Kuwait Towers to host special event KUWAIT: The Kuwait Towers is set to host a special event on Tuesday Feb 14, featuring a fancy buffet, entertaining skits and competitions, announced acting general manager Nicolas BuMelheb in a recent press statement.

“A multinational cuisine buffet will be served during the special day which features a social entertaining program that includes competitions for valuable prizes allocated by the TEC”, said BuMelheb, who further indicated that the program comes as part of annual special events allocated by the Touristic Enterprise Company at its facilities.

The event will start 7:30 pm as visitors will be welcomed with roses and special gifts as soon as they enter the Kuwait Towers, BuMelheb added.

Nicolas BuMelheb

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

Vatican anti-abuse prosecutor calls for accountability

Maldives ex-prez calls on successor to resign Page 12

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Ahmadinejad seeks rebound in elections TEHRAN: There’s a Persian saying used to describe an under-the-radar political effort: “Driving at night with the lights off.” Allies of embattled President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may be doing just that as they campaign in Iran’s hinterlands in hopes of scoring a comeback in next month’s parliamentary elections. The voting March 2 should - momentarily, at least - shift attention from Iran’s international standoffs over its nuclear program back to the country’s internal power plays: The ruling system striking back against perceived runaway ambitions by Ahmadinejad and his inner circle.

The battles were Iran’s top political spectator sport just six months ago before being eclipsed by the latest faceoff with the West, including tougher sanctions and widening speculation of a possible Israeli military strike on nuclear facilities. The elections now offer Ahmadinejad - who’s been generally sidelined in the nuclear policymaking - a chance to reclaim some political ground after being smacked hard by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for openly challenging his authority.

Ahmadinejad’s supporters are favoring stealth tactics for the first nationwide vote in Iran since the chaos after the disputed presidential outcome in June 2009. They’ve turned from Tehran and other big cities - and away from the direct competition with rivals loyal to Khamenei - to focus on far-flung and poorer regions of the country. It’s here that Ahmadinejad can deploy his most powerful tool: Access to government funds that are currently awash in Iranian rials because of an indirect benefit from sanctions.

The rial has nosedived in value while the government still brings in dollars from oil sales. This may allow Ahmadinejad’s backers to make even bolder promises of handouts and other measures to ease consumer pain with prices of imported good sharply higher as sanctions squeeze businesses. Any new pledges would add to some $40 a month that Ahmadinejad’s government is paying to every Iranian after cutting parts of food and energy subsidies in 2010 - a significant amount for large families in impoverished areas.

A strong showing by Ahmadinejad’s camp would send a message of resilience to the ruling clerics after the messy political feuds. It also could rekindle Ahmadinejad’s hopes of getting an ally into next year’s presidential race to succeed him and possibly prolong his influence as an elder statesman. Ahmadinejad is in his second four-year term, the maximum under Iran’s term limits. —AP

TEHRAN: Iranian lawmakers sit in an open session of the parliament in Tehran, Iran yesterday. Allies of embattled President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have turned from Tehran and other big cities - and away from the direct competition with rivals loyal to Khamenei — to campaign in Iran’s hinterlands in hopes of scoring a comeback in next month’s parliamentary elections. —AP

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

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

Go home, Bashir tells Darfur’s 2m displaced EL FASHER: Nearly two million people displaced by conflict in Sudan’s Darfur should go home, President Omar al-Bashir, who has been indicted for alleged war crimes in the conflict, said yesterday. “We will let IDPs (internally displaced people) and refugees start their lives again. It is not acceptable for Darfuri people to live in the camps,” he said in the North Darfur state capital.

“We want all the people in the camps to return to their villages,” he said, promising “peace, security and services.” The United Nations says about 1.9 million reside in settlements for those displaced by violence in the country’s western region of Darfur, where rebel groups that rose up against the Arab-dominated

Khartoum government in 2003 were confronted by state-backed Janjaweed militia. The conflict shocked the world and led to allegations of genocide.

Bashir spoke at a ceremony inaugurating the Darfur Regional Authority, the body in charge of implementing a peace deal signed last year in Doha between the government and an alliance of Darfur rebel splinter factions. Under that agreement, IDPs have the right to return voluntarily “and in safety and dignity” to their homes, or to resettle elsewhere. The chief of one IDP camp told visiting journalists last month that officials have to provide “some kind of confidence building” measures to encourage returns.

“First they have to provide the security”, said Ahmed Atim, chief of the eight-year-old Abushouk IDP settlement, which resembles not a camp but a village. Residents said violence including shooting and looting continues. According to the United Nations, small numbers of people have returned home but Magdi El Gizouli, a fellow at the Rift Valley Institute, a non-profit research and advocacy group, says many have nothing to go back to.

“The original villages have been wiped out,” he said earlier. “There’s no reality to this.” Among its other provisions the Doha document calls for a truth and reconciliation committee, a national

human rights commission, $2 billion in government support for reconstruction and development, compensation for refugees, and affirmative action for Darfuris in government and military service. Key rebel groups refused to sign the Doha pact, saying it failed to address the Darfur problem at its roots.

The UN estimates at least 300,000 people died as a result of the conflict in the vast region, with about 300 killed in clashes last year. Sudan puts the overall death toll at 10,000. Bashir is wanted by the Hague-based International Criminal Court for alleged genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur. — AFP

Egypt accuses NGOs of meddling in politics Allegations further straining ties with US CAIRO: Egyptian judges probing alleged illegal foreign funding of non-governmental organizations accused domestic and foreign groups yesterday of illegally meddling in politics, further straining ties with key ally Washington. The NGOs are operating “without license,” and their work “constitutes pure political activity and has nothing to do with civil society work,” Judge Sameh Abu Zeid told a news conference. The judge said December raids on 17 NGO offices as part of a probe into illegal funding had been conducted “according to the law.”

“It is a very large and complicated case involving hundreds of people and organisations, Egyptian and foreign,” he said. He said dozens of people had been referred to trial because there was deemed to be enough evidence. Among them are 19 Americans, a fact that prompted a trio of leading US senators to warn Egypt on Tuesday that the risk of a “disastrous” rupture in ties had “rarely been greater.”

Abu Zeid said he had rejected a request from US Ambassador Anne Patterson to lift a travel ban on American NGO staff. “She has no part in the investigation. A foreign ambassador cannot address us directly. We wrote to the foreign ministry and said we reject this request,” he said.

The groups being investigated include the US International Republican Institute (IRI), the National Democratic Institute (NDI), Freedom House and the German Konrad-Adenauer Foundation. Following December’s raids, several US members of the NGOs were barred from leaving the country, including Sam LaHood, the son of US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and the IRI’s country director for Egypt.

American officials said “a handful” of the prodemocracy activists subsequently took refuge inside the US embassy in Cairo, fearing arrest.

Abu Zeid said “there is much evidence, including witness accounts, expert accounts and confessions. There are 67 items of evidence.” “The foreign organisations are not civil society groups but branches of organisations based abroad,” said Abu Zeid. He said security agencies had repeatedly refused to register the NGOs, which “have been working in Egypt for years on tourist

visas. “They received orders from abroad to do this and were told not to get work permits. They also violated Egyptian tax laws.”

He said the case involved illegal funding from the United States, Europe and also from Arab countries. Investigations showed that their work “took another dimension after the January 25 revolution” that ousted president Hosni Mubarak last year, Abu Zeid said. “The activities became political, related to training political parties or mobilising people. “Money was trans-

CAIRO: Egyptian investigative judges Sameh Abu Zeid, right, and Ashraf el-Ashmawi, who are investigating the case of foreign funding of NGOs, talk during a press conference at the Ministry of Justice in Cairo, Egyp yesterday.—AP

Libya seeks Jordan help in fighting ex-regime officials TRIPOLI: Libya wants Amman to help fight remnants of slain dictator Muammar Gaddafi’s regime if found in Jordan, a government statement said yesterday as the two nations vowed to boost their ties. Libya is “looking forward for Jordanian help in fighting remnants of the old regime if they are found in Jordan,” the statement quoted interim Prime Minister Abdel Rahim Al-Kib as telling his Jordanian counterpart Awn Khasawneh at a meeting late Tuesday.

He said Jordan’s help in this issue will help

“maintain security inside Libya.” Khasawneh was on an official visit to Tripoli on Tuesday and held series of meetings with Libyan officials, including Kib and Mustafa Abdel Jalil, the head of Libya’s ruling National Transitional Council. Jordan has been a strong supporter of the new Libyan rulers since the early months of the anti-Gaddafi revolution which erupted in February 2011.

The Sunni Arab country has also signed a memorandum of understanding to train about 10,000 former rebels who helped topple

Gaddafi in order to integrate them into the Libyan interior ministry. Libya chose Jordan to train the fighters because of Amman’s experience in training Iraqi police with the assistance of the United States. Libya and Jordan vowed to further boost their ties in several fields, including human resources, the statement from Kib’s office said. “Jordan will cooperate in the growth and building up of the new Libya,” the statement quoted Khasawneh as saying when Kib thanked him for Amman’s help “in the blessed 17th February revolution.” — AFP

TRIPOLI: Yussef al-Manqush (4th R front row), chief of staff of the Libyan armed forces, poses for a group photograph following a meeting with the foreign embassies’ military attaches, in the Libyan capital Tripoli, yesterday.—AFP

Iraq executes 14 in one day, 65 this year BAGHDAD: Iraq executed 14 people on a single day this week, most of them Al-Qaeda members, a senior justice ministry official said yesterday, bringing to at least 65 the number of executions so far this year. “Fourteen Iraqis were executed yesterday (Tuesday),” the official said, asking not to be named. “They were convicted of terrorism and other crimes committed in 2006 and 2007.”

“Most of them are from Al-Qaeda, among them the wali (leader) of Mosul,” the official said. That brings the number of people executed in the first six weeks of this year close to the total of 68 for all of 2011. Iraq executed 17 people on January 31, Justice Minister Hassan al-Shammari was quoted in a statement as saying. And last month, ministry spokesman Haidar al-Saadi said Iraq had so far executed 34 people this year, including two women and a Syrian. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay has expressed shock at the number of executions, criticising the lack of transparency in court proceedings and calling for an immediate suspension of the death penalty.—AFP

Tunisia president in Morocco to promote Maghreb union RABAT: Tunisia’s new President Moncef Marzouki arrived in Morocco yesterday to push for a revival of a dormant project to unify the Maghreb region on his first foreign tour since taking office. “This year we will work to restore unity with our brothers in Algeria, Morocco, Libya and Mauritania, with the aim of resuscitating the great dream of a Union of the Maghreb which has been frozen for years,” he told the official Moroccan news agency MAP. The five-nation Arab Maghreb Union (UMA) was created in 1989 as a trade agreement meant to eventually achieve deeper political integration. It has been inactive since 1994, mainly because of the dispute between Morocco and Algeria over Western Sahara, but Tunisia’s newly-installed administration is now offering to host a summit. Marzouki was a prominent opposition figure and human rights campaigner under the 23-year-rule of Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, who was brought down by a popular uprising in January 2011.—AFP

ferred to the organisations through a range of ways, including in individual accounts of employees, instead of in bank accounts in the organisation’s name; or through money transfer companies,” he said.

The NGOs are accused of “setting up branches of international organizations in Egypt without a license from the Egyptian government” and of “receiving illegal foreign funding”. Those charged face up to five years in jail, according to Ashraf Ashmawi, another judge involved in the case. The move comes amid what commentators say is a campaign to silence dissent. Egypt’s military junta, which took power after Mubarak was toppled, has accused foreign groups of funding street protests against them. On Tuesday, US Republican senators John McCain and Kelly Ayotte, joined by independent Joe Lieberman, warned that US congressional “support for Egypt-including continued financial assistance-is in jeopardy” over the case.

Washington provides some $1.3 billion (981 million euros) a year in aid to Cairo-one of the biggest aid packages offered to any nation.

“The current crisis with the Egyptian government has escalated to such a level that it now threatens our long-standing partnership,” they wrote in a joint statement. “There are committed opponents of the United States and the USEgypt relationship within the government in Cairo who are exacerbating tensions and inflaming public opinion in order to advance a narrow political agenda,” they said. “A rupture in relations would be disastrous, and the risks of such an outcome have rarely been greater,” the senators added. — AFP

Report: Yemen killed 120 in Arab Spring protest NEW YORK: Yemen’s president, who is in New York protected by diplomatic immunity while he receives medical treatment, ordered a crackdown on Arab Spring protesters last year that killed at least 120 people just in one city, Human Rights Watch said in a new report yesterday. The report, based on interviews with more than 170 Yemeni experts and witnesses, provides more detail than the sketchy reports of deaths that trickled out of Yemen last year.

People in Yemen have been protesting President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s 33-year dictatorship as part of the broader anti-authoritarian wave that swept the Mideast and North Africa last year, bringing down regimes from Tunisia to Egypt. Yemen’s second largest city, Taiz, became a hotbed of protest. Saleh’s security forces beat and shot demonstrators, shelled neighborhoods, bulldozed a public square occupied by protesters and stormed into hospitals, evicting patients and attacking medical officials, the New Yorkbased Human Rights Watch said.

“They had tanks and bulldozers. They were throwing petrol bombs into the tents and firing from many directions,” the new report quoted 32-year-old protester Arif Abd al-Salam as saying. “I saw with my own eyes a man with a loudspeaker calling on the security forces to stop attacking and killing their brothers. He was shot dead with a bullet.”

Human Rights Watch said its interviews confirmed 120 killings just in Taiz, with 57 protesters and bystanders killed in attacks on rallies and 63 civilians killed in shellings and other attacks on opposition tribal fighters. At least 22 of the dead were children, the group said.

It said it counted at least 270 deaths nationwide in Yemen last year but said the true total might be far higher.

Saleh has blamed the violence in Yemen on terrorists. After months of protests demanding his ouster and mounting international pressure, he signed a deal in November brokered by Gulf neighbors and backed by the US to pass power to his vice president. That was the first step in a process meant to give the country a new constitution, president and elected parliament.

To persuade Saleh to sign, a clause protecting him and those associated with his government from prosecution was added. “Saleh is entitled to medical treatment, but he and his aides have no right to immunity from prosecution for international crimes,” said Letta Tayler, Yemen researcher at Human Rights Watch. An election is scheduled for Feb 21 to select Saleh’s successor. As a head of state, Saleh has diplomatic immunity until then.

While Saleh has been an anti-terrorism ally of Washington, allowing US air strikes on Al-Qaeda militants, the United States has not officially welcomed him.

President Barack Obama’s administration allowed him in only after internal debate about whether his exile would help advance democracy in Yemen. Saleh is now staying in New York. Human Rights Watch called on Washington, Europe and the Gulf states to encourage Yemen’s caretaker government to revoke Saleh’s immunity in his own country.

“The US, and EU and Gulf states should make loud and clear that the immunity is no good abroad and should be revoked at home,” Tayler said. “No one responsible for grave international crimes should get a free pass.”— AP

BOWLING GREEN: In this undated photo provided by the US Marshals Service, Mohanad Shareef Hammadi, 23, an Iraqi living as a refugee in Bowling Green, Ky., is shown. —AP

Trial set for Iraq refugee in terror case KENTUCKY: An Iraqi refugee charged in the US with trying to funnel weapons and cash to Al-Qaeda in his home country will be tried in July, but his lawyer may not see secret documents that suggest he was “an agent of a foreign power,” a federal judge ruled yesterday.

Mohanad Shareef Hammadi, 24, was charged last year with attempting to provide material support to terrorists and terrorist organizations and conspiracy to transfer surface-to-air missile launcher systems.

US District Judge Thomas B. Russell ruled that prosecutors acted properly in gathering physical evidence and conducting electronic surveillance of Hammadi under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The judge ruled that Hammadi’s attorneys, who have fought for access, may not have access to the warrants or supporting materials. After reviewing documents submitted by prosecutors, Russell concluded that there’s probable cause to believe Hammadi was “an agent of a foreign power.”

Russell’s ruling does not disclose what investigators found, nor does it say how the information was gathered. The warrants issued by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court during the investigation remain under seal. Keeping such evidence hidden from public view - and even from the defendants - is routine, said Frank Cilluffo, director of the Homeland Security Policy Institute at George Washington University and a former special assistant for homeland security for President George W. Bush.

“It’s a means to protect classified information,” Cilluffo told The Associated Press. Charles Rose, a Stetson University School of Law professor and former US Army intelligence officer, said evidence obtained under FISA doesn’t often crop up in civilian cases. “That’s a big change,” Rose said. “It really hasn’t been challenged.” Hammadi’s co-defendant, 30year-old Waad Ramadan Alwan, pleaded guilty in December to the same charges, as well as to conspiracy to kill US nationals abroad, conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction against US nationals abroad and distributing information on how to make and use improvised explosive devices. His sentencing is set for April 3.

Russell ruled in September that Alwan and Hammadi could be tried in civilian court, a matter that has escalated into a hot political issue. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell pushed to have Alwan and Hammadi tried at the military-run prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. US Attorney General Eric Holder has said terrorism-related trials can be successfully handled by civilian courts.

Alwan and Hammadi entered the United States through a refugee program in 2009.

Investigators matched a thumbprint from an unexploded improvised explosive device in Iraq to Alwan as part of the probe. Both have remained in federal custody since their arrests. — AP

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

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

Argentina condemns British ‘militarization’ of Falklands

Criticizes deployment of warship, Prince William’s tour BUENOS AIRES/LONDON: Argentina’s president accused Britain of “militarizing the South Atlantic” and said she would complain to the United Nations, as tension rises ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Falklands war. Britain, which rejected the accusation, went to war with Argentina over the British-ruled Falkland Islands in 1982. London has refused to start talks on sovereignty with Argentina unless the roughly 3,000 islanders want them.

“They’re militarizing the South Atlantic once again,” President Cristina Fernandez said in a speech on Tuesday at the presidential palace, criticizing the deployment of British destroyer HMS Dauntless in the area in the coming months. “If there’s one thing we’re going to preserve, besides our natural resources, is a region where peace prevails,” she said, adding that the Foreign Ministry

would present a formal complaint to the UN Security Council and General Assembly.

She also criticized Prince William’s posting as a military search-and-rescue pilot in the islands, called Las Malvinas in Spanish: “We would have liked to see him dressed as a civilian, not with a military uniform,” she said. A spokeswoman for British Prime Minister David Cameron yesterday rejected Fernandez’s comments. “We are not militarizing the South Atlantic. Our defensive posture in the Falkland Islands remains unchanged,” the spokeswoman said. The defence ministr y has described the deployment of HMS Dauntless as “entirely routine”.

“The people of the Falklands choose to be British. Their right to self determination is a principle that’s enshrined in the U.N. charter,” she added. A war of words between the two

governments has escalated in recent months.

Fernandez, a fiery former senator who started her political career in the Patagonian region closest to the islands, has described Britain as a “crass colonial power in decline.” Cameron hit back by accusing Argentina of colonialism.

Oil exploration by British companies off the islands has raised the stakes over the sovereignty dispute. Three decades on, memories of the war remain painful in Argentina, where most people see the decision by Argentina to invade the islands on April 2, 1982 as a mistake by the discredited military dictatorship ruling at the time.

Fernandez also signed a decree on Tuesday to declassify a military report that was commissioned in the aftermath of the 10-week conflict in which about 650 Argentine and 255 British troops were killed. — Reuters

Mexico’s election race heats up

CARACAS: Presidential opposition candidate Henrique Capriles speaks at a news conference in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday . In the run-up to the Feb. 12 primary, Capriles, governor of the central state of Miranda, looks like the favorite to face President Hugo Chavez in the Oct 7 election. —AP

Chavez’s opponents gear up for vote in Venezuela CARACAS: Outmatched time and again at the polls by President Hugo Chavez, Venezuelan’s opposition leaders are trying a new strategy to unseat the populist leader this year, holding the nation’s first presidential primar y to choose the strongest challenger. The front-runner in Sunday’s election is Henrique Capriles, a 39-year-old state governor who has won a large following as a youthful alternative to the 57-year-old Chavez. Capriles, an avid jogger who plays pickup basketball games with supporters, has crowd appeal that makes him a formidable adversary.

Sometimes wearing a baseball hat emblazoned with the yellow, blue and red stripes of Venezuela’s flag, Capriles has pledged both to help the poor and be a friend to business. He describes himself as a center-left progressive, saying he admires the approach of former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Other contenders range from Pablo Perez, a popular state governor, to Maria Corina Machado, a congresswoman who is the most forceful in her criticisms of Chavez and his effort to bring socialism to Venezuela. Whoever wins the primary is likely to give Chavez the toughest electoral fight of his more than 13 years in office.

In the past, Chavez has capitalized on his opponents’ mistakes. He saw his popularity grow after a failed 2002 coup, swept a 2005 congressional vote boycotted by the opposition and won reelection in 2006 with 63 percent of the vote. Since then, though, his popularity has slipped as ills such as crime, inflation, and problem-riddled public services have taken a toll. The once-fractured

opposition has been emboldened by a strong showing in 2010 congressional elections, and has united to hold the primary vote at a time when polls show Chavez ’s adversaries have gained ground.

“The opposition has never been in better shape to defeat Chavez,” said Angel Alvarez, director of the Institute of Political Studies at the Central University of Venezuela. Polls show more than half of Venezuelans still approve of Chavez.

But the new batch of opposition challengers are more popular than those who faced Chavez in 1998, 2000 and 2006, Alvarez said.

The top three contenders are all under 45 and represent a new generation of anti-Chavez leaders. After three terms as president, Chavez is less able to paint his opponents as part of the corrupt political establishment he once defeated. Capriles comes from an upper middle-class family but has managed to make inroads among the poor, who have traditionally been Chavez’s support base, by promoting programs including food and housing assistance as governor of Miranda state, which includes part of Caracas.

Capriles also largely avoids direct confrontation with Chavez, seldom mentioning the president by name even when he criticizes him.

At a news conference Tuesday, Capriles likened the campaign leading up to the Oct7 presidential vote to a race between “a horse that’s tired,” referring to Chavez, and another that is “filled with energy.” Capriles’ leading rival according to the polls is Perez, the 42-year-old governor of western Zulia state and another fresh face in the opposition. — AFP

MEXICO CITY: Mexico’s ruling party has chosen a female candidate for the first time for a tough race to a presidential vote on July 1 currently led by the powerful PRI, which ruled Mexico for more than 70 years. Josefina Vazquez Mota, 51, showed a strong win in primaries Sunday among members of her conservative National Action Party (PAN), though she was not backed by President Felipe Calderon.

“I’m going to be the country’s first female president,” said the ex-congresswoman who is seeking to take over from Calderon, who can only serve one six-year term under the constitution.

For now, Vazquez Mota trails almost 20 percentage points behind Enrique Pena Nieto, 45, a former governor of Mexico state from the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) which ruled the country uninterrupted from 1929 to 2000. In third place is leftist Andres Manuel Obrador, 58, a former mayor of Mexico City from the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) who narrowly lost the last presidential race in 2006 and fought unsuccessfully to prove he had won.

An opinion poll at the end of January gave 41 percent to Pena Nieto, 23 percent to Vazquez Mota and 18 percent to Lopez Obrador. Some see the election, for which official campaigning begins at the end of March, as a referendum on 12 years of PAN leadership, which began amid sky high expectations when the party ended the PRI’s domination in 2000.

Vazquez Mota “will have to overcome the burden of 12 years of mistakes by PAN governments, which appears difficult,” said Sergio Aguayo, an investigator from the Colegio de Mexico. The future of a military crackdown on drug gangs started by Calderon five years ago and involving some 50,000 troops, is a key concern with more than 50,000 killed since then and violence spreading to new areas.

“Most people think that Calderon has lost control of the war he started and that he’s losing it,” according to Jose Antonio Crespo, a political science professor from the Center for Research and Economic Teaching (CIDE). Vazquez Mota, a petite woman with conservative views, has already presented a tough image on organized crime and corruption.

One of her first proposals was for life jail terms for politicians who collaborate with drug gangs. She also rapidly attacked Pena Nieto, tapping into Mexican suspicions that the PRI made deals with drug gangs in the past. “It’s very difficult to think that the problem of organized crime has reached this scale if there wasn’t at least indifference or even complicity,” Vazquez Mota told AFP this week, referring to the PRI’s seven-decade rule. In recent months, the former social affairs and also ex-education minister has slightly closed the gap on her PRI rival.

Pena Nieto, a photogenic politician with a soapopera star wife has enjoyed plenty of media coverage since he announced he would stand last year.

But he also made slips in early campaigning, including struggling to name three books that influenced him and admitting that he did not know the price of a kilo of tortillas, saying: “I’m not the lady of the house. I don’t know those things.” He later said the remarks should not be taken as an attack on women. Pena Nieto has insisted that his party, which governs in the majority of Mexico’s states, has no ties to drug lords, calling such accusations “propaganda” from political rivals. — AFP

Prosecutors describe Missouri teen as thrill killer JEFFERSON CITY: A Missouri teenager who confessed to murdering a 9-year-old girl faces the possibility of life in prison when she’s sentenced yesterday morning. Prosecutors described Alyssa Bustamante, 18, as a thrill killer who lacked remorse. Defense attorneys said she was a disturbed child who deserved the chance of freedom one day. The trial’s conclusion follows days of testimony in a small courtroom in Missouri’s capital city.

Proceedings descended into chaos Tuesday as prosecutor Mark Richardson made an impassioned request for a lifelong sentence for Bustamante, who pleaded guilty to murdering Elizabeth Olten, a neighbor, in October 2009.

Bustamante’s grandmother and grandfather stormed out of the courtroom. That prompted Bustamante - who had been staring blankly downward as Richardson recounted her crime - to begin silently crying for the first time in her court proceedings that have spanned more than two years. Then as Cole County Circuit Judge Pat Joyce announced that she would reveal her sentence yesterday, Elizabeth’s grandmother interrupted and cried out from her wheelchair. “I think Alyssa should get out of jail the same day Elizabeth

gets out of the grave!” declared the grandmother, whom a prosecutor later identified as Sandy Corn.

The disorder capped an emotional, twoday sentencing hearing highlighted by repeated references to words Bustamante had written in her diary on the night she strangled, slit the throat and repeatedly stabbed Elizabeth. Bustamante, then 15, wrote that it was an “ahmazing” and “pretty enjoyable” experience, ending the entry by saying: “I gotta go to church now...lol.” “The motive has to be the most senseless, reprehensible that could be in humankind, and that is to take a life for a thrill,” Richardson said.

Richardson recounted in the courtroom how hundreds of volunteers had searched for Elizabeth near the rural town of St Martins as Bustamante calmly lied, at least initially, to investigators about the girl’s whereabouts.

The prosecutor urged the judge to impose the maximum sentence for second-degree murder, life in prison with the possibility of parole, and an additional 71 years in prison for armed criminal action, which he said would have matched Elizabeth’s remaining life expectancy. Richardson also urged that the sentences be served consecutively, meaning

Bustamante would be an elderly woman before she ever got a chance at parole.

Bustamante’s attorney, Donald Catlett, countered that the sentences should run concurrently and that the judge should take into consideration a pre-sentencing report prepared by the state Division of Probation and Parole that apparently suggests something less than a life sentence. The judge said the recommendation must remain confidential.

Catlett cited the testimony Tuesday of mental health professionals who described Bustamante as a “psychologically damaged” and “severely emotionally disturbed” child.

They recounted her family’s history with drug abuse, mental disorders and suicide attempts, noting her father was in prison and her mother had abandoned her. Her mother was in the courtroom Tuesday for the first time. Various mental health professionals testified over the course of the two-day hearing that Bustamante suffers from major depression and displays the features of a borderline personality disorder. Some also said she shows early signs of a bipolar disorder. Bustamante began taking the antidepressant drug Prozac after a suicide attempt on Labor Day 2007 at the start of her eighth grade year. — AP

SALVADOR: Soldiers patrol the streets at the historic center in Salvador, Brazil yesterday. —AP

Disgruntled police in Brazil threatening iconic Carnival SALVADOR: Disgruntled police across Brazil are taking aim at the country’s iconic Carnival celebration, raising threats to the annual street parties that draw hordes of foreigners as a way to press their demands for pay raises. Police officers already on strike in Salvador and holed up in a legislature building in the northeastern state capital brandished fists Tuesday while chanting “Finish off Carnival!”

The threat to Carnival celebrations in Salvador looked increasingly serious as talks with the Bahia state government stalled on the eighth day of the police strike and hopes faded the standoff would be resolved well before the start of festivities next week. Adding to anxieties, a Brazilian newspaper said police and other public workers in eight other states, including Carnival showcase Rio de Janiero, were threatening to join the strike. “It’s clear there can’t be Carnival this year,” said Iosvaldo Cardoso de Jesus, a 35-year-old striking Bahia state police officer protesting in front of the state legislature to support his estimated 300 colleagues holding the building. “Without us to patrol the streets, Carnival would be chaos. It would be so deadly it’d be impossible,” Cardoso added, standing outside orange metal barriers ringing the building while more than 1,000 soldiers kept several hundred strikers and their families at a distance from the striking officers barricaded inside.

Crime has jumped since one-third of the 30,000 police in Bahia walked off the job Jan. 31. Homicides in the state capital’s metropolitan area immediately spiked to double normal rates, and at least 100 have been recorded since then, officials said. Though violence has tapered off a bit since more than 3,400 soldiers and federal police were sent in to patrol Salvador on Sunday, tensions remained high in the city of 2.7 million people.

Most schools were shut and streets were unusually empty in Brazil’s thirdlargest city. In the working-class Pernambues neighborhood near the state assembly, the few shop owners who opened Tuesday rushed to pull

down the security shutters by early afternoon after what residents said was a series of armed attacks there. A police strike in Rio de Janeiro could be even more disastrous. The sprawling seaside city is Brazil’s top Carnival showcase, attracting upward of 800,000 tourists, who pump more than $500 million into the local economy.

Beyond the economic fallout, any disturbance to Rio’s Carnival could prove to be a major blow to Brazil’s image as the country gears up to host the 2014 World Cup football championships and 2016 Olympic Games. Both Rio and Salvador are scheduled to host World Cup matches. Discontent among police is widespread across Brazil. Many officers complain of low pay and dangerous conditions in a country that recorded nearly 50,000 homicides in 2010. The newspaper Estado de S. Paulo said officers in eight of Brazil’s 26 states and the federal district are debating whether to call their own strikes: Roraima, Mato Grosso, Tocantins, Goias, the capital of Brasilia, Espirito Santo, Parana and Rio Grande do Sul. Rio’s state legislature has scheduled a vote later this week on a 39 percent raise for police, firefighters and prison guards that would increase an officer’s starting salary to $964 a month. But one of the main demands by police across Brazil is that their salaries be increased to match the minimum of $2,033 a month earned by officers in Brasilia. Rio police and other public workers planned to meet today to decide whether to call a strike.

The state’s governor, Sergio Cabral, said in a statement that he was confident Rio’s police wouldn’t strike. “When they enter into these professions, they know they are doing an essential job,” he said.

“I have no doubt we will guarantee safety during Carnival and also in the day-today.” In Bahia, strikers have narrowed their demands to amnesty for the walkout and payment of bonuses that would add about $350 a month to officers’ paychecks. Monthly salaries for officers in Bahia now range between $1,100 and $1,330, depending on rank and experience. — AP

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

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

Murdoch’s firm settles 9 phone hacking lawsuits LONDON: Nine more phone hacking lawsuits against Rupert Murdoch’s News International have been settled, including a case brought by comedian Steve Coogan, the victims’ lawyer told Britain’s High Court yesterday. That brings to more than 60 the number of claims that Murdoch’s UK newspaper company has dealt with in the scandal that has already brought down a 168-year-old tabloid and threatened Murdoch’s global media empire.

But Murdoch’s company still faces a

host of other lawsuits linked to journalists obtaining scoops using illegal means. Hugh Tomlinson, the lawyer for the victims, said six more new lawsuits had been filed and 50 other cases are being prepared. The cases settled recently include Coogan, who received a settlement of 40,000 pounds ($63,500) and soccer star Paul Gascoigne, who received 68,000 pounds ($108,000).

Simon Hughes, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrat party, received 45,000

pounds ($71,500) and said in a statement that everyone who allowed a large company to behave illegally must be brought to account. Lawmaker George Galloway received 25,000 pounds ($39,700) and News International lawyer Michael Silverleaf admitted the company had intercepted five of Galloway’s voicemails around the time of the 2003 Iraq war.

Sally King, a friend of former Home Secretary David Blunkett, received 60,000 pounds ($95,300) while her hus-

band Andrew received 50,000 pounds ($79,400). Her father and brother also received substantial damages. Silverleaf said in court that News International had accepted responsibility and regretted the damage it had caused.

The only outstanding case from the first set of phone hacking claims was brought by singer Charlotte Church, who has testified that Murdoch’s reporters grossly violated her privacy and that of her family, causing great distress. The scandal over phone hacking

at the News of the World tabloid boiled over after it emerged last summer that journalists at the paper had routinely hacked into the phones of celebrities, politicians, sports figures and even crime victims.

The now-defunct tabloid has already settled with several prominent figures, including actress Sienna Miller and the family of murdered British schoolgirl Milly Dowler, whose phone was broken into by the paper soon after her disappearance in 2002. —AP

Vatican anti-abuse prosecutor calls for stricter accountability 1,000 cases reported in past two years

NJABINI: In this photo taken Wednesday, Feb 1, 2012 and released by Cris Obudo yesterday, Matthew Stokes of UK law firm Ashton Fox Solicitors, right, meets with Mukami Kimathi, left, widow of Dedan Kimathi, one of the most revered Mau Mau fighters who the British arrested and hanged, in Njabini, Kenya. —AP

Elderly Kenyans threaten UK colonial abuse lawsuit NAIROBI: Thousands of elderly Kenyans are preparing to sue the British government over abuses - including torture, illegal detentions and rape - its forces allegedly committed during its suppression of a 1950s anti-colonial rebellion, a lawyer representing the group said yesterday. The group of Kenyans is motivated by the progress of a case by four other elderly Kenyans, who were given the goahead by a British court last year to sue the UK government for alleged abuses during its colonial occupation of Kenya, said lawyer Donald Rabala.

The British government had tried to have the case by the four thrown out, saying it could not be held legally responsible for the long-ago abuses. It argues that all the powers and liabilities of the colonial administration passed to the Kenyan government on independence in 1963. Rabala said his firm has taken statements from more than 6,000 people who claim to have either been tortured, detained illegally, raped, forcefully displaced from their land, among other abuses.

Rabala said his firm, with the help of a UK law firm, is collecting more statements from Kenyans allegedly held by the British in detention camps after a 1952 uprising led by a militia group known as the Mau Mau. Britain imposed a state of emergency that lasted until 1959. “The victims know some of the names of those who raped them, tortured them. They have scars and some have documents showing when they were incarcerated and where,” Rabala said. He said he expects the British gov-

ernment to settle the case out of court because if it goes to trial it will consume a lot of time and taxpayer money. During the uprising in 1952, Prime Minister Winston Churchill sent British soldiers to help colonial administrators capture the Mau Mau fighters and send them to detention camps. African soldiers under the King’s African Rifles regiment also took part in the assault on the Mau Mau and their supporters. President Barack Obama’s grandfather, Hussein Onyango Obama, was one of thousands of Kenyans detained. Obama’s grandfather died in 1979. Among the 6,000 planning to sue is the wife of Dedan Kimathi, one of the most Mau Mau’s most revered, Rabala said. British fighters arrested and hanged Kimathi. He has since been honored by the Kenyan government as a national hero. His widow, Mukami Kimathi, was incarcerated by the British, according to Rabala, though he declined to go into the details of what she experienced during her detention. The new potential cases were inspired by a ruling

by British High Court Judge Richard McCombe, who last July found that the four Kenyans “have arguable cases in law,” and their suits can go ahead.

Britain’s Africa Minister Henr y Bellingham said at the time that the government would continue to fight the claim, “given the length of time elapsed and the complex legal and constitutional questions the case raises.” He said Britain understood “the pain and grievance felt by those, on all sides, who were involved in the divisive and bloody events of the Emergency period in Kenya.” —AP

VATICAN CITY: The Vatican’s top prosecutor yesterday called for stricter accountability for bishops who cover up child abuse crimes and said 1,000 cases had been reported to him in the past two years alone. “Ecclesial accountability has to be further developed. How do you sanction a bishop? That is something that Canon law reserves for the pope personally,” Charles Scicluna said on the sidelines of a Vatican summit on the issue.

“Once you set standards you have to respect them. It would certainly be the responsibility of the pope and the Holy See,” he said. He added that he believed a “culture of silence” on the issue of abuse persisted in the Church.

Archbishop Scicluna said his office at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Catholic Church’s top enforcement body, had received more than 4,000 reports of child abuse since 2001 including 1,000 since 2009.

He said most of the cases dated back decades and that many of the most recent reports had been from Europe, while there had been a gradual decline in the United States following the putting in place of strict rules by the Church. Asked about requests for damages from the Church, Scicluna said it was up to civil courts, adding: “A priest is liable for the damages. The principle is: ‘If I break something I pay for it’. A priest is not ordained to harm people.” Scicluna said Church laws against abuse had been bolstered by late pope John Paul II and his successor Benedict XVI, including an increase in the statute of limitations on paedophile crimes to 20 years after the victim turns 18.

Benedict launched the unprecedented fourday Vatican summit on Monday with a call for “profound renewal of the Church at every level” and for “a vigorous culture of effective safeguarding and victim support.” The meeting brings together 100 representatives of national bishops’ conferences and the leaders of 33 religious orders as well as abuse victim Marie Collins, a leading voice in pushing for justice in Ireland.

Several victims’ groups however have dismissed the conference at the Vatican’s Gregorian University as a public relations exercise and say the Church has not done enough to punish those responsible for cover-ups. At a special penitential church service at the confer-

ence on Tuesday, Church leaders asked God for forgiveness for the crimes of paedophile priests. “We have sinned. We did not know how to listen to the pain of so many innocent ones,” one of the bishops taking part in the service said.

“We are aware that our acts of reparation can never erase the unjust things we have done or soothe the searing wound of our consciousness,” he said. Collins recounted her abuse in horrifying detail and told the conference on Tuesday that apologies were not enough, saying: “There must be acknowledgement and accountability for the harm and destruction that has been done.” Collins said she was abused by a priest in Dublin when she was just 13. “Those fingers that would abuse

ROME: Monsignor Charles Scicluna, left, flanked by Monsignor Stephen Rossetti, a psychologist who for a decade ran a US treatment center for abusive priests, meets journalists in Rome yesterday. —AP my body the night before were the next morning holding and offering me the sacred host,” said the 64-year-old.

The Catholic Church has been rocked over the past decade by thousands of abuse scandals in Europe and the United States, which have shown up systematic cover-ups of known abusers by the Catholic hierarchy going back decades. The Vatican summit also aims to

debated as it had to first be discussed by a committee.

“It now has to go to the legal committee... as the parliament is new, so the committee is new and needs to consider it,” Kawesa said. Homosexuality is already illegal in Uganda, but the proposed bill has previously attracted heavy criticism for the draconian penalties it proposed. It would introduce the death sentence for anyone caught engaging in homosexual acts for the second time, as well as for gay sex where one partner is a minor or has HIV. It also proposes to criminalize public discussion of homosexuality-including by rights groups-with a sentence of up to seven years in prison. At an African Union summit last month, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, in an unusually outspoken declaration, told African leaders to respect gay rights, a controversial matter in many African states. Michelle Kagari, Deputy Africa Program Director at Amnesty International, urged parliament to “reject this bill in its entirety” as it “must not legislate hate.” “If passed, it would represent a grave assault on the human rights of all Ugandans, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” Kagari said in a statement late Tuesday. The bill now must pass the legal affairs committee for public hearings and discussion before debate in parliament can proceed, a process expected potentially to take at least several months. While it went through this process in the last parliamentary session, the bill must be reconsidered as it is a new parliament with new members of the legal committee. —AFP

plan to root out child abuse but campaigners warn that this is not enough as there is no real power to enforce rules. Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said the conference was “a success for the pope’s line” of zero tolerance for child abuse.

“There needs to be a culture of awareness and prevention and of appropriate preparation of the clergy,” he said. —AFP

News

in brief

Rights group slams revived anti-gay bill in Uganda KAMPALA: Gay rights activists yesterday condemned the reintroduction before Uganda’s parliament of a bill that calls for the death penalty for certain homosexual acts and sparked an international outcry.

David Bahati, the MP behind the bill, formally reintroduced the legislation Tuesday after lawmakers voted last year to automatically pass it over to the new session after failing to debate it.

Frank Mugisha, the director of Sexual Minorities Uganda, voiced disappointment over the revival of the bill. “We thought it would come back, but with all the condemnation from local and international human rights groups we had hoped that Bahati would reconsider it, or that parliament would move to strike it down immediately,” Mugisha told AFP. “It is just bringing everything bad up again, but we remain committed to fighting it and challenging it in all ways possible,” he added. Originally tabled in 2009, the bill calls for “serial offender(s)” to face the death penalty, and proposes jail sentences for family members and landlords who fail to report homosexuals to the authorities.

Lawmakers applauded Bahati as the bill-which US President Barack Obama has described as “odious”-was introduced, clapping their hands, thumping the seats in parliament and chanting “our bill.”

Parliament spokeswoman Helen Kawesa said the bill was reintroduced in its original form, with the death penalty clause still included. “It is the same as before,” Kawesa told AFP. The speaker urged parliament to deal with the bill quickly, but Kawesa could not say when it would be

encourage countries where many Church abuses remain hidden, such as in Africa, Asia and Latin America, to learn from places like the United States where more stringent practices are enforced.

Father Edenio Valle, a psychologist who advises the National Conference for Brazilian Bishops (CNBB) told the conference yesterday that Catholic leaders in his country had “no idea” of what to do about child abuse by priests. “Effective measures and procedures on the part of the Church in the short, medium and long term, as far as I know, are not being planned,” he said. “Underlying problems are not seriously debated,” he added. The Vatican has requested that national bishops’ conferences submit strict guidelines by May on how they

KIEV: A sculpture of Jesus Christ covered with snow stands in front of a Mykhaylo Gold Domes Cathedral in Kiev yesterday. The Ukraine government has blamed alcohol abuse as the main cause of deaths caused by a spell of abnormally cold weather that has claimed at least 135 lives over the last 10 days. —AFP

Lawmakers question UK military capabilities LONDON: Britain would struggle to mount another operation on the scale of its intervention in Libya because of deep defense cuts, a report from lawmakers warned yesterday. The Libya campaign, which led to the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, was successful and justified but had raised “important questions” about the extent of the UK military’s capabilities, the House of Commons Defense Committee report said.

“The real test is whether the success of this mission was a one-off or whether the lessons it has highlighted mean that future such missions can be successfully undertaken, whilst maintaining the UK’s capability to protect its interests elsewhere,” committee chair James Arbuthnot said. Prime Minister David Cameron said lessons learned from Libya about evacuations prompted the decision to buy a new Boeing C-17 military transport plane - a move he announced hours after the critical report was published. The committee

noted that Britain’s participation in the NATO mission over Libya was carried out before a decision to cut 8 percent from the defense ministry’s budget was implemented, saying the government now will face “significantly greater challenges” with a similar operation in the future. “The government will need to make some difficult decisions on prioritization if it embarks on a future mission similar to the Libya operation now,” the committee warned. But Defense Secretary Philip Hammond said yesterday the operation in Libya had demonstrated Britain’s ability to project military power around the world.

The defense committee said it was concerned that future NATO operations may not be possible if the US can’t help with providing unmanned aerial vehicles, intelligence and refueling aircraft. “For the time being, there will continue to be a heavy reliance on US command and control functions for future NATO operations,” the committee said. — AFP

Hundreds of raids against London gang suspects LONDON: A new specialist police unit tackling London gangs carried out hundreds of raids yesterday, exactly six months on from the riots that hit the capital, arresting nearly 160 people. The 158 suspected members were picked up in more than 300 raids across the city which started at dawn as hundreds of Metropolitan Police officers took to the streets. Those detained are accused of assault, robbery, the supply of drugs and money laundering, police said, and officers seized “significant amounts of crack cocaine, heroin and cash”. The 1,000-strong Trident Gang Crime Command has been created to monitor gang activity and work with local authorities in London. The unit, thought to be the largest in the country, has 19 dedicated gang crime task forces. The Metropolitan Police Service said in a statement: “As part of the MPS crackdown on gang crime, 144 warrants have been executed so far across London, resulting in 158 arrests for a variety of offences including possession of a firearm, the supply and possession of drugs, money laundering and gang-related violence. “A significant amount of cocaine and cannabis has been seized at various addresses across the capital.”

Giant dust cloud chokes west Africa DAKAR: A cloud of Saharan dust stretching thousands of kilometres dimmed the sun and grounded flights across the western edge of Africa, the region’s worst sand storm in two years. A NASA satellite image showed a yellowish-brown plume stretching north from Western Sahara and inland to Mali.

Residents of Mauritania’s seaside capital Nouakchott covered their faces with scarves or stayed indoors while drivers used headlights at midday to cut through the haze as the storm, which began on Feb. 6, left thick layers of dust on sidewalks and shop windows. “I have been eating sand for the past two days,” Lea Polony, an entrepreneur in Nouakchott, said. “The places I go to for work have been deserted by workers and clients.” In neighboring Senegal, Leopold Sedar Senghor airport cancelled more than a dozen flights on Tuesday, including Delta’s direct flight from New York, after dust particles obscured the sun and cut visibility to below 400 metres. A meteorologist said the dust came mostly from the northwest of the Sahara, kicked up by the so-called Harmattan, a seasonal wind that occurs during the northern hemisphere winter.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

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

Pakistan holds talks after deadly US attack Talks sign of thawing relations

AYODHYA: Indian voters stand in a queue to cast their votes outside a polling station, in Ayodhya, India yesterday. Residents in India’s largest state began voting yesterday in a monthlong local election with repercussions for the whole nation. —AP

Gandhi election test in most populous Indian state BARABANKI: India’s most populous state went to the polls yesterday in a contest pitting the scion of the Gandhi political dynasty against the ruling party of local low-caste leader Mayawati. Rahul Gandhi, whose family has dominated post-independence Indian politics, has led campaigning for the Congress party in politically vital Uttar Pradesh (UP) in a key test of his ability to become a national leader. The 41-year-old is widely seen as a prime minister-in-waiting, but he faces a tough task reviving the fortunes of Congress in a state where the party has been out of power for 22 years and was trounced in the last elections in 2007.

Arrayed against him is the formidable and mercurial figure of Chief Minister Mayawati, a low-caste populist who inspires a devoted following from those at the bottom of India’s strict social order.

She trumpets her efforts to fight discrimination and improve the lives of the poor and marginalized, but her administration also stands accused by critics of rampant corruption and wasting public funds on vast urban landscaping projects. She has built statues of low-caste icons-including herself-in huge parks in the state capital, with total expenditure estimated officially at more than a billion dollars.

Uttar Pradesh has a population of about 200 million. If it were a country it would be the world’s fifth-most populous, larger than Brazil, and in places it has poverty as bad as in sub-Saharan Africa. Seventeen million people were expected to vote yesterday for a new state assembly in the first phase of the local elections that will be held in seven stages until March 3. Results will be announced on March 6.

No accurate polling data exists, but the main contest is between Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), another regional caste-based group the Samajwadi Party (SP), Congress and the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.

At an election rally yesterday in a district that will vote in a later stage, Gandhi said

both Mayawati and the SP leaders had “lost touch” with voters in the state. “Have these leaders visited any village during the past five years? They will never understand the problems of the common people,” he was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India.

In Barabanki, about 35 kilometres (20 miles) from the state capital Lucknow, morning rain put off early voters, but by afternoon their numbers had swelled.

State Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha estimated that the final turnout figure would be a little over 60 percent. “We have seen enough of the SP and BSP and it’s time we give a chance to the Congress that has been out of power for a long time,” 65-year-old Mohammed Zahir Akhtar, a retired government employee, told AFP. “Rahul Gandhi shows some promise.”

What happens in caste-riven UP, where politicians have also courted the large Muslim minority community-seen as vital to electoral success-will influence the government at the national level. The state will send 80 members to the 552seat parliament in the next national elections due in 2014 and a poor performance by Congress would damage Gandhi, as well as under-fire Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Congress is the head of a ruling coalition that has been beset by corruption problems over the last 18 months, including from the bungled sale of telecom licences in 2008 and the scandal-hit 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games. More recently, an economic slowdown and government U-turns on key reforms have led to fierce media criticism that paralysis in Singh’s government is hurting the country.

The UP election is the biggest and most important of five state polls being held up to March 3. The others are in the neglected northeastern state of Manipur, the agricultural heartland of Punjab, the holiday state of Goa and the mountainous region of Uttarakhand. —AFP

US aims for Afghan talks breakthrough at summit WASHINGTON: The United States is seeking to accelerate fragile talks with the Taleban so it can announce serious peace negotiations at a NATO summit in May, officials say, in what would be a welcome bright spot in Western efforts to end the war in Afghanistan. The Obama administration is hoping it can declare a start to authentic political negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taleban at the May 20-21 summit in Chicago, after a year of initial, uncertain contacts with militant representatives.

It would be a needed victory for the White House and its NATO partners in Afghanistan as they struggle to contain a resilient insurgency and train a local army while at the same time moving to bring their troops home over the next three years. But even meeting the goal of setting political talks in motion, let alone completing them, will not be easy. US diplomats must execute a series of good-faith measures, including moving Taleban detainees out of Guantanamo Bay military prison; convincing militants to drop their opposition to talks with an Afghan government they deem illegitimate; and navigating political opposition at home months before a November election that President Barack Obama hopes will give him a second term.

The administration had tried to pull those elements together before a global summit in Bonn, Germany in December. A senior US official, while not disputing that some in the Obama administration want the peace talks announced by the Chicago summit, cautioned that Afghan reconciliation is not formally on the agenda. NATO leaders will focus on how and when to shift the military mission in Afghanistan to an advise-and-train effort, giving Afghan security forces the lead in combat missions.

As for the peace talks, “We want reconciliation done as soon as possible,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. Even if the Obama administration is successful in getting the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the

Taliban, whose government was toppled in the wake of the Sept 11, 2001, attacks, at the same table to discuss the country’s political future, there are no guarantees that talks would yield a deal.

There is even less certainty about whether an agreement would stick. The motivations of the militant group, whose leadership is based in Pakistan, remain mysterious even as the White House prepares to send negotiators to a new meeting with Taleban representatives that could solidify the transfer of the five Taleban detainees from Guantanamo Bay prison to Qatar. It is not known if the Taleban is truly interested in peace, or simply wants to recover its prisoners and wait out a Western coalition that appears determined to narrow its involvement in a long, costly war.

Critics of the US -led reconciliation plan note that the Taliban’s incentive for making concessions may be lessened considerably due to an accelerated timeline for wrapping up the NATO military role in Afghanistan. France has announced it will pull its troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2013. In a move that could signal a swifter US exit as well, the Pentagon said last week that US forces will cede the lead combat role to Afghan forces next year.

While Obama’s decision to send an extra 33,000 ‘surge’ troops to Afghanistan in 2009-10 certainly weakened the Taliban, the militant group remains potent, able to re-equip and regroup across a poorly controlled border with Pakistan.

In that gloomy context, the State Department-led peace initiative, a controversial idea among US officials from the start, has taken on increasing importance.

Merely setting the talks in motion would be a victory for the White House, helping the United States to transition the bulk of its forces out of Afghanistan with the promise of a possible political settlement. While the obstacles are numerous, most worrying to many of Obama’s closest advisers may be the simmering opposition to the transfer of five former senior Taleban out of Guantanamo. —Reuters

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani army was meeting with NATO and Afghan forces yesterday in an effort to improve coordination along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, a sign of thawing relations after American airstrikes accidentally killed 24 Pakistani soldiers last year. Pakistan was outraged by the Nov. 26 attack on two of its Afghan border posts and claimed it was deliberate. Islamabad retaliated by closing its border to supplies meant for NATO troops in Afghanistan and by kicking the US out of a base used by American drones.

But tensions seemed to have eased slightly, with Pakistani officials saying in recent days the government should reopen its border to NATO supplies as long as it can negotiate higher fees. The United States and Pakistan have long had a troubled relationship, but both sides have an interest in preventing it from rupturing completely. The US needs Pakistan’s help to fight Al-Qaeda and negotiate peace with the Taleban in Afghanistan, while Islamabad is keen on keeping billions of dollars in American aid flowing.

Yesterday’s meeting took place at a border coordination center in Torkham, a city on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, the Pakistani army said. The operations chief for the Pakistani army, Maj. Gen. Ashfaq Nadeem, attended, it said.

The US and Pakistan disagree who should be blamed for the deadly incident in November, which occurred in the middle of the night as US and Afghan forces were conducting operations near the border inside Afghanistan.

The Pakistani army rejected a US investigation that said mistakes were made on both sides and blamed Pakistani troops for triggering the incident by shooting at coalition forces. Pakistan said its soldiers were shooting at Islamist militants who were nowhere near the coalition troops. It blamed US forces for the incident because they failed to notify their Pakistani counterparts that they were conducting operations near the border.

The US has said its commanders believe some of their military operations have been compromised when they’ve given details and locations to the Pakistanis - an example of the lack of trust between the two countries. The US has acknowledged that efforts to determine who was firing on the American troops and whether there were friendly Pakistani forces in the area failed because US forces used inaccurate maps, were unaware of Pakistani border post locations and mistakenly provided the wrong location for the troops.

Pakistan has dismissed these explanations and claimed the incident was “deliberate at some level.” It refused to participate in the US investigation, claiming past probes into border incidents were biased. US drone strikes against Taleban and Al-Qaeda militants in Pakistan’s northwest tribal region along the Afghan border have also caused tension between the two countries.

The latest attack occurred yesterday when US drone-fired missiles hit a house in North Waziristan’s Spalga village, killing nine people,

including some domestic Taleban militants, Pakistani intelligence officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. President Barack Obama has ramped up drone strikes in Pakistan since taking office and acknowledged the covert CIA-run program publicly for the first time in a recent interview. But he and other US officials refuse to discuss details of the operations openly.

Although the Pakistani government is widely believed to have provided support for the strikes in the past, that cooperation has become strained as its relationship with Washington has deteriorated. The tussle with the US has come at a time of domestic turmoil in Pakistan. The Supreme Court has vowed to charge Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani with contempt for failing to reopen an old corruption case against the president. If convicted, the premier could serve up to six months in jail and be disqualified from holding public office.

Gilani’s lawyer, Aitzaz Ahsan, appealed the court’s plan to charge his client yesterday. A defendant can appeal a contempt charge in Pakistan before the case goes to trial. The government has long refused a Supreme Court order to write to Swiss authorities to reopen a corruption case against President Asif Ali Zardari that dates back to the late 1990s. Officials have argued that the president has immunity from prosecution while in office. —AP

Pakistan PM appeals against summons for indictment

COLOMBO: Opposition lawmakers and supporters rally in front of the Supreme Court complex in Colombo, urging the government to release jailed former army chief turned presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka in Colombo, Sri Lanka yesterday. —AP

Lankans demand release of jailed ex-army chief COLOMBO: Opposition lawmakers and activists yesterday demanded the release of Sri Lanka’s jailed former army chief, shouting slogans and calling him a political prisoner during a protest in the capital. The protest came exactly two years after Sarath Fonseka was arrested. His arrest came nearly two weeks after he lost a presidential election to the incumbent, Mahinda Rajapaksa.

A court-martial in 2010 found Fonseka guilty of planning his political career while still in the military and of committing fraud in purchasing military equipment. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison. In November 2011, he was sentenced to an additional three-year prison term for implicating the defense secretary in war crimes during Sri Lanka’s civil war. Fonseka has said the cases are a political vendetta launched to persecute him for daring to run against Rajapaksa.

Yesterday, hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Supreme Court complex in Colombo. They shouted slogans and displayed placards that read, “Free Gen. Fonseka and all political prisoners.”

Opposition lawmaker Tissa Attanayake called Fonseka a “political prisoner” and said “he has been imprisoned on political and unjustifiable allegations.” “We urge the government to free him unconditionally and immediately,” he said.

Fonseka was regaled as a war hero in

2009 after he led Sri Lanka’s army to victory in its 26- year civil war with separatist Tamil Tiger rebels, and he and Rajapaksa were immensely popular among the Sinhalese majority for defeating a rebel group that had seemed invincible for decades.

But they had a falling out months after the war ended, and their relationship deteriorated further after the general challenged Rajapaksa in the Jan 26, 2010, election. He was arrested Feb 8. Fonseka was tried before two military courts. One courtmartial found him guilty of planning his political career while still in the military and stripped him of his title, medals, pension and other honors and dishonorably discharged him from the army.

Fonseka appealed to the Court of Appeal, but it rejected his motion last month and let the conviction stand. He can still appeal to the Supreme Court. While in military custody, Fonseka managed to win a parliamentary seat on the opposition ticket, but was disqualified after the court-martial.

In the second case, a court found that Fonseka’s reported comments about the defense secretary to a newspaper in 2009 breached the harsh emergency laws in place during and after the civil war. Fonseka claimed at his trial that he had been misquoted. The defense secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, is the president’s younger brother. Fonseka has appealed that case to the Supreme Court. —AP

India ministers quit after caught watching porn NEW DELHI: Three Indian politicians from a morally conservative party, including a women’s affairs minister, resigned yesterday after being caught watching pornography on a mobile phone during a session of state parliament. News channels broadcast footage showing Karnataka state Minister for Cooperation Laxman Savadi sharing a porn clip with his colleague C.C. Patil, the minister for women and child development, while sitting in the state assembly.

The owner of the phone, state Minister for Ports, Science and Technology Krishna Palemar, also quit. “We are requesting the honorable Speaker of the House to conduct an inquiry and we’ll come out with a clean chit,” Patil said, denying that they were deliberately looking at porn. The three men said they did not want to cause any embarrassment for their party, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which rules the state and is in oppo-

sition at a national level.

There has been outrage over the incident not just from rights activists and right-wing Hindu groups in conservative India, but also from the riling Congress party which called for the assembly to be dissolved. “We live in a country where there already is this social mindset that women are disposable commodities and are seen as transferable properties,” Renuka Chowdhary, a former federal minister for women’s development and a member of the Congress Party.

“It really is troubling that the people who are in positions of power and have the responsibility to change things actually have the same mindset and are busy watching porn,” she told the CNN-IBN news channel. Girls and women in largely patriarchal India face a barrage of threats including rape, dowry-related murder, forced marriage, domestic violence, honour killings and human trafficking. —Reuters

ISLAMABAD: Pak istan’s prime minister yesterday appealed against a court summons to face a contempt indictment next week, challenging an order that could ultimately force his weak government into early elections. Pakistan’s highest court on February 2 summoned Yousuf Raza Gilani to appear on February 13 to face indictment, impatient over the government’s refusal to re-open corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

It was a shock move from the Supreme Court that sharply escalated pressure on the embattled prime minister a year before his government would become the first in the history of Pakistan to complete an elected term in office. Gilani’s lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan said he based the appeal on precedents set by top courts in Australia, Britain, France, India and the United States. “My objection is that the court in its order on February 2 cited no specific reasons for initiating contempt of court proceedings against the prime minister,” he told reporters.

Gilani had appeared before the Supreme Court on January 19, refusing to back down over citing Zardari’s immunity as explanation for his refusal to obey the court’s order to ask Switzerland to re-open corruption cases. The Swiss shelved the cases in 2008, when Zardari took office. If convicted of contempt, the prime minister could be jailed for up to six months and disqualified from public office.

Ahsan said there were arguments against indicting the prime minister. “The president enjoyed immunity and the Swiss authorities have also closed the case. I should not comment further on this issue,” he said. The court will hear the appeal today, apparently the only available gap in a tight schedule before the February 13 summons.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry yesterday constituted an eight-judge bench to be headed by him to hear the appeal, the Supreme Court said in a statement.

Although Supreme Court Judge Nasir-ul-Mulk said there were grounds to proceed against Gilani, members of the government accuse judges of plotting with the army to wage a witch-hunt against the prime minister and president. Legal experts say that Gilani can only avoid being charged by appealing, apologising or promising to write to the Swiss. The allegations against Zardari were frozen by a Pakistani political amnesty imposed in 2007, which the courts overturned in late 2009. Tainted by corruption allegations, Zardari is nicknamed “Mr 10 Percent” and spent 11 years in jail on charges ranging from corruption to murder, although his supporters point out that he was never convicted. Zardari and his late wife, prime minister Benazir Bhutto, were suspected of using Swiss bank accounts to launder about $12 million in alleged bribes paid by companies seeking customs inspection contracts in Pakistan in the 1990s.

A Swiss prosecutor has since said it would be “impossible” to reopen the case against Zardari since he benefits from immunity as a head of state. Former Supreme Cour t judges said they were not convinced of the grounds for appeal, but said the matter would have to be decided quickly. “They can simply prolong the case for two or three weeks but apparently they have no solid ground in their defence. They have not come up with a satisfactory plea so far,” said Rashid Rizvi, a former Supreme Court judge. One former chief justice called on the government to resign. “It will be good for the country if the government quits and holds elections. The current situation is crippling the economy and people are dying because of pover ty and lawlessness,” Fak hruddin Ebrahim told AFP. —AFP

ISLAMABAD: Aitzaz Ahsan (C), the lawyer of Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani leaves the Supreme Court after submitting an appeal in Islamabad yesterday. —AFP

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

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

Maldives ex-prez calls on successor to resign Protesters clash with riot police MALE: The ex-president of the Maldives who claims he was forced out of power by a coup called on his successor to step down yesterday as thousands of protestors clashed with riot police in the capital. Mohamed Nasheed, who resigned on Tuesday, told AFP he suspected new president Mohamed Waheed had known

on Dr Waheed to step down and I call upon the chief justice to investigate yesterday’s coup and bring to justice those responsible for it.”

Thousands of supporters of the media-savvy former political prisoner and climate change campaigner massed in the cramped capital Male, many chanting his name. A statement by Nasheed’s

and a police mutiny. Speaking at his first press conference since taking office, Waheed rejected suggestions that Nasheed had been overthrown.”It is wrong to describe the events as a coup. We did not know this was going to happen. I was unprepared,” he said. The army has denied any involvement in a coup against the president, but a

MALE: Maldivian policemen try to take cover as anti-government demonstrators throw back a teargas cannister in the capital island Male yesterday. —AFP about a plot to overthrow him involving rebel army and police officers. “I am afraid he’s always entertained an idea to become the president... When the opportunity was available to him, he took it,” the 44year-old said of his former vice president, who denies the allegation.

Nasheed, 44, said he had been “forced” to resign by a cabal of armed police and soldiers, explaining to AFP that “they told me if I didn’t resign they would resort to the use of arms”. Later, speaking to members of his party, he said: “I call

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said the former leader had been beaten up and several members of the party arrested during clashes with the police, who fired tear gas and used their batons. The clashes and risk of more political instability are highly damaging for the Indian Ocean archipelago, a famous holiday and honeymoon destination that relies on tourism.

Waheed was sworn in Tuesday hours after the dramatic resignation of his former boss following weeks of anti-government protests

spokesman admitted officers had “advised” him to step down.

In his press conference, Waheed said he would appoint a “truly multi-party cabinet” in the next few days, and claimed he was in talks with all groups including the MDP. The weeks of protests that led to Nasheed’s downfall had erupted after he ordered the army to arrest Criminal Court Chief Justice Abdulla Mohamed on charges of misconduct and favouring opposition figures.

Opposition parties accused him

of trampling over the constitution, and the demonstrations were swelled by religious conservatives who regarded his regime as unIslamic. Waheed said Wednesday that Islamic parties “will be represented” in his new cabinet, adding that they are “part of our society and can’t be ignored”. Islam is the official religion of the Maldives and the open practice of any other religion is forbidden and liable to prosecution.

Police told AFP on Wednesday that a mob had smashed up Buddhist statues in the national museum, an act of vandalism that Nasheed blamed on Islamists who considered them to be “idolatrous”.

Tuesday’s events marked a spectacular fall for Nasheed. The father-oftwo rose to power from grassroots opposition to the 30-year autocratic regime of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who imprisoned him on several occasions.

His clear victory over Gayoom in the country’s first free elections in 2008 was hailed as heralding a new era of democracy and progressive politics. He used his mandate to build a reputation internationally as a committed campaigner against climate change and once held a cabinet meeting underwater to highlight the dangers of rising sea levels.

But economic problems and high inflation damaged his popular standing, while Islamic activists attacked him on religious issues, including flights arriving with Israeli tourists and “improper ” social conduct on island resorts. European Union foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton expressed “deep concern” at the developments in the country, while Amnesty International urged the new regime not to persecute members of Nasheed’s administration. —AFP

US, Japan decouple Marines’ Guam move from Okinawa base TOKYO: Japan and the United States agreed yesterday to decouple the transfer of thousands of US Marines to Guam from the southern Japan island of Okinawa from plans to relocate a base on Okinawa, a step forward in resolving an irritant in relations. The shift of US Marines to the Pacific island of Guam had been linked to progress in relocation the Futenma airbase on Okinawa.

But Tokyo has struggled to win the consent of islanders’ to the relocation plan.

The new approach followed discussions this week in Washington between senior diplomats of the two sides.

The decision to expedite the transfer of US forces in Okinawa coincides with pressure on the Pentagon to cut spending, including costs associated with the move to Guam, and a new US emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region. “ Rather than choosing an option where nothing moves forward, I took a step, under Prime Minister (Yoshihiko) Noda’s guidance, to first realise the reduction of burden on people in Okinawa,” Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba told a news conference.

Japan and the United States agreed in 2006 to move 8,000 Marines to Guam and move the Futenma airbase in Ginowan city to a less populated part of the island to assuage residents who associate US bases with noise, pollution and crime. There are a total of about 47,000 US troops in Japan.

The two security allies issued a statement before the news conference saying they were reviewing the number of US troops moving to Guam. But the Marines’ presence on Okinawa after the planned move would not change from what was agreed upon in 2006. Gemba said last week that Okinawa would still host about 10,000 Marines after the planned transfer, compared with 18,000 now on the island, located near China, which has rapidly expanded and modernised its armed forces. Japanese newspapers reported on Sunday that the United States was considering transferring 4,700 troops instead of 8,000, to Guam, with smaller numbers to countries such as the Philippines and Australia.

On the Futenma relocation, Gemba said both sides remained commited to the existing plan to move the airbase from Ginowan to Nago in central Okinawa. “I would like to make it crystal clear that we will never let the Futenma airbase remain fixed at the current location,” he said. The Futenma facility is surrounded by more than 100 schools, hospitals and shops. Defence Minister Naoki Tanaka calls it the world’s most dangerous airbase.

The Mayor of Nago, however, restated his opposition to the relocation plan, Kyodo news agency reported.

“We cannot put up with an additional burden stemming from the construction of a new military base,” Susumu Inamine said, noting that 11 percent of city’s total land was already occupied by US military facilities.

Issues surrounding the Futenma relocation has bedevilled not only US -Japan security ties, but also posed major problems for the Democratic Party government first elected in 2009.

Ties with Washington were strained after the election after then-Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama sought to keep his campaign promise to move the Futenma base off the island.

The government, however, could find no alternative site and was forced to reaffirm the 2006 agreement.

Hatoyama stepped down. Comments by a Defence Ministry official on the Futenma relocation offended many residents of Okinawa last year and eventually cost then-Defence Minister Yasuo Ichikawa his job. —Reuters

NEGROS ORIENTAL: Primitivo Magalso shows the photo and ID of his missing children next to his destroyed house on the slope of a mountain which collapsed at the height of the powerful earthquake,in the village of Songgon, La Libertad town, Negros Oriental province, central Philippines yesteday.—AFP

Hopes fade for dozens buried in Philippines MANILA: Philippine officials conceded yesterday that there was little hope of finding any survivors among 71 people still buried in landslides set off by a powerful earthquake, as jittery residents stayed away from their homes amid a flurry of aftershocks. Soldiers, rescue volunteers and villagers using picks and shovels have not found anyone alive under concrete rubble and tons of rocks and mountain soil since the magnitude6.9 quake struck two townships in central Negros Oriental province on Monday.

So far, 26 bodies have been recovered and identified.

“I am still hoping against hope, but the chances (of recovering survivors) are very slim. If you see the landslide, it’s huge and there is no chance of them surviving,” said Benito Ramos, head of the Office of Civil Defense. Ramos accompanied President Benigno Aquino III on a visit to the disaster area, during which Aquino ordered the immediate construction of detour roads to revive commerce and speed up the delivery of relief supplies.

Aquino criticized the shoddy road construction, while Ramos said bridges that were damaged were not built to sustain such a strong quake. Eleven bridges reportedly were damaged in Negros

Oriental, three of them beyond repair.

Philippine seismologists said they were previously unaware of the undersea fault line that caused the temblor, which sent rocks, trees and other debris crashing down mountainsides in the two worsthit towns of Guihulngan and nearby La Libertad.

Bottles of potable water, which has been in short supply, began to arrive, while a ship brought water purifiers.

Ramos said many jittery villagers refused to return to their houses, fearing more damage from numerous aftershocks and opting instead to sleep in vacant fields and parks.

“We could see how severe nature’s wrath was,” Aquino said. “The aftershocks are enlarging the cracks of the roads.”

With more bodies expected to be recovered, Guihulngan Mayor Ernesto Reyes said his town of 100,000 people might run out of coffins. At least 23 people were still missing there. The Philippines is in the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where earthquakes and volcanic activity are common. The damage and casualties are compounded by poor construction in violation of building codes in the impoverished nation. A magnitude-7.7 quake killed nearly 2,000 people in northern Luzon in 1990. —AP

Cambodia garments ‘tribunal’ turns up heat on big brands

SILIGURI: Tibetans offer prayers near mock coffins to represent self-immolated monks with light candles forming ‘Save Tibet’ during a rally in Siliguri yesterday. China said February 7 it would ‘resolutely crack down’ on any attempts to instigate violence in Tibetan-inhabited areas, where authorities have launched a deadly clampdown on protesters. —AFP

Video of China boy crying in snow sparks uproar BEIJING: A home video showing a four-yearold Chinese boy being forced by his parents to run almost naked through the snow in bitterly cold New York has sparked an online uproar in China. He Liesheng told AFP he was only trying to train his son to be strong and manly, but the footage has ignited debate about the tough parenting style for which China became known after Amy Chua’s book “Tiger Mother”.

In the video, the little boy runs towards his father, who is filming him, in thick snow with only his shoes and underpants on, at times crying and pleading with his dad to take him in his arms. On several occasions, both parents tell their son to lie down in the snow, which he does eventually when his mother presses him. “He agreed to go out to run in the snow naked or else it wouldn’t be possible for me to take his clothes off,” said He, who runs a bed linen company in the eastern city of Nanjing.

“He wasn’t very happy when he felt the cold.” It is not clear who posted the video online. He’s personal assistant, a woman called Xin Lijuan, told AFP that He had sent the video to “a few friends” but didn’t post it online himself. The footage has been viewed by tens of thousands of people on video-sharing websites including www.tudou.com/programs/view/geBPh4pIl3U/.

“I don’t agree with this... We should give children a happy childhood, those terrible parents say they do this for their child’s own good, but I think their purpose is just to be able to brag in the future,” one netizen said.

“I really don’t support this, poor kid. Does the kid’s mother let the father do whatever he wants to do?” another person said on Sina’s popular weibo microblogging service.

The father has been given the nickname “Eagle Dad” in reference to Chua, who sparked controversy when she wrote a book

extolling the benefits of tough parenting.

He, who also claims to teach his son Kung Fu, dancing, cycling and mountain climbing, said he was trying to help his child develop a “masculine temperament”. “I also give him cold ice cream on cold winter days to train his stomach to get used to the cold,” He told AFP by phone. “He rarely has a cold or fever.”

Xin said He was on holiday with his family in New York during the Lunar New Year holiday last month and decided to see in the Year of the Dragon with this unusual method.

“The child agreed and before the run, he did half an hour of slow running to warm up,” she said by phone. “This child has received all sorts of forms of training since he was small.

When he was one, he started swimming in water that was 21 degrees Celsius.” Xin said that the boy was born prematurely with several health problems including water in the brain that prompted doctors to say he may have cerebral palsy. “But now he has no problems,” she said, attributing this to He’s intense education method. Chinese parenting has come under the spotlight recently, with many of the country’s children forced to study harder than their Western counterparts, often at the expense of sports and other leisure activities.

In her controversial book “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother”, Chinese-American Chua, a Yale University law professor, tells how she and her husband elected to raise their two daughters the “Chinese” way. That meant heavy pressure for top school marks, no sleep-overs or watching television and mandatory piano or violin study. In one incident, she made one of her daughters stand out in the cold for falling short on piano practice, while in another she tells guests at a dinner party how she once called her daughter “garbage”-shocking the room. —AFP

PHNOM PENH: A panel of international and local judges yesterday called on garment factories in Cambodia to urgently increase employees’ salaries and pressed big international clothing brands to do more to improve working conditions. The call was issued by a “People’s Tribunal” of judges representing the Asian Floor Wage Alliance, a labor advocacy group active across the region, who concluded working conditions were violations of human rights and the $61 minimum monthly salary was insufficient.

The trial-like event in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh was the first of its kind in a country plagued by strikes and protests by garment workers. Those who took part in the tribunal included trade unionists, garment workers and representatives of several brands outsourcing work to Cambodia, including Adidas and Puma. “The situation of workers in the Cambodian garment supply chain presents severe deficits which correspond to a systematic violation of their fundamental right to a decent human life,” the judges said in delivering a verdict.

“Because of its comprehensiveness and urgency, the implementation of the living wage concept cannot be postponed.”

Garment exports were the biggest currency earner last year for Cambodia, one of the world’s poorest countries. The sector employs more than 300,000 and feed thousands of families in a country where a third of the population live on $1 a day. However, the industry, which

generated $4.2 billion in exports last year, has been plagued by pay disputes, mass faintings and illness among workers, believed to be brought on by sweatshop working conditions. The decision by the judges was not legally-binding, but could carry weight in Cambodia, given the scale of an industry that supplies dozens of high-street brands, including H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB and Gap. During the trial, unions presented cases of staff who had fallen sick at factories making clothes for major brands. “To stretch their low wage, workers buy cheap food which is not very nutritious.

They work from 12-14 hours per day and sometimes overnight,” unionist Suon Sokunthea said in testimony. Garment worker Heap Kimhuor, 27, said she struggled to make ends meet on her salary.

Staff mostly travelled to work standing up in overcrowded trucks for long periods and strong odours from the machines and chemicals made working conditions unbearable.

“As my income is unable to cover all basic needs, I often take a loan from the landlord,” added Heap Kimhuor. Adidas said it was committed to seeking a better deal for Cambodian workers, but was disappointed that neither the government nor manufacturers took part in the tribunal. “Indeed at its heart, the progressive realisation of living wages in Cambodia remains a state duty under the international human rights law,” it said in a statement sent to Reuters. —Reuters

North Korean ‘pilgrimage fever’ ahead of Kim birthday SEOUL: North Korea’s propaganda mills are going all out to encourage pilgrimages to the alleged birthplace of late leader Kim Jong-Il ahead of his birthday next week. Despite freezing winter weather, thousands have been travelling to Kim’s so-called birthplace at Mount Paekdu near the border with China, according to Pyongyang’s official news media. “More than 2,000 people, overcome with love and respect for Comrade Kim Jong-Il, visit the birth home at Mount Paekdu every day,” Pyongyang radio was quoted as saying

by Seoul’s Yonhap news agency.

Employees at Pyongyang’s largest department store have set up a temporary shop near the birthplace to serve visitors, the radio said. Pilgrims lay

flowers in front of portraits of Kim Jong-Il and his father, North Korea’s founder Kim Il-Sung, and also hold rallies to pledge loyalty his son and successor Kim Jong-Un. The radio said some six million pilgrims visited the birthplace since it began accepting visitors in 1987.

Jong-Il died in December aged 69.

The communist state has designated his birthday on February 16 as “the greatest auspicious holiday of the nation”, and named it the Day of the Shining Star.

Although official accounts say Kim was born at the mountain, independent experts say his birthplace was a guerrilla camp in Russia, where his father was fighting Japanese forces who had colonized the Korean peninsula. —AFP

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

NEWS

Dozens dead as Syria regime pounds Homs Kuwait cancels festival concerts DAMASCUS: Syrian forces pressed a relentless assault on the protest city of Homs yesterday, with dozens of civilians reported killed, hours after President Bashar Al-Assad said he was committed to ending the bloodshed. The barrage of gunfire, mortars and shells was launched at dawn and continued all day. State television said a car bomb had ripped through the central city, killing and wounding civilians as well as security officers. The blast hit the neighbourhood of Bayada, the television reported, blaming “armed terrorist gangs.” If confirmed, the attack would be the first of its kind in Homs. It came as Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin insisted any outside intervention to stop the violence would be akin to behaving “like a bull in a china shop”. But France and Britain dismissed Moscow’s efforts to end nearly 11 months of bloodshed in Syria and cast doubt on Assad’s claim that he was “fully committed” to resolving the crisis.

Separately, organisers of Kuwait’s annual festival, “February Nights”, have cancelled all musical concerts in solidarity with the Syrian people, an organiser said yesterday. “The situation is not suitable for staging concerts now since we are in a state of sorrow for what is happening in Syria,” the head of the festival’s celebrations committee, Abdullah AlKaud, told Al-Anbaa newspaper.

“The organising committee decided that it was unacceptable to stage musical parties while people are dying daily,” Kaud said. A number of top Kuwaiti and Gulf singers who were due to perform during the month-long festival had already withdrawn. They include Kuwait’s Nabeel Shuail and Abdullah Ruwaished and Saudi Arabia’s Rabeh Sager.

Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said at least 62 people were killed across the country yesterday, including 50 in Homs. Among those killed in the beleaguered city were three entire families slain overnight

by “shabiha” armed regime supporters, he said. The dead included at least three children aged five, seven and 15. The most intense shelling was in Baba Amr, where at least 23 buildings were completely destroyed, including a home hit by a rocket that killed a little girl, Abdel Rahman said.

Activists in Homs said the widespread shelling was a clear bid to pave the way for a ground assault on Syria’s third city. “Since dawn the shelling has been extremely intense and they are using rockets and mortars,” Omar Shaker, reached by satellite telephone from Beirut, told AFP. “They have destroyed all infrastructure and bombed water tanks and electricity poles. The humanitarian situation is extremely dire and food is lacking. We are trying to set up a field hospital but we have no medical supplies.” Ali Hazouri, a doctor in Baba Amr, said a field hospital had been hit and several physicians were wounded, some critically. “One rescuer from the Red Cross had both legs blown off in the shelling,” he said.

As the regime forces tightened their grip, severing power, communications and other supplies, state media reported “terrorists” attacked Homs’ oil refinery. The authorities frequently blame “terrorists” for attacks on infrastructure, while its opponents accuse the regime of carrying them out to punish centres of resistance. The Observatory has reported 400 civilians killed since the onslaught on Homs, a junction city of 1.6 million inhabitants, was launched overnight Friday. It reported a similar onslaught in Zabadani, a restive town near Damascus that has been targeted for seven consecutive days. The latest shelling killed three people.

In southern Syria, troops used heavy gunfire after an army officer and 17 soldiers defected in Daraa province, cradle of the uprising against Assad’s 11 years of iron-fisted rule. Rights groups estimate more than 6,000 people have died in nearly a year of upheaval in the

Middle East country, as Assad’s regime seeks to snuff out the revolt that began in March with peaceful protests amid the Arab Spring.

Western and Arab efforts to address the violence have met resistance from Russia, whose foreign minister said after meeting Assad that the Syrian leader was “fully committed” to ending the bloodshed. Sergei Lavrov pointedly declined to say whether Moscow had asked Assad to quit during their talks in Damascus on Tuesday. “Any outcome of national dialogue should be the result of agreement between the Syrians themselves and should be acceptable to all Syrians,” he said.

Putin issued a similar statement.

“Of course we condemn violence from whichever side it comes, but we must not behave like a bull in a china shop. We need to allow people to decide their own fate independently.” British Prime Minister David Cameron said he had “very little confidence” in the Russian efforts, while French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Assad’s promises were manipulation and should not be believed. Moscow, which along with China vetoed a UN resolution condemning the crackdown at the weekend, has staunchly stood by its last ally in the region, a key buyer of military hardware that hosts a strategic Russian naval base.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev urged “the necessity of continuing - including at the UN Security Council - a search for coordinated approaches to help the Syrians regulate the crisis themselves”. He made the remarks in a phone call with the prime minister of Turkey, which said it was planning an international conference of regional players and world powers on solving the crisis “as soon as possible.” UN rights chief Navi Pillay said the failed Security Council resolution “appears to have fuelled the Syrian government’s readiness to massacre its own people in a bid to crush dissent,” calling for international action. — AFP

TEHRAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (left) and Grand Mufti of Syria Ahmed Hassoun (right) attend the 25th International Islamic Unity Conference yesterday. — AFP

Iran says can hit US interests worldwide MOSCOW: Iran is capable of carrying out military strikes on U.S. interests all around the world if the Islamic Republic is attacked by the United States, Iran’s ambassador to Moscow said yesterday. The United States has tried to force Tehran to scrap sensitive nuclear work by imposing sanctions targeting Iran’s central bank and giving U.S. banks new powers to freeze Iranian government assets. Iran’s ambassador to Moscow said that the United States would be making a serious mistake, akin to suicide, if it risked a military strike on OPEC’s No. 2 oil exporter.

Washington has announced no such plans, but has said a military option is always on the table if Iran cannot be otherwise prevented from developing atomic weapons. “The Americans know what kind of country Iran is. They are well aware of our people’s unity,” Iranian ambassador Seyed Mahmoud-Reza Sajjadi told a news conference in Moscow. “And that’s why Iran is fully able to deliver retaliatory strikes on the United States anywhere in the world,” he said, speaking through an inter-

Salute to Nasheed Continued from Page 1

Of course, you all know Muammar Gaddafi’s story and his Zenga Zenga and the massacre he committed. We all remember the war he launched against his own people until he was killed along with his family members. Do not forget Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak who also resisted for quite some time. He did not give up until he knew that the people on Tahrir Square meant business and they were not relenting to go back home until they got rid of him.

The same thing applied to Yemeni leader Ali Saleh who also caused a lot of killing and launched a war against his nation. At last he was forced out. The Syrian nation is still struggling with Bashar Al-Assad. We all hear about the number of ruthless murders that take place against the

preter. “Even if it attacks, we have a list of counter actions. (The United States) would be disappointed with their huge mistake.” Iran has increasingly issued threatening statements against the West in recent weeks as tension has increased over its uranium enrichment program, which it moved last month to a mountain bunker better protected from possible air strikes. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful while Western powers fear Tehran is trying to build a nuclear bomb. “The issue of a military attack from America on the Islamic Republic of Iran has been on the agenda for several years,” said Sajjadi, adding that Iran would never strike first.

Iran has warned its response to any such strike would be “painful”, threatening to target Israel and US bases in the Gulf, along with closing the Strait of Hormuz used by one third of the world’s seaborne oil traffic. Russia, the world’s biggest energy producer, opposes further UN Security Council sanctions over Tehran’s nuclear program and has sharply criticised US and European Union sanctions. — Reuters

Syrian nation every day. Nobody knows if he is going or not.

It is ironic that the names of our leaders mean the opposite of their characters. For instance, Mubarak means the blessed; Muammar means the builder and he actually demolished Libya. Saleh means good fellow, but he was bad to his own country. Zine El Abidine means the beautiful of the worshippers. I don’t think he was so beautiful judging by the way they ousted him. Al-Assad means the lion and look how he is treating his people in a cowardly way.

I salute the Maldivian guy. Don’t you think he deserves a salute? I think we should make a statue of him and put it somewhere in the Arab League as a reminder to presidents and rulers. Maybe they will follow his footsteps.

KUWAIT: Newly-elected MPs visit the National Assembly to get acquainted with norms and procedures toward their functions as lawmakers yesterday. — AP

Santorum triple win shakes up GOP race MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota: Religious conservative Rick Santorum’s startling win in three Republican nominating contests has reignited his White House bid, raising fresh question marks over frontrunner Mitt Romney. Written off only a few weeks ago, Santorum won caucus votes Tuesday in Minnesota and Colorado and a primary in Missouri a clean sweep in the latest turnaround in a topsy-turvy Republican race to pick a candidate to take on President Barack Obama in the November elections. Santorum had been seen surging in the Midwestern states of Minnesota and Missouri thanks to support from evangelical Christians, but few expected him to win in the Rocky Mountain west.

It was a bitter blow for Romney, who had romped home in Colorado and Minnesota during his 2008 bid with large leads in the final counts.

While the triple win catapulted Santorum at least for the moment past former House speaker Newt Gingrich into the role of Romney’s main rival, the ex-senator from Pennsylvania insisted his wins were not just symbolic. “I don’t stand here to claim to be the conservative alternative to Mitt Romney. I stand here to be the conservative alternative to Barack Obama,” he said in a victory speech in Saint Charles, Missouri.

Early yesterday, Santorum told CNN: “We definitely are the campaign right now with the momentum (and) enthusiasm on the ground.” But not the resources, insisted the betterfunded team Romney, which issued a statement Tuesday saying Santorum does not have a deep enough war chest or the political machinery necessary to mount a winning national campaign. Nevertheless, the latest contests could reposition the Republican battle ahead of “Super Tuesday” on March 6, when 10 states vote at once in the state-by-state nominating process.

Romney goes into that day as the man to beat, but Santorum’s triumphs put fresh pressure on the man who was once governor of liberal Massachusetts among a party base that still doubts his conservative

bona fides. “I don’t know if Santorum’s wins... constitute a major upset, but they are surprising and do show just how soft Romney’s support is,” political science professor John Brehm of the University of Chicago told AFP. Santorum was the big winner in Missouri’s primary, with 55 percent of the vote, more than double Romney’s take. In Minnesota, Santorum led with 45 percent and Romney was third, behind small-government crusader congressman Ron Paul. The shock of the night was Colorado, where Santorum beat Romney by five percent. “What a night for Santorum and a disaster for Mitt,” professor Charles Franklin at Marquette University Law School told AFP. “This certainly raises the stakes for Super Tuesday.”

Although the wins didn’t change the standings - Romney remains in the lead, with Gingrich second Santorum argued the results showed he can win when candidates and their political action committees (PACs) don’t unleash a barrage of negative ads, as was the case in Florida and South Carolina. But Brehm said Romney’s team could “unload all the venom they can muster on Santorum, who just does

not have the money of his own or a patron SuperPAC to join in on his side”.

Santorum surprised many when he won the Iowa caucuses on Jan 3.

But that was more than a month ago and he badly needed to reset a campaign that flagged through New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida and last weekend in Nevada, where he finished last. Romney has three big victories under his belt, but the former governor of liberal Massachusetts continues to face withering accusations of “flip-flopping” on key conservative issues.

In theory, Tuesday’s states held rich pickings as candidates try to secure enough delegates to pocket the 1,144 needed to secure the nomination which will be decided at the August party convention. But the results in Colorado and Minnesota act as a guide for later state conventions, while Missouri’s vote was dubbed a “beauty contest” as the state will only award its delegates after a March 17 caucus. “Since they were non-binding, that blunts it a bit, but it does provide fodder for the narrative that Romney cannot close the deal with the right, particularly with social conservatives,” said David Damore of University of Nevada, Las Vegas. — AFP

ST CHARLES, Montana: Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum speaks as his wife Karen listens during a primary night watch party Tuesday. — AP

Cabinet makeup may be key...

Continued from Page 1 However, there are no indications that the opposition is inclined to make concessions given the mandate they have just been given. Insiders say a feud within the Al-Sabah dynasty has exacerbated the situation as warring sheikhs back different MPs to weaken rivals. “There has to be a ceasefire among the ruling family in order for this Cabinet to function properly outside the wheeling and dealing and pulling and shoving,” Shayji said.

So far, the track record is not encouraging. Seven cabinets have come and gone in the past five years, usually to dodge embarrassing questioning in parliament. Parliamentarians have sought to grill ministers over everything from squandering public funds to allowing “Star Academy” - the Arab talent show equivalent of the “X-Factor” - to be broadcast on Kuwaiti TV screens. “It (the result) was expected because of the bipolar society we’ve been living in with the previous parliament,” said Jassim Al-Qamis, who managed the reelection campaign for liberal candidate Aseel AlAwadhi.

Many who lost ground in the vote, such as liberal and Shiite candidates, were seen by voters as too lenient on the outgoing prime minister Sheikh Nasser AlMohammad Al-Sabah, whom they accused of graft.

Islamist candidates made gains due to their aggressive stance against Sheikh Nasser rather than religious fervor. The deadlock has turned the US ally from Gulf trailblazer to laggard, holding up reforms and pushing the level of foreign direct investment in the country to the lowest in the region. In the past decade, Kuwait attracted just $1.5 billion in foreign investment, or a mere 0.5 percent of total Gulf inflows, while impoverished Yemen attracted $3.5 billion. Kuwait’s economy grew by 5.7 percent in 2011, compared with 6.5 percent for Saudi Arabia and 18.75 percent in Qatar, according to IMF estimates. Kuwait’s investment as a percentage of GDP has consistently trailed Gulf peers since the mid-nineties.

Although the government runs a budget surplus of about 24 percent - by far the highest in the Gulf, according to the International Monetary Fund - the extra money has yet to translate into better infrastructure. Farouk Soussa, Middle East chief economist at Citi, warned that Kuwait might enter “a period of more messy politics” where policy gridlock could continue to deter investment and block big economic development projects. A senior private banker told Reuters he received a call from an important client in Kuwait asking him to invest more of his funds outside the country after hearing the election result.

In 2008, Kuwait cancelled a $17.4 billion proposed joint venture with Dow Chemical after parliament challenged the Cabinet and threatened to subject the prime minister to questioning over the deal, which would have involved a cash payment of $7.5 billion just as the global economy was reeling from the first wave of the global financial crisis. The joint venture was aimed at taking advantage of Kuwait’s oil wealth to produce petrochemicals and plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene and polycarbonate, used in products ranging from plastic bottles and compact disks to computers and agricultural compounds, and would have created thousands of jobs.

The same year, liberal parliamentarians successfully engineered the collapse of a $15 billion refinery deal.

No major deals have been proposed since. Political reforms demanded by opposition politicians and youth groups include an independent judiciary and an end to the ban on political parties, and that the prime minister be elected. This week, ratings agency Fitch warned that ongoing “friction” within Kuwait’s government would continue to weigh on reforms and hinder political effectiveness. “The elite squabble and we get unemployment, frightening price increases and disillusion,” said Kuwaiti citizen Adnan Abdullah, walking past the stock exchange. “These problems will not be solved in the near or midterm.” — Reuters

14

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

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Issues

Russia UN veto aimed at crushing West’s crusade

By Louis Charbonneau ussia’s veto of a Security Council resolution on Syria goes far beyond mere protection for a close ally and arms buyer - it showed Moscow’s determination to crush what it sees as a Western crusade to use the United Nations to topple unfriendly regimes. The same holds true for China, which followed Russia’s lead and joined Moscow in its second double veto to strike down a European-Arab draft resolution that would have endorsed an Arab League plan for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to transfer power to his deputy to prepare free elections.

Russia’s move, analysts and diplomats say, was a diplomatic counteroffensive responding to an unusually active period for the Security Council. Last year the 15-nation panel twice adopted resolutions authorizing “all necessary measures” - diplomatic code for military force - in Libya and Ivory Coast. Libya and Ivory Coast were also the first time the council invoked the Western-backed notion of the “responsibility to protect” civilians threatened by their own governments. In both cases UNauthorized military intervention led to the ouster of the countries’ leaders. Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi was killed at the hands of rebels who overthrew him during a sixmonth civil war and Ivory Coast’s Laurent Gbagbo is now in a holding cell at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Russia and China did not stand in the way of UN action in Ivory Coast or Libya, whose civil war was initially the bloodiest of last year’s Arab Spring uprisings. But while Western governments and human rights groups welcomed enforcement of the concept of the “responsibility to protect” civilians, Moscow and Beijing did not hide their disdain for an idea they equate with violating states’ sovereignty, which the United Nations was founded to protect.

In the case of Libya, Moscow was infuriated by the decision of France and others to supply weapons to rebels in violation of a UN arms embargo, while NATO appeared to be providing crucial air support for rebel offensives against Gaddafi’s forces. Russia accused the United States and its European allies of tricking fellow Security Council members and using a mandate to protect civilians as a cover for providing support to Libyan rebels and ousting Gaddafi. It was, in short, “regime change”.

Russia, which abstained from the March 17, 2011, vote authorizing the use of force in Libya and allowed it to pass, vowed not to let that happen again in Syria, a key weapons-export destination and host to Moscow’s only warm-water naval port outside the former Soviet Union.

“I see the Russian veto this week as the latest manifestation of their rejection of the pro-active, norm-enforcing Security Council that has emerged in the past decade,” said George Lopez, a professor at Notre Dame University.

“The Libyan case was the final straw for the Russians, hence their October veto of the first Syrian resolution,” he said. The second veto on Saturday was more of the same.

The Russian veto goes beyond alliances, revenues from arms sales and Syria’s considerable strategic importance for Moscow. It goes to the heart of a deep split between Russia and China, on the one hand, and the West on the other, on whether the United Nations should intervene in internal domestic conflicts. Russia’s and China’s support for non-interference should come as no surprise, analysts say. Some Western governments and many human rights groups accuse both Moscow and Beijing of suppressing dissidents at home.

“The Syria vetoes are a dramatic evidence of a longstanding difference between Russia and China and many other countries, but particularly the West,” said David Bosco of American University in Washington. “There are all sorts of political interests involved but there is also a basic difference about whether the international community should be involved in internal conflicts against the will of the government,” he said.

Lopez said that Russia had a willing helper in China, which has worked hard to keep the Security Council off the backs of countries that it considers strategic allies, like Myanmar, North Korea and Sudan. He said China’s veto was not a show of support for Assad but “an act of solidarity so that the Russians will support them on North Korean issues at the council”. “And remember - the Chinese have never vetoed on their own, so Russia was is - really in the lead here,” he said. Frustrated by Russia’s determination to block council action on Syria, France and the United States have talked about going outside the United Nations and creating a coalition of countries that would impose tough sanctions on Assad. —Reuters

R

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Germany in two minds over leadership role

By Stephen Brown or six decades, Germany heeded Nobel laureate Thomas Mann’s advice to seek “not a German Europe, but a European Germany”. The euro zone crisis appears to have swept this post-war caution aside. Two years into the debt disaster, Germany looks increasingly confident in the role of economic superpower, pushing its model of fiscal discipline on the European Union. But matching its new-found economic dominance with bolder leadership in foreign and security policy - something partners like the United States are urging on Berlin - is another matter for a country which has shied away from geopolitical power because of its Nazi past.

Defence Minister Thomas de Maiziere, one of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s most trusted aides, summed up the dilemma when he spoke at the annual Munich security conference this month. Many allies now consider Germany has “the same rights and therefore the same obligations” as other major powers, he said, “but in Europe there are still people who worry about too much German leadership rather than too little German leadership.” Since the euro crisis began in 2009, Germany has grown from reluctant bailout paymaster to a position of such influence that its unbending drive for austerity helped bring about the exit of Silvio Berlusconi in Italy and George Papandreou in Greece. It has also imposed a “fiscal compact” for EU budget discipline.

While other major EU economies flounder, Germany has posted growth of 3 percent or better for two straight years.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, in a battle to win re-election, now openly cites Germany as a model and has enlisted Merkel’s help in the campaign to bolster his own damaged credibility. But Germany’s rise has not been without blunders, such as a heavy-handed proposal to send a “kommissar” to Greece to oversee its austerity drive, or the clumsy comment from a senior Merkel lawmaker that all Europe was now “speaking German”.

Berlin is also accused of being unwilling to pay the price of leadership by resisting calls from the International Monetary Fund and others to pay more money into euro zone bailout funds. For some, though, it punches beneath its weight on the world stage, notably refusing to join NATO allies in air strikes against Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi last year. This was a “disappointment”, said Heather Conley of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

With a stream of foreign leaders coming for enlightenment on how the economy has defied gravity, Berlin feels like Europe’s new capital. But Merkel gets conflicting messages.

She must lead the euro zone out of crisis, but in acting she may find the cartoonist’s pen too often straying towards images of the overbearing Nazi or a beckoning “Fourth Reich”.

Germany’s initial reluctance to play this domineering role, and the restraints the constitution places on the chancellor’s ability to act without consultation, bred frustration in world capitals and financial markets at the slow deliberations in Merkel’s office and the Bundestag (parliament).

As the crisis drags on, however, Germany has been encouraged to take a more uncompromisingly decisive role. “You

F

have got to save the euro zone and with it to save the European Union,” said British historian Timothy Garton Ash. “So in this moment the challenge does in fact come back to Germany: the buck stops here.” But De Maiziere senses that Germany has already assumed “more international responsibility than many of our citizens would wish”. Such reluctance worries former Social Democrat foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who fears more people may start pushing for Germany to “go it alone” economically.

“German public opinion starts from the position that we were happy to keep the Deutsche Mark, be a ‘Greater Switzerland’, we didn’t want this domineering role, we’ve made lots of sacrifices and now you’re asking us to pay and pay again,” said Garton Ash. Germans have grown sceptical of the benefits of spending taxpayers’ money on bailouts for euro zone states like Greece - or of staying in the EU at all. In a recent opinion poll, 46 percent said Germany would be better off without the EU, while 45 percent remained convinced of its advantages. “Ironically it would be a better starting point if you had a more ambitious German public opinion which did seek a leadership role in Europe,” said the British historian.

The question of how much influence it is appropriate for Germany to assume in Europe and on the global stage has dogged post-war statesmen. Henry Kissinger put it succinctly when he said Germany was “too big for Europe, too small for the world”. Chastened by its failed aggression in two world wars in the 20th century, Germany became a founder of the European Coal and Steel Community - precursor of the EU and saw economic unity as the best way of avoiding further armed conflict in Europe. German unification in 1990 reignited French, British and Russian fears that the new Federal Republic might get too big for its boots. But these appeared unfounded as Germany dedicated its wealth to the cause of European economic and monetary unity.

Even now, two years into the euro crisis, Merkel still goes out of her way to give the impression that the Franco-German “Merkozy” partnership is still in joint command. “German diplomats tell you they have had to learn to ‘lead from behind’ - to get everyone else to sign onto their plans in a way that it doesn’t look like it’s coming from Germany,” said the head of one US think-tank, who asked to remain anonymous. But with France’s economy losing its AAA-credit rating, it is clear who is in the driving seat.

With Merkel elevated to what one paper called an “ueberKanzlerin” (super chancellor), Garton Ash said her dominance was creating “something looking increasingly like a German Europe, that is to say, not just German leadership but something like a quasi-hegemony” regarding economic policy. He offered reassurance about Germany’s suitability for this role, calling it an exemplary democratic and free-market state.

Other advocates of German leadership feel compelled to qualify their recommendation with warnings that Berlin should not overstep the mark. “It’s not to dominate, it’s not diktat, it’s not to act alone - it’s to point the way, and here I do think only Germany can do that,” said Robert Zoellick, president of the Washington-based World Bank.

George Soros, the Hungarian-born financier, said Europe

faced a diet of austerity and structural reforms “effectively for no other reason than because Germany insists on it. Germany believes that what worked for Germany in 2005 would work for Europe in 2012”. Some countries with strong historical reasons to distrust Germany are surprisingly positive about its new role.

Israel, with whom Germany has forged a special relationship conditioned by the Holocaust, sees no question that Germany is a European and world leader, but wonders how willing it is to perform that function, said Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon. In Germany’s long-suffering neighbour Poland, the Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski encouraged Germany to consider its position in Europe as that of the “largest shareholder”. But Sikorski warned Germany it did not have the economic or military clout to become a “benign hegemon”, if it did harbour such ambitions: “As we put it in our part of Europe, don’t get too dizzy with success.”

More immediately, many foreign policymakers who welcome the Germanisation of the EU’s fiscal habits, like Zoellick or the Italian technocrat Prime Minister Mario Monti, warn that Berlin risks provoking a backlash with too narrow a fiscal focus. Merkel, in her increasingly accepted role as leader of the euro zone, is constantly lobbied to provide a growth strategy to complement the fiscal straitjacket so that Europe can glimpse a future of employment and prosperity after the painful reforms. “If at the end of 2012 Germany is only associated with austerity, it could become the target of ire,” said Zoellick.

Germany would also deeply annoy allies with more displays of a lack of reliability like last year’s abstention in a UN vote on Libya. This showed reluctance to take on the responsibility that comes with great global economic power, said Conley. Germany, which opted out of the Iraq war, tells its allies in private the Libyan decision was an anomaly, taken amid great political tension at home over Merkel’s nuclear power U-turn. Berlin points to its 7,000 troops on overseas peace missions including the third biggest contingent in Afghanistan as proof - in the words of De Maiziere, son of a Bundeswehr (armed forces) chief of staff - that “the Bundeswehr can fight and lead”. But he acknowledged that domestic support for a more prominent security role would be problematic: “Regarding the economy, most Germans do want a leadership role for the country. Regarding security policy, probably not.”

Germany’s allies understand the historical reasons for its hesitancy but do not want Europe compartmentalising leadership with Germany specialising in the economics and France taking on security and military policy, said Conley from Washington. The current diplomatic stand-off with Russia and China over Syria gives Berlin with an opportunity to show its influence in these strategic relationships, as does the increasing distance between the EU and Britain, which Merkel is determined to close. “My concern is we may have some more examples where these very critical questions are going to be put on the table and Berlin is going to have to make some decisions about how it wishes to proceed,” she said. “Time will tell, but there is expectation.”—Reuters

Strike talk keeps Israel Iran options open

By Jonah Mandel srael is pursuing a studied ambiguity on whether it will attack Iran, keeping its options open on how to rein in Tehran’s alleged nuclear weapons ambitions, Israeli experts say. Speculation about an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities has reached fever pitch in recent weeks, driven by comments from Israeli officials and a slew of articles in the international media.

Israel, like much of the international community, accuses Tehran of using its nuclear program to mask a weapons drive, a charge denied by Iran.

And Israel, the sole, if undeclared, nuclear power in the region, has made clear it sees a nuclear-armed Iran as a threat that it will prevent at all costs. But experts say Israel’s rhetoric about a military strike could be seen as a strategy to obviate the need for an attack by piling on the pressure on Iran and the international community. Political science professor Yehezkel Dror’s book “Israeli Statecraft” analyses various ways Israel could confront Iran’s alleged nuclear ambitions and says that bellicose rumblings from the Jewish state serve a range of purposes.

“Israel certainly wants other countries to prevent Iran from having nuclear weapons, and is surely using the possibility of an Israeli attack on Iran as one of the means to convince them to do so,” he told AFP. By brandishing the threat of mili-

I

tary action, Israel targets policy-makers both in Tehran and the West, Dror says, using “a very accepted means of creating deterrence, as well as a motivating force.” Israel’s sabrerattling appears to have stepped up, with Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Yaalon warning that no Iranian facility, however reinforced, is immune to Israeli attack. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also said to have asked officials to stop “blabbing” about such an attack, warning it could create the impression an attack was imminent or be seen as undermining tough new European sanctions against Tehran.

For Israeli military and intelligence writer Ronen Bergman, the attack rhetoric is a good way for the Jewish state to preemptively justify an eventual military operation. “Israel is trying to tell the world: ‘We told you that if you wouldn’t act, we would,’” he said. “Part of the international legitimacy for the decision-makers is to say: ‘ We raised the alert, we did everything throughout the years to get the world to impose sanctions to prevent an attack.’”

Bergman caused a splash last month with a New York Times

magazine cover article entitled “Will Israel Attack Iran?,” which concluded, based on discussions with senior Israeli officials, that an attack this year is likely. But he acknowledges that even among his most informed sources, there is still uncertainty. “There has not been a decision to attack,” he says. Avner Cohen, an Israeli-American professor with the Non-Proliferation Centre at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, also believes Israel is keeping its options open for tackling Iran’s nuclear programme.

Israeli talk of an attack “may be an 80 percent bluff in the current context, in the sense that Israel has not made a decision,” he said. But he notes that “Israel under Netanyahu and (Defence Minister Ehud) Barak is committed to act, if nothing else would stop Iran, if Iran continues and develops nuclear weapons.” “Israel would likely act alone, so in that aspect it’s not a bluff,” he adds.

Cohen acknowledged that there is still uncertainty about whether Iran is in fact seeking nuclear weapons, and that any preemptive attack could galvanise their resolve to obtain them. “The Iranian decision very much depends on how the world would respond,” he said. “They don’t need actual weapons, they would like to be perceived as very close to the weapon, to the point that it doesn’t really matter whether they actually have the weapon or something short of it,” said Cohen.

“Only if Iran would be attacked would they leave the Non-Proliferation Treaty and declare their right to have nuclear weapons in the name of self defence.” Such uncertainty contributes to Israel’s mixed messages, Dror said. “It is not reasonable, to my mind, that the ambiguous threat to attack alone might be a ‘bluff’ solely meant to galvanise others into action,” he said. “It is much more reasonable to assume that Israel is keeping its options open, which is the right thing to do.” “Few people know all the details,” he added. “All the rest is speculation.” — AFP

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

sp orts

Wales lock Davies banned for weeks DUBLIN: Wales lock Bradley Davies will miss the rest of the Six Nations championship after he was suspended for seven weeks yesterday for his spear tackle on Ireland’s Donnacha Ryan in Sunday’s clash in Dublin. Davies was sinbinned after the incident and Wales Coach Warren Gatland acknowledged that he should have earned a red card. He was cited for foul play and an independent Six Nations disciplinary committee concluded “the player lifted his opponent beyond a horizontal position but did not bring him to the ground safely contrary to Law 10.4(j) and the IRB’s particular emphasis on this aspect of the game, merited a top end entry to the IRB’s table of sanctions.”

The Committee said it had added two weeks on to the entry point ban of 10 weeks to “reflect the need for a deterrent for this type of foul play”, but had then applied the maximum possible reduction of five weeks because of Davies’ “admission of guilt, his previous good disciplinary record and his conduct at the hearing”. — Reuters

NHL results/standings NHL results and standings on Tuesday. New Jersey 1, NY Rangers 0; NY Islanders 1, Philadelphia 0 (SO); Washington 4, Florida 0; Columbus 3, Minnesota 1; Montreal 3, Pittsburgh 2 (SO); St. Louis 3, Ottawa 1; Los Angeles 3, Tampa Bay 1; Vancouver 4, Nashville 3 (SO); Winnipeg 2, Toronto 1; Phoenix 4, Dallas 1; Colorado 5, Chicago 2.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL GF GA PTS 33 13 5 141 103 71 NY Rangers Philadelphia 30 16 7 173 157 67 New Jersey 31 19 3 150 148 65 Pittsburgh 30 19 5 163 141 65 NY Islanders 22 22 8 126 150 52 Northeast Division Boston 33 16 2 180 111 68 28 20 6 168 157 62 Toronto Ottawa 27 22 7 162 174 61 Montreal 21 24 9 140 147 51 Buffalo 22 24 6 126 154 50 Southeast Division Washington 28 21 4 149 149 60 24 17 11 131 149 59 Florida Winnipeg 25 24 6 131 151 56 Tampa Bay 23 24 5 148 176 51 Carolina 20 25 9 137 165 49 Western Conference Central Division Detroit 35 17 2 172 129 72 31 14 7 129 106 69 St. Louis Nashville 32 17 5 152 140 69 Chicago 29 18 7 171 163 65 Columbus 15 32 6 123 175 36 Northwest Division Vancouver 33 15 5 171 133 71 25 20 8 122 136 58 Minnesota Colorado 27 25 3 140 153 57 Calgary 24 22 7 126 144 55 Edmonton 21 27 5 141 158 47 Pacific Division San Jose 29 15 6 145 117 64 26 18 10 118 117 62 Los Angeles Phoenix 25 21 8 143 143 58 Dallas 27 23 2 137 148 56 Anaheim 20 24 8 135 156 48 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L)

Italy make changes for England clash ROME: Six Nations outsiders Italy yesterday made two changes for their historic debut at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico for the visit of England on Saturday. Coach Jacques Brunel has brought back experienced pair Marco Bortolami at lock and Gonzalo Canale at inside centre. Out have gone South African-born Cornelius Van Zyl and Alberto Sgarbi, neither of whom make the bench.

There is also extra experience on the bench with flanker Mauro Bergamasco recalled in place of Simone Favaro while youngster Luca Morisi is in line to make his debut. Brunel explained that he had made a few changes because he wants to develop some consistency. “I want to keep the spine of the team. I could change a few things but little by little so we keep our shape,” he said. “We’ve kept a jumper (Bortolami) and I want to try (substitute lock Antonio) Pavanello at this level. “It’s a physical England so it’s ideal for a player more of this profile (such as Pavanello). “Canale comes in at centre to give bit of experience so we have experience and then a young player on bench in Morisi.

“We have to give a chance to some youngsters to make their debut at this level but we’ll start with them on the bench and then we’ll see.” Italy began their Six Nations campaign with a 30-12 defeat to France in Paris last weekend while England squeezed past Scotland 136 at Murrayfield. Although Italy were ultimately well beaten, it was in no small part due to missed tackles for which they paid dearly while the Azzurri showed greater ambition in attack than in previous years. That’s something Brunel intends to continue and the Frenchman insists that things could have gone differently against his compatriots.

“The first thing and the point of departure is that-if you don’t just look at the score-we had the ambition to create something and impose something on our opponents and not just be in a position of waiting, and I think we did that,” he said. “We had opportunities with (Andrea) Masi and (Luke) McLean, who broke the gainline. “We had the chance to really get back into this game and make it close but we didn’t manage that and unfortunately the counter-attacks pushed the score out.

“We had chances, if you look at the game and the evolution of the score we had chances to get back into it.

“If McLean scores and we get back to 15-12 or 15-15 the game is different, but there you go. — AFP

Struggling Hooker needs breathing space: Official

Ferguson calls for hardline on racism LONDON: Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson says it is time that soccer took a hardline stance against racism and that he could not believe the problem had reemerged in the sport. Speaking before Saturday’s clash with Liverpool at Old Trafford, their first league meeting since Liverpool’s Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez served an eight match ban for racially abusing United defender Patrice Evra at Anfield in October, Ferguson told CNN: “I don’t understand at all where its coming from.

“This is a moment where we have to take stock and we should do something about it, if it’s surfacing again, and be really hard and firm on any form or shape of racism. “There

have been a couple of examples recently which is not good. In 2012 you can’t believe it. It was obvious maybe 20 years ago and the improvements have been there for everyone to see.”

Suarez missed the FA Cup win over United on Jan 28 while still banned but he returned to the Liverpool side as a substitute against Tottenham Hotspur on Monday and is likely to play at United at the weekend. Chelsea skipper John Terry is awaiting trial in July after being charged with racially abusing Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand, which Terry denies. However, he was stripped of the Englans captaincy last week by the English FA, who ruled he could

MELBOURNE: Olympic champion pole vaulter Steve Hooker is battling to work through “technical issues” and may miss next month’s national trials and the remainder of Australia’s athletics series, an athletics official said.

Hooker, who crashed out of his world championship defense in South Korea last year after failing to clear 5.50 meters, has pulled out of Saturday’s Perth Track classic in a bid to find form six months ahead of the London Olympics. “He’s just having technical issues,” Athletics Australia’s high performance manager Eric Hollingsworth said in a telephone interview yesterday. “It can change overnight or it can take a month to work out. “He just needs some breathing space to work out these things and get through it.” Hooker leapt 6.06m indoors in the 2009 season, the second highest ever behind retired world record holder Sergei Bubka, but battled through two injury-stricken years before rushing his preparations into a failed world championships campaign at Daegu. — Reuters

Canucks edge Predators in shootout NASHVILLE: Vancouver ’s Alex Edler scored in the sixth round of a shootout to give the Canucks a 4-3 win over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday and their fifth win in six NHL games. The Canucks improved to 2-1 in the season series against the team they ousted in the Western Conference semifinals last season. Roberto Luongo stopped 37 shots for the Canucks, who now lead the Northwest Division by 13 points. Alex Burrows had the only other Vancouver goal in the shootout. Ryan Kesler, Byron Bitz and Daniel Sedin scored in regulation. Colin Wilson, Mike Fisher and Sergei Kostitsyn scored for Nashville.

for the Islanders, who now have three teams below them in the East.

by Malkin, who extended his NHL lead to 62 points.

Jets 2, Maple Leafs 1 In Winnipeg, Bryan Little scored the go-ahead goal in the second period as Winnipeg edged Toronto. Chris Thorburn also scored for the Jets. Phil Kessel had his 30th goal for the Maple Leafs, who are seventh in the Eastern Conference, one

Coyotes 4, Stars 1 In Dallas, Radim Vrbata scored his 25th goal to help Phoenix defeat Dallas and improve its playoff positioning. Former Dallas backup Mike Smith made 28 saves while Keith Yandle, Raffi Torres and Derek Morris also scored for the Coyotes, who

over their past eight games.

Avalanche 5, Blackhawks 2 In Denver, Gabriel Landeskog broke a tie 38 seconds into the third period and David Jones added two goals, helping Colorado snap a five-game skid with a win over struggling Chicago. Peter Mueller and Jones scored 35 seconds apart in the second and Kyle Quincey

Devils 1, Rangers 0 In New York, Martin Brodeur stopped 30 shots for his first shutout of the season and the record 117th of his NHL career as New Jersey beat Eastern Conferenceleading New York for its fifth consecutive win. The sole goal was scored by David Clarkson on the power-play in the first period. The Rangers appeared to score the tying goal with 3.5 seconds left, but it was disallowed for goalie interference.

Blues 3, Senators 1 In Ottawa, David Perron scored twice as St. Louis condemned Ottawa to its seventh straight loss. Blues goalie Brian Elliott made 28 saves in his regular-season return to face his old team in Ottawa.

Chris Porter also scored for the Blues.

Daniel Alfredsson scored his 18th of the season for the Senators.

Capitals 4, Panthers 0 In Washington, Mathieu Perreault scored after only 13 seconds, sending Washington on its way to a comfortable win over Florida that saw the two teams swap places at the top of the Southeast Division. Alex Ovechkin had two goals and Jason Chimera had a goal and an assist for the Capitals. Winning the Southeast title is imperative to both teams, because the runner-up may not end up among the eight Eastern Conference teams that qualify for the playoffs. With the win, the Capitals jumped from ninth place to the third seed. Florida is now in ninth, on the outside looking in.

Islanders 1, Flyers 0, So In Philadelphia, Evgeni Nabokov put in a sensational performance making 45 saves and two blocks in the shootout to give New York victory over Philadelphia.

Nabokov recorded his 52nd career shutout and second this season in his return to the NHL after a brief stint in Russia. He registered his 305th win, tying former Islanders great Billy Smith for 22nd on the all-time list. Frans Nielsen and John Tavares scored in the shootout

TAMPA: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (77), of Sweden, upends Los Angeles Kings left wing Dustin Penner (25) during the third period of an NHL hockey game. —AP point ahead of Ottawa. Toronto had won three in a row.

Canadiens 3, Penguins 2, So In Montreal, Tomas Plekanec scored on Montreal’s eighth attempt in the shootout to lead the Canadiens over Pittsburgh. Rene Borque scored on Montreal’s first shootout attempt, before Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin used a spinaround move to tie it.

Montreal’s Lars Eller and Pittsburgh’s Chris Kunitz then both scored in the fifth round to maintain the tie until Plekanec netted. Louis Leblanc and Eller scored for the Canadiens in regulation. Pascal Dupuis and James Neal had scored tying goals for the Penguins, the latter assisted

have won three straight and have moved into an eighth place conference tie with Minnesota. Michael Ryder scored for the Stars.

Kings 3, Lightning 1 In Tampa, Kyle Clifford and Dustin Penner had second-period goals to lead Los Angeles past Tampa Bay. After withstanding pressure in the defensive end, the Kings took a 2-1 lead when Clifford scored on a breakaway at 10:16. Penner made it 3-1 with 2:14 left in the period.

Anze Kopitar also scored for the Kings, who are 15-0-1 this season when scoring three goals or more. Steven Stamkos got his NHL-leading 35th goal on his 22nd birthday for the Lightning, who are 6-1-1

tacked on an empty-net goal with just more than 2 minutes remaining. Brent Seabrook and Patrick Kane had goals for the Blackhawks, who dropped their eighth straight on the road.

Blue Jackets 3, Wild 1 In Columbus, rookie defenseman David Savard scored his first career goal and added an assist to lift Columbus past Minnesota. Antoine Vermette added a power-play goal and Jeff Carter scored his second goal in as many games after missing 10 with a shoulder injury for Columbus, who gave Todd Richards a win in his first game coaching against his old team. Nate Prosser scored his first career goal for Minnesota. — AP

Big Apple becomes the Big Blue as NY honors Giants

NEW YORK: Giants by name, Giants by actions. When it comes to doing things in a big way, few sporting teams in the world rival the National Football League’s (NFL) New York Giants, on or off the field.

The Giants completed one of the most incredible turnarounds in NFL history this year to win the Super Bowl, the greatest prize in North American professional sports, for the second time in four years.

Against all odds, they won six consecutive must-win games, culminating with Sunday’s 21-17 heart-stopping Super Bowl win over the favored New England Patriots. Then on Tuesday, they brought one of the biggest cities in the world to a standstill with a ticker-tape parade through the crowded streets of Manhattan. Nearly one million people packed the sidewalks of New York City as the Giants players, coaches and owners were chauffeured through the streets on a convoy of open-air trucks. “Does this city know how to throw a parade or what?” said New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “Today, I am declaring the Big Apple, the Big Blue Apple.”

The crowd, packed with many people who could not afford a ticket to a regular

season game let alone the Super Bowl, let out a deafening roar each time they caught a glimpse of the Big Blue players and the NFL’s championship Vince Lombardi Trophy. When the cavalcade made its way down the Canyon of Heroes along Broadway, the convoy was showered with blue and white confetti and shredded paper from the office workers in the skyscrapers above them.

Grown men wiped tears from their eyes, mothers waved and blew kisses at their new sweethearts and children playing hooky from school tapped away on their cell phones and screamed liked they were at a Justin Bieber concert.

Behind the barricades, truck drivers honked their horns and street vendors sold more T-shirts than hot dogs and beer. Security in New York is a serious

NEW YORK: The New York Giants get a tickertape parade as they head up the Canyon of Heroes, Tuesday in New York. The Giants defeated the New England Patriots Sunday in the Super Bowl. —AP

business but the sight of helicopters buzzing above was no cause for alarm as television networks broadcast the parade live. On the ground, police were exchanging high-fives and fist-pumps.

America, it has been observed, loves a parade, but this was as grand and heartwarming occasion as New York has seen.

It was mid-winter but the sun shone brightly. Even Mother Nature had been seduced by the Giants.

“There’s a group of guys in Dallas that call themselves America’s team, but looking out at all of you and the millions of people in the streets, we’re America’s Dream,” Giants part-owner Steve Tisch said. On the steps at City Hall, each of the Giants was presented with the keys to the city, before heading to their stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, for another reception. The biggest cheers were reserved for head coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning, who was named the Most Valuable Player of the Super Bowl. “We made it tough on ourselves,” said Manning, whose team endured a four-game slide late in the campaign that left them in danger of missing the playoffs. “So, thank you for believing in us.” — Reuters

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

sp orts

There’s still ‘a game’ in there somewhere NEW YORK: The strangest coaching decision during Super Bowl week wasn’t when Bill Belichick ordered his defense to act like matadors and wave Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw by for a touchdown from 6 yards out with less than a minute left in the game. That’s just the one people will remember. The really odd one came four days earlier when the uber-prepared Patriots coach, anticipating a halftime show that would dictate a 30-minute intermission rather than the usual 12, ordered his players to take a break from practicing football and practice sitting in the locker room for a half-hour instead.

They missed Madonna! And that guy on the tightrope! Not to mention that moment when another of her sidekicks, the rapper M.I.A., saluted a worldwide TV audience using only one finger! NBC didn’t, of course, although the censor who was at the switch for such a moment turned out to be slow on the draw. The NFL didn’t miss it, either, touching off a whole other kind of finger-pointing afterward over who was to blame. “The NFL hired the talent and produced the halftime show,” NBC said in a statement. “Our system was late to obscure the inappropri-

ate gesture and we apologize to our viewers.” “There was a failure in NBC’s delay system,” the league’s statement said. “The obscene gesture in the performance was completely inappropriate, very disappointing, and we apologize to our fans.”

The problem with stepping out on the edge is that every so often - just like Bradshaw toppling into the end zone despite his best intentions - you’re going to come down on the wrong side of the line. That lesson was supposedly learned when Janet Jackson’s infamous “wardrobe malfunction” at halftime of the 2004 Super Bowl sparked an overwrought national debate about moral decay and prompted the Federal Communications Commission to slap CBS with a record $550,000 fine.

The fine was eventually voided, after five years of legal wrangling that reached all the way up to the Supreme Court and then back to a federal appeals court.

The NFL vowed MTV would never produce another halftime show, but as this latest one proved, the suits in charge aren’t as risk-averse as their buttoneddown image might suggest. Otherwise, they would have exhumed Lawrence Welk and put him out on the stage. Hype was

an important commodity back in the days when the Super Bowl was getting started.

The late Lamar Hunt, who started as an AFL owner and wound up with the Kansas City Chiefs, came up with the title for the game after watching his kids bounce a “Super Ball” around the house, and he’s generally credited with the idea of attaching Roman numerals to distinguish each one, hoping to make the whole event seem more, well, magisterial.

From those humble beginnings - a high school drill team, two college bands and trumpeter Al Hirt headlined halftime in Super Bowl I - a juggernaut arose. The game was still the major entertainment this year, but just barely. What takes place before and after the game has made the NFL a player in the entertainment business as well as the undisputed king of the American sports scene. Some 7,000 fans forked over $25 each just to watch reporters do their jobs on the field during media day, plus a few more bucks for a headset to listen to the interviews. Gisele Bundchen, the supermodel wife of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, made the front page of the New York Post three days before the game, after the paper got hold

of an email she reportedly sent to friends and family that asked them to pray for her husband to win.

Then she doubled down after the game, caught on a video responding to heckling from Giants fans by saying, “My husband cannot (expletive) throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time.”

Celebrities have been drawn like flies to the event for some time now, but camera phones and a growing number of entertainment reporters and websites are ferreting out the sideshows that used to remain largely private affairs.

Given the NFL’s growing appetite for cross-marketing, it won’t be long before the league borrows some ideas from the Oscars and rolls out the red carpet before the game, then televises both teams’ afterparties. Judging by the some of the videos that are already out there - showing Rob Gronkowski and several New England teammates dancing in various stages of undress, a few alongside rapper LMFAO on a stage while the crowd yells “Shots!” - there’s plenty of entertainment yet to be mined.

By comparison, the winning New York Giants’ celebrations looked tame. Brandon

Jacobs reportedly had a message for Mrs. Brady during New York’s victory parade “she just needs to continue to be cute and shut up” - but more characteristic of the team’s approach was quarterback Eli Manning’s appearance on “Late Show with David Letterman.” He walked on with Queen’s “We Are the Champions” blaring as his entrance music and got a standing ovation before he landed in the guest’s chair. But his material was strictly PG-rated.

“When you win a championship, it’s a team. It’s a team coming together, and that’s exactly what we did,” Manning said.

“I was happy for a lot of the guys. This is their first Super Bowl, so I think when you have one, that second one, you really do it for the other guys who’ve never had that experience.” Too bad nobody had a cellphone camera when Barry Switzer, the renegade college coach, won a Super Bowl a few years after leaving Oklahoma and taking over the Dallas Cowboys. He ran into one of players heading for the soiree scheduled to start in his hotel suite and basically disavowed any responsibility for what was to follow by yelling, “Let’s win the party!”— AP

Bruno writes new chapter in Senna story JEREZ: Bruno Senna’s grandparents have never attended any of his races and, as he prepares for a new start in Formula One with Williams, he does not expect them to do so now. The Brazilian says his family is completely supportive as he treads in the footsteps of his late uncle Ayrton but the 28-year-old also recognizes that the pain of the past will always be there. Ayrton, perhaps the greatest of all grand prix drivers and certainly one of the most charismatic, died in a Williams at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix in a crash that threw both nation and sport into mourning.

He had won his three titles with McLaren and that tragic weekend was only his third race for the 1993 champions.

“I hope it is going to be a great, nice chapter,” Bruno, affable and enthusiastic, told Reuters at the Jerez circuit where on Thursday a Senna will step into a Williams as a Formula One race driver for the first time since 1994. “ The beginning of history to be honest.

“Many people ask me about how my family felt about my coming to Williams and everything. Everybody is super happy. my grandfather (Ayrton’s father), everybody because everybody has been working so hard for this to happen. “They know that the team is a strong team with a good pedigree... hopefully we will back on top form together.” Williams offers a chance for Bruno to show he deserves to be in Formula One on merit and not just for the name and sponsorship he brings.

Although he entered Formula One in 2010 with struggling HRT and then started eight races for Renault last year, Today will be the first time he has taken part in a pre-season test since he was a GP2 driver in 2008. Senna once told reporters that ‘If you think I’m fast, just wait until you see my nephew Bruno’ but the world is still waiting for the evidence.

“It’s no pressure,” grinned Bruno when reminded of the words that will always follow him. “Of course, Ayrton regarded me very highly in go-karts but being quick is not everything that a real race driver needs. “A race driver needs to be quick, to be intelligent, to have good relationships and be in the right place at the right time. There are a lot of factors that would create a successful race driver. “We are trying to put them all together and I think this is the start of the

right conditions for me.”

As a youngster, Ayrton’s death stalled Bruno’s career and it took him 10 years to get back on track. In many respects, he is still catching up. “I’ve been around (in F1) for two years but not really racing for two years. I’ve been racing for eight races and everything else was just kind of participating,” he said.

“The times when I had the same opportunity as the other guys (to test), and 2008 is a great example of that, I was there. Competitive every race weekend, I had one or two bad race weekends but everybody does, and fought for the championship. “That’s my aim again. To have the same chances as the other guys and then sit in the car and be competitive, beat the other guys that I am competing against,” he said.

Senna and Pastor Maldonado make up the least experienced Williams lineup in years, with the Venezuelan making his debut only last year. Williams are also getting used to a new Renault engine and changes in the technical department. “I like this kind of pressure. the pressure I have to be competitive and not the ‘Oh, I can’t do anything wrong today because I might not be in the car tomorrow’ kind,” said Senna. “I know I can be very competitive, I’ve proven it in the past and even recently in the Renault car. I can be quick. “This is all pretty straightforward to me. The difficult thing is to prove to everybody that I can be consistent and that I can win races. I have done that in GP2... so I think this is the perfect opportunity to show what I am made of. “It’s a normal year and that’s what I have been looking for the last three years.”

If all goes well, his family will be delighted. From a distance. “My grandfather won’t get into a plane to come to Europe. My grandma came to visit me a few times but she didn’t quite make it to the races. I am not sure if she wants to come to a race. Even my mum doesn’t particularly enjoy it,” said Bruno. “My grandparents have never been to a racetrack to watch me. It’s tough for them and easy to understand. “My mum... admits very easily that she doesn’t really enjoy it. It’s work and it’s life but if it were her choice then it would be no. She gives me support, which is what matters.”— Reuters

SPAIN: McLaren driver Jenson Button of Great Britain drives the new McLaren Mercedes MP-27 during Formula One winter testing at the Circuito de Jerez.—AP

Button gives McLaren an early thumbs-up JEREZ: Jenson Button’s body language after the first day of Formula One testing on Tuesday spoke happily of a new McLaren that was everything last year’s car was not. A year ago, McLaren turned up at Jerez to give their new MP4-26 its first test run. It proved barely capable of stringing any laps together as well as being way off the pace, with a complicated ‘octopus-like’ exhaust system that was soon jettisoned. Button and team mate Lewis Hamilton spent the early part of the season playing catch-up to Red Bull but ended up with three wins apiece while Sebastian Vettel romped to his second championship with 11 victories.

Although McLaren have taken a different design path to other teams this season in response to regulation changes, they were confident at last week’s MP4-27 launch that there would be no repeat of last February’s misery. “What a beautiful day. Lovely. It’s been a good day. This morning we did our installation and system checks which probably took a bit longer than I would have wished for. But

apart from that the running’s been good,” beamed Button after breezing into the team’s motorhome. “There are no niggly areas with the car, which is nice. Quite different to last year. So I’m happy,” continued the 32-year-old Briton.

“I’m very happy in the car. I’m in a good position. I’m really low, which I always like, trying to get as low as possible, with the way that the car is. “I’m much lower than last year. I can just about see out, which I love. I love that position, well inside the car. I feel I’m part of it.

And some promising times. But we don’t know where we stand and we won’t do until the first race.” The season starts in Melbourne on March 18. Button completed 60 laps, including one 15 lap run, with the eighth fastest time. He said the car looked like providing a good base for improvements in the next few days.

“There’s obviously work we need to do to improve it, but it feels right, which is good.

The front wheels are on the front, the rear wheels are on the back, it feels like it’s going

in the right direction, and when you turn right, it goes right. Sometimes that hasn’t been the case,” he said. Asked whether he had been at all concerned that McLaren’s army of technical experts might have ‘dropped the ball’, with the other new cars looking so different with their ‘ugly’ dropped noses, Button was relaxed.

He said he had been warned that others would follow that path, although perhaps not all of them, but McLaren were confident they had a competitive car and the early signs were certainly promising. “It does feel very different to testing last year, which is a good thing really because it’s not like we can stick on an exhaust that will give us two seconds at the first race,” he said.

“The regulations are very different now, so I think you are going to see the cars a lot more bunched up this season, especially at the start of the year and when racing gets underway.”

Button will continue testing before handing over to 2008 champion Hamilton for the last two days.— Reuters

Phelps finds inspiration abounds in New York

SPAIN: Ferrari driver Felipe Massa of Brazil drives the new Ferrari 663 during Formula One winter testing at the Circuito de Jerez.—AP

NEW YORK: For Michael Phelps, inspiration comes in all different shapes and sizes. On a whistle-stop visit to New York, for the global launch of Head and Shoulders’ “Wash In Confidence” campaign, the world’s most decorated Olympian found inspiration at two unlikely places. First, he witnessed the chaos and excitement of one million people lining the sidewalks of New York City for a spectacular ticker-tape parade celebrating the New York Giants’ Super Bowl win.

Then, the world’s fastest swimmer visited a boys and girls sports club in the Bronx that he supports through a foundation he set up after he won eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics. About a dozen kids from the Bronx, who train at the club’s modest 6-lane, 25yard pool, got the chance to swim with Phelps then quizzed the American on what got him to the top, from how many laps he swims each day to what he eats and how many times he shampoos his hair.

Overhead, the swimmer’s parents and club staff, watched from a small balcony, taking photographs and videoing his appearance.

For Phelps, the purpose of the program he runs is to teach kids

how to swim and inspire them to chase their goals. But the benefits are mutual and Phelps finds inspiration from them as well. “I’m here to help these guys understand that anything is possible,” he said in an interview on the eve of the Head and Shoulders’ launch in downtown

real it is. “If you put your heart and soul into a goal, something you really do want to achieve then you really are going to accomplish it. No matter what it is.”

Though a devoted fan of the Baltimore Ravens, Phelps said he had also drawn inspiration from

Michael Phelps in action in this file photo Manhattan. “The most important thing is being to get that message across, that anything you want to achieve, if you want it bad enough, I think that’s something a lot of people know but they can’t realize how

seeing the Giants achieve something many people considered impossible. Against all odds, they won six consecutive games that would have eliminated them from contention, culminating with

Sunday ’s 21-17 heart-stopping Super Bowl win over the New England Patriots, who beat the Ravens two weeks earlier to win the AFC Championship. “A lot of people were counting them out. It’s the same thing in any sport you do, you have to be ready at any given time and the most prepared people always win,” Phelps said. “Anything can happen, nothing is ever taken for granted you have to be ready and prepare yourself and still get up there and go for it.”

Phelps has been a National Football League fan all his life and has had the chance to meet some of the game’s greatest players and said he was not surprised they share a lot of common interests.

“The first time I met (Indianapolis Colts quarterback) Peyton Manning all I wanted to talk about was football and all he wanted to do was talk about swimming so it was kind of a cool conversation,” he said.

“I’m a diehard Ravens fan, and a diehard NFL fan, it’s my favorite time of the year. I watch every Sunday, I watch every Monday. I’m glued to the TV during the Super Bowl and all the championship games and it’s the one big sport that I follow on TV.”— Reuters

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

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Afghanistan set for next chapter in remarkable rise DUBAI: Less than four years after playing their first tournament against teams including Japan and Norway, Afghanistan will write a new chapter in their remarkable rise with a one-day international against Pakistan tomorrow. Afghanistan, unable to host matches during a decade of war between NATO forces and the Taleban, won their initial tournament in Jersey in May 2008. They qualified for the Twenty20 World Cup in the Caribbean two years later and then came within touching distance of a place at last year’s 50 overs World Cup in the Asian sub-continent. The players’ consolation was to secure one-day international status and tomorrow’s match in their adopted cricketing home of Sharjah is a chance to test themselves against a Pakistan side who whitewashed England in the recent three-match test series.

Pakistan, who are also forced to play abroad because of security problems, was the country where some of the Afghanistan players were born and where they learned the game in refugee camps. “I can assure you that millions of Afghanistan cricket supporters across the globe have been waiting for this day which comes after years of hard work, sacrifice and commitment,” Nasimullah Danish, the chief executive officer of the Afghanistan Cricket Board said. “Afghanistan cricket has been taking small but solid steps while making upward movement and it would be fair to say that our next target is to qualify for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.”

Those steps include the inauguration of the rebuilt Kabul Cricket Stadium last December when 8,000 spectators came to watch the national senior team take on an under-19 side. The International Cricket Council (ICC) contributes approximately $700,000 a year to aid Afghanistan’s development and it is keen that tomorrow’s match encourages other top teams to follow Pakistan’s lead. “In order for cricket to remain competitive within the international sporting marketplace, it is important that more countries are capable of performing well at the highest international level,” Tim Anderson, the ICC’s global development manager, told Reuters.

“For sides to reach that level they need to play more against higher standard opposition, so Pakistan playing Afghanistan is a terrific initiative that we are very excited about and something we would like to see more of in the future.” Afghanistan have played in the Pakistan domestic competition and against Pakistan A sides, while two of the country’s past coaches Kabir Khan and Rashid Latif, are Pakistani. Three Afghanistan players, wicketkeeper Mohammad Shazad, spin bowler Mohammad Nabi and fast bowler Hamid Hassan, were chosen for an ICC side who faced England before their test series against Pakistan.

Hassan was injured and unable to complete the match after taking the first two wickets in the England first innings while Nabi took five wickets and Shazad scored 51 and 74, as well as taking five catches. “I played against them in our domestic Twenty20 tournament for Faisalabad and they have some really good, talented players,” Pakistan captain Misbah-ulHaq said. “They are eager to play international cricket and for us it is good preparation going into a tough (one-day) series against England.” A sellout crowd is expected tomorrow, with the match taking place on a day when almost all workers in the UAE are able to take as a holiday. — Reuters

India defeat Sri Lanka by four wickets in Tri-series PERTH: Virat Kohli’s aggressive half century led India to a comfortable four-wicket win over Sri Lanka in their TriSeries limited-overs international yesterday.

India reached its victory target of 234 with 20 balls to spare in reply to Sri Lanka’s hard-fought 233-8 after winning the toss and batting first at the WACA Ground.

Kohli hit 77 off 94 balls to lead the Indian chase and offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin added an unbeaten 30 to steer the tail and cap a man of the match performance. He helped to restrict the Sri Lanka batsmen with figures of 3-32.

“It was gripping a little bit, I got a few wickets and at the end, finished it off with the bat,” Ashwin said. “One victory on the board is very important, I was desperate to get a win today.”

Sachin Tendulkar’s quest for cricket’s first 100th international century continues after he played an Angelo Mathews ball on to his stumps while on 48.

India’s chase started poorly as Virender Sehwag, replacing a rested Gautam Gambhir at the top of the order, continued his horror tour of Australia when he was caught on 10 by Nuwan Kulasekara off a Lasith Malinga ball.

Kohli came to the crease at the departure of Tendulkar, and quickly set about lifting the run rate. But as he accumulated his runs, he began to run out of partners. Tillakaratne Dilshan athletically caught Rohit Sharma at point for 10 off Thisara Perera, and Suresh Raina was caught by substitute fielder Sachithra Senayake off Mathews for 24.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni looked dangerous, hitting a well-timed boundary before being taken at wide midon by Malinga, who raced back for the catch.

Kohli was finally brilliantly run out by a Malinga direct hit when he set off for a risky single at 181-6.

Kohli writhed on the ground with a leg cramp after the run out and was subsequently helped from the field.

India appeared vulnerable then with 14 overs to go but tailenders Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja (24 not out) set about coolly collecting the required runs for the win.

Ashwin earlier claimed the wickets of Sri Lanka topscorer Dinesh Chandimal (64) and captain Mahela Jayawardene (23) in a superb display of bowling on the flat, fast WACA pitch.

“We were probably 30-40 runs short,” Jayawardene said. “We had our chances, but they played better than us. We kept wickets in hand, we did not play their spinners well, we got bogged down in the middle period.

We need to get runs on the board.”

Paceman Zaheer Khan rattled Sri Lanka in just the third over when he had Tharanga caught by Tendulkar at first slip for 4.

Kumar Sangakkara came in to share a 62-run partnership with Dilshan for the second wicket before becoming Khan’s second victim, caught behind for 26.

Dilshan’s innings of 48 ended when he was caught at point by Kohli attempting to cut a Jadeja delivery.

Ashwin claimed the important wicket of Jayawardene when he tempted the Sri Lanka skipper into playing a shot that Sharma snapped up at square leg. Perera made just 7 before being stumped by Dhoni as he advanced up the crease to an Ashwin ball.

Dhoni and Ashwin combined for another stumping dismissal when Chandimal walked up the pitch to a tossed-up delivery, but missed.

Lahiru Thirimanne added just 7 before being run out attempting to snatch an ill-judged single off Ashwin, and Nuwan Kulasekara was out in the final over when he edged a Vinay Kumar delivery.

Sri Lanka plays its next Tri-Series match against Australia at Perth on Friday, before India takes on the Australians at Adelaide on Sunday. — AP

PERTH: India’s Ravindra Jadeja (right) plays a stroke against Sri Lanka during their one day international cricket match at the WACA. — AP

SCOREBOARD Scoreboard from the second match of the triangular series between India and Sri Lanka at Perth yesterday: Sri Lanka won toss and decided to bat first.

Sri Lanka U. Tharanga c Tendulkar b Khan 4 T. Dilshan c Kohli b Jadeja 48 K. Sangakkara c Dhoni b Khan 26 D. Chandimal st Dhoni b Ashwin 64 M. Jayawardene c Sharma b Ashwin 23 T. Perera st Dhoni b Ashwin 7 A. Mathews not out 33 L. Thirimanne run out 7 N. Kulasekara c Sharma b V Kumar 7 L. Malinga not out 1 Extras (lb-6, w-7) 13 Total (For eight wickets; 50 overs) 233 Did not bat: D. Prasad.

Fall of wickets: 1-12 2-74 3-100 4-152 5-172 6-189 7-204 8224.

Bowling: Zaheer Khan 10-1-44-2, Praveen Kumar 10-0-54-

0(w-2), Vinay Kumar 10-1-56-1(w-2), Ravindra Jadeja 10-041-1, Ravichandran Ashwin 10-1-32-3(w-2).

India V. Sehwag c Kulasekara b Malinga 10 S. Tendulkar b Mathews 48 V. Kohli run out 77 R. Sharma c Dilshan b Perera 10 S. Raina c sub b Mathews 24 M.S. Dhoni c Malinga b Prasad 4 R. Jadeja not out 24 R. Ashwin not out 30 Extras (lb-5, w-2) 7 Total (for six wickets; 46.4 overs) 234 Fall of wickets: 1-14 2-89 3-122 4-157 5-167 6-181.

Did not bat: R. Vinay Kumar, P. Kumar, Z Khan. Bowling: Malinga 9-0-49-1 (w-1), Kulasekara 8-0-38-0, Prasad 10-0-471, Mathews 9.4-1-31-2, Perera 5-0-37-1 (w-1), Dilshan 5-027-0.

Resurgent Aussies wishing for Ashes

DOHA: Cyclists compete in the 4th stage of the Tour of Qatar cycling race between Al-Thakhira and Madinat Al-Shamal (Al-Shamal city), north of Doha. Boonen won the 147km ride to tighten his grip on the race leadership. — AFP

Boonen wins Qatar stage DOHA: Tom Boonen edged closer to winning his fourth Tour of Qatar title when he grabbed the fourth stage ahead of Tom Veelers and Fabian Cancellara yesterday. Riding under clear skies unlike the previous day, Boonen timed his sprint to perfection, winning the 144.5-kilometer stage from Al Thakhira at Madinat Al Shamal in the northern tip of Qatar. It was Boonen’s second stage win this week and his 20th overall in Qatar. He improved his overall lead against American Tyler Farrar of GarminBarrucuda to 31 seconds with two stages to go.

Farrar suffered a puncture that hurt his team, which won the team time trial on Monday. Farrar finished ninth yesterday.

Spanish rider Juan Antonio Flecha of Sky Team was third overall, 34 seconds off the pace. Boonen emerged the fittest of the riders on a day when stage three winner Mark Cavendish of Britain was left behind with nearly 30 kilometers remaining in the stage. Boonen, with help from his Omega-

Pharma Quick Step team, increased his break to 21 seconds as fellow riders struggled due to strong crosswinds in the open areas near the finish line in Madinat Al Shamal. With 5 kilometers to go, Boonen was racing Dutchman Vellers and Swiss star Cancellara. But the tall Belgian - winner in Doha in 2006, 2008 and 2009 - put in a perfect lunge for the finish line. Today, the riders start from the Camel Race Track and end the 160-kilometer stage five at Al Khor Corniche.

In France, French police yesterday arrested Patrice Ciprelli, the husband and coach of champion cyclist Jeannie Longo, over the alleged purchase of the banned performance-enhancing drug EPO (erythropoietin). They also confirmed that police had spent several hours seaching the couple’s chalet at the village of Saint-Martin-Le-Vinoux near here.

The 53-year-old Longo was not detained along with her husband, although a friend of Ciprelli, Michel Lucatelli, who is the head of the French ski-

cross team, was. The police operation was part of an investigation into Ciprelli’s activities launched last September. This followed a report in L’Equipe newspaper alleging that Ciprelli had bought Chinese-made samples of the banned blood-booster EPO in April 2007, using a US website and with the help of retired US cyclist Joe Papp, who was banned for doping himself.

The French Cycling Federation subsequently banned Ciprelli, but he took the case to court and the ban was overturned in October.

Longo, who is widely expected to retire after the London Olympics in 2012, is a 59-time national champion who has won the women’s Tour de France three times and who enjoys huge popularity in her own country. She has won a total of 30 medals from the Olympics and world championships combined. There has never been any proof that the athlete ever saw or used the banned drugs in question. — Agencies

PERTH: The next Ashes series cannot come quick enough for Australia coach Mickey Arthur after his side whitewashed India and England were beaten 3-0 by Pakistan. Australia lost the last Ashes series 3-1 on home soil in 2010-11, prompting a major overhaul of Australian cricket which included the appointment of Arthur.

Buoyed by a 4-0 rout of India in their recent test series, as well as England’s 3-0 loss to Pakistan, Arthur joked he would like an earlier opportunity to test his resurgent side against the English.

As it is, Arthur will have to wait until next year to lock horns with England coach Andy Flower and his team, who were well beaten in the Pakistan series held in the United Arab Emirates. “I wouldn’t mind it actually. I wish it was this summer in England,” Arthur told reporters in Perth yesterday. “But we’re building nicely, we’re bubbling away and I’m happy with where the team is at the moment. And confident we are just getting better and better.”

Two Ashes series will be played backto-back in 2013 with Australia’s midyear visit to England followed by the return series Down Under around the turn of 2014. South African Arthur said he was “really impressed” with Pakistan’s victory over England. “Conditions were very suitable for them, though, and I think that has to be held in isolation, that conditions definitely favored Pakistan,” he added.

“England had come out of a cold winter, they hadn’t played any cricket. I don’t think they were battle-hardened at all and I think that came out in the way they played. “They’ll be properly prepared for their summer and for when we get there.” Arthur said last month that winning the next Ashes series remained

the main long-term goal of the Australia team. “Winning back the Ashes is at the forefront of everybody’s mind,” he said.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t say that we were trying to build a really competitive team to go back and win them in 2013, but not at the detriment of any other series.”— Reuters

CUBA: In this photo taken Saturday Jan. 21, 2012, Lazaro Perez is assisted by his trainer during his match at a championship tournament in the Rafael Trejos boxing gym in Old Havana, Cuba. Perez, 9, is the city’s first under-75-pound (34kilogram) boxing champion in a new age category for 9- and 10-year-olds. — AP

18

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

S P ORT S

Pacers overwhelm Jazz INDIANAPOLIS: Indiana’s Danny Granger scored 12 of his 16 points in a tightly contested fourth quarter, helping the Pacers to a 10499 win over Utah Jazz in Tuesday’s NBA action.

Indiana led by seven points at the start of the last quarter before the Jazz scored eight straight to take a lead, but they were overtaken again by the hosts. Darren Collison had 25 points, shooting 10 of 14 from the floor for the Pacers, and added five assists. Paul Millsap had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Jazz.

Heat 107, Cavaliers 91 In Miami, Dwyane Wade scored 26 points as Miami tuned up for a road trip with a victory over Cleveland. LeBron James added 24 against his former team as the Heat made it 11 wins from 13 games. They will play five road games in the next seven days. Antawn Jamison scored 25 points and had nine rebounds for Cleveland.

Thunder 119, Warriors 116 In Oakland, Kevin Durant hit a go-ahead bank shot with 14.2 seconds remaining, and the NBA-leading Oklahoma City clung on to edge Golden State. Durant finished with 33 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, and Russell Westbrook added 31 points and seven rebounds for the Thunder, who survived another thriller a night after beating Portland in overtime. Monta Ellis scored a career-high 48 points for the Warriors while David Lee had 25 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his second career triple-double. However both Ellis and Brandon Rush both missed 3pointers in the closing seconds to tie or take the lead.

Robert Rock in action in this file photo

Rock confident heading Dubai DUBAI: After beating Tiger Woods at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, rising star Robert Rock says he no longer fears playing against the big names. Good thing. He’s paired with US Open champion Rory McIlroy and defending champion Alvaro Quiros of Spain in Thursday’s opening round of the Dubai Desert Classic. The 34-year-old Englishman, who cracked the top 100 with his Abu Dhabi win, has found celebrity life to his liking. He was mobbed by autograph seekers when playing a pro-am tournament Wednesday. He’s also picked up a lucrative endorsement, signing on as the golfing ambassador for the opulent Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi.

Plenty of people were still asking Rock about his shocking win over 14-time major winner Woods. They came into the final round tied, but Rock held his nerve to win the tournament by a shot over McIlroy.

Woods was another shot back in a tie for third. “It doesn’t get much better than that for me,” Rock told The Associated Press on Wednesday as he walked down the fairway of the first hole of the Emirates Club. “To make it better, it would need to be the same sort of scenario in a major championship.

“The chances of actually getting the pairings right for that are slim ... I think I will have a chance to win other tournaments, but that one will definitely be a lasting memory.”

Rock, who won his first European Tour event last year, said the win against Woods had given him confidence and a sense he can compete with anyone. “Certain occasions during my career, I’ve played with people that have really made me nervous and that was probably the most,” he said of Woods. “I played with Nick Faldo, who was a hero, and so was Seve (Ballesteros). After you do that, you are not scared of any groups you get. I’d love to play with him (Woods) again. He was great company.”

Rock dismissed critics who have suggested Woods can be rude on the golf course,

after he was caught spitting on the green last year in Dubai. He said the former No 1 repeatedly complimented him on his shots and put up with a packed gallery in Abu Dhabi that at times became a tad unruly. “As far as golfing etiquette, it couldn’t be better.

It’s a bit unfair when people criticize him,” he said. “There are a lot of distractions for him when he is playing, people talking, people using their phones, people taking pictures when they shouldn’t. “That was frustrating for me when I was hitting shots. I lost my temper a few times when that happened and he doesn’t do that. He ignores it and just carries on.”

Rock, who until last month was better known for his relaxed demeanor and 1970s style haircut, said breaking into the top 50 would be a goal - in time to get him an invitation to the Masters. But his first priority is to win in Dubai. “I’m up against two great players in that group,” Rock said. “The whole field is full of potential winners. The European Tour is very, very strong. I think my victory in Abu Dhabi proved that to some extent, that somebody down the lower ends of the world rankings can win a tournament.” McIlroy, who won here in 2009, is looking to overcome inconsistent driving and mistakes in Abu Dhabi. Among the most costly was a two-shot penalty in the second round for brushing away sand in front of his ball in the rough of the ninth hole. “I didn’t feel like I played all that well in Abu Dhabi,” McIlroy said. “I scored very well and was able to get myself into contention, which was great. “I felt like I needed to work on a couple of things last week, which I did, and I feel like they’re getting better.” Thirdranked Lee Westwood is in the field, looking to improve on a slow start to the year. He finished tied for 17th in Abu Dhabi and tied for 12th at the Qatar Masters. Fourth-ranked Martin Kaymer is competing after finishing tied for ninth in Qatar and missing the cut in Abu Dhabi. —AP

Quiros set for Dubai hat-trick bid DUBAI: The spotlight will be firmly on defending champion Alvaro Quiros as he bids for a unique hat-trick at the Dubai Desert Classic, which begins at the Majlis course of Emirates Golf Club from today. If the Spaniard manages to successfully defend his crown, he will have won all three tournaments in Dubai in his last three starts.

After winning the 2011 Dubai Desert Classic following a thrill-a-minute final round, Quiros also won the season-ending Dubai World Championship in emphatic fashion in December. Quiros’ final round last year was a wild roller-coaster. After making a secondround four-under par 68 to ensure he made it to the weekend rounds, he added two further 68s to win by one shot over Dane Anders Hansen and James Kingston of South Africa.

The final 68 saw him playing with a heavily taped forearm, and he made an eagle two, a hole-in-one and a triple bogey where he lost this ball in one of the palm trees.

The Spaniard will definitely need all that heroic play, as well as the consistency he showed in winning the Dubai World Championship if he wants to continue his winning form here. The $2.5 million tournament, which is now in its 23rd year, has again attracted a very good field, including the world number two and 2009 champion Rory McIlroy, number three Lee Westwood and

number four Martin Kaymer. Also in the mix are three of the hottest stars on the European Tour this season - 1999 Open champion and winner last week in Doha, Paul Lawrie of Scotland, Abu Dhabi Golf Championship winner Robert Rock and South African Branden Grace, who won back-to-back events in his country last month.

Quiros, who missed the cut in Abu Dhabi and finished a lowly 59th in Qatar, said: “I am feeling good about my game, and it feels great to come back on a golf course where you have done well before. Having said that, just because I have won here before does not mean I will do well again. “Golf can be a funny game - one week you can struggle and the very next week, all the putts start to drop and you win by 10 shots,” he said. “I am proud to be the defending champion here, because not many players can go around claiming that honor this week. But that win was a year ago, and this is now.”

The 22-year-old McIlroy, who will be playing his seventh Dubai Desert Classic having made his debut here as an amateur in 2006, said the tournament was among the top three tournaments he loves playing, and that always helped him play better. “Can’t believe it is seven years since I first played here,” said the US Open champion who finished second to Robert Rock in Abu Dhabi by one shot. —AFP

Timberwolves 86, Kings 84 In Minneapolis, Nikola Pekovic had 23 points and 10 rebounds to lead Minnesota to a narrow win over Sacramento, just squeaking past modest opposition in the first game without the suspended Kevin Love. Michael Beasley added 17 points and 14 boards for the Timberwolves, who notched a third straight win. DeMarcus Cousins had 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Kings while battling foul trouble for most of the game.

Suns 107, Bucks 105 In Milwaukee, Steve Nash hit a driving layup with 5 seconds left to give Phoenix victory over Milwaukee. Michael Redd scored 14 points and came away with a win against his former team, but it wasn’t easy. The Suns blew a big lead in the second half and had to scrap at the end to get their third straight win. Drew Gooden scored a season-high 25 for the Bucks, who have lost three straight.

Celtics 94, Bobcats 84 In Boston, Paul Pierce passed Larry Bird for No 2 on the Celtics’ career scoring list as Boston downed lowly Charlotte and increased its winning streak to five. Pierce hit a 3-points in the third quarter to pass Bird’s total of 21,791. He nearly celebrated the milestone with a triple-double, coming up just short with 15 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Rajon Rondo added 14 assists and 10 points for the Celtics. Reggie Williams scored 21 for the Bobcats, who were competitive but still lost their 12th straight. —AP

OAKLAND: Golden State Warriors shooting guard Monta Ellis (8) drives to the basket as he is fouled by Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook (0) in the third quarter of an NBA basketball game. —AP

NBA results/standings Indiana 104, Utah 99; Miami 107, Cleveland 91; Boston 94, Charlotte 84; Phoenix 107, Milwaukee 105; Minnesota 86, Sacramento 84; Oklahoma City 119, Golden State 116.

Philadelphia Boston NY Knicks Toronto New Jersey

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT 18 7 .720 14 10 .583 10 15 .400 8 18 .308 8 18 .308

Chicago Indiana Milwaukee Cleveland Detroit

Central Division 21 6 .778 17 7 .708 10 14 .417 9 14 .391 6 20 .231

Miami Atlanta Orlando Washington Charlotte

Southeast Division 19 6 .760 16 9 .640 15 10 .600 5 20 .200 3 22 .120

Western Conference Northwest Division Oklahoma City 20 5 .800 Denver 15 10 .600 Portland 14 11 .560 Utah 13 11 .542 Minnesota 13 12 .520

5 6 6.5 7

2.5 9.5 10 14.5

LA Clippers LA Lakers Phoenix Golden State Sacramento

Pacific Division 15 7 .682 14 11 .560 11 14 .440 8 14 .364 9 16 .360

2.5 5.5 7 7.5

3 4 14 16

San Antonio Houston Dallas Memphis New Orleans

Southwest Division 17 9 .654 14 11 .560 14 11 .560 12 13 .480 4 21 .160

GB 3.5 8 10.5 10.5

2.5 2.5 4.5 12.5

Attention returns to Tiger at Pebble Beach PEBBLE BEACH: Bill Murray stumbled into the back of a crowded conference room Tuesday just as Tiger Woods was wrapping up his press conference at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. The “Caddyshack” star looked more confused than usual. “Where’s the other guy?” Murray asked. Murray, as it turned out, was an hour late. He was supposed to be at the interview table with DA Points, his partner last year when they won the pro-am, and perhaps the most overlooked defending champion at a PGA Tour event since Nick Price at Colonial in 2003.

“I got here and I got the program and I looked at the tickets and I thought, ‘Wait a minute. Didn’t I win?’” Points said. “And there are pictures of Bill everywhere. I’m driving down the highway, I see a billboard. There’s Bill. There’s Tiger. I’m like, ‘Where am I?’” It’s the only PGA Tour event Points has won, so he was a little bummed at the oversight. But he gets it. “The celebrities obviously make this event larger-than-life sometimes,” he said. That’s the effect Woods has this week at Pebble Beach.

It’s not unusual for him to start a PGA Tour season along the Pacific coast, though it’s usually at Torrey Pines. And there is a certain magic about Woods and Pebble Beach, which has been a big part of his career even though he has won only twice, both in the same year. The first was the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, and it’s a timely memory considering the last two weeks have featured wild comebacks and ugly meltdowns. Brandt Snedeker came from seven shots behind at Torrey Pines to beat Kyle Stanley, who made triple bogey on the final hole; then Stanley came from eight shots back and won in Phoenix after Spencer Levin shot 75.

Woods was seven shots out of the lead with seven holes to play in 2000, and still looked to have no chance until he holed a wedge for eagle on the 15th, nearly holed another shot on the 16th and beat a fast-fading Matt Gogel. “I was just trying to somehow get in it,” Woods recalled. “All of a sudden, boom! Three shots, two holes, I’m back in the ball game.” It was even more significant because that was his sixth consecutive PGA Tour win. Then came the greatest single feat of his career that summer in the US Open, a major where Woods was at the absolute apex of his game. On a course so difficult that no one else broke par, he shot 12-under 272 and won by 15 shots. Now, the mystique has given way to curiosity.

Woods still draws the biggest crowd and drives attention in golf - Saturday’s round when the celebrities are at Pebble Beach was headed for its first sellout - but no one can be sure what to expect. There is unpredictability about Woods that wasn’t there before. That, too, might be changing. Woods began his 2012 season in Abu Dhabi, where he was tied for the lead going into the last day and was outplayed by Robert Rock. What some might see as more evidence that Woods can no longer be the player he was, Woods sees as real progress. His golf - and his life - has been a series of stops and starts since his last tour win at the 2009 Australian Masters, right before his personal life came crashing down. The divorce. The new swing coach. The injuries. The new caddie. —AP

Didier Cuche passes a gate in this file photo

Cuche says million euro lure won’t change plans ROSA KHUTOR: Swiss downhill specialist Didier Cuche said yesterday a millioneuro offer to remain in alpine skiing one more year won’t change his plans to retire at the end of the season.

Reports from Switzerland claimed Tuesday that the chief of his ski sponsor Head had offered him one million euros if he extended his career by a season and won the famed Kitzbuehel downhill for a sixth time.

Cuche, however, said the offer, reported in Blick newspaper, would not sway him from retiring in March 2012.

“I’ll be delighted to speak to my boss since he’s my boss, but I never like to talk about these things in the press,” the Swiss told reporters shortly after finishing second in a downhill training run for a World Cup race Saturday.

“I think there’s are a lot of opportunities to be had working for Head, without necessarily having to continue skiing.”

Asked if the lure of one million euros could change his mind, the Swiss speed event specialist was firm.

“No. I’ve skied until this late in my career and money has never been the motivating factor for me,” added Cuche, a three time winner of the World Cup downhill title.

“When you’re successful, it’s logical to earn a good salary but it’s (money) has never been the motivating factor for me.

“Everyone says they want me to continue, then if I go through a (lean) period, like in December, everyone starts asking me whether I’m making a mistake by continuing.

“It’s the same people who want me to continue this year who, next year, will ask me whether I haven’t made a mistake by prolonging my career. “So, it’s not even an issue for me.”

Cuche has never won an Olympic or world championship gold medal in his favored event, but is among the favorites Saturday when the men race a downhill on the Rosa Khutor course which will be used at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games.

The World Cup weekend concludes with a super-combined Sunday. —AFP

19

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

S P ORT S

Chelsea reveals cost of hiring Villas-Boas LONDON: Chelsea spent 28 million pounds ($45 million) on firing manager Carlo Ancelotti and hiring Andre Villas-Boas, an outlay that does not appear to be paying off with the team performing worse in the English Premier League this season.

Ancelotti was ditched in May after failing to win a trophy in his second season at Stamford Bridge, prompting owner Roman Abramovich to take a costly gamble on luring the inexperienced VillasBoas from Porto.

With the team a point worse off than at this stage last season and just clinging onto the fourth Champions League place, Abramovich has been a regular presence at training sessions during the past week. But Chelsea has moved quickly to insist that the notoriously impatient Abramovich had positive

talks with Villas-Boas during visits to the training ground. Chelsea made its worst start to a Premier League since Abramovich’s takeover in 2003 and the team blew a 3-0 lead against Manchester United on Sunday to draw 3-3.

Abramovich took a major risk in hiring the 34year-old Villas-Boas as his seventh manager in eight years after firing Ancelotti, despite the Italian coach winning the league-FA Cup double in his first season. The 28 million pound cost of “changes in the first team management structure” last summer is revealed in Chelsea’s accounts for the year to June 30, which were published on the British company registry yesterday.

Chelsea has spent 64 million pounds ($102 million) in the last four years on managerial changes,

according to football finance analyst Andy Green - a result of Abramovich making ruthless calls if managers can’t meet his high expectations.

Jose Mourinho, who replaced Claudio Ranieri in 2004, was ousted by Abramovich in 2007, despite presiding over the most successful period in the club’s history in his three years in charge - winning two Premier League titles, two FA Cups and one League Cup. Villas-Boas is expected to deliver a trophy this season despite overseeing a season of transition and Chelsea trying to comply with new financial regulations, which the club calls a “significant challenge.” But the west London club announced losses of 67.7 million pounds ($109 million) in the year to June 30, down slightly from the previous year but

higher than the two years before that.

The wage bill for players and coaches, though, dropped from 75 million pounds to 69 million pounds. “The football club needs to balance success on the field together with the financial imperatives of this new regime,” company secretary Alan Shaw wrote in the directors’ report.

Clubs are set to be barred from the Champions League if they breach the “financial fair play” rules.

In an initial two-year monitoring period that started in July 2011, UEFA’s rules allow clubs to make a total loss of euro 5 million ($6.5 million) in the first assessment period or up to euro 45 million ($58 million). Shaw insisted that Abramovich has “sufficient funds ... to finance the business for the foreseeable future.” — AP

Zambia through to final African Cup of Nations

GABON: Mali’s Mustapha Yatabare (second left) is challenged by Ivory Coast’s Gervinho, Yaya Toure, and Siaka Tiene during their African Cup of Nations semi-final soccer match. — AP

Gervinho’s magic puts Elephants into Cup final LIBREVILLE: A contender for the goal of the competition from Arsenal striker Gervinho against Mali here yesterday put Ivory Coast into the Africa Cup of Nations final.

Gervinho’s solo moment of brilliance deep into the first half gave the Elephants’ a 1-0 win and left them on a collision course with Zambia, shock winners over Ghana in the day’s other semifinal.

The pair meet back at Libreville’s L’Amitie stadium on Sunday. For the Ivorians this will be their first appearance in the Nations Cup climax since they were beaten by Egypt in Cairo in 2006. They are seeking their second continental title after a lone success 20 years ago. Mali had struggled manfully to keep the orange tide at bay in a frenetic first half, until Gervinho made his mark with a little help from some slack defending.

Depriving Mali back Ousmane Berthe of the ball bang on the halfway line the Gunners star scampered hare-like down the left wing, leaving Malian pursuers in his wake to shoot right-footed past Soumaila Diakite and into the far corner.

The Eagles coach Alain Giresse pounded the dug out with his fist in frustration. The Ivorians went into this semi-final looking to avoid the same fate as Ghana, the Black Stars having been knocked out by so-called minnows Zambia across the border in Bata earlier.

The hot favorites switched three from Saturday’s last eight win over Equatorial Guinea - Salomon Kalou, Cheik Tiote and PSG’s Siaka Tiene in for Arthur Boka, Kafoumba Coulibaly and Max Gradel.

Mali made two changes from the side that won Sunday’s stamina-sapping

quar ter-final against Gabon, with French-based forwards Cheick Tidiane Diabate and Moustapha Yattabare on for injured duo Abdou Traore and Modibo Maiga. With Pele among the crowd at the three-quarters full 40,000-seater stadium Didier Drogba almost put the Elephants into a fifth minute lead when hitting the cross bar.

Berthe was booked seconds later and keeper Diakite had to look sharp to punch away the resulting free kick taken by the Ivorian skipper.

Ivory Coast could have been two up inside the opening quarter of an hour but Yaya Toure followed his captain’s lead by also hitting a bar, the right post this time, after being set up by Salomon Kalou.

Down at the other end Ivorian midfielder Jean-Jacques Gosso had his work cut out to stop Diabate’s charge in the box. Drogba was then off target when he dragged his angled shot from the right after getting the better of his Mali markers Berthe and Drissa Diakite when he ran on to a long ball into the area.

In the last minute before the break Gervinho struck to put his team into a deserved lead. Mali came out for the second half with an unenviable task — to become the first team at the tournament to score against Drogba and company. But only Diakite’s fingernails prevented them falling further behind around the hour when the Mali keeper diverted Kalou’s shoot over the crossbar. Yatabare had Mali’s best chance in the 72nd minute, his attempt from the right narrowly going over Boubacar Barry’s bar. But the Ivorians held firm to march on while Mali made an honorable exit. — AFP

Fabio Capello quits as England coach LONDON: Fabio Capello quit as England’s national team coach yesterday just four months before the European Championship, angry that the Football Association removed John Terry as captain.

The Italian, whose contract was due to expire after Euro 2012, walked out on the job after four years during an hour-long meeting with FA chairman David Bernstein and general secretary Alex Horne at Wembley Stadium.

Bernstein publicly undermined Capello last week by not consulting him before taking the captain’s armband from Terry, who is facing a racism trial.

Capello criticized the move on Italian television, insisting it was “absolutely” the wrong decision.

“We have accepted Fabio’s resignation, agreeing this is the right decision,” Bernstein said. “We would like to thank Fabio for his work with the England team and wish him ever y success in the future.”

The former Real Madrid and Juventus coach replaced Steve McClaren after England failed to qualify for Euro 2008.

Capello clung onto his job in 2010 despite England’s disappointing World Cup, where it was eliminated with a 4-1 loss to Germany in the second round.

“Shocked about news on Fabio Capello,” England midfielder Jack

Fabio Capello

Wilshere wrote on Twitter. “Gutted to be honest, gave me my 1st cap and believed in me! Thank you Mr Capello!”

Capello quit hours after Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp, the favorite to take over, was cleared of tax evasion by a jury. England had 28 wins, six losses and eight draws under Capello, whose .667 percentage of games won is the highest of an England coach, eclipsing Alf Ramsey’s .611. —AP

BATA: Zambia is through to the final of the African Cup of Nations for the first time in 18 years after beating Ghana 1-0 yesterday from Emmanuel Mayuka’s late goal.

The second-half substitute scored in the 78th minute to punish Ghana for missing an early penalty. Striker Asamoah Gyan’s eighth-minute spot kick was saved by goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene. Gyan’s penalty failure echoed his miss from the spot in the World Cup quarterfinal against Uruguay two years ago. Yesterday, the striker was later substituted.

Zambia’s win sets up an emotional final in the Gabonese capital Libreville, where 25 players and officials were killed in a plane crash in 1993.

Ivory Coast faces Mali later yesterday in the other semifinal. “This is the greatest moment ever a player can have to play in the final,” Zambia captain Christopher Katongo said. “We go to the final without any pressure. We have to take this cup, this is an opportunity. It doesn’t come every day.” Zambia coach Herve Renard was full of praise for his players.

“It’s amazing,” Renard said. “They did something fantastic (in reaching the semifinals), but now they did something amazing.” “We were lucky,” he added. “Our goalkeeper saved us after a few minutes.” Ghana’s Derek Boateng was shown a late red card as his team sank to defeat.

His team dominated possession and had a string of chances, but could find no way past the Zambia defense.

“We are sorry for the whole of Ghana for what happened today,” captain John Mensah said. “It’s unlucky that we lose this game. We promise them we will come back strongly next year.”

Ghana coach Goran Stevanovich snubbed the post-match news conference, while Gyan also avoided talking to the media.

Stevanovich made three changes from the starting lineup that beat Tunisia 2-1 in extra time in the quarterfinals, with Jordan Ayew replacing Sulley Muntari, defender Lee Addy making his first start of the tournament in place of Masahudu Alhassan, and Boateng coming in for the injured Emmanuel Agyemang Badu.

Jordan Ayew joined brother Andre in the team, while Gyan and Mensah were also selected after shrugging off injury doubts.

Zambia coach Herve Renard brought striker James Chamanga into the starting lineup with Mayuka dropping to the bench, while Davies Nkausu was preferred to Chisamba Lungu in defense. “I called Emmanuel Mayuka to my room this morning and told him that he had played four very good games, but I just wanted him to rest a bit to be ready for the last 30 minutes,” Renard said. “When you are coach sometimes

BATA: Ghana’s John Boye (center) leaps over Zambia’s Isaac Chansa as Ghana’s Kwadwo Asamoah looks on to control a ball during their African Cup of Nations semifinal match. —AP you are right sometimes you are wrong. This time I was right.”

Despite organizers offering free entry, the 37,500-capacity Estadio de Bata was still mostly empty at kickoff. Hundreds of fans were still streaming into the stadium at halftime, though.

Zambia started well, but Ghana was presented with a penalty when Nkausu was ruled to have clipped Kwadwo Asamoah’s trailing leg in the box. Gyan stepped up but his low effort brought a diving save from Mweene.

“It was the key to the game,” said Renard, who was again wearing his lucky white shirt. “If we concede a goal at this moment it would have been very difficult for us to come back.”

Despite failing to take the lead, Ghana began to dominate and Gyan tried to make amends with a shot from the edge of the area in the 10th that Mweene pushed to safety.

Andre Ayew picked out younger brother Jordan unmarked at the back post from a 32ndminute free kick, but he was unable to connect and Zambia immediately counterattacked.

Rainford Kalaba dribbled past challenges on the edge of the box and slipped a pass to Katongo, who pushed his shot wide when clean through on goal to spurn Zambia’s best chance.

Ghana was still on top however, and Asamoah went close to scoring with a shot in the 39th that was deflected just wide.

“When we went to the dressing room during halftime, if the score was 2-0 to Ghana we couldn’t complain,” Renard said. “I said (to the players) if you don’t want to go home and regret (this) all your life, then you have to try something.”

Stevanovic was forced to replace the injured Mensah in the 71st, and a clearly unhappy Gyan followed him off the pitch in the 74th to make way for Prince Tagoe.

Soon after, Zambia made the breakthrough.

Mayuka turned on the edge of the box and curled a shot in off the far post past goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey. Mayuka performed a series of somersaults in celebration, before the players and some reserves joined in a choreographed dance on the sideline. — AP

Lille knocked out of French Cup PARIS: Holders Lille reluctantly relinquished their grip on the French Cup after going down 2-1 at local rivals Valenciennes in the last 16 at a wintry Stade du Hainaut yesterday.

Lille had enjoyed the best of the first half but found themselves trailing in the 70th minute after Mathieu Dossevi stole in front of Nolan Roux to divert Dusan Djuric’s left-wing free-kick past Lille goalkeeper Mickael Landreau.

Cameroonian striker Vincent Aboubakar doubled the hosts’ lead eight minutes later with a rising rightfooted shot that hit the crossbar before bouncing fractionally beyond the goal-line.

The French champions responded through Roux in the 88th minute but could not conjure an equaliser, with Franck Beria’s goal-bound effort athletically volleyed off the line by Valenciennes’ former Lille defender Rafael in injury time. Earlier, Lyon kept their bid for a domestic cup double on course by overcoming Bordeaux 3-1 after extra time to reach the quarter-finals. Seeking to end a four-year trophy drought, and having already qualified for the League Cup final, Lyon fell behind in the 23rd minute when Yoan Gouffran released Jussie to fire past Hugo Lloris after a mistake by Bakary Kone. The hosts equalised in the 36th minute, with Ederson’s header from Yoann Gourcuff’s intelligent lobbed pass parried by Cedric Carrasso into the path of Alexandre Lacazette, who converted from close range. Carrasso’s goal was put under heavy pressure in the second half but OL could not find a way past him and the game went to extra time in front of only 7,000 spectators at a chilly Stade Gerland. Substitute Bafetimbi Gomis put Lyon in front after six minutes of the extra period when he pounced on a miscued volley by Jimmy Briand, who sealed victory two minutes from full-time by steering home a low cross from Lisandro Lopez. “Although we let in the first goal from Bordeaux’s first foray into our area, I think we deserved our victory over the course of the match, even though we needed extra time,” said Lyon coach Remi Garde.

“Our team once again showed lots of character and heart. The spirit is there and it’s difficult to beat us at the moment.” Montpellier, currently second in Ligue 1, travel to second-tier Chateauroux later yesterday. Marseille’s match at fourth-division BourgPeronnas and Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain’s visit to Dijon have both been postponed until next week due to the extremely cold temperatures currently affecting France.

Rennes became the first side to book a place in the quarter-finals on Tuesday when they withstood a late fightback from top-flight rivals Evian to win 3-2 at Stade de la Route de Lorient. — AFP

FRANCE: Valenciennes’ Renaud Cohade (right) vies with Lille’s goalkeeper Mickael Landreau during the French Cup football match. — AFP

Tottenham’s manager cleared of tax evasion LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp was cleared by a London court yesterday of tax evasion after a long investigation into financial corruption in British soccer. Redknapp, tipped to be the next England manager, was charged with cheating the public revenue in relation to payments totaling $295,000 made to his bank account in Monaco during his time as Portsmouth manager. Redknapp embraced co-defendant Milan Mandaric and gasps went out from where their family was sitting as both were cleared after a trial lasting more than two weeks.

Redknapp is expected to make a statement outside Southwark Crown Court in

front of dozens of photographers and cameramen that have been waiting in the cold weather since the early hours of the morning. Mandaric, former chairman of Por tsmouth, made the payments to an account named after Redknapp’s dog.

The two men said the payments were for investments outside of soccer and not bonuses on which tax was due. Redknapp was manager of Portsmouth from 2002 to 2004 and then 2005 to 2008 before joining Tottenham. Tottenham are currently third in the Premier League. Mandaric remained i nv o l v e d w i t h s o c c e r a s c h a i r m a n o f league one (third division) Sheffield yesterday. — Reuters

Gervinho’s magic puts Elephants into Cup final

India defeat Sri Lanka by four wickets in Tri-series

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

Pacers overwhelm Jazz in NBA action

Page 18

SPAIN: Barcelona’s Alexis Sanchez, from Chile (right) duels for the ball against Valencia’s Jonas during a semi-final, second leg, Copa del Rey soccer match at the Camp Nou stadium. —AP

Fabregas inspires Barca into Cup final

BARCELONA: A superb performance from Cesc Fabregas guided Barcelona to a 2-0 win over Valencia here yesterday in their Spanish Cup second leg clash and a place in the final as they won 3-1 on aggregate.

The former Arsenal captain - who achieved his dream move back to the club where he started as a youngster last summer-scored a goal and set up Xavi for the second to round off a show stealing performance. Barca — beaten in last year’s final by bitter rivals Real Madrid — will play Athletic Bilbao in the final.

Fabregas opened the scoring in sublime fashion in the 16th minute, when he was found by a perceptive pass by Lionel Messi. The Spaniard then looked up and from a tight angle lobbed ‘keeper Diego Alves.

Valencia pressed forward and while they gave the hosts some problems it was two good saves from Alves that kept them in the match.

However, their hopes disappeared completely nine minutes from time as Chilean wing Alexis Sanchez twisted and turned and picked out Fabregas in the middle of the penalty area, but he had the selflessness and vision to realise Xavi was better placed.

Thus Fabregas produced the faintest of touyches to slide it across to Xavi, who without hesitating lashed it into the far corner. On Tuesday, Athletic Bilbao ended tiny Mirandes’s remarkable run with a ruthless 6-2 win in their Spanish Cup semi-final second leg. Iker Muniain, Markel Susaeta and Jon Aurtenetxe scored inside the opening 22 minutes at San Mames, quickly extinguishing any chance of another giantkilling feat from their plucky visitors.

Fernando Llorente scored twice in four second-half minutes, after Mirandes had pulled one back through defender Aitor Blanco, who also grabbed their second near the end.

Cesar Caneda put the ball in his own net two minutes from

time as Bilbao, who have won the Cup 23 times, progressed 83 on aggregate. “It’s incredible to be in another final after only a few years, we are delighted,” Llorente told Spanish television.

“We knew we couldn’t afford to relax at all, and the few times we did, they scored. “I don’t care who we meet in the final as long as we win.

Bilbao lost 4-1 to Barca in the 2009 Cup final. Mirandes, who play in Spain’s Segunda B, knocked out top-flight sides Villarreal, Racing Santander and Espanyol to reach the last four, and were the second team only from the third tier to do so in the competition’s current format.

Bilbao never gave the visitors time to settle, however, and a failure to clear a cross in the 11th minute allowed Muniain to burst through the middle and fire in the opener. Mirandes were still reeling three minutes later when the hosts strung together a series of passes that pulled the defence apart and Susaeta turned to slot away the second. Aurtenetxe looped in

Juventus stun Milan

Fuerth join Bayern in German Cup semis

BERLIN: Second-division Greuther Fuerth joined Bayern Munich, Borussia Moenchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals of the German Cup after they shocked Bundesliga side Hoffenheim 1-0 yesterday.

Bayern are chasing their 16th German Cup title and are into Saturday’s draw for the last four after their 2-0 quarter-final win at VfB Stuttgart with France wing Franck Ribery scoring the opening goal.

After Brazil defender Rafinha found some space on the right wing, Germany midfielder Thomas Mueller produced a defence -splitting pass which allowed Ribery to fire home from close range with half an hour gone.

Mario Gomez added the second a minute after the break when he followed up his own shot and netted the rebound to score against his old club.

Second division Duisburg reached last year’s final and Fuerth are threatening to do the same after dispensing with Hoffenheim.

Canada striker Olivier Occean grabbed the all-important winner just a minute shy of the half-time break.

Having knocked Nuremberg out in the third round, Fuerth have now claimed German league scalps in consecutive rounds and one of the Bundesliga’s top four teams awaits them in the semi-finals on March 20 and 21.

Gladbach needed added time to squeeze past Hertha Berlin on a bitter night in the capital city in temperatures of minus 12 at the Olympic Stadium.

Belgium defender Filip Daems netted a penalty in the 101st minute before Sweden defender Oscar Wendt scored the second in the 120th minute with his first touch of the game less than a minute coming off the bench.

On Tuesday, Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp admitted he was far from happy the German league leaders had to play in arctic-like temperatures in their 4-0 German Cup quarter-final win at minnows Holstein Kiel.

“It was like ice hockey on grass,” fumed Klopp as the live-screened match went ahead even though the pitch at Kiel’s Holstein Stadion ground was partly frozen amidst temperatures of minus 18 celsius.

“There was a great danger the players were going to get hurt.” Klopp’s concern was understandable with his side twopoints clear at the top of the German league and they face Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday in the Bundesliga.

Poland striker Robert Lewandowski put Dortmund ahead after 11 minutes before Japan winger Shinji Kagawa doubled the lead seven minutes later when he fired home from the edge of the penalty area.

Just as he did in last Friday’s 2-0 German league win at Nuremberg, Paraguay striker Lucas Barrios came off the bench and scored Dortmund’s third in the 80th minute.

Croatia midfielder Ivan Perisic completed the scoring when he wrong-footed the defence with a quick free kick three minutes from time. — AFP

a header to make it 3-0 and Mirandes did not manage to test Bilbao keeper Gorka Iraizoz until the 35th minute when Pablo Infante drilled a shot straight at him. Mirandes showed some of the courage and talent that have made them headline news in Spain after the break, and were rewarded in the 58th when a rebound from a shot against the post was turned in by Blanco.

They flashed another effort wide of the post before in-form Spain striker Llorente lobbed the visiting keeper from outside the area in the 71st. He then slid in at the far post to notch his eighth goal from the last four matches.

Both sets of fans cheered their teams in the closing stages and Mirandes even hit the post before the referee blew the final whistle. “It’s been an unforgettable experience.

Something we’ll remember for the rest of our lives,” Mirandes captain Pablo Infante said. “Now we need to focus on winning our league and getting promotion.” — Agencies

ITALY: AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, of Sweden, is grabbed by Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini during the Italian Cup semifinal soccer match. — AP

ROME: Juventus have one foot in the Italian Cup final after Martin Caceres scored a brace to hand them a 2-1 win over AC Milan in the semi-final, first leg at the San Siro yesterday.

Italian youth international Stephan El Shaarawy replied for the hosts but it wasn’t enough. The victory maintained the Serie A leaders’ unbeaten run this season in league and cup.

It was the second time in this campaign the champions have lost to their bitter rivals. The other semi-final is between Siena and Napoli, with their first leg to be played in Tuscany today.

The first half was a tentative and tight affair with few chances for either side, both of whom had rung the changes, resting several first choice regulars.

Clarence Seedorf lashed a dropping ball wide for Milan for whom El Shaarawy then beat Andrea Barzaglie with a clever touch only to fire his shot from a tight angle across the six-yard box.

Juve didn’t create a decent chance until after the half hour mark when Marcelo Estigarribia thrashed wide from 15 yards.

Emanuele Giaccherini hit a shot from outside the box that took a wicked deflection but Milan goalkeeper Marco Amelia stretched out a hand to tip it over bar. The second half was a much more lively affair thanks to the visitors taking an early lead.

Former Milan forward Marco Borriello wriggled free in the box to get off a shot that Amelia could only push out and Caceres was quickest onto the loose ball to finish on 53 minutes.

Juve threatened to run away with it and another Milan old-boy Andrea Pirlo fizzed a shot wide of the upright. But the hosts started to come back into it and captain Massimo Ambrosini teed up El Shaarawy to fire home a crisp finish on 62 minutes.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic then had the ball in the net but it was ruled out for a somewhat obvious handball. Milan appeared the more likely and Ibrahimovic had another chance that Giorgio Chiellini blocked with a dramatic full-length dive.

Juve went close when Amelia pushed out Mirko Vucinic’s shot only for Fabio Quagliarella to arrive too late to knock home the rebound.

But seven minutes from time Giaccherini beat the offside trap to escape down the left and cross for Caceres to take a touch and plant an unstoppable curler into the top corner that left Amelia rooted to the spot. —AFP

Business

The dark side of Germany’s jobs miracle Page 26

Africa losing out billions in trade Page 23

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

Yahoo! shakes up board to give firm new life

Nokia ends assembly in Europe, cuts jobs Page 25

Page 22

MELBOURNE: Picture shows a Qantas A380 Airbus on the tarmac at Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne, Australia. Qantas removed one of its Airbus A380 superjumbos from service yesterday after discovering “minor cracks” in its wings. — AFP

Cracking grounds Qantas A380 All Airbus A380 jets to be checked for wing cracks FRANKFURT: The European Aviation Safety Agency ordered yesterday that all Airbus A380 superjumbo planes be checked for wing cracks, even as the aircraft manufacturer insisted there was nothing to worry about. EASA, which had already said last month that 20 such jets be inspected following the discovery of cracks in the wings of Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Air France planes, has expanded the checks to all 67 A380s currently in operation, a spokesman said. The announcement came after Australia’s Qantas removed one of its A380 from service after discovering “minor cracks” in its wings, but said that there was no risk to flight safety.

When the first checks were announced last month, Airbus’s vice president Tom Williams insisted the tiny wing cracks could be easily repaired and did not pose any danger. “This is not a fatigue cracking problem,” Williams said, blaming the cracks on design and manufacturing issues instead. “The cracks do not compromise the airworthiness of the aircraft,” he insisted. Airbus reiterated that stance

again yesterday. The EASA spokesman said the checks comprised both a “detailed visual inspection”, but also more intense testing that would be able to detect potential faults invisible to the naked eye. There was no urgency to the inspections and those aircraft that had already flown more than 1,800 flights would be checked first, he said.

Earlier, Qantas took one of its A380s out of service yesterday after discovering “minor cracks” in its wings. The Australian airline stressed that it was not the “type two” cracking found across the global A380 fleet last month which was “now the subject of a European airworthiness directive.” “To date, type two cracking has not been found on Qantas aircraft,” a Qantas spokeswoman said. The small cracking, on “some wing rib feet”, was discovered during an extra round of precautionary checks requested by Airbus on the Qantas superjumbo after it hit severe turbulence over India in January. Seven passengers were injured and four required hospital treatment in Singapore following the incident. “This cracking is not related to the turbulence, or

specific to Qantas, but is traced back to a manufacturing issue,” the Qantas spokeswoman said. “Airbus has confirmed that it has no effect on flight safety.” Qantas, which has 12 A380s in its fleet, said an “inspection and repair regime has been developed” in conjunction with Airbus and it expected the jet in question to return to service within a week.

“We will follow Airbus instructions on any further action that may be required,” the spokeswoman said.

It is the second Qantas A380 to be found with wing rib cracks, with a superjumbo involved in a dramatic mid-air engine explosion over Indonesia in November 2010 also suffering cracking. The A380 is the world’s biggest passenger jet and a key product in Airbus’s line-up as it battles its main rival, US giant Boeing, for the top spot in the world civil airliner industry. The double-decker plane entered service in 2007 after years of technical delays. There are now 67 in service around the world and, while they have never had a fatal accident, there have been teething problems. — AFP

Shell takes Majnoon from battle to oilfield MAJNOON: Armored bulldozers rumble over a small patch of Iraq’s Majnoon oilfield, scraping up thousands of landmines, rockets and bombs that are hampering development of the site’s massive reserves. Flush against the border with Iran, Majnoon was effectively a battlefield during the 1980s when the two countries were at war. Now it is costing Royal Dutch Shell, the field’s operator, millions of dollars and time to undo the damage.

Shell had a good sense of this world class field’s potential in late 2009 when it was awarded a service contract to ramp it up to 1.8 million barrels per day by 2017. It did not, however, expect the massive ordnance clear-out that lay ahead. “Majnoon was far more contaminated with mines and explosives than we envisaged,” Ole Myklestad, Shell’s manager at Majnoon, told Reuters. “It clearly took a lot more effort.” The 12.6 billion barrels Majnoon is one of the major fields alongside Rumaila, West Qurna Phase One and Zubair that the OPEC-member is developing with foreign companies in the south as it recovers from years of war and sanctions.

The series of foreign company contracts officially target production capacity of 12 million bpd by 2017, though half that amount looks more achievable given infrastructure constraints and logistical bottlenecks. Current Iraqi production is around 2.9 million bpd. At Majnoon, local Iraqi companies are sweeping away the weapons - including a 500 kg bomb - so pipelines can be laid and wells can be drilled. Around $30 million has been spent to scour more than eight million square meters and another $20 million will be spent this year. Under their service contracts with Baghdad, Iraq must repay firms

for the considerable cost.

Shell hopes by the end of 2012, enough production facilities will be in place to boost flows to a 175,000 bpd threshold that triggers cost recovery and service fee payment. Save two de-gassing facilities, the southern field is virtually bare and output is only about 54,000 bpd. “To reach an end of the year target... will require huge cooperation across all the ministries, with the South Oil Company (SOC),” said Myklestad. “We can make it with the right cooperation in place.” Since taking over operations with Malaysian partner Petronas in March 2010, Shell has spent $1 billion on the field and is due to invest another $1 billion this year.

‘CRAZY’ OILFIELD But it’s not just the minefields that are a challenge at Majnoon, or “Crazy”, in Arabic.

Job creation is also a flash point for many of the 80,000 people who live on the field in the communities of al Nashwa, Al-Dyer and Al-Thager. Expectations are high that Shell, which is likely to spend around $50 billion on the field over the 20-year contract, will provide employment. “We cannot deny there are some problems and issues regarding jobs,” said Zaher Yassin Ebadi, head of the Majnoon Local Development Committee, which was formed last July.

Shell focused on community relations at an early stage, providing 1,200 unskilled jobs in areas such as catering, security and construction. Wages are based on the average minimum salary of a worker at Iraq’s South Oil Co (SOC), roughly $600 a month. Now the challenge will be to train people for skilled jobs. Baghdad is leading a drive to hire local staff, which may help

MAJNOON OIL FIELD: Metal pipes are seen as the land is cleared from ordnance and mines laid down during the Iraq-Iran war 1980-1988, in the massive Majnoon oil field, some 40 kms from the eastern border with Iran in southeastern Iraq. — AFP

to explain why international oil companies often struggle to secure visas for foreign contractors. Despite the billions of dollars flowing into the Shiite oil hub of Basra, there is little evidence of a boom town in the making.

The narrow, dusty road snaking from Basra up to Majnoon is riddled with potholes and brick, garage-sized dwellings dot the route. Women, head-to-toe in black hijab, tend small children who play by the roadside. To remove some of the heavy transport load and speed delivery, Shell built a jetty on the Shatt al-Arab river, a waterway formed by the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers that empties into the Gulf below Basra. The first barge arrived from Dubai on Sunday, and the equipment went directly to Majnoon’s

central processing facility to be used for increasing production.

The facility includes an early production system that will handle about 100,000 bpd of extra oil that will arrive from new producing wells, once the drilling campaign concludes. It targets 15-20 wells in 2012. Much of the early production system is being built in the United Arab Emirates and will be transported up the Shat al-Arab by barge. To aid the drilling drive, there are two rigs in place on the field: one is stuck in Kuwait. Majnoon is just a part of Shell’s Iraq portfolio. Europe’s largest oil company has a significant foothold in Iraq, with a stake in a $17 billion gas joint venture and a minority share in the West Qurna-1 oilfield, led by Exxon Mobil. — Reuters

News

in brief

Saudi Arabia ‘can help’ steady global economy DUBAI: Saudi Arabia, the world’s leading oil exporter, can play a major role in stabilizing global economy through oil prices, South Korean President Lee Myungba said yesterday. South Korea’s presidential office said in a statement from Seoul earlier yesterday that Saudi Arabia had pledged to “actively consider” supplying additional crude, as Seoul looks for alternatives to Iranian oil. “Solving the changing policies in the Middle East by peaceful means and as soon as possible will help stabilize global oil prices and limit its impact on the global economy,” Lee said in a speech translated into Arabic. “I believe Saudi can play a major role in stabilizing the global economy,” Lee said in the Saudi capital Riyadh after meeting Saudi Oil Minister Ali Al-Naimi.

Lee is visiting major crude suppliers Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates this week to secure stable sources of energy.

KPC sets naphtha offers SINGAPORE: Kuwait Petroleum Corp (KPC) has set offers for April 2012 to March 2013 naphtha at $26 a ton premiums to Middle East quotes on a free-onboard (FOB) basis, about 40 percent higher versus its December 2011 to November 2012 term, traders said yesterday. So far, no buyers have accepted the fullrange naphtha offers. “Buyers were expecting KPC to keep the premiums at $18.50 a ton, similar to last year.

So the offer was way above expectations,” said a trader.

Traders said although spot premiums of Indian naphtha hit an 8-month high recently with prices hitting more than $30.00 a ton on an FOB basis, buyers usually pay lower freight rates compared to chartering ships from Kuwait to Japan or South Korea. But overall naphtha supplies have been tight due to the closure of refineries in Europe and the United States which would prevent Asia from getting barrels from the West. Asia will now have to rely even more on Gulf and Indian suppliers for cargoes to plug the loss of production from the refineries closure.

QEWC buys stake in Jordan power plant DUBAI: Qatar Electricity & Water Co (QEWC) has agreed to buy a 23.3 percent stake in Jordan’s Amman East power plant from a Bahraini infrastructure fund, in a move by the state-owned Qatari firm to expand its international footprint. QEWC bought the stake from IDB Infrastructure Fund, a $730 million private equity fund established in 2001 and managed by EMP Bahrain, a subsidiary of EMP Global. The IDB Fund’s mandate is to make investments in infrastructure projects in Islamic countries. As part of the deal, QEWC will buy IDB’s 38.9 percent interest in AES Oasis Ltd, the 60 percent owner of the holding company for AES Jordan, QEWC said in a statement. AES Jordan PSC, a subsidiary of AES Corp and Japan’s Mitsui & Co, is the operator of the Amman East plant. No deal value was disclosed for the transaction, which is expected to close in the first-quarter of 2012. The Amman East power plant has an installed capacity of 370 megawatts.

QEWC was advised by Royal Bank of Scotland on the transaction, while IDB Fund was advised by Rothschild on the deal.

22

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

BUSINESS

Yahoo! shakes up board to give firm new life SAN FRANCISCO: Yahoo! has announced a boardroom shakeup to breath fresh life into a pioneering Internet firm that has been struggling to re-invent itself and appease disappointed investors. Yahoo! chairman Roy Bostock announced that he will step down from the board along with three other longtime directors, clearing an old guard from the path of new chief executive Scott Thompson. Yahoo! has been struggling to transform itself from a stalled Internet search engine to a “premier digital media company” since being eclipsed by online powerhouse Google.

The boardroom house cleaning comes scant weeks after Jerr y Yang, who cofounded Yahoo! nearly 17 years ago and had an ill-fated stint as chief executive, resigned from all of his positions with the California-based firm. Yang, 43, one of the original dotcom billionaires, had been on the boards of Yahoo!, Yahoo! Japan and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. Yang served as chief executive of Yahoo! from June 2007 to January 2009, during which time he and Bostock notably turned down a $47 billion takeover bid from Microsoft, earning the ire of many shareholders.

Bostock and Yang have been the targets of stockholder anger as Yahoo!’s stock

price sank to about half of what it was when company leaders snubbed Microsoft’s generous buyout bid. Yang ceded the Yahoo! helm to former Autodesk executive Carol Bartz, whose efforts to turn the company around were cut short when she was fired in September by the board, which she described as “doofuses” af ter being ousted. Bostock said on Tuesday that he had decided not to stand for re-election at Yahoo!’s next shareholders meeting, along with board members Vyomesh Joshi, Ar thur Kern and Gar y Wilson. He said the board elected two independent directors: Alfred Amoroso, former president and chief executive of Rovi Corp., and Maynard Webb, a former chief operating officer at eBay. Bostock said a strategic review of Yahoo! has made “significant progress” and has included “a wide range of discussions with potential partners. “We have engaged with potential investors and reviewed proposals concerning an equity investment in the company, although at this time there have not been any proposals which have been deemed by the committee to be attractive to our shareholders,” he said. Bostock, in a letter to shareholders, said Yahoo! was in “active discussions” with its partners in Asia

on restructuring its holdings in the Alibaba Group and Yahoo! Japan. “While we continue to devote significant resources to these discussions, we are not in a position at this

CALIFORNIA: Company logo is displayed at Yahoo headquarters in Sunnyvale, Calif. Yahoo Inc has announced that Chairman Roy Bostock and three longtime board members are stepping down. —AP

UAE to pump more oil to cut reliance on Iran China buys up Saudi, Russian oil to squeeze Iran SEOUL: The United Arab Emirates’ main exporter of crude oil will fulfill all supply contracts to Asia for March, for the first time in almost a year, to help the region’s top buyers cut their dependence on oil from sanctions-hit Iran. Asia consumes more than half of Iran’s exports of 2.6 million barrels per day (bpd) but China, India and Japan-its three biggest customersare under pressure to seek crude from other suppliers as sanctions undermine sales from OPEC’s second-largest producer.

The UAE’s Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC) will supply full contractual crude oil volumes to Asia in March for the first time since May 2011, industry sources said yesterday. President Lee Myung-bak of South Korea, the fifth largest buyer of Iranian crude, is touring Gulf producers this week to secure crude, and held talks with Saudi Arabia, which has repeatedly said it would make up for any shortfall in supplies. In a statement released yesterday, Lee’s office said the world’s top oil exporter would “actively consider” measures, including offering additional crude supplies, if South Korea asked for them.

Some of Iran’s Asian customers have already started buying less crude. Media reports said Japan’s biggest refiner, JX Nippon Oil and Energy Corp, will cut imports by about 10,000 barrels per day (bpd) from April, mirroring reductions by smaller Cosmo Oil started in January. Japan’s oil imports have been declining for years as consumers move to cleaner-burning natural gas. “Because of the Iranian situation, everybody will be looking to ensure the stability of supply,” said a north Asian refiner with an annual contract to buy oil from the UAE. “So if you have a contrac t with suppliers like ADNOC, you will try to maximize the volumes that you can lift.”

TROUBLED EXPORTS The United States tightened its financial sanctions on Iran, which also faces an embargo on its oil exports from the European Union effective July 1. Tehran has warned it may cut supplies to Europe soon, and repeatedly threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane for oil supplies.

The sanctions against Iran aim to force it to abandon a suspected nuclear weapons program, but

time to provide further detail or to provide assurance that any transaction will be achieved,” he said.

Yahoo! shares were virtually unchanged

Tehran says the program is meant to develop energy, not weapons.

China, the world’s second largest oil consumer, has slashed purchases from Iran for the first quarter of this year, although the reduction is not sanctions-related but stems from a dispute over contract terms and as Beijing seeks to negotiate lower prices.

China is the top buyer of Iranian oil, taking around 20 percent of Tehran’s total exports, but since January it has cut purchases by around 285,000 barrels per day (bpd), or just over half of the total daily amount it imported in 2011.

China is now scouring the world for alternative oil supplies, and has been drawing heavily on Saudi Arabia in addition to importing more cargoes from West Africa, Russia and Australia. I ran’s oil trade with second-biggest crude customer I ndia has also been fraught with problems in the past 13 months after a clearing mechanism was scrapped. I ndia will make 45 percent of the payment for its oil from Iran in rupees, in the latest attempt to sort out the dispute. Tehran will use that money to pay for impor ts from the country. —Reuters

Become the Al Danah’s next KD125,000 winner KUWAIT: Gulf Bank encourages ever yone in Kuwait to open an Al Danah account or deposit more into the account to increase their opportunity to become the next KD 125,000 winner. As the popularity of Gulf Bank’s vastly successful Al Danah Draws grow, so does the excitement amongst customers looking forward to the next draw. Anyone in Kuwait can easily open an Al Danah account within minutes. There is no salary transfer required. Minors require their parents or their legal guardian to open the account on their behalf.

There are no limitations in opening an Al Danah account, but a minimum balance of KD 200 is required for actively participating in the Al Danah draws. Existing Gulf Bank customers can open an Al Danah account through the online service. The last date to increase deposits or open an account for the first Al Danah quarterly draw for KD125, 000 is February 29, 2012. Chances increase the more money is deposited and the longer it is kept in the account. Al Danah is the only account to offer daily winning chances and customers are advised to take advantage of that to increase their chances.

The Al Danah is the biggest single prize draw ever held in the Middle East and noted as one of the largest of its kind in the world. The anticipation continues to build up towards the next draw as the prize money is automatically deposited in the winner’s account within two business days. For further information customers are advised to visit one of Gulf Bank’s 55 branches or call the Customer Contact Center on 1805805 where the Bank’s representatives will be delighted to assist them with any further information or enquiries they may have on Al Danah. Customers can also log on to Gulf Bank’s website www.e-gulfbank.com/aldanah.

at $15.87 in after-hours trading that followed the release of Bostock’s letter. Since Bartz stepped down as chief executive, Yahoo!’s board has reportedly been looking at selling all or part of the company and Yang was seen as a fierce opponent of a breakup. Microsoft has reportedly been collaborating with private investors to assemble another multi-billion-dollar offer for Yahoo!. At least nine private equity firms are also reported to be eyeing Yahoo! and its global audience of 700 million monthly visitors to the company’s various websites, including Yahoo! News, Yahoo!

Finance and Yahoo! Sports.

Chinese online commerce titan Alibaba is 43 percent owned by Yahoo! and Alibaba Group chairman Jack Ma has a long-standing offer to buy all or part of the company.

Once seen as the Internet’s leading light, Yahoo! has struggled to build a strongly profitable, growing business out of its huge Web presence and global audience.

Yahoo! has popular websites but has been losing advertising business to search giant Google, social networking king Facebook and specialized websites. Yahoo!’s revenue and net profit dropped in the fourth quarter of 2011, capping off its third straight year of declining results. —AFP

Oil gains on falling inventories, Greece LONDON: Brent crude oil rose to six-month highs yesterday, propelled by falling inventories in the United States, optimism of a deal to bail out Greece and tension between Iran and the West. Front-month Brent gained 20 cents to $116.43 a barrel by 1017 GMT, its seventh straight day of gains. It was on track for its highest close since early August. US March crude rose $1.02 to $99.43 a barrel, buoyed by an unplanned outage at a Canadian oil sands plant. Demand sensitive assets like oil were supported, and the euro was at eight-week highs on hopes of a deal on a second bailout needed to avoid a messy Greek debt default.

The supply situation also helped lift prices. The American Petroleum Institute (API) reported a surprise drawdown of 4.5 million barrels in the week to Feb 3, defying a consensus forecast for an increase of 2.4 million barrels. The US government’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) boosted its 2012 and 2013 forecasts for global oil demand growth, and said supply would tighten as gains in non-OPEC output lag, adding to support for oil prices. In Europe meanwhile, there was also pressure on stockpiles as freezing temperatures forced some power providers to start up oil-fired power stations to meet consumer demand.

DATA AWAITED Investors were awaiting EIA data due at 1530 GMT for more detail on the supply picture in the United States, and International Energy Agency data from Europe on Friday to get a better for the outlook on demand. “The IEA report relates energy growth to IMF growth forecasts, which were reduced last month, so that may act as a cap on prices,” said Andy Sommer, analyst at ELG in Dietikon, Switzerland. Sommer added that slightly milder weather was forecast in Europe and said it was unlikely Brent crude would go much above $120 in the near future. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is releasing its oil forecast today. Brent’s premium to US crude oil narrowed to below $17 a barrel, after the spread had widened to more than $20 per barrel on Tuesday, its highest since October.

The spread narrowed after the bullish API data and news that a Canadian oil sands plant closure for a few weeks boosted US crude. The prospect of supply disruptions has put a floor under prices, with Iran’s parliament saying on Tuesday it was ready to impose a ban on oil exports to the EU, while clashes in Nigeria are also worrying investors about potential supply problems. —Reuters

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 .4370000 .3640000 .3000000 .2750000 .2960000 .0040000 .0020000 .0750650 .7313380 .3830000 .0720000 .7169450 .0040000 .0430000

.2802500 .4470000 .3370000 .3100000 .2840000 .3050000 .0070000 .0035000 .0758200 .7386880 .4000000 .0770000 .7241500 .0072000 .0500000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2765000 .2786000 GB Pound/KD .4396070 .4429460 Euro .3662660 .3690470 Swiss francs .3029470 .3052480 Canadian dollars .2776940 .2798030 Danish Kroner .0492760 .0496510 Swedish Kroner .0414400 .0417550 Australian dlr .2984960 .3007630 Hong Kong dlr .0356600 .0359310 Singapore dlr .2223920 .2240810 Japanese yen .0035880 .0036150 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 .0057090 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 .0024450 Pakistan rupee .0000000 .0030850 Bangladesh taka .0000000 .0033270 UAE dirhams .0753100 .0758820 Bahraini dinars .7337140 .7392860 Jordanian dinar .0000000 .3940590 Saudi Riyal/KD .0737530 .0743130 Omani riyals .7184620 .7239180 Philippine Peso .0000000 .0066440

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 303.400 738.680 3.630 282.200 545.500 45.300 50.100 167.800 48.010 372.300 36.510 5.820 0.032 0.194 0.248 3.730 393.910 0.188 94.400 46.400 4.270 235.800 1.800

49.200 721.460 3.150 6.790 76.840 74.160 225.230 39.170 2.653 445.600 42.600 307.800 4.300 9.350 198.263 75.730 278.100 1.300

721.280 3.080 6.580 76.410 74.160 225.230 39.170 2.432 443.600 306.300 4.300 9.190 75.630 277.700

10 Tola

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 443.600 277.700

Sterling Pound US Dollar

SELL DRAFT 301.900 738.680 3.300 280.700

225.200 46.086 370.800 36.360 5.665 0.032

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 304.26 283.35 309.12 371.17 444.36 3.66 3.297 5.657 2.429 3.543 3.074 75.59 738.67 46.09 395.08 721.72 76.58 74.15

SELL CASH 304.00 284.00 308.00 373.00 446.00 3.70 3.600 5.840 2.650 4.250 3.240 76.15 738.70 48.20 394.00 728.00 77.25 74.60

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd 393.580 0.187 94.400 3.560 234.300

Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar

Selling Rate 277.650 280.185 442.170 368.225 304.660 735.250

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

75.570 76.210 74.000 390.830 46.039 2.427 5.665 3.070 3.300 6.556 681.060 3.695 9.075 5.845 3.625 92.150

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

GOLD 1,816.590

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 277.700 Pak Rupees 3.063 Indian Rupees 5.675 Sri Lankan Rupees 2.435 Bangladesh Taka 3.305 Philippines Peso 6.605 UAE Dirhams 75.695 Saudi Riyals 74.195 Bahraini Dinars 738.300 Egyptian Pounds 46.020 Pound Sterling 447.500 Indonesian Rupiah 3.190 Yemeni Riyal 1.550 Euro 375.000 Canadian Dollars 285.100 Nepali rupee 3.690

Al Mulla Exchange Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000) US Dollar 277.350 Euro 370.500 Pound Sterling 443.300 Canadian Dollar 280.500 Japanese Yen 3.625 Indian Rupee 5.655 Egyptian Pound 46.105 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.426 Bangladesh Taka 3.308 Philippines Peso 6.558 Pakistan Rupee 3.065 Bahraini Dinar 738.500 UAE Dirham 75.550 Saudi Riyal 74.050 *Rates are subject to change

23

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

BUSINESS

Investors look beyond Greece Euro, shares up; World stock index rises over 9% LONDON: The euro hit an eightweek high and European shares rose yesterday as markets priced in a successful outcome to Greek debt talks, buoyed by hopes of further pro-growth moves by major central b a n k s. “ Th e f i n a n c i a l m a r k e t s appear to be increasingly turning a blind eye to developments in Greece, assuming that further external aid will soon be transferred to Greece helping to avoid a more disorderly default in the near term,” Lee Hardman, currency economist at Bank of Tok yo M itsubishi in London said.

The Greek coalition government has yet to reach a deal on the tough a u s te r i t y m e a s u re s re q u i re d to release the next batch of bailout funds needed to meet bond redemptions due in M arch, but hopes are high agreement will come when they meet again in Athens later. Meanwhile investors look keen to move on and focus on

the improving outlook for global economic growth and the signals from the world ’s major central

banks that they will continue easier monetar y stances which should support riskier assets.

ATHENS: Protesters try to enter the parliament during a general strike in Athens. —AFP

The optimism was not dented after Germany reported the steepest drop in exports for nearly three years in December and the Bank of France said its economy would not grow at all in the first quarter of 2012. The German data suggested Europe’s dominant economy may have contracted more than expected in the fourth quarter of last year, but recent sentiment surveys suggest the dip will be brief. The MSCI All Countr y World Index (ACWI), which tracks shares in 45 countries, is close to posting gains of 10 percent for the year to date and was up 0.4 percent in early European trade. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares gained about 0.5 percent at 1,078.52, for a gain of over 7.5 percent so far this year.

GLASS HALF FULL The euro rose to $1.3289 versus the dollar, its highest since Dec 12 while against the yen, the euro hit

102.45 yen, its highest since Dec 22. “There has been a propensity by the market in general to look at the Greek scenario with a glass-half-full approach, irrespective of the deadlines Greece has missed,” said Jane Foley, senior currency analyst at Rabobank. Euro-zone officials say the full bailout package must be agreed with Greece and approved by the euro zone, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund before Feb 15. “The markets are moving on the idea that no matter how long it takes, something must be settled and resolved s a t i s f a c to r i l y ( fo r G re e ce ) ,” s a i d Mike Lenhoff, chief strategist at Brewin Dolphin Securities.

Debt markets also reflected improved risk appetite, with safeh a ve n G e r m a n B u n d s c o m i n g under pressure. But unease about the euro zone debt crisis resurfaced as news Spain is preparing to tap a 10-year bond issue sent the

yield on the peripheral nation’s benchmark debt 5 basis points higher. The European Central Bank will prop up the debt market further in late February with a second tender of cheap three-year money while the Bank of England is expected today to add an extra 50 billion pounds of stimulus via bond purchases.

Oil markets were still worried that the European debt crisis could still hit global growth and crimp demand, but a sharp and unexpected drop in US crude inventories was keeping prices firmer. Front-month Brent crude futures edged up 12 cents to $116.35 a barrel, marking its seventh straight days of gains, a n d U S M a rc h c r u d e g a i n e d 7 3 cents to $99.14 a barrel. The spot gold price briefly rose above $1,750 a n o u n ce b u t e d g e d b a c k a s a G re e k d e b t d e a l co u l d t a k e t h e shine of an asset traditionally seen as safe haven. —Reuters

Daredevil CEOs may put their companies at risk

Micron CEO death revives questions about governance BOSTON: The death of Micron Technology Inc Chief Executive Steve Appleton in the crash of an experimental plane is raising fresh questions about what a company should disclose to investors when a senior executive has a high-risk hobby. There are plenty of corporate chieftains who indulge in risky pastimes. Oracle Inc CEO Larry Ellison, a sailor and pilot whose adventures are part of his Silicon Valley mystique, competed in the storm-plagued 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Six men died and nearly two-thirds of the boats in the race did not finish.

Other CEOs engage in physical pursuits that might be considered dangerous for anyone, let alone the head of a major corporation.

US Airways Group Inc Chief Executive Doug Parker has run with the bulls in Pamplona. Google Inc CEO Larry Page kiteboards.

Virgin Group mogul Sir Richard Branson has attempted to set a number of world records including trying to circle the planet in a hotair balloon. Appleton was a wellknown daredevil who performed stunts at air shows when he wasn’t scuba diving, surfing or racing offroad vehicles-all while running a $7.85 billion enterprise that employs more than 26,000 people.

Appleton had crashed in 2004, badly injuring himself and triggering questions from governance experts about whether he was taking excessive risks. When he crashed last Friday, the 51-year-old executive was flying an experimental, self-assembled, singleengine plane. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. His death has analysts wondering about Micron’s plans for the future, given the company was reported to have been a potential buyer for Japanese chipmaker Elpida

Memory Inc . Micron, the last US memory chip maker, has also been struggling with falling prices and formidable Asian competitors. The company’s shares fell as much as 6 percent after-hours on Friday after news of Appleton’s death.

SHOULD INVESTORS KNOW? Experts say this should be a lesson for other companies. “It’s very important that a public company CEO be candid with the stakeholder audience whether that’s an investor or the people who he works with,” said Hank Boerner, chairman of the Governance & Accountability Institute. He said Micron had not mentioned in its annual reports or proxies that Appleton had such risky pastimes.

Micron declined to comment on its disclosure policy around Appleton’s activities, or any insurance it may have had on him.

“If it would move the needle for an investor to buy, sell or hold, that is material,” Boerner said, adding that US securities regulators have repeatedly reminded the boards of public companies that they have a “positive obligation” to oversee risk. Boerner likened it to people seeking the presidency of the United States. By aspiring to the office, they acknowledge that they must give up a certain amount of privacy and activities that could interfere with their ability to serve.

But could the risks actually lead to rewards for a company? A University of Notre Dame professor who has researched risk-taking

by CEOs in their personal lives says there is strong evidence that they need such pursuits for their own good and the good of the company. “When they tend to have adequate or proper outlets for that creativity, it adds value,” said Matthew Cain, an assistant professor in the Mendoza College of

Business at Notre Dame. “If you take this away from them it could push them into pursuing improper outlets for those urges,” Cain said, suggesting that illicit sex, drugs or alcohol abuse could be possible substitutes. Cain said risk-takers tend to exhibit what psychologists call behavioral consistency. They act the same at work as they do on weekends.

Cain and a colleague published a research paper last November showing that CEOs who were private pilots tended to take on about 15 percent more leverage than non-aviators and were 40 percent more likely to make a corporate acquisition. Reed Kathrein, a northern California attorney who sues public companies on behalf of shareholders, said he was not familiar with any lawsuits over a chief executive’s lifestyle. For the CEO’s activity to be material to shareholders, it would have to be both a secret and truly daredevil, he said, adding that he would consider behavior such as Appleton’s material because it could affect one’s ability to get insurance.

INSURING DAREDEVILS Many public companies carry what are called “key man” policies on male or female top executives, though few acknowledge it. Two Indiana University professors conducted a study released late last year in which they sought to examine the relationship between key men and corporate returns. For the study, they examined every filing of every publicly traded nonfinancial company in the United States. They found that nearly 82 percent of them made no disclosure about whether they carried key man policies. Nearly 10 percent specifically said they did not carry them. Only 8.8 percent of the companies said in filings that their

key men were insured. On average, each of those policies was worth about $3.85 million, but some were worth as much as $60 million each.

A senior executive at a national insurance brokerage said that when it comes to insurance, boards have an obligation to have a contingency plan in place, particularly if a CEO keeps a high-risk lifestyle. He said the degree to which a company could face legal questions depended upon what happened to its stock after an accident. Talking specifically about Micron, the broker said, “If trading opens substantially lower it could be the case that a plaintiffs’ attorney or two or three will start to conduct an investigation.” Micron shares fell 2.8 percent on Monday, wiping nearly $217 million off the company’s market capitalization.

Attorney Jeffrey Kingsley, a partner in the insurance practice of Goldberg Segalla, said death-defying executives would almost certainly be covered under company insurance policies protecting directors and officers.

Kingsley said recreational activities generally are not considered when insurance companies are deciding what to include in a policy. “What the CEO or the officer does in their recreation time is far more of a grey area,” he said. To be sure, there are grey areas and then there are grey areas. For every company that tolerates a daredevil like the late Appleton, there are companies that look far less kindly on the recreational habits of their CEOs. For example, HewlettPackard Co parted with Mark Hurd in 2010 after he had allegedly fudged expense reports to cover a relationship with a female contractor. Boeing Co ousted Harry Stonecipher in 2005 for alleged sexual improprieties.—Reuters

Nissan bucks trend as Q3 profits rise TOKYO: Japanese car giant Nissan yesterday bucked the national trend in falling auto profits, saying its third-quarter results were up on year as solid global sales offset the impact of a strong yen. The company said profits rose 3.2 percent to 82.67 billion yen ($1.07 billion) in the three months to December, during a quarter dominated for automakers by the high Japanese currency and record flooding in Thailand. Nissan said sales grew 11.0 percent to 2.33 trillion yen in the quarter, up from 2.10 trillion a year earlier. Nissan’s results were in stark

contrast with those of fellow Japanese auto titans Toyota and Honda, which both reported dips in profits for the quarter.

“Significant external headwinds such as the abnormally strong yen and floods in Thailand challenged us during the third quarter,” Nissan president and CEO Carlos Ghosn said in a statement. “Nissan responded decisively to these challenges...I am confident that Nissan will deliver the full-year profitability targets.” The carmaker, which is 44.3 percent owned by France’s Renault, said it sold 1.205 million vehi-

TOKYO: Vehicles are reflected on the logo of the Nissan Motors Co at the company’s showroom in Tokyo’s Ginza shopping district yesterday. —AP

cles worldwide in the quarter, up 19.5 percent from a year ago. Nissan kept its full-year net profit forecast at 290 billion yen and its sales outlook at 9.45 trillion yen. The chances of the carmaker hitting those targets appear to have been buoyed by performance in the latter half of the year.

Nine-month figures show profits stumbling, at 266.10 billion yen, down 7.7 percent from a year earlier. Nissan logged 6.70 trillion yen in sales during the three quarters, up 4.3 percent on year, with operating profit at 427.76 billion yen, down 4.7 percent from a year earlier. The first six months of 2011 were torrid for Japan’s manufacturers, with the lingering impact of the March earthquake-tsunami hamstringing production lines and electricity-saving measures squeezing capacity. Nissan, Toyota and Honda all slashed production and shuttered plants because of power shortages and a component supply crunch.

However Nissan’s recovery outpaced its peers, with the company boosting production levels from a year ago. All Japanese exporters are battling the crippling effects of a sky-high yen, which makes their products more expensive overseas and erodes repatriated profits.

Flooding in Thailand that created a component shortage also proved a drag. Toyota on Tuesday reported net profit for the latest quarter shrank 13.5 percent to 80.94 billion yen from the previous year, although its sales grew 4.1 percent and operating profit jumped 51.1 percent.

Honda said last month that its net profit for the same quarter was down more than 40.0 percent with sales off 8.6 percent. —AFP

TOKYO: Sony’s outgoing president and CEO Howard Stringer (right) and his successor Kazuo Hirai share a smile after their news conference as the Japanese games, music and electronics giant releases its quarterly earnings reports in Tokyo. —AFP

Sony’s woes continue with S&P downgrade TOKYO: Credit rating agency Standard and Poor’s yesterday lowered its rating of Japanese electronics and entertainment giant Sony, less than a week after the company said it was expecting a terrible year.

S&P dropped its assessment of the firm’s long-term credit worthiness to BBB+ from A-, citing poor earnings, price erosion, falling demand and stiff competition. The downgrade is the latest blow for Sony, which last week shed its chief executive and said it was expecting to lose a whopping $2.9 billion by March for a fourth consecutive year in the red.

S&P said its outlook for Sony’s long-term corporate credit rating was negative, based on the “view that severe circumstances in Sony’s machinery electronics businesses make a strong recovery in earnings unlikely.” “Sony’s TV business has made repeated losses since fiscal 2004,” the agency said in a statement. “The company’s position in the global market is under strong pressure amid severe competition from Korean manufacturers and emerging Chinese companies.” S&P also warned that it “could lower the ratings further if we see no meaningful sign of a recovery in Sony’s earnings within six to 12 months.”

Sony’s television business has been

badly hit by rampant competition and minuscule margins, making profits difficult to squeeze out with consumers increasingly unwilling to shell out the sky-high prices that they once did. At the end of last year, Sony extricated itself from a joint liquid crystal display (LCD)-making venture with Korean electronics giant Samsung after about seven years, hoping for greater flexibility in sourcing components. Last week, the technology giant more than doubled its full-year net loss forecast to 220 billion yen ($2.9 billion), up from 90 billion yen previously.

It logged a net loss of 201.45 billion yen for the nine months to December, down from a corresponding period profit of 129.22 billion yen a year earlier. Sony blamed difficult trading conditions in developed-country markets, the impact of severe flooding in Thailand, and the high yen as among the causes of the plunging numbers. The figures came as it was announced Welsh-born American Howard Stringer would be stepping aside as chief executive, to be replaced by his 51-year-old protege Kazuo Hirai. Stringer’s years at the helm of what was once a world-beating company were marked by a series of setbacks.—AFP

Africa losing out billions in trade WASHINGTON: Africa is losing out on billions of dollars in potential earnings every year because of high trade barriers on the continent, the World Bank said Tuesday. “It is easier for Africa to trade with the rest of the world than with itself,” the World Bank said in releasing a new report that examines the barriers that stifle cross-border trade within Africa. The report comes on the heels of an African Union summit in Ethiopia at which leaders called for a continental free-trade area by 2017. The World Bank stressed it was even more urgent that Africa improve trade flows because of the sharp economic slowdown under way in the euro-zone, an important trade partner under pressure from the bloc’s debt crisis.

The World Bank estimates the euro-zone slump could shave Africa’s growth by up to 1.3 percentage points this year. “While uncertainty surrounds the global economy and stagnation is likely to continue in traditional markets in Europe and North America, enormous opportunities for crossborder trade within Africa in food products, basic manufactures and services remain unexploited,” said the Washington-based lender.

The report argues that the situation deprives the continent of new sources of economic growth, new jobs, and an opportunity to make important strides in reducing poverty. “Trade and non-trade barriers remain significant and fall most heavily and

disproportionately on poor traders, most of whom are women,” Obiageli Ezekwesili, the Bank’s vice president for Africa, said in a statement. She added that leaders needed to “create a dynamic regional market on a scale worthy of Africa’s one billion people and its roughly $2 trillion economy.” Trade between African states currently stands at 10 percent of the region’s total trade. In comparison, 40 percent of North America’s trade is with regional partners and the rate soars to 63 percent in Western Europe.

Aside from red tape, poor infrastructure, especially roads and railways, is a key obstacle. Transport cost in Africa is more than 60 percent higher than the average in developed countries owing to the poor infrastructure. “Policymakers have to move beyond simply signing agreements that reduce tariffs to drive a more holistic process to deeper regional integration,” the World Bank report said, citing an array of barriers that make Africa’s borders “very thick” relative to other parts of the world.

The international border running through Kinshasa-Brazzaville, Africa’s third largest urban area, for example, is a huge bottleneck in trade between the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo, it said.

Though the two cities are regional trade hubs, trade between them is “pitifully small,” said the report, co-authored by Paul Brenton and Gozde Isik. —AFP

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

business

KSE major indices rebound GLOBAL DAILY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) major indices rebounded during yesterday session after several stocks jumped in the last minute trading. Agility, NIG, Hits Telecom and Kuwait Real Estate closed up in the last second.

Market Indices Global General Index (GGI) ended the day up by 0.07 percent, at 178.92 point. Market Capitalization was up for the day, reaching KD29.3bn. On the other hand, KSE Price Index closed at 5,850.7 point, adding 23.5 points (0.4 percent) from its previous close.

Market Breadth Market breadth was positive yesterday. The market as a whole housed 50 advancers versus 19 decliners.

Daily Trading Activity Volume and value of the shares traded on the exchange increased by 19.59 percent and 2.16 percent respectively.

Investment companies accounted for 51.51 percent (215.59mn shares) of the market’s total volume, out of which 70.96mn shares were attributable to International Financial Advisors (IFA). IFA registered an 8.93 percent gain yesterday.

Top Gainers and Biggest Decliners In terms of top gainers, Umm Al-Qaiuain Cement Industries Company was the top gainer for the day, adding 9.43 percent to its share value and closing at KD0.058. On the other hand, share price of United Projects retreated by 7.46 percent and closed at KD0.310, making it the biggest decliners in the market for the day in a row.

Sectors-wise Insurance sector was the biggest gainer yesterday as it increased by 1.82 percent, as the sector’s heavyweight stock, 1st Takaful Insurance Company closed up by 8.93 percent at KD0.122. Al-Ahleia Insurance Company followed adding 3.26 percent. Yesterday’s gains were bolstered by a sizeable 1.18 percent improvement in the Global Investment Index. All traded stocks within the sector edged higher yesterday. A 5.36 percent gain posted by Al Imtiaz Investment Company was sufficient enough to lift the index.

First Investment Company too added 5.36 percent.

Real estate sector followed rising by 0.68 percent. Kuwait Remal Real Estate was the sector’s major gainer as it soared by 8.62 percent to close at KD0.315.

The company made a clarification on the news published in a local gazette entitled “Remal divests real estate in Kuwaiti market”. The company indicated that it has no properties in the Egyptian market and does not invest in securities.

However, it added that it receives buying and selling offers for local and global properties,

noting that it has not taken any procedures as regards these offers. Remal also pointed out that it has not sold any real estate over the last two years. On the flip side, Food companies were the major decliners yesterday, with the sector index recoiling by 0.93 percent. Kuwait Food Company (Americana), saw its share value depreciate by 1.39 percent.

Oil News The OPEC basket price went up $2.14 to $113.41pb on Monday, from $111.27pb last Friday, the cartel said on Tuesday.

Iran feels sanctions pinch KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has halted palm oil exports to Iran because of payments problems and Asian oil buyers have cut crude purchases as Western sanctions tighten a financial noose around Iran. Traders in China said they would cut iron ore purchases from Iran, which are worth over $2 billion a year, because of sanctions that have forced payment defaults on Indian rice imports and prompted Ukrainian and European sellers to stop booking shipments of Ukrainian grain to the Middle East country.

The problems are the most visible evidence to date that Western sanctions are squeezing Iran’s trade. Iran’s crude oil buyers, including China and Japan, are cutting purchases, reducing the OPEC producer’s earnings from its major source of the foreign exchange it needs to pay for critical imports, such as food staples. The problems have come to light after US sanctions this year targeted Iran’s central bank and the European Union decided to ban Iran crude imports in an effort to force Tehran to abandon a suspected nuclear weapons program.

Iran’s rial has plunged as the West increased sanctions, raising the price of imports for the economy and making it difficult to find Dubai-based middlemen who can process payments to keep the country’s trade flowing. Bread and rice dominate the diet of most Iranians, many of whom can no longer afford to buy meat, now selling for about $30 a kilogram in Tehran. Bread prices have tripled since December, while rice costs about $5 per kg.

Iranians earn about $350 a month on average, while officials put the poverty line at $800. Grain ships are docked outside Iranian ports, many traders have said they are not booking fresh cargoes and exports of staples to Iran such as maize are falling as collecting payment from buyers gets harder.

Iran imported 62 percent of its maize, 45 percent of its rice and 59 percent of its sugar in 2010-11, but only 3 percent of its wheat, data from the US Department of Agriculture show. In the latest sign of Iran’s stress, trading sources in Malaysia said exporters of palm oil, used in cooking oil, confec-

tionary and bio-diesel, had stopped supplying most of the 30,000 tons of the commodity Iran used to buy each month from the end of 2011. Malaysia meets half of Iran’s palm oil demand.

The sanctions have made it difficult for Iranian palm oil buyers to use letters of credit and make payments via middlemen in the United Arab Emirates, they said.

“Payments are not coming through and no palm oil shipper wants to risk sending the cargoes to Iran with such a tense political situation,” said a trader with direct knowledge of the deals, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue. Metals traders in China said they would reduce iron ore purchases from Iran from March because they are worried that the sanctions will disrupt business. Iran was China’s fifth-biggest supplier of the commodity in 2011.

“There’s a huge risk ahead, and many just haven’t realized it yet,” said a senior executive at a Shanghai-based trading firm that has a long-term partnership with an Iranian supplier. “It’s easy for the United States to freeze our business,” he said. “It’s not worth taking the risk.” Some Chinese traders said they would keep buying the ore from Iran as long as they were able to get paid because it was cheaper than other sources of the commodity. “Many Chinese traders, and miners, want to take the opportunity to buy the ore to make more money,” a Shanghai-based trader said. “Though I’m still making bookings from Iran, I’m extremely cautious.” Indian exporters and rice millers said on Tuesday that Iranian buyers had defaulted on $144 million in payments for rice imports from its biggest supplier. Vijay Setia, the president of the All India Rice Exporters’ Association, called on members to cease exports to Iran on credit terms.

Iran’s foreign exchange earnings are also being pinched as the sanctions put major buyers, including China, Japan and India, under pressure to reduce crude imports from OPEC’s second-biggest producer. Asia purchases more than half of Iran’s 2.6 million barrels per day of crude exports and some buyers are already cutting. — Reuters

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

business

Greece faces hour of decision ATHENS: Greece reached the hour of decision yesterday over more budget cuts demanded by the EU and IMF and a debt deal to obtain a second rescue and close a key chapter in the eurozone crisis. A final framework hammered out with the European Union and International Monetary Fund is now in the hands of partners in the governing coalition, a conservative party source said. Heads of the socialist, conservative and far-right parties are expected to approve the 50-page text later in the day, the New Democracy (ND) source said.

An agreement, just the day after a general strike against the new round of budget measures, would clear the way for a second rescue worth 130 billion euros ($173 billion) from the EU, European Central Bank (ECB) and IMF. The new funding is vital if Greece is to avert a debt default in March. On the euro-zone bond market where tension has eased markedly since the beginning of the year, interest rates were subdued. If a deal emerges, it will be presented by Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos to euro-zone finance ministers today and be tabled in parliament tomorrow for approval

by Sunday, the semi-state Athens

News Agency reported.

The text was drawn up during a night of marathon talks between Prime Minister Lucas Papademos and representatives from the “troika” aimed at setting up a second rescue for Athens following an initial bailout worth 110 billion euros. The coalition party leaders were given a few hours to study the plan, which was said to include cost-saving measures worth 3.2 billion euros. The document “presents an outline of new measures” that official creditors have demanded in exchange for more aid for the massively-indebted euro-zone member, the ND source said.

An “agreement in principle” is now required from the three coalition parties after weeks of haggling over controversial new austerity measures, it added. The roadmap towards a resolution of Greece’s perilous financial situation would then be presented for approval by parliament, possibly at the weekend. Press leaks have said that the latest measures, reportedly “tweaked up to the last minute,” include a cut of 22 percent in the minimum wage and 15-percent cuts in complementary pension programs, along with a separate 15-percent

reduction for public utility pensioners.

Savvas Robolis, a senior labor analyst at leading private-sector union GSEE, said the minimum wage cuts would affect 325,000 people or 17 percent of the workforce. “The minimum

wage will drop to around 500 euros...and this will create a 2.2-billioneuro shortage in health and pension funds,” he told Flash Radio. About 15,000 Greek public sector jobs are thought likely to be axed.

ATHENS: Pedestrians walk past a beggar in central Athens yesterday.

Leaders of the three parties backing Prime Minister Lucas Papademos’ interim government were pondering over a draft of new austerity program demanded by Greece’s creditors to continue providing rescue loans to the debt-crippled country. — AP

The country is running out of time to agree on new budget action, and to conclude a separate debt write-off with banks and other private creditors worth at least 100 billion euros. Greece has run up total debt of about 350 billion euros, roughly 160 percent of its gross domestic product, and the IMF has insisted that level be brought down to a maximum of 120 percent of GDP. A source at the prime minister’s office said yesterday that “a series of very technical points have taken longer to resolve than foreseen,” but that there was no major snag in the talks. On Tuesday, Papademos also met Charles Dallara, head of the Institute of International Finance and chief representative in the private debt discussions. The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that the ECB would participate in a writedown of Greece’s debt by agreeing “to exchange the government bonds it purchased in the secondary market last year at a price below face value, provided the debt-restructuring talks have a successful outcome.” According to the report, the ECB would forego interest payments on Greek bonds bought as part of a controversial program launched in May 2010. — AFP

European central banks to pump cash into economy

Central banks to redouble emergency measures

WOLFSBURG: A worker wraps a protective liner around a Volkswagen Tiguan at quality control portion of the production line in the Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg, Germany. German automaker Volkswagen AG says it saw group sales of more than 8 million vehicles last year. — AP

Germany breaks export record FRANKFURT: German exports topped 1.0 trillion euros for the first time in 2011, but fell at year-end as the euro-zone debt crisis hit demand for goods made in Germany, official data showed yesterday.

Europe’s biggest economy exported 1.06 trillion euros ($1.4 trillion) in the whole of last year, exceeding the one-trillion mark for the first time, the national statistics office Destatis said in a statement.

Imports also rose to a record 902 billion euros. Exports declined by 4.3 percent in December alone to their lowest level since April, as the effects of the region’s debilitating debt crisis increasingly made themselves felt, the data showed.

And with imports also falling by 3.9 percent, Germany’s trade surplus-which had ballooned to 158.1 billion euros throughout the whole of 2011 - contracted to 13.9 billion euros in December. The full-year data place Germany as the world’s number two exporter behind China which posted exports worth a total 1.432 billion euros and a trade surplus of 117 billion euros in 2011. China, along with the euro-zone’s secondbiggest economy, France, are Germany’s main trading partners.

But France posted a trade deficit of almost 70 billion euros in 2011. France has a structural trade deficit and is increasingly looking to the German mod-

el as a guide to raising competitiveness and exports. On a 12-month basis, German exports to fellow euro-zone countries-which buy around 40 percent of all German exports-declined by 3.3 percent in December, while exports to countries outside the single currency area jumped by 14.7 percent. “It was a bad December through and through,” said Commerzbank economist Ulrike Rondorf. “Following the plunge in industrial production, the steep fall in exports is the second poor German data release for December,” she said. Economy ministry data on Tuesday showed German industrial production dropping by a bigger-than-expected 2.9 percent monthon-month in December after stagnating in November.

On one hand, the trade data probably reflected feeble demand, particularly in the euro-zone, Rondorf said. On the other, it could be partially attributable to calendar effects, the economist suggested.

“We expect the German economy to have contracted by 0.3 percent in the final quarter of 2011 compared with the third quarter,” she said. Annalisa Piazza at Newedge Strategy also said the trade figures “don’t bode well for gross domestic product in the fourth quarter, as the contribution to growth might be negative over the quarter.” — AFP

Copper gains on strong euro, Greece deal eyed LONDON: Copper prices surged to their highest levels in more than a week yesterday, lifted by a stronger euro and optimism Greece will be able to secure a bailout package aimed at averting a disorderly default. Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) rose to $8,590 a ton at 1122 GMT, up 1.4 percent from a close of $8,481 on Tuesday.

The metal used in power and construction earlier climbed to $8,633 a ton, its highest level since Jan 27.

Greek parties will try yet again to strike a reform deal in return for a new international rescue to avoid a chaotic default, after leaders in the coalition of Prime Minister Lucas Papademos postponed what was supposed to have been a crunch meeting on Tuesday until the following day. The optimistic tone in financial markets helped the euro rise to a two-month high versus the dollar, giving a boost to metals prices as a weak dollar makes commodities priced in the US unit cheaper for holders of other currencies.

“Base metals are very macro sensitive.

The mood in the broader market has improved today and the market is grasping at any bit of positive news,” VTB analyst Andrey Kryuchenkov said. “At the moment base metals’ correlation to equity markets is quite strong. And the dollar is near its December lows against a basket of currencies.” Copper has rallied almost 12 percent so far this year and was within reach of a four-month high of $8,679.50 hit on Jan 27. Elsewhere, nickel hit a fresh five-month high, and tin rose to its highest level in six months.

Markets will be closely watching data out of China for indications on the health of the world’s second-largest economy amid a festering euro zone debt crisis.

China’s imports of key commodities, including crude oil, copper and iron ore, are set to have fallen in January as factories shut during the Lunar New Year break, analysts said, cautioning that the outlook for most industrial commodities was bleak. China is the world’s top copper consumer, accounting for around 40 percent of refined copper demand last year. — Reuters

FRANKFURT: With Europe sliding toward recession, the region’s two main central banks are preparing to redouble their emergency measures aimed at softening the downturn and blunting the effects of the government debt crisis. Analysts expect the UK’s central bank, the Bank of England, to announce today that it will inject another 50 billion pounds ($79 billion) of new money into an economy that shrank at the end of last year. Meeting the same day at its headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, the European Central Bank is expected to trumpet the advantages of its second unlimited offering of cheap, threeyear loans to be allotted to banks on Feb 29.

Neither central bank is expected to change interest rates from their current record lows the Bank of England at 0.5 percent and the ECB at 1.0 percent. Rather, attention will focus on their outlooks and their attempts to push more money into the banking systems and the economy. A first blast of cheap ECB credit - euro489 billion ($641.23 billion)- was taken up by 523 banks on Dec 23. The step has been credited with calming some of the market panic from the debt crisis hitting the 17 countries that use the euro, and stocks and government bonds have risen since then.

Analysts think the takeup could equal or exceed the first one, since the ECB has loosened collateral requirements. Despite a remarkable easing in tensions on financial markets this year - particularly evident in the big drop in the borrowing rates of weak countries like Italy and Spain - the 17-country eurozone and the UK face worrying signs from the wider economy. The euro-zone economy is widely expected to have contracted in the fourth quarter, while the UK shrank 0.2 percent in the last three months of the year.

Many analysts predict both regions will fall into a technical recession - defined as two

consecutive quarters of negative growth - by the end of March.

Both remain exposed to any sudden shock from the crisis in Europe over too much government debt - financial volatility quickly causes credit to seize up, stifling economic activity. A messy default by Greece - currently in drawn-out talks with other euro-zone governments, the ECB and the International Monetary Fund about a second bailout would threaten the integrity of the euro-zone, shaking British and world markets as well.

Recent economic indicators for Britain and the euro-zone have suggested things may pick up a bit in the months ahead, but big risks remain.

Credit availability, crucial to help businesses expand and create jobs, appears to be dropping in the euro-zone. An ECB survey of banks indicated that the number tightening lending requirements surged at the end of last year, to a net 35 percent from 16 percent.

Andrew Goodwin, senior economic advisor to the Ernst & Young ITEM Club, says Britain still needs a further shot of stimulus thanks to the commotion across the Channel. “Short-term prospects remain on a knife-edge given the ongoing policy paralysis in the euro-zone. If the crisis deepens, it would most likely reverse all of the pickup seen in the last couple of months,” he said.

Analysts think the Bank of England will create new money to buy securities - mostly British government bonds - from private investors such as insurance companies and pension funds, on top of 275 billion pounds ($437 billion) it has already purchased. The hope is that the purchases, known as quantitative easing or QE, will increase the amount of cash flowing through the financial system, which will in turn help lower interest rates and borrowing costs for businesses and raise asset

prices.

Quantitative easing can be inflationary, but analysts say the bank has room to act as inflation is widely forecast to fall from 4.2 percent toward the official 2 percent target over the next two years. Vicky Redwood, chief UK economist at Capital Economics, said inflation “is expected to fall some way short of target.”

“Accordingly, we think the big picture will be that further QE is still needed,” Redwood added. The US Federal Reserve, which has already done two rounds of quantitative easing, has raised the possibility of doing another round as well.

For its part, the ECB may remain in a holding pattern on interest rates for some time, barring a sudden financial disaster in Greece.

The country’s political leaders need to agree to tough austerity terms this week if Athens is to get more bailout loans in time to pay debts coming due March 20 and avoid default.

ECB president Mario Draghi is likely to face questions over whether the central bank will help find more money for the Greek bailout, now believed to be euro15 billion short of Greece’s needs.

Euro-zone officials have suggested that the bank find a way to donate potential profits it may make on euro55 billion ($72 billion) in Greek bonds it bought for around euro40 billion on the secondary market. It could do that by selling the bonds to the euro-zone bailout fund for what it paid for them, and the fund could then write them down.

Some analysts say the ECB isn’t in principle opposed to such a move, but is holding back to not appear to be taking instructions from governments - it is forbidden by the EU treaty to do that. Draghi turned aside questions about the issue at the bank’s January meeting but will be pressed for a clearer statement this week. — Reuters

Nokia cuts 4,000 jobs

Mobile phone maker eyes smartphone market HELSINKI: World-leading mobile phone maker Nokia will cut 4,000 jobs at its smartphone manufacturing facilities in Finland, Hungary and Mexico by the end of 2012, it said yesterday. “The expected headcount impact by country is 2,300 in Komarom (Hungary), 700 in Reynosa (Mexico) and 1,000 in Salo (Finland),” company spokesman James Etheridge said. The job cuts follow a review of smartphone operations announced in September 2011, when the company warned jobs may be cut at the plants in question.

The factories in Komarom, Reynosa and Salo will in the future focus on software-heavy smartphone customisation, while manufacturing will shift to Asia to shorten the time it takes for products to get to market, the company said in a statement. “But these planned changes are all about speed and responsiveness and ultimately, our competitiveness,” Etheridge said. The job cuts come as Nokia struggles to secure a foothold in the fiercely competitive smartphone market, with its newly-launched flagship line Lumia failing to correct falling sales in its overall smartphone business.

Nokia’s comeback fight comes amid a dynamic and differentiated market, with many players offering consumers a variety of options, said Horace Dedieu of the Helsinkibased mobile industry blog Asymco. “My initial impression is that it’s a good product, but, right now, being good isn’t enough,” Dedieu told Finnish state broadcaster YLE about the Lumia. In its 2011 full-year earnings report released two weeks ago, Nokia said it had sold “well over one million” Lumia phones since their launch in October in Europe, Hong Kong,

India, Russia, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan.

However, others have noted that while the Lumia has received good grades from users, not enough are buying the new smartphone.

The phone’s fledgling reputation has also already been tainted by reports of returns due to battery life problems. Moreover, users ranked Apple’s iPhone above the Lumia 800 in a small scale usability comparison recently conducted by researchers at Finland’s Abo University and published last week. “Seven out of 10 test users chose the iPhone as a whole over the Lumia,” the results concluded.

That is bad news for the former undisputed world leader, which is desperate to stop the haemorrhaging of its market share. The company announced last year it would no longer

provide market share figures, which peaked at 40 percent in the first half of 2008, but analysts estimate Nokia today holds only about 25 percent.

Nokia is depending heavily on its partnership with Microsoft and the new phones to help maintain its ranking as the world’s largest mobile phone maker, as RiM’s Blackberry, Apple’s iPhone and handsets running Google’s Android platform take growing bites out of its market share. If Nokia’s Lumia fails to make an impression this year, the struggle to regain traction in the smartphone segment will be lost, mobile technology analyst Ari Hakkarainen said. “The next two Lumia models will make or break it for Nokia, they need to come this year, and they need to come soon” to build momentum, he added. — AFP

MUNICH: Employees of Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) demonstrate in front of the headquarters of NSN in Munich, southern Germany. The German metal workers’ trade union IG Metall had called to demonstrate against the planned close-down of the plant in Munich and the cut of circa 2,900 jobs across the country. — AFP

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

business

The dark side of Germany’s jobs miracle Germany re-regulates jobs market as Europe deregulates STRALSUND: Anja has been scrubbing floors and washing dishes for two euros an hour over the past six years. She is bewildered when she sees newspapers hailing Germany’s “job miracle”. “My company exploited me,” says the 50-year-old, sitting in the kitchen of her small flat in the eastern German town of Stralsund.

“If I could find something else, I’d be long gone.”

Stralsund is an attractive seaside town but Anja, who preferred not to use her full name for fear of being fired, cannot afford the quaint cafes.

Wage restraint and labor market reforms have pushed the jobless rate down to a 20-year low, and the German model is often cited as an example for European nations seeking to cut unemployment and become more competitive. But critics say the reforms that helped create jobs also broadened and entrenched the low-paid and temporary work sector, boosting wage inequality. Labor office data show the low wage sector grew three times as fast as other employment in the five years to 2010, explaining why the “job miracle” has not prompted Germans to spend much more than they have in the past.

Pay in Germany, which has no nationwide minimum wage, can go well below one euro an hour, especially in the former communist east German states.

“I’ve had some people earning as little as 55 cents per hour,” said Peter Huefken, the head of Stralsund’s job agency, the first of its kind to sue employers for paying too little. He is encouraging other agencies to follow suit. Data from the European Statistics Office suggests people in work in Germany are slightly less prone to poverty than their peers in the euro zone, but the risk has risen: 7.2 percent of workers were earning so little they were likely to experience poverty in 2010, versus 4.8 percent in 2005.

PRECOCIOUS REFORMER The contrast between Germany’s record levels of employment and the dire jobs situation elsewhere in Europe is stark. Last year, the number of people in employment in Germany rose above the 41 million mark for the first time. The jobless rate has been falling steadily since 2005 and now stands at just 6.7 percent, compared to 23 percent in Spain and 18 percent in Greece.

It has been a tough battle since German unemployment peaked after reunification in 1990. Many east German businesses floundered in a free market once the Berlin Wall fell, sending joblessness there soaring over 20 percent. Globalization put Germany’s exportreliant economy under competitive pressure, forcing it to adjust quickly. By 2003, Germany was embarking on reforms hailed as the biggest change to the social welfare system since World War Two, even as many of its peers were moving in the opposite direction. While the French Socialists were introducing the 35-hour week and cranking up minimum wages, Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD) were deregulating the labor market and raising pressure on the jobless to find work.

Unions and employers agreed wage restraint in return for job security and growth. Flexible working practices and government-subsidized reduced working hours enabled employers to adjust to the economic cycle without hiring and firing. From 2005, joblessness started to fall and is nearing pre-reunification levels. Elsewhere in Europe, governments tackling high unemployment are playing catch-up, making labor reforms the number one priority. France’s conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy has repeatedly cited Schroeder’s “Agenda 2010” reforms as an example for

COBURG: A man works on a compressors production line at the German manufacturer Kaeser plant in Coburg southern Germany. — AFP his country over the past few months. Labor reforms being introduced in Spain and Portugal have also borrowed heavily from Germany.

RE-REGULATING While wage inequality used to be as low in Germany as in the Nordic countries, it has risen sharply over the past decade. Low wage workers earn less relative to the median in Germany than in all other OECD states except South Korea and the United States. “The poor have clearly lost out to the middle class, more so in Germany than in other countries,” said OECD economist Isabell Koske. Depressed wages and job insecurity have also kept a lid on domestic demand, the Achilles heel of the export-dependent German economy, much to the exasperation of its neighbors.

“Import demand is low, even though Germany is one of the top performers in the euro area and could contribute more to a stronger performance of its partner countries,” said Ekkehard Ernst of the International Labor Organization (ILO). With the 2013 elections looming and European neighbors complaining of trade imbalances, Germany’s leaders have brought the issue of low wages back onto the agenda. Chancellor Merkel plans to introduce a minimum wage for the sectors which do not already have one and Labor Minister Ursula von der Leyen is campaigning for temp workers to get paid as much as staff.

“The fact that we have a conservative government that is discussing the establishment of a minimum wage - that says something,” said Enzo Weber of Germany’s Institute for Employment Research (IAB).

“Whatever government comes next, measures to make the workforce more flexible will not pick up at the same pace. We’ve reached a critical mass and I think it won’t go much further.” ILO’s Ernst says Germany can only hope that other European countries do not emulate its own wage deflationary policies too closely, as demand will dry up: “If everyone is doing same thing, there won’t be anyone left to export to.”

BEST LOW WAGE SECTOR Job growth in Germany has been especially strong for low wage and temporary agency employment because of deregulation and the promotion of

flexible, low-income, state-subsidized so-called “minijobs”. The number of full-time workers on low wages - sometimes defined as less than two thirds of middle income - rose by 13.5 percent to 4.3 million between 2005 and 2010, three times faster than other employment, according to the Labor Office. Jobs at temporary work agencies reached a record high in 2011 of 910,000 - triple the number from 2002 when Berlin started deregulating the temp sector. Economists say it was Schroeder’s intention to bring about a rapid expansion of these sectors in order to get the poorlyqualified and long-term unemployed back into the workforce.

In 2005, Schroeder’s last year as chancellor, he boasted at the World Economic Forum in Davos: “We have built up one of the best low wage sectors in Europe.” Seven years later, employers praise the reforms that led to the growth of mini-jobs and temping. “The unions’ argument that (mini) jobs lead to working conditions becoming precarious in Germany is not valid,” said Mario Ohoven, head of the main association of “Mittelstand” small and mediumsized firms. Ohoven said they were particularly popular with women and students trying to earn some extra cash, while Juergen Wuttke of the BDA employers’ group said the reforms gave companies more flexibility and the ability to hire more people for lowskilled jobs with low productivity.

Fritz Engelhardt, who runs a small three-star hotel in the south-western town of Pfullingen, says he employs two “mini-jobbers” to help out at the weekend and run small errands. “Many people in catering try to deal with peaks in work at the weekend or when they have special events by hiring mini-jobbers,” Engelhardt said. “With big chains, hotels can use workers from a sister company, but for small and medium-sized companies mini-jobs are crucial to their very existence.”

Even German corporate giants rely on these new forms of employment for greater flexibility. Adidas, the world’s second largest maker of sports apparel, and supermarket chain Kaufland, part of the same group as discount chain Lidl, both use mini-jobs to fill in staffing gaps when business picks up. Data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and

Development shows low-wage employment accounts for 20 percent of full-time jobs in Germany compared to 8.0 percent in Italy and 13.5 percent in Greece.

ROAD TO NOWHERE Critics say Germany’s reforms came at a high price as they firmly entrenched the low-wage sector and depressed wages, leading to a two-tier labor market.

New categories of low-income, government-subsidized jobs - a concept being considered in Spain have proven especially problematic. Some economists say they have backfired. They were created to help those with bad job prospects eventually become reintegrated into the regular labor market, but surveys show that for most people, they lead nowhere. Employers have little incentive to create regular full-time jobs if they know they can hire workers on flexible contracts. One out of five jobs is a now a “mini-job”, earning workers a maximum 400 euros a month tax-free. For nearly 5 million, this is their main job, requiring steep publicly-funded top-ups.

“Regular full-time jobs are being split up into minijobs,” said Holger Bonin of the Mannheim-based ZEW think tank.

And there is little to stop employers paying “minijobbers” low hourly wages given they know the government will top them up and there is no legal minimum wage. Trade unions and employers in Germany traditionally opt for collective wage agreements, arguing that a legal minimum wage could kill jobs, but these agreements only cover slightly more than half the population and can be circumvented. “A lot of my friends work as carpenters, but companies describe them as janitors in their contracts to avoid paying the salary negotiated in the collective wage agreement,” said one 33-year-old unemployed man in Stralsund who declined to give his name.

The deregulation of temporary agency work has also given employers less incentive to hire workers on staff contracts with job protection and decent pay. Temporary workers are often paid less than staff in Germany. Low wages for mini-jobbers and increased pressure on the unemployed to get a job have had a deflationary impact on salaries across the board, some economists say. — Reuters

Cubans call 50-year-old trade embargo a failure Embargo still cornerstone of US policy toward Cuba

BEIJING: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper (left) stands next to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao during a signing ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing yesterday. Harper is on a five-day visit to China. — AFP

Canada and China tighten trade ties Ottawa, Beijing seal beef deal BEIJING: China and Canada yesterday signed a series of agreements to boost modest levels of bilateral trade, including a deal that Ottawa said should allow the immediate resumption of Canadian beef and tallow exports after a nine-year pause. The deals were inked in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People by Premier Wen Jiabao and Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who arrived on Tuesday with a large trade delegation in a bid to ramp up exports and reduce Canada’s reliance on the huge US market.

“The agreements being signed today, in such a wide range of areas, are further testimony that we are taking relations to the next level and further strengthening our strategic partnership,” Harper said in a statement. Harper is particularly keen to increase exports of oil, citing the need to diversify away from the United States, which is the largest importer of Canadian energy.

Canadian officials said the deal on beef should allow the immediate resumption of beef and tallow exports, which Beijing halted in 2003 after Canada discovered a case of mad cow disease. China committed itself in 2010 to resuming trade in Canadian beef and tallow. However, commercial trade has not resumed because of Beijing’s standing restrictions on beef containing the growth enhancer ractopamine. The two sides also wrapped up 18 years of negotiations on a

foreign investment promotion and protection agreement, but gave few details. Both nations will need to conduct a legal review of the deal and then sign and ratify it before it can take effect. The relatively small amount of bilateral trade - which amounted to less than C$60 billion ($59.4 billion) in 2010 - shows how much potential there is for growth. Harper said Canadian investment in China rose by 39 percent in 2010 from 2009 to hit nearly C$5 billion. Chinese investment in Canada the same year totaled $14 billion, an increase of 9 percent from 2009. Canada says it is determined to open up new markets and reduce reliance on the United States, which takes about 75 percent of all Canadian exports.

Ottawa intensified its calls to diversify exports last month after Washington vetoed a pipeline that would have carried crude from the western province of Alberta to Texas. China does not import any Canadian oil, but says it is interested in doing so. The two nations also signed an extension of a memorandum of understanding on energy issues covering oil, gas and nuclear energy as well as trade and investment. “This agreement will increase opportunities to attract capital investment, and improve access to markets for Canada’s energy resources, technology and related services,” a Canadian statement said. — Reuters

HAVANA: The 50th anniversary of the US trade embargo against Cuba on Tuesday was met with little fanfare on the island, where most Cubans said it was a failed policy that had succeeded only in making their lives more difficult. If the embargo was lifted, they would likely live a little better, they said. Some also said lifting the embargo would increase pressure on the Cuban government to fix problems that for years it has blamed on US sanctions.

On Feb 7, 1962, what had been a partial embargo became a nearly total one as President John F Kennedy tried to step up pressure on Cuba’s fiery young leader, Fidel Castro, who at the height of the Cold War aligned his country with the Soviet Union.

The Kennedy administration hoped the trade ban would disrupt the Cuban economy and undermine the Castro government. Half a century and nine US presidents later, Castro, though mostly retired, is still around, his brother Raul Castro is leading the country and the communist system they created remains in place.

But the embargo is still the cornerstone of US policy toward the Caribbean island 90 miles from Florida. The “blockade,” as it is known in Cuba, failed to achieve its primary objective, but has made things more difficult and more expensive for the average Cuban, said retiree Juan Jorge Castillo, 67.

“We know that the (country) that embargoes us is a power and that the power could sell us (products) more cheaply,” he said. “We have to go to other places and acquire them more expensively. The objective is to destroy us, to drown us.”

Roberto Esteban, a self-employed vendor of Cuban handicrafts, agreed, saying Cuba’s chronic economic woes are attributable to the US sanctions. “It does a lot of damage to us. There are many people here who think that’s not the case, that it’s ... an internal problem,” he said at his stand in central Havana. “I don’t think it’s an internal problem. The blockade exists and it’s doing harm,” he said.

Communist Party newspaper Granma had nothing in its pages about the anniversary on Tuesday, but Cuban television news repeated the government’s contention that the embargo has cost the island $975 billion over the years, a figure many experts consider inflated.

FOOD, MEDICINE EXEMPTED The embargo allows US sales of agricultural goods and medicine to Cuba and US President

Barack Obama has loosened travel restrictions to the island. Many Cubans say the persistence of the embargo cannot be blamed solely on the US government. They believe vested interests in the Cuban exile community in the United States want it to continue for their own economic and political interest, and say their own government finds it a convenient scapegoat. “It’s like it’s a shield for the bad things they’ve done here,” said vegetable salesman Rafael Garcia. “It influences in part what happens, but it does not determine everything.”

“I don’t think the embargo is killing us or doing as much as the government says,” said Rachel, a teacher who did not want to give her full name. “If they did away with the embargo, our government would have no one to blame for the way things are and we would have the possibility to say to the government ‘now what are you going to do? How are you going to fix it?’” she said. Dissident economist Oscar Espinoza Chepe said the embargo had only served “to give the Cuban government an alibi to declare Cuba a fortress under siege, to justify repression and to (pass) the blame for the economic disaster in Cuba.”

Embargo supporters in the United States say

the sanctions still serve the purpose of pressuring Cuba to change. “In addition to imposing economic pressure on the Castro regime and holding it accountable for actions against US interests, the embargo is a moral stance against a brutal dictatorship,” US Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida said in a statement. “The embargo will remain in place until free, fair and transparent elections are scheduled, political prisoners are released and freedom of expression and the press are established,” added Ros-Lehtinen, who is chairwoman of the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.

But Geoff Thale, director of the Washington Office on Latin America think tank, said in a statement it was time to move on from the embargo. He cited economic reforms now underway in Cuba to liberalize the island’s Soviet-style economy and said the sanctions were “excluding the United States from the real process of change that is happening” there. “Sensible politicians ought to be pushing for greater engagement and dialogue between Cuba and the United States. Cuba is changing and we shouldn’t spend the next 50 years standing on the sidelines,” Thale said. — Reuters

Rio Tinto pumps $3.4 bn into Australia iron ore SYDNEY: Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto yesterday said it will pump a further US$3.4 billion into expanding iron ore operations in the Pilbara region of Western Australia to meet strong demand from Asia. The mining giant, which posted record iron ore production of 65 million tons in the fourth quarter of 2011, said it was aiming to increase operations in the Pilbara by 50 percent.

“We believe we have the best quality iron ore expansion projects anywhere in the world,” said Rio Iron Ore and Australia chief executive Sam Walsh. “They are high return, low-risk investments that are highly value-adding for shareholders. “Today we are announcing another significant milestone in our drive towards a more than 50 percent increase in the size of iron ore operations in Western Australia. “The program

remains on track and we are bringing new iron ore production on stream at a time when demand from Asian markets is forecast to grow strongly, while industry supply growth remains constrained.”

The investment comprises $2.2 billion on work to extend the life of its Nammuldi mine and $1.2 billion on early works needed for the expansion of the Cape Lambert port and rail facilities. The project would increase production capacity to 283 million tons of iron ore per annum by the second half of 2013, Rio said. Rio Tinto’s key rival BHP is also investing huge sums of money in beefing up mining capacity in the Pilbara, recently announcing a fur ther $917 million in pre - commitment funding to ramp up its iron ore operations.c— AFP

27

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

New programs detect fraudsters from stealing banking data DUBAI: According to Kaspersky Security Network data, over the last three months Trojan bankers have been detected on an average of 2000 unique users’ computers every day.

Moreover, 780 signatures for new malicious programs that target sensitive financial information are added to Kaspersky Lab’s antivirus database on a daily basis - that is 1.1% of the

total number of malware detected every day by the company’s software.

Notably, in January Kaspersky Lab experts discovered TrojanBanker.MSIL.MultiPhishing.gen which is designed to steal account details from clients of numerous banks including Santander, HSBC Bank UK, Metro Bank, Bank of Scotland, Lloyds TSB, and Barclays.

After launching, the Trojan waits for an online banking service to start running. It then opens a window that imitates an authorization form for the respective bank. Interestingly, the Trojan allows no mistakes, checking the accuracy of the data that is entered.

The fraudsters end up obtaining confidential information that gives

them full access to the victim’s bank account. It should be noted that the Trojan primarily targets users from the UK, with over 90% of the antivirus detections for this banker being recorded there.

However, Trojan bankers affect just about every corner of the globe.

Brazil tops the list of countries most frequently targeted (16.9% of detec-

tions), followed by Russia (15.8%) and China (10.8%). (The distribution of Trojan banker detections can be viewed in the attached Excel file.)

Kaspersky Lab would like to remind users to be extremely cautious with their confidential information, and to pay particular attention to online forms that ask for this sort of data.

More than just Great Firewall awaits Facebook in China Facebook likely to see little success in China

SEOUL: A handout photo released by Samsung Electronics shows South Korean models posing with Samsung Electronics new smart TV, named ES8000, during its launching event in Seoul yesterday. Samsung Electronics said it plans to sell more than 25 million “smart TVs” this year as it tries to capture the emerging Internet TV market eyed by competitors including Apple. — AFP

TomTom satnavs to tell good drivers from bad Fleet tracking technology

AMSTERDAM: TomTom satnavs will in future help insurers tell the difference between a good driver and a bad one under a scheme designed to revive the Dutch navigation device maker’s flagging fortunes.

The company, which made its name as a maker of vehicle-based personal navigation devices (PNDs), said it had teamed up with UK-based insurance firm Motaquote to offer its first new insurance product, called Fair Play, which gives the safest drivers lower premiums.

“Our entry in the insurance market with our proven fleet management technology puts us at the forefront of a move that could help to revolutionise the motor insurance industry,” said Thomas Schmidt, managing director TomTom Business Solutions. Schmidt said the focus in 2012 is to expand the product to other insurance firms in Europe, where he expected thousands of customers to use the plan.

The scheme gives drivers control over their own policy by using driving ability and behaviour to allocate premiums, rather than risk factors used by insurers such as postcode, gender, and age or vehicle, Schmidt told Reuters.

“Drivers using the insurance product will have a TomTom tracking unit fitted in their vehicles, allowing driver behaviour and habits to be monitored by insurers and by improving driving style, you can drive down your premiums,” Schmidt said.

Consumers that agree to the plan will pay for the TomTom tracking kit themselves and start paying lower premiums immedi-

ately, providing the driver takes on the feedback from the TomTom tracking device, according to TomTom’s Richard Piekaar.

TomTom’s Business Solutions unit, including its fleet tracking divison, which use the same tracking technology to track and monitor truck drivers, fetches around 5 percent of group sales, or an estimated 65 million in euros in 2011.

Analysts were sceptical about the actual growth potential of the new insurance product but several agreed Tomtom’s move to monetize its rich data base of real time and historical driving data is a good sign. “It is positive they are looking for alternative business models and are being innovative. Linking the insurance market to telematics is new, but there are uncertainties with regards to the business model,” said Martijn den Drijver, SNS Securities analyst. TomTom faces intense competition in its core PND market as consumers increasingly opt for free or cheap navigation software as well as cooler gadgets like smartphones and tablet computers.

It is now targeting higher-growth areas and new markets. It increasingly sells navigation devices built into car and truck dashboards, rather than the standalone versions, and sells mapping data and realtime traffic services through smartphone apps and other devices.

TomTom, whose founders have a majority stake in the company, competes in the PND market with Garmin and in the commercial digital map market with Google and Nokia Oyj. — Reuters

SHANGHAI: When it comes to China, Facebook should consider itself forewarned. Cracking the world’s biggest Internet population might seem an obvious ambition for the social networking giant as it trumpets its global growth before a $5 billion initial public offering, but the chances it will succeed look slim.

Facebook said last week it was contemplating re-entering China, the world’s second-biggest economy, after being blocked nearly three years ago. But its offering would likely face intense competition, political meddling and little commercial success.

Few foreign Internet companies have succeeded in China.

EBay Inc, Google Inc, Amazon.com Inc, Yahoo Inc and most recently Groupon Inc form the list of notable online players who have failed to gain traction in the fast-growing nation of 1.3 billion people.

“It’s actually a bit late for Facebook,” said Hong Kongbased CLSA analyst Elinor Leung, who added that the market was already quite saturated with local players such as Sina Corp , Renren Inc, Kaixinwang001 and Tencent Holdings.

Facebook first launched its Chinese interface in 2008 but was blocked by Beijing in mid-2009 following deadly riots in the western province of Xinjiang that authorities say were abetted by the social networking site.

“It will be very difficult for Facebook to introduce something that will allow them to differentiate themselves,” CLSA’s Leung said. Almost half of China’s 500 million Internet users use social networking sites, government data showed in January.

The dominant players among China’s social networking sites (SNS) are Renren and Sina Corp, which is attempting to turn its highly popular microblogging service, Weibo, into a full-fledged social network.

Domestic sites have flourished into self-contained ecosystems with their own suite of apps, news portals, micro-currencies and e-commerce options, making it hard for Facebook, if it gained entry, to compete, industry play-

European Internet campaigners battle ACTA WARSAW: A controversial international accord billed as a way to beat online piracy has sparked a fightback led by Internet users in ex-communist countries who say the region’s past underlines the need to defend freedom.

An international day of rallies against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) has been scheduled for Saturday. For weeks, the hub of discontent has been Poland, whose centre-right government last week pledged to freeze the ratification process after a storm of protest.

Observers underline that the issue strikes a chord like few others since the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989. “I haven’t seen such major demonstrations in Poland for 20 years,” Warsaw sociologist Adam Ostolski told AFP. Since late January, thousands of mostly young Poles have taken to the streets nationwide brandishing anti-ACTA and anti-censorship banners.

They have sported the iconic mask of global “hacktivist” group Anonymous, which along with similar organisations has claimed lesson-teaching attacks on official websites.

The real and virtual campaigns, mustered on online social networks, kicked off ahead of the January 26 signature in Tokyo of ACTA by Poland and 21 other European governments.

Poland’s decision to freeze ratification has been echoed by its

neighbours the Czech Republic and Slovakia. “Hacktivists” have also launched cyber attacks on the Czech government and Prime Minister Petr Necas’s ODS party.

ACTA was negotiated between the 27-nation European Union, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland and the United States.

It aims to bolster international standards for intellectual property protection, for example by doing more to fight counterfeit medicine and other goods. But its attempt to attack illegal downloading and Internet file-sharing has sparked the most controversy, amid fears that it could curtail online freedom.

The debate has been similar to that sparked in the United States over two draft laws, the Protect Intellectual Property Act and Stop Online Piracy Act-better know by their acronyms PIPA and SOPAwhich led to blacked-out page protests by Wikipedia and other websites. Governments have come under fire for signing ACTAwhich still needs parliamentary ratification in most countries to come into force-after talks with record companies and commercial media but not with groups representing Internet users. Critics say it gives copyright-holders too much clout, for example allowing them to force the closure of websites without the same level of proof as a court would demand.

“Poles are among the most active nations on the Internet and on social networks in Europe,” underlined Ostolski. “For young people who lack much chance of climbing the social ladder, the Internet is one of the last public arenas where they feel free. And then along comes ACTA, and we start controlling that arena. For them, it’s a question of freedom, dignity and access to a culture,” he added.

History also counts, said Mikulas Ferjencik, deputy leader of the Czech Republic’s Pirate Party, based on the Swedish cyber-freedom movement of the same name. Ferjencik has dubbed ACTA a “serious attack on civil liberties”. “I think people in Eastern Europe started file-sharing much earlier, well before the big corporations even tried to impose a monopoly,” he told AFP. “Then there are other factors, such as our greater experience with censorship and a lack of trust in the state,” he added. In Bulgaria, meanwhile, the noactabg.info website claims that “ACTA’s aim is to combat copyright infringement on the Internet but in reality it will result in censorship on the last truly free space.”

In Western Europe, the antiACTA mood has taken longer to spread, making Saturday’s rallies a litmus test. Protests are planned in 54 German cities, as well as in Britain, France and Italy. —AFP

ers say. “China’s SNS space is more crowded and competitive than the US with multiple large and established players all investing for long-term growth,” said Joe Chen, chief executive of Renren, which would become a direct competitor with Facebook should the U.S. giant enter the market.

“Facebook will enter a much more competitive market with a significantly different culture, business environment and other characteristics than what it has previously experienced in the global market,” Chen added.

Analysts agreed. “The Chinese have been social for years, and Facebook would be just one more option among many,” said Sam Flemming, founder of Shanghai-based social media consultancy, CIC. “It certainly would have a certain amount of cache, especially among the more internationalised Chinese and foreigners living in China, but it would need a big push in awareness beyond this small group,” Flemming said.

Foreigners and Chinese citizens who want to access Facebook and other blocked sites must use special VPN software to get around China’s firewall to do so, meaning a very limited num-

ber of Chinese currently use it.

Facebook would face the same factors that have led to the failure of many foreign Internet companies in China: nimble local competition, murky government regulation and bureaucracy, and difficulty in adapting to local tastes.

Complying with Beijing’s regulations can also carry a cost in Facebook’s established Western markets-companies such as Google and Cisco Systems Inc have faced criticism at home over accusations of cooperating with the Chinese authorities’ efforts to control online content.

Google, considered the most successful foreign Internet company to make a foray into China, managed to secure only 30 percent of the Chinese search market before pulling out in early 2010, after a serious hacking episode and a reluctance to censor further in China.

It still maintains a presence in the country through a site hosted in Hong Kong. “The way for Facebook to be in China would be for them to build or buy a local team and allow them to craft a product to suit the local market over the long run. Then they may have a decent chance to compete, not guaranteeing that they will win,” said Dominic

Penaloza, chief executive of Chinese professional social-networking site, Ushi.cn.

Penaloza said many foreign Internet firms had failed in China because they were unwilling to give such autonomy to their local partners. Early last year, Facebook was reportedly in exploratory talks with potential Chinese partners. Analysts said Facebook would have to manage and censor content heavily in order to gain Beijing’s blessing for entry.

Twitter and YouTube are also blocked in China, while domestic social networks have to heavily censor and weed out content that Beijing deems undesirable.

Facebook said in its IPO prospectus that the firm was evaluating entering China, but notes that the market has “substantial legal and regulatory complexities”.

A walled-off Facebook, or a heavily censored Facebook for China, may not be appealing to users as Facebook’s selling point is its sprawling international reach and open nature. “Chinese consumers don’t ever want to have some second class offering or some dumbed-down offering,” said Duncan Clark, chairman of Beijing-based consultancy BDA China. — Reuters

Chinese are the world’s biggest Internet population.

Hacker releases Symantec code NEW YORK: A hacker released the source code for antivirus firm Symantec’s pcAnywhere utility on Tuesday, raising fears that others could find security holes in the product and attempt takeovers of customer computers. The release followed failed email negotiations over a $50,000 payout to the hacker calling himself YamaTough to destroy the code. The email thread was published on Monday, but the hacker and the company said their participation had been a ruse.

YamaTough said he was always going to publish the code, while Symantec said law enforcement had been directing its side of the talks.

The negotiations also might have bought Symantec time while it issued fixes to the pcAnywhere program, which allows customers to access their desktop machines from another location. “Symantec was prepared for the code to be posted at some point and has developed and distributed a series of patches since Jan. 23rd to protect our users against known vulnerabilities,” said company spokesman Cris Paden.

Symantec had taken the extraordinary step of asking customers to stop using the software temporarily until it readied the patches. It issued fixes for “known vulnerabilities” in version 12.5 of the software on Jan. 23 and fixes for versions 12.0 and 12.1 on Friday Jan. 27. Paden said that Symantec had contacted its customers and that it had not lost any customers. He said that if they were running up-to-date, patched versions they should not face increased risk.

Symantec also expects hackers to release other source code in their possession, 2006 versions of Norton Antivirus Corporate Edition and Norton Internet Security. “As we have already stated publicly, this is old code, and Symantec and Norton customers will not be at an increased risk as a result of any disclosure,” Paden said.

The emails over the $50,000 payoff was widely circulated, with some mocking the world’s largest standalone security company for its apparent attempt to buy protection.

But the company said the emails were in fact between the hacker and law enforcement officials posing as a Symantec employee. “The communications

with the person(s) attempting to extort the payment from Symantec were part of the law enforcement investigation ,” Paden said, adding that no money was paid. Paden declined to name the law enforcement agency, saying it could compromise the investigation.

Symantec had previously confirmed the hacker, part of a group called Lords of Dharmaraja and affiliated with Anonymous, was in possession of source code for its products, obtained in a 2006 breach of the company’s networks. The email exchange released by the hacker, who claims to be based in Mumbai, India, shows drawn-out negotiations with a purported Symantec employee starting on Jan. 18.

The email negotiations echoed conversations in past years, viewed by Reuters, in which police agencies directed talks between victims and hackers. “We can’t pay you $50,000 at once for the reasons we discussed previously,” said one email from a purported Symantec employee Sam Thomas, who offered to pay the full amount at a later date.

“In exchange, you will make a public statement on behalf of your group that you lied about the hack.” A common tactic of the FBI and others investigating extortionists and kidnappers is to seek to break down the amount of money sought by the suspects into multiple smaller payments.

This stretches out the negotiation, giving authorities more insight into the suspect and more time in which to make an arrest. It also lessens the risk to any victim inclined to pay the entire amount demanded.

Most important, it creates more transactions, each one of which provides a trail of records and human beings that can be traced as the police seek their quarry.

The hacker said he never intended to take the money. “We tricked them into offering us a bribe so we could humiliate them,” YamaTough told Reuters. In recent weeks, the hacker has posted segments of code for Norton Utilities and other programs. A software maker’s intellectual property, specifically its source code, is its most precious asset.

Symantec’s Norton Internet Security is among the most popular software available to stop viruses, spyware, and online identity theft. — Reuters

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

Amateur tattoos carry hepatitis C risk: Study NEW YORK: If you’re planning on getting a tattoo, make sure it’s from a professional and not a friend because ink work by amateurs may carry a risk of Hepatitis C, according to a new report.

In an analysis of several dozen past studies, researchers at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that tattoos from non-professionals appear to increase the risk of a possible blood-borne liver infection.

By contrast, there is no evidence that

tattoos done by professionals carried such a risk.

Hepatitis C remains a major public health problem in the United States with between 75 and 85 percent of people infected with the disease developing chronic infection that can lead to serious diseases such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. The illness is passed to people through contact with infected blood. In the United States, there are roughly 18,000 new Hepatitis C infections every

year, mostly when people who inject drugs share tainted needles or syringes.

But there are other ways of contracting the disease.

“Tattoos and piercings can transmit hepatitis C and other infections if performed under non-sterile conditions,” Rania Tohme, an epidemiologist at the CDC who led the study, told Reuters Health in an email.

“People should not have tattoos or piercings done by friends or by people

who are not trained professionals.”

The findings, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, are based on a collection of studies that have been made public since 1994.

In general, people who had tattoos by non-professionals faced a hepatitis C risk that was two to four times higher than average. Prison tattoos are a particular problem, Tohme’s team wrote, because tattooing is so common and inmates may have other risk factors for

Hepatitis C. “To this date, there has been no evidence that tattoos and piercings performed in professional parlors in the United States have been implicated in transmission of hepatitis C virus,” Tohme said. If going to a non-professional, though, there are some precautions that can be taken, Tohme said. “Disposable piercing needles, tattoo needles and razors are used on one person and then thrown away. Reusing needles or razors is not safe,” Tohme added. — Reuters

Obama boosts funds for Alzheimer’s research Moves to support treatment by 2025

GHAZIBAD: This photo taken on January 17, 2012 shows a child being administered polio drops by a health worker at their residence during a door to door drive in Ghazibad on the outskirts of New Delhi. Later this month, India will be removed from a dwindling list of countries where polio is considered endemic. India last reported a fresh polio case more than 12 months ago after monumental efforts by millions of social workers and volunteers who have administered 900 million doses of the vaccine in the last year alone. — AFP

Chai cafes woo coffee fans in urban India NEW DELHI: A first-time visitor to New Delhi might think Indians are addicted to coffee. There are at least 10 coffee shops in Connaught Place, the city’s financial and commercial hub, most within sight of each other and doing well.

But if somebody wanted to enjoy a cup of tea at a similar sort of cafe devoted to tea they’d be out of luck, even in the world’s second-largest tea producerand a country where people drink nearly eight times more tea than coffee each year.

The lack of a single national franchise centred on tea, known in India as chai and served in a glass, has come into especially sharp focus now that coffee giant Starbucks is poised to make its entry into India.

“You can find nice coffee anywhere, but finding a perfect cup of chai outside is really tough,” said Smiti Singh, a Bangalore-based software engineer, who drinks at least four cups of tea a day. Vriti Malik, a marketing professional in New Delhi, spends 1,400 rupees ($29) on coffee a week and wouldn’t mind spending the same on tea, but the flavour just doesn’t measure up.

“If it is good chai, I would not mind spending money,” she said. “I would like to see a lot of different flavours of tea, and healthy stuff like green tea.” No matter what people say, much of the problem is image. There are numerous tea vendors who set up shop under a tree or on the streets in India, but the quality of chai they offer for five rupees (10 cents) is often suspect. India’s growing urban middle-class would rather pay a few extra rupees for the clean, posh settings offered by coffee shops.

In addition, selling tea has been traditionally considered a down-market job.

Coffee shops, on the other hand, have always been associated with a Western, fashionable lifestyle.

Young, urban Indians have embraced the coffee culture, where home-grown brand CafÈ Coffee Day is the biggest player, followed by Italy’s Lavazza. In January, Starbucks announced plans to enter the competitive market with 50 outlets by year-end through a tie-up with Tata Group, the country’s biggest business house.

While these cafes, including Starbucks, do offer chai on the menu,

none of them caters exclusively to tea lovers. Now, though, a new wave of educated entrepreneurs hopes to capitalise on this gap, keeping the essence of Indian chai but offering a modern setting.

When 36-year-old Harvard graduate Amuleek Singh Bijral decided to quit his job and open tea shops, people were perplexed. “Selling chai is considered the last way of earning your livelihood,” he said. “But the fact of the matter is that tea is a very large business in India.”

Bijral opened a tea retail chain in Bangalore called Chai Point in 2010.

While roadside tea stalls offer just masala chai, tea brewed with spices and herbs, the former engineer offers a variety including lemon tea and green tea.

He also is trying to promote tea as a healthy drink rich in antioxidants, which can boost the immune system. “People were grateful that we were giving them a clean glass of chai in an affordable and very hygienic setting,” said Bijral, who says he sold his millionth cup of tea in January and is set to open an outlet in New Delhi next month.

Ankit Bohra also ventured into the tea business last year, after submitting tea cafes as a business idea while an MBA student in Mumbai. He subsequently put the idea into practice by founding Tapri, a shop in the western city of Jaipur that sells 40 kinds of tea.

“Consumers are looking for a change,” he said. “They have been having coffee at coffee shops for so long, that they were yearning for a new concept.” Bohra, who says his idea has already been copied by other start-ups in Jaipur, plans to open another Tapri outlet soon.

Both Chai Point and Tapri have tried to steer away from setting up as upscale cafÈs. A glass of tea costs less than onefifth the cost of a cappuccino at coffee shops. While there are a handful of upscale tea restaurants such as Infinitea in Bangalore, which says it tries to lure patrons with a “refined palate”, they haven’t sprung up across the country.

“In India, the perception is that you need not pay that high for chai,” said Bijral, who said he was sure his no-frills cafe would be a hit. Bohra agreed that chai should stay close to its roots. “Chai is a common man’s drink,” he said. “The moment you start sophisticating it, it loses the essence of chai.” — Reuters

WASHINGTON: The Obama administration plans to spend an additional $156 million over the next two years to help find an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s, a fatal brain-wasting disease that affects more than 5 million Americans.

The White House said on Tuesday it will spend and extra $50 million this year, and it will seek an extra $80 million in fiscal 2013 to bolster Alzheimer’s research. Obama also plans to spend an additional $26 million in programs to support people who care for Alzheimer’s patients.

The spending increase is intended help make good on a US target set last month to find a way to treat or prevent Alzheimer’s by 2025, a goal some experts fear is too ambitious. Current drugs help manage symptoms but so far no therapy can stop the progression of Alzheimer’s, which can start with vague memory loss and confusion before progressing to complete disability and death. Experts predict that without an effective treatment, the number of Americans with Alzheimer’s will double by 2050 and related healthcare costs could soar to more than $1 trillion a year.

These projections are simply staggering,” National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis

Collins said in a statement. “This new funding will accelerate NIH’s effort to use the power of science to develop new ways of helping people with Alzheimer’s disease and those at risk.”

The $50 million cash infusion this year brings the US Alzheimer’s research budget to half a billion dollars, an improvement, advocates say, but still far short of what the nation spends on other chronic diseases. The spending will support the nation’s first comprehensive plan to fight Alzheimer’s disease, an effort mandated by the National Alzheimer’s Project Act signed into law

by President Barack Obama last year.

The project will coordinate government-wide efforts to prevent and treat the disease and create a national strategy for Alzheimer’s. Australia, France and South Korea already have comprehensive Alzheimer’s plans, and global experts have been urging the United States to take a leadership role.

“Today’s announcement reflects this administration’s commitment to confronting Alzheimer’s, a disease that takes a devastating toll on millions of Americans,” Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a statement.

So far, US investment in the search for Alzheimer’s treatments has fallen short of what the nation spends on other chronic diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. Roughly $6 billion is spent each year by the NIH on cancer, which affects about 12 million Americans, and more than $4 billion on heart disease, which kills more than 800,000 nationally each year.

Alzheimer’s advocates advising the HHS on its research strategy have said it will take as much as $2 billion a year in research funding to make a significant difference in finding an effective treatment.

“This infusion of funds is important,” said Harr y Johns, president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association, who called the disease “the public health crisis of this century.” Dr. Ronald Petersen, a Mayo Clinic researcher who chairs the HHS Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, said he sees the announcement as a good faith gesture by the administration. “In these times, one could not realistically expect a billion or 2 billion dollars to be allocated in next year’s budget,” Petersen told Reuters. But over the long haul, he said it will take a significant amount of funds to meet that target. — Reuters

White House defends contraception rules WASHINGTON: The Obama administration is willing to work with Catholic universities, hospitals and other church-affiliated employers to implement a new policy that requires health insurers to offer birth control coverage, a top adviser to the president’s re-election campaign said on Tuesday.

David Axelrod, a senior campaign adviser to President Barack Obama, said the administration had heard the Roman Catholic Church’s concerns and never intended to “abridge anyone’s religious freedom.”

But he gave no sign that the administration would reverse course under intensifying pressure from church leaders and political heat from Republican presidential candidates.

“This is an important issue. It’s important for millions of women across this country. We want to resolve it in an appropriate way, and we’re going to do that,” Axelrod said in remarks on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program.

White House spokesman Jay Carney also sought to diffuse criticism from church leaders, telling reporters later on Tuesday the administration would work with religious organizations “to see if the implementation of the policy can be done in a way that allays some of those concerns.”

US Catholic bishops have slammed the Obama administration for a regulation finalized on Jan. 20 that would require health insurance to include birth control and other preventative health services for women. The leaders contend the policy infringes on religious liberty because the church does not condone birth control of any kind.

Over the weekend, Catholic clergy across the country called for congregations to pressure Obama to back down. “To force American citizens to choose between violating their consciences and forgoing their healthcare is literally unconscionable,” said Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, in a

statement last month.

Jim Towey, president of Ave Maria University in Florida, who also served in the administration of President George W. Bush, said on Tuesday he would fight the provision using “all lawful means at our disposal.”

“Our non-Catholic employees and students understand fully that the University must adhere to Catholic teaching and they do not expect us to provide such services,” he said in a statement.

The controversy centers on a provision in the 2010 healthcare bill which requires health insurance to cover basic preventative services for women. An advisory group, the Institute of Medicine, had recommended covering a fuller range of contraceptive services to help prevent unwanted pregnancies.

US Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius adopted the institute’s recommendation but included an exemption for churches, although not related religious organizations such as hospitals. Twenty-eight US states already require health insurers to cover contraception. The issue quickly took on political dimensions, with Republican presidential contenders criticizing the administration for violating religious liberties. Obama is seeking re-election in what many see as a referendum on his performance during the last three years.

Republican presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney, in Colorado on Tuesday, called the requirement an “assault on religion.”

Republican rival Rick Santorum, who is Catholic, called the White House’s comments “ridiculous” while speaking in Colorado on Monday. Rival Newt Gingrich, also a Catholic, has also declared the policy a war on religious freedom.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio, whose name has surfaced as a possible Republican vice presidential candidate, has introduced a bill to further expand the exemption for religious employers.

On Capitol Hill, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Chuck

HENAN: In this image made on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012, from CCTV television, a 15-pound baby named Chun Chun, sleeps at Xinxiang Maternity Hospital, in Xinxiang city, Henan province, China. A mother in central China gave birth to the 15.52 pound (7.04 kilogram) baby on Saturday, possibly the largest newborn on record since the country’s founding in 1949. — AP Grassley, urged the Obama administration to rescind the provision.

“As currently written, this mandate will result in litigation that could be avoided if HHS issued a regulation that showed greater respect for religious freedom,” Grassley said in a letter to Sebelius.

In remarks on the Senate Floor, Senator Barbara Mikulski, a Maryland Democrat, said the debate was off in the wrong direction. “For the first time in a long time, our nation is talking about women’s health, ... but unfortunately, too much of it isn’t really about women’s health. It is politics disguised as women’s health,” Mikulski said. Just how religious-based organizations could implement the rule to meet the Obama administration’s criteria while still holding fast to their core beliefs remains to be seen.

Carney offered no details but said the White House would discuss possible avenues over the next 18 months. Jennifer Duffy, senior political analyst for The Cook Political Report, said neither side

was likely to back down in the runup to the election.

“I don’t think the bishops have any intention of letting this fade and, especially if their position is intractable, then it’s a fight,” she said. “It becomes a staring contest.”

Emergency contraception, also known as the “morning after pill” and seen by many conservatives as akin to abortion, for the most part would not fall under the rule since it is already available without a prescription to those 17 and older.

Women’s rights groups and other contraception supporters, who were disappointed last year when the Obama administration rejected a push to make emergency contraception more widely available, had feared Obama might widen the exemption.

Susan Wood, a health professor at George Washington University’s Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health who backs birth control, said religious groups should have no more control over what employees do with their insurance than with their salaries.- Reuters

World’s tiny primate ‘talks’ in ultrasound

HEIST: People look at a stranded sperm whale in Heist, Belgium, yesterday. The 13 meter (43 foot) sperm whale beached itself in the early hours of the morning. — AP

PARIS: One of the world’s smallest primates, the Philippine tarsier, communicates in a range of ultrasound inaudible to predator and prey alike, according to a study published yesterday.

No bigger than a man’s hand, Tarsius syrichta can hear and emit sounds at a frequency that effectively gives it a private channel for issuing warnings or ferreting out crickets for a nighttime snack, the study found.

Only a handful of mammals are known to be able to send and receive vocal signals in the ultrasound range, above 20 kilohertz (kHz), including some whales, domestic cats and a few of the many species of bats.

And few of these can squeal, screech or squawk at the same sonic altitudes as the saucer-eyed tarsier, which up to now had been mistakenly described as being “ordinarily silent,” researchers found.

Its finely-tuned ears are capable of picking up frequencies above 90 kHz, and it can vocalise in a

range around 70 kHz. By comparison, humans generally can’t hear anything above 20 kHz, and a dog whistle is pitched to between 22 and 23 kHz. A team of scientists from the United States and the Philippines led by Marissa Ramsier of Humboldt State University in California gathered their inaudible results in two ways. First they captured six of the docile nocturnal creatures and placed them inside custom-build sound chambers to test their sensitivity to high-pitched sounds.

After the experiments, the rare and endangered animals were returned unharmed to their natural habitat, on the Philippine island of Mindanao. To measure the frequency of the tarsier’s ultrasound chatter, the researchers recorded another 35 specimens in the wild.

“The minimum frequency of the call — 67 kHzis the highest value of any terrestrial mammal, excluding bats and some rodents,” said the study, published in the British Royal Society’s Biology Letters.

What advantages do the tarsier’s high-end vocal acrobatics confer? There are several, the researchers suggest. One is being able to sound a silent alarm. “Ultrasonic calls can be advantageous to both the signaller and receiver as they are potentially difficult for predators to detect and localise,” the researchers explain.

The tarsier’s exceptional hearing may also facilitate acoustic eavesdropping on noises emitted by prey, which range from crickets and cockroachestheir staple diet-to the occasional moth, katydid or hatchling bird.

Finally, the study speculates, being able to communicate in ultrasonic ranges filters out all the lowfrequency “noise” and hubbub of a tropical environment. Tarsier’s have five-digit hands that eerily resemble-in emaciated form their human counterparts. Lacking the typical “night vision” of other nocturnal creatures, they also have-in relation to their body size-the largest eyes of any primate on Earth. — AFP

H E A LT H

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

Brazil to lead world in biotech crops: Association SAO PAULO: Brazil is on course to dislodge the United States as the world’s top producer of biotech crops in the coming years, a leading promoter of farm biotechnology said yesterday.

The US currently holds the lead with 69 million hectares (170 million acres) under biocrop cultivation in 2011, ahead of Brazil with 30.3 million, Argentina with 23.7 million and India with 10.6 million, the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) said. But USAAA, a government-funded international body promoting the use of farm biotechnology, particularly in developing countries, said Brazil was last year the engine of global biocrop growth, with 4.9 more million hectares, up 20 percent from 2010.

Speaking in a teleconference from the Philippines, ISAAA President Clive James said that while the United States was currently well ahead, “Brazil is closing the gap very quickly” and bringing in new biocrops like sugar cane.

Brazil has eight million hectares of sugar, the

largest hectareage in the world, and is expected to increase it by 50 percent in the next five years for both ethanol and sugar production, he noted.

“I believe that in the long term, Brazil, will become the number one country in the world in terms of total soybean acreage,” James said.

“It will take some time, but I think the political will (in Brazil) is there and the target is to increase productivity through biotechnology for the domestic market and also for large export markets, particularly China.” Biotech crops are genetically modified to improve resistance to pests, diseases, drought and cold. They can also be used to enhance the nutritional content of foods.

Proponents of biotech farming say it can help address the challenges of feeding a growing world population by increasing crop yields in a sustainable way. With the global population expected to reach nine billion by 2050, the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization estimates

world food output will have to double on existing farmland if it is to keep pace with population growth.

But there are concerns about its potential environmental and health hazards, and critics see transgenic plants as a threat to the world’s biodiversity. The latest ISAAA statistics suggest that biotech crops are becoming increasingly accepted in emerging and developing countries as well.

ISAAA highlighted a 94-fold increase in biotech crop cultivation around the world from 1.7 million hectares in 1996 to 160 million hectares last year. Of 29 countries planting transgenic crops last year, 19 were emerging or developing nations and 10 were in the industrialized world, the group said.

A record 16.7 million farmers, up eight percent from 2010, grew biotech crops, including 15 million who were resource-poor farmers in developing countries. The five top biotech crop producers in the emerging world were India and

China in Asia, Brazil and Argentina in Latin America and South Africa on the African continent. Together they represent 40 percent of the global population.

In Africa, South Africa, Burkina Faso and Egypt together planted a record 2.5 million hectares, while Kenya, Nigeri and Uganda conducted field trials.

Elsewhere in Latin America, ISAAA noted that Mexico grew 161,500 hectares of biotech cotton, up a record 178 percent from 2010 while Cuba is growing 5,000 hectares of biotech maize.

James dismissed concerns over biotech farming saying the impact of GMOs on the world’s biodioversity has been “positive.” “If you can increase productivity on the 1.5 billion hectares of (arable) land we have today, then this can be viewed as a land-saving technology,” he noted.

“It will allow you to decrease the possibility of selling the forest in the Amazon, it will allow you to protect the sanctuaries of biodiversity in countries like Mexico.” — AFP

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

W H AT ’ S O N

Service Hero unveils Kuwait’s 2011 customer service leaders

Greetings

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appy second birthday to my Princess Lujayn. You are the joy of my life, cuddling you in my arms brings me warmth and sense of appreciation of life that I have never known. Your parents are the luckiest parents in the whole world. God bless you darling. From a well wisher.

Upcoming events Kuwait Improv Fun lovers of Kuwait unite. A get together by people who love to surprise, be surprised and just be about at anything are welcome to Kuwait Improv, a gathering, reminiscent of the famous American TV program Whose Line is it Anyway, informally organized by American School of Kuwait teacher Brad Manker. No histrionic talent required, but a willingness to share. Please contact:mankerb@ask.edu Tulu speaking classes Here’s a great opportunity for parents who always wished their children could learn Tulu. Tulu Koota Kuwait, in its objective towards promoting Tulu language and culture, is pleased to announce the opening of Tutu Speaking Classes “Tulu Siri” starting from the 10th February at Indian Public School Salmiya @ 11:30 am. For more details kindly contact Ramesh Kidiyoor97204716/99596457,Shalini Vijay - 66502369,Tharendra P. Shettigar - 66757979,Jayalaxmi Karkal - 66958848, Sathyanarayana Salian - 66585077,Vanitha Dias94996459. And our Website: www.tulukootakuwait.org Email: info@tulukootakuwait.org Palpak 4th AGM Palakkad Pravasi Association of Kuwait (Palpak) is conducting its Fourth Annual General Body Meeting on February 24, Friday at Hiphop Auditorium, Fahaheel from 10 am. The main agenda include as following, annual report on the activities during the year of 2011, the audited accounts report for the year of 2011. All members of Palpak are kindly requested to treat this as an official Invitation and attend the said Annual Genera1 body meeting on time. For more details please contact President P.N.Kumar (99771830) and General Secretary Aravindha Shan (66535989).

Spiritual experience For a rewarding, spiritual and informative experience. This is a 1 1/2 tour of one of Kuwait’s most famous landmarks ladies are required to cover (long sleeves and long ankle length skirt, otherwise the mosque will provide a cloak; If you have your own scarf you’re welcome to bring it).

Cameras are allowed and children are welcome. This tour meets directly at the Grand Mosque at 9:15am on February 11. Directions to the Grand Mosque: Take Gulf Street towards the Kuwait Towers. Pass Souq Sharq with it on your right. Pass the Dickson House and Ministry of Planning with them on your left. By Seif Palace there is a large roundabout. Take the 2nd exit off the roundabout.

The Grand Mosque is now on your left. At traffic lights turn left. Grand Mosque is on your left.

he companies that best satisfy customers in Kuwait were unveiled and honored yesterday in a red carpet awards ceremony by Service Hero, the creator of Kuwait’s only customer satisfaction index.

Ten companies out of 15 different industry categories were able to maintain their lead after receiving the highest customer satisfaction scores. Among the country-wide winners were local restaurant Mais Alghanim, international fastfood chain McDonald’s, and American clothes and accessories retailer brand American Eagle, securing first, second, and third places respectively. These companies received the highest scores on the Service Hero Customer Satisfaction Index for 2011(SHCSI) ahead of 346 companies in 17 different private industry categories.

The awards were based on a threemonth voting drive that collected over 13,000 direct customer votes through an online-based survey that was then validated and reviewed to ensure empirical and authentic findings.

Customers rated the companies based on a 10-point scoring system that measures customer expectations versus actual customer satisfaction across eight service dimensions. The eight dimensions were: reliability, speed, product quality, value

for money, location of offering, staff quality, call center and website.

The winners from each category industry 1. Cafes: Caribou Cafe 2. Fast food: McDonald’s

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Casual dining: Mais Alghanim Fine dining: Sakura Japanese Restaurant Retail clothes: American Eagle Home furniture: IKEA Regional Arab airlines: Qatar Airways Retail banks: National Bank of Kuwait

Sadu weaving workshop This workshop is of four weeks duration, and it will be held twice a week. The morning group sessions are on Monday and Wednesday from 9am to 12pm. The evening group are on Sunday and Tuesday from 4:30pm to 7:30pm. A total of 8 sessions of three hours each.

This workshop will be held from January 22nd to February 18th.

For more Information kindly contact Sadu House at: info@alsadu.org.kw SaduWeaving@gmail.com 2243-2395 or 9959-7983

15. Car service center: Honda 16. Supermarkets: Carrefour Country wide winners: 1st place: Mais Alghanim 2nd place: McDonald’s 3rd place: American Eagle Service Hero President, Ms Faten Abu-

Ghazaleh, said: “Service Hero is honored to award the 2011 winners who have received the highest customer satisfaction scores in their industry categories, many of which have been able to remain the leaders in service in Kuwait. We would also like to thank customers for speaking up and utilizing this platform.

By having the Service Hero CSI, we feel that overtime, service standards in Kuwait will continue to improve. This is because this customer-powered assessment platform is available which produces benchmarks for companies to compare themselves with their peers on an annual basis.”

Country leaders in customer service: Mais Alghanim (1st place in Kuwait, across all categories) McDonald’s (2nd place in Kuwait, across all categories) American Eagle (3rd place in Kuwait, across all categories) Two-thirds of companies lead in customer service for second year in-a-row: NBK (Best in retail banking) Boubyan Bank (Best in Islamic Banking) McDonald’s (Best in fast food) IKEA (Best in home furnishings) Mercedes-Benz (Best in car sales) KEMS (Best in internet services).

Highest level of safety and security training at Kuwait Marriott Hotels

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s part of Marriott’s worldwide effort and regional initiative, Kuwait Marriott Hotels’ Loss Prevention team and managers recently underwent a series of vigorous high level training sessions guided by Mark Walker - Senior Manager for Training, Global Safety and Security at Marriott International. The ‘Loss Prevention Team’ is dedicated to maintaining a high standard of security and safety for all the hotel guests and visitors throughout their stay.

Marriott deploys the highest measures of safety and security to ensure the wellbeing of its guests and visitors at all locations at all times. Over 100 Loss Prevention Officers and managers attended the crisis training at the JW Marriott Kuwait City Hotel, the Courtyard by Marriott Kuwait hotel and the prestigious Arraya Ballroom on armed attackers, how to identity and detect an explosive, ways to control a dan-

gerous situation among other important skills. Essa Ghadban, Cluster Director of Loss Prevention was instrumental in facilitating this intensive training with Walker.

George Aoun, Kuwait Marriott Hotels’ General Manager said, “Our internationally recognized training sessions help safeguard the interests of our guests by thoroughly grooming our teams to pay attention to the smallest discrepancies and how to tackle potentially hostile, volatile situations .Protecting our guests from unwanted threats is a top priority and we attach great importance in training our associates in constant vigilance through regular world-class training facilities and instructors.”

The extensive knowledge gained from this valuable training will be passed on to all the associates on a daily basis to ensure a high level of constant alertness within every department.

Love is in the air at Safir Hotel & Residences

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his February, don’t find love, let love find you at Safir Hotel & Residences Kuwait’s spectacular venues! Nothing is more passionate than a breathtaking atmosphere, live music and a lovely ambiance to spend the special night that’s sure to wow!

Capture the true essence of this romantic season with choices that will truly make it a night to remember!

Cherish this special occasion with a variety of international dishes that will assure you ultimate satisfaction for a romantic dinner at Flavors Restaurant.

If you want your night to be comfortably laid-back, then cozy up for a casual dining with Chit Chat CafÈ Restaurant’s tantalizing menu that will

Adopt a Pet PAWS would like to introduce 2 of our dogs. PAWS dogs are all rescued dogs and we want them to become forever dogs in our lives!

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. 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.

Islamic banks: Boubyan Bank Hospitals: Royale Hayat Electronics: Eureka ISPs: KEMS Mobile operators: Zain Telecom Car sales: Mercedes-Benz

Service Hero President Faten Abu-Ghazaleh

French concert Don’t miss the 1st concert of 2012 organized by the French Institute in Kuwait featuring talented musicians Smadj (Oud - Electro), Orhan Osman (Bouzouki) & Eric Gaulthier (Clarinet)! Sure to be a fantastic crowd pleaser!

Ne manquez pas le 1er concert de l’annee 2012 organise par l’Institut franÁais du Koweit. avec Smadj (Oud - electro), Orhan Osman (Bouzouki) et Eric Gaulthier (Clarinette)! On Monday, February 13 at the Kuwait Boy Scout Theater from 7:30pm - 9pm.

Golden Era Club On February 10, the Golden Era Club will hold a workshop on “Positive Thinking & The Law of Attraction” to be conducted by ardent and successful practitioner, Wilson Crawford D’Souza (of Lemonade International Fame). The workshop will be followed by a unique ‘Human Bingo’ session. As always, all seniors (60+ years) are invited to join in the fun, frolic and friendship! From 5 pm - 7pm at Rumaithya, Block 2, Sate Al-Husari Street, House #34, Next to Abu-Tammam Intermediate School for Boys Registration/more info: goldenera60@yahoo.com or 9717-2788/6620-8183.

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The 7th annual PAWS dog show

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egistration is now open for entry into the 2012 ‘PAWS for the Cause’ Kuwait Dog Show.

The show will take place in the beautiful gardens of the British Embassy on Friday March 9th from 11 - 4pm.

Join us for a variety of lighthearted dog shows, Best junior Handler, Most Mysterious Heritage and the Pet Pageant, (to name but a few). Shop for pet products, visit a variety of stalls, strut your mutt for others to admire or enjoy a tasty lunch in the gardens.

PAWS’ Dog Show is always a fun filled event for all the family, whether or not you own a pet’ If you wish to enter your dog into the show, or attend without pets, download the registration form from the PAWS’ website www.paws-kuwait.org This is strictly a pre registered event and no ‘walk-ins’ by un registered guests can be permitted.

Full names of all attendees must be submitted in advance via the show registration form (on website). All participating dogs must be pre registered and adult Civil ID (or passport) must be shown on entrance.

Completed registration forms can be left at drop off points on certain days, details of these will be found on our website. Please ensure you bring your form with correct admission fee to one of these venues. Registration closes March 3rd. It is not necessary to own or bring a dog in order to enjoy a fun-filled family day out. Entry is strictly by pre-registration of pets and people. Please read show rules and regulations on the Registration Form carefully.

No mobile phones or cameras will be al lowed into the embassy

satisfy your taste buds in a fashionably modest atmosphere. However, for an extraordinary moment, all you have to do is explore the serenity of an unforgettable candlelight lit night with a panoramic view overlooking the Arabian Gulf at the Sky Lounge, with its tempting menu.

Love birds will get the chance to explore a different plateau this Valentine’s Day, as they will treat themselves & get treated as well! As once said, ‘to love is to receive a glimpse of heaven’, and there is no better way than getting that piece of heaven here!

Love is in the air, everywhere you look around, only at Safir Hotel & Residences Kuwait.

Folksong competition Kerala Association presents folksong competition, February 10 at 5 pm, at United Indian School, Abbassiya. The program named ‘Kathirmanikal’ will have several teams competing with folksongs that are unique to the culture and history of the Kerala community.

Aware center “The AWARE Center cordially invites all those interested to its diwaniya presentation entitled, “Cross-Cultural Marriages,” by Iman Martin on February 14 at 7 pm. In this modern world cross cultural marriages are becoming more and more common. However, as with any marriage it’s not all plain sailing. What are the pros and cons of such marriages? How do societies view them? What are the common issues faced? What does Kuwaiti society feel about such marriages and what’s the Islamic viewpoint? Are there any benefits for the children from these families? Discussion and Q&A will follow the presentation. Join us on Feb 14.

AWARE Desert Camp Every year the desert beckons us to go and enjoy it quietness and serenity. Join AWARE for an all-day outdoor experience including: Camel rides, ATV rides, Sports, Hot buffet lunch, Arabian cultural displays. Families and children welcome on Friday 17th Febuary.

Departure from Aware 9.45 am, return departure 4.30 pm.

Registration deadline is Feb. 15. For more info call Aware 25335260/80 or www.aware.com.kw or email : info@aware.com.kw KALA, Kuwait-Medical Camp The preparations are in progress for the KALA Free Medical Camp in association with† Indian Doctors Forum, sheduled to be conducted on 17 February 2012 at Khaitan Cermel School, Kuwait. The camp is all set to start at 8.30 am and to comclude by 3 pm. KALA, Kuwait under the guidence of Indian Doctors Forum and under the auspices of Kuwait Medical Associtaion (KMA) is conducting this event for the benefit of people especially from labor camps. The consultation with the medical experts of IDF will be free and strictly through registration. Registration forms can be availed from any of the KALA, Kuwait units or from the website www.kalaonweb.com Filled application from should be handed over to the nearest KALA units or faxed/ emailed on or before February 10. For informations contact: 24317875 (KALA Office), 97124562 & 65806495 (Abbassya), 66180229 &

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W H AT ’ S O N

Embassy

KKMA NRI conference begins today

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he two-day conference, organized by Kuwait Kerala Muslim Association (KKMA) and the Foundation for Enhancing Expatriates Life (FEEL) will begin today with an Experts Dialogue session participated by financial experts, business executives and social leaders to review the role of government, financial institutes and social welfare organizations in fostering financial inclusion of lower income NRIs. Tomorrow, Friday, the Ambassador of India Satish C. Mehta will inaugurate the first ever NRI Conference discussing savings issues of lower

income groups of Non Resident Indians. Featuring expert speakers from government, finance and social sectors and 500+ delegates, this is a unique opportunity for social leaders to gain invaluable insights into the financial concerns of ordinary NRIs and explore possibilities to assist them in securing their future.

M.M. Hasan, former minister for NRI Affairs in Kerala State, Padmashree holders of government of India Dr Azad Moopen and CK Menon, NORKA Roots CEO Noyal Thomas, UAE Exchange Company’s chief operating officer

Sudhir Shetty, Pramod Mangatta, Global Operations Vice President along with prominent business and community leaders from Kuwait will attend in this conference.

The experts and prominent personalities from multi fields, such Sunny Mathew, John Mathew Arab Entertech Deputy Chairman, R Kuppanna Kuwait Indian Exchange General Manager, K.N. Das Lulu Exchange General Manager, Pancily Varkey Country Head UAE Exchange, K.P. Paulson, Strategic Head Al-Ahli Bank Kuwait, Sala Ahmed Al Salah

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

from Kuwait International Bank, E.D. Titus Bahain Exchange Company, Rajesh Gairola Al Mulla Exchange Company, Rexy Willams Asset Avenues will present relevant papers at the conference.

The Beyond Remittance Conference shall also witness dedication of the Foundation for Enhancing Expatriate Life (FEEL) and also honoring prominent personalities with NRI jewels award for their significant contribution for the welfare of NRIs in the Gulf countries.

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

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakel St., Block 4 in Da’aiyah.

Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. 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. nnnnnnn

Malarvadi Balasangam celebrates Republic Day

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alarvadi Balasangam celebrated the Republic Day of India with colorful activities on January 26. The program drew applause for the variety of the programs and the participation of the children.

Jamaat-e-Islami Kerala executive member K Abdulla Hassan delivered the

republic day message. You need to fly high, reach high and decorate high posts, such should be the dream of each and every child and you need to work hard to achieve it, he said. Children from Abbasiya, Salmiya, Farwaniya and Fahaheel zones presented National Anthem, patriotic songs and republic

day speeches.

Magician Thomas thrilled the children with his magic. Islamic Womens Association President Warda Anwar presided over the function held in Pravasi Auditorium, Abbasiya. The program started with recitation of verses from the Holy Quran by Sinan.

Islamic Womens Association General Secretary Mahbooba Anees welcomed the gathering. Balasangam convenor Aysha Faisal proposed the vote of thanks.

EMBASSY OF KOREA The Embassy of the Republic of Korea wishes to inform that it has moved to Mishref.

New Address: Embassy of the Republic of Korea Mishref, Block 7A, Diplomatic Area 2, Plot 6 The Embassy also wishes to inform that it will be opened to the public on the following office hours: Saturdays to Thursday Morning: 8:00 am to 12:30 pm Lunch Break: 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm Afternoon: 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF INDIA The Embassy of India will remain closed on the following dates during the month of February 2012.

National Day of Kuwait - Feb 25, - Saturday.

Liberation Day of Kuwait - Feb 26, - Sunday. 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, AlSalaam 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

Seminar conducted by ‘Sharon’

‘S

haron Fellowship City Church’, conducted a Seminar on ‘What is Spirituality?’ on 6th Feb, 2012.

The seminar was led by renowned theologian Rev Dr. M. Stephen on the inaugural ceremony of 2012-2013 year

church programs. The meeting was chaired by church minister-in-charge Rev. Joy Thomas and vote of thanks was delivered by Br. Blesson Daniel. Pastors and believers from different churches participated in the spiritual discussion.

K’s Path to hold shelter open day

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S PATH (Kuwait Society for the Protection of Animals and Their Habitat) - a local non-profit organization committed to animal welfare and habitat protection - will hold its first Shelter Open Day of the year on Saturday, 18th February at the K’S PATH Shelter in Wafra from 10 am to 2 pm (map: www.kspath.org/map). The Open Day will feature a series of activities including shelter tours, craft for children, and an educational session for children on how waste harms wildlife.

“Our Shelter Open Days are much awaited events for members of K’S PATH’s wide community in Kuwait to come together to demonstrate their support for animals and the work we do,” says K’S PATH Chairman Ayeshah Al Humaidhi. “We work very hard to rehome dogs and cats including socialization rounds and behaviour evaluations to

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enable us to find the right companion animal-human fit. We were successful in finding caring homes for many animals throughout 2011. Open Days serve as a chance for our animals who are up for adoption to meet prospective families and socialise in a group setting which is very important to their ability to settle well in new homes.”

Families can interact with K’S PATH animals by taking their friendly dogs on a much-loved walk, grooming cats, feeding donkeys and learning more about K’S PATH’s activities from staff and volunteers.

This is a great opportunity for those interested in bringing home a companion dog or cat to meet K’S PATH’s adorable dogs and cats for adoption. Entry to the event is open to all for no entry fee whatsoever. Visitors are requested to please leave their pets at home.

Where will you celebrate this Valentine’s day?

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amper your loved ones... this St. Valentine’s Day at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Kuwait with a wonderful Retreat at any of our fabulous restaurants: RANGOLI All-day dining restaurant Special Valentine’s buffet dinner while listening to romantic love songs from the duo of Irina & Witold Wnuk - Director, Kuwait Chamber Philharmonia.

AL BOOM Steak & Seafood restaurant (a la carte menu) Where romance is always in the air...

From 6 pm to 11 pm. Specially catered for you to turn this

EMBASSY OF PHILIPPINES 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.

Valentine’s day into a memorable day!!!

The Radisson Blu Hotel, Kuwait is conveniently located on the beachfront of the Arabian Gulf in Salwa.

Come and Celebrate St Valentine’s Day at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Kuwait.

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 nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF UKRAINE We’d like to inform you that in response to the increasing number of our citizens who work in the state and the need for 24-hour operational telephone in case of emergency the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait has opened “hotline telephone number” (+ 965) 972-79-206. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF VENEZUELA Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , request Venezuelan 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 Venezuelan citizens in cases of emergencies. Registration Information 25324367 or by email: embavenez@gmail.com. From Sunday to Thursday from 8.30am till 2 pm.

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Eid-E-Miladunnabi observed by CSK

C

hittagong Samity Kuwait observed Eid-E-Miladunnabi with religious fervour and due solemnity commemorating the birth and demise of great Prophet Hazrath Mohammad (PBUH) on February 4.

On this day (the l2th of Rabi-ul-Awal

of the Hijri calendar) in 570 AD Mohammad (PBUH) born in Makkah of Saudi Arabia with divine blessing and messages of peace for humanity passed away on the same day in 632 AD. Maulana Abu Bakar Siddiqi wished peace and welfare for all including the

Muslim umma in his speech. He also said proper practice of prophet’s universal teachings can bring peace and progress in this conflict-ridden world.

The program was conducted by Haroon Ali Rashid and chaired by Shamsul Hoque while K.M. Ali Raza the

Labour Secretary of the Bangladesh Embassy was the chief guest. Sadek Husain (KAL President), Nazrul Islam (Biman Airlines), Safayet Hussain (Sonali Bank representative) Ashrak Ali Ferdous were special guests.

Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

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00:50 Animal Cops Houston 01:45 Untamed & Uncut 02:40 Buggin’ With Ruud 03:35 Wild France 04:30 Wildest Africa 05:25 Saba And The Rhino’s Secret 06:20 Escape To Chimp Eden 06:45 Dolphin Days 07:10 K9 Cops 08:00 Gorilla School 08:25 Animal Planet’s Most Outrageous 09:15 The Really Wild Show 09:40 Breed All About It 10:10 Dogs 101 11:05 Saba And The Rhino’s Secret 12:00 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip 12:55 SSPCA: On The Wildside 13:20 Wildlife SOS 13:50 Clinically Wild: Alaska 14:45 Animal Cops Philadelphia 15:40 Saba And The Rhino’s Secret 16:30 Echo And The Elephants Of Amboseli 17:00 The Really Wild Show 17:30 Panda Adventures With Nigel Marven 18:25 Dogs 101: Specials 19:20 Cats Of Claw Hill 20:15 Gorilla School 20:40 Wildlife SOS 21:10 Escape To Chimp Eden 21:35 Dolphin Days 22:05 Almost Human With Jane Goodall 23:00 Baboons With Bill Bailey 23:55 Snake Crusader With Bruce George

00:20 01:20 01:50 02:15 03:10 04:10 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 08:35 09:20 09:50 10:20 11:10 12:00 13:00 13:45 14:15 14:45 15:35 16:25 17:10 17:40 18:30 19:00 20:00 Story 20:50 21:50 22:40 23:05 23:50

00:10 00:55 01:45 02:40 03:35 04:00 04:30 05:20 06:05

Great Expectations Eastenders Doctors Lark Rise to Candleford Oliver Twist Balamory The Large Family Bobinogs Buzz & Tell Tweenies Little Prairie Dogs Nina And The Neurons Balamory Charlie and Lola The Large Family Bobinogs Buzz & Tell Tweenies Little Prairie Dogs Nina And The Neurons Oliver Twist The Weakest Link Eastenders Doctors Casualty Lark Rise to Candleford Oliver Twist The Weakest Link Eastenders Doctors Casualty Lark Rise to Candleford The Weakest Link Eastenders Doctors Chimp Family Fortunes Great Expectations Princess Margaret: A Love Oliver Twist Survivors Katy Brand’s Big Ass Show The Weakest Link Chimp Family Fortunes

Bargain Hunt Antiques Roadshow What To Eat Now - Autumn Indian Food Made Easy James Martin’s Brittany What To Eat Now - Autumn 10 Years Younger Fantasy Homes By The Sea James Martin’s Brittany

06:30 06:55 07:20 08:05 08:55 09:40 10:25 11:10 12:00 12:50 13:40 15:25 15:50 16:35 17:25 18:15 19:05 20:25 20:50 21:45 23:35

James Martin’s Brittany James Martin’s Champagne Bargain Hunt 10 Years Younger Bargain Hunt Masterchef Australia Bargain Hunt Antiques Roadshow Come Dine With Me 10 Years Younger Masterchef Masterchef Fantasy Homes By The Sea Holmes On Homes Antiques Roadshow Cash In The Attic USA Indian Food Made Easy Indian Food Made Easy 10 Years Younger Masterchef Masterchef

00:00 00:20 00:45 01:10 01:35 02:00 02:25 02:50 03:15 03:40 04:00 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:40 06:00 06:25 06:50 07:00 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:00 09:25 09:50 10:15 10:40 11:05 11:25 11:50 12:15 12:40 13:00 13:15 13:40 13:55 14:45 15:10 Doo 15:35 16:00 16:50 17:15 17:40 18:05 18:20 19:10 19:35 Doo 20:00 20:15 20:40 21:05 21:30 21:55 22:20 22:45 23:10 23:35

Wacky Races Dastardly And Muttley New Yogi Bear Show Duck Dodgers The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Tom & Jerry Kids A Pup Named Scooby-Doo The Jetsons Puppy In My Pocket Popeye Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Droopy: Master Detective Wacky Races The Flintstones A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Popeye Classics The Garfield Show Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Jelly Jamm Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals Puppy In My Pocket The Scooby Doo Show Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Flintstones Duck Dodgers Tom & Jerry Kids Pink Panther And Pals Wacky Races Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Bananas In Pyjamas The Garfield Show A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Scooby-Doo And ScrappyLooney Tunes Puppy In My Pocket Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals Tom & Jerry Tom & Jerry The Garfield Show The Scooby Doo Show Scooby-Doo And ScrappyJelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Pink Panther And Pals Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Droopy: Master Detective The Flintstones

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 And Mandy

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

Years

05:55 I Am Weasel 06:55 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 07:20 Powerpuff Girls 07:45 Angelo Rules 08:00 Casper’s Scare School 08:30 The Amazing World Of Gumball 08:45 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 09:15 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 09:40 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 10:05 Angelo Rules 10:30 Chowder 10:55 Adventure Time 11:20 Eliot Kid 11:35 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 12:00 Ben 10 12:25 Sym-Bionic Titan 12:50 Courage The Cowardly Dog 13:15 I Am Weasel 13:40 Best Ed 14:05 Cow & Chicken 14:30 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 14:50 Eliot Kid 15:15 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 15:40 Ben 10: Alien Force 16:05 Courage The Cowardly Dog 16:30 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 16:55 Gumball 17:20 Adventure Time 17:35 Regular Show 18:00 Cow & Chicken 18:25 Bakugan: Gundalian Invaders 18:50 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 19:15 Angelo Rules 19:30 Total Drama World Tour 19:55 Hero 108 20:25 Sym-Bionic Titan 20:50 Adventure Time 21:25 The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 21:50 Courage 22:25 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 22:50 Cow And Chicken 23:00 Ben 10 23:25 Ben 10 23:50 Courage The Cowardly Dog

00:15 00:40 01:35 02:30 03:25 04:20 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 07:50 08:45 09:40 10:05 10:30 10:55 11:25 15:05 16:00 16:55 17:50 18:45 19:10 19:40 20:05 20:35 21:00 21:30 22:25 23:20

Destroyed In Seconds Moments Of Terror Dirty Jobs Overhaulin’ Ultimate Survival Mythbusters How Does It Work?

How It’s Made Dirty Jobs Mythbusters Gold Rush - Season 2 Specials Swamp Loggers How Does It Work?

Cake Boss Border Security Auction Kings America’s Port America’s Port Overhaulin’ Ultimate Survival Mythbusters Cash Cab Us Border Security Auction Hunters How It’s Made How Does It Work?

Cake Boss Surviving The Cut Miami SWAT Ross Kemp On Gangs

00:40 01:35 02:25 02:50 03:15 03:40 04:35 05:00 05:25 06:20 07:10 08:00 08:25 08:50

Cosmic Collisions I, Videogame The Tech Show Sci-Fi Science Sci-Fi Science Science of Star Wars How Does That Work?

How Stuff’s Made The Kustomizer Prototype This Cosmic Collisions The Gadget Show The Gadget Show How Does That Work?

X-MEN ON OSN ACTION HD

09:15 How Stuff’s Made 09:40 Sci-Fi Science 10:05 Sci-Fi Science 10:35 Science of Star Wars 11:00 Sci-Fi Science 11:25 The Kustomizer 12:20 Prototype This 13:15 Cosmic Collisions 14:05 Weird or What?

14:55 How Does That Work?

15:20 How Stuff’s Made 15:50 The Gadget Show 16:15 The Gadget Show 16:40 The Tech Show 17:05 Prototype This 18:00 Cosmic Collisions 18:50 The Kustomizer 19:40 Wallace & Gromit’s World of Invention 20:05 Wallace & Gromit’s World of Invention 20:30 Science of the Movies 21:20 Prototype This 22:10 The Gadget Show 22:35 The Gadget Show 23:00 Wallace & Gromit’s World of Invention 23:25 Wallace & Gromit’s World of Invention 23:50 Science of the Movies

00:00 KIM POSSIBLE 00:25 FAIRLY ODD PARENTS 00:50 FAIRLY ODD PARENTS 01:15 STITCH 01:35 STITCH 02:00 REPLACEMENTS 02:25 REPLACEMENTS 02:50 EMPEROR’S NEW SCHOOL 03:15 EMPEROR’S NEW SCHOOL 03:35 STITCH 04:00 STITCH 04:25 REPLACEMENTS 04:50 REPLACEMENTS 05:15 FAIRLY ODD PARENTS 05:35 FAIRLY ODD PARENTS 06:00 HANNAH MONTANA 06:20 RECESS 06:45 TIMON AND PUMBAA 07:05 PHINEAS AND FERB 07:30 Good Luck Charlie 07:55 FISH HOOKS 08:10 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 08:35 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 09:00 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 09:15 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 09:25 HANDY MANNY 09:40 THE HIVE 09:47 MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH 09:50 RECESS 10:15 SO RANDOM 10:40 HAVE A LAUGH 10:45 HANNAH MONTANA 11:10 SUITE LIFE ON DECK 11:35 JAKE & BLAKE 12:00 SONNY WITH A CHANCE 12:25 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 12:45 PHINEAS AND FERB 13:10 SO RANDOM 13:30 SUITE LIFE ON DECK 13:55 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 14:20 HAVE A LAUGH 14:30 PHINEAS AND FERB 14:55 Good Luck Charlie 15:20 MY BABYSITTER’S A VAMPIRE 15:45 FISH HOOKS 16:10 HANNAH MONTANA 16:40 HANNAH MONTANA 17:05 HANNAH MONTANA FOREVER 17:30 SHARPAY’S FABULOUS ADVENTURE 18:55 PHINEAS AND FERB 19:10 Good Luck Charlie 19:30 HAVE A LAUGH 19:35 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 20:00 HANNAH MONTANA 20:25 PHINEAS AND FERB 20:50 SHAKE IT UP 21:15 FISH HOOKS 21:35 RECESS 22:00 SHAKE IT UP 22:25 SHAKE IT UP 22:50 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 23:15 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 23:35 SONNY WITH A CHANCE

00:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 00:25 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 00:40 Special Agent Oso 00:55 Little Einsteins 01:20 Timmy Time 01:30 Jungle Junction 01:45 Handy Manny 01:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 02:20 Special Agent Oso 02:35 Special Agent Oso 02:50 Jungle Junction 03:05 Jungle Junction 03:15 Little Einsteins 03:40 Higglytown Heroes 03:55 Higglytown Heroes 04:10 Jo Jo’s Circus 04:30 Special Agent Oso 04:45 Special Agent Oso 05:00 Jungle Junction 05:15 Jungle Junction 05:25 Little Einsteins 05:50 Higglytown Heroes 06:05 Higglytown Heroes 06:20 Jo Jo’s Circus 06:40 Special Agent Oso 06:55 Special Agent Oso 07:10 Jungle Junction 07:25 Jungle Junction 07:35 Little Einsteins 08:00 Higglytown Heroes 08:15 Higglytown Heroes 08:30 Jo Jo’s Circus 08:50 Jungle Junction 09:00 Jungle Junction 09:15 Higglytown Heroes 09:30 Higglytown Heroes 09:45 Handy Manny 10:00 Special Agent Oso 10:15 Jungle Junction 10:30 Jungle Junction 10:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 11:10 The Hive 11:20 Handy Manny 11:35 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 11:50 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 12:05 The Hive 12:15 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 12:20 Lazytown 12:45 The Hive 12:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 13:20 Imagination Movers 13:45 Art Attack (Cema) 14:10 Imagination Movers 14:35 Special Agent Oso 14:45 Lazytown 15:10 Handy Manny

15:25 Jungle Junction 15:40 Imagination Movers 16:05 The Hive 16:15 Special Agent Oso 16:25 Little Einsteins 16:50 Lazytown 17:15 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 17:40 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 17:55 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 18:05 Handy Manny 18:20 Handy Manny 18:30 The Hive 18:40 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 18:55 Imagination Movers 19:20 Lazytown 19:45 Art Attack (Cema) 20:10 Lazytown 20:30 Jungle Junction 20:45 Handy Manny 20:55 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 21:10 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 21:25 The Hive 21:35 Little Einsteins 22:00 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 22:05 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 22:25 101 Dalmatians 22:50 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 23:05 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 23:20 The Hive 23:30 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 23:35 A Poem Is...

23:40 Animated Stories 23:45 Jungle Junction

00:25 Kendra 00:55 Style Star 01:25 E!es 02:20 E!es 02:45 E!es 03:15 25 Most Stylish 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Extreme Hollywood 06:00 20 Acts Of Love Gone Wrong 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Kendra 09:45 Kendra 10:15 40 (More) Crimes Of Fashion 12:05 E! News 13:05 Fashion Police 14:05 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 14:35 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 15:00 Style Star 15:30 E!es 16:25 Behind The Scenes 16:55 Ice Loves Coco 17:25 Ice Loves Coco 17:55 E! News 18:55 THS 19:55 Scouted 20:55 Chelsea Lately 21:25 Scouted 22:25 E! News 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians

00:40 01:30 02:15 03:05 03:50 04:40 05:25 06:15 07:10 08:00 08:50 09:40 10:25 11:10 11:35 11:55 12:40 13:25 14:15 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:35 17:20 18:10 19:00 19:45 20:10 20:55 21:20 Jones 22:10 23:00 23:50

Dr G: Medical Examiner Ghost Lab A Haunting I Almost Got Away With It Cuff Me If You Can Dr G: Medical Examiner Ghost Lab A Haunting Mystery Diagnosis FBI Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared FBI Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite

00:00 01:00 01:55 02:50 03:45 04:40 05:35 06:30 07:25 08:20 09:15 10:10 11:05 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Predator CSI Built For The Kill Super Pride How Big Can It Get The Pack Caught In The Act Nordic Wild Fish Warrior Bear Nomad Fish Warrior Super Pride How Big Can It Get The Pack Africa’s Deadliest Squid vs. Whale Expedition Wild Monster Fish The Real Serengeti Shark Island Leopard Queen Squid vs. Whale Expedition Wild Monster Fish The Real Serengeti Shark Island

Disappeared Kidnap And Rescue Fugitive Strike Force

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 11:45 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:15 22:00

Ticking Clock-PG15 Rollerball-18 Blood Out-18 X-Men-PG15 Winning Time-PG15 Madso’s War-18 King Arthur-PG15 Winning Time-PG15 The Box-PG15 King Arthur-PG15 Cross-18 The Collector-18

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00

Triage-18 Certified Copy-PG15 The Nanny Express-PG15 Ramona And Beezus-PG Certified Copy-PG15 I Am Number Four-PG15 Ice Dreams-PG15

THE ROOMMATE ON OSN CINEMA 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Alabama Moon-PG15 Love The Beast-PG The Answer Man-PG15 The Roommate-PG15 Biutiful-18

03:00 Friends 03:30 Friends 04:00 Dharma And Greg 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 06:00 Malcolm In The Middle 08:30 Friends 09:00 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 12:00 Malcolm In The Middle 12:30 Dharma And Greg 13:00 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 13:30 Just Shoot Me 14:00 Friends 16:30 How I Met Your Mother 18:00 Friends 18:30 Friends 19:00 The League 19:30 State Of Georgia 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 The Big C 22:30 Funny Or Die Presents 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 22:00 23:00

Falling Skies Strike Back Terriers Once Upon A Time The Gates Good Morning America Eureka Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View Falling Skies Once Upon A Time Eureka Live Good Morning America The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Look-A-Like Psych American Idol Necessary Roughness The Gates

00:05 01:00 02:05 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 22:00 23:00

Cold Case Luck Falling Skies Strike Back Once Upon A Time The Gates Cold Case Parks And Recreation Coronation Street Parenthood Inside The Actor’s Studio Falling Skies Once Upon A Time Parks And Recreation Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Parenthood Cold Case The Cape The Ellen DeGeneres Show Parenthood Psych American Idol Necessary Roughness Supernatural

01:00 PG15 03:00 05:15 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 22:45

The Fast And The FuriousShutter Island-18 The Wizard Of Gore-R Arctic Predator-PG15 StreetDance-PG15 Largo Winch 2-PG15 Star Trek: First Contact-PG StreetDance-PG15 A Stranger Among Us-PG15 Fighting-PG15 Wrong Turn At Tahoe-18 Windtalkers-PG15

00:00 How To Go Out On A Date In Queens-PG15 02:00 Not The Messiah: He’s A Very Naughty Boy-PG15 04:00 Double Wedding-PG15 05:30 The Parent Trap-PG 08:00 French Kiss-PG15 10:00 Post Grad-PG15 12:00 102 Dalmatians-PG 14:00 Love Happens-PG15 16:00 How To Go Out On A Date In Queens-PG15 18:00 Return To Sleepaway CampPG15 20:00 There’s Something About Mary-18 22:00 Palo Alto-18

01:00 Female Agents-18 03:00 Drunkboat-PG 05:00 Robin Hood (1991)-PG15 07:00 Teen Knight-PG15 09:00 The Sunset Limited-PG15 11:00 Stomp The Yard 2: Homecoming-PG15 13:00 North-PG 15:00 The Hudsucker Proxy-PG15 17:00 Who Is Clark Rockefeller-PG 19:00 The Third Wave-PG15 21:00 Red Rock West-18 23:00 Thelma And Louise-18

01:30 Mercy-18 03:00 Gasland-PG15 05:00 Bad News Bears-PG 07:00 How Do You Know-PG15 09:00 Life As We Know It-PG15 11:00 The Client List-PG15 12:45 Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps-PG15 15:00 Defendor-PG15 17:00 Life As We Know It-PG15 19:00 Jonah Hex-PG15 21:00 The Roommate-PG15 23:00 The Men Who Stare At Goats-18

00:00 Christopher Columbus-PG 02:00 Columbus III: The New WorldPG 04:00 Winner & The Golden Child: Part II-FAM 06:00 Christmas In New York-PG 08:00 Beethoven’s Christmas Adventure-PG 10:00 The Adventures Of Don Quixote-PG15 12:00 Big Fat Liar-PG 14:00 Christmas In New York-PG 16:00 Gladiators: The Conspiracy-PG 18:00 The Adventures Of Don Quixote-PG15 20:00 The Spy Next Door-PG 22:00 Big Fat Liar-PG

00:15 01:45 04:15 06:00 08:00 PG15 10:15 12:00 14:00 15:45 PG15 18:00 20:00 22:30 18

00:30 01:00 02:00 04:00 04:30 05:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 09:30 11:30 12:30 16:30 17:00 18:00

Essential Killing-18 Inception-PG15 Furry Vengeance-PG Morning Glory-PG15 The Fighting TemptationsTangled-FAM Morning Glory-PG15 Calvin Marshall-PG15 The Fighting TemptationsCity Of Life-PG15 Robin Hood (2010)-PG15 The Last House On The Left-

ODI Cricket Highlights Trans World Sport Super League Futbol Mundial ODI Cricket Highlights Super League ODI Cricket Highlights Volvo Ocean Race Highlights Trans World Sport Futbol Mundial Scottish Cup Trans World Sport Live European PGA Tour ODI Cricket Highlights Trans World Sport Super League

20:00 21:00 21:30 22:00

Volvo Ocean Race Futbol Mundial ODI Cricket Highlights Live Premier League Darts

01:00 V8 Supercars 03:00 Speedway 04:00 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup 05:00 UFC Unleashed 07:00 WWE SmackDown 09:00 Speedway FIM World Championship 10:00 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup 11:00 V8 Supercars 13:00 WWE Vintage Collection 14:00 WWE Bottom Line 15:00 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup 16:00 Speedway 17:00 Aquabike World 18:00 WWE Vintage Collection 19:00 WWE NXT 20:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter 21:00 UFC 143

00:30 European Tour Weekly 01:00 Scottish Cup 03:00 Golfing World 04:00 European Tour Weekly 04:30 Trans World Sport 05:30 European PGA Tour Highlights 06:30 Top 14 Highlights 07:00 Trans World Sport 08:00 Anglo Welsh Cup 10:00 World Cup Of Pool 11:00 World Pool Masters 12:00 Bass Fishing 13:00 Asian Tour Highlights 14:00 Asian Tour Golf Show 14:30 Trans World Sport 15:30 ODI Cricket Highlights 16:00 Football Copa Del Sol 18:00 Futbol Mundial 18:30 Scottish Premier League Highlights 19:00 Scottish Cup 21:00 Trans World Sport 22:00 Live Pro 12 Celtic League

02:30 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:30 18:00 22:30 23:30

European Tour Weekly World Cup of Pool World Pool Masters US Bass Fishing FIVB Beach Volley Ball Golfing World European Tour Weekly Top 14 Highlights Scottish Cup ICC Cricket World Futbol Mundial Asian Tour Golf Golfing World European Tour Weekly European PGA Tour Golfing World ODI Cricket Highlights

00:00 Globe Trekker 01:00 Planet Food 02:00 Essential 02:30 Cruise Today 03:00 Indian Times 04:00 Intrepid Journeys 05:00 Globe Trekker 06:00 Planet Food 07:00 Opening Soon 07:30 Wild At Heart 08:00 Globe Trekker 09:00 Inside Luxury Travel-Varun Sharma 10:00 The Path To Shaolin 11:00 Planet Food 12:00 Opening Soon 12:30 Wild At Heart 13:00 Globe Trekker 14:00 Sophie Grigson In The Souk 14:30 Chef Abroad 15:00 Intrepid Journeys 16:00 Indian Times 17:00 Globe Trekker 18:00 Wild At Heart 18:30 Flavours Of Mexico 19:00 Sophie Grigson In The Home Counties 19:30 Chef Abroad 20:00 Globe Trekker 21:00 The Path To Shaolin 22:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 23:00 4real 23:30 Life’s A Trip

Classifieds THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines QTR JZR KLM JZR JZR ETH THY UAE DHX QTR MSR FDB ETD GFA KAC THY FAH JZR JZR BAW KAC KAC FDB IRA KAC KAC JZR KAC IRA KAC UAE ABY QTR ETD FDB BAB GFA MSC KNE JZR RKM MEA SYR KAC MSR JZR KAC GFA MSR FDB MSR UAL GRF OMA QTR KNE SVA KAC RJA KAC KAC JZR LMU KAC QTR KNE JZR ETD JZR UAE KAC GFA SVA ABY JZR RBG BAB ALK JZR MSC TAR FDB KAC JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB JAI OMA MSR KAC DHX MEA GFA LMU QTR UAE JZR KAC KLM AIC JZR UAL AXB BBC DLH

Arrival Flights on Thursday 9/2/2012 Flt Route 138 DOHA 185 DUBAI 447 AMSTERDAM 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 620 ADDIS ABABA 772 ISTANBUL 853 DUBAI 370 BAHRAIN 148 DOHA 612 CAIRO 67 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 211 BAHRAIN 544 CAIRO 770 ISTANBUL 201 DUBAI 503 LUXOR 555 ALEXANDRIA 157 LONDON 412 MANILA 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 617 AHWAZ 352 COCHIN 302 MUMBAI 531 ASSIUT 332 TRIVANDRUM 605 MASHAD 362 COLOMBO 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 301 ABU DHABI 55 DUBAI 436 BAHRAIN 213 BAHRAIN 9621 ASSIUT 789 JEDDAH 165 DUBAI 310 RAS ALKHAIMAH 404 BEIRUT 341 DAMASCUS 382 DELHI 610 CAIRO 201 DAMASCUS 672 DUBAI 219 BAHRAIN 621 ASSIUT 57 DUBAI 606 LUXOR 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 93 KANDAHAR 645 MUSCAT 140 DOHA 745 JEDDAH 500 JEDDAH 552 DAMASCUS 640 AMMAN 788 JEDDAH 284 DHAKA 257 BEIRUT 407 ALEXANDRIA 546 ALEXANDRIA 134 DOHA 945 MEDINAH 535 CAIRO 303 ABU DHABI 357 MASHAD 857 DUBAI 118 NEW YORK 215 BAHRAIN 510 RIYADH 127 SHARJAH 777 JEDDAH 3553 ALEXANDRIA 437 BEIRUT 227 COLOMBO 177 DUBAI 9623 SOHAG 328 TUNIS 63 DUBAI 542 CAIRO 125 BAHRAIN 786 JEDDAH 618 DOHA 614 BAHRAIN 674 DUBAI 104 LONDON 774 RIYADH 562 AMMAN 61 DUBAI 572 MUMBAI 647 MUSCAT 618 ALEXANDRIA 178 GENEVA 372 BAHRAIN 402 BEIRUT 217 BAHRAIN 409 ASSIUT 136 DOHA 859 DUBAI 135 BAHRAIN 502 BEIRUT 445 AMSTERDAM 981 CHENNAI 239 AMMAN 981 BAHRAIN 389 KOZHIKODE 43 DHAKA 636 FRANKFURT

Time 0:20 0:20 0:30 0:45 0:50 1:45 2:15 2:35 2:55 2:55 3:00 3:05 3:10 3:15 4:40 4:50 5:30 5:55 6:00 6:40 6:45 7:40 7:45 7:50 7:50 7:55 8:00 8:05 8:15 8:20 8:30 9:00 9:05 9:15 9:20 9:40 9:55 11:15 11:20 11:20 11:45 11:55 12:35 12:45 12:55 13:00 13:20 13:25 13:30 13:50 13:55 14:05 14:15 14:15 14:20 14:25 14:30 14:35 14:40 14:50 15:00 15:00 15:10 15:20 15:25 15:40 16:25 16:50 16:50 16:55 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:40 17:45 17:50 18:05 18:10 18:15 18:20 18:35 18:40 18:50 19:00 19:10 19:15 19:20 19:25 19:35 19:40 19:50 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:45 20:55 21:00 21:20 21:25 21:30 21:35 21:40 21:55 22:00 22:05 22:05 22:45 23:00 23:35 23:45 23:50

Airlines AXB UAL AIC JZR DLH KLM KAC ETH THY KAC FDB UAE ETD MSR DHX QTR QTR THY JZR GFA JZR FDB KAC BAW IRA KAC JZR KAC IRA JZR KAC KAC UAE ABY ETD FDB QTR BAB GFA JZR KAC KAC KNE JZR MSC RKM MEA SYR KAC JZR MSR GFA MSR FDB KAC MSR KAC KNE OMA UAL RJA JZR LMU KAC SVA KAC KAC KAC QTR KNE JZR QTR ETD JZR GRF UAE GFA ABY RBG SVA JZR BAB MSC JZR ALK FDB TAR JZR FDB KAC KAC KAC JAI OMA MSR KAC DHX KAC LMU MEA GFA FAH QTR KAC JZR UAE KAC KLM JZR KAC KAC

Departure Flights on Thursday 9/2/2012 Flt Route 394 KOCHI 981 WASHINGTON 976 GOA 530 ASSIUT 637 FRANKFURT 447 AMSTERDAM 283 DHAKA 621 ADDIS ABABA 773 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 381 DELHI 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 306 ABU DHABI 613 CAIRO 371 BAHRAIN 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 771 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 200 DAMASCUS 54 DUBAI 545 ALEXANDRIA 156 LONDON 606 MASHHAD 671 DUBAI 256 BEIRUT 551 DAMASCUS 604 ISFAHAN 534 CAIRO 787 JEDDAH 101 LONDON 856 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 302 ABU DHABI 56 DUBAI 133 DOHA 436 BEIRUT 214 BAHRAIN 356 MASHHAD 165 ROME 541 CAIRO 790 JEDDAH 776 JEDDAH 9622 SOHAG 311 RAS ALKHAIMAH 405 BEIRUT 342 DEIREZZOR 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 220 BAHRAIN 622 ASSIUT 58 DUBAI 561 AMMAN 607 LUXOR 673 DUBAI 746 JEDDAH 646 MUSCAT 982 BAHRAIN 641 AMMAN 124 BAHRAIN 408 ASSIUT 617 DOHA 505 JEDDAH 501 BEIRUT 613 BAHRAIN 773 RIYADH 141 DOHA 940 JEDDAH 238 AMMAN 135 DOHA 304 ABU DHABI 538 CAIRO 82 BAGHDAD 858 DUBAI 216 BAHRAIN 128 SHARJAH 3554 ALEXANDRIA 511 RIYADH 266 BEIRUT 437 BAHRAIN 9624 ASSIUT 134 BAHRAIN 228 DUBAI 64 DUBAI 328 TUNIS 184 DUBAI 62 DUBAI 343 CHENNAI 331 RIVANDRUM 351 KOCHI 571 MUMBAI 648 MUSCAT 619 ALEXANDRIA 543 CAIRO 373 BAHRAIN 675 DUBAI 410 ALEXANDRIA 403 BEIRUT 218 BAHRAIN 102 DUBAI 137 DOHA 301 MUMBAI 554 ALEXANDRIA 860 DUBAI 205 ISLAMABAD 445 BAHRAIN 188 DUBAI 415 KUALA LUMPUR 411 BANGKOK

Time 0:40 0:45 0:50 1:15 1:20 1:45 2:40 2:45 3:15 3:30 3:45 3:50 4:00 4:00 4:30 4:40 5:40 5:50 6:55 7:00 7:30 8:25 8:30 8:40 8:50 9:00 9:00 9:10 9:15 9:15 9:25 9:35 9:40 9:45 10:00 10:05 10:10 10:25 10:40 10:50 11:45 12:00 12:05 12:15 12:20 12:50 12:55 13:35 13:40 13:50 13:55 14:20 14:30 14:35 14:45 14:55 15:05 15:10 15:15 15:20 15:35 15:50 15:55 15:55 16:00 16:15 16:20 16:25 16:30 16:35 17:15 17:25 17:35 17:40 18:00 18:10 18:15 18:25 18:30 18:35 18:45 18:55 19:00 19:05 19:10 19:20 19:25 19:55 20:40 20:55 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:45 21:55 22:00 22:10 22:15 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:45 22:45 22:50 23:00 23:05 23:35 23:45 23:55

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation available for decent executive bachelor in Abbasiya near United Indian School.

Separate toilet, bedroom & balcony with coolpex & AC, new building. Contact: 97208351. (C 3866) 9-2-2012 Immediate sharing accommodation available for a decent Indian Christian bachelor or couple near Salmiya Garden. Contact: 66884273 / 25657832.

(C 3862) Sharing accommodation available in C-A/C flat in Abbasiya for two Christian bachelors or couple from 15 Feb. Contact: 65625804.

(C 3863) 8-2-2012

FOR SALE Honda Accord 2003, sky blue color, mileage 300,000 kms, owner driven, excellent condition, new tires, registered up to Dec 2012.

Contact 99456340 (C 3857) 5-2-2012

SITUATION WANTED Diploma Engineer/ 16 years project sales experience (9 yrs in Kuwait) seeking suitable position from reputed companies. Contact: 55339596/ 99759183. (C 3860) 7-2-2012

MATRIMONIAL Proposals invited for a Keralite C.S.I. boy (31, 5ft 7”) studied B.Com, presently well employed in own business seeks alliance from God fearing Keralite girl (C.S.I / Martomite) from India or residing in Kuwait.

Contact: thjo53@yahoo.com with full details.

(C 3864) Orthodox parents in Kuwait invites proposals for their daughter (26 / 165 fair) B.Tech, B/B and currently working in Kuwait,

from a well qualified/ employed Orthodox/ Marthoma boys. Contact: invitesproposal@yahoo.com (C 3865) 9-2-2012 A proposal comes from a man, an Engineer, 50 years old seeks an Asian woman, decent, working, respectful preferable, who is coming recently to Kuwait. Email: bareer_96@yahoo.com (C 3859) Orthodox well-settled parents invite proposals for their son, 28, 180cm, fair, MBA (Finance) from a reputed institution, employed in reputed bank in Kuwait from parents of professionally qualified God-fearing girls. Contact: dr.matt32@gmail.com 7-2-2012 Proposals invited for Keralite Orthodox Christian boy (38, 5 7” whitish), God fearing Computer Engineering diploma working in Kuwait having family visa status seeking alliance from nurses and other professionals. The boy will be coming to Kerala in the middle of March. Contact email: dilkoshy@asianetindia.com (C 3858)

SITUATION VACANT Required live-in maid for a small Indian family living in Riggae. Contact: 99694619.

(C 3861) 8-2-2012

No: 15354

MISCELLANEOUS Original guaranteed Palestinian virgin olive oil, large black and green olives for sale. Tel: 66517417 Whole Floor or small villa needed for rent in Shaab, Mansoriya, Nozha, Abdullah Al-Salem or Shamiya. Direct contact with owner. Tel: 9989018-99169016 A camp for rent in Kabed including five tents with all services. Complete privacy + game arcade. Tel: 97177714 Size 36 air pressure gun for sale in addition to a scope, safety lock. Shooting range 350 meters +bag+25 shots.

Price KD 70. Tel: 97790478 A 3700 watt, 2012 model ASTRA generator for sale.

Japanese parts assembled in China with pressure and gas meters. Price KD 85. Tel: 60066891 For rent in Hawalli a one bedroom (4x4m) and a 7x3.5 m reception+ terrace, fully equipped kitchen and bathroom. Tunis street, behind Al-Andalus pharmacy. Tel: 99683200 A 2008 white, 1600 CC Nissan Sunny. Price KD 1700. Tel: 99553221 A 2008 dark blue 6 cylinder Toyota Prado with Beige sued interior, low mileage,

touch A/C, CD, cruise control, front and rear sensors for sale. Price KD 6650. Tel: 99275550 A 2009 white, 6 cylinder Toyota Prado with 40,000 mileage touch A/C, CD, cruise control, front and rear sensors for sale. Price KD 7850. Tel: 9747750855809093 A 2009 YUKUN Suburban GMC XL with low mileage and beige sued interior, electric seats, cruise control, super headlights, rear camera, remote recording and rear sensors. Price 8550. Tel: 99301914 For rent a two storey villa and a basement in Mangaf including 8 rooms, laundry room, yard, parking. Rent value KD 1000. Tel: 97996900 A storey and half for rent in Mangaf including two 3 bedroom apartments with 2 baths, reception, kitchen, driver room each. Tel: 66989887

34

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

stars CROSSWORD 583

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) Your enthusiasm about your work is positive—you are creative and ready to apply your energy to the work at hand. If you give your best effort now, considerable success may follow. You have plenty of confidence and will succeed at any project you attempt. Make sure both your expectations and abilities are realistic before diving into something that you may not be able to get out of without harm or embarrassment. Others can find you shopping this afternoon. You are very sensitive to beauty—not at all obsessive.

You are aware of value, style, workmanship, etc. Major purchases that could increase in value would be a good bet today. Spend time with friends this evening. Friendships are most important to you at this time.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You show a propensity to engage in hard work to obtain financial security. However, this is also a time when you may spend an excessive amount of worry about your monetary position, frequently being thrifty in expenditures. You are strengthened in your desire to succeed, not only financially, but personally as well. At this time, it’s best to rely on facts rather than feelings, particularly when an expensive mistake might be the outcome. The accent now is on communication. Trading points of view should come easily today. Also, this is a good day to assess your goals and how they are progressing.

Future travel is favored, especially if it is for your own rest and relaxation. Enjoy a visit to a good bookstore, museum or concert.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. A widely distributed system consisting of all the cells able to ingest bacteria or colloidal particles etc, except for certain white blood cells.

4. A descent down a nearly vertical surface by using a doubled rope that is coiled around the body and attached to some higher point.

10. An easy return of a tennis ball in a high arc.

13. A drug combination found in some over-the-counter headache remedies (Aspirin and Phenacetin and Caffeine).

14. Of or concerning Qatar.

15. Any of various primates with short tails or no tail at all.

16. Relating to or characteristic of or occurring on the sea or ships.

17. Any of several tall tropical palms native to southeastern Asia having egg-shaped nuts.

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

21. A gonadotropic hormone that is secreted by the anterior pituitary.

23. A small cake leavened with yeast.

25. A very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk.

28. A light touch or stroke.

32. An early French settler in the Maritimes.

36. A genus of Platalea.

38. The habitation of wild animals.

39. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

41. East Indian cereal grass whose seed yield a somewhat bitter flour, a staple in the Orient.

43. Any of numerous local fertility and nature deities worshipped by ancient Semitic peoples.

46. A boy or man.

47. United States artist whose work reflected social and political themes (1898-1969).

51. Mammary gland of bovids (cows and sheep and goats).

53. A warning against certain acts.

55. A landlocked republic in eastern Africa.

59. Resembling or characteristic of or appropriate to an elegy.

61. The Tibeto-Burman language spoken in the Dali region of Yunnan.

62. Resonance of protons to radiation in a magnetic field.

63. Jordan's port.

65. (Old Testament) In Judeo-Christian mythology.

66. An audiotape recording of sound.

67. A region of Malaysia in northeastern Borneo.

68. An account describing incidents or events.

DOWN 1. Danish philologist whose work on Old Norse pioneered in the field of comparative linguistics (1787-1832).

2. A fencing sword similar to a foil but with a heavier blade.

3. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike.

4. Jordan's port.

5. A room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter.

6. An ancient upright stone slab bearing markings.

7. (used of count nouns) Every one considered individually.

8. A self-funded retirement plan that allows you to contribute a limited yearly sum toward your retirement.

9. Being one more than fifty.

10. Concerning those not members of the clergy.

11. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

12. English monk and scholar (672-735).

18. A workplace for the conduct of scientific research.

20. In bed.

22. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

24. The syllable naming the fourth (subdominant) note of the diatonic scale in solmization.

26. (informal) Of the highest quality.

27. A decree that prohibits something.

29. An official language of the Republic of South Africa.

30. Port city that is the capital and largest city of Latvia.

31. A female domestic.

33. A state in midwestern United States.

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

35. (Babylonian) God of wisdom and agriculture and patron of scribes and schools.

37. A son who has the same first name as his father.

40. A town in western Kentucky on the Ohio River.

41. Being one more than fifty.

42. The dialect of Albanian spoken in northern Albania and Yugoslavia.

44. A public promotion of some product or service.

45. A human limb.

48. A board game in which players try to move their pieces into their opponent's bases.

49. Prevent the occurrence of.

50. Sole genus of the family Naiadaceae.

52. The capital of Morocco.

53. Being nine more than ninety.

54. The basic unit of money in Bangladesh.

55. A white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily.

56. A quantity of no importance.

57. The face of a timepiece.

58. The highest level or degree attainable.

60. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits.

64. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group.

Yesterday’s Solution

Gemini (May 21-June 20) You have the energy to tackle most any problem involved with work today. This is the time to use your energy constructively; being slow to anger and worry is a good idea now. You are filled with a great desire to succeed in all areas of your life. Working with partners in an open, honest environment can bring good fortune to you. You will be curious and talkative today, skilled at problem solving and conversation. Later today is the perfect time for the lighter side of life.

The heavy stuff can wait, although if you have to tend to some form of business— make every effort to pay attention. You would rather write a poem, take a drive in the country or express your love to someone. Planning a future event could be most enjoyable tonight.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

Self-awareness can be a very positive characteristic, but it can also be a danger. Today is a time to make sure you do not become too self-absorbed. Keep your eye on the goal—not whether or not it is achieved your way. Being in the spotlight is common at this time—you are wise to realize that now is a good time to see where your work can best help others. There may be many opportunities for you to both succeed and fail in the eyes of others. You will probably attempt to take chances that others would not try. Your success ratio, however, is in the upper numbers. You are apt to enjoy considerable success at work. You will teach the people around you to keep things uncomplicated and eliminate high risk situations. This will be a rewarding day.

Leo (July 23-August 22) An experience today will be out of the ordinary. Great opportunities may emerge in work or in personal affairs. This can be a financially favorable period. Concerning love relationships—if you keep things in perspective, your heart will be stronger for it. This is a good time to use the home as a vehicle for entertaining family members and friends. Additionally, it is favorable to plan some spring-cleaning project with the help of a close friend. You all may decide to take turns—doing one house one weekend and the other house the next weekend—party afterwards. This would also create a great opportunity to gather things for a profitable garage sale. For tonight, enjoy a social gathering and stop worrying about a situation that you cannot change.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) You may fall under the heavy burden of responsibility today.

However, this is a good time for you to show off your capabilities— you are in a high achievement mode. You will find that the pleasant surroundings in the workplace or home at this time make for good vibrations. You could be in the limelight, especially with superiors or in relation to your work. You may find that you enjoy your job or the responsibilities it entails more than usual. New insights or breakthroughs are possible with authorities or someone older. Community activities, which take place after work, should be both well-attended and successful. Something electric is in the air this afternoon and your charisma shines! If any new friendship is made now, it should last for a very long time.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

You are empowered with a clear and inquisitive mind this day.

You will be discussing ideas with co-workers and supervisors—this can be a most beneficial and rewarding time. You could be seen by others as just the person to be put in charge of some new project. This is definitely a day to get a lot of things done—especially if you are allowed to lead and can attract people whose energy matches your own. Your drive is high, your mind is clear and communication should not be a problem. If you are still fired up at the close of this workday, go home and mow, rake, shovel, paint, chop or any of a number of things that are productive.

This will help you get rid of all that energy you have bottled up lately. You cook for the family tonight—yummy!

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Today you could be tempted to let office gossip interfere with the normal flow of business. This is an excellent time to emphasize practicality and realism to any endeavor in which you are engaged. It is important to effectively communicate your ideas to co-workers and those who work under you.

Also, you may seek intellectual stimulation in love life, social and leisure activities.

Ideas and technologies that change the way people live—not just one person, but many—are a major new focus in your life. Your powers of creativity are great—making problem-solving difficulties seem a problem of the past. You are particularly witty in social surrounding this evening and make stimulating company. Take advantage of this time for relationships.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You express profound insights—you want to improve the world. Be explicit in all things you do and say. Also, make sure you have complete information before gambling with an investment this day. You may experience abrupt changes in fortune, good or bad; in a relatively short period of time.

You will feel the urge for excitement and should consider traveling—avoid extravagance, however. You become aware of new concepts. You may spend a great deal of time engaged in intellectual pursuits in the home. You may see the family circle increase in numbers through marriage or birth. Also, love is in full bloom and it’s a good time to fully demonstrate the depth of affections to loved ones—this is a good time to express your desires.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

To

An outgoing and very expressive cycle of experience has begun for you. You may have a mad desire to do nothing but communicate and exchange ideas today. You could shoot the breeze with someone for hours, if given the opportunity. There could be a temptation, however, to play devil’s advocate or analyze things to death. Just enjoy the exchanges and give the other guy a chance.

Also, if too much time is taken up in conversation during your work time today, others could be unhappy. You face tremendous responsibilities in relationships with loved ones and are apt to have difficulty expressing wants and desires openly to your companions. Your ability, however, to perceive other’s thoughts and feelings may bring you unexpected rewards.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) You should love being around people today, especially those to whom you are emotionally attached and better yet, older friends with whom you can reminisce. If ever there was a day to work with groups, this is it!

Your acute sensitivity to other people’s moods could enable you to fine-tune those moods as you would a violin. You could achieve anything you wish to achieve or sell anything you wish to sell today—others will think you have done them a favor. If you have faith in yourself and have surrounded yourself with good people, you will be unaffected by any negatives. You will impress people in conversation and communicate to loved ones on new levels. You feel especially kind towards a friend or loved one this evening.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

Work is pressing and demanding—you are able to move forward successfully—stay aggressive, but polite. Creative visualization can be very relaxing for you during stressful days—such as today. Your creative side is showing but the pressure to develop your work quickly may cause you to risk the quality. There needs to be an understanding—speak up now. Perhaps you can receive help so that quality is not risked. You may seek out friends who are carefree and a bit unconventional in their social behavior. Think about whether this is because you seek release from the restrictions you see others placing on you. It is not a wildly romantic time, but one where small scale endeavors will meet with success. Tonight—relax with soothing thoughts.

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 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 DAY: DA AY: Y W Wednesday ednesday e

WWW .MET.GOV V.KW . W WWW.MET.GOV.KW

08/02/2012

Ministry of Interior

07:00

Time Issue T ime

Expected Weather Weather for the Next 24 4 Hours Partly cloudy to cloudy with moderate modeerate to fresh south easterly wind, w with speed of 25 - 45 km/h k causing raising dust with a chance for rain that might be thundery at times

BY Y DA DAY: AY:

website: www.moi.gov.kw

Partly cloudy to cloudy with moderate modeerate becoming light gradually graduallly south easterly changing to o north westerly wind, w w a chance for scattered rain raain with speed of 15 - 35 km/h with

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

22 °C

15 °C

24812000

KUWAIT AIRPORT KUW WAIT A AIRPOR RT

22 °C

14 °C

Amiri Hospital

22450005

NUWAISEEB NUW WAISEEB A

22 °C C

12 °C C

Maternity Hospital

24843100

WAFRA W AFRA A

22 °C

12 °C

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

SALMI

22 °C

11 11 °C

Chest Hospital

24849400

ABDALY ABDAL LY

21 °C

12 °C

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

ALIYAH JAL ALIY YA AH

21 °C

11 11 °C

Adan Hospital

23940620

FAILAKA F AILAKA A

20 °C

14 °C

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

PORT AHMADI POR RT

18 °C

15 °C

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

UMM AL-MARADEM M

19 °C

17 °C

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

WARBA BUBYAN W ARBA A A - BUBY YA AN

19 °C

14 °C

Hospitals Sabah Hospital

Ext.: 2627 262 27 - 2630

Fax: 24348714

Clinics

SFC. CHAR CHART T

08/02/2012 0000 0 UTC

4732263

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya Keifan

Temperratures Temperatures DA DATE AT TE

WEA WEATHER ATHER T

Thursday

09/02

24848075

Friday

24849807

Saturday

Shamiya

24848913

Sunday

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Fajr

05:12

MAX. Temp.

MA AX. T emp.

19 °C

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Sunrise S i

06 33 06:33

MIIN. IN Temp.

Temp.

MIN.

06 °C

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Zuhr

12:02

MAX. RH M

89 %

Asr

15:09

M RH MIN.

27 %

Sunset

17:32

MA AX. W ind MAX. Wind

Isha

18:50

TOT TAL AL 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 Direction Direction Wind

Wind Wind Speed

partly cloudy + chancee for rain

21 °C

15 °C

NE-SE

06 - 26 km/h

10/02

scattered partly cloudy + scatte ered rain

22 °C

16 °C

NE-NW

06 - 26 km/h

11/02 11/02

raising partly cloudy + raisin ng dust

21 °C

14 °C

NW

20 - 40 km/h

12/02

partly cloudy + raisin ng dust raising

19 °C

10 °C

NW

20 - 45 km/h

PRAYER PR RA AYER Y TIMES

RECORDED D YESTERDAY YESTERDA AY AT AT KUWAIT KUW WAIT A T AIRPORT AIRPORT

unless All times are local time un nless otherwise stated.

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36

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

lifestyle G O S S I P

Demi Moore banned from weighing herself octors have banned Demi Moore from weighing herself while in rehab. The 49year-old actress is undergoing treatment for “substance abuse and anorexia” at Cirque Lodge in Utah - which has previously treated stars including Lindsay Lohan, Mary-Kate Olsen and Eva Mendes - and medics at the centre don’t want Demi focusing on her size while she recovers. A source told RadarOnline: “It’s common treatment practice at Cirque to not allow patients that are being treated for an eating disorder to see how much they weigh when they step on the scale. Their weights are taken every day, sometimes several times a day to make sure that they aren’t losing weight while in treatment. Doctors at Cirque don’t want patients to fixate on their weight. “Demi isn’t being forced fed or chastised for not wanting to eat. The counselors at Cirque are working on giving Demi a safe and controlled environment, she is getting the best care possi-

D

ble. She is also dealing with an addiction to prescription medication, and she has a comprehensive team taking care of her.” The actress is expected to spend at least 60 days in the treatment centre and will be prevented from contacting the outside world including her daughters Scout, 20, Tallulah, 16, and 23-year-old Rumer, former husband Bruce Willis or estranged spouse Ashton Kutcher, for some time. The source added: “Demi won’t be allowed to call anyone during the first week, nor can she receive any phone calls. As time goes by, and if Demi is doing well, her doctors will allow her to have limited access to her cell phone for a small amount of time.” Meanwhile, despite reports Charlie Sheen’s former wife Brooke Mueller is attending the same facility for her own addictions , her representative told E! News Brooke, 34, checked into a different “long-term inpatient treatment centre” in December 2011.

Hilton has ‘crazy’ day recording songs

Brand doesn’t want

aris Hilton has spent a “crazy” day recording songs for her new record.

The 30-year-old socialite - who hasn’t released an album since her 2006 debut ‘Paris’ - took to her twitter account to reveal she had an “amazing” studio session with songwriter Taura Stinson and has been making good progress on her forthcoming album. In a series of tweets she wrote: “Just finished another song, about to start another. “Just finished recording another song! #YES! On to the next one!

“Had an amazing studio session with @TauraStinson. Just finished my Grammy fitting with @Judy_TheKids. Now off to a

P

Perry’s money

ussell Brand doesn’t want any of estranged wife Katy Perry’s money. The British funnyman - who filed for divorce in December after just 14 months of marriage - didn’t sign a prenuptial agreement with the ‘Firework’ singer so is legally entitled to half her $44 million fortune. However, Russell has told Katy he doesn’t want anything from her and wants their split to be as amicable as possible. According to TMZ.com, their divorce will become official on June 30 because there is a six month waiting period. It was recently reported Russell - who was famed for his womanizing ways before he met Katy - had started dating again and was seeing more than one woman. Sources said Katy had been told that her estranged husband - who has previously been treated for sex addiction and substance abuse issues - had moved on from their marriage by her pals. One said: “She discovered through her friends. One of the women told a friend of hers and it got back to Katy.”

R

Tatum plans on having kids hanning Tatum plans on having kids “at some point” in the future. The ‘Vow’ actor - who has been married to actress Jenna Dewan for three years - admits the couple are likely to start trying for a baby soon, He said: “We’re married, so it doesn’t really get any farther than that. Other than kids.”

Jenna added: “We want kids in the future at some point.”

Despite the couple’s busy work schedule, they make sure to spend time with each other by having a rule by where they never spend too much time apart. She added to Hollyscoop.com: “We do everything other happy couples do ... You communicate, you make sure you see each other. “Our schedules make it a little difficult at times and you have to make sure you have, like a rule. We have a like a two-week rule. So we see each other every two weeks. If you want to make it work, you make it work.

That’s what happens.” The 31-year-old hunk has previously revealed he loves leaving notes around for his wife to show how much he loves her. He said: “I see caring for somebody as a creative outlet. I like drawing little faces and writing little stories and hiding them in places. “I’m a practical joker. My favorite one is putting one under the toilet seat. She always wakes up before I do, so I enjoy the surprise of, ‘Haha! I got you!’ “

C

Driver went ‘bonkers’ with success innie Driver went “bonkers” when she first got famous. The 42-year-old actress achieved great success in the 90s, including being nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in 1997 film ‘Good Will Hunting’, but she admits she wasn’t prepared for the glare of the spotlight. She said: “I definitely went a bit bonkers in my early 20s, when I got famous quite quickly. Bonkers in a way where I didn’t eat enough, I drank too much coffee, smoked too many cigarettes, cried a lot and was very emotional.” Minnie was pulled out of this difficult stage of her life by her sister, model-andproducer Kate, who told she was “acting like an idiot”. In an interview with Stylist magazine, the ‘Hunky Dory’ star revealed: “My sister showed up one day and said, ‘I don’t recognize you. You weigh seven stone and you’re behaving like an idiot.’ I came back to England and sorted myself out. Hollywood is portrayed in this super glamorous way, but when I see pictures of actresses going off the rails, it doesn’t surprise me at all. You have to have solid family and friends.”

Minnie - who has a three-year-old son, Henry - is now documenting her experiences in an autobiography. She hopes the book will show people what it’s really like to be an actress in Hollywood. She said: “I’m working on a memoir about my childhood and getting famous, It’s an interesting journey to tell if you haven’t dissolved into drugs and alcohol. I want to tell it from the view of someone who was normal, but whose life became abnormal.”

‘The Voice’

for a third series of

Aguilera signs

M

business dinner. (sic)” Earlier in the day, she wrote: “On my way to the studio to record. Another crazy busy day!” The ‘Stars are Blind’ hitmaker - whose first single is set to be a collaboration with LMFAO recently tweeted her excitement about working with Flo Rida and DJ Afrojack on her second album. She tweeted: “In the recording booth, just finished 2 songs.

Now about to start another, so much fun! I love music! (sic)” She later added: “Just finished recording 3 songs in one night!

Working hard & feeling proud! So happy & excited with how everything is turning out! (sic)”

David has competitive children

Plan B wants to start a charity he singer-and-rapper - who is currently working on his third album - is keen to set up his own organization which will help underprivileged children across England. He said: “I want to start an umbrella charity giving money to smaller charities in England. I’m talking about stuff within the community, protecting kids - the kind of kids that were out rioting and feel like they have no prospects.” Last summer, cities up and down the country were affected by young people rioting and looting from shops and Plan B - real name Ben Drew - thinks it’s important to give them some hope and guidance to stop them doing it again. He added to The Sun newspaper: “At one point I felt how they felt. I got kicked out of school and I went to a pupil reform centre, but that was the best thing that happened to me. If there were more places like that, it wouldn’t matter if they had a bad family life. “They’d still have people who care and tell them they’re not bad and that they can amount to something.”

T

hristina Aguilera has reportedly re-signed for a third series of ‘The Voice’. The ‘Beautiful’ singer is said to have committed to be a mentor on the pop star search show for a third series, commanding a fee in the region of $10 million, according to website TheWrap.com.

It had previously been rumored Christina would be axed from the show as network bosses were concerned about how committed she was. ‘The Voice’ - where judges choose which acts to coach without seing them - has become network NBC’s highest-rated show outside of NFL broadcasts, and its second series premiered on Sunday straight after the Super Bowl. All four judges from the first series Christina, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton have returned for the current second series. Speaking about the possibility of a third series, a source said: “We’re really pleased with the entire cast. You look at the ratings and it’s no accident.” A source close to Christina claims she has signed on to film the next series from September to December, but an NBC spokesman said no decision has been made about when the show will air. Christina has previously said she loves judging the show because it is very positive toward its contestants. She said: “There is no good and bad. This isn’t about tearing people down. I want to bring these people up. “Instinctually, you can judge people based on the way they look. I love that fact we get to sit here with our backs turned away from these people, I’m looking forward to getting moved.”

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D

avid Beckham’s children are incredibly competitive. The 36-year-old soccer superstar and his pop star-turned-fashion designer wife have both been successful in their careers but David says having a privileged upbringing hasn’t made his sons, Brooklyn, 12, Romeo, nine, and Cruz, six, spoilt. David - who also has a seven-month-old daughter Harper with Victoria - said: “It would be easy for our kids to sit back and not work for anything, but they’re not like that. They’re as competitive as Victoria and me. We’re very lucky with our boys: They want to win. They want to work at something. They know their values. That’s the way we’ve brought them up so far, and that’s the way we’ll continue to bring them up. David, 36, also still has a strong work ethic and says being told he can’t do something only makes him more determined. He explained to America’s Men’s Health magazine: “I am a very stubborn person. I think it’s helped me over my career. I’m sure it has hindered me at times as well, but not too many times. I know that if I set my mind to something, even if people are saying I can’t do it, I will achieve it. “Even at 36, I’m still running 12 miles a game. [But] I’ve definitely become more aware on the field. I know what my limits are, what I can achieve, and which passes I can play. I have adapted to my age.” Although he is one of the most famous men in the world, David claims he has very few friends and he prefers to spend time with his family. He added: “I’ve got friends at the different teams I’ve played for, but family is the most important thing to me. That will always be the case. I’ve got my wife. I’ve got my four kids. I’ve got parents, grandparents still, and three really good friends. It’s all you need. I’d rather have three really good friends than 20 good friends.” — Bang Showbiz

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

lifestyle

M U S I C

&

M O V I E S

Dutch dolls’ houses of 17th century still fascinate

A

re dolls and their houses the exclusive preserve of little girls? Not in the eyes of wealthy 17th and 18th century Dutch and German women, who often spent a small fortune on these miniature works of art that could cost as much as a real house. “It was mostly a hobby for rich women. They had money to spend and time to indulge. It was a social activity,” Jet PijzelDommisse, curator of the XXsmall exhibition currently on display The Hague’s Municipal Museum told AFP. Started in the southeastern German city of Nuremberg, the dolls’ house craze soon spread across the Rhine into the Netherlands, though never caught on in France and Italy, she said.

By the 17th century, the Netherlands had entered its “Golden Age” and merchants had become extremely wealthy through maritime trade with the East and West Indies. Wealthy residents had lots of disposable cash and preferred to spend it on luxuries such as doll’s houses, rather than in sensible investments in their businesses which eventually led to a Dutch economic decline a century later. Up to two-meters (6 feet) tall and open on one side, the miniature homes were packed with tiny treasures-and often cost as much as their real-life counterparts.

For instance, Petronella Oortman, a rich 17thcentury Amsterdam silk merchant’s wife, spent 20,000 guilders at the time on a dolls’ house, “the same price for a large home along one of Amsterdam’s canals,” said Pijzel-Dommisse. Sara Rothe, wife to a wealthy merchant in Amstel on the outskirts of Amsterdam, owned a tiny home with miniature paintings, each a few square centimeters, painstakingly done by real artists. Her

A handout picture released by the Municipal Museum in The Hague on January 16, 2012 shows a doll house made circa 1745 for Sara Rothe, wife of a wealthy merchant in Amstel in the Netherlands, and shown at the XXsmall exhibition at the museum. — AFP house has a dining room, with a set table consisting of knives, forks and plates in pure silver, a buffet with filled with pottery and a library stacked with Lilliputian-sized books.

This undated photo courtesy of Kimberly Jackson shows Big Mac.

‘Show how a good house was kept’ In another dolls’ house, a servant is working in the kitchen, while the master of the home is reclining in the living room, listening to the regu-

Flutterby

lar ticking of a clock. “At the time, everything was made by true craftsmen and artists,” said Pijzel-Dommisse.

The dolls’ houses were not only a pleasant pastime and a way of spending superfluous money, as well as a symbol of a certain social standing, they also played a real educational and social role. “Life at home was much more important in Protestant countries than in Catholic countries, where the church was the centre, Pijzel-Dommisse said.

“It was important to show how a good house was kept.” Friends and neighbors came around to admire the tiny creations and were often accompanied by children who were shown what every “good house” should have. Even strangers travelled from afar to come knock on the door of a home with a doll’s house, having heard of it and wanting to see it up close. After the Industrial Revolution, dolls’ houses and their accessories slowly became standardized, mainly to a scale of 1:12.

“It’s true that before that, the scale was not always perfect, but personally I love it, it gives these little homes great charm,” Pijzel-Dommisse said. Even today, dolls’ houses continue to fascinate. More than 86,000 visitors have sauntered through the Municipal Museum’s halls since it opened on November 12. The exhibition runs until March 25. “It’s so beautiful and so small,” a delighted Eva Mits, 78, exclaimed as she stared at a minute wooden chair, barely two centimetres high. “You learn so much about life in the past, what homes were like, people’s clothes, about women’s lives,” she said. — AFP

Dusty Rhodes

Maligned rodent can make

a great pet Converse at Kimberly Jackson’s home in Falmouth, Maine.

—AP photos

R

at lovers are used to being misunderstood. “When my husband told his ex that we got rats, she said, ‘On purpose?’” says Tami Kaplan of Waltham, Massachusetts, proud owner of three of the maligned rodents. Look past your preconceptions and you might fall in love, like Robin Rushlau of Dresden, Maine, fos-

ter and adoption coordinator with Mainely Rat Rescue. “I had friends who had rats - I wouldn’t even look at them. I thought they were the creepiest pets ever,” she says. But her daughter convinced her to care for one while the owners were on vacation. He was far from the perfect specimen - obese, lice-ridden and

the exact color of a wild rat - but, Rushlau says, “I couldn’t believe how wonderful he was. At the end of the two weeks I wouldn’t let him go back.”

In contrast to their icky reputation, rats are playful and affectionate, their owners say. They’re also a lot smarter than you might realize. Erin Stromberg is a keeper at Think Tank, an exhibit at the National Zoo that highlights animal cognition. Alongside our brainy relatives the orangutans, Think Tank houses three brown rats. Stromberg suggests that the conventional dislike for rats is due partly to their intelligence. They’re a challenge to control because they’re flexible and adaptable enough to learn to avoid new dangers and exploit new food sources, and, she says, “Flexibility is one of the key components of how we define thinking.”

Stromberg also points to some recent science that demonstrates rats’ capacity for empathy: “When given the choice, rats chose to free other caged animals rather than take a food reward.” The result is a pet that, as Rushlau describes it, is

Photographer’s hymn to the ‘murdered’ heart of Paris

I

n 1971, Paris lost a piece of its soul as the teeming hub of humanity that was “Les Halles” food market was ripped out, part of a disastrous experiment in urbanism caught on camera by iconic photographer Robert Doisneau. Last year the city began an overhaul of the underground mall and suburban railway hub built in its place, the Forum des Halles, which had become a magnet for petty crime and drug trafficking, and a no-go area for locals. With work now underway on a vast canopy and landscaped gardens that hope to draw back Parisians, more than 200 Doisneau shots capturing the riotous bustle of the market, up until its destruction, went on display at city hall yesterday.

Best known abroad for classic black and white shots such as the iconic picture “The Kiss at the Hotel de Ville”, Doisneau was a tireless chronicler of everyday Parisian life-and Les Halles was a constant subject of fascination. “There are few subjects that he covered as deeply,” said Doisneau’s daughter Francine Deroudille, who curated the show for the Paris city hall, along with her sister Annette Doisneau. His first picture of Les Halles was snapped in 1933, a shot of two girls being wheeled backwards on a hand-pulled trolley, outside the vast 19th-century, steel-and-glass market hall known as the Baltard pavilions.

Through the 1940s and 50s Doisneau returned over and over to the market and its larger-than-life characters. Back then, Paris partygoers would end their night at dawn, exhausted and happy, around a bowl of onion soup at Les Halles, as the ballet of trucks began delivering the day’s market fare.

Flower-sellers, cheesemongers, fishmongers, poultry vendors with their walls of fat geese strung up by the neck, were all given the close-up treatment by the

photographer, said Deroudille. “Those who wanted to get rid of the market cast it as a chaotic mess,” said Deroudille. “But it was extremely well organised, the whole thing running like clockwork.”

Most are vintage shots in black and white, in their original small format, save for half a dozen color images. A whole series from the 1950s is devoted to the market’s strong-armed, grinning butchers-with one veteran gazing deadpan into the camera, a knife in one hand and a cow’s head in the other.

Doisneau also shows the population of downand-outs who would gravitate to Les Halles, curling up to sleep on the sidewalk before renting out their labor at dawn, carrying crates for a few francs. And he shows the prostitutes, smartly dressed and clutching small handbags, leaning on the walls of Les Halles’ side streets. A series of images, all taken from the same spot, has well-dressed men and women vaulting over a gutter strewn with market litter, on their way to the office. —AFP

much like a small dog, but less time-consuming to care for. And compared to other rodents, Kaplan observes, rats are tidier than guinea pigs and less likely to bite than a hamster. Rats love human companionship because they are social animals - in the wild they live in large colonies. That means they also need the company of their own kind, so you should keep at least two. A multi-level cage will allow them to climb, and takes up less floor space. A rat’s other basic needs are fairly simple. Mainely Rats recommends feeding them a good quality, lab-rat diet, and some fresh fruits and vegetables. Since they are rodents, their teeth grow continually, so you need to supply safe items for them to chew on.

If you’re interested in a rat as a pet, try looking for a rescue group. Rushlau’s Mainely Rat rescue, for example, has rats in foster homes throughout New England, New Jersey and New York, and last year adopted out about 700 animals.

Rats often end up with rescue groups because pet stores are careless about

Elizabeth Taylor’s Van Gogh fetches £10 million A member of staff poses with an 1889 painting by Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh entitled ‘Vue de l’Asile et de la Chapelle de Saint-Remy’ (‘View of the Asylum and Chapel of Saint-Remy’). —AFP

A

Francine and Annette Doisneau who managed the exhibition ‘Doisneau: Paris Les Halles’, pose in Paris on February 6, 2012. In the same city hall where a kissing couple provided Robert Doisneau’s most famous image, the French capital exhibits his works on the Halles, the ancient ‘abdomen of Paris’. —AFP

determining their sex and keeping the sexes separate. Pet-store buyers may end up with a pregnant female, or find out the hard way that their pair of rats isn’t the same sex after all. Be sure that if your rat needs medical care, you take it to a vet with rodent experience. Be aware that rats are susceptible to tumors and serious respiratory problems, Kaplan says. If your rat is sniffly, don’t assume it’s just a cold.

And feel the animal frequently for any lumps.

The other downside is that rats don’t live long - only two to three years. “You get very attached to them, and it’s hard to have pets that don’t live that long,” says Kaplan. On the other hand, Ruslau observes, this sad fact can be an advantage if you’re a parent whose child wants a pet; you won’t be left caring for it for years after they go away to college.

However, you may find yourself with a rat obsession of your own: When they adopt out rats to families with kids, she says, “It happens so many times that the parents fall in love.” — AP

painting by Vincent van Gogh owned by the late Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor has sold for more than £10 million, Christie’s auction house announced on Tuesday. Van Gogh’s “Vue de l’asile et de la Chapelle de SaintRemy” (“View of the Asylum and Chapel of Saint-Remy”) went under the hammer for £10.1 million ($16 million, 12 million euros), far exceeding the estimated £7 million price tag. The painting, completed by the Dutch Impressionist in the year before his death in 1890 and bought by Elizabeth Taylor’s father in 1963, was one of the actress’s last possessions to be auctioned.

The British-American star had amassed an extraordinary collection of jewelry and couture as well as art during her glamorous life as a screen star and high-maintenance beauty by the time she died in March aged 79. A week-long auction of her belongings in New York in December drew total sales of $156.8 million (£99 million, 118 million euros). A work by the Spanish Cubist painter Juan Gris also sold at Christie’s on Tuesday for £10.3 million.

“Le livre” (“The Book), described by the auction house as “a key transitional work”, had been expected to sell for up to $18 million. —AFP

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In this image released by Millennium Entertainment, Woody Harrelson is shown in a scene from ‘Rampart.’—AP

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he crazy eyes and idiosyncratic drawl of Woody Harrelson are enough to carry the dirty cop study “Rampart,” but even such powers as those can’t make engaging this weary LA noir. Without Harrelson’s inherent intrigue, the heavy-handed provocations of “Rampart” would be difficult to suffer. But Harrelson’s intense and committed performance keeps Oren Moverman’s film moving, even while the grim and overdone story wallows affectedly.

Among the dirty cops of movies - Harvey Keitel in “Bad Lieutenant,” Denzel Washington in “ Training Day” Harrelson’s LAPD officer Dave Brown is particularly ugly.

He’s nicknamed “Date Rape Dave,” a moniker he came by from killing a serial date rapist years ago. The name may hint of Brown’s most decent side (a protector of women) but it also serves as a frightening warning.

“Rampart” is set in 1999 Los Angeles and its title refers to a notoriously scandal-plagued police division. The film, which Moverman wrote with crime novel writer James Ellroy (“LA Confidential”), doesn’t try to analyze what led to a corrupt division, but rather the specific formation of a badge-wearing monster. “How do we solve a problem like Dave Brown?” asks police attorney Joan Confrey (Sigourney Weaver). By then, we’ve already seen Brown lament “Rodney King wannabes,” abuse a handcuffed suspect and beat to a pulp a man who had the misfortune of colliding with Brown’s cruiser. That incident is caught on camera and

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replayed on the evening news, sparking protests and an investigation.

“This used to be a glorious soldiers’ department,” sneers Brown to a mixed-race female officer. “And now it’s ... you.”

Nice guy, right? At home, we see a softer, complicated side.

Brown has two ex-wives (Cynthia Nixon and Anne Heche, both looking lost) who are sisters and neighbors, with whom he has a teenage daughter (Brie Larson) and a younger daughter (Sammy Boyarsky). It’s an incredulous arrangement and we can only be glad, for basic clarity, when the younger girl sweetly asks her father if she’s inbred. (He laughs and tells her she isn’t and that she’s “native.”)

The bizarre domestic situation aside, Brown’s face genuinely glows around his daughters, surely his only possible pathway to salvation. But Brown is in a self-destructive tailspin: acting out violently, desperate for departmental cover (Ned Beatty plays a sinister LAPD retiree) and picking up women easily. He approaches one (Robin Wright) at a bar by commenting on her “litigator eyes.” Their relationship forms as one based on mutual self-loathing, and Wright is captivating in every moment. How does he live with himself? Quite self-assuredly, actually. The most interesting quality of Brown is how hyper-literate he is. He might curse all manner of citizens as “scum,” but, when confronted by superiors or lawyers (Steve Buscemi makes a cameo as one), he responds with a torrent of dubious legalese and

moral equivocation.

He shrouds his behavior in a labyrinth of caginess, defending himself as a Vietnam vet and a true-blue of the old guard. This is Moverman’s second stab at direction following 2009’s “The Messenger,” which also fitted the famously liberal Harrelson in a uniform (as a soldier whose duty is to inform the families of the fallen). With cinematographer Bobby Bukowski, Moverman’s jerky, handheld camera keeps LA always in the background. The first shot is a profile of Brown driving, smoking and stoic behind sunglasses, while Los Angeles passes behind as mere backdrop. The protests over his beating, we never see, just hear.

Harrelson dominates the picture, but the story of Brown’s unraveling feels increasingly unrealistic and uninteresting while it circles around ideas established in the first half hour. Instead of leading toward understanding, “Rampart” remains a dirty cop caricature, more a complaint than a story. “Rampart,” a Millennium Entertainment release, is rated R for pervasive language, sexual content and some violence. Running time: 108 minutes. One and a half stars out of four. — AP

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(From left) British actors Dev Patel, Celia Imrie,Tom Wilkinson, Diana Hardcastle, Bill Nighy, Dame Judi Dench, and Director John Madden, arrive for the World Premiere of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel at a Mayfair cinema in London, Tuesday. — AP

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he world’s oldest major film studio celebrates its 100th birthday this month with Hollywood stars and European players ready to toast the mythic Studio Babelsberg outside Berlin. It survived the Nazis and the communists and is now capitalizing on its legendary status among cinema history buffs like Quentin Tarantino to beat back tough competition from the likes of London, Prague and Budapest. Marlene Dietrich smouldered on its sound stages, science-fiction trailblazer “Metropolis” took off from Babelsberg in 1926 and Alfred Hitchcock learned the ropes here as a fresh-faced assistant director.

Historic costumes are stored in a costumes room at Studio Babelsberg on January 18, 2012 in Potsdam Babelsberg, eastern Germany. — AFP photos “All the Hollywood people say ‘What a history, it’s an honor to work here’, whether it’s Tom Hanks or Tarantino, who of course knew every film that was ever made here,” Eike Wolf, Babelsberg’s head of publicity, told AFP on a tour of the sprawling site ahead of the centennial jubilee on February 12. Hanks just wrapped up filming “Cloud Atlas”, which, with a budget of around $100 million (76 million euros), its producers have called the most expensive German-produced film of all time. Tarantino, for his part, lovingly constructed a replica of an old-time Paris cinema here only to blow it to smithereens at the end of “Inglourious Basterds”, with Hitler inside.

And Clive Owen made Swiss cheese of a nearly life-size replica of New York’s Guggenheim Museum that was built here, in a shoot-out in “The International”. “Berlin is very attractive for creative types-it’s a great location and it is much more affordable than London, for example,” studio chief executive Charlie Woebcken told AFP.A string of all-star parties, exhibitions and books are planned for the anniversary of the day in 1912 when work began on “Totentanz” (The Dance of the Dead), starring

The back lot set ‘Berliner Street’ is pictured at Studio Babelsberg.

ame Judi Dench and Dev Patel brought an Indian adventure to a chilly London with the world premiere of their new film, “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.” The movie, directed by John Madden, sees a group of retirement age Brits move to India to see out their elderly years in colorful Jaipur. Patel, of “Slumdog Millionaire” fame, plays the guy who entices them to take the adventure.

Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton were also among the cast out on the red carpet for the Tuesday event at the Curzon Mayfair in London.

“I had to ride a motorcycle through the streets of Jaipur with Judi Dench on the back, which was very, very freaky because I have never done it before and my whole thing became ‘Don’t kill Judi Dench,” Nighy joked. Despite her character’s choice to retire, it appears that’s the last thing on Dench’s mind. “I am not going to retire hopefully, I am just going to hope that work will come. If I don’t do this, I will do something else,” she said. The movie opens in the UK and Ireland on Feb 24. — AP

Danish superstar of the era Asta Nielsen. The Berlin film festival running from February 9-19 will show a retrospective of Babelsberg’s greatest hits, with events also planned in Cannes, Los Angeles, New York and London.

On a walk across the lot, a visitor can struggle to picture Dietrich as just another blonde in the crowd of young actresses who turned out for the casting call of “The Blue Angel” which would rocket her to immortality. “In today’s Marlene Dietrich Studio, there are corridors with wooden floors that Marlene actually walked on,” Woebcken said. “We left them as-is to maintain that historical flair.” The golden age promptly ended as Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels took the reins under the Third Reich. Babelsberg became a movie factory, churning out light entertainment and vile anti-Semitic propaganda such as the notorious “Jud Suess”.

Need a Nazi stormtrooper uniform?

After the war, the communists also recognized the power of cinema to influence the masses, and the then-DEFA Studios were dubbed “Honnywood” for longtime East German leader Erich Honecker. “We are of course always being confronted with our history because film is the medium that you can best use to come to terms with the past and this is always a major issue in Germany,” Woebcken said. After the Berlin Wall fell, Babelsberg went through another few incarnations before mounting a spectacular comeback in 2004 under Woebcken and his partner Christoph Fisser.

Babelsberg’s facilities stretch across 25,000 square metres (270,000 square feet). More than 3,000 films have been made here, in recent years thanks in part to German state subsidies.

The costume department, whose Lisy Christl was just nominated for an Oscar for her work on Roland Emmerich’s Shakespeare drama “Anonymous”, is a vast treasure trove of period get-up.

Row upon row of replica Nazi storm trooper uniforms, suits of armor, glittering evening gowns, hoop skirts and neckties clustered by decade and color await the next production.—AFP

Madonna performs during the Bridgestone Super Bowl XLVI Halftime Show at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 5, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. — AFP

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LASH Entertainment is hosting Madonna’s historic performance in Abu Dhabi on June 3rd in what is already being talked about as the regional music event of the decade. It was confirmed today that 22,000 tickets would be sold for the show. With an average of 41,000 fans attending each show of Madonna’s last tour in 2008/9, FLASH is preparing for one of the fastest selling shows in the city’s history. Tickets go on sale at midday on Monday, February 27th and fans are urged to buy early to avoid disappointment.

Madonna’s concert weekend is expected to draw tens of thousands of fans to Yas Island and will mark a real milestone for Abu Dhabi; a city that has built an international reputation for world-class sports and entertainment events. With global tennis, golf, motor racing, football and sailing already a common feature on the annual Abu Dhabi event calendar, confirmation that Madonna will perform exclusively in the region, follows a long tradition of major concerts in the city and validates the Emirate’s position as a truly international live music destination.

Mira Sadekat FLASH Entertainment stressed that hosting of Madonna was not just a landmark event for Abu Dhabi, but one the entire region could be proud of, “Abu Dhabi has provided the perfect backdrop for exceptional entertainment, cultural and sporting events in recent years. The city has become a major player in the industry, which has played an important part in elevating the entire region’s reputation for delivering world-class entertainment. It’s also made hundreds of thousands of people very happy” She continued: “This is not just a historic moment for Abu Dhabi and the UAE, but for the entire region. We look forward to welcoming people from across the Middle East to enjoy our beautiful city, for what is sure to be a defining weekend of entertainment.”

Faisal Al Sheikh, Events Manager at Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, spoke of the events importance in the ongoing growth of the city. “Extremely high profile concerts of this nature do much to spread awareness of Abu Dhabi’s tourism offering and the city’s emergence as an international entertainment destination,” he said. “Headline concerts have proved their worth in delivering an increasing number of guests to Abu Dhabi’s hotels and this show, coming as it does in a traditionally slow month will, I am sure, be welcomed by all in the UAE capi-

tal’s hospitality sector.”

As one of the most captivating cities in the Middle East, Abu Dhabi continues to attract millions each year who come to enjoy the city’s cultural diversity, worldclass leisure and entertainment facilities, stunning beaches and cosmopolitan lifestyle. In recent years, the city has successfully positioned itself as the entertainment hub of the Middle East with the 2009 opening of Yas Island, where the first ever day/night Etihad Airways Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was staged.

Just a short drive from Abu Dhabi International Airport, Yas Island is home to a wide collection of some of the country’s finest hotels and leisure attractions including Ferrari World, Yas Links, Yas Yacht Club and over 30 dining options (including the world famous Cipriani restaurant).

With the growth of the Yas Island Show Weekends and Yasalam, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi is well established as a regional hot spot for concertgoers. The island boasts two performance venues, the Yas Arena and FLASH Forum. The Arena is a landmark of Abu Dhabi and the biggest open-air concert venue in the Middle East. In 2011, the Yas Arena saw over half a million people through its doors to see performers including Aerosmith, Shakira, Beyonce, Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder, Britney Spears, Metallica, Janet Jackson and Arabic Megastar Amr Diab. In all, the Arena has hosted over 50 artists and 23 shows in the past 3 years.

With unrestricted views throughout, the shortest waiting times in the region, walking distance to free parking for over 5,000 cars, a shuttle bus service from Dubai, and hundreds of taxis, the Arena provides an unrivalled live music experience. Ticket prices start at350 AED and will go on sale at midday UAE time on Monday February 27th from www.thinkflash.ae or by calling 800 FLASH (800-35274). Tickets can also be purchased from Virgin Megastores outlets across the Middle East from Monday 27th February. Etihad Airways will be announcing concert packages in the coming weeks and details will be made available at www.etihad.com/Madonna “Make it a Weekend. Make it a Madonna weekend.”Plan your weekend at www.yasisland.ae.

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here’s little mystery about “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.” This 3-D sort-of sequel wears its formula-for-dollars purpose with pride, delivering a dash of cinematic nonsense that represents Hollywood calculation at its shrewdest and most shameless. Again poking Jules Verne’s remains with a sharp stick, the producers of the 2008 hit “Journey to the Center of the Earth” present their second modern take on the 19th century fantasist’s wild stories. And “Mysterious Island” is every bit the amusement park ride cloaked as a movie that the first “Journey” was, the new flick stranding a misfit band of adventurers on Verne’s lost island of freakish creatures.

What this one lacks by comparison is the relative novelty of digital 3-D, which was in its infancy for mainstream theatrical releases when “Journey to the Center of the Earth” came out. It also lacks the likable goof factor of Brendan Fraser, who starred in the first movie but isn’t back for the second. Dwayne Johnson steps in this time, and while he tries to yuck it up amid the nonstop action, he’s just not a goofball on the order of Fraser, who somehow can make extreme silliness palatable with that big, simpering grin of his. Johnson, on the other hand, merely simpers.

“Journey 2” also features a change of directors, with Brad Peyton (“Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore”) overseeing a collection of impressive but annoying visuals, serving up gimmicky 3-D that’s continually trying to poke things in your eye. Johnson stars as ex-Navy guy Hank, stepfather to troublesome teenager Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson, reprising his role from the first “Journey”). In its rushed and clunky opening minutes, “Journey 2” establishes that Sean’s a bad boy genius who resents his stepdad; bonds the two in a scene that shows Hank’s an OK guy and Sean’s not such a bad boy and not such a genius; sends them off to the South Pacific in search of Sean’s grandfather (Michael Caine), who sent a cryptic transmission that he had found Verne’s supposedly fictional island; and lands them in the company of helicopter pilot Gabato (Luis Guzman) and his beautiful daughter, Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens), who ferry the visitors to the remote isle.

Peyton and cousins Brian Gunn and Mark Gunn, who wrote the screenplay, waste no time giving the characters more than the barest cartoon personalities, allowing the filmmakers to focus on the movie’s only reason to exist. And that’s purely as a thrill ride, the actors racing from a giant lizard, flying on monster bees while pursued by colossal hungry birds, rushing to escape an enormous electric eel. Size matters to the filmmakers here, which might be why they signed up Johnson, a

co-producer as well as star, who strains for some laughs with an overdone gag about his massive pectoral muscles. The actors make an effort with the interminable repartee they’re given to mutter, but the presence of actors as good as Caine and Guzman only highlights how dreadful and dumb the banter is (“Journey 2” will be preceded by a new Daffy Duck cartoon; that short didn’t play before a recent critics’ screening, but we’re betting its dialogue will be sharper than the main attraction’s).

The 3-D images have improved greatly since the first “Journey,” but even more this time, the filmmakers play a game of “made you flinch” with cheap shots of objects hurtling off the screen. Good for a giggle at a theme park attraction, good for some groans and grousing when paying a 3-D premium to park your carcass in a theater for 90 minutes. There’s promise of more, too, the movie hanging out the prospect of a “Journey 3”

inspired by another of Verne’s sci-fi classics.

The root of the franchise is kind of clever, updating Verne’s novels to our times by pretending they weren’t fantasies but chronicles of actual expeditions. And “Journey 2” has its heart in the right place as a familyfriendly adventure that might interest some kids in checking out Verne’s books.

If only the movie had the hint of a brain. “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island,” a Warner Bros. release, is rated PG for some adventure action, and brief mild language.

Running time: 94 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.—AP

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merican Idol” executive producer Nigel Lythgoe came out fighting against rival TV shows on Tuesday, calling singing contest “The Voice” a “gimmicky” show and making clear he was fed up with defending “Idol”s slipping ratings. Speaking to reporters following headlines of bumper audiences for this week’s return of NBC’s “The Voice,” Lythgoe questioned whether other TV talent shows would still be around in 11 years or produce toplevel stars such as those that have emerged from Fox television’s “Idol”.

“After 11 years I am thrilled with these ratings,” Lythgoe said. “Of course there is going to be viewer fatigue. It is the same as too many sci-fi dramas or too many hospital dramas.

But after 11 years, I don’t think we should be defending ourselves.” Roughly 19.7 million US viewers watched last night’s episode of “Idol”, which has seen a 20 percent audience decline since its return to TV in January and is fighting to retain its crown as America’s most-watched TV show.

By contrast, the second season premiere of “The Voice” was watched by 37.6 million Americans immediately after Sunday’s Super Bowl. Some 17.7 million-a 50 percent increase over last year’s debut-returned for Monday’s regular episode in the biggest challenge yet to “Idol’s” supremacy in its genre. “We have survived for 11 years and whatever bad press we are getting about these ratings-God! the rest of the world would love these ratings,” a clearly frustrated Lythgoe said. He added that there would be no major changes to the “Idol” format as it enters its popular Hollywood round this week. “Why on Earth would we start looking at other things to put in there? I have no idea...’American Idol’ is now in the

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Nigel Lythgoe history books and will remain there. And let’s hope all the other shows like ‘X Factor’ and ‘The Voice’ continue to be successful for 11 years...I will keep my fingers crossed for them,” he added.

Lythgoe said “The Voice” had a “fun format,” in which judge-mentors Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine initially turn their backs on contestants before competing among each other to mentor the new talent to stardom. But he added: “It is very gimmicky which is interesting at this time. I particularly like the relationship between Blake and Adam. Other than that, I think they need stronger talent.” —Reuters

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he foibles of human nature haven’t changed since Russian playwright Anton Chekhov’s time. Also a prolific author of short stories, Chekhov gently satirized his often-flawed human subjects. By turns foolish, lovesick, melancholy and sometimes cruel, his nineteenthcentury characters were men, women and children from all classes who sometimes got in their own way, inadvertently sabotaging their own desires. Melania Levitsky has adapted nine of Chekhov’s better-known stories from the translation by Constance Garnett, creating a comedy called “Chekhovek” that opened Tuesday night off-Broadway at the ArcLight Theatre. The authentically rustic, well-acted show, which Levitsky also directs, is presented by The

In this publicity photo released by The Bruce Cohen Group, from left, Eddie Allen, Celia Schaefer, Elizabeth Fountain, David Anderson and Rob Leo Roy are shown in a scene from the comedy ‘Chekhovek,’ performing off-Broadway at the ArcLight Theatre in New York. — AP

Actors’ Ensemble and GoShow Entertainment.

The former title of the production, “Virtue, Desire, Death and Foolishness,” is a good description of the topics covered by this selection of Chekhov’s emotionally complex tales. Fourteen scenes are animatedly narrated and enacted by five actors, Eddie Allen, David Anderson, Elizabeth Fountain, Rob Leo Roy and Celia Schaefer. Musician Jonathan Talbott plays folk music that he composed for the show.

The cast portrays a troupe of actors performing in an old theater, pulling props and costumes out of trunks and dressing one another onstage for scene changes. Schaefer gives a poignant intensity to her portrayal of the unhappy, obedient title character in “The Chemist’s Wife” who gradually opens up to experience delight and giddiness in the unexpected late-night company of two comically drunk officers, (Allen and Roy, buffoonishly funny).

As adultress Anna in “The Lady with the Dog,” Schaefer is also appealingly conflicted. Allen plays her married lover, Gurov, with increasing romantic feeling, as that story unfolds in recurring vignettes throughout the production.

Anderson often wears a wry, impish look that perfectly suits the parts he plays, which include the earnestly foolish, doomed functionary in “Death of a Government Clerk”; a reluctant suitor trying to avoid getting trapped into marriage by his girlfriend’s scheming parents in “A Blunder,” and a mad philosopher made increasingly ecstatic by speaking with a ghost who obligingly parrots his thoughts, in “The Black Monk.”—AP

Motion Picture Association of America rating definitions GPG -

General audiences. All ages admitted.

Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

PG-13 - Special parental guidance strongly suggested for children under 13. Some material may be inappropriate for young children.

RRestricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

NC-17 - No one under 17 admitted.

Never content to be just another Hollywood hunk, Brad Pitt these days is not just one of America’s most bankable film stars but also a sought-after and influential movie producer. Pitt and his life partner Angelina Jolie are Hollywood’s gilded first couple, a fixture on the Big Screen and on the awards’ show red carpet circuit. The actor, 48, starred in the critically acclaimed “Moneyball” for which he has won a best actor Oscar nomination to this year’s awards, as well as in the art film “The Tree of Life.”

But these days, it is Pitt’s work as a producer that most sets his heart racing. The actor, who says he is a “perfectionist” when it comes to his work, is on a mission to make sure that quality films, not just mindless trifles, get made in Hollywood. In “Moneyball” Pitt played the role of Billy Beane, a baseball manager who developed a quirky but effective statisticallybased approach to spotting on-field talent. Pitt relished his Oscar-nominated role in the film, but said he may have gotten even more satisfaction as its producer.

The critically important behind-thescenes-player on all films is responsible for hiring the director, overseeing the budget, coordinating the film’s post-production and other indispensable tasks. “Any movie you see here today wouldn’t have made it to the screen, unless you had someone with the idea that this would make a good movie and then the fortitude and luck to push it through. Each one of these movies took some heavy lifting,” Pitt told AFP. “That’s why I enjoy the producing side so much,” he said.Not that Hollywood’s golden boy is any slouch in the acting department. Pitt came to public eye 20 years ago with a much-talked-about shirtless film debut as eye-candy in the hit movie “Thelma and Louise.”

Pitt has since been nominated for acting Oscars in 1996 for “Twelve Monkeys” and again in 2009 for “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” Moneyball, his third nod, also garnered a best picture nomination. His work on the production side of the film business had been made possible via his Plan B Entertainment film production company. Over the years he has produced some two dozen films, including “Running with Scissors,” “The Year of the Dog” and “Kick-Ass”-movies without a commercial Hollywood aesthetic and that might never have been made if not for his involvement. Another Plan B project was last year’s “The Tree of Life” which Pitt also starred in and which was directed by Terrence Malick.

Recalling the collaboration, Pitt’s eyes light up at the mere mention of Malick’s name. “Terrence would get up in the

In this image released by Warner Bros Pictures, from left, Luis Guzman, Vanessa Hudgens, Josh Hutcherson, Dwayne Johnson and Michael Caine are shown in a scene from ‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.’ —AP

morning and just kind of type like a stream-of-conscious ideas of today’s scenes. And he would come and give us his pages. And we would only do a couple takes,” the actor said, with a clear appreciation for this fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants approach to acting. “He’s a director, who doesn’t want us to try to create the scene, he wants us just to take off, and he’s going to be there and capture the moments that he feels are like life,” he said. “It was a really interesting idea for me. It leads to a freshness and an immediacy, because you’re on your toes,” he said. “I love process, to try out a new process-whatever that process might be.”

He plans to take a breather from the frenetic pace, to spend a bit more time with Jolie and the six children they have together. “It’s family first. This year, I needed to spend more time with my family so I spent more quiet time developing stuff,” he said. Meanwhile Jolie, 36 — one of Hollywood’s top stars and among its most fetching leading ladies-has also been branching out from acting, with her directorial debut in the just released film “In the Land of Blood and Honey.” —AFP

Actor Brad Pitt attends the 84th Academy Awards Nominations Luncheon at The Beverly Hilton hotel on February 6, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California.—AFP

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Renowned Indian Sitar maestro, Pandit Ravi Shankar and his daughter Anoushka Shankar perform during the ‘Premaanjali Festival 2012’ a musical concert held at the Palace Grounds in Bangalore on February 7, 2012. Pandit Ravi Shankar performed with his daughter Anoushka Shankar in what is said to be his last concert in the city of Bangalore. — AFP

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an President Barack Obama’s campaign recapture the glamour quotient of four years ago? Yes it can, says actress Scarlett Johansson - even if it’s one designer tote bag at a time. Johansson, dressed in a black-and-sheer Stella McCartney frock, lent her own glamour quotient Tuesday to a launch party for Runway to Win, a fundraising initiative from the fashion world. A creation of Vogue editor Anna Wintour, one of the top Obama fundraisers in the country, it brings together 27 designers who’ve made relatively low-cost items such as canvas tote bags and T-shirts with Obama images and logos, now being sold online, with profits going to the campaign.

Johansson pronounced them “wearable, beautiful pieces.” “To everyone I know with birthdays in between now and November: You’re welcome!” she quipped to the crowd, which sipped wine, munched on hors d’oeuvres and, of course, shopped. Also addressing the crowd: Obama campaign manager Jim Messina, who urged guests to “Buy everything you can get your hands on.”

Items piled on tables included a T-shirt designed by singer Beyonce and her mother, Tina Knowles, decorated with slogans such as, “I’m in!” (The shirt sells for $45.) A gray long-sleeved T-shirt by Jason Wu, who famously designed Michelle Obama’s white inaugural ballgown, had a bird on a branch, in campaign colors (red, white and blue). A Marc Jacobs tee simply said: “I Vote Obama.”

And plain old canvas totes gained a lot of cachet merely from the tiny labels on them: Vera Wang, Derek Lam, Tory Burch and many others. Johansson, chatting with reporters, said it was important for the campaign to

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“reintroduce that kind of cool factor to the re-election.”

She deflected a question about fellow actor Matt Damon, her co-star in the recent movie “We Bought a Zoo,” who campaigned for Obama four years ago but has been quite vocal about his disillusionment this time around.

Johansson said the president is “fighting an uphill battle.”

“He was always going to be a two-term president,” she said. “Change doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time.”She said she was even more enthusiastic than last time. “It’s so important that his vision continue,” she said.

“And the alternative is devastating. It just cannot be.”

Wintour, wearing a Thakoon silk scarf ($95), said she thought fashion designers “can be very helpful” this election year - “As you see here tonight. These designers are going way beyond the call of duty. They should be working on their shows.” Scoping out the merchandise was one high-profile designer who can’t vote in the United States - Frenchman Olivier Theyskens, of Theory, which lent its showroom for the event. “Designers are like dreamers,” Theyskens said. “So it’s good for us sometimes to get into politics, into reality, into the real future. I can’t vote here, but I can say what I think.”

The Obama campaign says the merchandise has been created in full compliance with campaign finance laws.

Johansson had her own comeback to reported Republican concerns that the Runway to Win project might violate campaign finance rules if the items cost a lot more than they’re selling for, saying of the Republicans: “They’re so unfashionable!” As for her own candidate, she said, he and his wife “have a casual cool about them. They’re a very stylish couple.” Johansson

alentine’s Day is round the corner and it is time again to celebrate the bond of love. Valentine’s Day symbolizes eternal selfless love, which creates a sense of happiness and elation in the heart through meaningful, symbolic gifts. The quest for the perfect Valentine’s Day present is never easy. With the introduction of its special Valentine’s Day gift, Malabar Gold makes shopping simpler this year.

Malabar Gold has launched marvelously crafted heart shaped pendant studded with 40 exquisite diamonds. This beautiful diamond pendant features a stylish heart design sparkling with floating diamonds.

There is an unspoken subtle intimacy between a woman and her diamond jewellery and this gorgeous gift will be a constant reminder of the love you share with her. This amazing pendant is available at both yellow and white gold for a special promotional price of AED 999 (RO 105, BD 99, KD 88, QR 999) and the customers can also avail a complementary designer watch with it absolutely free.

Malabar Gold is one of the leading jewellery brands in India with an enduring commitment to purity and quality. The group has over 60 showrooms worldwide with a strong presence in India and the Middle East. Their extensive jewellery collection, impeccable after-sale service and world-class facilities along with uncompromising dedication to personal attention offer a remarkable service experience to their customers.

Malabar Gold showrooms worldwide feature a variety of jewellery collections.

These include Era - Uncut Diamond Jewellery, Ethnix - Handcrafted Designer Jewellery, Mine - Diamonds unlimited, Starlet - Kids Jewellery, Divine - Heritage Jewellery and Precia- precious gems jewellery. This is in addition to the vivid collection of contemporary and traditional designs that suits the taste of international as well as resident customers.

This Valentine’s Day, Malabar Gold offers a chance to give that special someone a token of your love that she will cherish for the rest of her life. This offer is valid at their outlets in UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain.

sure looked great in her designer duds, but will she be attending shows during Fashion Week, which starts on Thursday? “No,” she said. “Fashion shows can be a little high-maintenance.” — AP

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he world’s last surviving First World War veteran, who served in Britain’s Women’s Royal Air Force ( WRAF), has died aged 110, British media reported. Florence Green, who joined the WRAF as a 17-year-old in 1918, was believed to be the last veteran of the 1914-1918 conflict. She died in her sleep at a care home in King’s Lynn, eastern England, on Saturday, according to media reports.

“She led an amazing and extraordinary life,” Green’s daughter June Evetts told the Eastern Daily Press. “She must have seen a lot of changes in her time.” Evetts said that Green, a great-grandmother, “certainly wouldn’t shout about the fact she was the last veteran”. “She was, however, very proud of what she did and we are all very proud of her,” she said. Green joined the WRAF as a mess steward two months before the armistice and served at Royal Air Force bases in Norfolk, eastern England. Though she never saw frontline action, she is classed as having served in the war. Claude Choules, the world’s last known combat veteran of what was then called the Great War, died in Australia aged 110 in May last year. — AP

File photo shows Vogue editor Anna Wintour attending the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards at Skylight Soho in New York. — AP

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ince the 70’s, Shoebox New York has been New York’s top multi-brand women’s retailer for luxury footwear, handbags, and accessories, mothering various brands such as BCBG Max Azria, Vince Camuto, Dolce Vita, Jessica Simpson, Kim Kardashian, Nicholai Hilton, among many others. Shoebox New York soon made a name for itself among women worldwide with its ability to understand her needs, her wants, her psyche.

And this is where the story begins...

There’s an emotional connection that a woman establishes with each pair of shoes she owns. An emotional comfort is born with each purchase, and so, a pair of shoes come to accessorize not an outfit, but a state of mind. Did she really need all those shoes? Probably not. But each pair, each purchase, tells a story. With over 40 years of understanding women, Shoebox New York fashions that story and has become a haven for every woman looking for emotional indulgence. The store offers every woman an exhilarating experience, taking her on a journey as she shops, where every step of the way is hers to seize. She, is the motivation. She, is the nucleus. She, is the reason behind Shoebox New York.

Shoebox New York is among many brands owned by Ali Abdulwahab Sons & Co.